Gold and silver in ores of Kadjaran copper-porphyry deposit (southern Armenia)

Abstract

 The results of the study of the distribution of gold and silver in the main sulfide minerals of the Kadjaran mine of the copper-molybdenum-porphyry formation are presented. The regularity of the behavior of gold and silver was revealed and a forecast estimate of the gold-silver content of the lower horizons of the deposit was given. Gold and silver are unevenly distributed in the vertical range of horizons 2175-1965 m (above sea level). At the upper horizons (above the 2175 horizon), Au and Ag show selective accumulation in chalcopyrite, at the lower horizons (2150-2050 m), in addition to chalcopyrite, they also accumulate in pyrite and molybdenum; moreover, with depth (2050-1985m), the storage capacity of molybdenum and chalcopyrite continues to increase. А significant enrichment of the lower horizons of the deposit (below the horizon of 1965 m) with Au and Ag is unexpected, since their contents are largely limited by concentrations of copper ores, the ratio of which to molybdenum steadily decreases with depth. The studies carried out on distribution of Au and Ag in the main industrial sulfides of Kadjaran copper-molybdenum deposit made it possible to single out the main patterns of their distribution.