John Muntean speaks at GSN-Friday, September 9, 2011
Who: Dr. John Muntean, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Research Economic Geologist
What: Geological Society of Nevada meeting
Topic: Ferroan carbonates in Carlin-type gold deposits: Real time detection of an important ore control by carbonate staining
When: Friday September 9 (The date change is due to a conflict with the Elks Club, so remember GSN at the Elks on September 9th. Other than the date, the time and venue are the same as usual.)
6:00 PM– Social
7:00 PM– Dinner, $17.00
8:00 PM–Speaker
Where:
Elks Lodge
597 Kumle Lane
Reno, NV
Questions: Please call Laura Ruud at 775-323-3500.
Abstract (by John Muntean, NBMG; Michael Cassinerio, Barrick Gold Corp.; and Lucia Patterson, Timberline Resources Corp.):
Carbonate staining is an inexpensive, real time tool to detect ferroan carbonate, an important ore control in Carlin-type gold deposits. Studies are increasingly showing a close spatial association between ore and wall rocks containing ferroan dolomite or ferroan calcite. These ferroan carbonates are important in that when they are dissolved by acidic, gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids, they release iron which reacts with reduced sulfide in the fluid, destabilizing gold-sulfide aqueous complexes, resulting in deposition of gold-bearing pyrite. This process, known as sulfidation, is widely regarded as the principal depositional mechanism for gold in Carlin-type deposits. Carbonates can be stained by dilute hydrochloric acid containing both alizarin red S and potassium ferricyanide to differentiate between calcite, ferroan calcite, ferroan dolomite and dolomite. Staining needs to be done carefully in conjunction with a good hand lens, because other iron-bearing phases in the rock, such as pyrite and iron-bearing clays, can cause “iron-bleeding” and misleading results. Electron microprobe analyses of carbonates show the staining is sensitive down to 0.1 wt% Fe.
Detailed carbonate staining by the authors at the Turquoise Ridge deposit reveals a distinct spatial relationship between gold, ferroan calcite, and the southern margin of a thick Paleozoic basalt. High-grade gold ore in the HGB zone occurs exclusively within ferroan calcite-bearing host rocks. The transition from ferroan calcite (mainly 0.1-1 wt% Fe) to calcite (mainly <0.1 wt% Fe) occurs at the base of the HGB. Staining of carbonates at the base of the Roberts Mountain Formation along the Saval discontinuity in drill holes across the entire Jerritt Canyon district shows a close spatial association between the gold deposits and host rocks containing ferroan dolomite (mainly 0.5-2.75 wt% Fe). Others have reported a spatial association between ferroan dolomite and gold at Twin Creeks, Meikle, Storm, and Deep Star. At Twin Creeks, ferroan dolomite was interpreted to form during Cretaceous sericitization of Paleozoic basalts, which mobilized iron into interbedded carbonates. We envision an analogous process at Turquoise Ridge. At Meikle ferroan dolomite was interpreted to form by either syn-sedimentary exhalative processes or by a late Paleozoic brine. Such a late Paleozoic brine event was probably also responsible for formation of ferroan dolomite at Jerritt Canyon. In every case, ferroan carbonate is interpreted to form prior to Eocene-age Carlin-type gold mineralization, and, in effect, is critical pre-ore chemical rock preparation for subsequent ore formation. We highly recommend routine carbonate staining of prospective host rocks in exploration for carbonate-hosted gold deposits of all types.