Native gold from the Inagli Pt–Au placer deposit (the Aldan Shield, Russia): geochemical characteristics and implications for possible bedrock sources

Svetlitskaya, Tatyana V.; Nevolko, Peter A.; Kolpakov, V.V.; Tolstykh, Nadezhda D.

doi:10.1007/s00126-017-0744-6

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…These formation processes were also suggested to explain the zoned texture of anthropogenic amalgam grains from the Tulameen-Similkameen river system, Canada [7]. The zoning texture in amalgam phases was also reported in placer gold from the Palakharya River, Bulgaria [3,4], and Inagli Pt-Au placer deposit, Russia [8]. In natural weathering environments, the gold and mercury components in placer gold seem to concentrate on the surface by repeated leaching and deposition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…They discussed the concentration of the mercury component at the grain rim by some electrochemical factors that are related to the process of self-electrorefining, although they considered the amalgam grain to be anthropogenic in origin [7]. Recently, Svetlitskaya et al [8] described native gold from Inagli Pt-Au placer deposit, in the Aldan Shield, Russia. Most gold placer was determined to be natural in origin, while some gold grains with a brain-like appearance were rich in a mercury component brought by humans to recover gold in this region [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, Svetlitskaya et al [8] described native gold from Inagli Pt-Au placer deposit, in the Aldan Shield, Russia. Most gold placer was determined to be natural in origin, while some gold grains with a brain-like appearance were rich in a mercury component brought by humans to recover gold in this region [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Aurihydrargyrumite, a Natural Au6Hg5 Phase from Japan

2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aurihydrargyrumite, a natural Au6Hg5 phase, was found in Iyoki, Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan. Aurihydrargyrumite with a metallic silver luster occurs as a submicron- to 2 μm-thick layer on the outermost surface of the placer gold. A prismatic face may be formed by {001} and {100} or {110}. The streak is also silver white and its Mohs hardness value is ca. 2.5. Its tenacity is ductile and malleable, and its density, as calculated based on the empirical formula and powder unit-cell data, is 16.86 g·cm−3. The empirical formula of aurihydrargyrumite, on the basis of 11 Au + Hg, is Au5.95Hg5.05. Aurihydrargyrumite is hexagonal, P63/mcm, with the lattice parameters a = 6.9960(10) Å, c = 10.154(2) Å and V = 430.40(15) Å3, which is identical with the synthetic Au6Hg5 phase. The seven strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern [d in Å(I/I0)(hkl)] were 2.877(29)(112), 2.434(42)(113), 2.337(100)(104), 2.234(87)(211), 1.401(39)(314), 1.301(41)(404), and 1.225(65)(217). Aurihydrargyrumite forms through the weathering of mercury-bearing placer gold by involvement of self-electrorefining. This new mineral has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC (2017-003) and it is named for its composition, being a natural amalgam of gold (Latin: aurum) and mercury (Latin: hydrargyrum).

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Aurihydrargyrumite, a Natural Au6Hg5 Phase from Japan

2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Recently, the number of placer-lode studies has increased substantially (e.g., in Cameroon: Omang et al 2015;Dongmo et al 2018;Fuanya et al 2019;and Pakistan: Alam et al 2018), reflecting our increased understanding of placer gold compositional features in terms of their source mineralization. In Russia, similar large-scale studies were used to link economically important gold placers to their source (Lalomov et al 2016;Zaykov et al 2017;Svetlitskaya et al 2018;Gas'kov 2018 andNevolko et al 2019). The consideration of Au-alloy composition has contributed to paragenetic studies of hypogene mineralization (e.g., Parnell et al 2000;Palacios et al 2001;Arif and Baker 2004;Spence-Jones et al 2018), and to establishing mechanisms by which gold composition is modified in the surficial environment (Hough et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical and physical heterogeneity within native gold: implications for the design of gold particle studies

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Studies of populations of gold particles are becoming increasingly common; however, interpretation of compositional data may not be straightforward. Natural gold is rarely homogenous. Alloy heterogeneity is present as microfabrics formed either during primary mineralization or by modification of pre-existing alloys by chemical and physical drivers during subsequent residence in either hypogene or surficial environments. In electron-probe-microanalysis (EPMA)-based studies, the combination of Cu, Hg, and Pd values and mineral inclusion suites may be diagnostic for source style of mineralization, but Ag alone is rarely sufficient. Gold characterization studies by laser-ablation-ICP mass spectrometry linked to both quadrupole and Time-of-Flight (ToF-MS) systems show that only Ag, Cu, and Hg form homogenous alloys with Au sufficiently often to act as generic discriminants. Where present, other elements are commonly distributed highly heterogeneously at the micron or submicron scale, either as mineral inclusions or in highly localized, but low concentrations. Drawing upon our own data derived from individual inspection and analyses of approximately 40,000 gold particles from 526 placer and in situ localities worldwide, we show that adequate characterization of gold from a specific locality normally requires study of a minimum of 150 particles via a two-stage approach comprising spatial characterization of compositional heterogeneity, plus crystallographic orientation mapping, that informs subsequent targeted acquisition of quantitative compositional data by EPMA and/or laser-ablation ICP-MS methods. Such data provide the platform to review current understanding of the genesis of gold particle characteristics, elevating future compositional studies from empirical descriptions to process-focused interpretations.

show abstract

“…The timing of intrusion coincides with the regional 1150-1130 Ma 'Teapot' magmatic event in the southern Arunta Orogen (Collins and Shaw 1995), thought to represent a transition from extension to intraplate magmatism (Claoué-Long and Hoatson 2005). What has not been noted, but bears some consideration, is the remarkable similarity in the circular shape, and outward zonation of dunites, clinopyroxene-phlogopite cumulates, shonkinites and syenites, with the intraplate, zoned alkaline ultramafic intrusions found in the Aldan Shield in Russia, such as the Kondyor and Inagli intrusions which produce platiniferous and auriferous placers (Burg et al 2009;Svetlitskaya et al 2018). The genesis and setting of these zoned alkaline-ultramafic intrusions themselves is contentious, though has been suggested to represent diapirs of lithospheric mantle rocks (Burg et al 2009).…”

Section: Implications For the Setting And Origin Of The Maicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emplacement of magmatic Cu-Au-Te(-Ni-PGE) sulfide blebs in alkaline mafic rocks of the Mordor Complex, Northern Territory, Australia

Holwell

Blanks

2020

Miner Deposita

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide mineralisation is mostly confined to tholeiitic to komatiitic mafic-ultramafic intrusions, yet there have been an increasing number of occurrences recorded in alkaline-ultramafic, post-collisional magmatic systems, particularly in the lower and middle crust that generally display a characteristic Cu-Au-Te enrichment over more conventional Ni-Cu(-PGE) mineralisation. The Mordor Alkaline Igneous Complex, Australia, is a mid-crustal, zoned alkaline complex comprised of a syenite body with an alkaline mafic-ultramafic subcomplex containing dunites, wehrlites and shonkinites. Sulfide mineralisation is present either in thin, PGE-enriched stratiform ‘reefs’ within layered ultramafics in the centre of the subcomplex, or in thicker zones of Cu(-Au-PGE-Te) sulfide hosted by phlogopite-rich shonkinites towards the intrusion margins. This latter style comprises blebs of pyrite, chalcopyrite and minor millerite and PGE tellurides formed from the cooling of a Cu-dominant sulfide liquid. Primary igneous calcite is present in intimate association with the sulfide. We note that the circular nature of the complex, with a dunite core and shonkinite rim with chalcophile element mineralisation, is comparable to the pipe-like, intracratonic, alkaline-ultramafic Aldan Shield intrusions in Russia. As such, Mordor may have an intracratonic rather than post-collisional affinity. Nevertheless, sulfide mineralisation is typical of other alkaline-hosted occurrences, with a Cu-Au-Te-rich signature, low Ni contents and textural association with calcite, supporting models of chalcophile metal and S fluxing alongside carbonate in alkaline systems derived from low degrees of partial melting of hydrous and carbonated mantle sources. Mordor illustrates that alkaline igneous rocks are prospective for magmatic Cu-Au-PGE-Ni sulfide mineralisation, and the classic ‘marginal base metal– and sulfide-rich’ and ‘stratiform PGE-rich and sulfide-poor’ mineralisation styles may both be found in such intrusions.

show abstract

Native gold from the Inagli Pt–Au placer deposit (the Aldan Shield, Russia): geochemical characteristics and implications for possible bedrock sources

Cited by 18 publications

References 37 publications

Aurihydrargyrumite, a Natural Au6Hg5 Phase from Japan

Aurihydrargyrumite, a Natural Au6Hg5 Phase from Japan

Chemical and physical heterogeneity within native gold: implications for the design of gold particle studies

Emplacement of magmatic Cu-Au-Te(-Ni-PGE) sulfide blebs in alkaline mafic rocks of the Mordor Complex, Northern Territory, Australia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About