General Information
Abstract: The Livingstone Creek area is located 100 km northeast of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. Hydrothermal gold-sulphide mineralization (MINFILE 105E 001) occurs in quartz-carbonate veins and veinlets which cut Paleozoic metamorphic rocks of the Teslin Suture Zone. The metamorphic rocks are also cut by Cretaceous(?) feldspar-porphyry dykes with an average thickness of 2 m.
The mineralization appears to be structurally controlled by NNE-striking faults and a set of NNW-trending joints. The vein minerals consist of gold, pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, hessite/stuetzite, tetradymite, Au-Ag tellurides, tennantite, hematite, pyrrhotite, quartz, and carbonate. Gold occurs as: 1) "free gold" in cracks and interstices of quartz gangue, 2) inclusions in galena, usually rimmed by hessite, 3) minute grains associated with chalcopyrite and galena in aggregates of coarse-grained pyrite and 4) individual grains or fracture fillings in iron hydroxides.
The coarse-grained gold in Livingstone Creek appears to be derived from gold-quartz veins in the metamorphic bedrock. This is indicated by: 1) similar silver and mercury contents in primary and placer gold 2) identical trace element composition of galena from gold-quartz veins and galena inclusions in placer gold, 3) similar telluride mineral assemblages in both gold-quartz veins and placer gold grains and 4) similar homogenization temperatures and salinities in fluid inclusions from both gold-quartz veins and placer nuggets.
A limited amount of gold appears to have formed by supergene leaching and precipitation. This kind of gold occurs as irregular-shapd grains in the stream placers and in iron hydroxide along fractures in quartz veins. Relative to the pirmary gold it is enriched in silver and mercury.
The mineralization appears to be structurally controlled by NNE-striking faults and a set of NNW-trending joints. The vein minerals consist of gold, pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, hessite/stuetzite, tetradymite, Au-Ag tellurides, tennantite, hematite, pyrrhotite, quartz, and carbonate. Gold occurs as: 1) "free gold" in cracks and interstices of quartz gangue, 2) inclusions in galena, usually rimmed by hessite, 3) minute grains associated with chalcopyrite and galena in aggregates of coarse-grained pyrite and 4) individual grains or fracture fillings in iron hydroxides.
The coarse-grained gold in Livingstone Creek appears to be derived from gold-quartz veins in the metamorphic bedrock. This is indicated by: 1) similar silver and mercury contents in primary and placer gold 2) identical trace element composition of galena from gold-quartz veins and galena inclusions in placer gold, 3) similar telluride mineral assemblages in both gold-quartz veins and placer gold grains and 4) similar homogenization temperatures and salinities in fluid inclusions from both gold-quartz veins and placer nuggets.
A limited amount of gold appears to have formed by supergene leaching and precipitation. This kind of gold occurs as irregular-shapd grains in the stream placers and in iron hydroxide along fractures in quartz veins. Relative to the pirmary gold it is enriched in silver and mercury.
Authors: Stroink, L. and Friedrich, G.
Citation: Friedrich, G. and Stroink, L., 1992. Gold-sulphide quartz veins in metamorphic rocks as a possible source for placer gold in the Livingstone Creek area, Yukon Territory, Canada. In: Yukon Geology Volume 3, T.J. Bremner (ed.), Exploration & Geological Services Division, Indian & Northern Affairs Canada, p. 87-98.
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| Number | Relationship | Authors | Title |
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| 1992GeolVol3 | Contained By | Bremner, T.J. (ed.) | Yukon Geology Volume 3 |
