The paper analyzes potential and limitations of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) during study of mineralogy of sulfide facies and microfacies from massive sulfide deposits. Using point LA-ICP-MS analysis and LA-ICP-MS micromapping for the mineralogical and geochemical zoning of chimneys and mineralized biomorphs, we evaluate the formation conditions of mineral and trace element associations in sulfides for various types of massive sulfide deposits and substantiate hydrothermal-sedimentary models of chemical element differentiation. The analysis of pulse trends makes it possible to identify mineral microinclusions in sulfides. The higher Au and Ag contents of diagenetic pyrite distinguish pyrite-bearing and barren horizons. Using hematite pseudomorphs after sulfides as an example, it is shown that the ratios of element contents in Te-Bi, Bi-Ag, and Ag-Te diagrams in comparison with the stoichiometric compositions of known tellurides allow us to reveal the enrichment of this mineral in micro- and nanotellurides.
Keywords: LA-ICP-MS analysis, microfacies, massive sulfide, deposits, smokers, hydrothermal fauna, diagenites, Urals.
Funding. This work was supported by state contract no. 122031600292-6 of the South Ural Federal Research Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS “Geochemistry of Mineral Genesis in Ore-Forming Systems of Ancient and Modern Island-Arc-Ocean Complexes”.
Acknowledgments. The author thanks R.R. Large, L.V. Danyushevsky, and D.A. Artemyev for the opportunity to obtain LA-ICP-MS analysis data. A.S. Tseluiko and S. Gilbert provided significant assistance in this work. Collaboration with S.P. Maslennikova, N.R. Ayupova, and I.Yu. Melekestseva was also valuable.
Conflict of interest. The author declares no conflicts of interest related to the manuscript.
For citation: Maslennikov V.V. Application of LA-ICP-MS method in study of mineralogy of microfacies of massive sulfide deposits. Mineralogy, 2026, 12(2), 58–83. https://doi.org/10.35597/2313-545X-2026-12-2-6.

Received 15.05.2026, revised 01.06.2026, accepted 10.06.2026

Valery V. Maslennikov – Corresponding Member of the RAS, Doctor Sci. (Geol.-Mineral.), Key Researcher, South Urals Federal Research Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS, Miass, Chelyabinsk region, Russia; mas@mineralogy.ru.

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