Controversies on the

Origin of World-class Gold Deposits

Carlin-type Gold Deposits in Nevada,

An Introduction

Jean S Cline
University of Nevada Las Vegas
 Au+1 in CTGD

Reich, Kesler, Utsunomiya,Palenik, Chryssoulis, and Ewing , 2005

 Au0 in CTGD

Reich, Kesler, Utsunomiya, Palenik, Chryssoulis, and Ewing , 2005

 Rossi Barite
North Carlin Trend
Mine Circa late 1960’s

Image courtesy of Barrick

Goldstrike / Aerographics
 U.S. GOLD PRODUCTION
12

10

6
4

Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 2004

 U.S. GOLD PRODUCTION
12

10

6
4

Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 2004

 North Carlin Trend
Betze-Post pit
2002

Betze-Post pit

Image courtesy of Barrick

Goldstrike / Aerographics
 U.S. GOLD PRODUCTION
12

10

6
4

Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 2004

D. Sweetkind, U.S.G.S. and Hofstra et al., 2003
 District/Deposit Size

Cline, Hofstra, Muntean, Tosdal and Hickey, 2005

 CTGD - What we know

large, epigenetic, sediment-hosted, disseminated Au

silty, pyritic, carbonaceous, calcareous host rocks
submicron Au in pyrite
low to high grade
alteration:
decarbonatization,
argillization, silicification
occur in trends and
districts
 Age of Deposits
Galkhaite: (Cs,Tl)(Hg,Cu,Zn) 6(As,Sb)4S12

~50 wt% Hg 20 wt% S

15 wt% As trace Au
200-300 ppm Rb trace Sr

39.0 + 2.1 Ma
(Rb-Sr)
Tretbar et al., 1999 Photo from Dave Tretbar

We can now relate the deposits to their

tectonic & structural setting
 Primer
Carlin-type deposits in NV:
Carlin, Getchell & BME trends,
Jerritt Canyon, Alligator Ridge districts
Distal disseminated deposits (DDD, Cox & Singer,
1990, 1992):
Au deposits spatially and genetically related to
porphyry systems (Star Pointer, Smith et al., 1988;
Barney’s Canyon, Cunnington et al., 2004)
Camp 1: NV Carlin-type deposits are DDD
Camp 2: NV Carlin-type deposits are not DDD
Carlin like deposits (Seedorff, 1991)
Essentially like DDD
 CTGD - Models
Crystallizing magma
0.006 oz/t 1.42 oz/t produced heat +
QuickTime™ and a
hydrothermal fluids +
metals (Sillitoe &
Photo - JPEG decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

Bonham, 1990; Henry &

Ressel, 2000; Johnston
“Wispy” unit & Ressel, 2004)
Deeply circulating meteoric fluids leached and
remobilized metals (Ilchik & Barton, 1997;
Emsbo et al., 2003)
Metamorphism produced ore fluids that
transported metals (Seedorff, 1991;
Hofstra & Cline, 2000)
 The Magmatic Connection

Henry and Ressel, 2000

 Model Must Address:

• Deposits restricted to Late Eocene of northern Nevada

• Deposits restricted to Archean and transitional crust
• Deposits aligned along trends related to continental
margin
• Alteration: decarbonatization, argillization +
silicification
• Au restricted to submicron (invisible) particles in pyrite
• TE suite: Au, As, Sb, Cu, Tl, Te + Pb, W, Ag
 Model Must Address:

• H isotopes indicate deep waters at some deposits and

meteoric waters at other deposits
• S isotopes indicate sedimentary S at most deposits, but
magmatic S is permissive at some deposits
• Ore fluid temperatures are low - 180-240°C, and have low
salinities - 2-3 wt% NaCl equiv
• Lack of strong elemental / alteration zoning
• No spatial association with coeval hypabyssal stocks