Artículo
The Ag- And Au-bearing phases in the Escondida epithermal vein, Cerro Moro deposit, Santa Cruz, Argentina
Fecha de publicación:
04/2020
Editorial:
Mineralogical Association of Canada
Revista:
Canadian Mineralogist
ISSN:
0008-4476
Idioma:
Inglés
Tipo de recurso:
Artículo publicado
Clasificación temática:
Resumen
The Cerro Moro deposit is located at 488505500S, 6683901.600W and 100 m.o.s.l. in Santa Cruz province, southern Argentina. It is a low sulfidation Au-Ag epithermal mineralization hosted by numerous NW-SE structurally controlled quartz veins developed in close spatial and temporal proximity to the products of Jurassic extension and magmatism. The Escondida vein is the most significant mineralized structure, as it hosts the base metal-rich and Au-Ag high grade mineralization. In this vein and the Zoe ore-shoot, ore minerals are abundant (sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, acanthite, and less abundant pyrite and marcasite) and frequently related to dark grey, fine-grained quartz with massive, porous, crustiform, and banded textures; variable quantities of fine-grained flakes of muscovite are locally present. The Ag- and Au-bearing mineral association is represented by acanthite, argyrodite, polybasite, pearceite, stromeyerite, mckinstryite, and jalpaite. Abundant acanthite occurs commonly associated with gold and silver; copper enrichments were detected and interpreted as nanoinclusions of Cu-bearing minerals. The occurrence of Se- and Te-enriched minerals (acanthite, argyrodite, polybasite, pearceite, stromeyerite, and mckinstryite), rather than silver selenides and/or tellurides, indicates the presence of reduced mineralizing fluids and may be ascribed to partial substitution of S by Se or Te. Polybasite and pearceite were differentiated by their chemistry. Although the presence of argyrodite in epithermal deposits with silver sulfosalts is relatively common, this first mention in Cerro Moro is highly encouraging for exploration for germanium, a critical element, which is also considered strategic by countries such as the USA and China.
Palabras clave:
ARGENTINA
,
DESEADO MASSIF
,
EPITHERMAL DEPOSIT
,
PRECIOUS METAL MINERALS
Archivos asociados
Licencia
Identificadores
Colecciones
Articulos(CIGEOBIO)
Articulos de CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES DE LA GEOSFERA Y BIOSFERA
Articulos de CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES DE LA GEOSFERA Y BIOSFERA
Articulos(IANIGLA)
Articulos de INST. ARG. DE NIVOLOGIA, GLACIOLOGIA Y CS. AMBIENT
Articulos de INST. ARG. DE NIVOLOGIA, GLACIOLOGIA Y CS. AMBIENT
Citación
Mugas Lobos, Ana Cecilia; Marquez Zavalia, Maria Florencia; Hernández, Laura B.; The Ag- And Au-bearing phases in the Escondida epithermal vein, Cerro Moro deposit, Santa Cruz, Argentina; Mineralogical Association of Canada; Canadian Mineralogist; 58; 2; 4-2020; 191-201
Compartir
Altmétricas