Trace Element Characteristics of Pyrite and Arsenopyrite from the Golden Ridge Gold Deposit, New Brunswick, Canada: Implications for Ore Genesis

The Golden Ridge gold deposit is located in southwestern New Brunswick, the Canadian Appalachians. Gold mineralization consistently associated with acicular arsenopyrite, and to a lesser degree pyrite, disseminated host rocks, sulphide veinlets, quartz-carbonate veins, breccia matrix. According petrographic-based textural differences, four types of pyrite two arsenopyrite are recognized assemblages. Based on SEM-BSE imaging LA-ICP-MS spot analyses different pyrites arsenopyrites, “invisible gold” (solid solution crystal lattice or <100 nm nanoparticles) micrometer-size inclusions were identified as main forms Au. Four syn-gold pulses fluid suggested. initial hydrothermal fluid, which generated low-grade (Py-I) enriched Sb, Pb, Cu, Co, Ni, Bi, was followed by second pulse arsenic gold, generating coprecipitated Py-II Asp-I. third fourth both precipitated Py-III, then Py-IV Asp-II, constitute most important Au depositional episodes. repeated occurrence growth zones enrichment arsenian (Py-II, Py-IV) indicate surface during metal deposition disequilibrium crystallization processes.