Geochemical and mineralogical haloes about the Elura Zn-Pb-Ag orebody, western New South Wales

The Elura Zn-Pb-Ag deposit, situated 43 km NNW of Cobar, western New South Wales, is hosted by the C.S.A. Siltstone, a distal turbidite sequence. Deep weathering has given rise to a bleached quartz-muscovite-kaolinite rock to a depth of approximately 80 m. Weathered bedrock is mantled by a thin (0.3–2 m) layer of soil and transported overburden which contains thin layers of maghemite-bearing gravels. Outcrop in the area is extremely poor with the insignificant gossan subcrop covered by 0.2 m of soil. The water table is presently at a depth of about 80 m. Groundwater is saline with up to 2.5% total dissolved solids.Oxidation of the orebody has resulted in the formation of a gossan and ferruginization of wall rocks. Elements associated with ore and retained at high concentration in the gossan are Ag, As, Ba, Cu, Hg, Mo, Pb, Sb, (Se) and Sn; much of the Zn has been leached whilst Cd and Tl are below the detection limits. Silver, Cu and Hg have been partially leached and concentrated in the supergene zone. Ferruginous wall rock contains substantial amounts of Pb, As and Ba but other element contents are substantially lower than in the gossan.Secondary dispersion from the Elura orebody is largely restricted to an interpreted paleodrainage channel SW of the orebody and has occurred in two distinct periods. Mobile elements, particularly Zn, leached during gossan formation, occur in anomalous concentrations at or near the water table. More recently, the less mobile elements Pb, As, Bi, Hg and Sb have been leached from mechanically transported fragments of ferruginized wall rock and gossan by the saline groundwaters and occur as anomalies up to 150 m from the gossan in near-surface bedrock. Copper and Zn form broad low-contrast anomalies whilst Sn is retained within the gossan.Iron-rich bands, 50–1200 mm in thickness, which are common in the weathered zone about the Elura orebody, were formed by precipitation from groundwater passing along bedding planes, shears, fractures and cracks. They have higher As, Bi, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, lower values of Ba and Sr, and similar Pb, Sb and Sn contents to the weathered siltstones. Iron may be derived from Fe-rich carbonates in the siltstones and be redeposited as goethite and minor hematite. These Fe-rich bands have trapped target and pathfinder elements which are believed to be from primary haloes rather than from the orebody or gossan.A two-stage mechanism for the formation of some secondary minerals within the weathered zone has been confirmed by stable light isotope studies. These studies have also shown that fractionation of S isotopes is minimal during gossan formation, and that a S isotopic halo in weathered bedrock may be used as an exploration tool.     

Gold Enrichment in the Supergene Zone of a Southern Urals Pyrite Deposit,Russia

The Gay deposit, situated in the Orenburg region, is identified with one of Russia's principal occurrences of pyrite (pyrite deposits are an important source of Russia's gold). It belongs to the west subzone of the Magnitogorsk synclinorium and occurs in Devonian rhyolite-basaltic volcanic rocks. The deposit comprises five large pyrite-chalcopyrite, pyrite-chalcopyrite- sphalerite, and pyrite orebodies. The supergene zone extends to 120-240 m below surface and consists of the following three subhorizontal zones (from bottom to top): the secondary sulfide enrichment, the leaching, and the oxidation zone (where ores are enriched in gold).

There are two levels of secondary gold enrichment in the weathering profile. The lower level, located in the leaching zone, corresponds with the level of water table fluctuations. The rich, flat-lying horizon (1.5-10.0 m) is composed of bedded, friable native sulfur-quartz ores; it contains 19.0-52.2 ppm Au and up to 389 ppm Ag. Native gold and silver halides (chlorargyrite, iodargyrite, and embolite) are the principal precious-metal minerals. Electrum, native silver, acanthite, and uytenbogaardtite constitute the minor ones. The upper level of the enrichment is located in the lower part of gossan. This bonanza is composed of hematite-quartz ochres. Gold concentration is 13.5 to 21.2 ppm. Native gold of high fineness and silver halides apparently are associated here with poorly crystallized iron oxides. The formation of supergene gold enrichments may result partly from residual concentration and partly from mobilization and reprecipitation of the precious metal. Rich horizons form by repeated gold redeposition in accordance with weathering and a gradual erosion surface lowering. The lower bonanza forms at first in the process of oxidation involving pyrite and native sulfur. Gold may be transported by complexes with metastable sulfur oxy-anions: sulfites, thiosulfates, or polythionates. The upper enriched horizon forms in the course of further evolution of the weathering profile in the stage of hematite recrystallizaiton and its transformation into goethite.     

Weathering of the zinc-lead lode, Dugald River, northwest Queensland: I. the gossan profile

Oxidation of the relatively iron sulfide-poor Dugald River zinc-lead lode in northwest Queensland and reaction of the acid solutions with carbonate has resulted in an undifferentiated gossan profile. The gossan is composed predominantly of quartz, goethite, hematite, barite, adularia, plumbian jarosite, plumbogummite and minor mica, chlorite, kaolinite and montmorillonite. Barite and adularia are formed by the breakdown of the barium feldspar hyalophane (K, Na, Ba)[(Al, Si)₄O₈] which occurs in the lode.Lead in the gossan is contained within the secondary minerals plumbogummite and plumbian jarosite, and in traces of anglesite and cerussite, whereas Zn occurs in the barite, secondary lead minerals and coronadite structures, and is adsorbed by iron oxides, phyllosilicates and carbonaceous matter. Only traces of zinc minerals smithsonite, goslarite and hemimorphite were detected.Use of Gresens' general metasomatic equation has enabled quantitative determination of compositional changes resulting from the oxidation of the ore. Silicon, Al, Ti and Ba are essentially immobile under the mildly acidic oxidizing conditions. In decreasing order of mobility Cd, Ca, S, Na, K, Mn, Mg, Zn, Ni and Cu, together with CO₂ and Tl, have been leached from the gossan profile, while Ag, Sb, Se, As, Fe and Pb appear to have been added to the gossan, notably in a zone of solution-deposited secondary minerals where they have been concentrated, possibly as a result of leaching from the surface gossan.     

刚果（金）如瓦西铜-钴矿床表生成矿过程及其勘探意义

中非成矿带刚果（金）如瓦西（Ruashi）铜-钴矿床经历了表生成矿作用,但其研究薄弱。在野外地质调查、室内矿物学观察和矿山生产勘探的基础上,对如瓦西铜-钴矿床的表生分带组构与次生富集规律进行研究。结果表明,该矿床原生矿体由黄铜矿、斑铜矿、硫铜钴矿等含铜硫化物矿物组成,矿石品位铜在1%~2%、钴在0.1%~0.3%范围内。矿床在近地表发生表生氧化作用后,上部形成了氧化带,可进一步划分为3个亚带：（1）完全氧化亚带;（2）淋滤亚带;（3）次生氧化物富集亚带。上部完全氧化亚带发育富钴氧化物堆积体“矿帽”（钴品位在1%~3%,部分可达12%）,淋滤亚带几乎不含铜、钴金属矿物,次生富集氧化物亚带由孔雀石、硅孔雀石、蓝铜矿、胆矾、水胆矾等氧化物矿物和碳酸盐矿物组成,矿石品位铜在5%~10%、钴在0.8%~1.0%范围内,相对原生矿石富集了3~5倍。下部为次生硫化物富集带,出现蓝铜矿、辉铜矿等次生硫化物矿物,矿石品位铜在3%~5%、钴在0.3%~0.8%范围内,相对原生硫化矿富集了1~3倍。综合分析认为,如瓦西铜-钴矿床表生成矿作用受岩石地层、地质构造和地下水等因素的控制,次生富集作用明显提高了矿石品位和矿床开发价值,形成了氧化物富铜-钴矿、硫化物富铜-钴矿和碳酸盐岩接触带附近的氧化物富铜矿及黑色富钴矿等类型的高-特高品位矿体。经勘探验证,在矿区深边部新揭露高品位矿石资源量256万吨,平均品位铜为3.68%、钴为0.44%,可采储量143万吨,平均品位铜为3.53%、钴为0.32%。该研究可为矿区及区域同类型矿山硫化矿演化成氧化矿的表生富集过程及深边部找矿预测提供科学依据。     

Distribution of trace Hg and its mode of occurrence over Fankou Pb---Zn deposit, Guangdong, China

Blind ore bodies more than 200 m below the surface and ore-bearing faults are clearly indicated by soil-air Hg anomalies through an overburden 20–40 m thick over the Fankou Pb---Zn deposit. The background of soil-air mercury in this area is 50 ng m⁻³ and the highest value encountered is 2000 ng m⁻³. The maximum anomaly to background contrast is 40. The width of anomalies higher than 500 ng m⁻³ can be greater than 600 m. The background Hg in soils of the area is 0.06 ppm and increases to 0.15 ppm where there are soil-air anomalies. The contrast of Hg in soils is only 2.5. Mercury in the unconsolidated overburden is in the form of free gas and is absorbed onto soil colloids such as clay minerals and Fe-Mn oxides. The primary sulphides contain 14–320 ppm Hg where Hg is incorporated isomorphically in sulphide minerals, which is confirmed by microprobe analysis.Based on a systematic analysis of the materials from surface and underground workings for the mode of occurrence of Hg, the authors suggest that the Hg-vapour anomalies in soil-air are the oxidation products of the ore.     

Mineralogical evolution of the Las Cruces gossan cap (Iberian Pyrite Belt): From subaerial to underground conditions

The Las Cruces VMS deposit is located at the eastern corner of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain) and is overlain by the Neogene–Quaternary sediments of the Guadalquivir foreland Basin. The deposit is currently exploited from an open pit by Cobre Las Cruces S.A., being the supergene Cu-enriched zone the present mined resource. The Las Cruces orebody is composed of a polymetallic massive sulfide orebody, a Cu-rich stockwork and an overlying supergene profile that includes a Cu-rich secondary ore (initial reserves of 17.6 Mt @ 6.2% Cu) and a gossan cap (initial reserves of 3.6 Mt @ 3.3% Pb, 2.5 g/t Au, and 56.3 g/t Ag).The mineralogy of the Las Cruces weathering profile has been studied in this work. Textural relationships, mineral chemistry, deposition order of the minerals and genesis of the Las Cruces gossan are described and discussed in detail. A complex mineral assemblage composed by the following minerals has been determined: carbonates such as siderite, calcite and cerussite; Fe-sulfides including pyrite, marcasite, greigite and pyrrhotite; Pb–Sb sulfides and sulfosalts like galena, stibnite, fulöppite, plagionite, boulangerite, plumosite, and the jordanite–geocronite series, Ag–Hg–Sb sulfides and sulfosalts including miargyrite, pyrargyrite, sternbergite, acanthite, freibergite, cinnabar, Ag–Au–Hg amalgams; and Bi–Pb–Bi sulfides and sulfosalts such as bismuthinite, galenobismutite, others unidentified Bi–Pb-sulfosalts, native Bi and unidentified Fe–Pb–Sb-sulfosalts. Remains of the former oxidized assemblage appear as relicts comprised of hematite and goethite.Combining paragenetic information, textures and mineral chemistry it has been possible to derive a sequence of events for the Las Cruces gossan generation and subsequent evolution. In that sense, the small amount of Fe-oxyhydroxides and their relict textures replaced by carbonates and sulfides suggest that the gossan was generated under changing physico-chemical conditions. It is proposed that the Las Cruces current gossan represents the modified residue of a former gossan mineralization where prolonged weathering led to dissolution and leaching out of highly mobile elements and oxidation of the primary sulfides. Later, the gossan was subject to seawater-gossan interaction and then buried beneath a carbonated-rich cover. The basinal fluids-gossan interaction and the equilibration of fluids with the carbonated sediments brought to the carbonatization and sulfidation of the gossan, and thus to the generation of Fe-carbonates and Pb–Sb-sulfides.The Las Cruces mineral system likely represents a new category within the weathering class of ore deposits.     

郴县铜金岭含锡石铁帽研究

含锡石铁帽系铜金岭原生含锡多金属矿床经次生氧化、分解作用后,机械地堆积于表生带和其附近洼地的微喀斯特化灰岩的次生氧化富集带的产物。锡石主要来源于云母-萤石交代岩脉带的锡矿体(化)。是湘南寻找和预测高-中温岩浆热液型锡多金属矿床的重要地质标志     

川西冕宁-德昌REE矿带风化型矿床的矿石类型及成因

川西冕宁-德昌REE矿带中的风化型矿石研究相对缺乏.根据近几年的野外地质调查,采用电子探针、X光粉晶衍射、全岩分析等对大陆槽、牦牛坪和木落寨矿床中疑似风化矿的样品进行类型和成因分析.结果表明:大陆槽风化型矿石中大量粘土矿物（达40%）和矿石矿物（达60%）发育,风化程度高;相反,牦牛坪和木落寨疑似风化型矿石中几乎没有粘土矿物,风化程度低.通过对牦牛坪和木落寨疑似风化型矿石进行地球化学特征、矿物组成分析并与围岩、矿脉的组成和产状对比,表明疑似风化型矿石主要是由矿脉和围岩在强烈的构造作用下发生机械风化形成.频繁的角砾构造使大陆槽矿石发生强烈的机械风化作用,并加速了矿石发生一定的水岩反应,促进矿石发生中等强度的化学风化作用.目前整个矿带中未发现明显的生物风化作用.整个稀土矿带的风化型矿石比南岭离子吸附型稀土矿石的风化程度低,形成时间较晚（11 Ma）,氟碳铈矿大量保存,还没有形成离子吸附型矿床.      

Geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of weathered ore in the Dalucao REE deposit,Mianning–Dechang REE Belt,western Sichuan Province,southwestern China

The Dalucao deposit in western Sichuan Province, southwest China, is one of the largest and most extensive rare earth element (REE) deposits in the Himalayan Mianning–Dechang REE Belt. Moreover, this is the only deposit identified in the southern part of the belt. The deposit contains the No. 1, 2, and 3 orebodies. The No. 1 and 3 orebodies are hosted in two breccia pipes within syenite–carbonatite rocks that intrude a Proterozoic quartz–diorite pluton. Both breccia pipes have elliptical horizontal cross-sections at the surface, being 200–400 m long, 180–200 m wide, and extending to > 450 m depth. The No. 1 and No. 3 orebodies have total thicknesses of 55–175 m and 14–58 m, respectively. REE mineralization is associated with four brecciation events that are recorded in both pipes. The ore grades in the No. 1 and 3 orebodies are similar, with the rocks containing 1.0–4.5% rare earth oxides (REOs). The No. 1 orebody is characterized by a mineral assemblage comprising fluorite + barite + celestite + bastnäsite (i.e., Type I), whereas the No. 3 orebody is characterized by an assemblage comprising fluorite + celestite + pyrite + muscovite + bastnäsite + strontianite (i.e., Type II). Significant amounts of weathered high-grade REE ore (up to 60 wt.% of the rock mass) is mainly present in the No. 1 orebody. This is the main ore-type targeted for exploration within the Dalucao deposit, but is rarely present in other deposits in the Mianning–Dechang REE Belt.Faulting and cryptoexplosive breccia events, possibly linked to movement on the Panxi Fault, were more common in the No. 1 orebody than in the No. 3 orebody. This facilitated the introduction of ore-forming hydrothermal fluids and provided space for the precipitation of REE minerals. Based on the present results, we infer that the Dalucao deposit was the product of multiple stages of ore formation. REE minerals formed in envelopes around, or fractures within, quartz, fluorite, calcite, barite, and celestite in the brecciated ores. The main REE minerals were deposited from hydrothermal fluids within cryptoexplosive breccia, followed by weathering that increased the ore grade. Petrographic studies and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that the weathered ore contains 5–60% REE minerals (including bastnäsite, parisite, and monazite), together with gangue (quartz, barite, celestite, and fluorite), large amount of clay minerals (smectite, illite, kaolinite, and sepiolite), and relict igneous minerals (quartz, albite, and K-feldspar). The weathered samples are strongly enriched in La (up to 92,390 ppm), Ce (up to 103,500 ppm), Pr (up to 8006 ppm), and Nd (up to 16,690 ppm) compared with the unweathered brecciated ores. Conversely, Sr concentrations are significantly more enriched in the brecciated ores (up to 256,500 ppm) than in the weathered ores (generally less than 2671 ppm with one exception of 37,850 ppm) due to less celestite. Calcite is largely absent from the weathered ores (except one sample with up to 30% mode), which contrasts with the brecciated ores that contain up to 75% calcite. The effects of weathering, oxidation, loss of ions, and hydration on the brecciated ores led to the refertilization of the REEs and an increase in the grade of the ore deposit.     

Surface geochemical and biogeochemical expression of base‐metal mineralization at Woodlawn,New South Wales,Australia

The presence of base‐metal mineralization at Woodlawn was first recognised early in 1968 when a roadside reconnaissance geochemical sampling survey, conducted over felsic volcanic rocks in the Goulburn‐Tarago area, encountered anomalous B horizon soils containing up to 200 ppm Cu, 800 ppm Pb and 300 ppm Zn. Regional soil thresholds have been determined at 50 ppm Cu, 90 ppm Pb and 50 ppm Zn. Chip samples from the subsequently located gossan revealed up to 2000 ppm Cu, 8000 ppm Pb and 2000 ppm Zn, 500 ppm Sn, 25 ppm Ag and 3000 ppm As.

The first grid B horizon soil geochemical survey was conducted in 1968 over the gossan and surrounding area, and repeated with closer spaced sampling in the first half of 1970. The first survey delineated strong Cu (to 1000 ppm) and Pb (to 2500 ppm) anomalies coincident with the gossan zone, and intense hydromorphic zinc anomalies (to 3000 ppm) located down slope from the gossan in residual clay‐soils derived from dolerite bedrock. Threshold values have been determined at 140 ppm Cu, 700 ppm Pb and 580 ppm Zn. Ag and Sn in B horizon soils show pronounced anomalies coincident with the gossan and are suitable metals for geochemical target definition. Of fourteen trace elements determined in 1974 from B and C horizon soils on two lines across the ore zone Cu, Pb, Zn, Se, Ba, Sn and Ag show direct correlation with the mineralization, whereas Cd and Mn show moderate hydromorphic dispersion, having accumulated principally in clay soils derived from dolerite weathering. As, Sb and Bi, whilst responding over the ore zone, show elevated values in soils over hanging‐wall units; Ni and Co show maximum levels in soils over dolerite bedrock.

Bark and leaves of Acacia mearnsii, collected from a line across the gossan, contain anomalous levels of Cu, Pb, Zn, Sn and Ti near the ore zone, and weaker, but clearly anomalous Mn and Ni levels over dolerite bedrock. Both bark and leaves of Acacia mearnsii reflect the presence of concealed mineralization. The shrub Solanum linearifolium grows preferentially over and close to the Woodlawn ore zone, where it contains up to 840 ppm Cu, 250 ppm Pb, 7300 ppm Zn, 6 ppm Sn and 250 ppm Ti in leaf ash compared with levels of 200 ppm Cu, 2 ppm Pb, 400 ppm Zn, 0.8 ppm Sn and 60 ppm Ti in plants growing 1.5 km from the ore zone. This shrub has potential as an indicator of base‐metal mineralization.     

句容甲山膨润土矿的地质特征和成因探讨

研究了句容甲山膨润土矿的矿床地质特征,发现地层上覆下白垩统碱性流纹岩,矿石呈黄绿色、粉红色、灰白色和肉红色等多种颜色,局部保留有原岩的角砾结构,并观察到含有风化残余的粗面岩团块和因断层滑移形成的断层角砾。X射线衍射（XRD）分析发现不同颜色矿石的矿物组成差异很大,通过扫描电子显微镜观察到岩石风化现象和伴生的次生矿物类型。研究表明,该矿属于火山熔岩风化残积型膨润土矿床,在开发过程中应进行分类开发或进行深加工处理,可提高开发效益。     

Genetic characteristics of the Gozecukuru As-Sb deposits near Kutahya, Turkey

Gözeçukuru As-Sb-Pb-Zn mine is located 1.2 km NW of Sahin village and 22 km west of Kütahya in NW Turkey. The aim of this study is to explain the genetic characteristics of the As-Sb deposits by using multivariate statistical analysis methods. Low-grade metamorphic rocks of the upper Paleozoic Sahin Formation occur as the basement of the study area. Cenozoic volcano-sedimentary units (Tavsanli volcanites and Emet Formation) overlie the Sahin Formation unconformably. The mineralization occurs mainly as veins and partly as disseminations and fillings of interstices in the rhyodacitic and rhyolitic tuffs of Tavsanli Volcanics. Common primary ore minerals are stibnite, realgar, galena, sphalerite, pyrite and arsenopyrite, and secondary minerals are orpiment, senarmontite and valentinite. Barite is the dominant gangue mineral, with a small amount of quartz, calcite and dolomite. Average As, Sb, Pb, Zn and Ba concentrations in the samples from the study area are 6.04%, 4938 ppm, 4589 ppm, 1.17% and 10.36 % respectively. Three significant groups appear in the cluster analysis of ore samples. First group consists of Pb-Ag and Zn-Cd. The second group consists of Sb-Tl-Hg and As. The last group is the Ba-Sr. There are three significant factors in the factor analysis. First factor reflects the formation of primary sulphide minerals, the second factor represents the formation of low temperature sulphide and sulphosalt minerals and the last factor depicts interstices-filling mineralization. Average homogenization temperature of the fluid inclusion in barites is 221 °C. Geological, petrographical and geochemical data suggest that the Gözeçukuru As-Sb deposit was formed under epithermal conditions.     

The morphology of gold grains associated with oxidation of sulphide-bearing quartz veins at São Bartolomeu,central Brazil

At São Bartolomeu, central Brazil, chemical weathering of auriferous sulphide-rich quartz veins has produced a gold-bearing gossan. In the gossan, gold is present both as a residual primary mineral and as a neoformed secondary mineral. Primary gold particles contain varying amounts of silver. They are always more or less weathered, presenting rough surfaces pitted by numerous micrometric cavities. Other dissolution features identified in primary particles are indented shapes and jagged rims. Secondary gold occurs as aggregates of minute pseudohexagonal particles strongly depleted in silver. The presence of sulphur-containing complexes formed during the oxidation of the sulphides appears adequate to explain both the dissolution features on primary gold particles and the formation of pure supergene gold.     

Quantitative mineralogical and chemical assessment of the Nkout iron ore deposit,Southern Cameroon

The Nkout deposit is part of an emerging iron ore province in West and Central Africa. The deposit is an oxide facies iron formation comprising fresh magnetite banded iron formation (BIF) at depth, which weathers and oxidises towards the surface forming caps of high grade hematite/martite–goethite ores. The mineral species, compositions, mineral associations, and liberation have been studied using automated mineralogy (QEMSCAN^®) combined with whole rock geochemistry, mineral chemistry and mineralogical techniques. Drill cores (saprolitic, lateritic, BIF), grab and outcrop samples were studied and divided into 4 main groups based on whole rock Fe content and a weathering index. The groups are; enriched material (EM), weathered magnetite itabirite (WMI), transitional magnetite itabirite (TMI) and magnetite itabirite (MI). The main iron minerals are the iron oxides (magnetite, hematite, and goethite) and chamosite. The iron oxides are closely associated in the high grade cap and liberation of them individually is poor. Liberation increases when they are grouped together as iron oxides. Chamosite significantly lowers the liberation of the iron oxides. Automated mineralogy by QEMSCAN^® (or other similar techniques) can distinguish between Fe oxides if set up and calibrated carefully using the backscattered electron signal. Electron beam techniques have the advantage over other quantitative mineralogy techniques of being able to determine mineral chemical variants of ore and gangue minerals, although reflected light optical microscopy remains the most sensitive method of distinguishing closely related iron oxide minerals. Both optical and electron beam automated mineralogical methods have distinct advantages over quantitative XRD in that they can determine mineral associations, liberation, amorphous phases and trace phases.     

Alteration of platinum-group minerals and dispersion of platinum-group elements during progressive weathering of the Aguablanca Ni–Cu deposit, SW Spain

The distribution, mineralogy and mobility of the platinum-group elements (PGE) in the surface environment are poorly understood. This study of the lower, less altered and upper, more altered gossan, overlying the Aguablanca Ni–Cu-(PGE) magmatic deposit (Spain), has shown that the platinum-group minerals (PGM) are progressively oxidised and dispersed into iron oxides that form the gossan. A combination of the characterization of PGE in host PGM, using a scanning electron microscope, and measurement of PGE at lower concentrations in host iron oxides, using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), has for the first time allowed the total distribution of the PGE within a gossan to be documented. This study has revealed a complete in situ alteration and dispersion sequence of the PGM including (1) breakdown of both the more stable Pt-arsenides, Pt/Pd-tellurides and the less stable bismuthotellurides, (2) formation of partially oxidised PGM, (3) development of a wide range of oxidised Pt- and Pd-bearing phases, (4) subsequent formation of Fe–PGE-oxides and PGE-hydroxides, (5) incorporation of PGE into ferruginous supergene products and lastly (6) concentration of PGE at the edges of veins and iron oxides. Dispersion of Pd is greater than for the other PGE with Pd being widely distributed throughout the iron oxides. This oxidising environment produced PGE-oxides rather than PGE-alloys, also commonly found in the surface environment, especially in placers. These results provide critical evidence for the stages of mineralogical change from PGE host mineralogy in magmatic ores to surface weathering producing PGE-oxides.     

The geochemistry, mineralogy and maturity of gossans derived from volcanogenic Zn–Pb–Cu deposits of the eastern Lachlan Fold Belt, NSW, Australia

The Eastern Highlands of Australia have probably been in existence since the Late Cretaceous or earlier and so there has been ample time for mature gossan profiles to form over outcropping volcanogenic Zn–Pb–Cu mineralisation in the eastern Lachlan Fold Belt. The mature gossan profiles are characterised by the upward progression from supergene sulfides to secondary sulfates, carbonates and phosphates into a Fe-oxide dominated surficial capping which may contain boxwork textures after the original sulfides (as at the Woodlawn massive sulfide deposit). However, the region has locally been subjected to severe erosion and the weathering profile over many deposits is incomplete (immature) with carbonate and phosphate minerals, especially malachite, being found in surficial material. These immature gossans contain more Cu, Pb and Zn but lower As, Sn (and probably Au) than the mature gossans. Although Pb is probably the best single pathfinder for Zn–Pb–Cu VHMS deposits of the eastern Lachlan Fold Belt, Ag, As, Au, Bi, Mo, Sb and Sn are also useful, with most of these elements able to be concentrated in substantial amounts in Fe oxides and alunite–jarosite minerals.     

耳泽古溶洞中的菱铁矿—铁帽型金矿床的地质特征

四川木里耳泽金矿分布于上二叠统岗达概组大理岩中,矿带受此唤背斜轴部的破碎带控制。矿床面积约1.1km~2,矿体形态复杂,与围岩呈不规则接触。矿石分为原生含金黄铁矿—菱铁矿型和铁帽型两大类。主要金矿物是自然金,次为银金矿。金来源于岗达概组大理岩和下伏火山岩。成矿地下热水主要为大气降水与变质水混合而成。成矿环境稳定,经间歇性的抬升运动、岩溶作用形成溶洞。先在溶洞中形成含金黄铁矿—菱铁矿石,再表生氧化形成铁帽型金矿。     

甘肃寨上金矿床矿物组成特征与矿质沉淀机理

位于西秦岭礼(县)—岷(县)成矿带西段的寨上金矿床,是近年发现的一个大型微细浸染型金矿。笔者通过显微镜观察、电子探针和扫描分析等综合分析技术,确认金矿床中矿物组成相当丰富,既有大量硫化物、硫盐、氧化物、硫酸盐、碳酸盐、钨酸盐,又有碲化物、自然金属及多金属互化物。除常见矿物为自然金、黄铁矿、黄铜矿、黝铜矿、方铅矿、闪锌矿、辉锑矿、石英、白钨矿、方解石、菱铁矿、铁白云石和重晶石外,笔者还鉴定出在卡林型金矿床较少见的一些矿物,如硫铜锑矿、车轮矿、辉锑铅矿、辉钼矿、碲汞矿、碲镍矿、Cu-Zn-Ni-Sn-Fe的金属互化物和白钨矿等。矿石中矿物种类较多,组成较复杂以及存在显微自然金,构成寨上金矿床的一大特色。赋矿围岩中含Fe碳酸盐矿物溶解释放Fe以及溶解Fe的大量硫化物化,是寨上金矿床中存在显微可见自然金的最重要因素和金沉淀富集的有利条件。     

湘西地区黔阳次级成锰盆地锰矿地质特征及找矿潜力分析—以大岩坳向斜南东翼为例

湘西地区黔阳次级成锰盆地位于扬子陆块东南缘,构造位置上属雪峰山板内造山带南-东端。盆地内锰矿床为具有“内源外生”特征的南华系中统大塘坡组,处于大岩坳向斜的东南翼的半局限浅海盆地中,为沉积变质型锰矿床,据笔者工作资料矿体受大塘坡组黑色含锰炭质板岩控制,亦受加里东期构造控制,矿体呈层状、似层状及串珠状.物相分析表明矿石矿物近地表主要为氧化锰矿,地表10m以下为菱锰矿。本文通过对典型矿床照洞锰矿矿区的矿床地质特征、古构造环境综合分析,推测该区具有较大的找矿潜力。     

加纳阿瓦索红土型铝土矿床地球化学特征及成矿作用研究

红土型铝土矿是加纳共和国铝土矿资源的主要矿床类型。阿瓦索铝土矿床产于西非克拉通古元古界比理姆岩系(泥板岩类)的表层红土中,是典型的红土型铝土矿。通过分析阿瓦索铝土矿的成矿地质背景、矿体特征以及矿石地球化学元素特征发现,铝土矿石的化学组分以Al_2O_3、SiO_2、TFe_2O_3为主,TiO_2次之,碱金属元素含量极低;风化过程中Zr、Hf、Nb、Ta等微量元素含量稳定;Cr—Ni关系图显示比理姆岩系为铝土矿的矿源岩,三水铝石主要由比理姆岩系中的黏土矿物经过风化淋滤形成,表层铝土矿在后期风化和红土化作用下结构构造发生一定的变化,铁氧化成以赤铁矿为主的铁壳,最终形成一个大型的红土型铝土矿。