Abstract
The Tocantinzinho deposit is located on the Tapajós Gold Province and is the largest gold deposit within Province, with 53,9 tons of gold. Its formation begins with a granodioritic magmatism around 2005Ma, followed by a granitic magmatism 10 Ma latter. The Tocantinzinho granite is composed by two main facies, syenogranite (1996±2Ma) and monzogranite (1989±1Ma), and by aplite and pegmatite bodies, suggesting a fluid-rich magmatism at shallow depth. Andesite dikes (1998±8Ma) are intrusive in both rocks. Sharp fragments of those rocks along contacts and minor mingling with granitic magma suggest a multiphase magmatism at distinct timing. The first dikes have intruded within granite when it was crystalizing, thus a minimum age of 1975Ma was estimated. Cooling rates of plutonic rocks vary from 3.6 to 14.7°C/Ma, with an average of 7.5°C/Ma, suggesting vertical exhumation processes were minor. The elongated geometry of granite along with sin-magmatic strike-slip tectonics of andesite corroborate the predominance of horizontal movements. Geochemical analysis show high-K calk-alkaline affinity and niobium anomaly indicator of two possible geotectonic settings for these rocks: Andean-type continental arc or post-collisional one. Considering the genetic relationship between magmatism, strike-slip faults, and low cooling rates, a post-collisional setting is more likely. The geochemical signature, ages and style of tectonism allow us to compare those rocks with the ones from Creporizão Intrusive Suite (1997-1957Ma). Dacite dikes (1992±2Ma) cut across all other rocks, but the temporal relationship among them remains misunderstood, due to the geochemical signature similar to the anorogenic rocks, suggesting it belongs to a distinct and latter magmatic series. Indeed, the dated zircons were probably inherited from host rocks. The mineralized area is restricted to a domain constrained by two major sinistral strike-slip N100°-130E°E faults that comprises the Tocantinzinho granite and sub-volcanic rocks, which were hydrothermally altered, brittle deformed and mineralized during two phases. The first one is characterized by breccias and microfractures infilled with muscovite (1864±5Ma) and pyrite, which contains low gold grades and are restricted to the Tocantinzinho granite. The second phase was controlled by strike-slip and normal tectonics generating tension gashes veins and pull apart breccias infilled with quartz, chlorite, calcite, albite, rutile, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and gold. The gold grade can reach up to 70 ppm in some sulfide-rich veins. These structures are parallel and mainly trends N30-60°E, showing textures and orientated minerals typical of syn-tectonic infilling. Based on petrographical features and argon ages two hypothesis were proposed for the ore genesis: the first one consider a genetic relationship between magmatism and ore fluids for first mineralization stage and the second hypothesis consider a reactivation of pre-existing faults by an extensional tectonism related to the Maloquinha Intrusive Suite magmatism (ca.1880Ma) for this phase. The second mineralization phase is considered as formed as consequence of tectonic reactivation at ca. 1880Ma, in both hypothesis. Both phases in both hypothesis were classified as magmatic-hydrothermal ore mineralization and might be classified as intrusion-related gold systems. However, new field works are important in order to identify and characterize the nature and source of hydrothermal fluids, as well as ore dating and new geochemical and geochronological data of sub-volcanic rocks are imperative to better understand the genesis and evolution of the Tocantinzinho gold deposit. Such results, strongly linked to the fact that the tectonic control seem significant, may help for future exploration and exploitation programs.