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Porphyry-epithermal Cu-Mo-Au–Ag mineralization in the Nakhodka ore field, Baimka Trend, Chukotka, Russia: a geological, mineralogical, and geochemical perspective

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Abstract

The Nakhodka ore field (NOF) is situated in the Baimka Trend, Chukotka, Russia, and comprises the Vesenny epithermal Au–Ag, and Malysh, Nakhodka, Vesenny III, and Pryamoy porphyry Cu-Au ± Mo deposits. Porphyry and epithermal mineralization of the NOF are hosted by Early Cretaceous diorite and monzonite intrusions, which are dated at 139–141 Ma (U–Pb zircon). The NOF mineralization is structurally controlled. The prevailing stress field during the evolution in the Baimka dextral shear zone (also known as Baimka Trend) has led to the formation of extensional and strike-slip structures that control distinct zones with strong quartz-sericite alteration and sheeted high-grade quartz–sulfide veining; characteristics that are similar to the world-class Peschanka porphyry Cu-Au deposit located about 20 km to the NW of the NOF. Four types of hydrothermal alteration are documented in the NOF: (1) potassic, (2) propylitic, (3) quartz-sericite, and more rarely (4) argillic. Two phases of porphyry-style mineralization are distinguished: (1) early-stage quartz-magnetite veining associated with potassic alteration and (2) sheeted quartz-sulfide (bornite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, pyrite) veining that is spatially associated with a strong quartz-sericite alteration assemblage. Epithermal Au–Ag mineralization belongs to the intermediate-sulfidation type and consists of gold-bearing polymetallic quartz-dolomite ± rhodochrosite veins and veinlets. The NOF is defined by a distinct geochemical zonation. Geophysical data show that the high-grade stockwork zones at the Vesenny III porphyry Cu-Au deposit are defined by pronounced magnetic anomalies reflecting abundant hydrothermal magnetite veining, while the Vesenny epithermal Au–Ag deposit is defined by a strong negative magnetic anomaly due to strong silicification and magnetite-destructive quartz-sericite to argillic alteration.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to sincerely thank Bernd Lehmann, Reimar Seltmann, and Andreas Dietrich for reading the manuscript, for correcting it, and for their constructive comments and suggestions which resulted in greatly improving it.

Funding

The results of section “Geochemical composition of the Nakhodka host intrusions” were obtained within the Russian Science Foundation grant (project no. 19–17-00200). The work by Ekaterina V. Nagornaya was supported by Federal budget (project no. 0137–2019-0012 “Petrology, geochemistry, and geodynamics of the formation and evolution of the oceanic and continental lithospheres”).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geotechnology, Moscow State University, Science Park 1, Leninskie Gori, Moscow, 119234, Russia

    Andrey F. Chitalin

  2. Faculty of Geology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, GSP-1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia

    Ivan A. Baksheev, Yurii N. Nikolaev, Ekaterina V. Nagornaya, Yuliya N. Khabibullina, Irina Yu. Nikolaeva & Ildar A. Kalko

  3. Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, 19 Kosygin str., Moscow, 119991, Russia

    Ekaterina V. Nagornaya

  4. Santiago, Chile

    Daniel Müller

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Chitalin, A.F., Baksheev, I.A., Nikolaev, Y.N. et al. Porphyry-epithermal Cu-Mo-Au–Ag mineralization in the Nakhodka ore field, Baimka Trend, Chukotka, Russia: a geological, mineralogical, and geochemical perspective. Miner Deposita 58, 287–306 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-022-01122-2

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