Early peoples 'discovered' mineral deposits
on rock exposures..
Gold veins...platinum...(pt)....ect
look INTERESTING..and are cause for inquiry
what IS interesting is..
when such metals occur together naturally
Humans..Learn quite easily how to make Alloys
once the Original ..work..
is accomplished..
the Knowledge..
of how to do it in other places
is passed on....
it was a naturally occurring
geologic deposit... that was
Refined......
Hope Im clear..
T
Geology survey..
Bulgaria
A4 Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria
Abstract:
The Elatsite porphyry copper deposit occurs in an island-arc setting hosted by Late Cretaceous monzonitic-monzodioritic porphyry stocks which were emplaced into Precambrian-Cambrian phyllites. Trace element data of the Late Cretaceous intrusive rocks suggest that they are I-type volcanic arc granitoids. Two main ore mineral assemblages are distinguished: (1) magnetite-bornite-chalcopyrite, and (2) chalcopyrite-pyrite. The first one is linked to potassic-propylitic, and the second to phyllic-argillic alteration. Minor ore minerals are hematite, molybdenite, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, hessite, and solid solutions of linnaeite-siegenite-carrollite, tetrahedrite-tennantite, clausthalite-galena, gold-electrum and merenskyite-moncheite.
" Precious-metal contents are relatively high throughout the deposit but Au, Pd and Pt are concentrated more strongly in the magnetite-bornite-chalcopyrite assemblage. Average grades of Au, Ag, Pd and Pt calculated for the 0.33% Cu ore body are 0.96, 0.19, 0.007 and 0.002 g/t respectively. Analyses of flotation concentrates revealed 25.6% Cu, and Ag, Au, Pd and Pt contents of 33.0, 13.6, 0.72 and 0.15 g/t respectively."
The copper mineralisation at Elatsite took place at pressures of 120 to 300 bar, corresponding to depths of formation of 1 to 3 km under hydrostatic conditions. The precious metals were probably transported jointly as chloride complexes in highly saline magmatic-hydrothermal solutions. The fluids had temperatures of 340 to >700 °C and salinities of 28 to 64% NaCl, and mixed with meteoric water. |
