Comparison of the native antimony-bearing Paiting gold deposit, Guizhou Province, China, with Carlin-type gold deposits, Nevada, USA

摘要

The Paiting gold deposit, Guizhou Province, China, has been regarded as a Carlin-type gold deposit by several researchers. Alteration and ore-related minerals from the Paiting deposit were examined, and results were compared with the Cortez Hills Carlin-type gold deposit, Nevada, USA. Similarities include the structural and stratigraphic controls on the orebodies in both deposits and the occurrence of invisible gold ionically bound in arsenian pyrite. Significant differences include the following: (1) The gold-bearing mineral in Nevada is arsenian pyrite. However, gold-bearing minerals in the Paiting deposit include arsenopyrite, arsenian pyrite, and trace pyrrhotite. Also, euhedral or subhedral gold-bearing arsenian pyrite at Paiting contains significantly less As, Cu, and Hg than gold-bearing pyrite from Nevada. (2) Alteration in the Paiting deposit displays significantly less decarbonatization. Instead, dolomite precipitation, which has not been described in Nevada deposits, is associated with deposition of gold-bearing sulfide minerals. (3) Stibnite and minor native antimony typify Paiting late-ore-stage minerals, whereas in Nevada, realgar, orpiment, and calcite are common late-ore-stage minerals. Precipitation of native antimony in the Paiting deposit reflects the evolution of a late-ore fluid with unusually low sulfur and oxygen fugacities. Some characteristics of the Paiting gold deposit, including formation of ore-stage dolomite and precipitation from CO2-rich ore fluids at temperatures in excess of 250 A degrees C, are more typical of orogenic deposits than Nevada Carlin deposits. The presence of similarities in the Paiting deposit to both Carlin type and orogenic deposits is consistent with formation conditions intermediate to those typical of Carlin type and orogenic systems.