Characteristics of heavy mineral assemblages in gold deposits: Implications for ore prospecting

Assemblages of natural heavy minerals from 185 gold deposits in China were analyzed, and the results show that the assemblages of natural heavy minerals display relatively close relationships with the genetic types of gold deposits. Various mineral assemblages of native gold, pyrite, galena, chalcopyrite, cerusite and cinnabar can be used as indicators for ore-prospecting. Typomorphic mineral assemblages are varied in different genetic types of gold deposits and different regions in China. The typical heavy minerals in the porphyry gold deposit exhibit native gold + pyrite + galena + sphalerite + barite + cerusite + rutil assemblage, whereas native gold + pyrite + galena + stibnite + arsenopyrite +realgar/orpiment constitute the typical heavy mineral assemblage in Carlin gold deposits. Nevertheless, the heavy minerals in orogenic + skarn + hydrothermal + altered rock gold deposits are simple and characterized by the native gold + pyrite + galena + cinnabar assemblage. Natural heavy mineral assemblages in gold deposits of different areas of China are varied. Sphalerite is the characteristic mineral in gold deposits of southern China, cinnabar and scheelite are characteristic minerals in gold deposits of northern China, and barite and cerusite are characteristic minerals in western China. It is considered that natural heavy mineral assemblages play an important role in the prospecting for gold deposits and the formulation of natural placer prospecting models for different genetic types of gold deposits in various parts of China.