Specific genesis of gold and silver sulfides at the Yunoe deposit (Magadan Region,Russia)

Hypogene uytenbogaardtite, acanthite, and native gold parageneses have been revealed at the epithermal Yunoe gold-silver deposit, Magadan Region, Russia. Thermodynamic calculations in the system Si–Al–Mg–Ca–Na–K–Fe–Pb–Zn–Cu–Ag–Au–S–C–Cl–H₂O were carried out at 25–400 °C and 1–1000 bars to elucidate the role of hydrothermal solutions in the formation of gold and silver sulfides. Several most probable scenarios for ore-forming processes in the deposit are considered: (1) interaction between cold and heated meteoric waters percolating along cracks from surface to depth and reacting with the host rock—rhyolite; (2) evolution of ascending postmagmatic fluid resulting in chloride–carbonic acid solution, which interacts with rhyolite at 100–400 °C; (3) stepwise cooling of hydrothermal ore-bearing solutions; (4) rapid cooling of ore-bearing hydrotherms on their mixing with cold surface waters. Rhyolite with Pb, Zn, Cu, Cl, S, Ag, and Au clarke contents was taken as an initial host rock. Calculations by model 3 showed the possible formation of uytenbogaardtite and petrovskaite at low-temperature stages. Gold and silver sulfides can be deposited during the mixing of ore-bearing acid chloride–carbonic acid hydrothermal solutions with surface alkaline waters.     

The problem of genesis of gold and silver sulfides and selenides in the Kupol deposit (Chukotka,Russia)

Gold and silver minerals from the Kupol epithermal deposit, Chukotka, were studied. A schematic sequence of mineral formation has been compiled. Specific mineral assemblages have been revealed in jarosite breccias: with native gold, uytenbogaardtite, fischesserite, acanthite, and native sulfur. We considered a possible mechanism of formation of gold and silver sulfides and selenides in volcanogenic deposits: They might have formed during solfatara and postsolfatara processes with the participation of volcanic gases or their condensates and sublimates as well as liquid sulfur (and selenium) and sulfuric hydrotherms produced under the interaction of volcanic gases with meteoric waters. The specific features of the Kupol deposit confirm the solfatara genesis of Au–Ag sulfides and selenides.     

Gold and silver minerals in low-sulfidaton ores of the Julietta deposit (northeastern Russia)

Gold- and silver-containing pyrites of the Tikhii area at the Julietta deposit (Engteri ore cluster, Magadan Region) were studied by optical and scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. One- or two-phase rounded microinclusions consisting of electrum (450-680%c) and/or galena or of petrovskaite and/or uytenbogaardtite, galena, and sphalerite have been found in early pyrites. Later As-pyrites (up to 2.6 wt.% As) contain multiphase xenomorphic microinclusions of acanthite, uytenbogaardtite, freibergite, argentotetrahedrite-tennantite, naumannite, petzite, selenopolybasite-selenostephanite, tellurocanfieldite, and other ore minerals localized in pores, cracks, and interstices. Pyrites that underwent hypergene alterations have rims and veinlets formed by acanthite, goethite, anglesite, plattnerite, and native silver. The presence of rounded ore mineral microinclusions and large pores in the early pyrites suggests the participation of volatiles in the mineral formation and the uptake of large amounts of impurities by pyrite under high-gradient crystallization conditions. The thermobarogeochemical studies of fluid inclusions in quartz have shown that the ore zone formed under boiling-up of hydrothermal medium-concentration NaCl solutions at 230-105 °C. The results of thermodynamic calculations evidence that Ag-Au-S-Se minerals formed under decrease in temperature and fugacity of sulfur (log₁Q/S₂ = -22 to -9) and selenium (log₁Q/S_e2 = -27 to -14) and change of reducing conditions by oxidizing ones in weakly acidic to near-neutral solutions.     

Lead isotope heterogeneity in sulfides from different assemblages at the Verninskoe gold deposit (Baikal-Patom Highland,Russia)

Using the high-precision technique of MC-ICP mass spectrometry, the isotope composition of lead was studied for the first time in sulfides of different mineral associations at the Verninskoe deposit that belong to large gold deposits of the Lena Province. In 23 monofractions of sulfides (pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, and sphalerite), the Pb-Pb data showed a pronounced heterogeneity of the isotope composition of ore lead (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.21–18.69, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.59–15.67, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 37.98–38.63) for the deposit as a whole. This heterogeneity is also seen to a lesser degree within individual samples. In this case, a correlation takes place between the isotope composition of ore Pb and the type of mineral association: the sulfides in earlier associations are characterized by lower contents of the ²⁰⁶Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb, and ²⁰⁸Pb radiogenic isotopes compared to the minerals of later parageneses. The comparison of Pb-Pb isotope characteristics of ore mineralization of the Verninskoe deposit to those of the Sukhoi Log deposit (the greatest in the Lena Province) testifies to the geochemical similarity of the sources of ore Pb involved in the formation of these deposits. The sources as such were terrigenous rocks of the Bodaibo synclinorium formed mainly as a result of the disintegration of Precambrian rocks of the Siberian craton.     

Sulfur isotopic composition of sulfides at the Mangazeya silver deposit,Eastern Sakha-Yakutia,Russia

The succession of the formation of ore zones and sulfur isotope ratio of sulfides at the Mangazeya Ag deposit have been studied. The deposit is located in the Nyuektame Fault Zone in the eastern limb of the Endybal Anticline. The ore zones are hosted in the Middle Carboniferous to Middle Jurassic terrigenous sequences of the Verkhoyansk Complex intruded by the Endybal subvolcanic stock and felsic and mafic dikes. Three ore stages are distinguished: (I) gold-rare metal, (II) cassiterite-sulfide, and (III) silver-base-metal. Products of these stages are spatially isolated. The δ³⁴S of sulfides ranges from −6.4 to +8.0‰. In the sulfides of the gold-rare metal assemblage, this value varies from −1.8 to +4.7‰; in the sulfides of the cassiterite-sulfide stage, −6.4 to +6.6‰; and in the sulfides of the silver-base-metal assemblage, -5.6 to +8.0‰. A sulfur isotope thermometer indicates the temperature of mineral deposition at 315–415°C for the first stage and 125–280°C for the third stage. Possible causes of variable sulfur isotopic composition in sulfides are discussed. The data on the sulfur isotope ratio is interpreted in terms of involvement of magmatic fluid (δ³⁴S ∼ 0) in the mineralizing process along with low-temperature fluid taking sulfur from host rocks (δ³⁴S ≫ 0). Boiling and mixing of magmatic fluid with heated meteoric water were important at the last stage of the deposit formation.     

The conditions of existence and typomorphism of native gold in ores of the Degdekanskoe deposit (northeastern Russia) in black-shale strata

We studied the typomorphic features of native gold in orebodies with veinlet-disseminated quartz-sulfide mineralization at the Degdekanskoe deposit localized in Permian black-shale strata of the Ayan–Yuryakh anticlinorium in the upper-Yana–Chukchi folded area. With a successive HF and HNO₃ dissolution of samples, the abundance of native gold intimately intergrown with sulfides (on the average, 42.1%) and carbonaceous substance was revealed. It is shown that most of its grains are small and fine (the <0.25 mm fraction averages 90.2%) and are accumulated mainly in interstices. Two gold generations have been revealed: low-medium-grade (751–840‰) (main) and high-grade (885–931‰). The zonal structure of mineralization has been established. The upper, most enriched horizons bear coarser-grained gold of the two generations, which are localized in both sulfide and silicate minerals. With depth, the total content of gold decreases, the share of sulfide gold increases, and the grain size and grade also diminish, with the low-medium-grade generation prevailing.     

Genesis of garnet-bearing rocks at the Berezitovoe deposit,Upper Amur Region,Russia

The geological position, composition of mineral assemblages, and typomorphism of major minerals from garnet-bearing rocks at the Berezitovoe gold-base-metal deposit in the Upper Amur Region have been studied in detail. These are ore-bearing metasomatic rocks and metamorphosed porphyritic dikes. The garnet-bearing metasomatic rocks reveal zoning, which is caused by various degrees of metasomatic transformation of the Paleozoic porphyritic granodiorite that hosts the ore zone. The metasomatic replacement of granodiorite was accompanied by loss of Na, Ca, Ba, Sr and gain of K, Mn, and Rb. Garnet-bearing metamorphosed intermediate dikes occur within the metasomatic zone. The PT conditions of metamorphism and metasomatism are similar and estimated at 3.9 kbar and 500°C from various mineral equilibria. The results of physicochemical simulation of garnet-bearing mineral assemblages carried out by minimizing the Gibbs free energy and the geological data show that garnet-bearing mineral assemblages arose at the Berezitovoe deposit as a result of local high-temperature thermal metamorphism of previously formed low-temperature metasomatic rocks close in composition to classic beresite. In this connection, we propose considering garnet-bearing metasomatic rocks as high-temperature metamorphosed beresites.     

上庄金矿含金黄铁矿细脉的成因探讨

在分析矿区内含金黄铁矿脉的产出特征以及镜下特征的基础上,应用水压致裂的原理来解释矿化细脉的成因,并结合控矿构造的演化,进一步阐述超高压流体的保持与释放机制,重新认识了成矿初期阶段中形成的自形粗粒黄铁矿与金富集之间的关系.     

Fine and ultrafine gold in placers of northeastern Russia

The main features of the migration and accumulation of fine and ultrafine gold during the evolution of placer-forming processes in northeastern Russia are discussed. The results of loose sediment sampling (over 2000 samples) with a screw separator and strake facilities have been taken into consideration. The approximate grades and potential resources of gold were estimated for various genetic types of placers. The most favorable conditions for the mobilization and accumulation of fine and ultrafine gold in the placers of northeastern Russia prevailed during the Paleogene to Miocene stage of the evolution of orogenic morphostructures, when the residual (illuvial and alluvial) placers were formed. During the Pliocene to Quaternary stage, the tectonic activation caused the reworking of placers by slope and fluvial processes and resulted in the formation of new hillside and alluvial placers. At this stage, the dispersal of fine gold fractions prevailed over accumulation. Under conditions of the periglacial lithogenesis of the Pliocene to Quaternary tectonic activation, the formation of new placers with fine and ultrafine gold derived from primary sources was suppressed due to the low rate of metal release in the process of physical weathering. In terms of the economic importance of placers with fine and ultrafine gold, residual, eluvial, or hillside placers, as well as alluvial stratal placers located in low-order (and partly medium-order) stream valleys, are the most attractive in northeastern Russia. The primary sources of such placers comprise gold-bearing porphry copper, gold-sulfide-quartz, and other hydrothermal deposits with similar placer-forming capability, as well as gold-quartz stockworks. The grade of fine and ultrafine gold in such placers may be as high as a few g/m³. The placers located in the constratal alluvium of graben-type valleys and the bar and floodplain placers in the areas with stockwork-like orebodies containing fine (<0.25 mm) gold are regarded as prospective objects.     

Thermal magnetic susceptibility data on natural iron sulfides of northeastern Russia

Dependences of magnetic susceptibility (MS) on the temperature of natural iron sulfide samples (pyrite, marcasite, greigite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite) from the deposits of northeastern Russia were studied. The thermal MS curves for pyrite and marcasite are the same: On heating, MS increases at 420–450 °C, and unstable magnetite (maghemite) and monoclinic pyrrhotite with a well-defined Hopkinson peak are produced. In oxygen-free media with carbon or nitrogen, magnetite formation is weak, whereas pyrrhotite generation is more significant. The heating curves for chalcopyrite are similar to those for pyrite. They show an increase in MS at the same temperatures (420–450 °C). However, stable magnetite is produced, whereas monoclinic pyrrhotite is absent. In contrast to that in pyrite, marcasite, and chalcopyrite, magnetite formation in arsenopyrite begins at > 500 °C. Arsenopyrite cooling is accompanied by the formation of magnetite (S-rich arsenopyrite) or maghemite (As-rich arsenopyrite) with a dramatic increase in MS. Arsenopyrite with an increased S content is characterized by insignificant pyrrhotite formation. Greigite is marked by a decrease in MS on the heating curves at 360–420 °C with the formation of unstable cation-deficient magnetite.Monoclinic pyrrhotite is characterized by a decrease in MS at ～ 320 °C, and hexagonal pyrrhotite, by a transition to a ferrimagnetic state at 210–260 °C. The addition of organic matter to monoclinic pyrrhotite stimulates the formation of hexagonal pyrrhotite, which transforms back into monoclinic pyrrhotite on repeated heating. The oxidation products of sulfides (greigite, chalcopyrite) show an increase in MS at 240–250 °C owing to lepidocrocite.     

Ag2(S,Se) solid solutions in the ores of the Rogovik gold-silver deposit (northeastern Russia)

The relationships and chemical compositions of silver sulfoselenides in the ores of the Rogovik gold-silver deposit (northeastern Russia) were studied to refine the low-temperature region of the Ag₂S-Ag₂Se phase diagram and identify contradictions between natural and experimental data. Two types of relationships between the phases of the system Ag₂S-Ag₂Se have been recognized using optical and scanning electron microscopy: (1) Se-acanthite and S-naumannite occur as monomineral microinclusions or fill cracks in the grains or the interstices of other minerals, and acanthite (free of impurities) forms rims on Fe-sphalerite; (2) Se-acanthite forms rims on S-naumannite. Electron probe microanalysis of silver sulfoselenides from the Rogovik ores revealed 0–7.9 wt.% Se in acanthite and 0–3.2 wt.% S in naumannite, which corresponds to the acanthite series Ag₂S-Ag₂S₀.₇₄Se₀.₂₆ and naumannite series Ag₂S₀.₂₈Se₀.₇₂-Ag₂Se. The composition ranges of the studied acanthite and naumannite series are wider than those of natural silver sulfoselenides from the Guanajuato (Mexico), Silver City (USA), Salida (Indonesia), and other deposits (Ag₂S-Ag₂S0.85Se0.₁5 and Ag₂S0.₁₂Se0.88-Ag₂Se, respectively) but are significantly narrower than the composition ranges of synthetic samples: Ag₂S-Ag₂S0.₄Se0.6 and Ag₂S0.3Se0.₇-Ag₂Se. The presence of intergrowths of two phases of the Ag₂S-Ag₂Se series in the form of Se-acanthite rims on S-naumannite in the Rogovik ores and the absence of three-phase intergrowths of silver sulfoselenides Ag₂S_1 -xSe_x from this and other deposits do not confirm the assumption on the existence of the third solid solution. The results of earlier studies of natural Ag₂(S,Se) solid solutions show the existence of two solid solutions (of the acanthite and naumannite series) in the Ag₂S-Ag₂Se system and confirm the experimental data. It is necessary to carry out a detailed examination of natural silver sulfoselenides falling in the interval from Ag2S0.4Se0.6 to Ag2S0.3Se0.7 in order to identify the limits of two-phase immiscibility.     

云南播卡金矿成因分析

播卡金矿位于扬子地台西缘康滇地轴中南段的东北侧,容矿地层为中元古界昆阳群的因民组和平顶山组岩石和部分中—基性脉岩,矿床受小江脆—韧性剪切带的直接控制,矿床形态为透镜状、脉状、囊状等;矿体规模小,数量多,矿石以构造角砾岩型及石英脉型为主,矿物组合较为简单;围岩蚀变发育,且与矿化关系密切;流体包裹体测试结果显示,矿床成矿温...     

黔西南戈塘金矿成因再认识

文章通过对戈塘金矿硅质角砾岩的地质特征、地球化学特征综合分析,认为矿区的角砾硅化灰岩、硅化黏土岩等蚀变地质体为热液成因,其中硅质来源可分为成岩期与成矿期:成岩期硅质来自热泉型生物沉积;成矿期硅质来自成矿流体。成矿流体是来源于深部流体与天水、地层建造水的混合作用形成的混合流体。根据矿石结构构造特征及含金蚀变地质体产状特征,结合在戈塘地区茅口组底部及以下地层中新近发现呈筒状产出的含金蚀变角砾岩,认为戈塘金矿矿区含金角砾岩具有隐爆角砾岩的特征,得出戈塘金矿成因类型可能为隐爆角砾岩型金矿的新认识。此认识可供黔西南金矿成矿理论研究、探讨新的找矿方向和成矿预测提供参考。     

豫西南许窑沟金矿成因

对许窑沟金矿产出的地质背景，矿床特征，控矿因素及矿床成因等几方面作了系统的论述，提出了断裂，特别是韧性剪切带对成矿的主要控制作用；花岗岩与成矿有较大的时差，具有穿时，穿层的特点，它起着沟通深部与浅部的作用，并使深部的含Au流体沿断裂破碎带上升，沉淀而成矿。     

吉林汪清九三沟金矿床成因研究

九三沟金矿床受控于区域性深大断裂和中生代火山断陷盆地。矿床主要产于石英闪长玢岩内外接触带的破碎角砾岩带中,围岩蚀变以硅化(硅核)和高岭石化为主。电子探针结果显示金主要赋存在黄铜矿中,其次是黄铁矿。流体包裹体研究表明,石英中主要发育气液两相包裹体,成矿流体属H2O-NaCl体系,具低盐度(0.70%～8.79%NaCl)、低密度(0.65～0.97 g/cm3)的特点,主成矿温度为293.4～160.4℃,成矿压力为8.17～40.59 MPa,成矿深度为0.8～4.1 km,氢氧同位素分析显示成矿流体为大气降水和岩浆水的混合流体。九三沟金矿床属于由近酸性、氧化流体形成的高硫化型浅成低温热液金矿床。     

山西襄汾东峰顶金矿矿床成因

东峰顶金矿主要赋存于近SN向断裂破碎带中,呈脉状产出。矿石类型主要为硫化物（黄铁矿）-石英金矿石、褐铁矿-石英金矿石、褐铁矿金矿石等,矿石氧化率达86．2％,氧化矿石含金量高,以中粗粒表生自然金为主。成矿分原生热液成矿期和表生成矿期,原生热液成矿期具多阶段性,表生成矿期使金进一步富集。包裹体、铅和硫同位素、原生金成色以及黄铁矿中微量元素等特征研究表明：成矿溶液以岩浆水为主,可能混有地下热卤水,是一种低盐度、中低密度的流体,成矿物质来自于基底老变质岩（矿源层）,成矿温度在148℃～395℃之间,矿床形成距今年龄值约100Ma左右,属中温、中深岩浆热液型金矿床。矿床形成过程为：矿源层中金的活化-热液中金的迁移、沉淀-表生作用下金的再富集。     

Ore formation at the Kupol epithermal gold-silver deposit in northeastern Russia deduced from fluid inclusion study

The Kupol epithermal gold-silver deposit-the largest of this type of mineralization in northeastern Russia-is situated in the outer zone of the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt. The results of thermobarogeochemical study of fluid inclusions in quartz from ore veins at the Kupol deposit are compared with the data on the Dvoinoi and Arykvaam deposits. The study of aqueous extracts from fluid inclusions revealed that the chemical compositions of ore-forming fluids at the Dvoinoi and Kupol deposits are similar in most elements. The only substantial difference is that fluids from the Kupol deposit are considerably enriched in sulfate, as is characteristic of the alunite-subtype of epithermal high-sulfidation mineralization. The salinity of aqueous solutions filling inclusions in amethyst and quartz from ore veins at the Kupol and Dvoinoi deposits is two-three times higher than the salinity of fluid inclusions from the barren veins at the Arykvaam occurrence. The data obtained support the hypothesis put forward earlier that fumaroles and solfataras played a part in ore deposition at the Kupol deposit.     

江南造山带万古金矿床含金硫化物组构与金沉淀机制SCIEI北大核心CSCD

万古金矿床位于江南造山带中部,赋存于新元古界冷家溪群浅变质岩系中,受NNE-NE向长沙-平江断裂带和近EW向九岭-清水韧性剪切带联合控制,金资源量约85t。其主要矿石类型为毒砂-黄铁绢英岩型和石英-硫化物脉型,其次为构造角砾岩型。毒砂和黄铁矿为该矿床主要的载金矿物,分布广泛。金成矿作用可分为四个阶段,I为乳白色石英-绢云母-白钨矿阶段;Ⅱ为烟灰色石英-绢云母-毒砂-黄铁矿-金阶段;Ⅲ为烟灰色石英-绢云母-黄铁矿-毒砂-多金属硫化物-金阶段;IV为乳白色石英-方解石阶段。其中,Ⅱ、Ⅲ为成矿主阶段。根据成矿主阶段毒砂电子探针分析结果,Ⅱ阶段毒砂中As的含量在42.19%~44.84%之间,均值为43.42%(n=56),Ⅲ阶段毒砂中As的含量在40.08%~43.36%之间,均值为42.08%(n=19)。通过毒砂温度计相图估算出Ⅱ、Ⅲ阶段的形成温度和硫逸度分别为364±21℃、319±22℃和10^(-9.7)~10^(-7)、10^(-11.5)~10_(-8.6)。电子探针数据揭示的载金毒砂和黄铁矿中不可见金含量分别为0.01%~0.66%和0.01%~0.11%。黄铁矿Au-As元素投点分布于金溶解度曲线两侧,说明其内金主要以纳米级颗粒和固溶体金或晶格金的形式赋存;其中Ⅱ阶段黄铁矿纳米级金颗粒占比为73.33%,多于Ⅲ阶段黄铁矿(67.80%)。以上数据说明在水岩反应过程中,围岩中的含铁矿物与成矿流体中的H;S发生反应,生成毒砂和黄铁矿。伴随着强烈的水岩反应,成矿温度和硫逸度降低,成矿Ⅱ阶段至Ⅲ阶段主要载金硫化物由毒砂转变为黄铁矿,强烈的硫化作用导致金-硫络合物失稳并释放金,金以置换的方式进入硫化物晶格或以显微-超显微金颗粒的形式沉淀,形成含金硫化物;即硫化作用是导致万古矿床不可见金沉淀的主导机制。