Late Tertiary Gold-Bearing Volcanic Belt in the Sierras Pampeanas of San Luis,Argentina

In the Sierras Pampeanas of San Luis, Argentina, Late Tertiary volcanic rocks extend along a 80-km NW-SE-trending belt, between La Carolina and Sierra del Morro. Several gold deposits, among which those in the western end of the belt are better known, are genetically related to the volcanic rocks, formed during a volcanic episode that occurred between 9.5 Ma and 1.9 Ma. Located 600 km from the Peru-Chile trench, the volcanic belt represents the easternmost and youngest mineralized magmatic manifestation associated with the shallowing of the Nazca plate in the flat-slab Andean segment extending from 28° to 33° S Lat.

The volcanic complex includes lavas and volcaniclastic rocks. Small-volume lavas were emplaced as domes, flows, and dikes. Pyroclastic deposits are associated with them in certain areas, such as at La Carolina, Cerro Tiporco, and Sierra del Morro. At La Carolina, phreatomagmatic breccias and base-surge deposits define a maar-diatreme volcanic setting. At Cerro Tiporco and Sierra del Morro, the volcaniclastic units are related to the formation of calderas. Mesosilicic magmas (SiO₂ = 59% to 68%) belong to normal to high-K calc-alkaline and shoshonitic magma types. At both local and regional scales, K enrichment accompanies progressively decreasing age. Although the volcanic rocks differ from the typical Andean series, some geochemical features, such as Ta and Ti depletion, high large-ion-lithophile-element (LILE) contents, and arc-like Ba/La and La/Ta ratios, indicate an arc signature.

In the La Carolina zone, the most important mineralization is the La Carolina volcanic-hosted, low-sulfidation, epithermal gold deposit. Here, several gold and base-metal-bearing epithermal veins cut basement rocks. In the Canada Honda district, the most important mineral deposits are the Diente Verde gold-rich porphyry copper deposit and low-sulfidation epithermal gold and base-metal veins hosted by both basement and coeval volcanics.

There is no strong evidence of gold-bearing mineral deposits on the eastern side of the volcanic belt. However, there are hydrothermal alteration zones at Cerros del Rosario and El Morro as well as traces of gold at the Santa Isabel calcareous onyx deposit and inside the Sierra del Morro caldera. In addition, favorable volcanic structures, such as the calderas at Tiporco, Cerro Lomita, and El Morro, make the eastern side of the belt an interesting target for mineral exploration.     

额尔古纳地块七一牧场北山银铅锌矿床地质特征及其成因分析

内蒙古七一牧场北山矿床是近年来在额尔古纳地块新发现的一个中型银铅锌矿床。本文在野外地质勘查和室内综合整理分析的基础上,对该矿床的基本地质特征及成因进行了初步研究。该矿床银铅锌矿体赋存于中侏罗统塔木兰沟组安山质火山岩和上侏罗统满克头鄂博组流纹质火山碎屑岩中,呈脉状、细脉浸染状,受北西向、近南北向断裂构造控制,其形成与晚侏罗世花岗斑岩、钾长花岗岩具有密切的时空联系。成矿作用在空间上表现出一定的分带性,随着赋矿深度的增加,成矿元素呈现出Pb→Pb、Zn、Ag→Zn(Cu)的变化特点。结合硫、铅同位素及流体包裹体特征,初步认为该矿床应为晚侏罗世-早白垩世伸展环境下形成的与火山-岩浆作用有关的浅成-超浅成中低温热液脉型银铅锌矿床。     

Geochemical indicators of gold-rich zones in the La Josefina epithermal deposit,Deseado Massif,Argentina

The gold deposit at La Josefina, in the Deseado Massif of Argentina, is a low-sulfidation epithermal deposit with some features of the intermediate sulfidation style; the Au occurs in quartz veins and hydrothermal breccias hosted by acid pyroclastic rocks produced by Jurassic bimodal volcanism. Exploration for this deposit type uses geochemical data for vectoring to mineralized rocks. Although a general suite of elements with anomalous concentrations around low-sulfidation deposits is known, that suite varies amongst individual deposits, which should be studied individually. The aim of this study was to determine, in the La Josefina deposit, geochemical indicators of Au-rich rocks at different scales and to assess the effects of weathering on those indicators. To reach these objectives, a mineralized zone (hosting Au-rich veins) and a non-mineralized zone (hosting barren veins) were compared in terms of vein mineralogy, alteration minerals and geochemistry. These zones were also compared with estimated element concentrations of the protolith. Element concentrations in the mineralized zone were then plotted against distance to the Au-rich veins, separating the dataset into two subsets: one from strongly oxidized rocks and the other from weakly oxidized rocks, considering the degree of oxidation as indicative of relative degree of weathering. Based on alteration and vein mineralogy, we interpret that the mineralized zone was hydrothermally active before, during and after Au-mineralization, while the non-mineralized zone was active only before Au-mineralization. Therefore, differences in element concentrations between the estimated protolith and the non-mineralized zone represent geochemical changes produced before mineralization, whereas differences between mineralized and non-mineralized zones represent changes produced during and after mineralization. We conclude that in rhyolitic to rhyodacitic pyroclastic rocks of the study area, affected by predominantly argillic and silicic hydrothermal alterations, high concentrations of Au, Cu, Hg, V, Co and P, and low concentrations of Ba are probably the best deposit-scale geochemical indicators to distinguish Au-mineralized zones from non-mineralized zones. High concentrations of As, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr, Ni, MgO and Zn (as well as high values of chlorite-carbonate-pyrite index), and low concentrations of Be and CaO can also distinguish mineralized from non-mineralized zones. High concentrations of Au, Cu, Pb, As, Hg, and Co indicate Au-rich zones, independently of lithology and alteration, because they were introduced into the veins and host rocks together with Au. At detailed-scale, the concentrations of 15 elements vary with distance to Au-rich veins; therefore, those elements are considered potential indicators of proximity to Au-rich veins. Of those elements, Au, P, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ba and MgO are the strongest indicators of proximity to the Au-rich veins. In strongly oxidized rocks, some indicators of mineralized zones (Co, Mn, Pb, Zn and MgO) and some indicators of proximity to Au-rich veins (P, Au, Cu, Hg and Ba) should be used with caution or be avoided because weathering modifies their quality as indicators.     

Relationships between Volcanism, Hydrothermal Alteration and Epithermal Gold-Silver Mineralization in the Muka Mine Area in the Kitami Metallogenic Province, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract: Neogene magmatism in the Muka mine area in the Kitami metallogenic province was characterized on the basis of K-Ar age data by felsic–to–mafic terrestrial extrusive and intrusive volcanism from Late Miocene to Early Pliocene. The geology of the Muka mine area comprises the Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene Yubetsu Group, consisting primarily of sandstone and shale; Upper Miocene Ikutahara Formation, consisting of clastic and felsic volcaniclastic rocks and Kane-hana Lava (rhyolite) of 7. 5 Ma; Upper Miocene Yahagi Formation, consisting of clastics, felsic volcaniclastics and rhyolite lavas; Late Miocene andesite and rhyolite dikes (Chidanosawa Rhyolite of 7. 2 Ma and Hon-Mukagawa Andesite of 6. 6 Ma); Lower Pliocene Hakugindai Lava (basalt: 4. 0 Ma); and Quaternary System. The volcanism consists of earlier Late Miocene felsic extrusive activity during the sedimentation of the Ikutahara Formation, later Late Miocene felsic extrusive and intrusive activities during the sedimentation of the Yahagi Formation and intermediate intrusive activity after the sedimentation of the Yahagi Formation and Early Pliocene mafic extrusive activity. The Muka gold-silver ore deposit occurs primarily in the felsic volcaniclastic rocks and Kanehana Lava of the Ikutahara Formation and in Hon-Mukagawa Andesite. These wall–rocks, the clastic rocks of the Ikutahara Formation and the clastic and felsic volcaniclastic rocks of the Yahagi Formation were affected to various extents by hydrothermal alteration. The hydrother-mal alteration can be divided into two stages (early and late) based on the modes of occurrence and mineral assemblages. Early hydrothermal alteration is characterized by regional and vein-related alterations associated with epithermal gold-silver mineralization in a near-neutral hydrothermal system. Regional alteration can be subdivided into a zeolite zone (mordenite+adularia±heulandite–clinoptilolite series mineral±smectite±quartz°Cristobalite±opal–CT) and a smectite zone (smec–tite±quartz±opal–CT). Vein-related alteration can be subdivided into a K-feldspar zone (quartz+adularia±illite±interstratified illite/smectite±pyrite), an illite zone (quartz+illite°Chlorite±interstratified illite/smectite±smectite±pyrite) and an interstratified illite/smectite zone (quartz+interstratified illite/smectite±smectite±pyrite). The adularization age of 6. 8 Ma in the K-feldspar zone that developed in Kanehana Lava hosting ore veins coincides well with the epithermal gold-silver mineralization age of 6. 6 Ma. Late hydrothermal alteration is characterized by a kaolinite zone (kaolinite±dickite±alunite±quartz°Cristobalite± tridymite±pyrite) in an acid hydrothermal system, and cuts early alteration zones such as the K-feldspar zone. Other modes of occurrence of acid alteration are a 7Å halloysite-kaolinite vein in the hydrothermal explosion breccia dike and smectite–kaoli–nite veins along joint planes of Kanehana Lava. The style of the gold-silver deposit associated with early near-neutral hydrothermal alteration is a low-sulfidation epithermal type. The low-sulfidation epithermal gold-silver mineralization of 6. 6 Ma in the vicinity of the Muka ore deposit was essentially accompanied by felsic volcanic activity during the sedimentation of the Yahagi Formation, and was closely related both temporally and spatially to the felsic intrusive activity of Chidanosawa Rhyolite of 7. 2 Ma. The related hydrother-mal activity of the gold-silver mineralization took place at intervals of approximately 0. 4–0. 6 Ma after the volcanic activity related to the mineralization.     

黑龙江东安金矿床赋矿岩浆岩锆石U-Pb年代学及岩石地球化学特征

东安金矿床是环太平洋成矿域的一处大型低硫型浅成低温热液金矿床,赋存于燕山期碱长花岗岩和中酸性火山岩中。本文通过LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb同位素定年,获得赋矿的碱长花岗岩和光华组流纹岩的加权平均年龄分别为183.2±1.3Ma和109.1±1.2Ma,表明碱长花岗岩的侵位年代为早侏罗世,光华组火山岩的喷出时代为早白垩世。在地球化学组成上,东安碱长花岗岩具高硅、高钾和低磷的特征,富集Rb、Th和K,亏损Nb、Ta、Sr、P和Ti,属于高分异的I型花岗岩,是太平洋板块俯冲作用的产物。光华组中酸性火山岩富集Rb、Th、U和K,亏损Nb、Ta、P和Ti,为太平洋板块俯冲方向发生改变后的岩石圈伸展减薄环境下,镁铁质下地壳部分熔融而形成的。东安金矿床成矿年龄(107~108Ma)与光华组火山岩的成岩年龄在误差范围内一致,表明成矿与成岩作用为同一地质事件,均形成于早白垩世太平洋板块俯冲背景下的拉张构造环境中。结合区内其他浅成低温热液型金矿床的赋矿围岩特征,认为早白垩世陆相火山岩是东北地区寻找浅成低温热液金矿床的有利场所。     

Epithermal deposits in South China: Geology,geochemistry, geochronology and tectonic setting

South China Block (SCB) is the broad area including the Yangtze Craton in the northwest and Huanan Orogen in the southeast. It is an important epithermal metallogenic province in China, containing at least 1 high-sulfidation (HS) and 42 low-sulfidation (LS) Au-Ag ± Cu ± Pb-Zn ± Sb epithermal deposits. Porphyry-type mineralization was recognized in four of the LS deposits, and thus they were regarded as LS–P type. These 43 deposits are mainly located in: (1) the Lower Yangtze River Belt and (2) the Northeastern Jiangnan Orogenic Belt in the Yangtze Craton, (3) the Wuyi-Yunkai Orogenic Belt and (4) the Southeast Coastal Volcanic Belt in the Huanan Orogen. They are mostly located in Mesozoic volcanic basins, especially where the regional faults and their subsidiaries occurred. The host rocks include Jurassic–Cretaceous volcanic-sedimentary rocks, coeval or slightly older subvolcanic, granitoids and breccias, and metamorphic basement rocks. The alteration of the HS epithermal deposit (Zijinshan Cu-Au) zoned from silicic (vuggy quartz), through alunite, to dickite and phyllic alteration zones, from the ore veins outwards. The alteration of the LS deposits is zoned from adularia-chalcedony-bladed calcite (or quartz pseudomorphs after bladed calcite) in ore veins to distal illite-sericite-chlorite-kaolinite assemblages. For those LS–P systems, besides the dominated LS alteration assemblages, phyllic and potassium silicate alteration related to porphyry mineralization were identified. Acid leaching textures and vein, stockwork and breccia structures are common in HS deposit, while the LS epithermal deposits are characterized by open-space filling, crustifications, colloform banding and comb structures. The ore-forming fluids are low-temperature, low-salinity meteoric water-dominated in most epithermal deposits in SCB, with variable input of magmatic water. The ore components were derived from both the deep magma and host rocks, and transported upwards or laterally and precipitated in the fracture systems by fluid boiling, mixing and cooling. Most of the epithermal deposits are formed at depth of < 1.5 km and < 300 °C, with few exceptions containing porphyry-type mineralization, such as the Zhilingtou, Yinshan and Longtoushan deposits. Deep drilling is suggested in these deposits as more epithermal and/or porphyry mineralization could be expected. The mineral systems were formed in Early Yanshanian (180–130 Ma) and Late Yanshanian (120–90 Ma) periods. The Early Yanshanian epithermal ore systems are mainly located in a series of E–W-trending metallogenic belts to the west of the Lishui–Haifeng Fault, which were formed in a syn- or post-collision tectonic setting by the collision between the SCB and its surrounding plates. The Late Yanshanian epithermal deposits are mainly located in Southeast Coastal Volcanic Belt, genetically related to the westward subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate.     

Base and precious metal mineralization in Middle Jurassic rocks of the Lesser Caucasus: A review of geology and metallogeny and new data from the Kapan,Alaverdi and Mehmana districts

The polymetallic Cu–Au–Ag–Zn ± Pb, Cu–Au and Cu deposits in the Kapan, Alaverdi and Mehmana mining districts of Armenia and the Nagorno–Karabakh region form part of the Tethyan belt. They are hosted by Middle Jurassic rocks of the Lesser Caucasus paleo-island arc, which can be divided into the Kapan Zone and the Somkheto–Karabakh Island Arc. Mineralization in Middle Jurassic rocks of this paleo-island arc domain formed during the first of three recognized Mesozoic to Cenozoic metallogenic epochs. The Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous metallogenic epoch comprises porphyry Cu, skarn and epithermal deposits related to Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous intrusions. The second and third metallogenic epochs of the Lesser Caucasus are represented by Late Cretaceous volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits with transitional features towards epithermal mineralization and by Eocene to Miocene world-class porphyry Mo–Cu and epithermal precious metal deposits, respectively.The ore deposits in the Kapan, Alaverdi and Mehmana mining districts are poorly understood and previous researchers named them as copper–pyrite, Cu–Au or polymetallic deposits. Different genetic origins were proposed for their formation, including VMS and porphyry-related scenarios. The ore deposits in the Kapan, Alaverdi and Mehmana mining districts are characterized by diverse mineralization styles, which include polymetallic veins, massive stratiform replacement ore bodies at lithological contacts, and stockwork style mineralization. Sericitic, argillic and advanced argillic alteration assemblages are widespread in the deposits which have intermediate to high-sulfidation state mineral parageneses that consist of tennantite–tetrahedrite plus chalcopyrite and enargite–luzonite–colusite, respectively. The ore deposits are spatially associated with differentiated calc-alkaline intrusions and pebble dykes are widespread. Published δ³⁴S values for sulfides and sulfates are in agreement with a magmatic source for the bulk sulfur whereas published δ³⁴S values of sulfate minerals partly overlap with the isotopic composition of contemporaneous seawater. Published mineralization ages demonstrate discrete ore forming pulses from Middle Jurassic to the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous boundary, indicating time gaps of 5 to 20 m.y. in between the partly subaqueous deposition of the host rocks and the epigenetic mineralization.Most of the described characteristics indicate an intrusion-related origin for the ore deposits in Middle Jurassic rocks of the Lesser Caucasus, whereas a hybrid VMS–epithermal–porphyry scenario might apply for deposits with both VMS- and intrusion-related features.The volcanic Middle Jurassic host rocks for mineralization and Middle to Late Jurassic intrusive rocks from the Somkheto–Karabakh Island Arc and the Kapan Zone show typical subduction-related calc-alkaline signature. They are enriched in LILE such as K, Rb and Ba and show negative anomalies in HFSE such as Nb and Ta. The ubiquitous presence of amphibole in Middle Jurassic volcanic rocks reflects magmas with high water contents. Flat REE patterns ([La/Yb]_N = 0.89–1.23) indicate a depleted mantle source, and concave-upward (listric-shaped) MREE–HREE patterns ([Dy/Yb]_N = 0.75–1.21) suggest melting from a shallow mantle reservoir. Similar trace element patterns of Middle Jurassic rocks from the Somkheto–Karabakh Island Arc and the Kapan Zone indicate that these two tectonic units form part of one discontinuous segmented arc. Similar petrogenetic and ore-forming processes operated along its axis and Middle Jurassic volcanic and volcanosedimentary rocks constitute the preferential host for polymetallic Cu–Au–Ag–Zn ± Pb, Cu–Au and Cu mineralization, both in the Somkheto–Karabakh Island Arc and the Kapan Zone.     

Geology of the epithermal Ag–Au Huevos Verdes vein system and San José district, Deseado massif, Patagonia, Argentina

The San José district is located in the northwest part of the Deseado massif and hosts a number of epithermal Ag–Au quartz veins of intermediate sulfidation style, including the Huevos Verdes vein system. Veins are hosted by andesitic rocks of the Bajo Pobre Formation and locally by rhyodacitic pyroclastic rocks of the Chon Aike Formation. New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar constraints on the age of host rocks and mineralization define Late Jurassic ages of 151.3 ± 0.7 Ma to 144.7 ± 0.1 Ma for volcanic rocks of the Bajo Pobre Formation and of 147.6 ± 1.1 Ma for the Chon Aike Formation. Illite ages of the Huevos Verdes vein system of 140.8 ± 0.2 and 140.5 ± 0.3 Ma are 4 m.y. younger than the volcanic host rock unit. These age dates are among the youngest reported for Jurassic volcanism in the Deseado massif and correlate well with the regional context of magmatic and hydrothermal activity. The Huevos Verdes vein system has a strike length of 2,000 m, with several ore shoots along strike. The vein consists of a pre-ore stage and three main ore stages. Early barren quartz and chalcedony are followed by a mottled quartz stage of coarse saccharoidal quartz with irregular streaks and discontinuous bands of sulfide-rich material. The banded quartz–sulfide stage consists of sulfide-rich bands alternating with bands of quartz and bands of chlorite ± illite. Late-stage sulfide-rich veinlets are associated with kaolinite gangue. Ore minerals are argentite and electrum, together with pyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, minor bornite, covellite, and ruby silver. Wall rock alteration is characterized by narrow (< 3 m) halos of illite and illite/smectite next to veins, grading outward into propylitic alteration. Gangue minerals are dominantly massive quartz intergrown with minor to accessory adularia. Epidote, illite, illite/smectite, and, preferentially at deeper levels, Fe-chlorite gangue indicate near-neutral pH hydrothermal fluids at temperatures of >220°C. Kaolinite occurring with the late sulfide-rich veinlet stage indicates pH < 4 and a temperature of <200°C. The Huevos Verdes system has an overall strike of 325°, dipping on average 65° NE. The orientations of individual ore shoots are controlled by vein strike and intersecting north-northwest-striking faults. We propose a structural model for the time of mineralization of the San José district, consisting of a conjugate shear pair of sinistral north-northwest- and dextral west-northwest-striking faults that correspond to R and R′ in the Riedel shear model and that are related to master faults (M) of north-northeast-strike. Veins of 315° strike can be interpreted as nearly pure extensional fractures (T). Variations in vein strike predict an induced sinistral shear component for strike directions of >315°, whereas strike directions of <315° are predicted with an induced dextral strike–slip movement. The components of the structural model appear to be present on a regional scale and are not restricted to the San José district.     

Gold-bearing Quartz Veins and Hydrothermal Alteration of the Paleozoic Epithermal System in the Francis Creek Area, North Queensland, Australia

Abstract. The Francis Creek area located at the Sybil graben in North Queensland, Australia, has some features of epithermal gold mineralization such as gold-bearing quartz vein and silica body hosted in rhyodacitic rocks of the Late Carboniferous Hells Gate Formation. In order to understand the nature of the paleo-hydrothermal activity in this area and to aid exploration for an economic gold deposit in this area, we carried out hydrothermal alteration mapping surrounding the veins and silica body, over an area of about 7 times 5 km².
We defined two alteration zones and inferred the center of hydrothermal activity. Fluid inclusion shows the boiling feature, and the microthermometry analysis resulted in the trapping temperature of 240°C and low salinity. This temperature is consistent with the formation temperature of clay mineral in the host rocks. On the basis of whole-rock composition, the silica body was identified as silicified rocks. Precious metal minerals such as electrum and acanthite coexist with sulfide minerals. Iodagylite was identified as a product of weathering. The sulfide minerals imply that the low-sulfidation epithermal gold mineralization occurred in the Francis Creek area.     

Cenozoic metallogeny of Greece and potential for precious,critical and rare metals exploration

The Cenozoic metallogeny in Greece includes numerous major and minor hydrothermal mineral deposits, associated with the closure of the Western Tethyan Ocean and the collision with the Eurasian continental plate in the Aegean Sea, which started in the Cretaceous and is still ongoing. Mineral deposits formed in four main periods: Oligocene (33–25 Ma), early Miocene (22–19 Ma), middle to late Miocene (14–7 Ma), and Pliocene-Pleistocene (3–1.5 Ma). These metallogenic periods occurred in response to slab-rollback and migration of post-collisional calc-alkaline to shoshonitic magmatism in a back-arc extensional regime from the Rhodopes through the Cyclades, and to arc-related magmatism along the active south Aegean volcanic arc. Invasion of asthenospheric melts into the lower crust occurred due to slab retreat, and were responsible for partial melting of metasomatized lithosphere and lower crustal cumulates. These geodynamic events took place during the collapse of the Hellenic orogen along large detachment faults, which exhumed extensive metamorphic core complexes in mainly two regions, the Rhodopes and the Cyclades. The detachment faults and supra-detachment basins controlled magma emplacement, fluid circulation, and mineralization.The most significant mineralization styles comprise porphyry, epithermal, carbonate-replacement, reduced intrusion-related gold, intrusion-related Mo-W and polymetallic veins. Porphyry and epithermal deposits are commonly associated with extensive hydrothermal alteration halos, whereas in other cases alteration is of restricted development and mainly structurally controlled. Porphyry deposits include Cu-Au-, Cu-Mo-Au-Re, Mo-Re, and Mo-W variants. Epithermal deposits include mostly high- and intermediate-sulfidation (HS and IS) types hosted in volcanic rocks, although sedimentary and metamorphic rock hosted mineralized veins, breccias, and disseminations are also present. The main metal associations are Cu-Au-Ag-Te and Pb-Zn-Au-Ag-Te in HS and IS epithermal deposits, respectively. Major carbonate-replacement deposits in the Kassandra and Lavrion mining districts are rich in Au and Ag, and together with reduced intrusion-related gold systems played a critical role in ancient economies. Finally hundreds of polymetallic veins hosted by metamorphic rocks in the Rhodopes and Cyclades significantly add to the metal endowment of Greece.     

Epithermal deposits in North Xinjiang, NW China

The North Xinjiang region (NW China) is an important part of the Central Asia Orogenic Belt, situated at the junction of Siberia, Tarim and Kazakhstan plates. It is an area characterized by multiple stages of Phanerozoic continental growth, during which several porphyry and epithermal systems were formed. The relationship of these mineral systems to the geodynamic evolution of the region has not yet been well understood. In this paper, we list the main geological characteristics of 21 significant epithermal precious and base metal deposits in North Xinjiang, and classify them into high-sulfidation and low-sulfidation styles, with the latter being predominant. We have selected seven epithermal deposits representing different styles formed under different tectonic regimes and discuss their geology and geochemistry in some detail. The deposit-scale geology and geochemistry of epithermal systems in North Xinjiang are essentially similar to those in other parts of the world. All epithermal deposits in North Xinjiang are hosted in volcanic rocks with ages ranging from Devonian to Triassic, with the Early Carboniferous volcanic sequences being the most important, followed by the Permian and Triassic. The Devonian–Early Carboniferous host rocks belong to the calc-alkaline series that developed in pre-collisional arc-back-arc basin systems; whereas the Permian–Triassic host volcanic rocks of shoshonite series formed in post-subduction regimes. Available isotopic ages of these epithermal systems cluster in two periods: Early Carboniferous (>320?Ma) and Late Carboniferous–Triassic (320–220?Ma), reflecting two metallogenic episodes that occurred during subduction-related accretion and post-subduction collision regimes, respectively. Accordingly, three groups of epithermal deposits in North Xinjiang can be recognized as (1) pre-collisional deposits without or with negligible collisional-related modification, (2) deposits formed in collision regime and (3) ore systems strongly overprinted by fluid flow in post-subduction collision regime.     

新疆西天山吐拉苏火山岩盆地浅成低温热液-斑岩型金多金属成矿系统的形成与演化

新疆西天山吐拉苏地区发育的与中酸性火山-次火山岩有关的浅成低温热液-斑岩型金多金属成矿系统,是在晚古生代北天山洋向南部伊犁-中天山板块之下俯冲消减的活动大陆边缘背景下形成的。赋矿的大哈拉军山组火山岩及相关的次火山岩形成于晚泥盆世-早石炭世,岩石总体显示钾质-高钾质、准铝质-过铝质的钙碱性-高钾钙碱性特征,其轻稀土富集、Eu负异常显著、大离子亲石元素富集和高场强元素亏损等,均显示出俯冲带岛弧岩浆作用的特点。阿希(低硫型)和京希-伊尔曼得(高硫型)浅成低温热液金矿床以及塔北、吐拉苏铅锌矿床,受大哈拉军山组火山岩中的断裂破碎带以及具高孔隙度和渗透率的岩性控制;塔吾尔别克斑岩型金矿化主要受斑岩体及火山岩中的断裂和裂隙系统控制,并很可能存在浅成低温热液型金矿化的套合或叠加。硫、铅、碳、氧同位素特征显示,成矿物质主要来自岩浆所分泌的热液和/或赋矿的火山-次火山岩。根据成矿系统形成后的保存和变化情况,认为在吐拉苏盆地内剥蚀程度较低的地区,浅成低温热液型金铅锌矿床具备良好的保存条件,同时在其深部还应注意寻找斑岩型或矽卡岩型铜金矿床。     

内蒙古花哈勒金地区铅锌多金属矿地质特征及找矿潜力

花哈勒金地区铅锌多金属矿赋存于中奥陶统多宝山组变质安山岩的断裂构造蚀变带内,矿体呈脉状受北东向构造及其伴生的断裂构造控制,铅锌矿石成分简单,伴生有银铜,围岩蚀变主要有褐铁矿化、黄铁矿化、绿帘石化、绿泥石化、碳酸盐化、硅化.多期次的岩浆侵入和侏罗纪火山岩的强烈喷发与区内成矿有利地层多宝山组,共同为本区多金属矿产的形成提供了较为充足的物质来源.成矿热液来源于岩浆侵入体,矿床成因属于热液充填（脉）型铅锌多金属矿床.通过分析其成矿地质特征、地球物理特征、地球化学特征、成矿地质环境等,认为找矿潜力巨大.     

中国东部中生代浅成热液金矿的类型、特征及其地球动力学背景

中国东部中生代浅成热液金矿可以划分为与花岗岩和与碱性岩有关的两种类型；也可以分为高硫型和低硫型两大类，而且以后一种为主。这些金矿的形成和分布受区域构造制约，具体地说是受破火山口、火山角砾岩筒以及与火山机构有关的断裂控制。成矿围岩为火山岩类及同源花岗质岩石和周围地层。主要的蚀变组合为冰长石一玉髓一绢云母或明矾石一高岭石一石英(玉髓)。成矿年龄分布在180～188Ma，135～144Ma，127～115Ma和94～105Ma四个区间，前三组年龄分别响应于中生代华北板块与扬子克拉通的造山碰撞后陆内造山的伸展过程、构造体制大转折以及岩石圈大减薄，后一组为华南地区岩石圈再一次强烈伸展期间的产物。虽然这些矿床的形成时间有差异，但都是发育于大陆伸展环境中。     

Volcanic Activity, Hydrothermal Alteration and Epithermal Gold-Silver Mineralization in the Ryuo Mine Area in the Kitami Metallogenic Province, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract: Characterization of Neogene magmatism in the Ryuo mine area in the Kitami metallogenic province was carried out on the basis of K-Ar data for felsic–to–mafic terrestrial extrusive and intrusive volcanism from Late Miocene to Early Pliocene. The Ryuo epithermal gold-silver deposit occurs primarily in the felsic volcaniclastic rocks of the Ikutahara Formation and in Ryuo Rhyolite. The Ryuo mineralization age of 7. 7 – 8. 1 Ma coincides well with the hydrothermal alteration age (7. 7 Ma) of Ryuo Rhyolite hosting ore veins. It is concluded that the Ryuo mineralization was essentially accompanied by felsic volcanic activity during the sedimentation of the Ikutahara Formation, and was closely related both temporally and spatially to the intrusive activity of Ryuo Rhyolite. Hydrothermal alteration related to the epithermal gold-silver mineralization of the Ryuo deposit is primarily characterized by early regional and vein-related alterations, and late steam-heated alteration. Early regional alteration consists of a smectite halo (smectite+pyrite±quartz±opal–CT±mordenite°Clinoptilolite–heulandite series mineral). Early vein-related alteration is primarily marked by potassic alteration. This alteration halo can be subdivided into a K-feldspar halo (quartz+adular–ia+pyrite±illite±interstratified illite/smectite±smectite), an illite halo (quartz+illite + chlorite + pyrite ± interstratified illite/smec–tite±smectite) and an interstratified illite/smectite halo (quartz + interstratified illite/smectite+pyrite±smectite). Late steam-heated alteration characterized by kaolinite or alunite locally overprints the early K-feldspar halo. The style of the Ryuo gold-silver deposit is a low-sulfidation epithermal type. The gold–silver–bearing quartz vein precipitates during boiling of ore fluid. The origin of the ore fluid might be meteoric water. The temperature and sulfur fugacity conditions during precipitation of electrum and acanthite are estimated to be 206°– 238°C and 10^-13.5 – 10^-11.6 atm, respectively.     

The La Unión Au ± Cu prospect,Camagüey District,Cuba: fluid inclusion and stable isotope evidence for ore-forming processes

The Camagüey district, Cuba, is known for its epithermal precious metal deposits in a Cretaceous volcanic arc setting. Recently, the La Unión prospect was discovered in the southern part of the district, containing gold and minor copper mineralization interpreted as porphyry type. Mineralization is hosted in a 73.0 ± 1.5 Ma calc–alkaline I-type oxidized porphyry quartz diorite intrusive within volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the early Cretaceous Guáimaro Formation. The porphyry is affected by propylitic alteration and crosscut by a network of quartz and carbonate veinlets and veins. Chlorite, epidote, sericite, quartz, and pyrite are the main minerals in the early veins which are cut by late carbonate and zeolite veins. Late barite pseudomorphously replaces pyrite. Gold is associated with pyrite as disseminations in the altered quartz diorite and in the veins, occurring as inclusions or filling fractures in pyrite with 4 g/t Au in bulk samples, and up to 900 ppm Au in in pyrite. Fluid inclusion and oxygen isotope data are consistent with a H₂O–NaCl–(KCl) mineralizing fluid, derived from the quartz diorite magma, and trapped at least at 425°C and 1.2 kbar. This primary fluid unmixed into two fluid phases, a hypersaline aqueous fluid and a low-salinity vapor-rich fluid. Boiling during cooling may have played an important role in metal precipitation. Pyrite δ³⁴S values for the La Unión prospect range between 0.71‰ and 1.31‰, consistent with a homogeneous magmatic sulfur source. The fluids in equilibrium with the mineralized rocks have estimated δ¹⁸O values from 8‰ to 11.8‰, calculated for a temperature range of 480–505°C. The tectonic environment of the La Unión prospect, its high gold and low copper contents, the physical–chemical characteristics of the mineralizing fluids and the isotopic signature of the alteration minerals and fluids indicate that the La Unión gold mineralization is similar to the porphyry gold type, even though the ore-related epidote–chlorite alteration can be classified as propylitic and not the classic potassic and/or phyllic alteration. The low copper contents in the prospect could be due to a mineralizing fluid previously saturated in copper, which is indicated by trapped chalcopyrite crystals in high-temperature fluid inclusions. The low-temperature paragenesis, represented by carbonate, zeolite and barite, indicates epithermal overprint. The study shows the potential for other gold porphyry-type deposits in the Cretaceous volcanoplutonic arc of Cuba.     

Examining potential genetic links between Jurassic porphyry Cu–Au ± Mo and epithermal Au ± Ag mineralization in the Toodoggone district of North-Central British Columbia,Canada

The Toodoggone district comprises Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Hazelton Group Toodoggone Formation volcanic and sedimentary rocks, which unconformably overlie submarine island-arc volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Lower Permian Asitka Group and Middle Triassic Takla Group, some of which are intruded by Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic plutons and dikes of the Black Lake suite. Although plutonism occurred episodically from ca. 218 to 191 Ma, the largest porphyry Cu–Au ± Mo systems formed from ca. 202 to 197 Ma, with minor mineralization occurring from ca. 197 to 194 Ma. Porphyry-style mineralization is hosted by small-volume (<1 km³), single-phase, porphyritic igneous stocks or dikes that have high-K calc-alkaline compositions and are comparable with volcanic-arc granites. The Fin porphyry Cu–Au–Mo deposit is anomalous in that it is 16 m.y. older than any other porphyry Cu–Au ± Mo occurrence in the district and has lower REEs. All porphyry systems are spatially restricted to exposed Asitka and Takla Group basement rocks, and rarely, the lowest member of the Hazelton Group (i.e., the ca. 201 Ma Duncan Member). The basement rocks to intrusions are best exposed in the southern half of the district, where high rates of erosion and uplift have resulted in their preferential exposure. In contrast, low- and high-sulfidation epithermal systems are more numerous in the northern half of the district, where the overlying Hazelton Group rocks dominate exposures. Cogenetic porphyry systems might also exist in the northern areas; however, if they are present, they are likely to be buried deeply beneath Hazelton Group rocks. High-sulfidation epithermal systems formed at ca. 201 to 182 Ma, whereas low-sulfidation systems were active at ca. 192 to 162 Ma. Amongst the studied epithermal systems, the Baker low-sulfidation epithermal deposit displays the strongest demonstrable genetic link with magmatic fluids; fluid inclusion studies demonstrate that its ore fluids were hot (>468°C), saline, and deposited metals at deep crustal depths (>2 km). Sulfur, C, O, and Pb isotope data confirm the involvement of a magmatic fluid, but also suggest that the ore fluid interacted with Asitka and Takla Group country rocks prior to metal deposition. In contrast, in the Shasta, Lawyers, and Griz-Sickle low-sulfidation epithermal systems, there is no clear association with magmatic fluids. Instead, their fluid inclusion data indicate the involvement of low-temperature (175 to 335°C), low-salinity (1 to 11 equiv. wt.% NaCl) fluids that deposited metals at shallow depths (<850 m). Their isotope (i.e., O, H, Pb) data suggest interaction between meteoric and/or metamorphic ore fluids with basement country rocks.     

青藏高原两个斑岩-浅成低温热液矿床成矿亚系列及其"缺位找矿"之实践

斑岩_浅成低温热液型铜金矿床是西藏最新发现的组合矿床类型,其具有巨大的找矿潜力。笔者在西藏多龙矿集区铁格隆南铜金矿床、雄村矿集区主要矿体系统地质编录、综合研究的基础上,对其矿床地质背景、矿体形态产状、矿物组合、蚀变特征、成岩成矿年龄等进行了系统的总结,在前人研究的基础上,提出班怒成矿带与早白垩世岛弧型中_酸性火山岩_浅成岩组合有关的铜、金、银、铅锌矿床成矿亚系列,以及冈底斯成矿带与早侏罗世—晚侏罗世岛弧型中_酸性火山岩_浅成岩组合有关的铜、金、银、铅锌矿床成矿亚系列,是西藏最重要的寻找斑岩型_浅成低温热液型铜金矿的矿床成矿系列。依据"缺位找矿"理论,预测多龙矿集区尕尔勤、地堡那木岗、铁格隆山是浅成低温热液型铜金矿床的进一步勘查评价区,色那、拿顿角砾岩筒是寻找独立高硫化型浅成低温热液金矿床的重要靶区。铁格隆南浅成低温热液矿体叠加在斑岩型矿体之上,高硫化型浅成低温热液矿床浅部发育多孔状硅帽和明矾石_地开石_高岭石蚀变组合,金属矿物以硫砷铜矿_铜蓝_蓝辉铜矿_黝铜矿_黄铜矿_斑铜矿_黄铁矿等铜硫二元体系矿物组合为主,其中黄铁矿_黄铜矿_斑铜矿形成较早,矿床规模可突破1200万吨。雄村铜金矿集区发育低硫化型浅成低温热液多金属金矿体,矿体呈脉状,或在火山机构边缘构造中独立产出,或叠加于斑岩型铜金矿体之上产出,以绢云母化、叶蜡石化、伊利石化发育,闪锌矿、黝铜矿、磁黄铁矿_黄铁矿为主要金属矿物组合为特征,洞嘎、普钦木_哑达是低硫化型浅成低温热液矿床的勘查评价区,深部有找到斑岩型铜金矿的可能。上述2套矿床成矿系列亚系列都与燕山期斑岩铜金矿床的流体演化有关,具有特殊的蚀变矿物、金属矿物组合,寻找独立的浅成低温热液型金矿是下一步需要重视的找矿方向。     

Volcanic stratigraphy, structural controls, and mineralization in the san cristobal Ag–Zn–Pb deposit, southern bolivia

The Late Miocene San Cristobal Ag–Zn–Pb deposit represents syngenetic and epigenetic mineralization with low- and high-sulfidation characteristics. Rocks in the deposit are characterized by barren dacitic ring fracture domes, mineralized resurgent rhyodacite domes, strongly altered and mineralized tuffaceous lacustrine sedimentary rocks, and an extensive crystal-lithic tuff debris apron. The ore body is hosted by intracauldron sedimentary and volcanic rocks and genetically associated breccias. Fluid inclusion data suggest that silver, lead, and zinc were transported as chloride complexes and precipitated by cooling in veins from <5 wt.% NaCl eq. fluids at 170–215 °C. Silver that was spatially, and perhaps temporally, associated with an episode of rhyodacite resurgence may have been transported as a chloride complex and precipitated by increased H₂S activity or increased fluid pH. Although San Cristobal represents a major silver resource, the occurrence of stratiform wurtzite and sphalerite in cauldron-hosted sedimentary rocks represents a syngenetic component of mineralization that is very rare in continental caldera-associated epithermal deposits, which contributes to San Cristobal's significance as a zinc resource.     

安徽庐枞盆地黄竹园银多金属矿床地质特征和关键金属赋存状态研究

黄竹园银多金属矿床位于长江中下游成矿带庐枞矿集区东南缘,是成矿带断凹区火山岩盆地内首次发现的浅成低温热液型银多金属矿床,亟待开展矿床地质特征、金属元素特别是关键金属的赋存状态和矿床成因研究。黄竹园矿床矿体主要赋存于下白垩统砖桥组、双庙组火山岩及断裂破碎带中,呈层状、似层状产出;矿石类型主要有脉状、浸染状、细网脉状。本次工作基于矿床地质特征研究,通过对矿床中采集样品进行手标本及室内镜下观察、短波红外分析测试(SWIR)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM-EDS)、电子探针分析(EPMA)和自动矿物综合分析(TIMA)等方法,阐明了矿床中的主要蚀变矿化特征和成矿期次,重点开展银和关键金属赋存状态及矿床成因类型研究。研究结果表明,黄竹园矿床总体表现出靠近矿体部位发育绢云母-伊利石化,向外围矿化较弱部位变为蒙脱石-高岭石化;根据不同的矿物共生组合及其相互关系,将矿床的成矿过程从早到晚分为无矿化石英脉阶段、石英-银矿物-硫化物脉阶段和石英-碳酸盐脉阶段,其中石英-银矿物-硫化物脉阶段为该矿床最重要的银、铜成矿阶段。主要的银矿物为自然银、硫铜银矿和硫汞铜银矿。矿床中的主要关键金属矿物为辉砷钴矿和铁硫砷钴矿,呈不规则粒状镶嵌在辉铜矿和黄铁矿边缘。通过黄竹园矿床与国内外其他浅成低温热液矿床地质特征对比,本次工作认为黄竹园矿床是高硫型浅成低温热液矿化叠加于斑岩型矿化之上的复合成矿的典型实例。通过与矿区北部钱铺酸性蚀变岩帽(1km)之间对比研究,提出黄竹园-钱铺酸性蚀变岩帽地区可能存在一大型"斑岩-浅成低温热液成矿系统",为庐枞盆地下一步深部找矿提供了方向。