Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern Finland

The Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects located in the Häme Schist Belt in southern Finland are dominated by mafic and intermediate to felsic metavolcanic rocks of the Forssa Group formed in a continental arc setting. This magmatic belt formed some 1890 – 1880 Ma ago and has been deformed during the Sv...

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Main Author: K. Saalmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Geological Society of Finland 2007-06-01
Series:Bulletin of the Geological Society of Finland
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.geologinenseura.fi/bulletin/Volume79/Saalmann_2007.pdf
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author K. Saalmann
author_facet K. Saalmann
author_sort K. Saalmann
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description The Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects located in the Häme Schist Belt in southern Finland are dominated by mafic and intermediate to felsic metavolcanic rocks of the Forssa Group formed in a continental arc setting. This magmatic belt formed some 1890 – 1880 Ma ago and has been deformed during the Svecofennian orogeny. The dominant penetrative foliation is represented by Sn+1, which is axial planar to cm- to dm-scale iscolinal Fn+1 folds and thus parallel to the layering Sn. Associated ductile shearing might reflect early thrusting. Dn+2 post-dating peak metamorphism is characterized by small-scale to regional-scale refolding of Fn+1 folds around ~SW-NE fold axes. This phase is transitional to development of SW-NE to WSW-ENE and NW-SE striking shear zones and faults formed due to dextral transpression during Dn+3 at retrograde conditions crossing the brittle-ductile transition. Many mineralized quartz veins have formed during this event. Later faults and quartz veins and reactivation of pre-existing structures during Dn+4 indicate rotation of the stress field to ~NE-SW oriented compression. A clear ~SW-NE trend of sulphide mineralization and elevated gold contents and the spatial association to Dn+3 quartz veins, shear zones and faults suggest a strong structural control, typical of orogenic gold deposits, and that mineralization took place during Dn+3 . The controlling structures, (i) WSW-ENE to SW-NE shear zones and faults and (ii) NW-SE oriented fault, are second and third order structures to major regional-scale shear zones. The fault zones and their intersection points impart a directional permeability so that the mineralising fluids were channelled along dilatant zones. Approximately (W)NW-(E)SE trending faults being (re)activated as extensional faults or dilatant shear planes during Dn+3 transpression with WNW-ESE to NW-SE oriented compression direction could have acted as conduits for fluids during upward flow from deeper crustal level. Future studies in this area are necessary to test if other prospects show similar timing and structural control, and future exploration for finding new targets should consider sites of (W)SW-(E)NE and NW-SE-striking second and third-order structures branching from major shear and fault zones.
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spelling doaj.art-a13a58251438489fb1f5d7483e0a63aa2022-12-21T19:12:13ZengGeological Society of FinlandBulletin of the Geological Society of Finland0367-52111799-46322007-06-01791699310.17741/bgsf/79.1.004Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern FinlandK. SaalmannThe Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects located in the Häme Schist Belt in southern Finland are dominated by mafic and intermediate to felsic metavolcanic rocks of the Forssa Group formed in a continental arc setting. This magmatic belt formed some 1890 – 1880 Ma ago and has been deformed during the Svecofennian orogeny. The dominant penetrative foliation is represented by Sn+1, which is axial planar to cm- to dm-scale iscolinal Fn+1 folds and thus parallel to the layering Sn. Associated ductile shearing might reflect early thrusting. Dn+2 post-dating peak metamorphism is characterized by small-scale to regional-scale refolding of Fn+1 folds around ~SW-NE fold axes. This phase is transitional to development of SW-NE to WSW-ENE and NW-SE striking shear zones and faults formed due to dextral transpression during Dn+3 at retrograde conditions crossing the brittle-ductile transition. Many mineralized quartz veins have formed during this event. Later faults and quartz veins and reactivation of pre-existing structures during Dn+4 indicate rotation of the stress field to ~NE-SW oriented compression. A clear ~SW-NE trend of sulphide mineralization and elevated gold contents and the spatial association to Dn+3 quartz veins, shear zones and faults suggest a strong structural control, typical of orogenic gold deposits, and that mineralization took place during Dn+3 . The controlling structures, (i) WSW-ENE to SW-NE shear zones and faults and (ii) NW-SE oriented fault, are second and third order structures to major regional-scale shear zones. The fault zones and their intersection points impart a directional permeability so that the mineralising fluids were channelled along dilatant zones. Approximately (W)NW-(E)SE trending faults being (re)activated as extensional faults or dilatant shear planes during Dn+3 transpression with WNW-ESE to NW-SE oriented compression direction could have acted as conduits for fluids during upward flow from deeper crustal level. Future studies in this area are necessary to test if other prospects show similar timing and structural control, and future exploration for finding new targets should consider sites of (W)SW-(E)NE and NW-SE-striking second and third-order structures branching from major shear and fault zones.http://www.geologinenseura.fi/bulletin/Volume79/Saalmann_2007.pdfgold oresmetavolcanic rocksmineralizationquartz veinsstructural controlsdeformationshear zonesfaultsProterozoicSatulinmäkiRiukkaFinland
spellingShingle K. Saalmann
Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern Finland
Bulletin of the Geological Society of Finland
gold ores
metavolcanic rocks
mineralization
quartz veins
structural controls
deformation
shear zones
faults
Proterozoic
Satulinmäki
Riukka
Finland
title Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern Finland
title_full Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern Finland
title_fullStr Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern Finland
title_full_unstemmed Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern Finland
title_short Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern Finland
title_sort structural control on gold mineralization in the satulinmaki and riukka prospects hame schist belt southern finland
topic gold ores
metavolcanic rocks
mineralization
quartz veins
structural controls
deformation
shear zones
faults
Proterozoic
Satulinmäki
Riukka
Finland
url http://www.geologinenseura.fi/bulletin/Volume79/Saalmann_2007.pdf
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