HYDROTHERMAL GOLD (U, Cu)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – MINERALISATION MODEL DERIVATION

The mineralising sequence outlined is based studies by Peter B Schwann, FAIMM, SEG and is derived from
• 40 years experience of the WA gold mines
• The chemistry was developed in WA Goldfields
• Quantitative XRD were done by WMC Laboratories.

APPLICATION
• The mineralising chemistry is not unique and is found in most base and precious
metal LODE / VEIN deposits all over the world. (China, Burma, Kyrgyz, Uzbekistan,
Uruguay, Africa, Philippines, Morocco, Madagascar, Indonesia and Mongolia).
• The standard bleaching and sulphurisation associated with mineralisation is seen in
mafics, intermediates and felsics despite whether they are sediments or igneous.
• The mineralisation is four stage and is pH controlled, with minimal eH effects needed.

METAL SCAVENGING
• At depth convection cells set up over heat source and sea water is the primal fluid.
• Some input from mantle/intrusive and sedimentary cover rocks.
• Gold (and Cu, W, Te, V, Sn, Zn, Ba, U etc.) is mobilised as a Cl4 complex
• The Gold is Au+. (as in black and white smokers)
Suggested Submarine Archean Setting Schematic
Fluid No 1 – Red Arrows
• Au(Cl4)2‫ ־‬Complex + K+
+ CO3‫ ־־‬+ NaCl + HS‫ ־‬+
base metals @750ºC pH 7
• The Cl4 complex then
moves up
• The Cl4 destabilises at
400ºC and Bisulphide
(HS‫ )־‬is the carrier.

Fluid No 2 – Yellow
Arrows
• Au(HS)2‫ ־‬Complex + K+ +
CO3‫ ־־‬+ NaCl + U, V, Cu,
Pb, Zn, W @ pH 7
• CO3‫ ־־‬is aggressive and
starts chemical reaction
 Suggested
Mineralisation
Setting
Schematic

• Localised fluid movement along structural conduits (fractures, faults) within Fluid 2 domain
results in alteration by CO32- in reactive rock units and subsequent metal deposition with
silicification (quartz veining/flooding) and potassic alteration (micas)
• Interaction of Fluid 2 with the reactive rocks results in its conversion to –
• Fluid 3 – modified Fluid 2 that is acidic which precipitates sulphur and gold;
• Fluid 4 – modified Fluid 2 that is basic leads to quartz and carbonate annealing the system
CARBONATION
• Minerals Attacked = Ca Feldspars and Fluid No 3
Amphiboles
• Au(HS)‫ ־־‬Complex + H2S + K++CO2+
• Oligoclase + CO3‫ >= ־־‬Calcite + Albite NaCl + V, Cu, W pH 4
• Hornblende + CO3‫ >= ־־‬Ankerite + • This acid solution is unstable and needs
Quartz
to get neutral or basic
SULPHIDATION
• The HS- is the acid radical – Minerals Fluid No 4
Attacked = Fe++ sources
• Na + Cl + H2S + K++CO2 + SiO2 @ pH 9
• Biotite + Au(HS)‫ ־‬+ K+ => Au + Py +
Sericite (Via Illite) • Products => Au + FeS2 (Pyrite) + AsFeS +
Sericite + Ankerite + Albite + Quartz
• Grunerite + Au(HS)‫ >= ־‬Au+ Po +
Cummingtonite • Path of Mineralisation =>Tangential
• Magnetite + Au(HS)‫ >= ־‬Au + Po + Joints set into major stratigraphy often
Hematite have periodicity.
• Chlorite + Au(HS)‫ ־‬+ K+ => Au + Py +
Biotite/Phlogopite via h/thermal illite
• Pyrrhotite + Au(HS)‫ >= ־‬Au + Py
• Other sulphides are also produced Asp,
Cpy and Pb – Zn.
PLUMBING BLOCKED
The end of mineralisation is controlled by permeability and fluid channels-structures
and the deposition of quartz and carbonate veins or flooding on cooling in a high pH.
• End of Mineralisation => Quartz/Carbonate veins cooling.
• Also lamprophyres or sediment squeezes block the plumbing (Diorites?)
• Preferred Zones => sediments/volcanoclastics/brittle granites as they were
chemically active and porous
• Preferred Orientation => along strike from cross structures and parallel to fold
axis
 Mineralisation Types Fresh Rock
ALTERATION MINERALS Major Minor Trace Rock/chips
Code Au S CO3 K Q
DESCRIPTION
minerals minerals minerals Colour
Ak Qz Sc Py Gn Cp Au Honey
sulphurised lode material
M1 ~30g/t
Au, Py, CO3 Sericite quartz
Ak Qz Sc Py Gn Cp Yellow Grey
sulphurised lode material
M2 ~3g/t
Py, CO3 Sericite quartz
bleached
Ak Qz Sc Cl Pl Grey
Carbonate and sericite rich
M3 ~0.3g/t
with quartz and still bleached
Am Cl Qz Pl Sc Green Grey
sericite rich with quartz and
M4 ~0.03g/t
chlorite
Pl Am Qz Cl Bt Green- Blue
quartz or sericite but dark
M5 ~0.003g/t FRESH
with chlorite and biotite

• Au and S values vary with each deposit depending on host rock – coarse gold with low S
greywackes whilst shales have fine (often refractory) gold and high S
• M4 and M5 are poorly altered and unmineralised – hard with amphiboles
• Stopes will break to M3/M4 (carbonate/amphibole) boundary
• Quartz veining associated with orebodies often given a relevance to mineralisation not in
context with their grade – quartz present because of mineralisation NOT mineralisation is
there because of the quartz veining
 Mineralisation Types Oxidised Rock
OXIDISED MATERIAL Major Minor Trace Rock/chips
Code Au S CO3 K Q
DESCRIPTION
minerals minerals minerals Colour
sulphurised lode material Kg Go Qz Kl Kh Sc Au Lx Yellow brown
M1 ~30g/t Goethite Limonite Mica Quartz Au, Go (often cubes),
Limonite, Sericite quartz
sulphurised lode material Kg Go Qz Kl Ka Sc Lx Yellow brown
M2 ~3g/t Goethite Limonite Mica Quartz Go (often cubes), Limonite,
Sericite quartz
Kl Lim Qz Kl Ka Sc Yellow white
limonitic bleached lode
M3 ~0.3g/t Limonite Mica Quartz material
Kl Lim Qz Kl Kh Sc White purple
sericite rich with quartz Akd
M4 ~0.03g/t Limonite Mica Quartz hematitic clay after chlorite
Ka Kh Qz Sm Kg purple brown
quartz Akd hematitic clay
M5 ~0.003g/t Quartz after chlorite

• S values are represented by goethite – coarse gold with low S sandstones whilst shales
have fine gold and high goethite contents
• M4 and M5 are poorly altered and unmineralised – hence have hematitic kaolinites and
smectites
• The carbonated zones will have limonite after ankerite
• Often there will be a hematitic goethite band on the M3/M4 (carbonate/amphibole)
boundary known as the orange smoker as it puffs orange when dug with excavator
• Quartz veining associated with orebodies will be very iron stained not bucky white
 Possible Quartz Types
Type Grade Description

BQ HIGH banded quartz veins with sulphides, carbonates and free gold

MQ MEDIUM mineralised breccia of lode material in quartz vein. Can be M1Q etc..

XQ LOW breccia of barren host in quartz vein

VQ LOW bucky white/clear vuggy late barren quartz vein

CQ LOW barren quartz carbonate (gypsum) veins - late stage

• Quartz veins generally make up less than 5% of the ore

• The quartz distribution demonstrates that quartz is ubiquitous in both pre and
post mineralisation rocks.
• The quartz indicates the mineralisation path and the presence or lack of Au will be
grade dependent – they will have huge variances
• Grade of quartz phase is very dependent on the lode material surrounding it.
• The higher grade quartz material is associated with high grade lode and a similar
relationship is with the low grade.
• The high values are seen in quartz with sulphide selvages
 Pyrite or Pyrrhotite
• High Fe availability will give FeS-Po
• Low Fe availability will give FeS2-Py- Aspy
• The base grade in the lode material is closely related to the Sulphur (Py Po)
• The relationship to chlorite or biotite destruction and the pyrite is demonstrated in
bleached rocks.

POTASSIUM EFFECTS
• Sericite is preferred to Muscovite as this alteration product develops via the reaction:
Chlorite + Au(HS)‫ >= ־‬Au + Py + (Illite + K+) => Sericite
• Muscovite should be restricted to primary micas in granites that are fresh and large.

FELDSPARS
• The feldspars in the mineralised rock were probably slightly calcic (Oligoclase) and
when shattered and flooded this material is a good reactant for CO3 ‫ ־־‬removal.
• This is the often referred to “Albitisation” or sodium metasomatism which is in fact Ca
removal.
Oligoclase + CO3‫ >= ־־‬Calcite + Albite
• The tell-tale signs are high birefringent Calcite in the feldspars after carbonation.