Sulfur has multiple stable isotopes (³²S, ³³S, ³⁴S, and ³⁶S), but little research has been conducted to investigate the information that low abundance sulfur isotope ratios (i.e., ³³S/³²S and ³⁶S/³²S) may carry on ore-forming processes in post-Archean deposits. In this study, the Cretaceous Mina Justa iron oxide–copper–gold deposit, was selected to examine the capability of multiple sulfur isotopes to trace ore-forming processes in post-Archean mineral deposits. In situ secondary ion mass spectrometry was applied to the pyrite of the magnetite–pyrite stage in the deposit to characterize the spatial variation of multiple sulfur isotopes at the microscale. This revealed a clear co-variation trend between δ³⁴S (= 1000 × [(³⁴S/³²S)_sample/(³⁴S/³²S)_V-CDT − 1]) and Δ³³S (= δ³³S − 1000 × [(1 + δ³⁴S/1000)^0.515 – 1]). Simple modeling suggests that the triple sulfur isotope data recorded is best explained by mixing magmatic and externally derived (e.g., basinal brine) fluids. The contribution of external fluids is also supported by the trace element distribution patterns in pyrite, as revealed by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. This study is the first attempt to use multiple sulfur isotopes to trace ore-forming processes in post-Archean deposits and demonstrates that multiple sulfur isotopes are a faithful recorder of ore-forming processes at the microscale, especially when multiple fluids mix.

硫具有多种稳定的同位素（³² S，³³ S，³⁴ S和³⁶ S），但很少进行研究以调查低丰度硫同位素比（即³³ S / ³² S和³⁶ S / ^{32）的信息。}S）可能在Archean后矿床中进行成矿过程。在这项研究中，选择了白垩纪的Mina Justa氧化铁-铜-金矿床，以研究多种硫同位素在后阿尔奇安矿床中追踪成矿过程的能力。原位二次离子质谱法应用于矿床中磁铁矿-黄铁矿阶段的黄铁矿，以表征微观上多种硫同位素的空间变化。这揭示δ之间的明显共变趋势³⁴ S（= 1000×[（³⁴ S / ³² S）_样品/（³⁴ S / ³² S）_V-CDT  - 1]）和Δ ³³ S（=δ ³³的S - 1000×[（1 +δ³⁴ S / 1000）^0.515 – 1]）。简单的建模表明，记录岩浆中的三重硫同位素数据最好通过混合岩浆和外部（例如盆地盐水）流体来解释。激光烧蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱法揭示了黄铁矿中痕量元素的分布规律，也支持了外部流体的贡献。这项研究是首次尝试使用多种硫同位素来追踪Archean后矿床中的成矿过程，并证明了多种硫同位素是微观上成矿过程的忠实记录者，尤其是当多种流体混合时。