Abstract
In this study, an electron microprobe analyzer (EMPA) was used to map the spatial distribution and the occurrence of invisible gold in pyrite from the Liulincha gold ore belt. EPMA data show that gold mainly occurs as submicroscopic-microscopic inclusions. From the contrast of the major guide elements of pyrite from the Liulincha gold ore belt and those from four hydrothermal-type gold deposits in the Jiaodong region, we can see the pyrites were formed in two stages: the pyrite from wall rock is mainly sedimentogenic, with simple structure; and the pyrite from ore body experienced early sedimentary process to late hydrothermal activity, the pyrite is regular in crystal form and exhibits fractured structure.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arechart G.B., Chryssoulis S.L., and Kesler S.E. (1993) Gold and arsenic in iron sulfides from sediment-hosted disseminated gold deposits: Implications for depositional processes [J]. Economic Geology. 88, 171–185.
Bortnikov N.S., Cabri L.J., Vikentiev I.V. et al. (2003) Invisible gold in sulfides from modern pyrite chimneys [J]. Geology Ore Deposits. 45, 232–245.
Cook N.J. and Chryssoulis S.L. (1990) Concentration of “invisible” gold in the common sulfides [J]. Canadian Mineralogist. 28, 1–16.
Fleet M.E., Chryssoulis S.L., Maclean P.J., Davidson R., and Weisener C.G. (1993) Arsenian pyrite from gold deposits: Au and As distribution investigated by SIMS and EMP, and color staining and surface oxidation by XPS and LIMS [J]. Canadian Mineralogist. 31, 1–17.
Hannington M.D., Tivey M.K., Larocque C.L., Petersen S., and Rona P.A. (1995) The occurrence of gold in sulfide deposits of the TAG hydrothermal field, mid-atlantic ridge [J]. The Canadian Mineralogist. 33, 1285–1310.
Healy R.E. and Petruk W. (1990) Petrology of Au-Ag-Hg alloy and “invisible gold” in the Trout Lake massive sulfide deposits, Flin Flon, Manitoba [J]. The Canadian Mineralogist. 28, 189–206.
Larocque C.L. and Hodgson C.J. (1995) Ion-microprobe analysis of pyrite, chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite from the mobrun VMS deposit in northwestern Quebec: Evidence from metamorphic remobilization of gold [J]. The Canadian Mineralogist. 33, 373–388.
Majzlan J., Chovan M., Andras P. et al. (2010) The nanoparticulate nature of invisible gold in arsenopyrite from Pezinok (Slovakia) [J]. Neues Jahrbuch Fur Mineralogie-abhandlungen. 1, 1–9.
Mumin A.H., Fleet M.E., and Chryssoulis S.L. (1994) Gold mineralization in As-rich mesothermal gold ores of the Bogosu-Prestea mining district of the Ashanti Gold Belt, Ghana: Remobilization of “invisible” gold [J]. Mineral Deposita. 29, 445–460.
Palenik C.S., Utsunomiya S., Reich M. et al. (2004) “Invisible” gold revealed: Direct imaging of gold nanoparticles in a Carlin-type deposit [J]. American Mineralogist. 89, 1359–1366.
Pals D.W. and Chressoulis S. (2003) Invisible gold and tellurium in arsenic-rich pyrite from the emperor gold deposit, Fiji: Implications for gold distribution and deposition [J]. Economic Geology. 98, 479–493.
Reich M.R., Kesler S.E., Ursunomiya S. et al. (2005) Solubility of gold in arsenian pyrite [J]. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 69, 2781–2796.
Saha I. and Venkatesh A.S. (2002) Invisible gold within sulfides from the Archean Hutti-Maski schist belt, Southern India [J]. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 20, 449–457.
Simon G., Kesler S.E., and Chryssoulis S. (1999) Geochemistry and textures of gold-bearing arsenian pyrite, Twin Creek, Nevada: Implications for deposition of gold in Carlin-Type deposits [J]. Economic Geology. 94, 405–422.
Sung Y.H., Brugger J., Ciobanu C.L. et al. (2009) Invisible gold in arsenian pyrite and arsenopyrite from a multistage Archaean gold deposit: Sunrise Dam, Eastern Goldfields Province, Western Australia [J]. Miner Deposita. 44, 765–791.
The Headquarter of Chinese Armed Police (1996) Geological of Woxi-type Stratabound Gold Deposit in Hunan Province [M]. pp.18–47. Seismic Press, Bei**g (in Chinese).
Tong **ggui, Li shengrong, **ao Qiyun et al. (2004) The chemical typomorphism genesis of the pyrites from the Zhongnancun black-rock-series [J]. Geoscience. 18, 41–47 (in Chinese).
Vikentyev I.V., Yudovskaya M.A., Mokhov A.V., Kerzin A.l., and Tsepin A.I. (2004) Gold and PGE in massive sulfide ore of the Uzelginsk deposit, southern Urals, Russia [J]. The Canadian Mineralogist. 42, 651–665.
Wagner T., Klemd R., Wenzel T., and Mattsson B. (2007) Gold upgrading in metamorphosed massive sulfide ore deposits: Direct evidence from laser-ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis of invisible gold [J]. Geology. 35, 775–778.
Wang Guoqiang, Peng Jiantang, Zhang Dongliang, Yang Jiehua, and Shen Neng** (2009) Mineralogy and geochemistry of albties from the Liulincha gold ore belt, western Hunan Province, China [J]. Acta Mineralogica Sinica. 29, 463–470 (in Chinese).
Yang Sixue, Blum N., Rahders E., and Zhang Zhenru (1998) The nature of invisible gold in sulfides from the **angxi Au-Sb-W ore deposit in northwestern Hu’nan, People’s Republic of China [J]. The Canadian Mineralogist. 36, 1361–1372.
Zhao Jiexin and Bao Mingxue (2007) Analysis on typomorphic characteristics and gold bearing properties of pyrite in Jiaojia gold deposit [J]. Gold. 9, 19–23 (in Chinese).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Li, Z., Zhu, X., Lu, H. et al. The occurrence of gold in pyrite from the Liulincha gold ore belt, western Hunan Province, China. Chin. J. Geochem. 32, 392–397 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-013-0647-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-013-0647-x