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- Craw, Dave, et al.
(författare)
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Contrasting geochemistry of orogenic gold deposits in Yukon, Canada and Otago, New Zealand
- 2015
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Ingår i: Geochemistry. - : Geological Society of London. - 1467-7873 .- 2041-4943. ; 15:2-3, s. 150-166
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Yukon-Tanana Terrane (YTT) of western Yukon Territory in NW Canada and Otago Schist belt (OSB) of South Island, New Zealand share similar geological evolutionary histories as convergent orogenic belts. Both belts host orogenic gold deposits of mainly Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age. Jurassic mineralization in the YTT occurred during convergent orogenesis and stacking of previously-metamorphosed (Palaeozoic) greenschist-amphibolite facies metasediments, metavolcanic rocks, and metagranitoids. Early Cretaceous OSB mineralization occurred in the latter stages of terrane accretion of un-metamorphosed turbidites with minor basaltic rocks. Metamorphism of the OSB turbidites mobilised background levels of Au (0.6-1.3 ppb), As (2-20 ppm), Sb (0.1-1 ppm), and W (< 10 ppm), primarily under greenschist to lower amphibolite facies conditions when diagenetic pyrite (Au c.0.5-2 ppm; As c.500-10000 ppm) transformed to pyrrhotite on a regional scale. In contrast, the previously-metamorphosed YTT rocks had generally low background As contents (1-2 ppm) apart from some As-rich quartzites (up to 100 ppm As). Consequently, there was less As available for orogenic mobilisation, and YTT Au deposits generally have lower concentrations of this pathfinder element compared to the OSB. YTT host rocks, especially metagranitoids, have anomalous levels of Mo (10-300 ppm), and many orogenic deposits contain elevated Mo, locally including molybdenite. OSB turbidites have elevated Mo (2-200 ppm), along with elevated Au and As, in diagenetic pyrite, but this Mo became largely dispersed through the metamorphic pile as metamorphic grade increased and pyrite transformed to pyrrhotite. OSB orogenic deposits have only marginally elevated Mo (c.1 ppm), no molybdenite, and accessory scheelite in these deposits is distinctly Mo-poor. Only minor mobilisation of base metals occurred in these orogenic belts, and orogenic Au deposits contain sparse base metal sulphides. Orogenic deposits in the YTT and OSB differ in that Au (and other associated elements) in many of the orogenic deposits in the YTT was remobilised from relatively local sources (e.g. pre-existing Cu-Mo-Au porphyry or volcanogenic sulphide mineralization) whereas Au in the OSB was mobilised from larger volumes of homogeneous rock at depth.
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| 2. |
- Craw, Dave, et al.
(författare)
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Geochemical signatures of mesothermal Au-mineralized late-metamorphic deformation zones, Otago Schist, New Zealand
- 2007
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Ingår i: Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis. ; 7, s. 225–232-
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Forskningsöversikt (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Hydrothermal processes along two regional-scale shear zones in theOtago Schist were dominated by structurally controlled fluid flow and mineralization in the host schist, with relatively minor quartz vein formation, and mineralized rocks are only subtly different from unmineralized rocks. Most Au in the shear zones is associated with sulphide minerals (pyrite and arsenopyrite) disseminated through the host schist or along microshears. Minor enrichment of Sb, Mo and Bi (ppm level) is detectable in the Hyde-Macraes Shear Zone (HMSZ). Hydrothermal muscovite is slightly more aluminous (1–2 wt%) than metamorphic muscovite in both shear zones. HMSZ muscovite averages >900 ppm N, in contrast to metamorphic muscovite that averages c. 200 ppm N. In both shear zones, rutile has replaced metamorphic titanite and epidote has altered to carbonate and phyllosilicates, but these reactions were nearly isochemical. Structurally controlled hydrothermal graphite in the HMSZ occurs in microshears (up to 3 wt%, above background <0.2 wt%). Alteration in the Rise & Shine Shear Zone (RSSZ) was accompanied by addition of abundant ankerite. The two shear zones have subtly different geochemical signatures and are not directly genetically related. However, As enrichment is a key exploration target for both shear zones.
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