Epithermal Au-Ag and Ag-Au vein deposits: Renewed interest as exploration targets

Jeffrey W. Hedenquist
Ottawa, Canada
Hedenquist@aol.com

with appreciation to:

ProExplo 2005: Lima, Per

Minera Peoles de Per Placer Dome del Per

Why epithermal veins now?

High grades of Au (10-50 g/t) and/or Ag (500-1000+ g/t) Ag-rich may also be polymetallic (Zn, Pb, In, etc.)

Why epithermal veins now?

High grades of Au (10-50 g/t) and/or Ag (500-1000+ g/t) Ag-rich may also be polymetallic (Zn, Pb, In, etc.) Amenable to underground mining Relatively short time for small-tonnage development

Why epithermal veins now?

High grades of Au (10-50 g/t) and/or Ag (500-1000+ g/t) Ag-rich may also be polymetallic (Zn, Pb, In, etc.) Amenable to underground mining Relatively short time for small-tonnage development Small surface footprint (mine, tailings) Less effect on runoff

Why epithermal veins now?

High grades of Au (10-50 g/t) and/or Ag (500-1000+ g/t) Ag-rich may also be polymetallic (Zn, Pb, In, etc.) Amenable to underground mining Relatively short time for small-tonnage development Small surface footprint (mine, tailings) Less effect on runoff Potentially high value if moderate mining cost Peru has underground experience and expertise More appropriate in areas of high sensitivity to mine development - i.e., low impact - or difficult terrain

Epithermal vein deposits:

1) Introduction: Terms, sizes 2) Basic characteristics 3) Au-rich veins: Rifts 4) Ag-rich veins: Arcs

Exploration implications

White Island, NZ: 300 t Au flux to atmosphere over life of ~10,000 yrs

Epithermal types: Alternative terminology

Each column largely synonymous Veins
Gold (Te, Se)-qtz

Veins
Silver, Zn-Pb

Replacement
Goldfield type, Au-alunite 1900s

Ransome, Emmons, Lindgren, Sillitoe, Buchanan, Bonham, Bethke, Heald et al., John, Hedenquist et al., Einaudi et al.

Epithermal types: Alternative terminology

Each column largely synonymous Veins
Gold (Te, Se)-qtz

Veins
Silver, Zn-Pb

Replacement
Goldfield type, Au-alunite Acid epithermal Acid sulfate, high sulfur High sulfidation 1980s

Alkaline epithermal Adularia-sericite, low sulfur Low sulfidation

Ransome, Emmons, Lindgren, Sillitoe, Buchanan, Bonham, Bethke, Heald et al., John, Hedenquist et al., Einaudi et al.

Epithermal types: Alternative terminology

Each column largely synonymous Veins
Gold (Te, Se)-qtz

Veins
Silver, Zn-Pb

Replacement
Goldfield type, Au-alunite Acid epithermal Acid sulfate, high sulfur High sulfidation

Alkaline epithermal Adularia-sericite, low sulfur Low sulfidation Low sulfide/bms Low sulfidation (LS)

High sulfide/bms 1990s High sulfidation (HS) Intermediate (IS)

Bimodal basalt-rhyolite Western andesite

Ransome, Emmons, Lindgren, Sillitoe, Buchanan, Bonham, Bethke, Heald et al., John, Hedenquist et al., Einaudi et al.

Epithermal types: Alternative terminology

Each column largely synonymous Veins
Gold (Te, Se)-qtz

Veins
Silver, Zn-Pb

Replacement
Goldfield type, Au-alunite Acid epithermal Acid sulfate, high sulfur High sulfidation

Alkaline epithermal Adularia-sericite, low sulfur Low sulfidation Low sulfide/bms Low sulfidation (LS) LS (LS alkalic)

High sulfide/bms Intermediate (IS) IS zoned, IS Mex High sulfidation (HS) HS & HS-IS zoned evolving

Bimodal basalt-rhyolite Western andesite

Ransome, Emmons, Lindgren, Sillitoe, Buchanan, Bonham, Bethke, Heald et al., John, Hedenquist et al., Einaudi et al.

Einaudi, Hedenquist and Inan, 2003

Sulfidation states

Einaudi, Hedenquist and Inan, 2003

Sulfidation state evolution

Arc magmas

Rift magmas

k c ro l l a W

r e ff u b

Ore-deposit styles: Relative amounts of gold (>5 Moz deposits, 1997)

50% 12% 10% 12% 9% 7%

Witwatersrand Epithermal (8 >20 Moz gold) Porphyry (1 intrusion hosted) Sediment hosted (incl. 4% Carlin) Greenstone lode (orogenic) Other (Fe Fm, VHMS, etc.)

>40% (non Wits) gold from intrusion-centered deposits, ~1/4 from epithermal (>5 Moz Au)
A. Arribas, UBC, March 2000

Epithermal Au(Ag) deposits: Production + reserves (~2000)

Inter. sulfidation
Alkalic LS subtype

Vi

Billion $ (US)
12 14 16 10 0 8 2 4 6

Baia Mare Creede Mt Muro Aurora Aracata Sacarimb Victoria Gunung Pongkor Tonapah Fresnillo Kelian San Cristobal Comstock Lode Zacatecas Rosia Montana Beregovo Tayotita Baguio Guanajuato Pacucha-Real Sunnyside Milos Golden Cross Profitis Illias Mogollon Cracow El Bronce Ovacik Karangahake Takatama Baia Mare Gosowong Lebong Tandai Perama Thames Bodie Kushikino Oatman ontana Tunnels Bullfrog Sleeper Konomai El Limon Misima Republic Pajingo Midas McLaughlin Esquel El Penon erro Vanguardia

Values compiled by Gemmell, in prep.

Ag $ Au $

M: Mexico

D: diatreme related

Intermediate sulfidation

Value of Epithermal Deposits (Au & Ag)

N=12

MD D M M

M D

Au $390 US/oz Ag $6 US/oz

~5 Moz Au eq. N=6

Low sulfidation
N=4
D

LS (alkalic)

Waihi Hishikari Round Mtn Baley Emperor Porgera Cripple Creek Ladolam

Metal budgets: Function of salinity (i.e., tectonics)

Au xx1000 Au 1000
e.g. Patagonian deposits (cf. Mexican deposits) 100 Au Rifts: <1-2% LS NaCl 4-20% IS 3-10% (<3%, Au) HS IS IS Arcs: Pb-Zn(Cu) Arcs: 100 Ag 10-20% Calcatreu
Cerro Vanguardia

Esquel

Cerro Bayo Katerfeld Sta Teresa Chacabuco Halcones Qda Chica Manantial Espejo Mar tha Navidad

Zn+Pb (Cu)

Ag x Ag x100 100

Dietrich et al., 2005

Rifts

Arcs

Henley, 1985, 1990

Examples of epithermal deposits

LS veins: El Limn; Rio Blanco; (Ares); El Pen; Cerro

Vanguardia, Esquel; Hishikari; Midas, Sleeper, Lewis-Crofoot vs. LS alkalic: Cripple Creek, Emperor, Porgera, Ladolam

IS veins: Arcata, Orcopampa + Julcani, Colqui & Quiruvilca (w/

HS); Victoria, Baguio; Toyoha, Kushikino; Kelian; Comstock; Tethys vs. Mexican Ag:Au:bms, e.g., Guanajuato, Pachuca, Fresnillo

HS replacements: Yanacocha, Pierina, Alto Chicama; Veladero

Location of principal epithermal deposits

??? Age not necessarily a limit

Geologic setting of low-sulfidation deposits

Americas and global

Basalt-rhyolite association in extensional settings:

Intra, near, and backarc; postcollision rifts (non porphyry)

Host rhyolite (dacite) domes and flows Sedimentary accumulations; sinters Syn-hydrothermal mafic dikes common

Extension, alkaline magmatism for Te-rich type

John, 2001; Sillitoe, 2002

Geologic setting of intermediate-sulfidation deposits

SW Pacific, SW US

Calc-alkaline andesite-dacite arcs, ~neutral extension:

Intrusion centered, zoned

Andesite stratovolcano: common dikes, diatremes Cordilleran volcanism: large intrusive centers, high relief Silicic depression: large calderas, small intrusions Hosts: dominant A/D flows, bxs, tuffs; seds, basement
White et al., 1995

Epithermal alteration, gangue minerals

LS veins: illite, clays; chalcedony, adularia, calcite (roscoelite) IS veins: sericite (muscovite); quartz, rhodochrosite, barite,
anhydrite (local advanced argillic, e.g., kaolinite, alunite)

HS replacements: silicic host, quartz-alunite halo; alunite, barite,

anhydrite; pyrophyllite-sericite roots

Barren lithocaps: silicic core, quartz-alunite halo

LS & IS deposits: sulfide assemblages

Redox distinction related to volcanotectonic setting

IS veins: AgAu PbZn Py low-Fe sph tn/tdccpgn, Te (Bi, Sn, In)

LS veins: AuAg, bonanzas Py high-Fe sph asp or po, Se or Te

Barton et al., 1977, John, 2001, Einaudi et al., 2003, others

Sillitoe and Hedenquist, 2003

Low sulfidation vein setting: rift

50-100 m

Champagne Pool, Waiotapu, New Zealand

McLaughlin, CA: LS sheeted veins beneath sinter with Hg

Hydrothermal breccia with sinter Sheeted vein

Sherlock et al. (1995)

Lewis-Crofoot, NV: LS veins, steam-heated overprint (falling water table) (NB: remnant qtz veins + Au within overprinted zone)

H2S + 2 O2 = H2SO4

Steam-heated mudpool, kaolinite

Hishikari, southern Kyushu Footprint of 9 Moz Au deposit

Hishikari: Gold-quartz veins in greywacke basement

Long sections, Honko vein system, Hishikari

Unconformity Unconformity

Greywacke basement

100 m

Faure et al., 2002

Hishikari, S Kyushu 500 m

tridymite gone smectite, kaolinite smectitechl

st p e h hig otem le a p

Zoned clays around vein projections: high T paleo-plume

Izawa et al. (1990)

Hishikari vein cross section

Izawa et al. (1990)

smectite-chl

sme ctite ,

kaol inite

chlorite

Patagonia, Argentina

Midas, Nevada:
Ken Snyder LS mine, 110 t Au
from Goldstrand and Schmidt, 2000

Ken Snyder mine: Long section, Colorado Grande vein

<1 g*m
10-50 g*m

(10-50 g*m) (>100 g*m)

300 m

Ya

RMt Vi To

HS

IS

LS

Hedenquist et al., 2000

Sleeper ore: Au dendrites, silica gel

LS epithermal veins:

Extreme disequilibrium
Rapid ascent Rapid boiling Rapid cooling Rapid supersaturation, silica, Au

Exploration implications
Extensional setting, fault offsets Narrow vertical intervals, bonanzas
cf. Saunders 1994; Saunders et al., 1996; Sillitoe and Hedenquist, 2003

Summary: LS veins

Distinct setting: rifts, rhyolite-basalt association

Sedimentary sequences (volcaniclastic, lacustrine)

Paleosurface: sinter, steam-heated blanket Alteration around veins may be limited: zoned clays Discontinuous bonanza zones
Can be very localized IF present Ore zones tend to have flat tops/bottoms

Outcrop may be low grade

Must drill test through chalcedony zone (to paleo >200-220 C) Ore zone typically 100-300 m vertical

Schematic relations: IS (and HS) epithermal deposits, adv arg alteration: Intrusion centered, marginal Sillitoe and Hedenquist, 2003

Hedenquist et al., 1998

Surface projections: Lepanto: enargite-Au Far Southeast: porphyry Cu and Victoria: IS Au-Ag veins

From Palidan slide

Alunite 1.40-1.45 Ma

Bt 2.2-1.8 Ma

Porphyry Cu
Hydro Biot 1.40-1.45 Ma Ser ~1.35 Ma X Horn 1.45 Ma

Enargite-Au

Surface projections of Victoria-Teresa IS vein & Lepanto HS enargite, over Far Southeast porphyry

IS Au-Ag veins
X Illite 1.15 Ma
Teresa veins

X Biot 1.18 Ma

Bulalacao ? porphyry

Hedenquist et al. (2001) Arribas et al. (1995) Claveria (2001)

Claveria (2001); Hedenquist et al. (2001)

Alteration
Ad v arg anced i lith llic oca p

zonation?

Claveria (2001); Hedenquist et al. (2001)

Intrusion-centered active systems

White Island, NZ: 300 t Au flux to atmosphere over life of ~10,000 yrs

Kyushu epithermal deposits: LS and IS veins

Tectonics and age determine type of epithermal Au deposits Migration of arc (IS), producing rift (LS)

Kushikino (IS) 3.7 Ma

Hishikari (LS) 0.7 Ma

migration of volcanism
Y. Watanabe (2004)

Kushikino: Mt Kamuridake to east

capped by silicic zones, adv. argillic halos Kushikino IS veins: qtz-calcite-Au

Kushikino IS veins 2 km west

Volcanic setting of Kushikino IS deposit, Kyushu

Volcanism: 3.6-3.9 Ma Alunite: 3.4-3.8 Ma Adularia-Au: 3.4-3.7 Ma

(Izawa and Zeng, 2001)

55 t Au production

100200 m
Ad d zone

500 m
AA

0m

Comstock Lode, Nevada: IS veins 6000 t Ag, 257 t Au

Con Virginia: 1.13 Mt @ 87.4 g/t Au, 1834 g/t Ag
Alunite: 15-16.3 Ma Adularia: 12.7-14.1 Ma Ad overprint on AA Al to pyrop diasp to kaol dick to illite

2 km

2M mica

Hudson (2003)

Arcata, Per: IS Ag-Au vein: >3,000 t Ag, 30 t Au

adv. argillic vein halo to veins at surface
Candiotti et al. (1990)

Zacatecas, Mexico: IS veins with multiple pulses of saline fluid

Simmons et al. (2005) after Geyne et al. (1963)

Pachuca, Mexico: IS vein and fault pattern 45,000 t Ag, 220 t Au

4 km

Pachuca, Mexico:
Cross and long sections Clay cap, variable tops/bottoms
Drier, 1982 Geyne et al., 1963 500 m

clays

100 m

Ya

RMt Vi To

HS

IS

LS

Hedenquist et al., 2000

IS vein deposits

Calc-alkaline volcanic arcs Principle IS deposits: Ag-Au (Zn-Pb, Cu)

Simple sulfide mineralogy & gangue: Mexico Intrusion related, zoned: complex sulfides/sulfosalts

Up to many km long and 800 m vertical

Tops and bottoms not uniform

Common on margin of HS deposits (barren lithocaps)

May be associated w/ adv. arg. Alteration

Zoned alteration (AA to Ser-Ad): think laterally, or overprinted (Ad? after AA): drill deep if surface barren

Comparative sizes of vein districts Large and small

(131 t Au, 1,605 t Ag) LS

(34,850 t Ag, 175 t Au) IS

10 km HS
Waihi (220 t Au) LS Hishikari (260 t Au) LS Acupan IS (200 t Au) (45,000 t Ag, 220 t Au) IS

from Simmons et al. (2005)

1 km (2x) Co. de Pasco IS

(46,000 t Ag, Zn, Pb, Au)

Zoned around diatremes

Exploration for epithermal Au-Ag vein deposits

Large variations between deposit types and districts Model the prospect, do not fit prospect to the model Beware generalizations

Exploration for epithermal Au-Ag vein deposits

Large variations between deposit types and districts Model the prospect, do not fit prospect to the model Beware generalizations Paleosurface estimation, hydrology, erosion level
Lithology: volcanic (alteration) history, effect on permeability (size of alteration halo) Structure: relation to lithology, paragenesis (and ore) Alteration mineralogy, assemblage, paragenesis, and zonation Vein textures and mineralogy Distinguish style of deposit and hence possible morphology

Exploration for epithermal Au deposits General guidelines

LS: Extension, affiliated with rhyolite-basalt associations

Timing (arc migration), recognition (abundant andesite; rhyolite)

LS: Narrow bonanza zones (vertically, laterally)

Restricted, zoned alteration halo; steam-heated alteration blanket

LS giants: Alkalic centers, quartz poor Lack of strong surface expression

Sillitoe and Hedenquist (2003)

Exploration for epithermal Ag-Au deposits General guidelines

IS-HS: ~Neutral arcs vs. contraction (giant porphyry)

IS veins on margins of HS deposits or lithocaps, some porphyries

IS: Large lateral & vertical range: not uniform top or base
Steam-heated cap and shallow clay zone is common, and barren

IS: Different guidelines for intrusion-related vs Mexican?

Zoned or overprinted alteration, relation to ore veins vs large veins under clay alteration blankets (clay zoning?)

Sillitoe and Hedenquist (2003)

Epithermal vein deposits LS deposits: Rift setting IS deposits: Intrusion-centered High-grade underground mines small is beautiful (when out of sight) !