Articles | Volume 8, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-8-387-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-8-387-2026
Research article
 | 
08 Jul 2026
Research article |  | 08 Jul 2026

Dating circulations of hydrothermal fluids in the crystalline basements of unconformity-related metal deposits using in situ Rb ∕ Sr geochronology: proof of concept

Quentin Boulogne, Gaétan Milesi, Chantal Peiffert, Emmy Fischer, Christophe Ballouard, Mehdi Serdoun, Thomas Obin, Andreï Lecomte, Pierre Martz, Andrew Kaczowka, and Julien Mercadier

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Cited articles

Adlakha, E. E. and Hattori, K.: Compositional variation and timing of aluminum phosphate-sulfate minerals in the basement rocks along the P2 fault and in association with the McArthur River uranium deposit, Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, Am. Mineral., 100, 1386–1399, https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2015-5069, 2015. 
Adlakha, E. and Hattori, K.: Thermotectonic events recorded by U–Pb geochronology and Zr-in-rutile thermometry of Ti oxides in basement rocks along the P2 fault, eastern Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 134, 567–576, https://doi.org/10.1130/B35820.1, 2021. 
Aldega, L., Viola, G., Casas-Sainz, A., Marcén, M., Román-Berdiel, T., and van der Lelij, R.: Unraveling Multiple Thermotectonic Events Accommodated by Crustal-Scale Faults in Northern Iberia, Spain: Insights From K–Ar Dating of Clay Gouges, Tectonics, 38, 3629–3651, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019TC005585, 2019. 
Alexandre, P., Kyser, K., Polito, P., and Thomas, D.: Alteration mineralogy and stable isotope geochemistry of Paleoproterozoic basement-hosted unconformity-type uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin, Canada, Econ. Geol., 100, 1547–1563, https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.100.8.1547, 2005. 
Alexandre, P., Kyser, K., Thomas, D., Polito, P., and Marlat, J.: Geochronology of unconformity-related uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada and their integration in the evolution of the basin, Miner. Deposita, 44, 41-59, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-007-0153-3, 2009. 
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This study investigates Rb–Sr system behavior in hydrothermally altered muscovite using in-situ LA-ICP-MS/MS (Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Tandem Mass Spectrometry) analyses from the Athabasca Basin. Unaltered muscovite records Paleoproterozoic crystallization ages, whereas muscovite altered to illite and sudoite yields a consistent age of ~1640 Ma, corresponding to alteration halos related to unconformity-type uranium deposits. These results highlight the potential of Rb–Sr dating to constrain hydrothermal processes and fluid–rock interactions.
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