Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Hydrothermal alteration and gold mineralization in the Kharestan-Bidester district, Taftan area, southeast Iran

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors
Pooya Seyed Salehi Naeini 1
Saeid Alirezaei 1
Mohammad Nabi Nouri 2
1 Mineral and Ground Water Resources Department, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 Pars Tamin Mines Development Company, Tehran, Iran
10.22071/gsj.2024.436419.2130
Abstract
The Kharestan-Bidester area, northwest of the Taftan volcano, is covered by a series of Plio-Quaternary lava flows and pyroclastic materials. The area is marked by extensive silicic and argillic alterations. The silicic zones, distinguished by vuggy texture, are bordered by advanced-intermediate argillic alterations. They occur as linear features across faults and fractures, as well as massive bodies of variable sizes, and are comparable, at regional scale, to lithocaps developed in the upper parts of the porphyry systems. The silicic-argillic zones are mineralized with gold at variable grades. Gold occurs mostly as submicroscopic particles of electrum and native gold. Pyrite, variably oxidized at surface and shallow levels, is the main metallic mineral, associated with trace sulfosalts, tetrahedrite and enargite.  Minor malachite staining locally occurs in the ore zones. The geologic setting, hydrothermal alteration, ore mineralogy and texture/structure allow the Kharestan-Bidester to be compared with high-sulfidation epithermal systems.
Keywords
High-sulfidation Epithermal
Gold
Kharestan-Bidester
Taftan
Makran
Southeast of Iran

Subjects

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Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences
Volume 34, Issue 3 - Serial Number 133
Autumn 2024, Vol. 34, Issue 3, Serial No. 133
Summer 2024
Pages 1-16