Paleoredox and lithogeochemical indicators of the environment of formation and genesis of the Monster River hyper-enriched black shale showing, Yukon

Northern Yukon hosts occurrences of Middle Devonian hyper-enriched black shale (HEBS) Ni-Mo-Zn-platinum-group element-Au-Re mineralization, including the Monster River showing in the Ogilvie Mountains. This mineralization has been documented predominantly in the Paleozoic Richardson trough; however, the Monster River showing is atypical, occurring within the Blackstone trough, more than 200 km to the west on the southern margin of the Yukon block. The ambient paleoredox conditions of the marine water column and sediments may be primary controlling factors in HEBS formation. We use major and trace element lithogeochemistry to better understand ambient paleoenvironmental redox conditions through the application of robust redox proxies to HEBS mineralization and host rocks. Uniformly negative Ce anomalies (0.6-0.9) indicate that the water column was predominantly suboxic throughout the deposition interval, even during HEBS mineralization. Although there is a strong terrigenous influence on the rare earth element-yttrium (REE-Y) abundances of the sedimentary rocks, superchondritic Y/Ho ratios (>27) indicate that seawater contributed REE-Y to the host rocks and HEBS. High (>10) authigenic Mo/U ratios indicate that a Fe-Mn particulate shuttle operated in the water column; this is corroborated by negative Ce anomalies and high Y/Ho ratios. The data indicate that metalliferous sedimentary rocks formed by hydrogenous metal enrichment (e.g. Ni, Mo, Pt) caused by ferromanganese oxyhydroxide particulate shuttling as chemical sediments; moreover, the REE- and Mo-based paleoenvironmental indicators suggest a complexly redox-stratified depositional environment with an abundant supply of metals, metalloids, and sulfur.