TEACHER:

 Ing. JOSE SALAS MEDINA

MEMBERS:

 COLQUE CALIZAYA DANIEL

 MAMANI MALDONADO JUDITH
 GONZALES HUMIRE CIELO
 LOPEZ MAMANCHURA OSCAR
 COILA TURPO ABEL
 BENEGAS CONDORI ALFREDO
 MAMANI AMESQUITA JOEL
 MAMANI MAMANI CHRISTIAN
 CHAMBI LAURA YESENIA
 LLANOS RIVERA ALEXANDER
 QUENTA ROQUE EDUAR

COURSE: MINERAL DEPOSIT

pág. 1
 CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1
2. IMPORTANCE OF THE EPITHERMAL DEPOSITS ..................................................................... 1
3. LOCATION AND RELATIONSHIP WITH VULCANISM............................................................... 2
4. CLASSIFICATION OF EPITHERMAL DEPOSITS ......................................................................... 3
a) EPITHERMAL HIGH SULFURATION DEPOSIT...................................................................... 3
CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................. 3
GEOMETRY OF HIGH SULFURATION PLACES......................................................................... 4
b) LOW SULFURATION DEPOSIT ............................................................................................ 4
CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................. 4
GEOMETRY OF LOW SULFURATION DEPOSITS...................................................................... 5
5. CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................................... 5
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................................... 5

pág. 0
1. INTRODUCTION

Epithermal mineralization of precious metals can be formed from two

chemically distinct types of fluids. Those of "low sulfuration" are reduced and
have a pH close to neutral (the measurement of concentration of hydrogen ions)
and the fluids of "high sulphuration", which are more oxidized and acidic. The
terms of high and low sulphidation were introduced by Hedenquist (1987) and
refer to the oxidation state of sulfur. In those with high sulphidation, sulfur
4+
appears as S in the form of SO2 (oxidized) and in those with low sulfurization
-2
as S in the form of H2S (reduced).

The low sulphidation (BS) fluids are a mixture of rainwater (meteoric waters)
that have percolated to subsurface and magmatic waters (derived from a source
of molten rock deeper into the earth) that have risen to the surface. Precious
metals have been transported in solution as complex ions (generally bi-sulphides
at epithermal levels, chlorinated at deeper levels) and for low sulphidation fluids
metal precipitation occurs when the fluid boils on approaching the surface
(boiling) .

In both types of deposits (BS and AS) the fluids circulate towards the surface
through fractures in the rocks and mineralization often occurs in those conduits
(structurally controlled mineralization), but they can also circulate through levels
of permeable rocks and eventually mineralize certain strata.

2. IMPORTANCE OF THE EPITHERMAL DEPOSITS

Epithermal deposits contribute significantly to world gold production and are

exploration targets that must be carefully evaluated based on the amount of
metal they can provide and at what cost. As we will see later, epithermal
deposits may contain variable amounts of different metals (mainly Cu, Pb, Zn,
Bi, Ag, etc.), although the most important are those of precious metals (Au
mostly and Ag). In fact, epithermal deposits contribute almost a quarter of the
gold produced worldwide.

pág. 1
3. LOCATION AND RELATIONSHIP WITH VULCANISM.

Most of the epithermal deposits known today are located around the Circum-
Pacific margin, associated with the late thermalism of the volcanic systems
operating in this margin from the Tertiary (White et al., 1995).

In its entirety, epithermal deposits are directly associated with active subduction
margins in different geological epochs.

The heat necessary for the convective circulation of fluids derives both from
subvolcanic bodies cooling to depths relatively close to the surface (<2.5 to 3.0
km), as well as plutons located at significant depths (> 5 km).

The epithermal deposits present a general enrichment, in relation to the

compositions of the basalts, in elements such as Ag, As, Au, B, Hg, S, Sb, Se,
Te, Tl and U (Bornhorst et al., 1995), up to more than five orders of magnitude.
It should be noted that this enrichment occurs independently of the nature of the
embedding rocks, whose abundance in these elements is usually always very
low. Therefore, these elements can be useful in geochemical prospecting.

pág. 2
4. CLASSIFICATION OF EPITHERMAL DEPOSITS

The term "high sulphidation" was coined to denominate oxidized and acidic
fluids (sulfur in oxidation state +6 or +4, in the form of SO42- or SO2), typical
of acid thermal sources or close to volcanoes. The term "low sulphuration" was
used to refer to reduced fluids of approximately neutral pH, where sulfur occurs
in its oxidation state -2, as in geothermal systems distant from the main heat
source.

a) EPITHERMAL HIGH SULFURATION DEPOSIT

High sulfidation (AS) fluids are derived mainly from a magmatic source and
deposit precious metals near the surface when the fluid is cooled or diluted by
mixing with meteoric waters. Precious metals in solution derive directly from
magma or can be leached from host volcanic rocks as fluids circulate through
them.
The "high sulphidation" fluids, which are more oxidized and acidic.

CHARACTERISTICS

 Saline fluid (4-21% NaCl eq.)

 Magmatic waters interacting with meteors.
 pH of the acidic fluid (1.7 - 2)
 Intense hydrolytic alteration from oquerous silica  alunite caolin 
illite montmorillonite  propilitic
 High% pyrite, enargite, luzonite, tenantite-tetrahedrite, covelin.
 Gold of high fineness (poor in Ag)

pág. 3
  Matrix of gaps in altered competent rocks and veins

GEOMETRY OF HIGH SULFURATION PLACES

Textures of high sulphidation reservoirs

 Massive Quartz
 Oquerous Quartz
 Massive Veins
 Powerful vanished streaks

b) LOW SULFURATION DEPOSIT

The epithermal deposits of low sulphuration are developed in a geothermal

environment, dominated by chlorinated waters where there is a strong flow of
water circulation at depth (mainly of meteoric origin), containing CO2, NaCl
and H2S.

They occur mostly in areas of active volcanism associated with subduction

zones.

CHARACTERISTICS

The epithermal deposits are those in which the mineralization occurred within 1
to 2 km of depth from the earth's surface and was deposited from hot
hydrothermal fluids.

pág. 4
 Those of "low sulphuration" are reduced and have a pH close to neutral (as
measured by concentration of hydrogen ions).

GEOMETRY OF LOW SULFURATION DEPOSITS

Calcoalcaline to alkaline volcanic arcs (rare toleitic)

*Calco alkaline volcanic arches

*Subareo Environments
*Mainly intermediate to distal volcanic environment
*In volcanic rocks or basement

Textures of low sulphation reservoirs

* banded veins
* drusas
* crustification
* tabular calcite (lattice texture)
* breached veins

5. CONCLUSIONS

Epithermal mineralization of precious metals can be formed from two

chemically distinct types of fluids. Those of "low sulfuration" are reduced and
have a pH close to neutral (the measurement of concentration of hydrogen ions)
and the fluids of "high sulphuration", which are more oxidized and acidic.

High sulphidation (AS) deposits are derived mainly from a magmatic source and
deposit precious metals near the surface when the fluid is cooled or diluted by
mixing with meteoric waters.

Low sulphidation deposits occur mainly in areas of active volcanism associated

with subduction zones.

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

-http://www.ugr.es/~minechil/apartado05.htm

-http://myslide.es/documents/epitarmes-de-baja-media-y-alta-
sulfuracion.html

pág. 5