Effect of Water‐Rock Ratio on the Stable Isotope Record of Fluid‐Rock‐Deformation Interactions in Detachment Shear Zone

Abstract

Abstract Oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope analyses of quartz and muscovite veins from the footwall of the Raft River detachment shear zone (Utah) provide insight into the hydrology and fluid‐rock interactions during ductile deformation. Samples were collected from veins containing 90%–100% quartz with orientations either at a high angle or sub‐parallel to the surrounding quartzite mylonite foliation. Stable isotope analysis was performed on 10 samples and compared with previous quartzite mylonite isotope data sets. The results indicate that the fluid present during deformation of the shear zone was meteoric in origin, with a δ2H value of approximately −100‰ and a δ18O value of approximately −13.7‰. Oxygen stable isotope O18O depletion correlates with the muscovite content of the analyzed rocks. Many of the analyzed samples in this and other studies show an apparent lack of equilibrium between the oxygen and hydrogen isotope systems, which can be explained by hydrogen and oxygen isotope exchange at varying fluid‐rock ratios. Our results suggest that the Raft River detachment shear zone had a low static fluid‐rock ratio (<0.1), yet experienced episodic influxes of fluids through semi‐brittle structures. This fluid was then expelled out into the surrounding mylonite following progressive shearing, causing further 18O‐depletion and fluid‐related embrittlement.

Keywords

• fluid flow
• stable isotope geochemistry
• detachment shear zones
• fluid‐rock interaction
• fluid‐rock ratio
• fluid weakening