Geological controls on the fractionation of sulfur isotopes in Archaean mineral systems

This thesis investigates the evolution of three West Australian Archaean mineral systems through the application of an integrated approach to the analysis of multiple sulfur isotopes. This work constrains the cryptic relationship between Mass­Dependant Fractionation (MDF) and Mass-Independent Fractionation (MIF) sulfur isotope signatures recorded in magmatic and hydrothermal sulfide mineralisation. In order to identify the key geological processes that generate MDF signatures during the formation and modification of Archaean mineral systems, and discriminate them from the indelible MIF nature
that fingerprints their sources, the examination of sulfur isotope signatures is integrated with detailed microchemical and petrographic characterisation techniques.