Martin, Andrew J., Jamieson, John William, Petersen, Sven , Fayek, Mostafa and Escartin, Javier (2024) Fluid Flow, Mineralization and Deformation in an Oceanic Detachment Fault: Microtextural, Geochemical and Isotopic Evidence From Pyrite at 13°30′N on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 25 . e2023GC011033. DOI 10.1029/2023GC011033.

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Abstract

Hydrothermal fluids in ultramafic‐hosted hydrothermal systems associated with oceanic detachment faults can be more oxidizing compared to mafic‐hosted vent sites. These fluids form a mineral assemblage of pyrite, magnetite and hematite. At 13°30′N on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge, chlorite‐quartz breccias recovered from an exposed fault scarp contain pyrite, with abundant magnetite and hematite, indicating that the redox of the fluids was variable. In primary micron‐scale zonations in pyrite, Ni, Co, and Se have a decoupled relationship, recording fluctuations in the chemical composition and temperature of hydrothermal fluid as the grains grew. Secondary zonations that erase and overprint primary zonations are limited to the grain margin and permeable regions within the grain core. Secondary zonations formed via two processes: (a) grain dissolution followed by overgrowth, and (b) remobilization of metals during oxidizing fluid flow events. In both instances, Ni and Co have been mobilized and concentrated, and are not lost to the hydrothermal fluid. Superimposed on these features is evidence of grain scale deformation related to periods of fault movement along the detachment surface. Sulfur isotope ratios (δ 34 S) in pyrite systematically decrease from the grain margin to the grain core, indicating that increased amounts of sulfur were derived from thermochemical sulfate reduction of seawater. Thus, pyrite records the evolution of fluid flow and deformation events during exhumation along the detachment surface from ∼1 to 2 km below the seafloor at the base of the lava pile, with temporal fluctuations in fluid redox identified as an important process in controlling Ni and Co enrichment in pyrite.

Plain Language Summary

Detachment faults are long lived faults that can expose ultramafic rocks at the seafloor. We aim to investigate the links between hydrothermal activity and detachment fault formation. To do this we use pyrite as a tape recorder for past fluid flow events. Across individual mineral grains, distinct zonations in metal content and sulfur isotope ratios show that the incursion of seawater occurred periodically during pyrite growth, increasing during fault movement events that lead to changes in the temperature and pH of the fluids in the fault zone. These changes concentrated metals toward the center of individual mineral grains. Zonations were then overprinted by later deformation‐related events, providing evidence that the samples formed at deeper crustal levels below the seafloor and were progressively exhumed at the seafloor over time.

Key Points

Microtextural, geochemical, and isotopic variations in subseafloor pyrite record the history of sample exhumation along a detachment fault
Nickel and Co are remobilized and concentrated in pyrite across individual mineral grains in response to fluctuating fluid redox conditions
Evidence of pyrite deformation and alteration mineralogy of samples indicates sample exhumation from a depth of 1–2 km

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