A New Alpine Metallogenic Model for the Pb-Ag Orogenic Deposits of Macôt-la Plagne and Peisey-Nancroix (Western Alps, France)

Abstract

Understanding mass transfer associated with fluids circulation and deformation in the Alpine orogeny is often complex due to common multistage crystallization. For example, in two emblematic and historic Pb-Ag deposits of the French Alps, Macôt-la Plagne (MP) and Peisey-Nancroix (PN), a sedimentary or orogenic origin is still debated. To discriminate between the metallogenic models of the two deposits, an integrative methodology combining field, microstructural, mineralogical, thermobarometrical, and geochronological data was here applied for establishing detailed Pressure–Temperature–Time–Deformation (P-T-t-d) mineralization conditions. Both deposits are located in Permo-Triassic quartzite of the External Briançonnais domain along the Internal Briançonnais Front (Internal Western Alps). The ore mainly occurs as veins and disseminated textures containing galena, pyrite, and variable content of tetrahedrite–tennantite and chalcopyrite. Quartz porphyroclasts and sulfide microstructures indicate a dynamic recrystallization of the quartzite during the main fluid mineralization episode. Chlorites and K-white micas (phengite) chemical analysis and thermodynamic modeling from compositional maps indicate an onset of the mineralization at 280 °C, with a main precipitation stage at 315 ± 35 °C and 6.25 ± 0.75 kbar. In situ U-Pb dating on monazite, cogenetic with sulfides, gives ages around 35 Ma for both deposits. The integrative dataset converges for a cogenetic MP-PN Alpine Pb-Ag mineralization during deformation in relation to the thrusting of the “Nappe des Gypses” and the Internal Briançonnais at the metamorphic peak.

Keywords

• Pb-Ag orogenic deposits
• Western Alps
• Briançonnais
• U-Th-Pb geochronology
• syn-tectonic mineralization
• hydrothermal circulation