Resume Geochemistry and Origin of Epithermal Gold Deposits In the Cikotok ore Group of Bayah Area D.

Sukarna, S Andi Mangga Geological Research and Development Centre

This paper is a result of experiment and researching of geochemistry and origin epithermal gold deposite, how the possible of source and the mechanism for the mineralization, and the study take place at Bayah area known as Cikotok Ore Group (COG). COG is highly silver content mineralization type, containing polymetallic associations of pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrargyrite, argentite, polybasite, electrum and visible gold, the mineralizations are concentrate within the kaolinite-quartz- sericite and within the quartz-sericite alteration zones. And it founds from study of geochemistry, isotope, and fluid inclusions that the alteration rocks (hypogene) is classified into : Chlorite-epidote-carbonate (Propylitic), kaolinequartz-sericite (advance argilic) and quartz-sericite (sericitic), and these alteration can be traced from centre of the ore deposits to the margin of mineralization. The two phases of mineralizations in the COG is a phase of high base metal concentration and a phase with an increase of precious metals. Geochemical variations indicate that gold, silver and base metals from zone patterns, but without a systematic correlation of these elements. The geochemical variation suggest that gold and base metals were transported from similar fluids, the fluid inclusions indicate that fissure vein have homogenization temperature up to 320oC, salinities less than 1 to 7,9%, this high range of salinities and homogenization of COG give a think that mixing between meteoric ground and small amount of saline magmatic fluid and mix with magmatic gas occurred in COG.

Data of Pb-Isotopes data show that the altered rocks have a higher Pb-Isotopes value than fresh host rocks, and its indicated there a interaction host rock with high Pb-isotopes values, and its comes from pelagic sediments underlying host rock. From this mixing indicated that the source for gold and metal were the volcanic host rock and pelagic sediments, and contamination with magmatic ore bearing gas and fluid, fluid move upward, passed the tention-fracture zone and were related with an open boiling process. And this boiling process is the main process of transportation and precipitation of the gold and metal bearing fluids, the boiling increase the pH of the solution due the escape of CO2 and H2S. Base metal were deposited at the beginning of the PH increase of the solution with a high sulphur fugacity at a depth near to the boiling zone . Gold, electrum and silver precipitation occurred in conditions with an increase of the pH nearly neutral, more oxygen fugacity, loss of sulfide in the gas phase, lower pressure and shallow depth.