Gold-rich polymetallic sulfides from the Lau back arc and implications for the geochemistry of gold in sea-floor hydrothermal systems of the Southwest Pacific

Herzig, Peter; Hannington, Mark D.; Fouquet, Yves; Stackelberg, Ulrich von; Petersen, Sven

doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.88.8.2182

Cited by 156 publications

(99 citation statements)

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“…6). Analysis of sub-samples from a zoned chimney from Lau Basin produced a similar result (Herzig et al 1993). …”

Section: Description Of Sulfide Samples From Various Vent-sites In Thmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Our understanding of the processes involved in the enrichment of gold in volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits has been shaped by complementary studies on both the modern seafloor (e.g., Hannington & Scott 1989a, b, Hannington et al 1991, Herzig et al 1993 and ancient deposits on land (e.g., Huston & Large 1989, Hutchinson 1990, Large 1990, Huston et al 1992. In this study of gold-rich precipitates from the eastern Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea, we describe the geochemistry and mineralogy of gold in hydrothermal precipitates from the PACMANUS and Susu Knolls vent fields, two of the most gold-rich back-arc basin deposits of the western Pacific.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Gold-Rich Hydrothermal Precipitates From the Eastern Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea

Moss

Scott

2001

The Canadian Mineralogist

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Three of the five hydrothermal vent fields currently known in the Manus back-arc basin of Papua New Guinea are enriched in gold. Samples of precipitates from the PACMANUS and Susu Knolls hydrothermal fields in eastern Manus Basin contain up to 56.8 ppm gold, and average 11.3 ± 13 (1) ppm (n = 103). Chimney samples dominated by sphalerite, barite and chalcopyrite have significantly higher contents of gold than sulfide-poor samples. Gold in the sulfide chimneys occurs as micrometric grains of silver-poor (1.4 to 4.2 wt.% Ag) native gold in three distinct associations. In copper-rich chimney samples, gold occurs as inclusions in chalcopyrite associated with tennantite, bornite and covellite. In zinc-rich chimney samples, gold is present mainly as inclusions in tennantite associated with chalcopyrite and sphalerite. A high activity of sulfur is indicated for the gold-rich eastern Manus Basin precipitates by the sulfide assemblages, the low iron content of sphalerite (average = 2.3 ± 3 mole % FeS), and the silver-poor nature of gold grains. Evaluation of possible complexes of gold indicates that AuHS° is the dominant complex, which is consistent with the high activity of sulfur in the hydrothermal system. According to available experimental data, AuHS° is the dominant complex up to 325°C. This complex thus is the only one required for gold enrichment in both the Zn-Au and the Cu-Au associations. Gold transport as the AuHS° complex is likely to be equally important in other seafloor hydrothermal systems with acidic end-member hydrothermal fluids.

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“…6). Analysis of sub-samples from a zoned chimney from Lau Basin produced a similar result (Herzig et al 1993). …”

Section: Description Of Sulfide Samples From Various Vent-sites In Thmentioning

confidence: 68%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Gold-Rich Hydrothermal Precipitates From the Eastern Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea

Moss

Scott

2001

The Canadian Mineralogist

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“…It is shallowest because it is closest to the active Tofua arc and presumably has the highest magma supply rate . Prior to the inception of R2K, the three hydrothermal fields known from the ELSC were all on the VFR, and none of them had been visited since 1989: the inactive White Church field, the low-temperature Hine Hina field with abundant macrofauna, and the high-temperature Vai Lili field with sparse organisms Herzig et al, 1993). The 1989 data showed these fields to be unusual compared with hot springs from normal mid-ocean ridges: the high-temperature (334C) Vai Lili field near 2215'S displayed the lowest pH (2.0) and the highest concentrations of K, Mn, Zn, Cd, Pb, As, and rare-earth elements ever measured in a deep-sea hot spring.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemistry of hot springs along the Eastern Lau Spreading Center

Mottl

Seewald

Wheat

et al. 2011

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

125

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The Eastern Lau Spreading Center (ELSC) is the southernmost part of the back-arc spreading axis in the Lau Basin, west of the Tonga trench and the active Tofua volcanic arc.Over its 397-km length it exhibits large and systematic changes in spreading rate, magmatic/tectonic processes, and proximity to the volcanic arc. In 2005 we collected 81 samples of vent water from six hydrothermal fields along the ELSC. The chemistry of these waters varies both within and between vent fields, in response to changes in substrate composition, temperature and pressure, pH, water/rock ratio, and input from magmatic gases and subducted sediment. Hot-spring temperatures range from 229º to 363ºC at the five northernmost fields, with a general decrease to the south that is reversed at the Mariner field. The southernmost field, Vai Lili, emitted water at up to 334C in 1989 but had a maximum venting temperature of only

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“…Sub-angular to rounded clasts and the silicic matrix implies that brecciation was seafloor boiling, as inferred to be occurring in the Lau basin (Herzig et al 1993). Decreasing pressure or increasing the temperature of the hydrothermal fluids could cause subcritical phase separation and boiling.…”

Section: Alteration Minerals From the Agrokipia 'B' Deposit -A Typicamentioning

confidence: 98%

′T′-type mineralisation — a pseudo-epithermal style of VHMS associated gold mineralisation, Cyprus

Jowitt

Osborn

Thomas

et al. 2005

Mineral Deposit Research: Meeting the Global Challenge

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Gold-rich polymetallic sulfides from the Lau back arc and implications for the geochemistry of gold in sea-floor hydrothermal systems of the Southwest Pacific

Cited by 156 publications

References 0 publications

Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Gold-Rich Hydrothermal Precipitates From the Eastern Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea

Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Gold-Rich Hydrothermal Precipitates From the Eastern Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea

Chemistry of hot springs along the Eastern Lau Spreading Center

′T′-type mineralisation — a pseudo-epithermal style of VHMS associated gold mineralisation, Cyprus

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