Abstract
Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits contain not only Cu, Zn, and Pb, but Sb, Bi, Te, Se Ag, Co, other metals, and variable amounts of Ag and Au. In some of these, gold reserves exceed 100 t, while the gold grade reaches several dozens ppm. An original database was used to establish statistically meaningful criteria for identification of deposits with large gold reserves and/or that are anomalously enriched in gold. Some peculiar features of deposits with high Au grades were investigated, including their distribution in geological history and among the principal metallogenic provinces, as well as association with volcanogenic formations and paleovolcanic structures, geochemical and mineralogical features, and factors that caused enrichment in gold.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, R.L., Weihed, P., and Svenson, S.-A., Setting of Zn–Cu–Au–Ag massive sulfide deposits in the evolution and facies architecture of a 1.9 Ga marine volcanic arc, Skellefte district, Sweden, Econ. Geol., 1997, vol. 91, pp. 1022–1053.
Arnold, J.O. and Sillitoe, R.H., Mount Morgan gold-copper deposit, Queensland, Australia: evidence for an intrusion-related replacement origin, Econ. Geol., 1989, vol. 84, pp. 1805–1816.
Callaghan, T., Geology and host-rock alteration of the Henty and mount Julia gold deposits, Western Tasmania, Econ. Geol., 2001, vol. 96, pp. 1073–1088.
Chiaradia, M., Tripodi, D., Fontboté, L., and Reza, B., Geologic setting, mineralogy, and geochemistry of the Early Tertiary Au-rich volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposit of La Plata, Western Cordillera, Ecuador, Econ. Geol., 2008, vol. 103, pp. 161–183.
Dergachev, A.L., Eremin, N.I., and Sergeeva, N.E., Different-scale tendencies of the evolution of the composition of volcanogenic pyrite deposit ores, Moscow Univ. Geol. Bull., 2013, vol. 68, no. 5, pp. 295–304.
Dubé, D., Mercier-Langevin, P., Hannington, M., et al., LaRonde Penna world-class massive sulfide deposit, Abitibi, Quebec: mineralogy and geochemistry of alteration and implications for genesis and exploration, Econ. Geol., 2007, vol. 102, pp. 633–666.
Eremin, N.I., Dergachev, A.L., Sergeeva, Nat.E., and Pozdnyakova, N.V., Types of volcanic-associated massive sulfide deposits, Geol. Rudn. Mestorozhd., 2000, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 177–190.
Eremin, N.I., Dergachev, A.L., Pozdnyakova, N.V., and Sergeeva, Nat.E., Epochs of volcanic-associated massive sulfide formation during the Earth evolution, Geol. Rudn. Mestorozhd., 2002, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 259–275.
Eremin, N.I., Sergeeva, Nat.E., Dergachev, A.L., and Pozdnyakova, N.V., Precious metals in ores of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, in Geologiya, genezis i voprosy osvoeniya kompleksnykh mestorozhdenii blagorodnykh metallov (Geology, Genesis and Problems in the Development of Complex Noble Metal Deposits), Moscow: Inst. Geol. Rudn. Mest., Petrogr., Mineral., Geokhim. RAN, 2002, pp. 150–154.
Gibson, H.L. and Galley, A.G., Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits of the Archean, Noranda district, Quebec, in Mineral Deposits of Canada: A Synthesis of Major Deposit-Types, District Metallogeny, the Evolution of Geological Provinces, and Exploration Methods, Geol. Ass. Canada, Mineral Deposits Division, Spec. Publ. 5, Goodfellow, W.D. Ed., 2007, pp. 533–552.
Halley, S.W. and Roberts, R.H., Henty; a shallow-water gold-rich volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in western Tasmania, Econ. Geol., 1997, vol. 92, pp. 438–447.
Hannington, M.D., Poulsen, K.H., Thompson, J.F.H., and Sillitoe, R.H., Volcanogenic gold in the massive sulfide environment, Rev. Econ. Geol., 1999, vol. 8, pp. 325–356.
Huston, D.L., Bottril, R.S., Creelman, R.A., et al., Geologic and geochemical controls on the mineralogy and grain size of gold-bearing phases in eastern Australian volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits, Econ. Geol., 1992, vol. 87, pp. 542–563.
Mercier-Langevin, P., Hannington, M.D., Dubé, B., and Becu, V., The gold content of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, Miner. Deposita, 2011, vol. 46, pp. 509–539.
Monecke, T., Gale, D., Roth, T., and Hannington, V.D., The submarine volcanic succession hosting the massive sulfide and sulfosalt Eskay Creek deposit, Canada, in Mineral Depos. Res: Meeting the Global Challenge, Berlin: Springer, 2005, pp. 655–659.
Ohmoto, H. and Skinner, B.J., The Kuroko and related volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits: introduction and summary of new findings, Econ. Geol., 1983, vol. 5, pp. 1–8.
Paleovulkanicheskii analiz kolchedanonosnykh provintsii (na primere Rudnogo Altaya) (Paleovolcanic Analysis of Pyrite- Bearing Provinces (on the Example of Rudny Altai)), Yakovlev, G.F, Ed., Moscow. Mosk. Gos. Univ., 1984.
Roth, T., Thompson, J.F.H., and Barrett, T.J., The precious metal-rich Eskay Creek deposit, northwestern British Columbia, Rev. Econ. Geol., 1999, vol. 8, pp. 357–373.
Sherlock, R.L., Roth, T., Spooner, E.T.C., and Bray, C.J., Origin of the Eskay Creek precious metal-rich volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit: fluid inclusion and stable isotope evidence, Econ. Geol., 1999, vol. 94, pp. 803–824.
Simmons, S.F., White, N.C., and John, D.A., Geological characteristics of epithermal precious and base metal deposits, in Econ. Geol. One Hundredth Anniversary Vol.: 1905–2005, Littleton: Soc. Econ. Geologists, 2005, pp. 485–522.
Singer, D.A., World class base and precious metal deposits a quantitative analysis, Econ. Geol., 1995, vol. 90, pp. 88–104.
Weihed, J.B., Bergstrom, U., Billstrom, K., and Weihed, P., Geology, tectonic setting, and origin of the Paleoproterozoic Boliden Au–Cu–As deposit, Skellefte district, Northern Sweden, Econ. Geol., 1996, vol. 91, pp. 1073–1097.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © A.L. Dergachev, N.I. Eremin, 2018, published in Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Seriya 4: Geologiya, 2018, No. 3, pp. 3–11.
About this article
Cite this article
Dergachev, A.L., Eremin, N.I. Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits Enriched in Gold. Moscow Univ. Geol. Bull. 73, 325–332 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0145875218040051
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0145875218040051