THE SOYUZNOE GOLD-SILVER DEPOSIT IN THE PRIMOR'E REGION AND ITS POTENTIAL (RUSSIA)

Abstract

The geological position, structural control, mineral composition, and textural zonation of ores of the Soyuznoe gold-silver deposit are considered. The deposit is the youngest of the Eocene age (48 Ma). It is controlled by metallogenic zones, transverse to folding, which formed due to structural rearrangement of the region in the Eocene. Younger metallogenic zones of the region extend northeastward. Transverse metallogenic zones are controlled by grabens which contain superimposed Eocene-Oligocene coal-bearing basins. Ore bodies of the Soyuznoe deposit occur in Eocene acid volcanics of the Bogopol suite, which are localized in a graben. Traces of old mining operations were found shortly north of the ore field that extends the area of the deposit and its prospects. The deposits are polychronous, were formed during seven mineralization stages, and accompanied by argillized metasomatites and alunitization indicating a small erosion level. Ore bodies are characterized by textural zonation, rich zones localizing in areas which are transitional from one textural zone to another. The mineral scheelite and molybdoscheelite assemblage is established in ores, which is allogenic for this type of ores. It is regarded as a xenolith of a deep-level mineralization. Main potential resources of the ore area are supposed to be in the terrigenous sequence below the cover of volcamcs by analogy with the Hishikari deposit of Japan.