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EPITHERMAL GOLD-SILVER DEPOSIT MODEL

CSA Australia Pty Ltd

CSA

Geological Consultants

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Redrawn and adapted from Hedenquist, Izawa, Arribas & White (1996)*

POSTER

Volcanic Centre
500- 900 SO2 , HCl, CO2

Low sulphidation
Au,Ag epithermal
vein deposit

High sulphidation
Au,Cu epithermal
deposit

Crater Lake
Acidic fluid

100 CO 2 , H 2S

Fumeroles

Hot springs

200- 300 CO 2, HCl, S

200
ng 300

20
0

i li
Bo
ne Prim
u tr
ali ary
sa
tio
n

Pb/Zn/Ag/Mn
mantos

LEGEND
Porphyry Cu (Mo,Au)
deposit

Saline magmatic
fluid
Liquid flow

Limestone

300

Vapour ascent

Porphyries

600

Fault

1 km
Approx

Schematic Cross Section of Volcano-Hydrothermal System

RARE

Ore Minerals
Quartz

Chalcedony
Adularia
Illite
Calcite
Smectite

NEVER

Selenides
Stibnite
Cinnabar
Enargiteluzonite
Tennantite
Covellite

Barite
Kaolinite

ALWAYS

Ore Minerals

Electrum
Native gold
Chalcopyrite
Sphalerite
Galena
Tetrahedrite
Arsenopyrite
Tellurides
Pyragarite

Pyrite

Gangue Mins

COMMON

Pyrophyllite
Diaspore
Alunite

Gangue Mins

ALWAYS

COMMON

Native gold
Pyrite
Tellurides
EnargiteCovellite
luzonite
Tennantite
Tetrahedrite
Chalcopyrite
Sphalerite
Galena
Quartz

Barite
Alunite
Kaolinite
Pyrophyllite
Diaspore
Illite

RARE

NEVER

Electrum
Selenides
Pyragarite
Arsenopyrite
Cinnabar
Stibnite

Chalcedony
Smectite

Calcite
Adularia

Mineral Abundance in Gold-Rich Systems

High sulphidation

Low sulphidation
Shallow

Neutral pH, Reduced

Smectite
IlliteSmectite
IlliteAdularia

Deep

Veins

CSA Australia 2002

Propylitic

Steam-heated Overprint
Cristobolite - kaolinite
- alunite
KaoliniteSmectite

Acidic, Oxidized
Smectite Kaolinite
-Alunite
IlliteSmectite
Propylitic

Alteration Schematic

Vuggy
Quartz

Illite
Patchy
*Spec. Publ. No.1 of Soc.
of Resource Geology