Volcanic Strata-Hosted Gold Deposits

in Quaternary Volcanoes:
The “Sandwich-Style” Model
Alberto Lobo-Guerrero S.
Geologist, M.Sc., Min.Ex, Ph.D.

Operations Vice-President
LOGEMIN S.A., Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
ageo@logemin.com; ageoyy@gmail.com SS001
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Contents -1 Introduction >

-2 Volcano Expelling Au: Galeras, Colombia >
-3 Ladolam Au Deposit, Papua-New Guinea >
-4 Volcanoes, their rocks and deposits >
-5 Volcanic Explosions & Lateral Explosions >
-6 Guagua-Pichincha Volcano, Ecuador >
-7 Round Mountain Au Deposit, Nevada, USA >
-8 Colombian Examples >
-9 Ecuatorian Examples >
-10 Kamchatkan Examples >
-11 General Exploration Strategy >
-12 Objective Observation, Turkish Example >
-13 Conclusions > SS074
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>
SS075
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Lava layer Pyroclastics

Lava layer

Pyroclastics

Lava layer

>
SS076
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>
SS077
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Cerro Bravo Volcano (literally “fierce mountain”) Dome and 5

concentric calderas 4000 m.o.s.l., Colombian Central Cordillera >
SS078
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Dome
C.5
C.4 C.3
C.2 Caldera 1

>
5 concentric calderas & central, young dome Cerro Bravo volcano
SS079
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Nevado del Ruiz Volcano

In axis of Colombian Central Cordillera.

Another Quaternary volcanic system studied by the author.

>
Contains important epithermal Au dissemination associated SS080

with tuff layers limited by andesite lava aquicludes.

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Nevado del Ruiz Volcano

Mineralization in
>8 porous, permeable, pumice-rich pyroclastic layers
>
High sulfidation epithermal system
Alunite conforms large portion of matrix
SS081

in breccias & mineralized tuffs.

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Nevado del Ruiz Volcano

>
Lateral explosion opened large window
of mineralized breccia pipes & epithermal mineralization
SS082

hosted by interlayered pyroclastics & lavas

Morphology of lateral explosion
Nevado del Ruiz Volcano
Sandwich-Style

>
SS083
Tabular lava and pyroclastics
Nevado del Ruiz Volcano
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>
SS084
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Aspects, exposed diatreme SS085
Nevado del Ruiz Volcano
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Previous photo

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Various diatremes within pyroclastic layer SS086
Nevado del Ruiz Volcano
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Diatreme 1 Diatreme 2

>
Various diatremes within pyroclastic layer SS087
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Stockworks
in
Pyroclastic
sequences.

>
SS088

3-D stereoscopic image Goethite around fractures enhanced by weathering.

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Stockwork.
Most of rock
was clay-
>
altered SS089
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Moving out
in same
stockwork.
>
SS090
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Stockworking
over a diatreme.
+4 discrete
>
Au-mnzg events. SS091
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Nevado del Ruiz Volcano

Moving out in
same stwk.
All surface
here is
mineralized.

>
SS092
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Nevado del Ruiz Volcano

Moving away still more.

>
1.6 km vertical exposure. SS093
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Nevado del Ruiz Volcano

Sandwich-style Au
mineralization in series of
>
lavas + pyroclastics SS095
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Maar in Colombian Andes

with significant gold disseminations related to intrusive
breccias exposed by volcanic explosion. >
SS096
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Caldera lake in the same maar.

Northernmost volcano of Andean Cordillera. >
SS097

Disseminated Au in breccias of volcanic edifice exposed by cataclysmic eruption.

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>
Goreme Erciyes Volcano, Cappadocia, Turkey
Eroded volcanoes don’t expose their mineralized carapace. SS098
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Contents -1 Introduction >

-2 Volcano Expelling Au: Galeras, Colombia >
-3 Ladolam Au Deposit, Papua-New Guinea >
-4 Volcanoes, their rocks and deposits >
-5 Volcanic Explosions & Lateral Explosions >
-6 Guagua-Pichincha Volcano, Ecuador >
-7 Round Mountain Au Deposit, Nevada, USA >
-8 Colombian Examples >
-9 Ecuatorian Examples >
-10 Kamchatkan Examples >
-11 General Exploration Strategy >
-12 Objective Observation, Turkish Example >
-13 Conclusions > SS098
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Distant view of volcano with evidence of lateral explosion

Ecuador

>

SS099
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Closer view of volcano with evidence of lateral explosion

Ecuador

>

SS100
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Top view of volcano with lateral explosion

Ecuador

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SS101
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Side view, lateral explosion, horseshoe shape volcano

Ecuador

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SS102
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Cerro Altar Volcano, Ecuador

>

SS103
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Side view of Imbabura and nearby blown-up volcano, Ecuador

>

SS104
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Top view of Imbabura and nearby blown-up volcano, Ecuador

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SS105
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Side view of blown-up volcano near Imbabura Volcano

Ecuador

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SS106
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Top view of blown-up volcano near Imbabura Volcano

Ecuador

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SS107
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View towards blasted volcano side, near Imbabura Volcano

Ecuador

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SS108
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Top view, Rumiñahui Volcano, site of major lateral explosion

Ecuador

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SS109
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Side view of Rumiñahui Volcano, Ecuador

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SS110
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Side view of Rumiñahui Volcano, Ecuador

>

SS111
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Top view of Rumiñahui Volcano, Ecuador

>

SS112
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Top view, Hilaló Volcano, Ecuador

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SS113
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Side view, Hilaló Volcano, Ecuador

>

SS114
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View towards blasted portion Hilaló Volcano, Ecuador

>

SS115
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Contents -1 Introduction >

-2 Volcano Expelling Au: Galeras, Colombia >
-3 Ladolam Au Deposit, Papua-New Guinea >
-4 Volcanoes, their rocks and deposits >
-5 Volcanic Explosions & Lateral Explosions >
-6 Guagua-Pichincha Volcano, Ecuador >
-7 Round Mountain Au Deposit, Nevada, USA >
-8 Colombian Examples >
-9 Ecuatorian Examples >
-10 Kamchatkan Examples >
-11 General Exploration Strategy >
-12 Objective Observation, Turkish Example >
-13 Conclusions > SS116