Fine gold particles and gold dust in alluvial autochthonous placers in southern West Siberia

Abstract

This paper deals with the behavior of fine gold particles (0.25–0.1 mm) and gold dust (<0.1 mm) during the formation of alluvial placers in denudation areas in southern West Siberia. Native gold particles with a low settling velocity, <5–10 cm/s, such as dust (<0.1 mm) and fine flat particles, are transported with a river stream beyond denudation areas. This easily migrating gold participates in the formation of lithochemical flows, which are an important indicator of gold mineralization. It occurs in the upper beds of alluvial section. Heavier fine gold particles are partly retained at the site of river activity, and the rest are partly redeposited in cooler parts of placers, being graded according to their settling velocity, as evidenced from the direct relationship between the flatness and size of gold particles. Fine gold particles do not form large accumulations in alluvial autochthonous placers. The main typomorphic features of fine gold particles and gold dust are their abundance in ore sources, compositional similarity to larger gold fractions, and high migration ability. In contrast to morphological features of gold, these ones remain stable during the river drift.