Ore-bearing duplexes at the Malomyr orogenic gold deposit, Amur Region

This study made it possible to reconstruct three stages of the structure formation at the large Malomyr gold deposit in the Amur Region: (1) premineral folding and left-lateral strike-slip faulting; (2) synmineral thrust faulting, and (3) postmineral dike and neotectonic stage. The study has shown that the formation of the Malomyr deposit was related to the system of duplexes as the structural traps that are the most favorable for ore deposition. The left-lateral duplex hosts the major orebodies composed of refractory ore at the Central site of the deposit, whereas the highest-grade and readily processable ore from the Quartzitic site is localized in the right-lateral duplex. The development of both duplexes during the same stage of thrust faulting indicates that readily processable and refractory ores were formed almost simultaneously. The type of mineralization depends on structural conditions of ore deposition. Refractory ore with invisible gold was formed under compression, whereas the readily processable ore with free gold was deposited in the extension setting.