The Lode Gold Occurrence in the «Territory» of Oleg Kuvaev (North of the Chukotka Upland)

Abstract

A sample of a gold-bearing quartz vein from the Upper-Ichuveem ore occurrence, discovered in the Triassic terrigenous complex in the north of the Chukotka Upland, the Oleg Kuvaev's “Territory”, had been comprehensively studied. The gross gold grade was estimated at 3–4 g / t. The vein includes quartz, native gold, sulfide-gold-silver solid solutions, alumoseladonite, aluminium-sulfate-phosphates Fe-Pb-Mg-Ca compound, apatite, pyrite, iron-titanium oxides, litharge, native phases composed of Fe (Ni), Ag-Pb-Bi, Fe-Al-PS-As, multicomponent ocher of hypergene origin. Native gold ranges from medium to fine. The vein contains particles of non-crystalline organic matter, which is close in composition of organic groups to polysaccharides. It is possible that the carbon particles found in the gold-quartz vein are of an abiogenic nature and can be compared with abiogenic condensed organelles in the products of modern volcanism. The data obtained make it possible to attribute the Upper Ichuveem gold ore occurrence to a low-sulfide gold-quartz formation, but with additional signs of gold-silver and polymetallic formations, which can be regarded as a favorable prerequisite for prospecting and exploration in Oleg Kuvaev's «Territory» not only of gold-placer deposits, but also of lode gold deposits.

Keywords

• север чукотского нагорья, коренное золотопроявление, самородное золото, сульфиднозолото-серебряные твердые растворы, минералы-спутники эндогенного и вторичного происхождения, абиогенное углеродное вещество