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The Hill End goldfield, NSW, Australia —early metamorphic deposition of auriferous quartz veins

Die Goldlagerstdtte Hill End, NSW, Australien—Bildung von goldführenden Quarzgdngen mit beginnender Metamorphose

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Summary

Gold-bearing quartz veins in the Hill End goldfield, NSW Australia, comprise bedding parallel vein sets and lesser cleavage parallel and fault controlled veins which are hosted by a multiply deformed Late Silurian slate-metagreywacke turbidite sequence. Open to ptygmatic folds and boudinage are characteristic features of the veins. Metamorphic P, T estimates of 2.9 kb and 420°C during Early Carboniferous deformation and vein emplacement are obtained from the calcite, ferroan-magnesian calcite geothermometer and the Si-content of white mica. Fluid inclusions from vein quartz represent unmixed H2O-rich and CO2-rich low salinity fluids which have been trapped close to the solvus of the H2O-CO2-(NaCl-CH4) system. Homogenisation temperatures (range 260–361°C) therefore represent true trapping temperatures. A preliminary sulphur isotope study of the vein sulphides indicates that the underlying turbidite sequence has acted as a source of sulphur (range −2.8 to 17.8 per mil). Formation of most veins early in the deformation and the lack of an obvious igneous intrusive source suggests that the gold, as for the sulphur has been derived from the metasedimentary sequence. Deposition of gold has resulted from complex destabilisation due to H2S loss during transient vein opening and fluid pH changes accompanying CO2-consuming wallrock reactions.

Zusammenfassung

Die goldführenden Quarzgange der Lagerstätte Hill End, NSW, Australien, treten in einer aus Schiefern und Metagrauwacken bestehenden, mehrfach deformierten, obersilurischen Turbitit-Abfolge auf Schichtparallele Quarzgange dominieren, während schieferungsparallele und an Störungen gebundene Gänge untergeordnet auftreten. Die Quarzgänge zeigen offen bis pygmotische Falten und Boudinagen als charakteristische Deformationsstrukturen Die Metamorphosehediuguogen während der unterkarboncu Deformation und Quarzgangbildung konnten mit Hilfe des Kalzit/Fe-Mg-Kalzit Geothermometers und dem Si-Gehalt der Hellglimmer abgeschätzt werden. Es ergaben sich P-T Bedingungen von 2.9 kb und 420°C. Flüssigkeitseinschlüsse im Gangquarz zeigen das Vorhandensein eines entmischten H2O-reichen und CO2-reichen Fluidums von geringer Salinität, welches nahe der Solvuskurve des H2O-CO2-(NACl-CH4) Systems eingeschlossen worden ist. Eine vorläufige Untersuchung der Schwefelisotopen der Gangsulfide (−2.8 bis 17.8 per mil) deutet an, dass der Schwefel aus der unterlagernden Turbidit-Abfolge bezogen worden ist. Es wird vermutet, dass nich nur der Schwefel, sondern auch das Gold aus der metasedimentären Abfolge stammen, da die Qurzgänge zu einem frühen Zeitpunkt der Deformation gebildet worden sind, und intrusive magmatische Gesteine, als mögliche Erzbringer, fehlen. Destabilisierung der Goldkomplexe, verursacht durch Verlust von H2S Zuge der Öffnung der Gangspalten, Änderungen des pH-Wertes des Fluidums und CO2-konsumierende Reaktionen mit dem Muttergestein, führten zur Ablagerung des Goldes.

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  1. Department of Geology, The University of Newcastle, 2308, New South Wales, Australia

    P. K. Seccombe & M. N. Hicks

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  1. P. K. Seccombe
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  2. M. N. Hicks
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Seccombe, P.K., Hicks, M.N. The Hill End goldfield, NSW, Australia —early metamorphic deposition of auriferous quartz veins. Mineralogy and Petrology 40, 257–273 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01164602

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