scholarly journals Metamorphic rock-hosted orogenic gold deposit style at Bombana (Southeast Sulawesi) and Buru Island (Maluku): Their key features and significances for gold exploration in Eastern Indonesia

Author(s):  
Arifudin Idrus ◽  
Sukamandaru Prihatmoko ◽  
Ernowo Harjanto ◽  
Franz Michael Meyer ◽  
Irzal Nur ◽  
...  

In Indonesia, gold is commonly mined from epithermal-, porphyry-, and skarn-type deposits that are commonly found in volcanic belts along island arcs or active continental margin settings. Numerous gold prospects, however, were recently discovered in association with metamorphic rocks. This paper focuses on metamorphic rock-hosted gold mineralization in Eastern Indonesia, in particular the Bombana (SE Sulawesi) and Buru Island (Maluku) prospects. At Bombana, gold-bearing quartz-veins are hosted by the Pompangeo metamorphic complex. Sheared, segmented veins vary in thickness from 2 cm to 2 m. Gold is mainly present in the form of ‘free gold’ among silicate minerals and closely related to cinnabar, stibnite, tripuhyite, and in places, minor arsenopyrite. The gold distribution is erratic, however, ranging from below detection limit up to 134 g/t. At least three generations of veins are identified. The first is parallel to the foliation, the second crosscuts the first generation of veins as well as the foliation, and the late-stage laminated deformed quartz-calcite vein represents the third mineralization stage. The early veins are mostly massive to crystalline, occasionally brecciated, and sigmoidal, whereas the second-stage veins are narrower than the first ones and less subjected to brecciation. Gold grades in the second- and third-stage veins are on average higher than that in the earlier veins. Microthermometric and Raman spectrometric studies of fluid inclusions indicate abundant H2O-NaCl and minor H2O-NaCl-CO2 fluids. Homogenization temperatures and salinities vary from 114 to 283 ºC and 0.35 to 9.08 wt.% NaCl eq., respectively. Crush-leach analysis of fluid inclusions suggests that the halogen fluid chemistry is not identical to sea water, magmatic or epithermal related fluids, but tends to be similar to fluids in mesothermal-type gold deposits. In Buru Island (Gunung Botak and Gogorea prospects), two distinct generations of quartz veins are identified. Early quartz veins are segmented, sigmoidal discontinuous and parallel to the foliation of the host rock. This generation of quartz veins is characterized by crystalline relatively clear quartz, and weakly mineralized with low sulfide and gold contents. The second type of quartz veins occurs within the ‘mineralized zone’ of about 100 m in width and ~1,000 m in length. Gold mineralization is intensely overprinted by argillic alteration. The mineralization-alteration zone is probably parallel to the mica schist foliation and strongly controlled by N-S or NE-SW-trending structures. Gold-bearing quartz veins are characterized by banded texture particularly following host rock foliation and sulphide banding, brecciated and rare bladed-like texture. Alteration types consist of propylitic (chlorite, calcite, sericite), argillic and carbonation represented by graphite banding and carbon flakes. Ore mineral comprises pyrite, native gold, pyrrhotite, and arsenopyrite. Cinnabar and stibnite are present in association with gold. Ore chemistry indicates that 11 out of 15 samples yielded more than 1 g/t Au, in which 6 of them graded in excess of 3 g/t Au. All high-grade samples are composed of limonite or partly contain limonitic material. This suggests the process of supergene enrichment. Interestingly, most of the high-grade samples contain also high concentrations of As (up to 991ppm), Sb (up to 885ppm), and Hg (up to 75ppm). Fluid inclusions in both quartz vein types consist of 4 phases including L-rich, V-rich, L-V-rich and L1-L2-V (CO2)-rich phases. The mineralizing hydrothermal fluid typically is CO2-rich, of moderate temperature (300-400 ºC), and low salinity (0.36 to 0.54 wt.% NaCl eq). Based on those key features, gold mineralization in Bombana and Buru Island tends to meet the characteristics of orogenic, mesothermal types of gold deposit. Metamorphic rock-hosted gold deposits could represent the new targets for gold exploration particularly in Eastern Indonesia.

Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng ◽  
Yang ◽  
Gao ◽  
Chen ◽  
Liu ◽  
...  

The Nibao gold deposit, which includes both fault-controlled and strata-bound gold orebodies, constitutes an important part of the Yunnan–Guizhou–Guangxi “Golden Triangle” region. Defining the mineralization age of these gold orebodies may provide additional evidence for constraining the formation ages of low-temperature orebodies and their metallogenic distribution in South China. Petrographic studies of gold-bearing pyrites and ore-related quartz veins indicate that these pyrites coexist with quartz or filled in vein-like quartz, which suggests a possible genetic relationship between the two from Nibao gold deposit. Minerals chemistry shows that Rb and Sr are usually hosted in fluid inclusions in quartz ranging from 0.0786 to 2.0760 ppm and 0.1703 to 2.1820 ppm, respectively. The Rb–Sr isotopic composition of gold-bearing quartz-hosted fluid inclusions from the Nibao gold deposit were found to have Rb–Sr isochron ages of 142 ± 3 and 141 ± 2 Ma for both fault-controlled and strata-bound orebodies, respectively, adding more evidence to previous studies and thus revealing a regional gold mineralization age of 148–134 Ma. These results also confirm the Middle-Late Yanshanian mineralizing events of Carlin-type gold deposits in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi Provinces of Southwest China. In addition, previous studies indicated that antimony deposits in the region which were formed at ca. 148–126 Ma have a close affinity with gold deposits. This illustrates that the regional low-temperature hydrothermal gold mineralization is related in space and time to the Yanshanian (ca. 146–115 Ma) magmatic activity. Specifically, the large-scale gold and antimony mineralization are considered to be inherently related to mantle-derived mafic and ultramafic magmatic rocks associated with an extensional tectonic environment. Based on the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.70844 ± 0.00022 (2σ) and 0.70862 ± 0.00020 (2σ) for gold-bearing quartz veins from fault-controlled and strata-bound gold orebodies, respectively, at the Nibao gold deposit, as well as the C, H, O, and S isotopic characteristics of gold deposits located in the Golden Triangle region, we suggest that the mantle-derived material can be involved in the formation of the Nibao gold deposit and that the ore-forming fluid can be derived from a mixed crust–mantle source.


2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 494-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi-hui Cheng ◽  
Jiu-hua Xu ◽  
Jian-xiong Wang ◽  
Qing-po Xue ◽  
Hui Zhang

The Hamadi gold deposit is located in North Sudan, and occurs in the Neoproterozoic metamorphic strata of the Arabian–Nubian Shield. Two types of gold mineralization can be discerned: gold-bearing quartz veins and altered rock ores near ductile shear zones. The gold-bearing quartz veins are composed of white to gray quartz associated with small amounts of pyrite and other polymetallic sulfide minerals. Wall-rock alterations include mainly beresitization, epidotization, chloritization, and carbonatization. CO2-rich inclusions are commonly seen in gold-bearing quartz veins and quartz veinlets from gold-bearing altered rocks; these include mainly one-phase carbonic (CO2 ± CH4 ± N2) inclusions and CO2–H2O inclusions with CO2/H2O volumetric ratios of 30% to ∼80%. Laser Raman analysis does not show the H2O peak in carbonic inclusions. In quartz veins, the melting temperature of solid CO2 (Tm,CO2) of carbonic inclusions has a narrow range of −59.6 to −56.8 °C. Carbonic inclusions also have CO2 partial homogenization temperatures (Th,CO2) of −28.3 to +23.7 °C, with most of the values clustering between +4.0 and +20 °C; all of these inclusions are homogenized into the liquid CO2 state. The densities range from 0.73 to 1.03 g/cm3. XCH4 of carbonic fluid inclusions ranges from 0.004 to 0.14, with most XCH4 around 0.05. In CO2–H2O fluid inclusions, Tm,CO2 values are recorded mostly at around −57.5 °C. The melting temperature of clathrate is 3.8–8.9 °C. It is suggested that the lowest trapping pressures of CO2 fluids would be 100 to ∼400 MPa, on the basis of the Th,CO2 of CO2-bearing one-phase (LCO2) inclusions and the total homogenization temperatures (Th,tot) of paragenetic CO2-bearing two-phase (LCO2–LH2O) inclusions. For altered rocks, the Tm,CO2 of the carbonic inclusions has a narrow range of −58.4 to ∼−57.0 °C, whereas the Th,CO2 varies widely (−19 to ∼+29 °C). Most carbonic inclusions and the carbonic phases in the CO2–H2O inclusions are homogenized to liquid CO2 phases, which correspond to densities of 0.70 to ∼1.00 g/cm3. Fluid inclusions in a single fluid inclusion assemblage (FIA) have narrow Tm,CO2 and Th,CO2 values, but they vary widely in different FIAs and non-FIAs, which indicates that there was a wide range of trapping pressure and temperature (P–T) conditions during the ore-forming process in late retrograde metamorphism after the metamorphism peak period. The carbonic inclusions in the Hamadi gold deposit are interpreted to have resulted from unmixing of an originally homogeneous aqueous–carbonic mixture during retrogress metamorphism caused by decreasing P–T conditions. CO2 contributed to gold mineralization by buffering the pH range and increasing the gold concentration in the fluids.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Hasria Hasria ◽  
Arifudin Idrus ◽  
I Wayan Warmada

Recently, gold exploration activities  are not only focused along volcanic-magmatic belt but also starting to shift along metamorphicand sedimentary terrains. The purpose of this study is to analyses the characteristics hydrothermal fluids gold deposits t in the Rumbia Mountains, Bombana Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. There are three generations of veins identified including the first is parallel to the foliations, the second crosscuts the first generation of veins/foliations, and the third is of laminated deformed quartz+calcite veins at the late stage. Temperature of homogenization (Th) and salinity at Rumbia Mountain of the first vein vary from 220 to 355.30oC and 6.74 to 10.11 wt. % NaCl eq., respectively. The second generation vein was originated at Th of 157 to 255.50oC and salinity of 3.39 to 6.88 wt.%NaCl eq., whereas the third generation vein formed at lowest Th varying from 104.40 to 265.90oC and less saline fluid at salinity range between 0.18 and 6.30 wt.% NaCl eq. The result of temperature formation value correlation to the depth of the formation of orogenic gold deposits in Rumbia Mountain is indicated to form on sub-greenschist to greenschist facies at depth of about 4-8 kilometers and formation temperature between 104.40 - 355.30oC at zone epizonal and mesozonal. Based on characteristics fluids inclusion discussed above, the primary metamorphic-hosted gold mineralization type at Rumbia Mountain tends to meet the criteria of orogenic gold type.  Keyword : fluid iclusion, quartz veins, Rumbia mountain, orogenic gold deposits.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Hasria Hasria ◽  
Arifudin Idrus ◽  
I Wayan Warmada

Recently, gold exploration activities  are not only focused along volcanic-magmatic belt but also starting to shift along metamorphicand sedimentary terrains. The purpose of this study is to analyses the characteristics hydrothermal fluids gold deposits t in the Rumbia Mountains, Bombana Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. There are three generations of veins identified including the first is parallel to the foliations, the second crosscuts the first generation of veins/foliations, and the third is of laminated deformed quartz+calcite veins at the late stage. Temperature of homogenization (Th) and salinity at Rumbia Mountain of the first vein vary from 220 to 355.30oC and 6.74 to 10.11 wt. % NaCl eq., respectively. The second generation vein was originated at Th of 157 to 255.50oC and salinity of 3.39 to 6.88 wt.%NaCl eq., whereas the third generation vein formed at lowest Th varying from 104.40 to 265.90oC and less saline fluid at salinity range between 0.18 and 6.30 wt.% NaCl eq. The result of temperature formation value correlation to the depth of the formation of orogenic gold deposits in Rumbia Mountain is indicated to form on sub-greenschist to greenschist facies at depth of about 4-8 kilometers and formation temperature between 104.40 - 355.30oC at zone epizonal and mesozonal. Based on characteristics fluids inclusion discussed above, the primary metamorphic-hosted gold mineralization type at Rumbia Mountain tends to meet the criteria of orogenic gold type.  Keyword : fluid iclusion, quartz veins, Rumbia mountain, orogenic gold deposits.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Hasria Hasria ◽  
Arifudin Idrus ◽  
I Wayan Warmada

Recently, gold exploration activities  are not only focused along volcanic-magmatic belt but also starting to shift along metamorphicand sedimentary terrains. The purpose of this study is to analyses the characteristics hydrothermal fluids gold deposits t in the Rumbia Mountains, Bombana Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. There are three generations of veins identified including the first is parallel to the foliations, the second crosscuts the first generation of veins/foliations, and the third is of laminated deformed quartz+calcite veins at the late stage. Temperature of homogenization (Th) and salinity at Rumbia Mountain of the first vein vary from 220 to 355.30oC and 6.74 to 10.11 wt. % NaCl eq., respectively. The second generation vein was originated at Th of 157 to 255.50oC and salinity of 3.39 to 6.88 wt.%NaCl eq., whereas the third generation vein formed at lowest Th varying from 104.40 to 265.90oC and less saline fluid at salinity range between 0.18 and 6.30 wt.% NaCl eq. The result of temperature formation value correlation to the depth of the formation of orogenic gold deposits in Rumbia Mountain is indicated to form on sub-greenschist to greenschist facies at depth of about 4-8 kilometers and formation temperature between 104.40 - 355.30oC at zone epizonal and mesozonal. Based on characteristics fluids inclusion discussed above, the primary metamorphic-hosted gold mineralization type at Rumbia Mountain tends to meet the criteria of orogenic gold type.  Keyword : fluid iclusion, quartz veins, Rumbia mountain, orogenic gold deposits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myo Kyaw Hlaing ◽  
Kotaro Yonezu ◽  
Khin Zaw ◽  
Aung Zaw Myint ◽  
May Thwe Aye ◽  
...  

The Mergui Belt of Myanmar is endowed with several important orogenic gold deposits, which have economic significance and exploration potential. The present research is focused on two gold districts, Modi Taung-Nankwe and Kyaikhto in the Mergui Belt comparing their geological setting, ore and alteration mineralogy, fluid inclusion characteristics, and ore-forming processes. Both of the gold districts show similarities in nature and characteristics of gold-bearing quartz veins occurring as sheeted veins, massive veins, stockworks to spider veinlets. These gold deposits are mainly hosted by the mudstone, slaty mudstone, greywacke sandstone, slate, and slaty phyllite of Mergui Group (dominantly of Carboniferous age). The gold-bearing quartz veins generally trend from NNE to N-S, whereas some veins strike NW-SE in all deposits. The gold-bearing quartz veins are mainly occurred within the faults and shear zones throughout the two gold districts. Wall-rock alterations at Shwetagun are mainly silicification, chloritization, and sericitization, whereas in Kyaikhto, silicification, carbonation, as well as chloritization, and sericitization are common. At Shwetagun, the gold occurred as electrum grains in fractures within the veins and sulfides. In Kyaikhto, the quartz-carbonate-sulfide and quartz-sulfide veins appeared to have formed from multiple episodes of gold formation categorizing mainly as free native gold grains in fractures within the veins or invisible native gold and electrum within sulfides. At Shwetagun, the ore minerals in the auriferous quartz veins include pyrite, galena, and sphalerite, with a lesser amount of electrum, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, chlorite, and sericite. In Kyaikhto, the common mineralogy associated with gold mineralization is pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, marcasite, magnetite, hematite, ankerite, calcite, chlorite, epidote, albite, and sericite. At Shwetagun, the mineralization occurred at a varying temperature from 250 to 335°C, with a salinity range from 0.2 to 4.6 wt% NaCl equivalent. The Kyaikhto gold district was formed from aqueous–carbonic ore fluids of temperatures between 242 and 376°C, low to medium salinity (<11.8 wt% NaCl equivalent), and low CO2 content. The ore-forming processes of the Shwetagun deposit in the Modi Taung-Nankwe gold district and the Kyaikhto gold district are remarkably comparable to those of the mesozonal orogenic gold systems.


2008 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 953-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Oberthür ◽  
T. W. Weiser

AbstractGold mineralization at the Viceroy Mine is hosted in extensional veins in steep shear zones that transect metabasalts of the Archaean Arcturus Formation. The gold mineralization is generally made up of banded or massive quartz carrying abundant coarse arsenopyrite. However, most striking is a distinct suite of Au-Bi-Te-S minerals, namely joseite-A (Bi4TeS2), joseite-B (Bi4Te2S), hedleyite (Bi7Te3), ikunolite (Bi4S3), ‘protojoseite’ (Bi3TeS), an unnamed mineral (Bi6Te2S), bismuthinite (Bi2S3), native Bi, native gold, maldonite (Au2Bi), and jonassonite (AuBi5S4). The majority of the Bi-Te-S phases is characterized by Bi/(Se+Te) ratios of >1. Accordingly, this assemblage formed at reduced conditions at relatively low fS2 and fTe2. Fluid-inclusion thermometry indicates depositional temperatures of the main stage of mineralization of up to 342°C, in the normal range of mesothermal, orogenic gold deposits worldwide. However, melting temperatures of Au-Bi-Te phases down to at least 235°C (assemblage (Au2Bi + Bi + Bi7Te3)) imply that the Au-Bi-Te phases have been present as liquids or melt droplets. Furthermore, the close association of native gold, native bismuth and other Bi-Te-S phases suggests that gold was scavenged from the hydrothermal fluids by Bi-Te-S liquids or melts. It is concluded that a liquid/melt-collecting mechanism was probably active at Viceroy Mine, where the distinct Au-Bi-Te-S assemblage either formed late as part of the main, arsenopyrite-dominated mineralization, or it represents a different mineralization event, related to rejuvenation of the shear system. In either case, some of the gold may have been extracted from pre-existing, gold-bearing arsenopyrite by Bi-Te-S melts, thus leading to an upgrade of the gold ores at Viceroy. The Au-Bi-Te-S assemblage represents an epithermal-style mineralization overprinted on an otherwise mesothermal (orogenic) gold mineralization.


2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-296
Author(s):  
Elzio da Silva BARBOZA ◽  
Mauro Cesar GERALDES ◽  
Francisco Egídio Cavalcante PINHO ◽  
Carlos José FERNANDES ◽  
Carlos Humberto da SILVA

ABSTRACT - Paraguay Belt occupies the western portion of the Tocantins Province, surrounding the Southeast of the Amazonian Craton and the eastern border of the Rio Apa Block, suggesting continuity with Tucavaca Belt in Bolivia. The rocks of the Paraguay belt were initially deposited in a glaciomarine environment in sites proximal to the cratonic area and deeper marine under the influence of turbidite flows in distal sites (Cuiabá Group, Bauxi and Puga Formation). The cap carbonates, thick limestone and dolostone succession of the Araras Group and siltstones and diamictites of the Serra Azul Formation related to Glaskiers glaciation overlay these diamictites (related to Marinoan glaciation). On the top there are terrigenous sediments of the Alto Paraguay Group, represented by sandstones of Raizama and claystones of Diamantino formations, respectively. The belt can be divided into three distinct structural zones: The Internal Domain is comprised of turbidite and glaciogenic sequences. Glaciogenic rocks on the base and carbonaceous and terrigenous sediments on the top occur in the External Domain. Horizontal platformal cover on the Amazonian Craton rocks are characterized by open folds. Structural studies allowed characterization of continuous deformational phases: the main deformational phase generated regional inverse folds with a NE-SW trend and fan geometry. Several regionally widespread lode-type gold deposits related to four types of the quartz veins were identified: type 1 is in concordance to bedding, type 2 is parallel to Sn, type 3 is parallel to Sn+2, and vertical Type 4 (Au-rich) is orthogonal to Sn. Late deformation developed in the Cuiabá region, recorded the closure of the ocean and the invertion where the hydrothermal fluids are the responsible for the orebodies formation. Keywords: Paraguay Belt, Structural, Stratigraphy, Metalogenesis.


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