자원환경지질 (Economic and Environmental Geology)

  • 제57권4호
  • /
  • Pages.371-386
  • /
  • 2024
  • /
  • 1225-7281(pISSN)
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  • 2288-7962(eISSN)
대한자원환경지질학회 (The Korean Society of Economic and Environmental Geology)
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The Role of Organic Matter in Gold Occurrence: Insights from Western Mecsek Uranium Ore Deposit

  • Medet Junussov (Department of Geological Science, Faculty of Mining and Geosciences, Nazarbayev University) ;
  • Ferenc Madai (Institute of Mineralogy and Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Engineering, University of Miskolc) ;
  • Janos Foldessy (Institute of Mineralogy and Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Engineering, University of Miskolc) ;
  • Maria Hamor-Vido (Department of Geology and Meteorology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pecs)
  • 투고 : 2024.04.05
  • 심사 : 2024.08.22
  • 발행 : 2024.08.30
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초록

This paper presents analytical insights regarding into the occurrence of gold within organic matter, which is hosted by solid bitumen and closely associated with uranium ores in the Late Permian Kővágószőllős Sandstone Formation in Western Mecsek, South-West Hungary. The study utilizes a range of analytical techniques, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) for comprehensive mineralogical and elemental analysis; organic petrography and electron microprobe analysis for characterizing organic matter; and an organic elemental analyzer for identifying organic compounds. A three-step sequential extraction method was used to liberate gold from organic matter and sulfide minerals, employing KOH, HCl, and aqua regia, followed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to quantify gold contents. The organic matter is identified as comprising two vitrinite types (telinite V1 and reworked V2) and three solid bitumen forms: nonfluorescing (B1) and fluorescing (B2) fillings within the V1, as well as homogenous pyrobitumen (PB) occupying narrow cracks and voids within globular quartz. Despite the samples exhibiting low total organic carbon content (<1 wt%), they display high sulfur content (up to 6 wt%) and the sequentially extracted noble metal content from the organic matter is found to total 7.45 ppm gold. The research findings suggest that organic matter plays crucial roles in ore mineralization processes. Organic matter acts as an active component in the migration of gold, uranium, and hydrocarbons within sulfur-rich hydrothermal fluids. Additionally, organic matter contributes to the entrapment and enrichment of gold in hetero-atomic organic fractions, forming metal-organic compounds. Moreover, uranium inclusions are observed as oxide/phosphate minerals within solid bitumen and associated vitrinite particles. These insights into the occurrence and distribution of gold within organic matter highlight substantial exploration potential, guiding additional research activities focused on organic matter within the Kővágószőllős Sandstone Formation at the Western Mecsek deposit.

키워드

과제정보

Special thanks are extended to Prof. Dr. F. Madai and M. Hamorne-Vido for their valuable comments and discussions. Dr. Kristaly F. is acknowledged for X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), while Dr. Krisztian F. conducted Raman measurements. Dr. Gabor M., Dr. Oliver B., Dr. Vanyorek L., and Adam P. provided the assistance with ICP-OES, FTIR, OEA measurements, and chemical experiments. Special appreciation is extended to D. Debus, F. Moricz, J. Richards, and M. Lesko for their contributions to the laboratory experiments that supported the preparation of this paper.

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