Gold and silver deportment in sulfide ores – A case study of the Freiberg epithermal Ag-Pb-Zn district, Germany

• Au and Ag deportment in an intermediate sulfidation Ag-Pb-Zn system. Deportment calculation using quantitative mineralogy, bulk mineral chemistry. Deportments are highly variable between samples due to mineralogical contrast. Gold the Freiberg district is primarily hosted by arsenopyrite electrum. Silver sulfosalts fahlore. data essential for planning of mining minerals processing operations. This need particularly tangible deposits noble metals, such as gold silver. Therefore, current paucity published silver individual ore districts – concomitant lack understanding how this relates salient geological features these surprising. In present study, we apply a combination geochemistry, laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, electron microprobe analysis, liberation analysis gold- silver-rich from epithermal district, investigate variability deportments, well corresponding geological/mineralogical controls. The results show that main carriers electrum arsenopyrite, whereas mostly Ag-sulfosalts (pyrargyrite, miargyrite, polybasite) fahlore (freibergite). vary greatly samples. These variations can be related relative abundances different within samples, which turn reflect their spatio-temporal position district. Comparisons with other similar indicate presented here general significance.