Stochastic modeling for the stress inversion of vein orientations: Paleostress analysis of Pliocene epithermal veins in southwestern Kyushu, Japan

Plio-Pleistocene epithermal quartz veins in southern Kyushu, Japan, include gold deposits. The coherent trend of the ore veins suggests tectonic control for their formation. However, the stress regime during the formation has been controversial. To solve this problem, we improved existing methods for inferring paleostresses from vein orientations. It was assumed that veins making a cluster were formed intermittently from thermal fluids with various pressures. The present method determines stress ratio and stress axes with 95% confidence regions. The method was applied to mid Pliocene quartz veins cropping out at Hashima, southwestern Kyushu. We obtained a normal-faulting regime of stress with the trend of sigma3 at 167° ± 10° and the stress ratio at 0.20 + 0.13/−0.09. The low stress ratio and the lack of slickenlines and slickenfibers on vein walls suggest that the host rock was subject to a small differential stress, i.e., a weak tectonic stress, when the veins were formed.

Research highlights
► A new method is proposed for estimating stress from vein orientations.
► Stress axes and stress ratio are determined with their 95%confidence regions.
► A normal faulting-regime of stress was found from a cluster of epithermal veins.
► Stress level was probably low when the veins were formed.