Abstract
In the West Shasta district, California, flat-lying deposits of massive pyrite containing chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, and tetrahedrite occur within a section of unmineralized rhyolites and tuffs. Mercury was determined in residual soils derived from apparently unmineralized rocks at stratigraphic levels from 50 to 200 feet over known ore at the Early Bird, Keystone, and Mammoth mines. In each case, pronounced mercury anomalies were found. The mercury content of anomalous soils ranges up to 340 ppb (parts per billion, 10−9 g/g) over a background of 20 to 60 ppb.
Zusammenfassung
Geochemische Untersuchungen im West-Shasta-Distrikt (California/USA) zeigten, daß über den bekannten, aber verborgenen Erzkörpern der Early Bird, der Keystone-und der Mammoth-Mine Quecksilber-Anomalien in Residualböden auftreten. Die flach liegenden, linsenförmigen Erzkörper bestehen aus massivem Pyrit, kleineren Mengen Kupferkies und untergeordnet Bleiglanz, Zinkblende, Fahlerz, Magnetkies und Magnetit. Sie werden von unmineralisierten Rhyolith- und Tuffhorizonten überlagert, die im Bereich der untersuchten Vorkommen etwa 20 bis 70 m mächtig sind. Anomale Bodenproben enthalten bis zu 340 ppb Quecksilber. Die Untergrund-Werte liegen in einem Bereich zwischen 20 und 60 ppb Hg.
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Dr. H. E. Hawkes, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London, S. Kensington, London SW 7, England.
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Friedrich, G.H., Hawkes, H.E. Mercury dispersion halos as ore guides for massive sulfide deposits, West Shasta district, California. Mineral. Deposita 1, 77–88 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00206178
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00206178