Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry of the Au-Ag-Te-(Bi-Se) San Luis Alta Deposit, Mid-South Peru
A mineralogical and mineral chemistry study was carried out in the San Luis Alta telluride-rich gold deposit, mid-south Peru, to contribute towards determining its formation and improving the ore processing. The San Luis mineralization is considered an intrusion-related gold deposit located in the A...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Minerals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/4/568 |
| _version_ | 1797604213241413632 |
|---|---|
| author | Pura Alfonso Elsa Ccolqque Maite Garcia-Valles Arnau Martínez Maria Teresa Yubero Hernan Anticoi Nor Sidki-Rius |
| author_facet | Pura Alfonso Elsa Ccolqque Maite Garcia-Valles Arnau Martínez Maria Teresa Yubero Hernan Anticoi Nor Sidki-Rius |
| author_sort | Pura Alfonso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A mineralogical and mineral chemistry study was carried out in the San Luis Alta telluride-rich gold deposit, mid-south Peru, to contribute towards determining its formation and improving the ore processing. The San Luis mineralization is considered an intrusion-related gold deposit located in the Arequipa segment of the Coastal Batholith. The mineralization occurs in quartz veins hosted in diorites and granodiorites from the Tiabaya Super-Unit. These veins are sulfide-rich in the deep areas and contain abundant iron oxides. Sulfides are mainly pyrite with minor chalcopyrite and galena. Native gold and telluride minerals are abundant. Mineral chemistry was determined using an electron microprobe. The mineralogy of veins was classified into four stages. Gold occurs in the three last stages either in large grains, visible to the naked eye, or, more frequently, in grains of less than 10 µm. Gold appears as grains encapsulated in pyrite, Fe oxides, quartz and filling fractures. The first stage is characterized by the deposition of quartz and massive pyrite, which does not contain gold. During the second stage, hessite, calaverite, petzite and altaite are formed. Additionally, Bi-tellurides, mainly volynskite, rucklidgeite, kochkarite and tellurobusmuthine, are formed. Some of these minerals occur as blebs encapsulated in pyrite, suggesting that a Bi-Te-rich melt was formed from the ore-forming hydrothermal fluid and transported the Au and Ag elements. This stage was followed by a fracturing event and tellurobismuthite, tetradymite and montbrayite precipitated. In the last stage, a supergene replacement formed covellite, bornite and goethite. Te-Bi minerals do not appear in this stage, but selenium minerals occur in minor amounts. Chlorargyrite and iodargyrite occur and are associated with gold. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:43:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe2481eb482847a19c57ab215fd2ae63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:43:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe2481eb482847a19c57ab215fd2ae632023-11-17T20:36:31ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2023-04-0113456810.3390/min13040568Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry of the Au-Ag-Te-(Bi-Se) San Luis Alta Deposit, Mid-South PeruPura Alfonso0Elsa Ccolqque1Maite Garcia-Valles2Arnau Martínez3Maria Teresa Yubero4Hernan Anticoi5Nor Sidki-Rius6Departament d’Enginyeria Minera, Industrial i TIC, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Mines de Manresa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avinguda de les Bases de Manresa 61–73, 08242 Manresa, SpainDepartament d’Enginyeria Minera, Industrial i TIC, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Mines de Manresa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avinguda de les Bases de Manresa 61–73, 08242 Manresa, SpainDepartament de Mineralogia, Petrologia i Prospecció Geològica, Facultat de Ciències de la Terra, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer de Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028 Barcelona, SpainDepartament d’Enginyeria Minera, Industrial i TIC, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Mines de Manresa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avinguda de les Bases de Manresa 61–73, 08242 Manresa, SpainDepartament d’Enginyeria Minera, Industrial i TIC, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Mines de Manresa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avinguda de les Bases de Manresa 61–73, 08242 Manresa, SpainDepartament d’Enginyeria Minera, Industrial i TIC, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Mines de Manresa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avinguda de les Bases de Manresa 61–73, 08242 Manresa, SpainDepartament d’Enginyeria Minera, Industrial i TIC, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Mines de Manresa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avinguda de les Bases de Manresa 61–73, 08242 Manresa, SpainA mineralogical and mineral chemistry study was carried out in the San Luis Alta telluride-rich gold deposit, mid-south Peru, to contribute towards determining its formation and improving the ore processing. The San Luis mineralization is considered an intrusion-related gold deposit located in the Arequipa segment of the Coastal Batholith. The mineralization occurs in quartz veins hosted in diorites and granodiorites from the Tiabaya Super-Unit. These veins are sulfide-rich in the deep areas and contain abundant iron oxides. Sulfides are mainly pyrite with minor chalcopyrite and galena. Native gold and telluride minerals are abundant. Mineral chemistry was determined using an electron microprobe. The mineralogy of veins was classified into four stages. Gold occurs in the three last stages either in large grains, visible to the naked eye, or, more frequently, in grains of less than 10 µm. Gold appears as grains encapsulated in pyrite, Fe oxides, quartz and filling fractures. The first stage is characterized by the deposition of quartz and massive pyrite, which does not contain gold. During the second stage, hessite, calaverite, petzite and altaite are formed. Additionally, Bi-tellurides, mainly volynskite, rucklidgeite, kochkarite and tellurobusmuthine, are formed. Some of these minerals occur as blebs encapsulated in pyrite, suggesting that a Bi-Te-rich melt was formed from the ore-forming hydrothermal fluid and transported the Au and Ag elements. This stage was followed by a fracturing event and tellurobismuthite, tetradymite and montbrayite precipitated. In the last stage, a supergene replacement formed covellite, bornite and goethite. Te-Bi minerals do not appear in this stage, but selenium minerals occur in minor amounts. Chlorargyrite and iodargyrite occur and are associated with gold.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/4/568goldtelluridesintrusion-related gold depositsPeru |
| spellingShingle | Pura Alfonso Elsa Ccolqque Maite Garcia-Valles Arnau Martínez Maria Teresa Yubero Hernan Anticoi Nor Sidki-Rius Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry of the Au-Ag-Te-(Bi-Se) San Luis Alta Deposit, Mid-South Peru Minerals gold tellurides intrusion-related gold deposits Peru |
| title | Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry of the Au-Ag-Te-(Bi-Se) San Luis Alta Deposit, Mid-South Peru |
| title_full | Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry of the Au-Ag-Te-(Bi-Se) San Luis Alta Deposit, Mid-South Peru |
| title_fullStr | Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry of the Au-Ag-Te-(Bi-Se) San Luis Alta Deposit, Mid-South Peru |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry of the Au-Ag-Te-(Bi-Se) San Luis Alta Deposit, Mid-South Peru |
| title_short | Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry of the Au-Ag-Te-(Bi-Se) San Luis Alta Deposit, Mid-South Peru |
| title_sort | mineralogy and mineral chemistry of the au ag te bi se san luis alta deposit mid south peru |
| topic | gold tellurides intrusion-related gold deposits Peru |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/4/568 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT puraalfonso mineralogyandmineralchemistryoftheauagtebisesanluisaltadepositmidsouthperu AT elsaccolqque mineralogyandmineralchemistryoftheauagtebisesanluisaltadepositmidsouthperu AT maitegarciavalles mineralogyandmineralchemistryoftheauagtebisesanluisaltadepositmidsouthperu AT arnaumartinez mineralogyandmineralchemistryoftheauagtebisesanluisaltadepositmidsouthperu AT mariateresayubero mineralogyandmineralchemistryoftheauagtebisesanluisaltadepositmidsouthperu AT hernananticoi mineralogyandmineralchemistryoftheauagtebisesanluisaltadepositmidsouthperu AT norsidkirius mineralogyandmineralchemistryoftheauagtebisesanluisaltadepositmidsouthperu |