A geological model of shear zone gold deposits in the Pietersburg Greenstone Belt, South Africa
- Authors: Franey, N J
- Date: 1987 , 2013-04-17
- Subjects: Greenstone belts -- South Africa , Gold ores -- Geology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5032 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007190 , Greenstone belts -- South Africa , Gold ores -- Geology -- South Africa
- Description: The Pletersburg greenstone belt Is located In South Africa, about 300 km northeast of Johannesburg. It hosts a significant amount of gold mineralization and just over 1000 kg of gold have been produced from Its various reefs and secondary deposits. The greenstone belt is interpreted as an Archean ophiolite complex. It comprlses a volcano-sedimentary succession (the Pletersburg Group) which Is subdivided Into a basal greenstone sequence, interpreted as oceanic crust, and an upper sedimentary cover sequence. A number of major shear zones, which are thought to represent thrusts that developed during the subduction of the greenstone sequence, form an integral part of the stratigraphy . Four stages of deformation (D₁-D₄) and four phases of metamorphism (H₁-H₄) (three of which are correlatable with the peak stages of deformation) are recognized. The primary gold deposits are all shear zones related. but they are subdivided into greenstone, sedimentation and granIte-hosted types. Geographically, they occur In three distinct goldfields: Eerstellng, Roodepoort and Marbastad. The greenstone-hosted · Plenaar-Doreen shear complex Is In the Eersteiing goldfield and hosts eight gold occurrences. Within the complex, Girlie North Reef is the 640m-long "pay" section of the Girlie North shear zone. This reef is characterized, macroscopically, by a Quartz-carbonate-chlorite-sulphlde assemblage and, mlcroscoplcally, by the presence of tourmaline, arsenopyrlte and Au. Geochemical evidence Indicates that mineralizing fluids were H₂O and CO₂-bearing and rich In S, K and Al. The wall rock alteratlon was Isochemlcal but Is manifest as a change In mineralogy from a hornblende + plagioclase assemblage to an actlnollte/tremollte + Quartz + clay assemblage. This Is best developed In the hangIng wall of the reef and is thought to have been caused by hydrogen ion metasomatism. The Arsenopyrite Reef was one of the main sediment-hosted shear zone gold producers In the Harabastad goldfield. This reef Is Interpreted as the basal margin of a shear zone whose top contact Is probably represented by the Quartz Vein Reef. The shear zone consists predomonantly of quartz and carbonate, and the two "pay" reefs are characterized by tourmallne. arsenopyrite and Au. No wall rock alteration was identified In this study, Based on the mineralogy and geochemical signature of the Girlie Nortn Reef and the Arsenopyrite Reef, It Is proposed that both were formed at the $The Pletersburg greenstone belt Is located In South Africa, about 300 km northeast of Johannesburg. It hosts a significant amount of gold mineralization and just over 1000 kg of gold have been produced from Its various reefs and secondary deposits. The greenstone belt is interpreted as an Archean ophiolite complex. It comprlses a volcano-sedimentary succession (the Pletersburg Group) which Is subdivided Into a basal greenstone sequence, interpreted as oceanic crust, and an upper sedimentary cover sequence. A number of major shear zones, which are thought to represent thrusts that developed during the subduction of the greenstone sequence, form an integral part of the stratigraphy . Four stages of deformation (D₁-D₄) and four phases of metamorphism (H₁-H₄) (three of which are correlatable with the peak stages of deformation) are recognized. The primary gold deposits are all shear zones related. but they are subdivided into greenstone, sedimentation and granIte-hosted types. Geographically, they occur In three distinct goldfields: Eerstellng, Roodepoort and Marbastad. The greenstone-hosted · Plenaar-Doreen shear complex Is In the Eersteiing goldfield and hosts eight gold occurrences. Within the complex, Girlie North Reef is the 640m-long "pay" section of the Girlie North shear zone. This reef is characterized, macroscopically, by a Quartz-carbonate-chlorite-sulphlde assemblage and, mlcroscoplcally, by the presence of tourmaline, arsenopyrlte and Au. Geochemical evidence Indicates that mineralizing fluids were H₂O and CO₂-bearing and rich In S, K and Al. The wall rock alteratlon was Isochemlcal but Is manifest as a change In mineralogy from a hornblende + plagioclase assemblage to an actlnollte/tremollte + Quartz + clay assemblage. This Is best developed In the hangIng wall of the reef and is thought to have been caused by hydrogen ion metasomatism. The Arsenopyrite Reef was one of the main sediment-hosted shear zone gold producers In the Harabastad goldfield. This reef Is Interpreted as the basal margin of a shear zone whose top contact Is probably represented by the Quartz Vein Reef. The shear zone consists predomonantly of quartz and carbonate, and the two "pay" reefs are characterized by tourmallne. arsenopyrite and Au. No wall rock alteration was identified In this study, Based on the mineralogy and geochemical signature of the Girlie Nortn Reef and the Arsenopyrite Reef, It Is proposed that both were formed at the same time. Textural evidence Indicates that tourmaline, arsenopyrite and Au were all very late In the paragenesis of minerallzatlon. The presence of tourmaline also Indicates a probable granite association. It Is proposed that the maln gold mineralizing event was synchronous with the Intrusion of granitoids (and therefore also with (D₁-D₄) and (H₁-H₄) and that most of the Au was derived from felsic magma. Gold was partitioned Into a magmatic hydrothermal fluid and then transported into the greenstone belt as a chlorIde complex. These magmatiC fluids were channelled up shear zones whIch had already been mineralized with a quartz-carbonate-chlorlte - sulphide assemblage by previous metamorphic fluidS. generated during the dynamic (D₂-related) H₂-phase of metamorphism. The Au was then deposIted as the result of a change In a fluid variable, such as temperature, pH, f0₂, or the activity of Cl (some Au may have been transported In a sulphur complex and so the activity of reduced 5 could also have been Important).
- Full Text:
Gold mineralization in archaean cherts and iron-formations a review of the economic geology
- Authors: Bellamy, R E S
- Date: 1979
- Subjects: Gold ores -- Geology -- South Africa , Gold mines and mining -- South Africa , Greenstone belts -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4968 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005580 , Gold ores -- Geology -- South Africa , Gold mines and mining -- South Africa , Greenstone belts -- South Africa
- Description: The distribution of gold in igneous rocks and minerals is described and discussed. Not all the gold in igneous rocks is contained within early formed crystal lattices. Evidence that gold can be associated with late stage crystallizing phases is described. It is concluded that some of the gold in hydrothermal and volcanogenic deposits may have come from a primary magmatic source rather than having been leached from solid country rock. Gold is probably transported as chloride complexes at temperatures greater than about 300°C. At lower temperatures it is probably transported with other metals as sulphide and thio-sulphide complexes. The precipitation of gold from the transporting medium is brought about by changes in the physico-chemical conditions within that medium. Decrease in pressure is probably not a major cause of precipitation in volcanogenic environments. The geology of volcanogenic iron-formations is described and discussed, relative to the development of greenstone belts. Oxide facies iron-formations were formed in shallow oxidizing environments. They are associated with volcanogenic and clastic sediments. Sulphide facies iron-formations were precipitated in the deeper parts of geosynclinal structures. They are associated with mafic and ultramafic rocks similar to modern oceanic volcanic assemblages. Carbonate facies iron-formations were deposited in the regions between oxide facies and sulphide facies. Other banded iron-formations are found associated with base metal massive sulphide deposits related to arctype volcanic centres. These deposits are found in the regions where carbonate facies iron-formations were formed. Exploration for and exploitation of gold deposits in Archaean iron-formations are discussed. Geochemical exploration programmes are aided by the association of gold with trace amounts of base metals. Geophysical exploration methods that can be employed include magnetometer, I.P. and E.M. surveys. The metallurgical treatment of the ores should include "roasting" because a large proportion of the gold occurs as submicroscopic grains within sulphide mineral crystals.
- Full Text: