The carbonate hosted epithermal gold mineralization in the Kavand, Southwest of Zanjan

The Kavand area is located in the southwest of Zanjan, in Soltanieh district in Central Iran zone. Mineralization is hosted by upper Precambrian-lower Cambrian sedimentary sequences, and it is mainly associated with the dolomitic rocks of the Soltanieh Formation. Mineralization appears as massive, vein-veinlets and karst open space filling. Dominant alterations include iron-oxide, carbonate and silicic types. The ore minerals conist of hematite, specularite, gold, chalcopyrite pyrite, chalcocite, covellite, malachite, azurite, goethite and limonite, while quartz, barite, calcite and dolomite are gangue minerals. The Fe and Au are important ore-forming elements in this area. The average content of Fe and Au in the Kavand mineralization is 15.7% (Max. 28.4%) and 1.3 ppm (max. 14.6 ppm), respectively. Geochemical data represent a high positive correlation between Au with Ag, As, Sb, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Ba. Fluid inclusion studies on quartz from samples with quartz+sulfide+gold and iron oxides+barite+quartz+gold mineral associations indicate that average temperature was 277.84 ºC and salinity was 3.67 wt. % NaCl. Mineralization is likely formed under pressures below than 200 bars and a depth over than 700 m. The multi-element microprobe analyses of gold grains from stream sediments demonstrate that Au and Ag contents are dominant in the composition of Kavand gold index. The chemical composition of the Kavand gold particles compared with those from various gold deposits proves their epithermal source. The Kavand mineralization can be considered as a carbonate rock-hosted epithermal gold deposit.
 
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