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View of the TEM Images ABSTRACT AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPY INVESTIGATION OF GOLD AND ASSOCIATED MINERALS FROM ROUND MOUNTAIN, NEVADA by Michelle Burke Details regarding the mineralization patterns of gold in epithermal systems are poorly understood. The nature of interfaces of gold with dominant minerals such as quartz and adularia is not well constrained. A refined understanding of gold microtextures and the interface between gold and associated minerals could provide insight into the details of gold growth and mineralization and may contain indicators of gold ore concentration mechanisms. Furthermore, a refined understanding of the interface may explain variation in cyanide leaching extraction efficiency and may enable enhancement of recovery methods. Macrocrystalline samples from Round Mountain, Nevada were analyzed using field emissions scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) milling assisted transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results suggest that the two dimensional growth mechanism is dominant and that colloidal gold and silver nanoparticles are present at the interface and may play an important role in the formation of these deposits. AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPY INVESTIGATION OF GOLD AND ASSOCIATED MINERALS FROM ROUND MOUNTAIN, NEVADA A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Miami University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Geology and Environmental Earth Science by Michelle Burke Miami University Oxford, Ohio 2015 Advisor _________________________________ Dr. Mark P. S. Krekeler Reader __________________________________ Dr. John Rakovan Reader __________________________________ Dr. Hailiang Dong Table of Contents List of Figures …………………………………………..…………………………... iv 1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………..…….1 1.1 Gold ………………………………………………………………..…...…………1 1.2 Quartz ……………………………………………………………....... ………….1 1.3 Round Mountain Gold Mine………………………………………………………2 1.3.1 History and Location………………………………………………………...2 1.3.2. Geologic Setting…………………………………………………………….3 1.3.3 The Deposit …………………………………………………………………3 1.4 Gold Extraction: Cyanide Heap Leaching ………………………………………..4 1.5 Low Sulfidation (Adularia-Sericite) Epithermal Deposits ……………………….5 2. Purpose ………………………………………………………………………..………6 3. Materials and Methods………………………………………………………………..7 3.1 Samples …………………………………………………………………………...7 3.2 Scanning Electron Microscopy …………………………………………………...8 3.3 Transmission Electron Microscopy ………………………………………………8 3.4 Focused Ion Beam Milling ……………………………………….……………….9 4. Results ……………………………………………………………………………….10 4.1 SEM Results …………………………………………………………………….10 4.2 TEM Results ………………………………………………………………….....12 5. Discussion …………………………………………………………………………...14 5.1 FESEM Observed Growth Textures …………………………………………….14 5.2 The Gap at the Interface ………………………………………………………....15 5.3 Nanospherules …………………………………………………………………...17 5.4 Other Phases of Interest………………………………………………………….18 ii 5.5 Gallium Interference in FIB Prepared Samples ……………….………………...19 5.6 Implications for Cyanide Leaching………………………………………………19 5.7 Sequence of Mineralization ……………………………………………………..20 6. Conclusions ………………………………………………………….……………....21 7. References ……………………………………………………………………...……23 8. Figures ……………………………………………………………………………….27 9. Appendices …………………………………………………………………………..50 9.1 Appendix A: Supplementary SEM………………………………………………50 9.2 Appendix B: Supplementary TEM………………………………………………52 iii List of Figures Figure 1: Location Map………………………………………………………………….27 Figure 2: The Round Mountain Mine Open Pit…………………………………………28 Figure 3: Macrocrystalline Samples…………………………………………………….28 Figure 4: Focused Ion Beam Milling……………………………………………………30 Figure 5: 2D Growth…………………………………………………………………….31 Figure 6: Triangular and Hexagonal Terrace Morphologies……………………………32 Figure 7: Hopper Crystals……………………………………………………………….33 Figure 8: Granular/Vein Texture………………………………………………………...34 Figure 9: SEM Gap at the Interface……………………………………………………..35 Figure 10: Quartz SEM………………………………………………………………….36 Figure 11: Adularia SEM………………………………………………………………..37 Figure 12: Ag SEM Elemental Maps……………………………………………………38 Figure 13: Gold TEM…………………………………………………………………....39 Figure 14: Nanoparticles Bright Field TEM…………………………………………….40 Figure 15: Nanoparticles Apparent Diameter Histogram……………………………….41 Figure 16: Nanoparticles in Other Phases……………………………………………….42 Figure 17: STEM Ag Nanoparticles Elemental Maps………………………………..…43 Figure 18: STEM Elemental Maps……………………………………………………...44 Figure 19: STEM Elemental Maps II……………………………………………………45 Figure 20: STEM Elemental Maps - Au, Ag, and Cu…………………………………...46 Figure 21: Linear Thermal Expansion Graph…………………………………………...47 Figure 22: Gallium STEM Maps………………………………………………………..48 Figure 23: Mineralization Sequence Interpretation………………………………….….4 iv 1. Introduction 1.1 Gold Gold has long been valued for its unreactive nature leading to its classification as a “noble metal”. It is one of the few metals that generally remains in its native state at the Earth’s surface and is commonly alloyed with other metals such as Cu, Fe, Sn, Ag, and the metalloid Te. Gold was commonly used for coins, jewelry, and for monetary reserves, but has now found its way into more modern industries such as electronics and medical imaging. It currently stands as an $82.6 billion industry worldwide (Ridley 2013). Gold is fairly rare, with a crustal abundance of 0.004 ppm (Ridley 2013). For a deposit to be considered an economic source of gold it has to occur in ore grades with at least 5-10 ppm, concentrated at least 1200 times relative to its average crustal abundance (Ridley 2013). As reserves of known deposits of gold begin to decline, it becomes critical to find new deposits and more innovative methods for gold extraction. Gold prices have risen in the last decade, peaking in 2011 at over 1800 USD/oz. While they have declined since then, currently resting at ~1200 USD/oz., gold prices are higher than they have been in the past making gold a very valuable metal, second only to platinum. With gold prices currently so high, extraction of gold from low grade ores is economic and exploration is underway in many countries to locate new deposits. Furthermore many mines have begun re- processing old tailings in hopes of recovering more gold. 1.2 Quartz Although far less economic of overall importance as an ore mineral, quartz is an important gangue mineral known in epithermal environments that is believed to deposit throughout gold mineralization. 13 different textures have been identified for low quartz in epithermal environments, many of them visible in hand specimen or under a petrographic microscope (Dong et al. 1995). Common among these textures are bladed, crustiform, colliform, moss, massive, mosaic, and feathery. Each texture reveals information on the conditions of quartz formation, including indications of whether it is a primary texture, a recrystallization 1 texture, or replacement texture, and whether the texture likely had a silica gel precursor or if boiling was a factor in formation (Dong et al. 1995; Etoh et al. 2002; Moncada et al. 2012). Furthermore, zoning of quartz crystals and trace elements and fluid inclusions contained in quartz can be detected using cathodoluminescence and electron microprobe and can provide information on the fluid conditions and chemistry at the time of crystal growth, such as redox conditions and other parameters that affect precious metal precipitation (Rusk and Reed 2002; Takahashi et al. 2008; Rusk et al. 2011). For this reason, quartz is an important mineral to fully understanding gold deposition in epithermal and other hydrothermal precious metal systems. 1.3 Round Mountain Gold Mine 1.3.1 History and Location Nevada is, and has been, a major producer of gold for the United States. The Round Mountain gold mine is one source of Nevada gold. The mine is located in Nye County, Nevada approximately 200 miles northwest of Las Vegas (Figure 1). The nearby communities of Hadley and Carvers are home to many of the mine workers, and the small town of Tonopah to the south is a popular tourist destination for visitors looking to learn more about the area’s rich mining history. Gold production first began at Round Mountain in 1906, and between 1906 and 1969 350,000 ounces of gold was produced (Hanson 2006). Large scale commercial operations began in 1977. The Smoky Valley Common Operation (SVCO) owns the mineral and surface rights to the mine. The SVCO was originally controlled by the Copper Range Co. (50% interest), Felmont Oil Co. (25% interest), and Case Pomeroy Co. (25% interest). In 1984 the Homestake Mining Company acquired 25% interest, which was increased to 50% interest in 2000. In 1985 Echo Bay Mines Inc. acquired the remaining 50% interest. Barrick Gold Corporation merged with Homestake Mining Company in 2001 and Kinross Gold Corporation merged with Echo Bay in 2003 so that the mine is currently a joint venture between Barrick and Kinross where Kinross is the operating partner. 2 1.3.2 Geologic Setting The Round Mountain Gold Mine is located in the Great Smoky Valley at the base of the Toquima Mountain Range, the result of Basin and Range extension. Underlying the deposit are meta-sedimentary rocks of Cambrian to Permian age, including argillite, phyllite, schist, quartzite, limestone, and siltstone, which have been deformed and metamorphosed by Cretaceous age granitic plutons that are now exposed in the pit of the mine. These are in turn overlain by Oligocene age rhyolitic ash flow tuffs that stemmed from calderas in the Toquima and Toiyabe Ranges.
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