- Geology and Exploration Criteria -

Object
1.

To understand and classify Skarn deposits

To understand geology,mineralogy, characteristics, and distributions from main Skarn gold deposits Suggest relevant exploration criteria for economic skarn gold deposits

2.

3.

Classification of gold deposits

1.

Intrusion-related gold deposits

2.

Carlin-type gold deposits in Nevada, USA Epithermal gold deposits in volcanic terranes

3.

Skarn
1.

Originally a term applied to coarse-grained calc-silicate gangue associated with the iron ore deposits of Sweden It include a variety of calc-silicate rocks rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, aluminium, manganese that formed by replacement of originally carbonate-rich rocks.

2.

3.

Skarn deposits result from the hydrothermal interaction of hot silicate magmas and cooler sedimentary rocks

Fig 1. Stages in the development of skarn deposits

The type of skarn deposits

(Enaudi et al., 1981)

1. 2. 3.

Gold type Iron type Copper type

: nonpophyritic, small-size, high- gold grade in high sulfide content, intense retrograde alteration

4. 5.

Porphyry copper type

: Large-scale and low-gold grade

Lead-zinc type
: very little gold contain

Fig.2 Distribution of Au, Ag, and Cu in skarn, pluton, and protolith of a large copper skarn system, Whitehorse copper belt, Canada (from Meinert, 1986)

Skarn gold deposits

1.

Related to copper-mineralized porphyritic intrusions 2. Usually clastic or volcanoclastic component 3. Age : Cambrian or older ~ Miocene 4. Arsenopyrite and pyrrhotite are abundant 5. Typically contain As, Bi, Te

Fig. 3. Electron microprobe analysis (mole%) of garnet and pyroxene from Fortitude, Nevada ; Hedley, British Columbia; Mccoy, Nevada: west central Montana gold skarn.

Table 1. Gold Distribution in Gold Skarn Deposits

Localty Bau Beal BrownsCreek(u.g) BrownsCreek(0.p) Cable Fortitude Golden Curry Hedley(o.p) Hedle yu.g) La Luz Marn Maura Sipongi McCoy Creek Minnie-Tomboy Red Dome Silver Star Southern Cross Suian Size(t) 2,400,000 9,200,000 450,000 1,382,380 1,000,000 10,300,000 930,000 8,900,000 3,604,849 16,000,000 100,000 113,000 14,500,000 3,900,000 15,000,000 small 400,000 530,000
Au(g/t) Ag(g/t) Cu(%) Au/Cu Au(kg) Ag(kg) Cu(tons)

7.2 1.5 5.2 4.5 6.0 6.9 8.5 4.6 13.5 4.1 1.4 5.6 1.5 2.8 2.6 50.0 13.0 13.0

0.1 1.3 9.0 9.0 5.0 24.7 4.2 1.4 3.0 1.2 2.8 2.5 0.1 9.0 4.6

<0.1 0.0 0.4 0.4 3.0 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.5 4.0 37.7 11.8 10.2 2.0 86.6 25.8 45.6 224.9 9.3 4.7 28.0 15.0 9.3 5.7 12.5 147.7

17,280 13,883 2,340 6,221 6,000 71,379 7,905 40,584 48,642 65,600 140 633 21,750 10,920 39,000

240 11,960 4,050 12,441 5,000 254,410 3,906 12,460 10,815 19,200 280 283 1,450 35,100 69,000 226 14,500 11,700 69,000 3,680 1,980 6,082 30,000 8,240 3,069 8,900 2,163 70,400

16.0 4.9

0.1

5,200 6,890

6,400 2,597

352

Thanksgiving
Tillicum Tul Mi Chung

1,700,000
126,000 400,000

6.4
20.6 12.0

40.6

0.4

17.8

10,897
2,596 4,800

68,935

6,120

Table 2. Geologic Characteristic of Gold skarn Deposits

Deposit Fortitude, Nevada, USA McCoy, Nevada, USA Hedley, British Columbia, Canada Red Dome, Queensland, Australia Thanksgiving, Philippines Suan, North Korea Contained Au, tones 96 Age, Ma 37.2 Ore-related intrusion Porphyritic granodiorite stock and dykes Porphyritic granodiorite stock and dykes Diorite and quartz diorite porphyry sills and dykes Rhyolite porphyry dyke Diorite porphyry stock and dykes Grinite pluton Host rocks Carboniferou s-Permian limestone Triassic limestone Triassic calcareous and tuffaceous siltstone Silurian limestone Miocene limestone Late ProtetozoicCambrian limestone and dolomite Late Proterozoic dolomitic mable Metal Association Au-Ag-CuZn-Pb-As(Bi-Te) Au-Ag-(Cu) Skarn Mineralogy Gar,pyx,ep,ac t,chl

30

39.7

Gar,pyx,ep,wo ,scp,adularia Ad,di,scp,axin ite,qtz,ep,tr,cz ,chl,kspar Wo,gar,pyx,ac t,ep Gar,acttr,ep,cz,id,chl

83.5

Early Jurassic

Au-Cu-AsZn-(Co-NiBi-Mo-Te) Au-Cu-AsZn-(W-SnBi-Te) Au-Ag-Zn(Pb-Cu-AsTe) Cu-Au-(ZnPb-As-Bi)

39

Caboniferous 5.5 Jurassic

13 >100

Navachab, Namibia

22

CambroOrdovician

Leucognite dykes

Au-(Cu-PbZn-W-BiTe-As-Mo)

Summary and Exploration Criteria

1.

Skarn mineralogy (especially, garnet and pyroxene) is the key to explore skarn deposits. The abundance of pyroxene relative to garnet and the high ferrous/ferric ratios reflect the generally reducing environment of gold skarns.

2.

3.

Reducing conditions and subsequent oxidation is important in skarn gold deposition

4.

Most gold skarns are associated with relatively mafic reduced plutons and contain anomalous of As, Bi, and Te. Explorationists should noted that the more proximal gold-poor, garnet-rich part of a skarn deposit is likely to be more resistant to erosion and thus more likely to crop out and be sampled than the more distal gold and pyroxene-rich skarn.
Economic gold skarns should be sought in the distal part of under reducing conditions.

5.

6.