Reprinted from

J O U R N A L OF
GEOCHEMICAL
EXPLORAT1ON
Journal of Geochemical Exploration 66 (1999) 427-439

Gold dispersion in Andean desert environments (Atacama, Chile)

G. Hérail Kb,*, J.Lagos W. Vivallo
a IRLI, Casilla 53390, Correo Central, Santiago I , Chile
Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Fisicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
BHP. Av., Americo Vespucio Sur 10, Santiago, Chile
Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Avenida Santa Maria 0104, Santiago, Chile
Received 11 February 1999; accepted 6 April 1999
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 JOURNAL OF
GEOCHEMICAL
ELSEVIER Journal of Geochemical Exploration 66 (1999)427-439
EHPLORATION
www.elsevier.comAocate/jgeoexp

Gold dispersion in Andean desert environments (Atacama, Chile)

G. Hérail a$b,*,J. Lagos c, W. Vivallo
a IRO, Casilla 53390, Correo Central, Santiago I , Chile
Departniiiento de Geologia, Facultad de Ciencias Fisicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
BHI? Av., Americo Vespucio Sur IO, Santiago, Chile
Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Minería, Avenida Santa Maria O1 04, Santiago, Chile
Received 11 February 1999;accepted 6 April 1999

Abstract
The mechanism of Au dispersion in sediments of mountainous desert environments has been studied in two different
areas of the Chilean Andes. The San Pedro de Cachiyuyo placer (ca. 1800 m a.s.1.) consists of alluvial fans and ephemeral
stream sediments deposited in a stable piedmont. The primary Au source is Cu-Au-bearing hydrothermal tourmaline
breccia. The relief of this area is low (1850 m) and the average annual rainfall is ca. 20 mm. The La Coipa area (ca.
4000 m a.s.1.) is characterized by a rugged relief. The annual average rainfall is ca. 100 mm. The sedimentary deposits
are less sorted than in San Pedro de Cachiyuyo and consist of ephemeral stream alluvium and slope deposits formed in a
periglacial environment. The primary Au sources are two volcanic-hosted epitheimal precious metal deposits. At San Pedro
de Cachiyuyo, the halo is less than 1 km in length and the highest Au concentration are observed at the break in slope
between the hillside and the piedmont. In the La Coipa area, Au was only detected by chemical analysis in the 125-63 p m
and < 6 3 k m fraction; however, the dispersion halo extends for over 10 km from the source. In both cases the geochemical
signal of gold was strongest in the fraction t 6 3 pm. O 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: placer; gold; mountains; desert; exploration; Andes

1. Introduction fluvial environments. Studies of these latter envi-

The mechanisms of Au dispersion in sediments
and soils are primarily controlled by environmental
and paleoenvironmental factors (i.e. relief, weather-
ing, erosion processes) and nature of the Au source
(i.e. size of the grains). These mechanisms have
been widely studied in environments such as equa-
torial rain forest (i.e. Colin et al., 1993; Bowel1 et
al., 1993), desert and savanna zones (i.e. Freyssinet,
1990; Butt, 1992), glacial terrains (i.e. Hérail et al.,
1989; Eyles and Kocsis, 1989) and particularly in
* Corresponding author. E-mail: gherail@dgf.uchile.cl
ronments are the most numerous, and have allowed
determination of heavy mineral distribution patterns
in active (i.e. Mosley and Schumm, 1977; Slinger-
land and Smith, 1986) and ancient systems (i.e. Ses-
tini, 1973; Smith and Minter, 1980; Minter, 1991).
In addition, it is the Au (or heavy minerals) con-
centration in fluvial systems that serves as a basis
for the theoretical discussion and experimental mod-
eling of Au dispersion processes (i.e. Mosley and
Schumm, 1977; Reid and Frostick, 1985; Slingerland
and Smith, 1986; Day and Fletcher, 1991; Paopong-
sawan and Fletcher, 1993; Fletcher and Loh, 1996).
Studies of Au behavior in arid zones emphasize

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0375-6742/99/$ see front matter O 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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PII: S O 37 5 67 42 (99 )O 004 5- X
428 G. Hérail et al. /.Touma1 of Geocheniical Exploration 66 (1999)427-439
specific features of geochemical exploration in these
environments, which are characterized by low-level
geochemical activity, poor soil development, me-
chanical weathering, dilution related to eolian sed-
imentation, ephemeral stream and poorly reworked
sediments (i.e. Salpeteur and Sabir, 1989; Bogoch et
al., 1993).
In this paper the mechanism of Au dispersion in
desert mountainous areas is studied in two reference
zones of the Atacama desert: the San Pedro de
Cachiyuyo placer and the alluvial sediments around
the La Coipa Ag-Au deposit (Fig. 1). In both areas
the primary source of detrital Au is known: in the
San Pedro de Cachiyuyo area (ca. 1850 m a.s.1.)
the placer deposit is spatially related to a tourmaline
breccia pipe hosting Cu-Au mineralization, and at
La Coipa (4600 m a.s.1.) it is spatially related to
an epithermal Ag-Au deposit. These two types of
primary mineralization, as well as the supergene
environments, are common in the Andes, particularly
in northern Chile.
2. Sampling method and analytical procedure
Detailed geological mapping and the definition
and the distribution of sedimentary units and their
stratigraphic relations were performed in each test
area. A stratigraphic column was established in each
sampling locality and separate sedimentary units,
representing different erosional and sedimentary
events, were identified and sampled. Sampling was
carried out in pits or channels on natural outcrops
and samples of each sedimentary unit were taken.
Each sample was split in two parts: the first one, of
100-130 kg, was processed by gravimetric methods
to separate the Au grains and the heavy minerals con-
centrate, the second, of ca. 3 kg, was used for geo-
chemical analysis. In the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo
area, 21 stratigraphicsections were described (Fig. 2)
and 35 units were sampled. In the La Coipa area 24
units were sampled in 21 sections (Fig. 3).
The material from the first group of samples
(100-130 kg) was sieved at 2 cm, the fraction upper
2 cm are rejected and the fraction minor to 2 cm are
concentrated by sluicing and panning. To isolate the
heavy fraction, the obtained concentrate was further
processed in the laboratory by magnetic separation
and elutriation. Gold grains were hand-picked under
a stereomicroscope, weighed (in order to obtain the
grade of 'coarser' gold), micromorphologically de-
scribed and analyzed by electron microprobe. The
second group of samples (ca. 3 kg) was sieved and
separated into two fractions (125-63 pm and 4 3
pm). Gold content was determined by neutron ac-
tivation. These analyses were made in comercial
laboratory on 30-g samples. Gold content in frac-
tion >125 pm was directly estimated from the gold
grains obtained from the pan concentrates.
3. Geological setting and the source of detrital
gold
At the latitude of San Pedro de Cachiyuyo and
La Coipa areas (Fig. l), the Andes are formed,
from west to east, by the Coastal Cordillera, the
Central Depression, the Precordillera and the Main
Cordillera. In the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo area, the
Central Depression (1500 m a.s.1.) is represented by
a low relief composed of Jurassic and Cretaceous
magmatic and sedimentary rocks locally covered by
the Atacama gravels (Miocene) and Plio-Quaternary
sediments. The La Coipa region is located in the
Main Cordillera, a rugged relief area consisting of
Tertiary volcanic rocks belonging to the Maricunga
belt. In this area, Paleozoic and Mesozoic sequences
are covered by caldera remnants and stratovolca-
noes of the Cenozoic magmatic arc (Davidson and
Mpodozis, 1991; Mpodozis et al., 1995).
The San Pedro de Cachiyuyo Au placer is located
at the eastern border of the Central Depression (Mor-
timer, 1973), at an altitude of 1850 m a.s.l., on the
eastern flank of Delirio Hill, close to the foothills of
the Precordillera in the Atacama desert. The primary
source of detrital Au is from hydrothermal min-
eralization consisting of native Au associated with
crisocola, cuprite, malachite, chalcosine and native
Cu, hosted in the matrix of hydrothermal tourmaline
breccias (Ortiz, 1974; Palacios and Lahsen, 1992;
Delgado, 1992; Palacios et al., 1993) which crop
out near the top of the Delirio Hill (Mina Delirio
in Fig. 2). The tourmaline breccia is hosted by
an Eocene monzonitic-granodioritic stock which in-
trudes volcanic and sedimentary rocks assigned to
the Neocomian. In this primary mineralization many
 G.Hérail et al. /Journal of Gcoclzeinical Exploration 66 (1999)427-439 429

Paleozoic basement Paleocene-Eocene volcanic sequences

Jurassic lavas m1 Lower Tertiary Intrusions

Jurassic and Cretaceous

batholiths :.:...:...:...:.. Volcanic complexes of the Oligo-Miocene
Cretaceous volcanic and
sedimentary rocks Volcanic rocks of the Upper Cenozoic

Triassic-Lower Cretaceous
volcanic and sedimentary rocks (from Mpodozis and Allmendinger, 1992)
Fig. 1. Location map of the study areas in the Chilean Andes (from Mpodozis and AUmendinger, 1992).

Au grains are 0.2 to 0.4 mm long but .some grains of mineralization occurs in the epithermal Au-Ag de-
0.4 to 2 mm size were also observed. posits at La Coipa and Can Can, hosted in a volcanic
The La Coipa mine (Fig. 3) is located in the complex of Late Oligocene-Early Miocene age and
Maricunga belt, at ca. 4600 m a.s.1. Primary gold in,Triassic black shales (Zentilli, 1974; Oviedo et
430 G. Hérail et al. /.Toimal of Geochemical Exploration 66 (1999)427-439

LL
Recent ephemeral stream
sediments
Alluvial deposits of the
Longitudinal Depression
(Atacama gravels)
+++++++++++

Recent alluvial fan

Old alluvial fan

Breccia pipe with

tourmaline

U
++++ Monzonitic and
+ + + + granodioritic intrusive

Andesites

Sampling
the sedim

Location
of cross

I
* . l Ø . * * * * *

A- ' 3 0
3Q
10
I

3 0
3 0
3Q
3 0
3 0
3 0
l + + + + k b-O I/

Fig. 2. Geological map of San Pedro de Cachiyuyo and sample localities.

I

al., 1991, Swaneck, 1992; Mpodozis et al., 1995).
The volcanic complex has been subdivided into a
lower rhyolitic tuffaceous sequence, which is the
host rock to most of the mineralization, and an up-
per rhyolitic pyroclastic breccia sequence (Swaneck,
' 1992). Both units are intruded by dacitic domes
and affected by extensive hydrothermal alteration
which consists of pervasive silicification and ad-
vanced argillic alteration. Supergene leaching and
oxidation overprint the magmatic and hydrothermal
mineral assemblages. Gold is associated with alu-
nite and Ag minerals (native Ag, cerargirite, em-
bolite, yodargirite, argentojarosite, argentite). In the
non-oxidized zones bornite, chalcopyrite, chalcosite,
covellite, enargite, tetrahedrite, tenantite, galena and
sphalerite are observed. Native Au grains are smaller
than 50 pm (Swaneck, 1992).
4. Geomorphological environment, stratigraphy
and sedimentology of the sampled sequences
4.1. The San Pedro de Cachiyuyo placer
In San Pedro de Cachiyuyo, the average annual
rainfall is 21.8 mm. These rainfalls take place in
E]
, # 1 # ,
Tuffs and breccia tuffs
* + + + +
Dacitic Domes v
i Black shales and sandstones

1,2 ...24: Samples number O <5 0 5 14 015-49

- @ 50-99 100-199 @ 200-299 300-399 ‘Ontent ( ppb)

Fig. 3. Geological map of La Coipa, sample localities and golddispersion pattern in the alluvial deposits.

P
W
CL
432 G. Héruil et al./Joumul of Geocliemicul Exploration 66 (1999) 427-439
winter (July), and rarely lead to stream floods. The
area had similar climatic characteristics during the
Quaternary with sporadic wetter episodes as shown
by the presence of carbonate-rich paleosols and by
high-energy ephemeral stream sequences.
In the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo placer (Fig. 2),
gold occurs in unconsolidated sedimentary units
(boulders, gravels and sands) located at the base
of the Delirio Hill, ca. 400 m below the Mina
Delirio. These units represent alluvial fans, pediment
deposits and sediments produced by ephemeral dis-
charges of the Delirio Creek. All these sediments are
younger than the Middle Miocene Atacama Grav-
els, which are widespread in the piedmont and in
the Central Depression (Cornejo et al., 1993). The
break of the slope between the Cerro Delirio and
its piedmont is very sharp: the gradient along the
alluvial fans is 10% while the slope at Cerro Delirio
is -25%. At the present and throughout the Quater-
nary, geomorphological and sedimentary processes
differed from hill slope to pediment plain with rill
wash and mass wasting on the Cerro Delirio slopes
and fluvio-torrential flood on the piedmont.
The geology of the placer and the stratigraphic
relationships of the sedimentary units are shown in
Fig. 2. Upstream, near the Mina Delirio, the main
sedimentary facies is a one to two meter thick collu-
vial deposit. It consists of a matrix-supported,poorly
sorted gravel containing large fragments of mon-
zonite and tourmaline breccia (10-30 cm in size).
At the foot of the Delirio Hill, between the break
in slope and the upper part of the Delirio Creek,
the colluvial facies grades to a complex alluvial sys-
tem consisting of two alluvial fans and ephemeral
stream sediments (Fig. 2). The old alluvial fan is
composed of angular fragments, mainly tourmaline
breccia and monzonite (10-30 cm in diameter) in
a sandy matrix; locally, lenses of laminated coarse
sand appear. A soil level developed on the old al-
luvial fan shows two horizons; the upper one (30
cm thick) consists of red sands and clays and the
lower one (50-100 cm thick) consists of a carbon-
ate-rich horizon (dusty caliche and latticework of
calcium carbonate veinlets). These two horizons are
interpreted as Bt and B Ca horizons of a paleosoil,
probably developed during more humid episodes, of
which the upper portion was eroded. Northwards,
this paleosoil directly overlies the pediment devel-
oped on the monzonitic-granodioritic intrusive. This
old alluvial fan is overlain by a recent alluvial fan
(Fig. 2) of similar characteristics,that also has a less
evolved soil.
Sediments deposited by ephemeral streams in the
Delirio Creek consist of gravel, sand and few boul-
ders of andesites and breccias, which do not exceed 3
m in thickness. Sediments are unlithified, show sub-
parallel bedding, and commonly display cross-bed-
ding. Layers of laminated coarse-grained sands are
abundant. Reverse-graded bedding and non-erosive
sole casts commonly observed, suggest mud flow
contributions. As in the fan zone, a red carbon-
ate-rich paleosol is interbedded with two sequences
of ephemeral stream sediments. Unlithified, recent,
gravel-sized sediments overlie the upper set of these
deposits.
4.2. Slope deposits and ephemeral stream sediments
sampled in La Coipa area
La Coipa area is characterized by narrow deep
valleys whose bottoms are above 3900 m. The av-
erage slope of Quebrada La Coipa is very steep. It
varies from 15% upstream at the confluence with
Quebrada de Los Temeros (Fig. 3) to 7% between
this confluence and sample point 23, and 3.6% be-
tween this point and sample point 17. Annual mean
temperature is 11.C and average annual precipitation
does not exceed 100 mm. Precipitation mainly oc-
curs in winter consisting in snowfalls which rarely
may lead to a stream flood; more frequently it causes
solifluction along the slopes. Sediments in the La
Coipa district (Fig. 3) are less well sorted than in the
San Pedro de Cachiyuyo area. They have been de-
posited by ephemeral streams and mass wasting de-
posits produced by cryoclastism in a periglacial en-
vironment. Sediments preserved on the slopes of the
Quebrada La Coipa (Fig. 3) consist of poorly strati-
fied deposits containing volcanic rock fragments.
The alluvial deposits preserved in the bottom
of the creeks comprise sands with fine lamination
and cross-bedding. These beds are normal-graded at
the bottom and reverse-graded at the top. Clasts in
the coarse layers are matrix-supported. These fea-
tures suggest that sediments were deposited during
floods (mainly snow melt floods) with no reworking
phases.
 G. Hérail et al. /.Toimial of Geocheiiiical Exploration 66 (1999) 427-439
5. Geochemical dispersion halos of Au
The Au dispersion halo at San Pedro de Cachi-
yuyo is of a limited extent (Fig. 4). The highest
contents (1000 ppb) occur at the break in slope
(knick) separating the Delirio Hill from the pied-
mont (Fig. 5); one kilometer from the primary min-
eralization, the Au abundance in the sediments is
low (10 ppb). In the enriched zone, the confluence of
creeks with ephemeral rivers form particularly rich
deposits. Gold content in the same size fractions of
the sampled sedimentary units shows that the highest
values are found in the lower alluvial unit (Fig. 4).
The sediments from Quebrada La Vizcacha and the
Quebrada Mina California have very low Au con-
tents similar to the Atacama gravels of the piedmont
suggesting a single gold source at the Delirio mine.
The best geochemical response for Au, both in
the lower and upper units is found in the t 6 3
pm fraction (Fig. 4) with the highest Au contents,
for this size fraction, occurring downstream of the
break in slope zone, at the foot of the Delirio Hill
(Figs. 4 and 5). Further downstream decreasing Au
contents are observed in all three size fractions (pan
concentrate, 125-63 pm fraction, t 6 3 pm fraction).
The dispersion trend is greatest in the lower unit
(Fig. 4)and decreases in higher units possibly due to
a decrease in discharge energy with time.
In La Coipa area, geochemical Au dispersion
halos up to 10 km long, with mean contents of about
20 ppb, occur in the sediments at the bottom of the
Quebrada La Coipa. As in San Pedro de Cachiyuyo,
the t 6 3 pm fraction give a better response than the
125-63 pm fraction, whatever the distance from the
primary source (Fig. 3).
Mean Au grade in the La Coipa mine is about
2000 ppb (Oviedo et al., 1991); however, the sedi-
ments in the La Coipa Creek and its hillsides have
Au values lower than 100 ppb for both sedimentary
facies (except two samples that contain 100 ppb and
360 ppb in the 125-63 pm fraction). This decrease
in grade is also observed in the alluvial samples (i.e.
samples 6, 8, 9, 23 - Fig. 3) nearest to the pri-
mary mineralization; occasionally, higher values in
ephemeral stream sediments suggest reconcentration
(Figs. 3 and 6). Only seven samples contain more
than 50 ppb in the t 6 3 pm fraction and only two, in
the 125-63 pm fraction, exceed 40 ppb.
433
6. Spatial Au dispersion around the primary
sources.
In the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo placer, the halo
extends for less than 1 km from the Au source, and
the highest Au contents do not occur near the pri-
mary source but in the central part of the dispersion
halo, coincident with the break in slope between
Delirio Hill and the piedmont. Beyond this zone, Au
values decrease very sharply, being less than 5 ppb
half a kilometer downstream. The reason why the
highest gold values do not appear in sediments near
the source (Figs. 2 and 5) may be explained by sedi-
mentary processes and depositional environment. On
the slopes of Delirio Hill low-energy sediments are
deposited by gravity or by low-energy run-off on
the slopes. The highest gold values of the break
in slope sediments correspond to high-energy sed-
iments deposited in a fluvio-torrential environment
and reworked during phases of the piedmont dissec-
tion. Sediment deposits at the break in slope tend to
be heterometric with large fragments predominating.
This leads to a high macroporosity which becomes
an excellent trap for Au grains and heavy minerals,
since very high-energy processes would be required
to remobilize and disperse them (Day and Fletcher,
1991). This explains the small area extension of the
dispersion halo.
Along the Quebrada La Coipa, the dispersion halo
is longer (some 12 km), but Au contents in the sedi-
ments are lower. In this periglacial environment, re-
working of the sediments and reconcentration of de-
trital Au are less efficient than in an alluvial fan and
pediment environment at San Pedro de Cachiyuyo.
7. Evolution of the detritic Au grains:
morphology, composition and size distribution
Coarse-grained detrital Au was only recovered in
the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo placer. The results of
the Au grain size study are shown in Fig. 7. In the
colluvium, the 0.2 to 0.4 mm fractions predominate,
although abundant grains were recovered from the
less than 0.2 mm and 0.4-0.7 mm fractions. In the
alluvial fan sediments the less than 0.2 mm fraction
is almost absent, and the abundance of Au in the 0.2-
0.5 mrn fraction is greater than in the 0.5-0.8 mrn
434 G.Hérail et al. / J o i i t a l of Geochenlical Exploration 66 (1999)427-439

<63pm fraction 125-63pm fraction pan concentrate

<63pm fraction 125-63pm fraction pan concentrate

Au PPb oc5 0 5-14 Q 15-49 @ 50-99

100-199 &, 200-299 300-399 a >400

Fig. 4. Gold dispersion pattem in the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo area. (A) Recent alluvial fans and upper sequence of ephemeral stream
sediments. (B) Old alluvial fans, lower sequence of ephemeral stream sediments and slope deposits.
I G. Hérail et al. /Journal of Geocheniical Exploration 66 (1999)427-439 435

A B
Delirio Knick Piedmont Geomorphological
Hill I units
2100
illzits
2000

1900

1800
800

500
a
a
4

Au grade ppb I

-c 63pm size fraction ."a

a
125-63pm size fraction 4
- - - pan concentrate
O
Fig. 5. Cross-section showing the gold distribution in the different geomorphological and sedimentological units of San Pedro de
Cachiyuyo (see Fig. 2 for location of the A-B section).

fraction. In the ephemeral stream sediments of the
Delirio Creek, the main fraction ranges from 0.1 to
- 0.4 mm. Grains larger than 0.5 mm are very rare. The
grain size distribution in the primary mineralization
and in the colluvium is Gaussian with a mean value
of 0.2-0.4 mm. The discharges which originated
the fans expelled the smaller Au grains and con-
centrated the coarser grains (and as a consequence
increased the Au content). Only the smaller gold
grains were transported downstream and deposited
with the lower-energy sediments of the ephemeral
streams where low Au contents predominate.
The morphology of Au grains evolves during the
transport as a function of distance and of the envi-
ronment of transport (i.e. Hallbauer and Utter, 1977;
Hérail, 1984; Hérail et al., 1990; Grant et al., 1991).
The morphological features of these Au grains of the
San Pedro de Cachiyuyo placer, their low flatness
index, weak bluntness and the preservation of their
primary crystalline marks indicate a short transport
distance and few reworking phases (Lagos, 1996).
The core composition of detrital Au grains is con-
sidered representative of the primary mineralization
(Desborough, 1970; Desborough et al., 1970; Hérail
et al., 1990; Grant et al., 1991). In the different
sedimentary units of the alluvial complexes the core
composition is similar to that of the particle cores in
the primary mineralization (up to 10% Ag and 0.6%
436 G. Hérail et al. /Journal of Geochemical Exploration 66 (1999)427-439

Gold soiirce
I (aller Ovicdo. 1991 atid Swaneck, 1992)
4500

4000

3500

= Ikm
400

350

300 Gold value of the sediments of Quebrada Los Terneros

and Quebrada La Coipa
.pa 250
: 200
< 63pm size d
fraction 150

100
125-63pmsize
fraction 50

O
I 2' 3 4 5 619 89 23 II 24 13 14 15 16 17

Samples number
Fig. 6. Schematic cross-section summarizing the localization of gold source and gold distribution in ephemeral stream sediments of the
Quebrada La Coipa.

Cu), indic.ating that the placer gold comes from a
unique source, in this case the hydrothermal breccias
of the Mina Delirio (Lagos, 1996). Some particles
have an incipient purification rim, suggesting only
slight weathering.
S. Conclusion
Comparison between the geochemical Au disper-
sion halos around primary Au sources in two areas
of the Atacama desert (San Pedro de Cachiyuyo
and La Coipa areas), combined with the study of
the morphology, size anld composition of the Au
grains within the halos, strongly support the hypoth-
esis that the distribution of detrital gold is mainly
controlled by features characteristic of the primary
mineralization (e.g. grain size of native gold) and,
particularly, by the geomorphology and nature of
the erosion and transport processes. At both sites
the primary mineralization and the sediments were
scarcely weathered and the erosion products were
transported by ephemeral streams. In the placer as-
sociated with the stable piedmont and low relief of
San Pedro de Cachiyuyo, the higher Au values are
contained in the break of slope sediments. In this
geomorphologic position the energy of the stream
flood is high, the sediments are reworked, and Au
reconcentrated, during episodic floods. In contrast,
in the periglacial environment of the high mountains,
the larger quantities of cryoclastically released frag-
ments, larger volume of water provided by snowfalls,
greater dissection and very fine grain size of Au pro-
vided by the primary source have resulted in a wider,
strongly diluted dispersion halo.
From a practical point of view, in desert envi-
ronments with a high relief, fine-fraction samples
(minor 63 pm) are more effective. Anomalies can

Fig. 7. Gold granulometric histogramsfrom colluvia, alluvial fan and ephemeral stream sediments of San Pedro de Cacliyuyo.
be detected along the creek several kilometers from
the primary source and the Au content of the sed-
iment increases towards the source. On the other
hand, in regions of lower relief with isolated hills
and pediments, the dispersion halos are more re-
stricted and the Au-rich sediments are limited to the
break of slopes, so that the highest values are present
in the sediments nearest to the primary mineraliza-
tion. This implies that within this geomorphologic
environment, exploration sampling should give pref-
erence to sediments preserved at the knick point,
at the contact between the pediment and the steep
slope.
Length (mm)
Acknowledgements
This work was funded by IRD (ex ORSTOM)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
- and Departamento de Geología de la Universi-
dad de Chile. The microprobe analyses were done
at the Paul Sabatier University (Toulouse, France)
by Philippe De Parceval. We thank Federico Peebles
for assistance and discussions during the field work,
Juan Vargas (Departamento de Geología de la Uni-
versidad de Chile) for heavy-minerals separation and
Mireille Delaune (IRD)for heavy-minerals determi-
nation. Luis Aguirre and Brian Townley (Departa-
mento de Geología de la Universidad de Chile) are
greatly acknowledged for constructive discussions
438 G. Hérail et al. /Journal of GeocltenticnlExploration 66 (1999)427-439
during the writing of this paper. We acknowledge
Andrew Tomlinson for the improvement of the En-
glish version. R.Bogoch, W.K. Fletcher and C.R.M.
Butt are thanked for their reviews and relevant sug-
gestions and corrections.
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