Quantifying chemical changes in hydrothermally altered volcanic sequences — silica enrichment as a guide to the crandon massive sulfide deposit,Wisconsin, U.S.A.

A multi-element geochemical study of the wallrocks which host the large Precambrian Crandon deposit (≈ 70 million tons of zinc, copper ore) in Wisconsin, U.S.A. was carried out to identify pathfinder elements which significantly enlarge the size of the deposit as an exploration target. The Crandon deposit occurs in what appears to be a “normal”, subalkaline, intermediate to felsic volcanic sequence. The silica concentration of the wallrocks shows neither a systematic relationship to volcanic stratigraphy nor a distinctive pattern around ore.To determine if silica has been added to the host rocks, a regression analysis was performed on published data from 496 unaltered, subalkaline volcanic rocks from the Abitibi Subprovince of Canada, with silica as the dependent variable and the ratio of “immobile” elements Zr/TiO₂ as the independent variable. Based on the second degree regression curve and the associated standard error of estimate, predicted and residual silica values were calculated and plotted for the Crandon host rocks.The results show that massive sulfide ore was deposited in andesitic rocks with an original SiO₂ content of 52–62%, and that more than 7.4% SiO₂ was added to the rocks stratigraphically beneath the deposit and on strike with the deposit. Silica was added to the hanging wall rocks also, which confirms that hydrothermal activity at Crandon continued after cessation of massive sulfide ore deposition. In contrast to the pattern of silica enrichment at Crandon which significantly enlarges the size of the exploration target, two noneconomic prospects within ten miles of Crandon contain low to moderate levels of silica enrichment and corresponding low base metal values.Silica enrichment occurs in some systems unassociated with mineralization and is therefore not a specific signature of ore-forming processes. However, from the data presented on the Crandon deposit, if silica enrichment does exist in an exploration search area, the chances of finding a massive sulfide ore deposit are improved.     

新疆阿舍勒铜矿容矿围岩蚀变的低钠晕及其意义

新疆阿舍勒铜矿的容矿围岩是一个套双峰式海相火山岩组合，围岩蚀变由多期次叠加和变质作用的影响而变得极为复杂，以细碧质碉石的青盘岩化、石英角斑质火山碎屑岩的黄铁绢英财化为主要特点，更有意义的是：原岩属钠质火山岩系，但容矿围岩无论是酸性次火山岩还是基性火山岩，蚀后都具有低钠的共同特点，这对于同类矿床具有找矿意义，低钠晕是海底火山喷气过程中高温气液交代而成，可作为海底火山喷发矿床的一个成因和找矿标志。     

Comparative Study of Gacun and Youre Silver–Lead–Zinc–Copper Deposits in Sichuan, SW China, and their Mineralization Significance

The large Gacun silver–lead–zinc–copper deposit in Sichuan Province is one of the largest volcanogenic massive sulfide(VMS) deposits in China. The deposit consists of western and central ore bodies, which form a vein–stockwork mineralization system corresponding to hydrothermal channels, and eastern ore bodies, which form an exhalative chemical sedimentary system derived from a brine pool in a submarine basin. The Youre lead–zinc deposit, which is currently under exploration and lies adjacent to the southern part of the Gacun deposit, is characterized by intense silicification and vein–stockwork structures and consists of massive silicified rhyolitic volcanics, banded rhyolitic tuff, and phyllitic sericite tuff. From a comparison of their ore-bearing horizons, the Gacun and Youre deposits have a continuous and stable hanging wall(calcareous slate and overlying andesite) and foot wall(rhyolite–dacite breccia and agglomerate), and the lithologic sequence includes lower intermediate to felsic rocks and upper felsic rocks. Thus, the Youre deposit, which comprises relatively thinly layered low–grade ore, is regarded as forming a southward extension of the Gacun deposit. A further comparison of the structures of the ore-bearing belts between the two deposits suggests that the Youre ore bodies are similar to the western ore bodies of the Gacun deposit. Moreover, the characteristics of fluid inclusions and stable isotopes in the Youre deposit are also similar to those of the western ore bodies of the Gacun deposit. Genetic models of the deposits are proposed for the Gacun–Youre ore district, and massive concealed ore bodies may occcur in the Youre deposit at depths that are similar to those of the eastern ore bodies of the Gacun deposit.     

四川西部呷村银多金属矿床稀土地球化学研究

呷村矿床是我国典型的含金富银多金属海相火山岩型块状硫化物矿床。通过对该矿床岩石及矿石的稀土地球化学研究，结合硫铅同位素的工作，提出成矿热液为高温酸性、富C1溶液，其稀土特征为富轻稀土，具明显正铕异常。在蚀变过程中，流体／岩石比值相对较主，稀土元素在成矿流体－围岩间具有明显的带进或带出。正铕异常产生最可能的来源是该区深部火山岩富含长石，热水溶液与火山岩发生水岩反应使长石释放出铕，使热水溶液具正Eu异常，这方面也反映该矿床成矿物质与深部火山岩有密切关系。弱负铈异常是成矿流体继承海水Ce亏损的结果。层状矿石中Eu异常变化较大，且其中LREE的含量变化大于HREE。主要原因可能是矿石中矿物组成和形成条件的变化。呷村矿床的成矿模式可以认为是火山喷发过程中产生了岩浆热液，并带出了硫和金属元素，并在海底附近快速沉淀形成。成矿后为正常深海沉积岩覆盖。     

Stable Isotopic Information on Calcareous Pelitic Rocks in the Tizapa Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposit Area, the United Mexican States

Abstract: Tizapa volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit is hosted in greenschist facies metamorphic rocks; footwall is green schist of felsic to mafic metavolcanic rocks and hanging wall is graphite schist of metasedmentary pelitic rock. Pb-Pb dating of ore samples indicates 103. 4Ma to 156. 3Ma for the age of mineralization (JICA/MMAJ, 1991).     

云南龙脖河铜矿区东矿带成矿条件、控矿规律研究

云南金平龙脖河铜矿区, 除铜外还伴有金、铁矿化,东矿带目前累计估算铜资源量已达100万t,具有矿床埋藏较浅、规模大、品位高、矿石质量好、交通便利、容易开采的特点,矿床受地层岩性、构造、海相中基性火山岩等因素控制特征明显,属海相火山块状硫化物型铜矿床,是云南三江南段找矿有较大突破的区带.     

铜矿峪变斑岩型含钼铜矿床成矿作用及找矿预测

通过对铜矿峪矿床在含铜建造、矿床地质特征、地球化学特征等方面的综合论述,探讨其成矿物质来源、矿床富集机制及成矿模式,并对找矿远景进行预测。     

Volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits in the Murchison greenstone belt, South Africa

The Archean Murchison greenstone belt, Limpopo Province, South Africa, represents a rifted epicontinental arc sequence containing the largest volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VMS) district in Southern Africa. The so-called Cu–Zn line is host to 12 deposits of massive sulfide mineralization including: Maranda J, LCZ, Romotshidi, Mon Desir, Solomons, and Mashawa with a total tonnage of three million metric tons of very high grade Zn, subordinate Cu, and variable Pb and Au ore. The deposits developed during initial phases of highly evolved felsic volcanism between 2,974.8 ± 3.6 and 2,963.2 ± 6.4 Ma and are closely associated with quartz porphyritic rhyolite domes. Elevated heat supply ensured regional hydrothermal convection along the entire rift. Recurrent volcanism resulted in frequent disruption of hydrothermal discharge and relative short-lived episodes of hydrothermal activity, probably responsible for the small size of the deposits. Stable thermal conditions led to the development of mature hydrothermal vent fields from focused fluid discharge and sulfide precipitation within thin layers of felsic volcaniclastic rocks. Two main ore suites occur in the massive sulfide deposits of the “Cu–Zn line”: (1) a low-temperature venting, polymetallic assemblage of Zn, Pb, Sb, As, Cd, Te, Bi, Sn, ±In, ±Au, ±Mo occurring in the pyrite- and sphalerite-dominated ore types and (2) a higher temperature suite of Cu, Ag, Au, Se, In, Co, Ni is associated with chalcopyrite-bearing ores. Sphalerite ore, mineralogy, and geochemical composition attest to hydrothermal activity at relatively low temperatures of ≤250 °C for the entire rift, with short-lived pulses of higher temperature upflow, reflected by proportions of Zn-rich versus Cu-rich deposits. Major- and trace-metal composition of the deposits and Pb isotope signatures reflect the highly evolved felsic source rock composition. Geological setting, host rock composition, and metallogenesis share many similarities not only with Archean VMS districts in Canada and Australia but also with recent arc–back-arc systems on the modern seafloor where fragments of continental crust and areas of elevated heat flow are involved in petrogenetic and associated metallogenic processes.     

西藏铁格隆南-多不杂矿床对冲储矿机制——地球物理勘查的证据

铁格隆南和多不杂矿床是西藏多龙整装勘查区的2个主要矿床,目前控制铜资源量1400万吨。2个矿床空间距离仅6～7 km,它们之间的构造关系和深部资源潜力仍不明确。笔者在铁格隆南和多不杂矿区实施音频大地电磁测深,识别出多条逆冲推覆断层。通过恢复原始矿体的形态,进一步确认了被荣那沟断层错失的另一半矿体,预测铁格隆南矿床铜资源量可能达到2000万吨以上。在多不杂识别出被推覆构造错失的矿体,推测多不杂铜资源量400～500万吨。本次勘查地球物理工作构建了铁格隆南-多不杂对冲断层储矿格架,提出美日切错组安山岩和逆冲推覆断层对矿体的保存具有双重作用,建议优先对铁格隆南荣那沟断层下盘物探异常实施深钻验证。     

中国新疆及周边国家和地区典型矿床特征对比研究

中国新疆及周边国家和地区是全球性中亚巨型成矿域的重要组成部分。黑色岩系矿床、斑岩矿床、块状硫化物矿床、陆相火山岩金矿床、与富碱性侵入岩有关矿床和砂岩铜矿等几种重要的典型矿床类型在该成矿域均已有不同程度的发现,特别是近几年来在该成矿域相继发现多个大型和超大型矿床的事实,说明中亚成矿域具有独特的成矿特点和巨大的找矿潜力。笔者通过分析研究中国新疆及周边国家和地区大型或超大型矿床的成矿规律和典型矿床特征,对新疆及相邻地区的大型或超大型矿床的找矿方向提出了见解。     

新疆昆仑式火山岩型块状硫化物铜矿床及成矿地质环境

新疆西昆仑奥依塔克-恰尔隆拗陷带内阿克塔什-萨落依成矿带发现多处火山岩型块状硫化物铜矿床。这些矿床产在石炭系双峰式火山岩系之内，沿着下石炭统基性火山岩和上石炭统酸性火山岩两个层位产出，分别以玄武岩和流纹岩为容矿主岩，可以明显地分成基性火山岩型和酸性火山岩型两种类型。矿石主成矿元素均以铜为主，含少量的锌，几乎不含铅，矿床类型属于铜型。这些基性火山岩型和酸性火山岩型矿床被统称为昆仑式火山岩型块状硫化物铜矿床。根据矿床产出地质环境、双峰式火山岩系、沉积建造以及火山岩地球化学特征，推断昆仑式火山岩型块状硫化物铜矿床最可能形成于泥盆纪-石炭纪弧后拉张构造环境。     

Geology and Metal Contents of the Ruttan volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, northern Manitoba, Canada

The Paleoproterozoic Ruttan Cu–Zn volcanogenic massive-sulfide (VMS) deposit is a large, relatively low grade, bimodal-siliciclastic type deposit in the Rusty Lake volcanic belt of northern Manitoba. The deposit contained over 82.8 million tonnes of massive sulfide, of which 55.7 million tonnes were mined from 1973 to 2002. The deposit consists of a series of moderately to steeply dipping, south-facing lenses that extend along strike at the surface for 1.1 km and to a depth of 1.0 km. These lenses occur within a steeply dipping, bimodal volcanic, volcaniclastic and siliciclastic sequence. In the immediate mine area, transitional calc-alkalic to high-silica (tholeiitic), felsic, and intermediate volcanic/volcaniclastic rocks of the Mine Sequence are host to, and intercalated with, the massive-sulfide lenses. Transitional tholeiitic to calc-alkalic basalt and andesite are present in the footwall sequence, approximately 500 m down-section from the ore horizon. The overlying rocks are predominantly fine-grained volcaniclastics and siliciclastics, but include polyfragmental agglomerate that contains mafic bombs and scoriaceous felsic fragments. Syn-depositional felsic and mafic dikes, sills, and apophyses are ubiquitous throughout the Mine Sequence, including the ore lenses, indicating continued, near-vent magmatism, and volcanism during ore formation. Fabrics in altered hostrocks have consistent, down-plunge stretching lineations to the SSE that suggest the deposit has been elongated by a factor of ~1.2–1.5; otherwise, the deposit is remarkably undeformed. Syn- and post-depositional faults in the mine area have relatively minor displacements up to tens of meters. Proximal (within 200 m) footwall rocks exhibit moderate to strong chloritization, characterized by the upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies assemblages that include cordierite–almandine–andalusite–sillimanite–biotite ± staurolite ± anthophyllite ± talc, and local silicification. The proximal hanging wall rocks are characterized by sericite ± gahnite alteration, which is restricted to within approximately 75 m of the uppermost lenses. Additional gangue minerals are anhydrite and carbonate minerals (siderite, dolomite, ankerite, and calcite), as well as chlorite, sericite, biotite, talc, and quartz. Carbonate (excluding siderite), potassium feldspar, silicification and epidotization are common distal alteration zones in the footwall to the Mine Sequence several kilometers to the northeast. There are three principal groups of massive sulfide lenses; the East lenses, the West lenses, and the Western Anomaly lenses to the far west. In general, Cu is relatively enriched at the stratigraphic base and in the center of the deposit, whereas Zn is enriched upsection and at the outer margins. Some of the Zn-rich ore exhibits primary mineralogical layering. Parts of the West and Western Anomaly lenses show two layers with Cu-rich bases and Zn-rich tops. The massive sulfide is typically 10–40-m thick; one area along the margin of the main lenses is over 130-m thick and may represent deposition adjacent to a syn-depositional fault. The main sulfide phases are pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena, with tetrahedrite as the most abundant trace phase. Gahnite is ubiquitous in the chlorite-rich assemblages adjacent to the ore lenses. The average base, precious and trace metal contents estimated from Cu and Zn concentrates, and from millhead grades and recoveries. Metals easily transported as chloride and bisulfide complexes in hydrothermal fluids including: Pb, Ag, In, Cu, Cd, Au, and Zn are enriched by 1.5–2.5 orders of magnitude in comparison to the bulk continental crust. Other elements such as Sn, Mo, and As are at near-crustal concentrations, whereas Mn, Ga, and Co are significantly depleted in comparison to the crust. Calculated metal concentrations in the average hydrothermal fluid based on the average metal contents are comparable to, or higher than those measured at sediment covered ridge hydrothermal systems, which precipitate much of their metal budget in the subsurface. Average rare earth element contents for the sulfide are light rare earth element enriched (La_N/Yb_N=22) and range from 0.45 to 0.02x chondritic values, with a moderate negative Eu anomaly (Eu*=0.51). Metal and trace element contents in the Ruttan exhalite horizon, and in proximal (within 1–2 km) exhalites along strike from the 0.6 million tonne Dar-2 Cu–Zn deposit 12 km south of Ruttan, have positive Eu anomalies, whereas negative Eu anomalies are present at distance. The positive Eu anomalies reflect high temperature paleoseafloor hydrothermal venting and precipitation of Eu²⁺-enriched clays and possibly carbonates, and indicate proximity to base-metal deposits. Silver and lead are also enriched in the exhalites near the deposits, whereas Mn is enriched at ~1–3 km along strike, but not consistently. Editorial handling: B. Gemmel An erratum to this article is available at .     

新疆小石头泉铜多金属矿床地质特征、找矿前景

小石头泉矿区主含矿层为下石炭统雅满苏组第二亚组，火山穹隆及伴生断裂为主要的控矿构造。矿区含矿火山岩组合属岛弧钙碱性－拉斑玄武岩系列，不具备形成火山成因的块状硫化物矿床的条件。小石头泉铜多金属矿床可归属为与次火山热液有关的脉状铜铅锌银多金属矿床，矿田矿化带规模宏大，具备形成大型矿床的地质条件，矿区外围中酸性侵入岩体具有形成斑岩铜矿的地质条件。     

The mineralogy and chemical composition of the Woodlawn massive sulphide orebody

The main Woodlawn ore lens is a polymetallic, massive sulphide deposit’ with pyrite the major constituent, variable sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite, and minor arsenopyrite, tetrahedrite‐tennantite, pyrrhotite and electrum. The silicate gangue minerals are chlorite, quartz, talc and sericitic mica. Other mineralization in the vicinity consists of footwall copper ore in chlorite schist and several smaller massive sulphide lenses. The predominant country rocks are felsic volcanics and shales, with abundant quartz, chlorite and mica, and talc in mineralized zones.

An important textural feature of the massive ore is the fine compositional banding. Bands, which vary in thickness from a few tens of micrometres to several millimetres, are produced by variations in the sulphide content. Post‐depositional metomorphism and minor fracturing have only slightly modified this banding.

Apart from the major element constituents—Pb, Zn, Fe, Cu and S—the ore is characterized by significant (100–1000 ppm) values for Ag, As, Cd, Mn, Sb and Sn, and lower (1–100 ppm) values of Au, Bi, Co, Ga, Hg, Mo, Ni, Tl. In and Ge. Variations in the base‐metal sulphide content, the gangue mineralogy, and trace elements, are used to separate the orebody into hanging‐wall and footwall zones. The hanging‐wall zone shows a more variable trace element content, with higher Tl, Sn, Ni, Mn, Ge and Sb, but lower Ag, Cd, and Mo, than the footwall zone.

In general style of mineralization, mineralogy, and chemistry, the Woodlawn deposit resembles other volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in eastern Australia, in New Brunswick in Canada, and the Kuroko deposits of Japan.     

白银厂铜多金属矿田微量元素和稀土元素地球化学研究

与日本黑矿及现代海底火山岩为主岩矿床相比，白银厂矿田各类矿石，尤其是块状Ｚｎ－Ｐｂ－Ｃｕ矿石具有最高的Ａｓ和Ｂｉ含量，比较高的Ｇａ、Ｃｄ和Ａｕ含量，以及较高的Ａｕ／Ａｇ和Ｃｏ／Ｎｉ比值。该矿田矿石的Ａｕ含量与闪锌矿中铁含量呈负相关关系。小铁山矿床闪锌矿与日本黑矿的闪锌矿微量元素特征很相似。矿田各类矿石ＲＥＥ型式与细碧角斑岩类岩石基体相似，这说明矿石与岩石的物质来源基本一致。研究和对比表明，火山成因     

On the relationship between auriferous talc deposits hosted in volcanic rocks and massive sulphide deposits in Egypt

The volcanic-hosted massive sulphide (VHMS) deposits in the Eastern Desert of Egypt (e.g., Um Saki deposit) are associated with Precambrian coarse acid pyroclastic rocks. The upper contacts of the massive sulphide body are sharp and well-defined; while the keel zone to the mineralization is always associated with pervasive alteration, characterized by the presence of septechlorite and talc, associated with variable amounts of carbonate and tremolite. On the other hand, the economic talc deposits in Egypt are hosted intensively altered volcanic rocks. Besides talc, chlorite, carbonates and tremolite that occur in variable amounts in these deposits, anomalously high concentrations of gold are also present.The present study showed that alterations in the talc deposits of Darhib, El Atshan, Abu Gurdi, Egat, Um Selimat and Nikhira are similar to those occurring in the keel zone underlying the VHMS of Um Samuki and that the chemical modifications due to alteration processes (additions of Mg, Fe, Mn and Ca coupled with depletions in silica, alkalies, alumina and titanium) are comparable, even the host rocks are different, thus reflecting a genetic relationship. It is suggested that, the examined localities of talc deposits are hosted in the intensively altered volcanics in the keel zones of volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits. Recently, detailed geophysical prospecting program, including electric (resistivity, self-potential and induced polarization), electromagnetic and magnetic methods, was carried out at Darhib, Abu Gurdi and Um Selimat talc deposits. The quantitative interpretation of these geophysical measurements revealed the presence of subsurface bodies of sulphides. The present distribution of talc and allied minerals in Darhib, El Atshan, Abu Gurdi, Egat, Um Selimat and Nikhira could be explained by a tectonic process in which the coarse acid pyroclastic rocks with massive sulphides have tilted in such way that the footwall rock alterations (talc and allied minerals) are exposed on the present-day surface at these localities. Structural studies are currently under way in an attempt to explain the deformation regime that led to the present situation of talc deposits.Two distinct spatial and mineralogical associations of gold mineralization could be identified in the volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits and their footwall alterations (the keel zone) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. These are (1) gold–silver–zinc association, and (2) gold–copper association. In the former, gold grades are very low and silver is anomalous. This association occurs typically in the upper levels of the VHMS deposit where low-temperature sulphides are abundant. Gold was deposited because of the mixing between the ascending hot solutions and the sulphate-rich seawater. The upper levels of Um Samuki sulphide body represent this association. Gold–copper association, on the other hand, typically occurs in the footwall altered rocks (the keel zone) and the lowest parts of the massive sulphide body. Gold grades reach up to 5.54 ppm, but the average is 1 ppm. Silver is very low, usually in the range of 4–10 ppm. Lead usually, but not always, accompanies gold in this association. Deposition of gold probably took place due to decreasing of temperature and/or increasing pH of the ascending hot brines. The keel zones at Darhib, Abu Gurdi, El Atshan, Um Selimat, Nikhira and Egat talc mines better represent this association.     

Silikatische Kupferlagerstätten in Nordchile

The formation of isolated silicateous copper deposits is controlled by two main conditions:

1. oversaturation of groundwaters in silica
2. lateral inflow of copper bearing and slightly acid solutions originating from the oxidation of primary sulfide deposits.

The basic copper silicate chrysocolla is formed by chemisorption of copper ions by disilicic acid with a net-like structure. Under favourable conditions copper silicate deposits are formed which contain up to several million tons of copper as for example the La Exotica deposit in Northern Chile. The copper values of these deposits sometimes exceed those of the primary sulfide deposits. Thus, the oxidation of sulfide deposits, the migration of copper bearing solutions and the chemisorption of copper ions by the disilicic acid can result in workable new copper concentrations originating from sulfide protores. High concentrations of silica in groundwaters and thus the chemisorption of copper ions by the disilicic acid as an ore forming process is restricted to arid or semiarid regions. Therefore it is proposed to call such deposits arid silicateous infiltration deposits. Infiltration deposits are related to weathering processes. “They comprise products of weathering by which valuable substances were leached from the host rocks, migrated in groundwaters and were redeposited in other neighbouring rocks” (Smirnov, 1970, p. 324).     

海相火山-沉积建造铁铜矿床类型及地质特征

铁-铜型矿床产出的时代从元古宙到新生代均有，与其有关的火山岩大多数为中基性与中酸性或偏碱性岩石。作者以镜的山桦树沟、陇山陈家庙和陕西铜厂不同时代的铁-铜矿床为例，概述了该类型矿床的地质特征、成矿环境并着重探了铁-铜矿床的成因机制，认为该类型矿床是与火山作用有关的喷气-沉积型矿床，同时指出柳沟峡地区及其以西（东缰地区）铁-铜型铜矿化带的发现，是进一步寻找铁-铜-金矿床的有利地段。     

The Palaeoproterozoic Kristineberg VMS deposit, Skellefte district, northern Sweden, part I: geology

The Kristineberg volcanic-hosted massive sulphide (VMS) deposit, located in the westernmost part of the Palaeoproterozoic Skellefte district, northern Sweden, has yielded 22.4 Mt of ore, grading 1.0% Cu, 3.64% Zn, 0.24% Pb, 1.24 g/t Au, 36 g/t Ag and 25.9% S, since the mine opened in 1941, and is the largest past and present VMS mine in the district. The deposit is hosted in a thick pile of felsic to intermediate and minor mafic metavolcanic rocks of the Skellefte Group, which forms the lowest stratigraphic unit in the district and hosts more than 85 known massive sulphide deposits. The Kristineberg deposit is situated lower in the Skellefte Group than most other deposits. It comprises three main ore zones: (1) massive sulphide lenses of the A-ore (historically the main ore), having a strike length of about 1,400 m, and extending from surface to about 1,200 m depth, (2) massive sulphide lenses of the B-ore, situated 100–150 m structurally above the A-ore, and extending from surface to about 1,000 m depth, (3) the recently discovered Einarsson zone, which occurs in the vicinity of the B-ore at about 1,000 m depth, and consists mainly of Au–Cu-rich veins and heavily disseminated sulphides, together with massive sulphide lenses. On a regional scale the Kristineberg deposit is flanked by two major felsic rock units: massive rhyolite A to the south and the mine porphyry to the north. The three main ore zones lie within a schistose, deformed and metamorphosed package of hydrothermally altered, dominantly felsic volcanic rocks, which contain varying proportions of quartz, muscovite, chlorite, phlogopite, pyrite, cordierite and andalusite. The strongest alteration occurs within 5–10 m of the ore lenses. Stratigraphic younging within the mine area is uncertain as primary bedding and volcanic textures are absent due to strong alteration, and tectonic folding and shearing. In the vicinity of the ore lenses, hydrothermal alteration has produced both Mg-rich assemblages (Mg-chlorite, cordierite, phlogopite and locally talc) and quartz–muscovite–andalusite assemblages. Both types of assemblages commonly contain disseminated pyrite. The sequence of volcanic and ore-forming events at Kristineberg is poorly constrained, as the ages of the massive rhyolite and mine porphyry are unknown, and younging indicators are absent apart from local metal zoning in the A-ores. Regional structural trends, however, suggest that the sequence youngs to the south. The A- and B-ores are interpreted to have formed as synvolcanic sulphide sheets that were originally separated by some 100–150 m of volcanic rocks. The Einarsson zone, which is developed close to the 1,000 m level, is interpreted to have resulted in part from folding and dislocation of the B-ore sulphide sheet, and in part from remobilisation of sulphides into small Zn-rich massive sulphide lenses and late Au–Cu-rich veins. However, the abundance of strongly altered, andalusite-bearing rocks in the Einarsson zone, coupled with the occurrence of Au–Cu-rich disseminated sulphides in these rocks, suggests that some of the mineralisation was synvolcanic and formed from strongly acidic hydrothermal fluids. Editorial handling: P. Weihed