The Zaderzhninskoe gold deposit: Mineral composition, fluid inclusions, and age (South Verkhoyansk region)

Abstract

Based on results of study of the regional position, chemical composition of ores, fluid inclusions, and age relationships between mineralization and igneous rocks, we propose a geological and genetic model for the formation of gold mineralization of the Zaderzhninskoe deposit. Mineralization is located in the tectonic node of the intersection of two regional structures in the supraintrusive zone of a latent granitoid pluton among the terrigenous rocks of the Verkhoyansk complex, which are regionally metamorphosed to the greenschist facies. The sequential deposition of three types of mineralization—Au-quartz (including early low-gold Au-As and late productive Au-Pb-Zn mineralization), Au-rare-metal, and Au-silver—has been established. The Au-Bi (Te) assemblage contains native bismuth, bismuthinite, hedleyite, Bi sulfotellurides, gustavite group minerals, and secondary minerals—Bi oxides and Bi tellurites with low-grade gold. Hg-containing electrum and kustelite, Ag-Sb and Ag-Pb-Sb sulfosalts, stutzite, Te-Pb-containing canfieldite, freibergite, and Au and Ag sulfides are indicator minerals of the Au-Ag (Sb) assemblage. Ore formation occurred at temperatures from 90 to 340 °C, with the participation of lowly and moderately concentrated solutions with CO2 ± CH4 ± N2 gas phase. A decrease in temperature from Au-quartz mineralization (200-220 °C) to the late epithermal one (160 °C) and a slight increase in the concentration of solutions (up to 10 wt.% NaCl equiv.) have been established. The deposit resulted from the intricate multistage geodynamic evolution of the South Verkhoyansk region. Ore-forming processes are associated with the evolution of magmatic objects. Dating of igneous rocks yields the following ages: diorites—130-137 Ma (Rb-Sr), spessartites—126 ± 3 Ma (Rb-Sr), and kersantites—115 ± 1.7 Ma (Ar/Ar). Early concordant Au-quartz (Au-As) mineralization of the deposit is comparable with metamorphic-related Au-quartz veins of the Yur-Bular type, and its age is taken as >137 Ma. The time of formation of Au-quartz (Au-Pb-Zn) mineralization is estimated at 123.5 ± 1.6 Ma (Ar/Ar) and is coeval with the time of intrusion of the Early Cretaceous granitoids of the South Verkhoyansk region. The imposed low-temperature mineralization undoubtedly has a younger age. Its formation was followed by the successive deposition of Au-rare-metal mineralization at the final stage of formation of granitoid plutons (~120 Ma) and Au-Ag mineralization in the period 100 ± 5 Ma, i.e., the time of formation of late-stage granodiorite-granite intrusions.