Ore minerals and geochemical characterization of the Dungash gold deposit,South Eastern Desert,Egypt

The Dungash historic gold mine is located in the South Eastern Desert of Egypt. The gold-bearing quartz veins are hosted by the metavolcanic and metavolcaniclastic rocks along an ENE–WSW trending shear zone. Alteration types recorded in the wall rocks are sericitization, silicification, carbonatization, chloritization, sulfidization, ferruginization, and listwanitization. The ore mineral assemblage comprises arsenopyrite, pyrite, native gold, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and galena. The primary sulfide mineral assemblage formed during a hypogene hydrothermal stage whereas anglesite and goethite occur as secondary supergene phases. Microthermometric fluid inclusion analysis revealed that the auriferous quartz precipitated from a moderately saline (5 to 11.22 wt% NaCl_equiv) solution at temperatures above the recorded homogenization temperatures (T _h), which range from 380 to 177 °C. The minimum pressures of trapping are between 350 and 400 bars. The fluid evolution during mineralization is explained by mixing of a magmatic fluid with meteoric waters. Initially, the high temperature and moderately saline magmatic fluid dominated and progressively became diluted with meteoric waters. Highest gold content is recorded in the carbonatized zone and the quartz veins. However, gold content in the carbonatized zone of the footwall exceeds several times its content in the quartz veins and the carbonatized zone of the hanging wall.     

Silver and silver-bearing minerals at the Um Samiuki volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit, Eastern Desert, Egypt

The Um Samiuki Zn–Cu–Pb–Ag mineralisation, south Eastern Desert, Egypt is hosted by felsic volcanic rocks which form part of the 712-Ma-old, east-west-trending Shadli Volcanic Belt. Two major occurrences of massive sulphides are present at the top of rhyolitic breccia in the Western and Eastern mine areas. In each occurrence, a bornite-bearing zone is overlain by a pyrite-chalcopyrite-bearing zone and underlain by a disseminated, Cu-depleted zone. In the massive sulphide ore, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, galena, bornite and tetrahedrite–tennantite are major minerals, whereas arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, molybdenite and magnetite are accessory phases. Covellite and digenite are common secondary minerals. Bornite, tetrahedrite–tennantite and covellite contain high amounts of silver (averages of 1.97, 1.39 and 1.82 wt% respectively). Based on mineralogical balance calculations, bornite and covellite accommodate 80% of silver in the Um Samiuki deposit. Ag was incorporated in the crystal structure of the early-crystallised copper sulphides and sulphosalts and silver minerals. The temperature, sequential precipitation of the fluids and the structure of the crystallising phases control the distribution of silver. Post-depositional deformation and metamorphic processes caused liberation, remobilisation and redeposition of silver within the massive sulphides.Editorial handling: D. Lentz     

PGM in chromite ore of the Sopcheozero deposit, Kola Peninsula

The Sopcheozero chromite deposit is hosted in dunite of the Monchegorsk layered intrusion as a sheetlike body of disseminated ore with a chromite grade varying from 20 to 60%. The total PGM content in the ore attains 0.5–0.8 g/t. The composition of host rocks varies from plagioclase peridotite to dunite, but PGM were found only in chromite-bearing dunite. PGM inclusions were detected in the interstices of chromite and olivine grains and within grains themselves. The data obtained confirm the known tendency toward variation in PGM composition with increasing sulfur and light PGE contents in the residual magmatic melt. The first particles of refractory Ir, Os, and Ru intermetallides appeared at the final stage of olivine crystallization, whereas laurite (Ru,Os,Ir)S₂ and pentlandite (Fe,Ni)₉S₈ were formed at the final stage of chromite crystallization, when the sulfur concentration in the residual melt became sufficient.     

The first discovery of platinum group minerals in black shale gold ores of the Degdekan deposit, Northeast Russia

The results of investigation of heavy fraction minerals from the Degdekan deposit hosted by the lower portion of stratified Mid Permian sediments are presented; the investigation was conducted via electron microscopy using a QEMSCAN hardware and software instrument equipped with a QUANTAX quantitative analysis system. The following mineral phases of platinoids have been detected for the first time: native osmium, rutheniridosmine, osmiridium, ruthenosmiridium, laurite, iridarsenite, and Ru, Os, and Ir arsenide.     

The nature of gold-bearing fluids in Atud gold deposit,Central Eastern Desert,Egypt

Electron microprobe analyses of gold and associated ore minerals as well as stable isotope analyses of sulphide and carbonate minerals were performed in order to determine the metal and fluid sources and temperature of the mineralizing systems to better understand the genesis of the Atud gold deposit hosted in the metagabbro–diorite complex of Gabal Atud (Central Eastern Desert, Egypt). The gold can be classified as electrum (63.6–74.3 wt.% Au and 24.6–26.6 wt.% Ag) and is associated with arsenopyrite and As-bearing pyrite in the main mineralization (gold-sulphides) phase within the main mineralized quartz veins and altered host rocks. Based on the arsenopyrite geothermometer, As-contents (29.3–32.7 atom%) in arsenopyrite point to deposition in the Log ?_S2 and T ranges of ?10.5 to ?5.5 and 305–450°C, respectively, during the main mineralizing phase. Based on the δ³⁴S isotopic compositions of the sulphides, they are originated from magmatic fluids in which the sulphur is either sourced directly from magma or remobilized from the magmatic rocks (gabbroic rocks). On the other hand, calcite formed from fluids having mainly magmatic mixed with variable metamorphic signatures based on its δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values. This work concluded that the gold-bearing ores at Atud deposit have magmatic sources leaching from the country intrusive rocks during water/rock interactions then remobilized during a metamorphic event. Therefore, the Atud gold deposit is classified as an intrusion-related gold deposit, in which the gabbro–diorite host intrusion acted as the source of metals which were mobilized and deposited as a result of the effects of NW–SE shearing.     

Single quartz grain electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of a contemporary desert surface deposit,Eastern Desert,Egypt

Signal resetting by sunlight prior to burial is a crucial assumption in electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of sediments. This resetting process is expected to be completed to a greater extent in arid than in fluvial environments. The present paper investigates the natural and artificially irradiated signal intensity of Ti related centres in single quartz grains collected from the desert surface (Eastern Desert, Egypt) in order to test this hypothesis. The results suggest that in most grains both the Ti–Li and Ti–H signal are completely reset to zero. Additive dose curves based on the sum of both Ti centres show an anomaly in the low dose region. Possible causes for this behaviour are briefly discussed. Three fitting procedures are conducted and each of them shows a different palaeodose distribution with a rather large spread in D_E values. It is concluded that similar fossil deposits would be datable by single grain ESR using Q-band measurements of the Ti–Li or Ti–H signals in quartz.     

Mineralogy and microchemistry of the Egat gold deposit, South Eastern Desert of Egypt

Gold-bearing quartz lodes from the Egat gold mine, South Eastern Desert of Egypt, are associated with pervasively silicified, highly sheared ophiolitic metagabbro and island-arc metavolcanic rocks. The mineralized quartz veins and related alteration haloes are controlled by NNW-trending shear/fault zones. Microscopic and electron probe microanalyses (EPMA) data of the ore and gangue minerals reveal that fine-grained auriferous sulfarsenides represent early high-temperature (355–382 °C) phases, with formation conditions as (fS₂?=??10, and fO₂ around ?31). A late, low-temperature (302–333 °C) assemblage includes coarse pyrite, arsenopyrite, and free-milling gold grains (88–91 wt.% Au), with formation conditions as (fS₂?=??8 and fO₂ around ?30). Gold was impounded within early sulfarsenides, while free-milling gold blebs occur along microfractures in quartz veins and as inclusions in late sulfides. Infiltration of hydrothermal fluids under brittle–ductile shear conditions led to mobilization of refractory Au from early sulfarsenide phases and reprecipitated free gold, simultaneous with silicification of the host rocks. The positive correlation between Au and As favors and verifies the use of As as the best pathfinder for gold targets, along the NNW-trending shear zones.     

Melonite group minerals and other tellurides from three Cu–Ni–PGE prospects, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Melonite group minerals and other tellurides are described from three Cu–Ni–PGE prospects in the Eastern Desert of Egypt: Gabbro Akarem, Genina Gharbia and Abu Swayel. The prospects are hosted in late Precambrian mafic–ultramafic rocks and have different geologic histories. The Gabbro Akarem prospect is hosted in dunite pipes where net-textured and massive sulfides are associated with spinel and Cr-magnetite. Michenerite, merenskyite, Pd–Bi melonite and hessite occur mainly as inclusions in sulfides. Typical magmatic textures indicate a limited role of late- and post-magmatic hydrothermal processes. At Genina Gharbia, ore forms either disseminations in peridotite or massive patches in hornblende-gabbro in the vicinity of metasedimentary rocks. Actinolitic hornblende, epidote, chlorite and quartz are common secondary silicates. Sulfide textures and host rock petrography suggest a prolonged late-magmatic hydrothermal event. Michenerite, merenskyite, Pd–Bi melonite, altaite, hessite, tsumoite, sylvanite and native Te are mainly present in secondary silicates. The Abu Swayel prospect occurs in conformable, lens-like mafic–ultramafic rocks in metasedimentary rocks and along syn-metamorphic shear zone. The sulfide ore and host rocks are metamorphosed (amphibolite facies; 550 to 650 °C, 4 to 5 kbar) and syn-metamorphically sheared. Melonite group minerals are represented by merenskyite and Pd–Bi melonite. Other tellurides comprise hessite, altaite and joséite-B. Melonite group minerals and tellurides occur as inclusions in mobilized sulfides and along cracks in metamorphic garnet and plagioclase.The different geological history of the three prospects permits an examination of the role played by magmatic, late-magmatic and metamorphic processes on the mineralogy of melonite group minerals and diversity of tellurides. The contents of PGE and Te in the ore and temperature of crystallization control the mineralogy and compositional trends of the melonite group minerals. Crystallization of the melonite group minerals over a wide range of temperatures in a Te-rich environment enhances the elemental substitutions. Merenskyite dominates the mineralogy of the group at low Te activity, while Pd–Bi melonite is the common phase at high Te activity.     

Genesis of secondary uranium minerals associated with jasperoid veins,El Erediya area,Eastern Desert,Egypt

Uranium mineralization in the El Erediya area, Egyptian Eastern Desert, has been affected by both high temperature and low temperature fluids. Mineralization is structurally controlled and is associated with jasperoid veins that are hosted by a granitic pluton. This granite exhibits extensive alteration, including silicification, argillization, sericitization, chloritization, carbonatization, and hematization. The primary uranium mineral is pitchblende, whereas uranpyrochlore, uranophane, kasolite, and an unidentified hydrated uranium niobate mineral are the most abundant secondary uranium minerals. Uranpyrochlore and the unidentified hydrated uranium niobate mineral are interpreted as alteration products of petscheckite. The chemical formula of the uranpyrochlore based upon the Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA) is . It is characterized by a relatively high Zr content (average ZrO₂ = 6.6 wt%). The average composition of the unidentified hydrated uranium niobate mineral is , where U and Nb represent the dominant cations in the U and Nb site, respectively. Uranophane is the dominant U⁶⁺ silicate phase in oxidized zones of the jasperoid veins. Kasolite is less abundant than uranophane and contains major U, Pb, and Si but only minor Ca, Fe, P, and Zr. A two-stage metallogenetic model is proposed for the alteration processes and uranium mineralization at El Erediya. The primary uranium minerals were formed during the first stage of the hydrothermal activity that formed jasperoid veins in El Eradiya granite (130–160 Ma). This stage is related to the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous phase of the final Pan-African tectono-thermal event in Egypt. After initial formation of El Erediya jasperoid veins, a late stage of hydrothermal alteration includes argillization, dissolution of iron-bearing sulfide minerals, formation of iron-oxy hydroxides, and corrosion of primary uranium minerals, resulting in enrichment of U, Ca, Pb, Zr, and Si. During this stage, petscheckite was altered to uranpyrochlore and oxy-petscheckite. Uranium was likely transported as uranyl carbonate and uranyl fluoride complexes. With change of temperature and pH, these complexes became unstable and combined with silica, calcium, and lead to form uranophane and kasolite. Finally, at a later stage of low-temperature supergene alteration, oxy-petscheckite was altered to an unidentified hydrated uranium niobate mineral by removal of Fe.     

Ore-microscopic and geochemical characteristics of gold-bearing sulfide minerals,El Sid Gold mine,Eastern Desert,Egypt

Gold deposits at El Sid are confined to hydrothermal quartz veins which contain pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite and galena. These veins occur at the contact between granite and serpentinite and extend into the serpentinite through a thick zone of graphite schist. Gold occurs in the mineralized zone either as free gold in quartz gangue or dissolved in the sulfide minerals. Ore-microscopic study revealed that Au-bearing sulfides were deposited in two successive stages with early pyrite and arsenopyrite followed by sphalerite and galena. Gold was deposited during both stages, largely intergrown with sphalerite and filling microfractures in pyrite and arsenopyrite.Spectrochemical analyses of separated pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite and galena showed that these sulfides have similar average Au contents. Pyrite is relatively depleted in Ag and Te. This suggests that native gold was deposited in the early stage of mineralization. Arsenopyrite and galena show relatively high concentrations of Te. They are also respectively rich in Au and Ag. Tellurides are, thus, expected to be deposited together with arsenopyrite and galena.     

Mapping the Dyke Swarms of the Eastern Desert,Egypt

正The Eastern Desert of Egypt hosts numerous undeformed to slightly deformed mafic dyke swarms which have previously been poorly characterized.Systematic use of full resolution Google Earth?images yields an initial     

From platform to basin: the evolution of a Paleocene carbonate margin (Eastern Desert, Egypt)

In this study, progradation and the subsequent retrogradation of a late Paleocene isolated carbonate platform (Galala Mountains, Eastern Desert, Egypt) is demonstrated by variations of distinct facies associations from the platform margin in the north to the hemipelagic basin in the south. A combination of a sea-level drop and tectonic uplift at around 59 Ma (calcareous nannofossil biozone NP5) favored the initiation of the carbonate platform. From this time onwards, the facies distribution along the platform–basin transect can be subdivided into five facies belts comprising nine different facies associations. Their internal relationships and specific depositional settings are strongly coupled with the Maastrichtian–Paleocene seafloor topography, which resulted from local tectonic movements. Patch reefs and reef debris were deposited at the platform margin and the horizontally bedded limestones on the upper slope. Slumps and debris flows were stored on the lower slope. In the subhorizontal toe-of-slope facies belt, mass-flow deposits pass into calciturbidites. Further southwards in the basin, only hemipelagic marls were deposited. Between 59 and 56.2 Ma (NP5–NP8), the overall carbonate platform system prograded in several pulses. Distinct changes in facies associations from 56.2 to 55.5 Ma (NP9) resulted from rotational block movements. They led to increased subsidence at the platform margin and a coeval uplift in the toe-of-slope areas. This resulted in the retrogradation of the carbonate platform. Furthermore the patch-reef and reef-debris facies associations were substituted by the larger foraminifera shoal association. The retrogradation is also documented by a significant decrease in slump and debris-flow deposits on the slope and calciturbidites at the toe of slope.     

云南牟定安益铂钯钛磁铁矿床铂族矿物特征及成因初探

云南牟定安益矿床为一处铂族金属与钛磁铁矿共同产出的大型钛磁铁矿铂族金属矿床。目前对该矿床中铂族元素的赋存状态研究甚少。结合野外宏观地质特征和室内岩矿鉴定,笔者利用TIMA和LA-ICP-MS-Mapping分析方法,对安益矿床中铂族金属矿物学特征进行研究,发现安益矿床中的铂族元素（PGEs）主要以独立矿物的形式存在。铂族矿物（PGMs）多为铂和钯的砷化物、碲化物,如砷铂矿、砷钯矿、黄碲钯矿、碲钯矿等;主要分布于硅酸盐矿物中,其次为硫化物边缘,部分分布于磁铁矿边缘;铂族矿物成因主要有岩浆成因和热液成因2种。岩浆作用形成的铂族矿物分布于硅酸盐矿物中或硫化物边缘,硅酸盐中的铂族矿物是早期PGE与半金属元素形成的纳米团簇颗粒随岩浆演化形成矿物颗粒,被结晶的硅酸盐矿物包裹;分布于硫化物边缘的铂族矿物是残余熔浆结晶的结果。热液作用将PGE以类质同象的形式富集于钛磁铁矿单辉岩的部分矿物中,如热液蚀变较强烈的黄铜矿中含有较高的Rh,这也与铂族矿物集中分布在钛磁铁矿单辉岩中一致。     

The Meatiq dome (Eastern Desert, Egypt) a Precambrian metamorphic core complex: petrological and geological evidence

The Meatiq basement, which is exposed beneath late Proterozoic nappes of supracrustal rocks in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt, was affected by three metamorphic events. The ophiolite cover nappes show only the last metamorphic overprint. The M1 metamorphic event (T ≥750 °C) is restricted to migmatized amphibolite xenoliths within the Um Ba′anib orthogneiss in the structurally lowest parts of the basement. Typical upper amphibolite facies M2 mineral assemblages include Grt–Zn-rich Spl–Qtz±Bt, Grt–Zn-rich Spl–Ms–Kfs–Bt–Sil–Qtz and locally kyanite in metasedimentary rocks. The mineral assemblages Ms–Qtz–Kfs–Sil in the matrix and Sil–Grt in garnet cores indicate that peak M2 P–T conditions exceeded muscovite and staurolite stabilities. Diffusional equilibration at M2 peak temperature conditions caused homogeneous chemical profiles across M2 garnets. Abundant staurolite in garnet rims and the matrix indicates a thorough equilibration during M2 at decreasing temperature conditions. M2 P–T conditions ranged from 610 to 690 °C at 6–8 kbar for the metamorphic peak and 530–600 °C at about 5.8 kbar for the retrograde stage. However, relic kyanite indicates pressures above 8 kbar, preceeding the temperature peak. A clockwise P–T path is indicated by abundant M2 sillimanite after relic kyanite and by andalusite after sillimanite. M2 fluid inclusions, trapped in quartz within garnet and in the quartz matrix show an array of isochores. Steepest isochores (water-rich H₂O-CO₂±CH₄/N₂ inclusions) pass through peak M2 P–T conditions and flatter isochores (CO₂-rich H₂O-CO₂±CH₄/N₂ inclusions) are interpreted to represent retrograde fluids which is consistent with a clockwise P–T path for M2. The M3 assemblage Grt–Chl in the uppermost metasedimentary sequence of the basement limits temperature to 460 to 550 °C. M3 temperature conditions within the ophiolite cover nappes are limited by the assemblage Atg–Trem–Tlc to<540 °C and the absence of crysotile to >350 °C. The polymetamorphic evolution in the basement contrasts with the monometamorphic ophiolite nappes. The M1 metamorphic event in the basement occurred prior to the intrusion of the Um Ba′anib granitoid at about 780 Ma. The prograde phase of the M2 metamorphic event took place during the collision of an island arc with a continent. The break-off of the subducting slab increased the temperature and resulted in the peak M2 mineral assemblages. During the rise of the basement domain retrograde M2 mineral assemblages were formed. The final M3 metamorphic event is associated with the updoming of the basement domain at about 580 Ma along low-angle normal faults.