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Ore-microscopic and geochemical characteristics of gold-bearing sulfide minerals, El Sid Gold mine, Eastern Desert, Egypt

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Abstract

Gold deposits at El Sid are confined to hydrothermal quartz veins which contain pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite and galena. These veins occur at the contact between granite and serpentinite and extend into the serpentinite through a thick zone of graphite schist. Gold occurs in the mineralized zone either as free gold in quartz gangue or dissolved in the sulfide minerals. Ore-microscopic study revealed that Au-bearing sulfides were deposited in two successive stages with early pyrite and arsenopyrite followed by sphalerite and galena. Gold was deposited during both stages, largely intergrown with sphalerite and filling microfractures in pyrite and arsenopyrite.

Spectrochemical analyses of separated pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite and galena showed that these sulfides have similar average Au contents. Pyrite is relatively depleted in Ag and Te. This suggests that native gold was deposited in the early stage of mineralization. Arsenopyrite and galena show relatively high concentrations of Te. They are also respectively rich in Au and Ag. Tellurides are, thus, expected to be deposited together with arsenopyrite and galena.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geol. Dept., Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Egypt

    A. M. El-Bouseily, M. A. El-Dahhar & A. I. Arslan

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  1. A. M. El-Bouseily
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  2. M. A. El-Dahhar
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  3. A. I. Arslan
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El-Bouseily, A.M., El-Dahhar, M.A. & Arslan, A.I. Ore-microscopic and geochemical characteristics of gold-bearing sulfide minerals, El Sid Gold mine, Eastern Desert, Egypt. Mineral. Deposita 20, 194–200 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00204565

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