Formation of the Eğrikar (Gümüşhane) Fe–Cu skarn type mineralization in NE Turkey: U–Pb zircon age, lithogeochemistry, mineral chemistry, fluid inclusion, and O-H-C-S isotopic compositions

The Eğrikar Fe–Cu skarn type mineralization is located approximately 100 km NW of Gümüşhane in NE Turkey. Geochemical analyses of diorite, which is thought to cause skarn, indicate medium K calc-alkaline (1.3 to ~ 2.3 wt% K2O), metaluminous to peraluminous (A/CNK = 0.76 to 1.13) and resembles a continental arc granite. The age of U–Pb zircon obtained from diorite is 42.3 ± 1.0 Ma, which reflects the age of skarn metasomatism after intrusion into Late Cretaceous sandy carbonates. Skarn formation zones are recognized as endo- and exoskarn. The endoskarn zone mainly consists of pyroxene with hedenbergite (Di4.31–28.14Hd59.29–80.82Jo5.0–35.55) at prograde stage. Mn content of pyroxene increases a slight from endo to exoskarn. Pyroxene is replaced by epidote and hornblende at the retrograde stage. The exoskarn zone comprises garnet with andradite (Ad91-99Gr01–07) and grossular-andradite (Ad44-95Gr05–54), epidote and quartz as silicate minerals, and magnetite and hematite as ore minerals. Magnetite is the abundant ore mineral and is accompanied by chalcopyrite and minor pyrite at retrograde stage. On the basis of fluid inclusion values of minerals, the temperature range for hedenbergite in endo-exoskarn is 350 °C–425 °C, for epidote in exoskarn is 365 °C–376 °C, and for quartz in exoskarn 200 °C–380 °C. NaCl equivalent salinity for hedenbergite 6.88–10.73 wt% and for quartz is 3.9–15.38 wt. The δ18O values of hedenbergite is 4.1 to 4.7‰ and for garnet 3.4‰ at prograde stage, for epidote 7.9–9.2‰, for magnetite 1 to 4.4‰, for hematite − 2.9 to − 1.6‰ and for quartz range between 8.5‰ and 15.2‰. The δ18O value of epidote suggests that oxygen is a magmatic fluid whereas hedenbergite, garnet, quartz and magnetite show the mixing of magmatic and meteoric fluids. In addition, the C isotope values (− 3.2 to 2.8‰) of calcite and marble in Eğrikar Fe–Cu skarn reflect those of metamorphic, and skarns. Based on oxygen isotope data from mineral pairs, the retrograde skarn formation is characterized by epidote–magnetite assemblage formed at 255 °C–438 °C. Fluid oxygen isotope compositions of magnetite and epidote pairs of the exoskarn skarn zone indicate a mixing of magmatic and meteoric fluids with narrow δ18O values between 7.17‰ and 8.9‰. The δ34S values of the pyrites exhibit a narrow range of 3‰ and 4.4‰, thereby indicating that sulfur were probably leached from magmatic rocks. Based on the field and laboratory observation, mineral chemistries, fluid inclusion studies and isotope composition analysis, it is suggested that the Eğrikar Fe–Cu skarn mineralization occurs in a magmatic origin fluids being initially under reduced conditions, subsequently under oxidized conditions, and at shallow depth.