Mineral-scale variation in the trace metal and sulfur isotope composition of pyrite: implications for metal and sulfur sources in mafic VMS deposits

The link between metal enrichment and the addition of a magmatic volatile phase in volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits and actively forming seafloor massive sulfide deposits remains poorly characterized. This is especially true when considering how metal, sulfur and fluid flux change with time. In this study, we combine in situ sulfur isotope (δ34S; n = 31) measurements with trace metal chemistry of pyrite (n = 143) from the Mala VMS deposit, Troodos, Cyprus. The aim of our study is to assess the links between volatile influx and metal enrichment and establish how, or indeed if, this is preserved at the scale of individual mineral grains. We classify pyrite based on texture into colloform, granular, disseminated and massive varieties. The trace metal content of different pyrite textures is highly variable and relates to fluid temperature and secondary reworking that are influenced by the location of the sample within the mound. The sulfur isotope composition of pyrite at Mala ranges from − 17.1 to 7.5‰ (n = 31), with a range of − 10.9 to 2.5‰ within a single pyrite crystal. This variation is attributed to changes in the relative proportion of sulfur sourced from (i) SO2 disproportionation, (ii) thermochemical sulfate reduction, (iii) the leaching of igneous sulfur/sulfide and (iv) bacterial sulfate reduction. Our data shows that there is no correlation between δ34S values and the concentration of volatile elements (Te, Se) and Au in pyrite at Mala indicating that remobilization of trace metals occurred within the mound.