The gold content of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits

A review of volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) mineralization in the Archaean Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia: Tectonic, stratigraphic and geochemical associations

“…Again, partial melting of (or contamination by) continental crust during the genesis of felsic rocks will lead to high La/Yb and Zr/Y ratios. The hybrid characteristics of Au-rich VHMS deposits towards epithermal-style mineralization are consistent with their formation at shallower water depths, further from the back-arc spreading centre (Mercier-Langevin et al, 2011). No Au-rich VHMS deposits have been identified in the Yilgarn Craton, although the Ag-rich Nimbus deposit (Fig.…”

“…, GSWA (2008,b, 2011), Hallberg database, Hill et al (1999, Morris and Witt (1997), Messenger (2000), OZCHEM (Champion et al, 2013); Sharpe and Gemmell (2001), Van Kranendonk et al (2013), Vickery (2004), WACHEM (GSWA, 2013), Whitford and Ashley (1992), Yeats and Groves (1998) and Wyman and Kerrich (2012).…”

The Kondaros-Katsimouti Intermediatesulfidation Epithermal Pb-Zn-Ag-Mn Mineralization, Western Milos, Greece: New Mineralogical and Geochemical Data

“…They considered elevated contents of Mo and W at Triades-Galana-Kondaros, to be related to a buried granite at depth that fed volatiles and metals into the magmatic-hydrothermal system, consistent to Mo-enrichment in VMS deposits (Mercier-Langevin et al, 2011). Although exhalative processes are considered previously to be genetically connected to the transport of B and W and to the formation of syngenetic/syndiagenetic tungsten mineralization (Raith, 1988;Spry et al, 2000), new in-situ U-Pb age data confirm formation of tungsten mineralization from magmatichydrothermal fluids during granitoid emplacement (Raith, 2013).…”

The Lemoine Auriferous Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposit, Chibougamau Camp, Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Quebec, Canada: Geology and Genesis

“…0361-0128/14/4187/231-39 The study of the Lemoine deposit represents a unique opportunity to characterize Archean auriferous VMS deposits and to identify geologic parameters that contributed to their unusual precious metal enrichment. Understanding the processes of Au enrichment is essential for the development of well-constrained genetic and effective exploration models (Hannington et al, 1999b;Huston, 2000;Dubé et al, 2007a;Mercier-Langevin et al, 2011b). The present paper reports on a detailed study constraining the stratigraphic and structural setting of the Lemoine deposit and describes the nature of the hydrothermal alteration and mineralization, including the mineralogy, mineral chemistry, lithogeochemistry, and isotopic compositions of the ore and alteration assemblages.…”

“…Various geodynamic and local physicochemical processes have been proposed to explain anomalously high Au grades and tonnage in VMS systems (see reviews by Poulsen and Hannington, 1996;Hannington et al, 1999b;Huston, 2000;Dubé et al, 2007a;Mercier-Langevin et al, 2011b). It has been inferred that the crust and its sublithospheric mantle were locally fertile and that these regions had an enhanced Au endowment, which would explain why Au-rich VMS deposits are commonly found in districts comprising various types of Au deposit as is the case in the Chibougamau camp.…”