The Berezitovoe gold-polymetallic deposit (East Siberia): mineralogy, age, and relation with magmatism

Abstract

The Berezitovoe gold-polymetallic deposit is localized in the west of the Selenga–Stanovoi superterrane composed of a wide spectrum of Early and Late Precambrian igneous rocks and abundant Paleozoic and Mesozoic intrusive and volcanoplutonic associations. The 40Ar/39Ar ages determined for metasomatites bearing gold-polymetallic mineralization are as follows: garnet-quartz-muscovite-sericite-K-feldspathic metasomatites (129.7±3.2–127.3±4.4 Ma); muscovite-quartz-sericite metasomatites (132.0±2.9–131.3±2.3 Ma). According to the age and general scheme of evolution of the Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Selenga–Stanovoi superterrane, the metasomatites of the Berezitovoe deposit are nearly coeval to the intrusive rocks of the Amudzhikan complex (132–128 Ma). The revealed platinum potential of gold-polymetallic ores and metasomatites permits ranking the Berezitovoe deposit as a specific complex gold-polymetallic-platinum deposit, which considerably increases its commercial value.

Pattern and kinematic polarity of late Mesozoic extension in continental NE Asia: Perspectives from metamorphic core complexes

“…During Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous time, the contractional tectonic regime was transformed into an extensional one, and all the abovementioned regions have experienced intensive Mesozoic extensional deformation superimposed on previous Mesozoic contractional events [e.g., Davis et al , 1998a, 2001; Darby et al , 2004; Davis and Darby , 2010]. Voluminous late Mesozoic igneous rocks, many of which show alkaline features, intruded into these tectonic units, particularly in the Russian Far East [e.g., Sorokin et al , 2004, 2005; Buchko et al , 2005; Sotnikov et al , 2005; Sal'nikova et al , 2006; Mel'nikov et al , 2009; Kotov et al , 2009] and NE China [ Wu et al , 2005a, 2005b; Yang and Wu , 2007]. Late Mesozoic sedimentary basins with extensional settings are also widespread in the region and most of them are located in east Mongolia and east China [e.g., Zorin , 1999; Ren et al , 2002; Meng , 2003; Meng et al , 2003].…”

The Berezitovoe gold-polymetallic deposit (Upper Amur region, Russia): Structure, mineralogy and genetic aspects

“…Several hydrothermal ore deposits have been recognized from Haikta, including the Ilichinskoe (Mo), Berezitovoe (Au-Pb), and Kremnistoe (U-Mo) deposits. The ages of the muscovite-quartz-sericite (132.0 AE 2.9 to 131.3 AE 2.3 Ma; K-Ar method) and garnet-quartzmuscovite-sericite-K-feldspar (129.7 AE 3.2 to 127.3 AE 4.4 Ma) metasomatites from Berezitovoe deposit Mel'nikov et al, 2009) correspond to their probable formation coeval with the granitoids of Haikta massif.…”

“…Equally ambiguous were the ideas of the age of the basement rocks. For example, some geologists considered this as Paleozoic (Vol'sky et al, 1979), whereas other proposed early Proterozoic or Mesozoic ages Mel'nikov et al, 2009).…”

“…Recent studies have better constrained the time of emplacement of different magmatic complexes in the Sergachi zone (Buchko et al, 2006(Buchko et al, , 2008, Haikta node (Strikha et al, 2000), Berezitovoe ore field (Vakh et al, 2011(Vakh et al, , 2013, as well as the metasomatic formations of Berezitovoe deposit Mel'nikov et al, 2009).…”