Hydrothermal reconstruction and lithogeochemistry of the Argyle orogenic gold deposit, Baie Verte, Newfoundland

Pawlukiewicz, Maciej (2019) Hydrothermal reconstruction and lithogeochemistry of the Argyle orogenic gold deposit, Baie Verte, Newfoundland. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The Argyle orogenic gold deposit (543,000 t @2.19 g/t Au indicated, and 517,000 t @1.82 g/t Au inferred resources) is located within Lower Ordovician Snooks Arm Group, Baie Verte Peninsula, Newfoundland. Gold mineralization is hosted as inclusions in secondary pyrite and at pyrite crystal boundaries in a ~50 m thick E-W striking, gently N-dipping tholeiitic gabbro sill. The short distance (200-300 m) from the Scrape thrust, rheological contrast within the heterogenous gabbro and a high content of coarse, reactive ilmenomagnetite were critical to the localization of gold mineralization. Two hydrothermal alteration events affected the gabbro: 1) early, pre-mineralization epidote-albite alteration; and 2) later, mineralization-related sericite-quartz-ankerite-(albite-chlorite-rutile-pyrite-gold) alteration. Within the mineralization-related alteration there are three assemblages: 1) distal chlorite-calcite-rutile ± epidote-albite (30-70 m); 2) intermediate chlorite-epidote-albite-calcite ± ankerite-rutile-hematite-sericite-pyrite (5-30 m); and 3) proximal sericite-quartz-ankerite ± albite-chlorite-rutile-sooty pyrite-gold (2-25 m). Lithogeochemistry, mineral chemistry and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopy were used to identify mineralogical, geochemical and spectral vectors to alteration and mineralization, which may aid in future mineral exploration.

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