Sulfur isotopic method for discriminating between sulfates of hypogene and supergene origin

Abstract

The criterion for this distinction is that hypogene sulfate displays variable but appreciable S 34 enrichment relative to associated sulfide whereas supergene sulfate is isotopically near-identical in composition to the parental sulfide. Results of this preliminary study indicate that alunite of the Bitter Creek area is of hypogene origin whereas alunite of the Mineral Park and Santa Rita areas is of supergene origin as are gypsum and jarosite of the Gas Hills, Mineral Park, and Red River areas.