Sudbury
Ontario (Sudbury Igneous Complex), Canada
Magmatic (Ni-Cu-PGE, carbonatites)Ni-Cu (PGE, Co)
- Type
- Impact-related magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide
The Sudbury Igneous Complex (1.85 Ga), about 250 km in circumference, results from a giant meteorite impact. Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation is associated with the norite sublayer at the base of the complex, and with footwall bodies (Cu-PGE-rich veins) and offset dykes. Three deposit types are distinguished: contact, offset and footwall. The initial study by Thode and Goodwin covers seven mines.
δ34S in ‰ (per mil) Values of the same system
Standard : V-CDT
| Value | Range | n | Mineral or matrix | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 ‰ | 0.5 / 7.2 ‰ | Cu-Ni ore (massive and disseminated sulfides, seven mines) Weighted mean. Each deposit has a characteristic δ34S with little scatter, but with a systematic variation between the South Range (light) and the North Range (heavy). | Thode et Goodwin 1973, Sulfur Isotope Analyses of Some Sudbury Ontario Ores, Canadian Jou… | |
| 2.59 ± 0.48 ‰ | main-mass norite (above the sublayer) Uniform δ34S of 2.59 ± 0.48 ‰ (1 standard deviation) in the main-mass norites; the 1-sigma uncertainty is stored in the uncertainty field. | Penniston-Dorland 2008, Heterogeneity of S isotope compositions recorded in the Sudbury I… | ||
| 4.4 / 14.1 ‰ | main-mass granophyre (altered upper part) High and variable values in the granophyre, produced by secondary sulfide precipitation related to hydrothermal alteration. | Penniston-Dorland 2008, Sudbury Igneous Complex | ||
| 0.2 / 4.3 ‰ | sublayer and footwall (main Ni-Cu mineralisation) The South Range is generally 0.2 to 2.5 ‰ (light); the North Range is heavier, with local variations (Whistle 3.1 to 4.3 ‰, Victor 2.4 to 2.9 ‰). This south-north offset is interpreted as reflecting the assimilated host rocks. | Penniston-Dorland 2008, Sudbury Igneous Complex |
Deposits of the same type
- Hart deposit (Abitibi) Canada
- Voisey's Bay Canada
- Stillwater Complex (J-M Reef) United States
- Pechenga Russia
- Rössing Namibia
- Great Dyke (Main Sulfide Zone) Zimbabwe
- Bushveld, Merensky Reef South Africa
- Bushveld, UG2 chromitite South Africa
Cite this page
IsoFind Atlas (2026). Sudbury, isotope signatures. https://www.isofind.tech/isotopes/en/deposits/sudbury/ (accessed 2026-10-06).
@misc{isofind2026sudburyisotopesignatures,
title = {Sudbury, isotope signatures},
author = {{IsoFind Atlas}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://www.isofind.tech/isotopes/en/deposits/sudbury/},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06}
}Updated : 2026-10-06