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    Epithermal Au-Ag: Low Sulphidation

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    This document provides a detailed summary of the characteristics of low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver deposits. Key points include: quartz veins containing gold, silver and other metals form in shallow hydrothermal systems related to volcanic activity; typical settings are volcanic arcs and continental rift zones; deposits range from high-level hotspring settings to around 1 km depth; and economic grades are around 0.77 Mt at 7.5 g/t gold and 110 g/t silver.

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    Epithermal Au-Ag: Low Sulphidation

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    dennys
    38 views4 pages
    This document provides a detailed summary of the characteristics of low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver deposits. Key points include: quartz veins containing gold, silver and other metals form in shallow hydrothermal systems related to volcanic activity; typical settings are volcanic arcs and continental rift zones; deposits range from high-level hotspring settings to around 1 km depth; and economic grades are around 0.77 Mt at 7.5 g/t gold and 110 g/t silver.

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    SILABUS MUESTREO

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    This document provides a detailed summary of the characteristics of low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver deposits. Key points include: quartz veins containing gold, silver and other metals form in shallow hydrothermal systems related to volcanic activity; typical settings are volcanic arcs and continental rift zones; deposits range from high-level hotspring settings to around 1 km depth; and economic grades are around 0.77 Mt at 7.5 g/t gold and 110 g/t silver.

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    38 views4 pages

    Epithermal Au-Ag: Low Sulphidation

    Uploaded by

    dennys
    This document provides a detailed summary of the characteristics of low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver deposits. Key points include: quartz veins containing gold, silver and other metals form in shallow hydrothermal systems related to volcanic activity; typical settings are volcanic arcs and continental rift zones; deposits range from high-level hotspring settings to around 1 km depth; and economic grades are around 0.77 Mt at 7.5 g/t gold and 110 g/t silver.

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    of 4

    EPITHERMAL Au-Ag: LOW SULPHIDATION

    H05
    by A. Panteleyev
    British Columbia Geological Survey

    Panteleyev, A.(1996): Epithermal Au-Ag: Low Sulphidation, in Selected British


    Columbia Mineral Deposit Profiles, Volume 2 - Metallic Deposits, Lefebure, D.V.
    and Hõy, T, Editors, British Columbia Ministry of Employment and Investment,
    Open File 1996-13, pages 41-44.

    IDENTIFICATION

    SYNONYMS: (Epithermal) adularia-sericite; quartz-adularia, Comstock, Sado-type;


    bonanza Au-Ag; alkali chloride (hydrothermal).

    COMMODITIES (BYPRODUCTS): Au, Ag (Pb, Zn, Cu).

    EXAMPLES (British Columbia (MINFILE #) - International): Toodoggone district


    deposits - Lawyers (94E066), Baker (94E026), Shas (94E050); Blackdome
    (92O050- 053); Premier Gold (Silbak Premier), (104B054); Cinola
    (103F034); Comstock, Aurora (Nevada, USA), Bodie (California, USA), Creede
    (Colorado, USA), Republic (Washington, USA), El Bronce (Chile), Guanajuato
    (Mexico), Sado, Hishikari (Japan), Colqui (Peru), Baguio (Philippines) Ladolam
    (Lihir, Papua- New Guinea).

    GEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

    CAPSULE DESCRIPTION: Quartz veins, stockworks and breccias carrying gold,


    silver, electrum, argentite and pyrite with lesser and variable amounts of sphalerite,
    chalcopyrite, galena, rare tetrahedrite and sulphosalt minerals form in high- level
    (epizonal) to near-surface environments. The ore commonly exhibits open- space
    filling textures and is associated with volcanic-related hydrothermal to geothermal
    systems.

    TECTONIC SETTING: Volcanic island and continent-margin magmatic arcs and


    continental volcanic fields with extensional structures.

    DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENT / GEOLOGICAL SETTING: High-level


    hydrothermal systems from depths of ~1 km to surficial hotspring settings.
    Regional-scale fracture systems related to grabens, (resurgent) calderas, flow-
    dome complexes and rarely, maar diatremes. Extensional structures in volcanic
    fields (normal faults, fault splays, ladder veins and cymoid loops, etc.) are common;
    locally graben or caldera-fill clastic rocks are present. High-level (subvolcanic)
    stocks and/or dikes and pebble breccia diatremes occur in some areas. Locally
    resurgent or domal structures are related to underlying intrusive bodies.

    AGE OF MINERALIZATION: Any age. Tertiary deposits are most abundant; in B.C.
    Jurassic deposits are important. Deposits of Paleozoic age are described in
    Australia. Closely related to the host volcanic rocks but invariably slightly younger in
    age (0.5 to 1 Ma, more or less).
    HOST/ASSOCIATED ROCK TYPES: Most types of volcanic rocks; calcalkaline
    andesitic compositions predominate. Some deposits occur in areas with bimodal
    volcanism and extensive subaerial ashflow deposits. A less common association is
    with alkalic intrusive rocks and shoshonitic volcanics. Clastic and epiclastic
    sediments in intra-volcanic basins and structural depressions.

    DEPOSIT FORM: Ore zones are typically localized in structures, but may occur in
    permeable lithologies. Upward-flaring ore zones centred on structurally controlled
    hydrothermal conduits are typical. Large (> 1 m wide and hundreds of metres in
    strike length) to small veins and stockworks are common with lesser disseminations
    and replacements. Vein systems can be laterally extensive but ore shoots have
    relatively restricted vertical extent. High-grade ores are commonly found in
    dilational zones in faults at flexures, splays and in cymoid loops.

    TEXTURE/STRUCTURE: Open-space filling, symmetrical and other layering,


    crustification, comb structure, colloform banding and multiple brecciation.

    ORE MINERALOGY (Principal and subordinate): Pyrite, electrum, gold, silver,


    argentite; chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, tetrahedrite, silver sulphosalt and/or
    selenide minerals. Deposits can be strongly zoned along strike and vertically.
    Deposits are commonly zoned vertically over 250 to 350 m from a base metal poor,
    Au-Ag-rich top to a relatively Ag-rich base metal zone and an underlying base metal
    rich zone grading at depth into a sparse base metal, pyritic zone. From surface to
    depth, metal zones contain: Au-Ag-As-Sb-Hg, Au-Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu, Ag- Pb-Zn. In
    alkalic hostrocks tellurides, V mica (roscoelite) and fluorite may be abundant, with
    lesser molybdenite.

    GANGUE MINERALOGY (Principal and subordinate): Quartz, amethyst,


    chalcedony, quartz pseudomorphs after calcite, calcite; adularia, sericite, barite,
    fluorite, Ca- Mg-Mn-Fe carbonate minerals such as rhodochrosite, hematite and
    chlorite.

    ALTERATION MINERALOGY: Silicification is extensive in ores as multiple


    generations of quartz and chalcedony are commonly accompanied by adularia and
    calcite. Pervasive silicification in vein envelopes is flanked by sericite-illite- kaolinite
    assemblages. Intermediate argillic alteration [kaolinite-illite- montmorillonite
    (smectite)] formed adjacent to some veins; advanced argillic alteration (kaolinite-
    alunite) may form along the tops of mineralized zones. Propylitic alteration
    dominates at depth and peripherally,.

    WEATHERING: Weathered outcrops are often characterized by resistant quartz ±


    alunite 'ledges' and extensive flanking bleached, clay-altered zones with supergene
    alunite, jarosite and other limonite minerals.

    ORE CONTROLS: In some districts the epithermal mineralization is tied to a


    specific metallogenetic event, either structural, magmatic, or both. The veins are
    emplaced within a restricted stratigraphic interval generally within 1 km of the
    paleosurface. Mineralization near surface takes place in hotspring systems, or the
    deeper underlying hydrothermal conduits. At greater depth it can be postulated to
    occur above, or peripheral to, porphyry and possibly skarn mineralization. Normal
    faults, margins of grabens, coarse clastic caldera moat-fill units, radial and ring dike
    fracture sets and both hydrothermal and tectonic breccias are all ore fluid
    channeling structures. Through-going, branching, bifurcating, anastamosing and
    intersecting fracture systems are commonly mineralized. Ore shoots form where
    dilational openings and cymoid loops develop, typically where the strike or dip of
    veins change. Hangingwall fractures in mineralized structures are particularly
    favourable for high-grade ore.

    GENETIC MODEL: These deposits form in both subaerial, predominantly felsic,


    volcanic fields in extensional and strike-slip structural regimes and island arc or
    continental andesitic stratovolcanoes above active subduction zones. Near- surface
    hydrothermal systems, ranging from hotspring at surface to deeper, structurally and
    permeability focused fluid flow zones are the sites of mineralization. The ore fluids
    are relatively dilute and cool solutions that are mixtures of magmatic and meteoric
    fluids. Mineral deposition takes place as the solutions undergo cooling and
    degassing by fluid mixing, boiling and decompression.

    ASSOCIATED DEPOSIT TYPES: Epithermal Au-Ag: high sulphidation (H04);


    hotspring Au-Ag (H03); porphyry Cu±Mo±Au (L04) and related polymetallic veins
    (I05); placer gold (C01, C02).

    EXPLORATION GUIDES

    GEOCHEMICAL SIGNATURE: Elevated values in rocks of Au, Ag, Zn, Pb, Cu and
    As, Sb, Ba, F, Mn; locally Te, Se and Hg.

    GEOPHYSICAL SIGNATURE: VLF has been used to trace structures; radiometric


    surveys may outline strong potassic alteration of wallrocks. Detailed gravity surveys
    may delineate boundaries of structural blocks with large density contrasts.

    OTHER EXPLORATION GUIDES: Silver deposits generally have higher base


    metal contents than Au and Au-Ag deposits. Drilling feeder zones to hotsprings and
    siliceous sinters may lead to identification of buried deposits. Prospecting for
    mineralized siliceous and silica-carbonate float or vein material with diagnostic
    open-space textures is effective.

    ECONOMIC FACTORS

    TYPICAL GRADE AND TONNAGE: The following data describe the median
    deposits based on worldwide mines and U.S.A. models:

     Au-Ag deposits (41 Comstock-type 'bonanza' deposits) - 0.77 Mt with 7.5


    g/t Au, 110 g/t Ag and minor Cu, Zn and Pb. The highest base metal
    contents in the top decile of deposits all contain <0.1% Cu, Zn and 0.1% Pb
     Au-Cu deposits (20 Sado-type deposits) - 0.3 Mt with 1.3% g/t Au, 38 g/t
    Ag and >0.3% Cu; 10 % of the deposits contain, on average, about 0.75%
    Cu with one having >3.2% Cu.

    REFERENCES

    Buchanan, L.J. (1981): Precious Metal Deposits associated with Volcanic


    Environments in the Southwest; in Relations of Tectonics to Ore Deposits in the
    Southern Cordillera; Arizona Geological Society Digest, Volume 14, pages 237-
    262.

    Mosier, D.L., Berger, B.R and Singer, D.A. (1986): Descriptive Model of Sado
    Epithermal Veins; in Mineral Deposits Models, Cox, D.P. and Singer, D.A.,
    Editors, U. S. Geological Survey, Bulletin 1693, page 154.

    Mosier, D.L. and Sato, T. (1986): Grade and Tonnage Model of Sado Epithermal
    Veins; in Mineral Deposits Models, Cox, D.P. and Singer, D.A., Editors, U. S.
    Geological Survey, Bulletin 1693, pages 155-157.

    Mosier, D.L., Singer, D.A. and Berger, B.R (1986): Descriptive Model of
    Comstock Epithermal Veins; in Mineral Deposits Models, Cox, D.P. and D.A.
    Singer, D.A., Editors, U. S. Geological Survey, Bulletin 1693, pages 150-153.

    Heald, P., Foley, N.K. and Hayba, D.O. (1987): Comparative Anatomy of Volcanic-
    Hosted Epithermal Deposits: Acid-Sulfate and Adularia Sericite Types; Economic
    Geology, Volume 82, pages 1-26.

    Mosier, D.L., Sato, T., Page, N.J., Singer, D.A. and Berger, B.R. (1986):
    Descriptive Model of Creede; in Mineral Deposits Models, Cox, D.P. and Singer,
    D.A., Editors, U.S. Geological Survey, Bulletin 1693, pages 145-149.

    Panteleyev, A. (1991): Gold in the Canadian Cordillera - A Focus on Epithermal


    and Deeper Deposits; in Ore Deposits, Tectonic and Metallogeny in the Canadian
    Cordillera, B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Paper 1991-4,
    pages 163-212.

    Sillitoe, R.H. (1993): Epithermal Models: Genetic Types, Geometrical Controls and
    Shallow Features; in Mineral Deposit Modeling, Kirkham, R.V., Sinclair, W.D.,
    Thorpe, R.I. and Duke, J.M., Editors, Geological Association of Canada, Special
    Paper 40, pages 403-417.

    White, N.C. and Hedenquist, J.W. (1990): Epithermal Environments and Styles of
    Mineralization; Variations and their Causes and Guidelines for Exploration; in
    Epithermal Gold Mineralization of the Circum-Pacific; Geology, Geochemistry,
    Origin and Exploration, II; Hedenquist, J.W., White, N.C. and Siddeley, G.,
    Editors, Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Volume 36, pages 445-474.

    December 10, 1995

    [H01] [H02] [H03] [H04] [H05] [H07] [H08] [Published Profile Index]
    [Deposit Profiles]

    Last Updated

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