Distribution and Localization of Gold in Meguma Group Rocks, Nova Scotia: Implications of Metal Distribution Patterns in Quartz Veins and Host Rocks on Mineralization Processes at Harrigan Cove, Halifax County

Authors

  • J. H. Crocket Department of Geology Mc Master University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S4M1
  • F. Fueten Department of Geology Mc Master University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S4M1
  • P. M. Clifford Department of Geology Mc Master University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S4M1
  • A. Kabir Department of Geology Mc Master University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S4M1

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4138/1595

Abstract

The contents of Au, As, Sb and W in metagreywacke, slate and quartz veins from Harrigan Cove, Halifax County, N.S. were determined by neutron activation analysis. The gold-bearing veins in the Goldenville Formation, the lower sandy flysch member of the Cambro-Lower Ordovician Meguma Group of eastern Nova Scotia. The Harrigan Cove metagreywacke and slate are strongly enriched in arsenic (as arsenopyrite) and weakly enhanced in gold relative to similar lithologies in barren Meguma terranes. Creywacke is the main sink for arsenic while gold occurs in highest concentration in greywacke and slate, but not in the quartz veins- Anomalous gold values occur with the same frequency in greywacke, slate and quartz veins, but anomalous quartz vein samples are much richer in gold than anomalous host rock samples. It is suggested that the metal distributions support a polygenetic origin for the mineralization, whereby early arsenic- and sulphur-bearing fluids introduce arsenopyrite and sulphides, mainly into greywacke. Gold is concentrated by these minerals and later mobilized along with large quantities of silica early in the history of deformation through pressure solution processes which generate a spaced cleavage. These silicic fluids and their metals are then injected by hydraulic fracture, mainly into slate, to form the gold-bearing bedding-parallel quartz veins. RÉSUMÉ La teneur de Au, As, Sb et W dans les metagrauwack.es, l'ardoise, et les veines de quartz de Harrington Cove, conte de Halifax, N.E., a été déterminée par analyse d'activation oe neutrons. Les veines de quartz ici contenant de l’or, eont typiques dee veines de quartz de genre turoidite de la formation de Goldenville, le membre inférieur sabloneu de flysch du Groupe Meguma Cambro-Bas Ordovicien de l'est de la Nouvelle Écosse. Le méta-grauwacke et l'ardoise de Harrigan Cove sont fortement enrichis d'arsenic, (en temps qu'arsenopyrite), et sont faiblement relevés en teneur d'or par rapport aux lithologies comparable des terrains stérile Meguma. Le grauwacke est l'entonoir principal pour l'arsenic, alors que l'or se trouve en concentration plus élevé dans les veines de quartz. L'or et l'arsenic sont en corrélation dans le grauwacke et l'ardoise, mais pas dans les veines de quartz. Des valeurs d'or anormales se trouvent avec la me me fréquence dans le grauwacke, l'ardoise et les veines de quartz, mais les échantillons de quartz sont nettement plus riches en or que les échantillons des roches-hôtes. Il a été suggére que la distribution de netaux aoutient l'idéee d'une origine polygénétique pour la minéralisation, tandis que les premiers fluides contenant de l'arsenic et du aouffre introduisent de l'arsenopyrite et des sulfides, surtout dans le grauwacke. L'or est concentré par ces minéraux et est plus tard mobilise avec de grandes quantities de silice, tôt dans l'histoire de la déformation, par des processus de solutions de pression, qui engendrent un clivage espacé. Ces fluioes silicieux et leurs métaux sont alors injectés, au noyen de fractures hydrauliques, surtout dans l'ardoise, pour former les veines de quartz contenat de l'or, au litage paralèlle. [Traduit par le journal]

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Published

1986-04-01

How to Cite

Crocket, J. H., Fueten, F., Clifford, P. M., & Kabir, A. (1986). Distribution and Localization of Gold in Meguma Group Rocks, Nova Scotia: Implications of Metal Distribution Patterns in Quartz Veins and Host Rocks on Mineralization Processes at Harrigan Cove, Halifax County. Atlantic Geoscience, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.4138/1595

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 1 (1986)

Section

Articles

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