Gold-telluride mineralization of the Western Chukchi Peninsula, Russia: Mineralogy, geochemistry, and formation conditions

Abstract

Mineralogy, geochemistry, and formation conditions of the Sentyabr’sky prospect—the first economic occurrence of Au-Te mineralization in the Chukchi Peninsula—was studied. Gold occurs in native form and as telluride compound (petzite). Petzite and hessite are the major ore minerals of the gold-telluride assemblage; native gold is superimposed on them. Altaite, coloradoite, and paratellurite have been also identified. The study of fluid inclusions in sphalerite and quartz associated with ore minerals shows that the Au-Te mineralization of the Sentyabr’sky prospect and the low-sulfide Au-Ag ore of the adjacent Dvoinoi deposit were formed from different fluids and under different conditions. The multistage hydrothermal process developed in the frames of long-living porphyry-epithermal system functioned in the Ilirnei district. The Au-Te mineralization at the Sentyabr’sky prospect is related to alkaline magmatism. The high-salinity (above 5 wt % NaCl equiv) fluid inclusions in hydrothermal quartz can be indicators of such mineralization. Mineralogy and geochemistry of ore at the Sentyabr’sky prospect provide evidence for its deposition at the middle level of porphyry-epithermal system and testify to prospectivity of deep levels.