Mineral inclusions within native gold are features of lode gold occurrences that are preserved in detrital particles. Inclusion assemblages in populations of gold particles in placers from specific localities are revealed through inspection of polished sections, and assimilation of robust data sets permits reconstruction of the lode source mineralogy. Inclusion assemblages differ considerably according to the source deposit type, and various approaches have been employed to graphically represent inclusion mineralogy. We present a simple method for depicting and comparing inclusion assemblages using a single standardized radar diagram template that illustrates the proportions of 11 metal and five nonmetal (and metalloid) elements in each inclusion assemblage.The Canadian Cordillera hosts many different gold-bearing deposit types and is an ideal terrane in which to develop a globally applicable methodology. Although placer gold is widespread, the location and nature of source mineralization is commonly unclear. This study is based on the inclusion suites recorded in 37 sample sets of gold particles from both placer and lode localities. Radar diagrams describing inclusion assemblages show clear generic differences according to deposit type. Diagnostic signatures have been established and act as templates against which samples of unknown origin may be compared. This approach permits differentiation between populations of gold particles formed in different magmatic systems (low-sulfidation epithermal, calc-alkalic porphyry, and alkalic porphyry), which may all be distinguished from gold formed in orogenic (amagmatic) mineralization. Metallic element signatures are most useful in differentiating gold from different magmatic hydrothermal systems, whereas nonmetallic elements allow for classification of orogenic gold subtypes.Comparisons of mineral inclusion signatures from gold in the Canadian Cordillera to samples from similar geologic settings worldwide suggest that this approach to gold fingerprinting is globally applicable. Therefore, the geochemical signatures of inclusion assemblages provide a robust indication of deposit type and may be applied in exploration to illuminate regional metallogeny in areas where relationships between placer deposits and their source(s) may be unclear.

中文翻译：

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利用金颗粒中的矿物包裹体组合表征矿床类型的新方法

原生金中的矿物包裹体是矿脉金矿的特征，保存在碎屑颗粒中。通过对抛光剖面的检查揭示了来自特定地点的砂矿中金颗粒群中的夹杂物组合，并且对可靠数据集的同化允许重建矿脉源矿物学。包裹体组合因源矿床类型而有很大差异，并且已采用各种方法以图形方式表示包裹体矿物学。我们提出了一种使用单个标准化雷达图模板来描述和比较夹杂物组合的简单方法，该模板说明了每个夹杂物组合中 11 种金属和 5 种非金属（和准金属）元素的比例。加拿大山脉拥有许多不同的含金矿床类型，是开发全球适用方法的理想地体。尽管砂金分布广泛，但源矿化的位置和性质通常不清楚。这项研究基于来自砂矿和矿脉地区的 37 组金颗粒样本中记录的夹杂物套件。描述夹杂物组合的雷达图显示了根据矿床类型的明显一般差异。已经建立了诊断特征并充当模板，与未知来源的样本进行比较。这种方法可以区分不同岩浆系统（低硫化超热液、钙碱性斑岩和碱性斑岩）中形成的金颗粒群，这可能都与造山（岩浆）矿化中形成的金区分开来。金属元素特征在区分金与不同的岩浆热液系统中最有用，而非金属元素则允许对造山带金亚型进行分类。加拿大山脉金矿包裹体特征与全球类似地质环境样品的比较表明，这种对金的方法指纹识别是全球适用的。因此，包裹体组合的地球化学特征为矿床类型提供了强有力的指示，并可用于勘探以阐明砂矿矿床及其来源之间的关系可能不清楚的地区的区域成矿。金属元素特征在区分金与不同的岩浆热液系统中最有用，而非金属元素则允许对造山带金亚型进行分类。加拿大山脉金矿包裹体特征与全球类似地质环境样品的比较表明，这种对金的方法指纹识别是全球适用的。因此，包裹体组合的地球化学特征为矿床类型提供了强有力的指示，并可用于勘探以阐明砂矿矿床及其来源之间的关系可能不清楚的地区的区域成矿。金属元素特征在区分金与不同的岩浆热液系统中最有用，而非金属元素则允许对造山带金亚型进行分类。加拿大山脉金矿包裹体特征与全球类似地质环境样品的比较表明，这种对金的方法指纹识别是全球适用的。因此，包裹体组合的地球化学特征为矿床类型提供了强有力的指示，并可用于勘探以阐明砂矿矿床及其来源之间的关系可能不清楚的地区的区域成矿。将加拿大科迪勒拉地区黄金的矿物包裹体特征与全球类似地质环境的样本进行比较表明，这种黄金指纹识别方法是全球适用的。因此，包裹体组合的地球化学特征为矿床类型提供了强有力的指示，并可用于勘探以阐明砂矿矿床及其来源之间的关系可能不清楚的地区的区域成矿。将加拿大科迪勒拉地区黄金的矿物包裹体特征与全球类似地质环境的样本进行比较表明，这种黄金指纹识别方法是全球适用的。因此，包裹体组合的地球化学特征为矿床类型提供了强有力的指示，并可用于勘探以阐明砂矿矿床及其来源之间的关系可能不清楚的地区的区域成矿。