STRUCTURAL, GEOPHYSICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL CRITERIA FOR EPITHERMAL HIGH-SULFIDATION GOLD MINERALIZATION ON THE EXAMPLE OF SVETLOE ORE FIELD (KHABAROVSKIY KRAY)

Abstract

The relevance of the research. Poor knowledge and economic attractiveness make the problem of forecasting and prospecting for epithermal high-sulfidation gold-silver deposits within the volcanogenic belts of the Russian Federation topical. The main goal of the work was to develop criteria for forecasting and prospecting for epithermal acid-sulfate gold mineralization within the Ulinsky trough of the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt. Methods: interpretation of space materials ASTER, Landsat ETM+, Sentinel and digital elevation model according to Shuttle radar topographic mission data, interpretation of airborne geophysical data of magnetometric and gamma-ray spectroscopic surveys with the construction of structural geological schemes; modeling of geochemical fields using multivariate statisticals methods based on lithochemical data, including rank correlation, factorial and cluster analysis. The following main conclusions: the Svetloe ore field has characteristics typical of epithermal deposits of acid-sulfate gold mineralization: it is located in a volcanic belt, confined to central-type volcanic apparatuses controlled by faults; gold mineralization is accompanied by advanced argillic and quartz altered rocks: secondary quartzites of zonal structure, were drawn. The characteristics of structural control and metasomatic zoning are well defined in interpretation of data from remote sensing, airborne magnetic surveys, and gamma ray spectrometry. Furthermore, the distribution of chemical elements in the secondary stray field makes it possible to establish a concentric zonal structure characteristic of hydrothermal gold deposits, with a spatiotemporal change in geochemical associations from the central zone of ore formation to the periphery at the local level of generalization: Au, Mo→Au, Ag, Pb→K, Na, Al→V, Zn, (Co, Ni, Cr, Mn, P). Moreover, within the mineralized zones, the following sequence of formation of geochemical associations is established (from the central part to the periphery): Au-Ag→Ag, Pb, Sb→As, Mo, Ba→Co, Cr, Mn, V, Zn, P.

Keywords

• ore gold
• epithermal deposits
• acid-sulphate
• prospecting features and criteria
• remote sensing methods
• airborne geophysics
• lithochemical zoning