Loading...
Geology and genesis of the Golddigger property, British Columbia, Canada
Karcher, Randall Kenneth
Karcher, Randall Kenneth
Citations
Altmetric:
Advisor
Editor
Date
Date Issued
2025
Date Submitted
Keywords
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Embargo Expires
Abstract
The Golddigger property is located in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia, Canada. It comprises a series of polymetallic quartz-sulfide veins which cut deformed volcanic and sedimentary rocks as well as younger granitoid dikes. These veins are host to semi-massive to massive pyrrhotite, sphalerite, and galena with lesser pyrite, chalcopyrite, native gold, native silver, bismuth minerals, and silver sulfosalts. Using a combination of field work, petrographic observations, and microanalytical techniques, paragenetic relationships were determined to reconstruct the evolution of the hydrothermal system at the vein scale. It is demonstrated that the initial development of skarn mineral assemblages was followed by early quartz veining. The early quartz shows extensive evidence for recrystallization and was formed at lithostatic conditions. Its fluid inclusion inventory was affected by post-entrapment modification as pressures changed to hydrostatic conditions. Late quartz in the veins was formed as hydrostatic pressures were established. Fluid inclusion analysis demonstrates that primary and secondary inclusions in the late quartz did not experience post-entrapment modification. Vein formation occurred at >5-6 km below the paleosurface from hydrothermal fluids that contained high CO2 concentrations and were of low to intermediate salinities. Native gold and silver formed late in the paragenesis at Golddigger. Eocene ages obtained by U-Pb dating of zircons of igneous rocks, U-Pb dating of garnets which predate mineralization, and Re-Os dating of sulfides suggest that Golddigger may be linked to the Alice Arm intrusive suite, which is known to host porphyry Mo deposits including the Kitsault Mo porphyry. The findings of this study have significant implications to the metallogenic model of the Golden Triangle as a possible link between Eocene deep-seated intrusions, including those hosting porphyry Mo deposits, and polymetallic quartz-sulfide veins has not been previously invoked.
Associated Publications
Rights
Copyright of the original work is retained by the author.