Trace Elements and Sulfur Isotope Variations in Endowed and Non-Endowed Porphyry Systems of the Dawson Range Mineral Belt, Yukon Territory
Bibliographic record
Abstract
The Dawson Range Mineral Belt (DRMB) in the Yukon Territory is a geologically complex region with significant potential for critical mineral exploration. This study addresses the challenges of exploring this area, focusing on select trace elements and sulfur isotope analyses to distinguish between endowed deposits and non-endowed occurrences. The remote location, poor access, and extensive glacial deposits complicate exploration efforts. The study analyzed fifty-six samples from eight porphyry systems, classifying them into endowed deposits (Casino, Cash, Revenue, Carmacks, and Minto) and non-endowed occurrences (Kerr, Cyprus, and Cockfield). Trace element analysis shows that endowed zones have higher concentrations of Cu, Mo, Au, Se and Re. Additionally, endowed samples had Cu concentrations ≥ 400 ppm, and non-endowed samples had Cu concentrations < 400 ppm. Sulfur isotope analysis of fifty-two sulfides from different mineral deposit/occurrence and host setting showed that the general δ³⁴S value in the region range from -6.6 to +5.8‰, with endowed deposits having a narrower range (-3.9 to +3.4‰) compared to non-endowed occurrences (-6.6 to +5.8‰). The alteration zones and weathering profiles of the samples were assessed, providing insights into genetic relationships of both sample groups. A sequence observed in the classified subgroups revealed δ³⁴S values in the order of ‘Argillic ≤ SCC (sericite-clay-chlorite) ≤ Potassic ≤ Phyllic ≤ Propylitic ≤ Argillic’ for alteration zones, and ‘Hypogene ≤ Supergene sulfide ≤ Supergene oxide’ for weathering profiles. Notably, the argillic alteration exhibited the widest δ³⁴S range, reflective of complex sulfur sources and processes. The δ34S values provide valuable insights into the provenance, geological and fluid evolution, as well as potential alteration and weathering zones within porphyry systems. They are, however, insufficient to definitively confirm the endowment criteria of mineral deposits, as fractionation factors are subject to changing conditions throughout the ore system's geological history. Understanding the regional zonation of δ34S can be a useful complementary tool in refining exploration findings, particularly when combined with other geological and geochemical data. This study emphasizes how integrating geochemical and isotopic data can refine exploration strategies, lower costs, and potentially identify new economically significant deposits, enhancing the global supply of critical minerals.
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How this classification was reachedexpand
Full frame machine prediction
Teacher imitationNot calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.
Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)
| Category | Codex | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Metaresearch | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Meta-epidemiology (narrow) | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Meta-epidemiology (broad) | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Bibliometrics | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| Science and technology studies | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Scholarly communication | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Open science | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Research integrity | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Insufficient payload (model declined to judge) | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Machine scores (provisional)
The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.
Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.
score_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from itClassification
machine, unvalidatedMachine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.
How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".