Metamorphic Rock-Hosted Orogenic Gold Deposit Type as a Source of Langkowala Placer Gold, Bombana, Southeast Sulawesi

DOI: 10.17014/ijog.v6i1.114In 2008, placer gold was discovered in Langkowala area (Bombana Regency), Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, and more than 60,000 traditional gold miners in the early 2009 have been operating by digging vertical pits and panning active stream sediments. The grade of placer gold ranges from 50 to 140 g/t. Local geological framework indicates that the placer gold is not related to volcanic rock-related hydrothermal gold deposit, e.g. epithermal, skarn or porphyry. This paper describes a preliminary study on possible primary deposit type as a source of the Langkowala (Bombana) secondary placer gold. A field study indicates that the Langkowala (Bombana) placer/paleoplacer gold is possibly related to gold-bearing quartz veins/veinlets hosted by metamorphic rocks particularly mica schist and metasediments in the area. These quartz veins/veinlets are currently recognized in metamorphic rocks at Wumbubangka Mountains, a northern flank of Rumbia Mountain Range. Sheared, segmented quartz veins/veinlets are of 2 cm to 2 m in width and contain gold in a grade varying between 2 and 61 g/t. At least, there are two generations of the quartz veins. The first generation of quartz vein is parallel to foliation of mica schist and metasediments with general orientation of N 300oE/60o; the second quartz vein generation crosscut the first quartz vein and the foliation of the wallrock. The first quartz veins are mostly sheared/deformed, brecciated, and occasionally sigmoidal, whereas the second quartz veins are relatively massive. The similar quartz veins/veinlets types are also probably present in Mendoke Mountain Range, in the northern side of Langkowala area. This primary gold deposit is called as ‘orogenic gold type\u27. The orogenic gold deposit could be a new target of gold exploration in Indonesia in the future

Some Key Features and Possible Origin of the Metamorphic Rock-Hosted Gold Mineralization in Buru Island, Indonesia

DOI: 10.17014/ijog.v1i1.172This paper discusses characteristics of some key features of the primary Buru gold deposit as a tool for a better understanding of the deposit genesis. Currently, about 105,000 artisanal and small-scale gold miners (ASGM) are operating in two main localities, i.e. Gogorea and Gunung Botak by digging pits/shafts following gold-bearing quartz vein orientation. The gold extraction uses mercury (amalgamation) and cyanide processing. The field study identifies two types/generations of quartz veins namely (1) Early quartz veins which are segmented, sigmoidal, dis­continous, and parallel to the foliation of host rock. The quartz vein is lack of sulfides, weak mineralized, crystalline, relatively clear, and maybe poor in gold, and (2) Quartz veins occurred within a ‘mineralized zone\u27 of about 100 m in width and ~1,000 m in length. The gold mineralization is strongly overprinted by an argillic alteration zone. The mineralization-alteration zone is probably parallel to the mica schist foliation and strongly controlled by N-S or NE-SW-trending structures. The gold-bearing quartz veins are characterized by banded texture particularly colloform following host rock foliation and sulphide banding, brecciated, and rare bladed-like texture. The alteration types consist of propylitic (chlorite, calcite, sericite), argillic, and carbonation represented by graphite banding and carbon flakes. The ore mineralization is characterized by pyrite, native gold, pyrrhotite, and arsenopyrite. Cinnabar, stibnite, chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite are rare or maybe absent. In general, sulphide minerals are rare (<3%). Fifteen rock samples were collected in Wamsaid area for geochemical assaying for Au, Ag, As, Sb, Hg, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Eleven of fifteen samples yielded more than 1.00 g/t Au, in which six of them are in excess of 3.00 g/t Au. It can be noted that all high-grade samples are originally or containing limonitic materials, that suggest the role of supergene enrichment. Interestingly, most of the high-grade samples contain also high grade As (up to 991ppm), Sb (up to 885 ppm), and Hg (up to 75 ppm). Fluid inclusions in both quartz vein types consist of four phases including L-rich, V-rich, L-V-rich, and L1-L2-V (CO2)-rich phases. Mineralizing hydrothermal fluid is typified by CO2-rich fluid, moderate temperature of 300 - 400 ºC and a typical low salinity (0.36 to 0.54 wt.% NaCl eq). Based on those key features, gold mineraliza­tion in Buru Island meets the characteristics of LS epithermal or orogenic gold deposit types; however, it tends to be fitter with orogenic gold deposit rather than another type

Eksplorasi Geokimia untuk Menentukan Daerah Prospek Mineralisasi Emas Tipe Urat Epitermal: Studi Kasus di Daerah Tompaso, Kabupaten Minahasa Selatan, Sulawesi Utara

Sulawesi Utara termasuk daerah Tompaso, Kabupaten Minahasa Selatan merupakan jalur magmatik yang potensial menghasilkan endapan bijih hidrotermal. Penelitian ini bertujuan menentukan daerah prospek mineralisasi emas khususnya tipe urat epitermal berdasarkan eksplorasi geokimia meliputi geokimia batuan dan sedimen sungai, khususnya metode BLEG (Bulk Leach Extractable Gold). Metode penelitian meliputi pemetaan geologi, alterasi dan jalur urat, percontoan (bijih/batuan dan sedimen sungai), dan analisis geokimia. Sampel bijih dianalisis dengan metode FA/AAS untuk emas dan metode AAS untuk unsur lain, sedangkan analisis sampel sedimen sungai dilakukan dengan metode cyanide leach dan AAS. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan batuan induk mineralisasi berupa lava andesit dan intrusi diorit. Batuan ini mengalami alterasi silica-clay, argilik, dan propilitik. Perpaduan antara pemetaan geologi, zona alterasi, dan jalur urat dengan eksplorasigeokimia batuan dapat menentukan daerah prospek mineralisasi yaitu Prospek Asam dan Polangkok. Pada Prospek Asam, sampel bijih memiliki kandungan emas sampai 0,03 ppm dengan anomali emas pada sampel BLEG menunjukkan nilai threshold 13,52 ppb Au. Pada Prospek Polangkok ditemukan 2 jalur urat (P1 dan P2) berarah baratlaut-tenggara dengan lebar sampai 5 m. Urat P1 memiliki kadar Au mencapai 0,31 ppm dan pada urat P2 mencapai 0,16 ppm Au. Mineralisasi pada Prospek Polangkok didukung oleh anomali Ag pada sampel BLEG dengan nilai threshold 67,18 ppb. Kedua daerah prospek tersebut direkomendasikan untuk eksplorasi lanjut (follow-up exploration)