K-Ar measurements on mica-bearing clay samples collected from Toyoha, Chitose, Horobetsu, Kagenosawa, Toya Takarada and Minamishiraoi deposits were made in an attempt to establish the metallogenic epochs of the southwestern Hokkaido, Japan.
Clays collected from alteration halos of the Toyoha Pb-Zn-Ag vein-type deposits and the Chitose Au-Ag vein-type deposits give K-Ar ages of 2.2±0.6 Ma and 3.6±0.3 Ma, respectively. These values indicate that the ages of the vein-type mineralizations of the Toyoha and Chitose deposits were later than those of the kuroko mineralizations in Hokuroku area, northeast Honshu, Japan.
Samples from the Horobetsu and Kagenosawa Au-Ag-Cu-Pb-Zn disseminated and vein-type deposits together with the Toya Takarada and Minamishiraoi kuroko-type deposits give K-Ar age values generally in the range of 12.3-14.2 Ma indicating that the ages of the mineralizations of these deposits were similar to those of the kuroko deposits in Hokuroku area.
A clay sample which contains mica-montmorillonite mixed layer minerals from the foot wall clay zone of the Minamishiraoi deposit presents a little younger K-Ar age (11.6±0.6 Ma) than the mica-bearing clay of the clay zone whose K-Ar age is 12.5±0.6 Ma. This difference in age values can be explained by the existance of exchangeable potassium ions in mixed layer minerals.
View full abstract