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Gold-bearing arsenopyrite and pyrite in refractory ores: analytical refinements and new understanding of gold mineralogy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

M. Benzaazoua ,
P. Marion ,
F. Robaut  and
A. Pinto
M. Benzaazoua*
Affiliation:
Laboratoire Environnement et Minéralurgie, École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie, UMR 6975 INPL-CNRS, B.P. 40, 54501 Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy Cedex, France Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, URSTM, 445 Boulevard de l’Université, Rouyn-Noranda, Qc, Canada J9X 5E4
P. Marion
Affiliation:
Laboratoire Environnement et Minéralurgie, École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie, UMR 6975 INPL-CNRS, B.P. 40, 54501 Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy Cedex, France
F. Robaut
Affiliation:
Consortium des Moyens Technologiques Communs, Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble, B.P. 75, 38402 St Martin D’Hères Cedex, France
A. Pinto
Affiliation:
University of Lisbon – Creminer/Geology Department, Edifício C6, Piso 4, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
*
*E-mail: mostafa.benzaazoua@uqat.ca
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Abstract

A multidisciplinary approach has been used to study Au occurrences within pyrite and arsenopyrite in four refractory Au ores from Colombia, France (Le Châtelet and Villeranges) and Portugal (Neves Norte). The Au was characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy and analysed using electron and ion microprobes to determine Au distribution, with particular attention to spectral interferences in electron and ion microprobes, background measurements in electron probes, and quantitative analysis using external standardization in ion probes. The ionic emission rate is proven to be dependent on the Au status; combined Au has a greater ion emission than metallic Au. Invisible Au occurrences are closely linked to As distribution. Gold bonding in arsenopyrite, examined by transmission electron microscopy, is shown to be dispersed within the FeAsS crystal structure. Typical growth patterns and As-Au diffusion zoning in pyrite and arsenopyrite may account for the very irregular distribution of Au in these minerals.

Keywords

goldarsenicarsenopyritepyriterefractory oresgrowth zoningelectron microprobe analysissecondary ion mass spectrometrytransmission electron microscopy
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 71 , Issue 2 , April 2007 , pp. 123 - 142
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2007

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