EPITHERMAL GOLD DEPOSIT

Dr.rer.nat. Arifudin Idrus

Department of Geololgical Engineering
Universitas Gadjah Mada
Yogyakarta

Stolberg, Germany, 2005

Definition
 The term ‘epithermal’ is derived from
Lindgren’s (1933) classification of ore
deposits and refers to those that formed at
shallow crustal levels. Typically formed at
160-270 ºC and pressures equivalent to
depths 50-1000m (Hedenquist et al., 2000).
 Three types of epithermal deposits:
1. Low sulfidation
2. Intermediate sulfidation
3. High sulfidation
Magmatisme-hydrothermal process
Sub-volcanic hydrothermal system
Epithermal deposits (high sulfidation)

Endapan Au (ton) Umur

Yanacocha/Peru 820 M/P
Pueblo Viejo 680 Cret
Pascua 640 M/P
Pienina/Peru 250 M/P
Lepanto 210 Quat
El Indio 190 M/P
Chinquashih 150 Quat
Summitville 20 M/P
Rodalquilar 10 N/P
Epithermal deposits (low sulfidation)

Endapan Au (ton) Umur

Lihir 924 Quat
Porgera 600 M/P
Round Mountain 443 M/P
Baguio District 300 Quat
Hishikari 250 Quat
Kelian 180 M/P
Gunung Pongkor 175 M/P
Dukat 150 Cret
Cerro Korikollo 147 M/P
Cerro Vanguardia 100 Jura
Hishikari
Hishikari Pongkor
Hishikari Gold Ore - Photomicrograph
Kind of open-space filling

Kind and geometry of

epithermal deposits that
describing the hydrothermal
structure and lithology
controlling permeability
scematically.
 EPITHERMAL QUARTZ TEXTURES
CLASSIFICATION
PRIMARY TEXTURES
Those that grow in the
initial stages of crystallisation

RECRYSTALLISATION TEXTURES
Related to the transformation
of amorphous silica to quartz

REPLACEMENT TEXTURES
Partial or complete pseudomorphs
of other minerals by silica/quartz

KLONDIKE
PRIMARY TEXTURES
CHALCEDONIC
massive
Those that grow first banded
in open space
SACCHAROIDAL

And with little or no CRYSTALLINE

Coarse
overprinting deformation,
Medium
recrystallisation, Fine
or replacement zoned crystals

BANDED
crustiform
colloform
cockade

KLONDIKE
RECRYSTALLISATION TEXTURES
Related to the transformation
of amorphous silica to quartz

Moss

Plumose

N.B. Saccharoidal quartz can be the end product of the

recrystallisation process

KLONDIKE
 ORIGIN OF RECRYSTALLISATION TEXTURES

Dong et al, 1995; Economic Geology

KLONDIKE
REPLACEMENT TEXTURES
Partial or complete pseudomorphs of minerals
by silica/quartz

Mould

Bladed

KLONDIKE
 WHAT THE TEXTURES IMPLY ABOUT CONDITIONS
Dominantly tensional, open space fill environment overall

CRYSTALLINE: liquid dominated fluid, moderate silica concentration

coarser crystals mean higher pressure and/or slower crystallisation

CHALCEDONIC: gas-dominated, silica-rich fluid, rapid crystallisation

bands mean fluctuating concentrations

CRUSTIFORM, COLLOFORM, COCKADE- multi-stage, open space fill,

fluctuating fluid composition (boiling)

RECRYSTALLISATION- change in T, P conditions &/or metastable primary phase

REPLACEMENT- change in fluid composition

AGGREGATE BRECCIA- tectonic deformation of relatively brittle rock

INFILL BRECCIA- hydrothermal pressure sufficient to break brittle host rock

KLONDIKE
EPITHERMAL QUARTZ TEXTURES

ZONING MODEL
&
MINERALISATION TYPES

KLONDIKE
Alteration, metals & texture zoning model

CHc
CHb

CHm

CCh

CCx

Xas

Xc
Zoning model – fluid types

Gas
(H2O,CO2,S)
acid

Boiling
(gas + liquid,
fluctuates)

Liquid
(+ salts)
alkaline
 Paulingan epithermal
Epithermal gold vein/model vein, North Sulawesi
Vein modeling:
An example
 Vein
modeling:
An Example
Reserves from ore modelling
NO Vein Volume Z Minimum
Z MaximumKedalaman
m³ meter meter meter
1 Kapitu_Vein 98854 -41.687 243.5 285.187
2 Paulingan1_vein 71236 13.924 219.842 205.918
3 Paulingan2_vein 36490 45.703 234.275 188.572
4 Prospek Samoy (blok sakong) 486610 100.58 222.576 121.997
Total 693190

Tonnage = reserve
= Volume x BJ
= 693.190 m3 x 2,7 g/t
= 1.871.613 ton bijih
Epithermal high sulfidation
Alteration zone
Kasuga mine
Two stage model for the formation of high-sulfidation epithermal deposits (after
Arribas et al., 1995). (a) Initial stage where a dominantly magmatic vapor phase is
responsible for leaching of the country rock and development of an advanced argillic
alteration halo around the main fumarolic conduit. (b1) Ore deposition stage, in this
case where gold is transported as a chloride complex, and (b2) ore deposition stage
where gold is transported as a bisulfide complex.