Abstract
The Shasta gold-silver deposit, British Columbia, Canada, is an adularia-sericite-type epithermal deposit in which deposition of precious metals coincided with the transition of quartz- to calcite-dominant gangue. Mineralization is associated with stockwork-breccia zones in potassically altered dacitic lapilli tuffs and flows, and consists of pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, acanthite, electrum and native silver. Pre- and post-ore veins consist solely of quartz and calcite, respectively. Fluid inclusion microthermometry indicates that ore minerals were deposited between 280 ° and 225 °C, from a relatively dilute hydrothermal fluid (˜1.5 wt.% NaCl equivalent). Abundant vapor-rich inclusions in ore-stage calcite are consistent with boiling. Oxygen and hydrogen isotopic data (δ18Ofluid = −1.5 to −4.1‰; δDfluid = −148 to −171‰) suggest that the fluid had a meteoric origin, but was 18O-enriched by interaction with volcanic wallrocks. Initial (˜280 °C) fluid pH and log f O2 conditions are estimated at 5.3 to 6.0, and −32.5 to −33 bar, respectively; during ore deposition, the fluid became more alkaline and oxidizing. Ore deposition at Shasta is attributed to localization of meteoric hydrothermal fluids by extensional faults; mineralization was controlled by boiling in response to hydraulic brecciation. Calcite and base metal sulfides precipitated due to the increase in pH that accompanied boiling, and the associated decrease in H2S concentration led to precipitation of gold and silver.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 23 February 1995 / Accepted: 16 April 1996
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thiersch, P., Williams-Jones, A. & Clark, J. Epithermal mineralization and ore controls of the Shasta Au-Ag deposit, Toodoggone District, British Columbia, Canada. Mineralium Deposita 32, 44–57 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001260050071
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s001260050071