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NOBLE METALS AND ALLOYS
ArticleName Geothermal gold deposits at the Earth surface
ArticleAuthor Meretukov M. A.
ArticleAuthorData

M. A. Meretukov, Scientific Consultant, e-mail: mamer@inbox.ru

Abstract

Main part of world gold is extracted from the rocks aged more than 2.5 billion years. At the same time, some of gold containing ores are forming at present. Considered geothermal gold deposits, witch are being formatted as a result of volcanic and thermal springs activity. Such actively functioning systems as Great Basin (USA), Reykjanes (Island), Ohaaki-Broadlands and Rotokawa (New Zealand) are marked with regard to study of gold sediments and transfer in geothermal conditions. It is detected that Reykjanes silicious and sulfide depositions may content up to 93 ppm of gold, and in Rotokawa silty surface depositions, with high sulfide concentration, content up to 50 ppm of gold. Quantity of gold, contained in «young» geothermal deposits of Great Basin, exceeds 370 t. Fumarole emissions of Merapi volcano (Indonesia) contain 3% Мо, 1.8% Pb, 100 ppm Au and 60 ppm Ag. Etna volcano (Italy) annually discharges 0.1–1.0 t Au into the atmosphere, meantime in fumarole depositions of White Island volcano (New Zealand) is accumulated in general 10 mln t of copper and 45 t of gold. Main mineral form of gold, contents in fumarole releases of Kudrjavy volcano (Russia), is the triple alloy Au—Ag–Cu, in contrast to other volcanic systems, to which the presence of pure native gold is usually. Perspectives of such «young» deposits development is shown.

keywords Gold, geothermal deposits, thermal springs, volcanic gases, fumaroles, condensates, morphology
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