Volcanic rock-hosted gold and base-metal mineralization, associated with Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic, back-arc extension in the Carolina terrane, southern Appalachian Piedmont

Feiss, P. Geoffrey; Vance, R. Kelly; Wesolowski, David J.

doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1993)021<0439:vrhgab>2.3.co;2

Cited by 20 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…In the 1990s, exploration models involving structural control (replacement and shear zone-related), gold remobilization, and hydrothermal fluids of metamorphic origin were prominent on the basis of work at the Haile (Tomkinson, 1988;Hayward, 1992) and Ridgeway deposits (Duckett et al, 1988;Gillon et al, 1995). The Ridgeway deposit has been related to an intra-arc basin (Gillon et al, 1998), in agreement with results of regional oxygen isotope variations of volcanic rocks that point to an evolving rift setting (Feiss et al, 1993). In this view, as intra-arc rifting progressed from subaerial to shallow submarine, the Brewer, Haile, and Ridgeway deposits were produced, followed by submarine Kuroko-type massive sulfide deposits (Barite Hill; Feiss et al, 1993).…”

supporting

confidence: 61%

“…The Ridgeway deposit has been related to an intra-arc basin (Gillon et al, 1998), in agreement with results of regional oxygen isotope variations of volcanic rocks that point to an evolving rift setting (Feiss et al, 1993). In this view, as intra-arc rifting progressed from subaerial to shallow submarine, the Brewer, Haile, and Ridgeway deposits were produced, followed by submarine Kuroko-type massive sulfide deposits (Barite Hill; Feiss et al, 1993).…”

supporting

confidence: 61%

“…The younger metavolcanic rocks (ca. 570-540 Ma), which contain broadly correlative rocks as those in the Persimmon Fork Formation of South Carolina, indicate a mature arc or back-arc environment (e.g., Feiss, 1982;Rogers, 1982;Feiss et al, 1993). Volcanic rocks in North Carolina that are broadly correlative to the Persimmon Fork Formation are thought to have been influenced by Grenville-type crust on the basis of xenocrystic zircons having minimum U-Pb ages of about 1.23 Ga and whole rocks with old Nd model ages (about 1.55 Ga) and ε Nd values about +2.3 to -0.7 (Mueller et al, 1996).…”

Section: Grenville Massifs Peri-gondwanan Terranes and The Slate Bementioning

confidence: 99%

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U-Pb Zircon Ages and Pb Isotope Geochemistry of Gold Deposits in the Carolina Slate Belt of South Carolina

Ayuso¹

2005

Economic Geology

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supporting

confidence: 61%

supporting

confidence: 61%

Section: Grenville Massifs Peri-gondwanan Terranes and The Slate Bementioning

confidence: 99%

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U-Pb Zircon Ages and Pb Isotope Geochemistry of Gold Deposits in the Carolina Slate Belt of South Carolina

Ayuso¹

2005

Economic Geology

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“…The Richtex Formation may be equivalent to the Tillery Formation of the Albermarle Group and to the mudstone-metabasalt sequence overlying the Lincolnton metadacite and, thus, have ages in the range 550 to 530 Ma (Dennis, 1995). Intercalated bimodal flows and tuffs are also found in the Richtex sequence (Feiss et al, 1993). In the vicinity of the mines, the Richtex Formation is intensely faulted, hydrothermally altered, and silicified near its contact with the Persimmon Fork Formation (Balinsky, 1994).…”

Section: General Geologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Remnant Colloform Pyrite at the Haile Gold Deposit, South Carolina: A Textural Key to Genesis

Foley¹

2001

Economic Geology

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“…1) (Worthington and Kiff, 1970;Feiss andWesolowski, 1986, 1990;Feiss et al, 1993). Worthington and Kiff (1970) and Feiss (1988) have suggested that the sedimentary-volcanic contact perhaps represents a fault-bounded depositional basin along which gold deposits were localized.…”

Section: Regional Geologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Russell Gold Deposit, Carolina Slate Belt, North Carolina

Klein¹,

Cunningham²,

Logan³

et al. 2007

Economic Geology

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Gold deposits have been mined in the Carolina slate belt from the early 1800s to recent times, with most of the production from large mines in South Carolina. The Russell mine, one of the larger producers in North Carolina, is located in the central Uwharrie Mountains, and produced over 470 kg of gold. Ore grades averaged about 3.4 grams per tonne (g/t), with higher-grade zones reported. The Russell deposit is interpreted to be a sediment-hosted, gold-rich, base-metal poor, volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in which gold was remobilized, in part, during Ordovician metamorphism. The ore was deposited syngenetically with laminated siltstones of the late Proterozoic Tillery Formation that have been metamorphosed to a lower greenschist facies. The Tillery Formation regionally overlies subaerial to shallow marine rhyolitic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the Uwharrie Formation and underlies the marine volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Cid Formation. Recent mapping has shown that a rhyolitic dome near the Russell mine was extruded during the deposition of the lower part of the Tillery Formation, at about the same time as ore deposition. Relict mafic rock fragments present in the ore zones suggest contemporaneous bimodal (rhyolite-basalt) volcanism. The maximum formation age of the Russell deposit is younger than 558 Ma, which is similar to that of the larger, well known Brewer, Haile, and Ridgeway deposits of South Carolina.Gold was mined from at least six zones that are parallel to the regional metamorphic foliation. These strongly deformed zones consist of northeast-trending folds, high-angle reverse faults, and asymmetric doubly plunging folds overturned to the southeast. The dominant structure at the mine is an asymmetric doubly plunging anticline with the axis trending N 45°E, probably related to late Ordovician (456 ± 2 Ma) regional metamorphism and deformation.Two stages of pyrite growth are recognized. Stage 1, primary, spongy pyrite, is present in thin massive sulfide layers parallel to bedding and intergrown with pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and sparse arsenopyrite. Stage 2, secondary pyrite, is present as euhedral, idiomorphic rims on spongy pyrite and as veinlets that parallel the regional foliation. Stage 1 pyrite was deposited syngenetically or diagenetically during or soon after sedimentation. Stage 2 pyrite overgrowths and veins resulted from recrystallization or remobilization of stage 1 pyrite, probably during deformation related to Ordovician regional metamorphism. It is proposed that the spongy texture of the stage 1 pyrite represents nucleation and growth of pyrite on organic matter, possibly of bacterial origin. Other textures, such as geometric voids in spongy pyrite, As-rich zones surrounding central voids, 60-µm ring structures composed of spongy pyrite, and layers of spongy pyrite interlayered with bedding laminations, also appear to indicate replacement of organic matter by pyrite. Stage 1 pyrite contains up to 0.06 wt percent gold. The δ 34 S values of pyrite in...

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Volcanic rock-hosted gold and base-metal mineralization, associated with Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic, back-arc extension in the Carolina terrane, southern Appalachian Piedmont

Cited by 20 publications

References 0 publications

U-Pb Zircon Ages and Pb Isotope Geochemistry of Gold Deposits in the Carolina Slate Belt of South Carolina

U-Pb Zircon Ages and Pb Isotope Geochemistry of Gold Deposits in the Carolina Slate Belt of South Carolina

Remnant Colloform Pyrite at the Haile Gold Deposit, South Carolina: A Textural Key to Genesis

The Russell Gold Deposit, Carolina Slate Belt, North Carolina

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