Mineralization, antiforms and crustal extension in andesitic arcs

1994 ◽  
Vol 131 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. H. G. Mitchell ◽  
J. C. Carlile

AbstractThe distribution and stratigraphic position of porphyry copper and epithermal gold deposits in andesitic arcs of the western Pacific and eastern Europe suggest that porphyry copper and epithermal vein deposits of adularia–sericite type develop successively under different stress regimes in an evolving arc, rather than being genetically related as commonly supposed. Absence of coeval high-level stocks in the root zones of many adularia-sericite deposits suggests that circulation of the dominantly meteoric hydrothermal fluids is not driven by shallow intrusions. The location of several world-class deposits on basement geanticlines, and on more localized antiforms of which at least one has been interpreted as a metamorphic core complex, implies that elevation of the arc, emplacement of magmatic sills at depth and adularia–sericite type gold mineralization are genetically related to subduction-induced crustal extension. Ascent of deep hydrothermal fluids, predominantly meteoric but with a metamorphic or magmatic component, may be controlled by regional low-angle structures at depth, analogous to those inferred for some mesothermal gold deposits. Mineralization at shallow (epithermal) depths in high-angle structures largely reflects the high geothermal gradient and mixing of deep fluid with cool meteoric water in or at the base of the permeable volcanic cover. Andesitic magmatism may resume following porphyry copper mineralization, adularia–sericite epithermal gold mineralization, or continued extension to form a ‘back arc’ spreading system, depending on the relative plate motion.

2021 ◽  
Vol 882 (1) ◽  
pp. 012047
Author(s):  
Wahyu Eko Junian ◽  
Andri Yadi Paembonan ◽  
Harnanti Y Hutami ◽  
Muhammad Arief Wicaksono

Abstract Cibaliung is an area that is traversed by the Au-Ag-Cu mineralization pathway from low to intermediate sulfide epithermal system. The implemented techniques for delineating probable gold deposits by the lithology contact and structures that control epithermal gold mineralization systems in the area include first vertical derivative (FHD), vertical derivative (VD), second vertical derivative (SVD), analytic signal (SA), and tilt angle (TA). The results shows that high continuity of anomaly contrast in the direction of Northwest (NW), North-Northwest (NNW), and North-Northeast (NNE) is presumed to be the target geological structure of the study area. Furthermore, the contrast value of magnetic anomaly represents the lithology contact lies in the direction of the West and the East of the area.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Arifudin Idrus ◽  
Fahmi Hakim ◽  
I Wayan Warmada ◽  
Mochammad Aziz ◽  
Jochen Kolb ◽  
...  

Low suphidation (LS) epithermal gold deposits were recently found in the Paningkaban area, Central Java province, Indonesia, with more than five hundred artisanal gold miners currently operating in the area. This study is aimed to understand the geological factors controlling the gold mineralization and to characterize the alteration and ore mineralogy of the deposit. Several epithermal veins/veinlets trending N–S, NW–SE, and NE–SW are hosted by Tertiary turbiditic volcanoclastic sedimentary rocks of the Halang formation. This formation is composed of looping gradation of sandstone and siltstone units. Pre- and syn-mineralization structures such as extension joints, normal sinitral fault and sinitral fault control the gold mineralization. Fault movements formed dilational jogs manifested by NW-SE-trending en-echelon tension gash veins. Four main alteration zones are identified: (a) phyllic, (b) argillic, (c) sub propylitic and (d) weak subpropylitic. Ore minerals consist of native gold, electrum, native silver, pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite, cubanite, marcasite, covellite and tennantite, which are commonly associated withargillic alteration. Vein structures such as massive, swarm and low angle veins, stockwork and veins dispersed in diatreme breccia are present. Normal banded, cockade, crustiform, bladed carbonates as well as, comb and saccharoidal features are the typical vein textures. It is noteworthy that the veins are basically composed of carbonate with minor quartz at gold grades of up to 83 g/t Au. Based on the vein structures and textures, four stages of ore mineralization were developed consisting of (a) early stage (fluidized breccia and quartz vein), (b) middle stage (carbonate base metal), (c) late stage (late carbonate), and supergene stage. Gold mineralization originated mainly during middle and late stages, particularly in association with cockade, crustiform, bladed carbonate base metal veins. Based on those various features, the LS epithermal deposit in the study area is categorized as carbonate-base metalgold mineralization type.


1998 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 257-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Soeria-Atmadja ◽  
◽  
Y. Sunarya ◽  
Sutanto Sutanto ◽  
Hendaryono Hendaryono ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (22) ◽  
pp. 4004-4016 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.H. Karimpour ◽  
A. Malekzadeh Shafaroudi ◽  
C.R. Stern ◽  
M.R. Hidarian

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 338
Author(s):  
Jiasheng Wang ◽  
Jinyang Chang ◽  
Chao Li ◽  
Zhenchun Han ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
...  

The Zhesang gold deposit of southeastern Yunnan is an important component of the Dian-Qian-Gui (Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi) “Golden Triangle”, which hosts a multitude of Carlin-like gold deposits (CLGDs). Calcite is one of the most common gangue minerals in Zhesang. The calcites that have been found in the mining area are classified as ore-stage and post-ore calcites. The ore-stage calcite exhibits a clear paragenetic relationship with gold-bearing arsenopyrite and with an alteration halo that has been cut by the post-ore calcite. To elucidate the origin of the ore-forming fluids of the Zhesang gold deposit and to investigate the possibility of utilizing calcite geochemistry as prospecting indicators, the rare earth elements (REEs), Y, Fe, Mn and Mg contents, and C-O isotopic compositions of calcites from Zhesang have been analyzed. The ore-stage calcite is enriched in middle rare earth elements (MREEs) relative to light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) (MREE/LREE = 1.11–1.61, MREE/HREE = 6.12–8.22), whereas post-ore calcite exhibits an enrichment in LREE (LREE/HREE = 4.39–14.93, MREE/LREE = 0.35–0.71). The ore-stage and post-ore calcites were both formed by hydrothermal fluids; however, these hydrothermal fluids may have different sources. The Fe contents of the ore-stage calcite are significantly higher than those of post-ore calcite (4690–6300 μg/g versus 2030–2730 μg/g). Ore-stage calcite also has significantly lower δ18OV-SMOW values than post-ore calcite (11.03–12.49‰ versus 16.48–17.14‰). These calcites with an MREE/LREE ratio greater than 0.92, MREE/HREE ratio greater than 5.69, Fe content greater than 3827 μg/g, and δ18OV-SMOW value less than 14.40‰ represent ore-stage calcites and are important prospecting guidelines. According to the REE, C-O isotopic characteristics of the calcites and the previous findings, it is inferred that the ore-forming fluids of the Zhesang gold deposit were a mixture of crustal fluid by meteoric water leaching wall rocks and a small amount of basic magmatic fluid. The formation of post-ore calcite might be derived from meteoric water and marine carbonates interaction. The ore-forming fluids of the Zhesang gold deposit may be associated with the intrusion of diabase that outcrops in the mining area, and that the basic magmatic activities of the Indosinian period also provided some of the ore-forming materials and heat for gold mineralization.


2020 ◽  
pp. 141-162
Author(s):  
Andrew Allibone ◽  
David Lawrence ◽  
John Scott ◽  
Mark Fanning ◽  
James Lambert-Smith ◽  
...  

Abstract Paleoproterozoic (Rhyacian) gold deposits of the Loulo district in western Mali contain >17 million ounces (Moz) Au and form part of the second most highly endowed region within West Africa. The deposits are located within siliciclastic, marble, and evaporitic rocks of the ca. 2110 Ma greenschist facies Kofi series, which were folded and inverted between ca. 2100 and 2070 Ma, prior to gold mineralization. Deposits at Yalea and Gounkoto are located along discontinuous, low-displacement, albite- and carbonate-altered shear zones, whereas Gara is confined to a tourmaline-altered quartz sandstone unit. Lodes typically plunge gently to moderately, reflecting the attitude of folds in the adjacent rocks and bends in the host shear zones, both of which influenced their location. Gold mineralization in the Loulo district was broadly synchronous with emplacement of the Falémé batholith and associated Fe skarn mineralization, which intrude and overprint the western margin of the Kofi series, respectively. However, hydrothermal fluids generated during metamorphic devolatilization of the Kofi series rocks appear responsible for gold mineralization, albeit within a district-wide thermal gradient associated with emplacement of the Falémé batholith. The regional-scale Senegal-Mali shear zone, commonly cited as an important control on the location of gold deposits in western Mali, is absent in the Loulo district.


2020 ◽  
pp. 669-708
Author(s):  
Benoît Dubé ◽  
Patrick Mercier-Langevin

Abstract The Neoarchean Abitibi greenstone belt in the southern Superior Province has been one of the world’s major gold-producing regions for almost a century with >6,100 metric tons (t) Au produced and a total endowment, including production, reserves, and resources (measured and indicated), of >9,375 t Au. The Abitibi belt records continuous mafic to felsic submarine volcanism and plutonism from ca. 2740 to 2660 Ma. A significant part of that gold is synvolcanic and/or synmagmatic and was formed during the volcanic construction of the belt between ca. 2740 and 2695 Ma. However, >60% of the gold is hosted in late, orogenic quartz-carbonate vein-style deposits that formed between ca. 2660 and 2640 ± 10 Ma, predominantly along the Larder Lake-Cadillac and Destor-Porcupine fault zones. This ore-forming period coincides with the D3 deformation, a broad north-south main phase of regional shortening that followed a period of extension and associated crustal thinning, alkaline to subalkaline magmatism, and development of orogenic fluvial-alluvial sedimentary basins (ca. <2679–<2669 Ma). These sedimentary rocks are referred to, in the southern Abitibi, as Timiskaming-type. The tectonic inversion from extension to compression is <2669 Ma, the maximum age of the D3-deformed youngest Timiskaming rocks. In addition to the quartz-carbonate vein-style, stockwork-disseminated-replacement-style mineralization is hosted in and/or is associated with ca. 2683 to 2670 Ma, early-to syn-Timiskaming alkaline to subalkaline intrusions along major deformation corridors, especially in southern Abitibi. The bulk of such deposits formed late-to post-alkaline to subalkaline magmatism and the largest deposits are early- to syn-D3 (ca. 2670–2660 Ma), whereas the bulk of the quartz-carbonate vein systems formed syn- to late-D3 and metamorphism. At belt scale, these illustrate a gradual transition, as shortening increases, in ore styles in orogenic deposits throughout the duration of the D3 deformation event along the length of the Larder Lake-Cadillac and Destor-Porcupine faults. The sequence of events, although similar in all camps, was probably not perfectly synchronous at belt scale, but varied/migrated with time and crustal levels along the main deformation corridors and from north to south. The presence of high-level alkaline/shoshonitic intrusions, which are spatially associated with Timiskaming conglomerate and sandstone, large-scale hydrothermal alteration, and numerous gold deposits along the Larder Lake-Cadillac and Destor-Porcupine faults indicates that these structures were deeply rooted and tapped auriferous metamorphic-hydrothermal fluids and melts from the upper mantle and/or lower crust, late in the evolution of the belt. The metamorphic-hydrothermal fluids, rich in H2O, CO2, and H2S were capable of leaching and transporting gold to the upper crust along the major faults and their splays. Although most magmatic activity along the faults predates gold, magmas may have contributed fluids and/or metals to the hydrothermal systems in some cases. This great vertical reach explains why the Larder Lake-Cadillac and Destor-Porcupine fault zones are very fertile structures. The major endowment of the southern part of the Abitibi belt (>8,100 t Au) along the corridor defined by the Larder Lake-Cadillac and Destor-Porcupine faults may also suggest that these faults have tapped particularly fertile upper mantle-lower crust gold reservoirs. The concentration of large synvolcanic and synmagmatic gold deposits along that corridor supports the idea of gold-rich source(s) that may have contributed gold to the ore-forming systems at different times during the evolution of the belt.


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