VEIN-TYPE DEPOSITS

by TOM SCHROETER, Senior Geologist, Ministry of Energy and Mines

http://www.chamberofmines.bc.ca/prospecting_school/dp_vein2.h tm

Definitions

A vein-type deposit is a fairly well defined zone of mineralization, usually inclined and discordant, which is typically narrow compared to its length and depth. Most vein deposits occur in fault or fissure openings or in shear zones within country rock. A vein deposit is sometimes referred to as a (metalliferous) lode deposit. A great many valuable ore minerals, such as native gold or silver or metal sulphides, are deposited along with gangue minerals, mainly quartz and/or calcite, in a vein structure. A vein system is a group of discrete veins characteristics and usually related to the same structure. Mode of Formation As hot (hydrothermal) fluids rise towards the surface from cooling metals in small amounts) through fractures, faults, brecciated rocks, porous layers and other channels (i.e. like a plumbing system), intrusive rocks (magma charged with water, various acids, and with similar

they cool or react chemically with the country rock. Some form ore

deposits if the fluids are directed through a structure where the temperature, pressure and other chemical conditions are favourable react with the rocks they are passing through to produce an alteration zone with distinctive, new minerals. The presence of intrusive rocks and alteration associated with them provide important guides to prospecting ground for prospectors. Deposits are often controlled by seasoned the physical for the precipitation and deposition of ore minerals. The fluids also

characteristics of the country rocks. For example, in the Bridge River gold camp, good fissure veins occur in igneous rocks whereas they are poorly developed in sedimentary rocks and serpentine. In the Sheep Creek gold camp, large quartz veins exist in quartzite, whereas in argillite the veins are very narrow. The do not tend to hold open spaces Characteristics Vein deposits include most gold mines, many large silver mines and a few copper and lead-zinc mines. Many examples are shown on Fig. 1. such as

igneous rocks and quartzites fracture readily while the "softer" rocks

Veins commonly consist of quartz (sometimes of several varieties interlocking crystals in a variety of sizes or as finely laminated bands parallel to the walls of the vein. Minor amounts of sulphide amethystine or chalcedony) usually occurring as

minerals and other gangue minerals such as calcite and various

clay minerals often occur; gold is rarely visible. Veins range in thickness from a few centimetres to 4 metres, the average mining width being around 1.2 metres (e.g. at Bridge River). They can be several hundreds of metres long and extend to depths in excess of 1,500 metres. Mineralization commonly occurs in shoots within the vein structures. These may be up to 150 metres in strike length, 30 metres in width and greater than 250 metres vertical. Many outcrops of good looking veins are barren of gold or other ore minerals, but rich ore shoots may occur unexposed on surface, are required. These include arsenic, antimony, or mercury which within the vein structure or in adjacent country rocks, producing a "halo". range Grades of gold historically have been in the 13.7 to 17.1 g/tonne with cut-off around 8.6 g/tonne. Many more recently developed deposits have larger tonnages and lower grades and milling methods. Mining requires edits, drifts, shafts and narrow either down dip or along strike. Therefore, geochemical pathfinders may be enriched in the rocks adjacent to the gold ore, either

can be mined economically thanks to more efficient mining and slopes. If a vein system occurs near the surface it may be possible to mine by open pit methods which would greatly reduce mining costs.

Mineral Associations - gold with pyrrhotite, e.g. Scottie Gold - gold with arsenopyrite, e.g. Rossland

- gold with pyrite, e.g. Surf Inlet

- gold with chalcopyrite, e.g. Willa - gold with minor sulphides - classic 'free gold', Bridge River, Toodoggone and Blackdome - silver with galena and galena-sphalerite, e.g. Slocan District arsenic sulphides, e.g. Equity Silver

- silver with tetrahedrite or other copper - antimony or copper- chalcopyrite, e.g. Churchill Copper, Davis Keays Lindgren's Classification (1920-30) Hydrothermal deposits were broadly grouped into three types whose mineralogy and mode of occurrence indicated different conditions of origin: Hypothermal generally at fairly high temperatures depths (300-500 C) km)

and

porphyry copper type deposits. (Not discussed further here). Mesothermal pressures, (approximately 1-5 km depth). three types grade into one another. moderate temperatures (200-300 C)

considerable

(several

including and

Epithermal - comparatively low temperatures (50-200 C). The

Mesothermal Characteristics sulphides include chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, tetrahedrite, bornite and chalcocite. includes gangue quartz, carbonates (calcite, siderite,

rhodochrosite) and pyrite.

 most show abundant replacement phenomena.

some associated with ultramefic rocks including listwanites ribbon structures parallel to vein walls. (fuchsite or mariposite (green mica) bearing altered varieties).

includes 'porphyry' copper type deposits.

extensive alteration zones with varying amounts of sericite, quartz, calcite, doIomite, pyrite, orthoclase, chlorite and clay minerals. closely related to igneous rocks, both spatially and genetically.

Classic 'examples' include: Motherlode District, California; Coeur d'Alene District, Idaho; Cassiar District, B.C. and Archean lode gold deposits in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. Epithermal Characteristics deposited normally within 1,000 m (3,000 ft.) of surface; average 350 metres. or breccia pipes. form as vein fillings, irregular branching fissures, stockworks open space fillings are common and include vugs, drusy banding (generally conspicuous). fluids.

cavities, cockscomb textures, crustifications, and symmetrical

colIoidal eextures are characteristic implying free circulation of repeated cycles of mineralization are evident, including

in older rocks, these deposits have usually been removed by

rebrecciation and multistage banding.

 majority of deposits are Tertiary in age (esp. SW USA), however, some are much older, e.g. Toodoggone deposits are early Jurassic (approximately 180 Ma). wallrock alteration is typically widespread and conspicuous, and calcite.

erosion unless preserved by down faulting, etc.

esp. chlorite, sericite, alunite, zeolites, adularia, silica, pyrite

Ore mineralogy includes: sulfantimonides and sulfarsenides (polybasite, stephanite, pearceite, pyrargyrite, proustite and hessite), stibnite, argentite (acanthite), cinnabar, others), gold and silver tellurides (sylvanite, calaverite and mercury, electrum, native gold, native silver, selenides and Gangue mineralogy includes quartz, amethyst, chalcedony, striking analogies to modern hot springs. Often so diluted with striking analogies to modern hot springs. Often so diluted with ground water that mineral content is quite low (typical sinters); Steamboat Springs, Nevada. however, some do contain sulphides and free gold, e.g. deposits are formed in extensional tectonic settings with local veins are never uniformly mineralized along strike. generally vertical zoning is common (see Fig. 1). less than 20% of the total vein is mineralized. normal faulting large scale volcanic collapse structures. ground water that mineral content is quite low (typical adularia, calcite, rhodochrosite, barite, fluorite and hematite. minor galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite. native

 andesites are more common country rocks.

economically, deposits are attractive because they have a high unit value of precious metals (esp. 'bonanza' types) with generally low or no base metals. Commonly reserves include tonnages less than 1 million tonnes but with good grades (>17 g/tonne gold). They have a relatively short but productive mine life, providing a quick payback and high rates of return on modest amounts of invested capital. Classic examples include: Creede, Colorado; Toodoggone Camp, B.C.; Blackdome, B.C.; Premier, B.C.; Comstock Lode, Nevada and Pachuca, Mexico. Alteration of Vein Minerals Sulphide minerals oxidize readily to sulphates, many of which are soluble in water. The result is that weathered outcrops contain no removed in solution and redeposited at greater depths. If the zone of groundwater is is reached key a phenomenon called enrichment may occur. Silicification the sulphide, i.e. a gossan whereby the metalliferous material has been secondary internal

alteration

associated

with

mineralization flanked on one or both sides by argillic (clay calcite, epidote, pyrite) alteration. Other Vein Deposits asbestos, e.g. Cassiar Asbestos

minerals) alteration and an outer extensive propyllitic (chlorite,

 'saddle' veins - on crests' of anticlines and domes, e.g. Sheep Creek calcite veins - important sources of silver at Cobalt, Ontario Pioneer system and Yellowknife, N.W.T. Exploration Guides 1. A suitable fracture or plumbing system must be identified, i.e. 2. A zone of high silica + clays + pyrite may indicate a vein 3. Trace system at depth, i.e. represents a good; drill target. element geochemistry provides pathfinders to tectonic terrane.

shear zone veins - often long, linear belts such as Bralorne-

mineralization, esp. arsenic, antimony, mercury, thallium and selenium. 4. Detailed mapping of alteration both on the hanging-wall and footwall to indicate possible direction to mineralization. the field and in the laboratory (assay, X-ray, etc.). 5. Basic indentification of 'ore' and gangue mineralogy both in

References Barr, D.A., 1-980, Gold in the Canadian Cordillera: Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Bulletin v. 73, n. 818, p. 59-76.

Berger, B.R., 1982, The geological attributes of Au-Ag-base metal epithermal -Characteristics deposits, of mineral 1n Erickson, deposit occurrences: R.L., compiler, U.S.

Berger, B.R., and Eimon, P.I., 1982, Comparative models of Buchanan, L.J., 1981, Precious metal deposits associated with Dickinson, W.R. and Payne, W.D., editors, Relations to tectonics of ore deposits in the southern Cordillera: Arizona Geol. Soc. Digest, v. XIV, p. 237-262. Colvine, A.C. et al, 1984, An integrated model for the origin of File Rep. 5524, p. 98. volcanic environments in the southwest, epithermal gold-silver deposits: AIME Preprint 82-13, p. 25.

Geological Survey, Open-File Rep. 82-795, p. 119-126.

Archean lode gold deposits: Ontario Geological Survey, Open

Ney, C.S., 1975, Mining and Prospecting Notes in Prospecting and Mining School, Notes for Prospectors, B.C. and Yukon Chamber of Mines, p. 31. gold-silver deposits, in Panteleyev, A., 1986, A Canadian Cordilleran model for epithermal Geoscience Canada: Association of Canada, in press.

Geological

Schroeter, T.G. and Panteleyev, A., 1985, Lode gold-silver deposits of the Northern Cordillera: Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Spec. Vol., in press.