Gold-rare metal and associated mineralization in the western part of Bolshevik Island, Severnaya Zemlya archipelago

• Published in: Journal of Mining Institute
• Main Authors: Aleksandr N. Evdokimov, Vladimir I. Fokin, Nikolai K. Shanurenko
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Saint-Petersburg Mining University 2023
• Subjects: gold-rare metal mineralization; taimyro-severozemelskaya province; bolshevik island of the severnaya zemlya archipelago; granitoids; hornfelses; polymetallic ores; Mining engineering. Metallurgy; TN1-997; Arctic; Severnaya Zemlya; Bolshevik Island
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.31897/PMI.2022.94; https://doaj.org/article/bd5eaa6353414eb88345528487dc2adc

The presented studies are aimed to determine the formation patterns of the gold-rare metal mineralization within one of the most inaccessible Arctic islands of the Russian Federation, Bolshevik Island of the Severnaya Zemlya archipela-go. The relevance of the work is determined by the high probability of discovering a significant in terms of metal reserves deposit, which is proved by many researchers on the example of known large deposits to be a typical feature of sites with gold-rare metal formation. Obviously, only the possibility of discovering and subsequent development of a deposit of a highly liquid type of mineral, gold, can ensure the profitability of mining production on Severnaya Zemlya. It is established that the main geological, mineralogical, and geochemical features of the gold-rare metal mineralization in the Kropotkinsko-Nikitinskaya metallogenic zone of Bolshevik Island correspond to that of similar ore sites in Russia and the world. The occurrences of other formation types revealed in this metallogenic zone suggest a certain zoning in their distribution: mineralization is located in the apical parts of granitoids and in the nearest halo of hornfelses. At a distance, with an exit from the hornfelsed zone, there are occurrences of a cassiterite-sulphide formation with elevated gold and silver content at the top of the ore column, together with an increased amount of polymetallic ores. Occurrences of gold-quartz and gold-sulphide-quartz formations are localized in fault zones, as a rule, farther from granitoids. The total vertical range of gold mineralization exceeds 300 m. The assignment of all types of mineralization in the Kropotkinsko-Nikitinskaya metallogenic zone of Bolshevik Island to a single hydrothermal process is emphasized by the similar isotope composition of lead galena from heterogeneous occurrences, which determines the age of all mineralization at 200-300 Ma.