| Title | Gold refining by bismuth melts in the iron oxide-dominated NICO Au-Co-Bi (±Cu±W) Deposit, NWT, Canada |
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| Author | Acosta-Góngora, P; Gleeson, S A; Samson, I M; Ootes, L; Corriveau, L |
| Source | Economic geology and the bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists vol. 110, no. 2, 2015 p. 291-314, https://doi.org/10.2113/econgeo.110.2.291 |
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| Year | 2015 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20130173 |
| Publisher | Society of Economic Geologists |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | html; pdf |
| Province | Northwest Territories |
| NTS | 85M; 85N; 85O; 86B; 86C; 86D; 86E; 86F; 86G; 86K; 86L |
| Lat/Long WENS | -120.0000 -114.0000 67.0000 63.0000 |
| Subjects | trace element analyses; ore mineral genesis; polymetallic ores; metasomatism; deformation; metamorphism, retrograde; refining processes; Great Bear magmatic zone; Slave Craton |
| Illustrations | location maps; geological sketch maps; photographs; tables; photomicrographs; graphs |
| Program | GEM: Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals Iron-oxide Copper-gold (IOCG) / Multiple Metals - Great Bear Lake (NWT) |
| Released | 2015 01 23 |
| Abstract | The NICO Au-Co-Bi(±Cu±W) deposit is located in the Great Bear magmatic zone, NWT, Canada, where numerous polymetallic, iron oxide-dominated mineralized systems have been recognized. Petrographic,
electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) studies of host-rock alteration and ore mineralogy, together with sulfarsenide geothermometry, have been carried out to constrain the
nature of alteration and/or mineralization assemblages in this deposit. Metasedimentary rocks of the Treasure Lake Group host NICO and are pervasively altered to an assemblage of ferrohornblende I + actinolite I + biotite I + magnetite I ±
orthoclase, which is cut by barren veins composed of quartz ± ferrohornblende-orthoclase-calcite (Set 1). These alteration events are overprinted by metasomatic prograde and retrograde mineralized assemblages and both brittle and ductile deformation
accompanied the metasomatism. The prograde assemblage (>400°C) consists of cobaltite, Co-rich loellingite, and Co-rich arsenopyrite (stage I), magnetite II, ferrohornblende II, actinolite II, biotite II, pyrite, and minor scheelite and orthoclase.
The earliest retrograde mineralization consists of arsenopyrite (stages II and III), which contains variable amounts of Co, together with native Bi (±bismuthinite) and Au, with lesser magnetite, marcasite, pyrite, hastingsite, and minor quartz. The
preservation of solidified native Bi droplets suggests a temperature range of 270° to <400°C for precipitation of this assemblage. The final stage of retrograde mineralization consists of a chalcopyrite-bismuthinite-hematite-chlorite assemblage,
together with hastingsite ± emplectite, which formed at temperatures of less than 270°C.
Textural and trace element evidence indicates that the Au and Bi present within arsenides and sulfarsenides in the NICO system resulted from the initial
partitioning of structurally bound Au and/or "invisible" (nanometer-sized particles) of Au and Bi into the prograde sulfarsenide and arsenide phases, which contain up to 81 ppm Au. The Au and Bi were remobilized following retrograde alteration of
those minerals to arsenopyrite II. Molten Bi droplets are interpreted to have scavenged Au insitu, resulting in the formation of the Bi-Au inclusions observed in arsenopyrite II. The second mechanism of gold refining is explained by the occurrence of
contemporaneous Bi (±Te) melt and hydrothermal fluids that also could have fractionated gold during transport in solution and deposited it in fractures, interstitially to earlier mineral grains, and as disseminations within
Ca-Fe-amphibole-magnetite-biotite-altered rocks. Overall, the gold upgrading at NICO is consistent with the liquid bismuth collector model, suggesting that this process was an important control on gold concentration in this and potentially other
Au-Bi-Te-Fe-As-S-rich iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
Polymetallic mineral deposit and prospects within the ancient volcanic belt along the NE shores of Great Bear Lake to Great Slave Lake (Northwest
Territories) are interpreted as the tip of the iceberg in terms of mineral resources endowment for the region. This paper on how the chemistry of magnetite evolves as a function of deposit types and ore-forming processes lay the foundation for
significant refinements to exploration methodology for multiple metals deposits (iron oxide copper-gold deposits). The case studies of GEM IOCG project RAP PhD student include two deposits (NICO, Sue-Dianne), some prospects and the past-producing
Terra mine (silver). Under the microscope, the multiple generations of magnetite in barren and mineralized zones have distinct vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), chrome (Cr), cobalt (Co) and titanium (Ti). Consequently chemistry of magnetite may become an
important tool for glacial till based exploration programs in the Great Bear region and beyond. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 292890 |
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