2017-03-172017-03-171996-03-20ANGÉLICA, Rômulo Simões. Mineralogia e geoquímica de gossans e lateritos auríferos na região de Carajás: depósitos de Igarapé Bahia e Águas Claras. 1996. 138 f. Tese (Doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Pará, Centro de Geociências, Belém, 1996. Curso de Pós-Graduação em Geologia e Geoquímica.https://repositorio.ufpa.br/handle/2011/7890The Igarapé Bahia mine and the Águas Claras prospect are examples of supergene gold mineralization in gossans and latentes. They are located in the Carajás mining district, Pará state, Northern Brazil. These areas belong to Vale do Rio Doce Company and all the exploration programs were conducted by DOCEGEO. In this work, mineralogical and geochemical studies were performed in the weathering profiles of both areas focussing on the behaviour and distribution of gold and associated elements. The two areas exhibit similar primary geological context, with gold-bearing sulphide zones associated with shear zones and intense hydrothermal alteration, related to Archaean to Proterozoic metavolcano-sedimentary sequences. The supergene products are divided in two main groups: The gossan system and the lateritic system with evidences of superimposition of the latter on the former. The profiles were studied after different surface and subsurface sampling. The following horizons and zones were described, from base to top: (1) in the gossan system: primary sulphide zone, secondary sulphide zone and a thick oxidation zone; (2) in the latente system: a brecciated lateritic iron crust, a dismantled iron crust or stone-lines and latossols. The lateritic iron crust developed over the pre-existing gossans, resulting in a complete obliteration of the primary textures and structures and promoting a new remobilization of gold and other elements. This structuration can be observed today in the Igarapé Bahia area while at Águas Claras the latente profile over the mineralized bodies was truncated and exposing the gossans. The mineralogical composition of gossans and latentes is mainly represented by hematite, and variable amounts of goethite, Al-goethite, maghemite, gibbsite, kaolinite and quartz. Hematite predominates in the gossans and goethite becomes progressively enriched toward the latentes. In the deepest parts of the gossans the following minerais were identified: malachite, cuprite and native copper, mainly associated with hematite, besides azurite, chrysocolla and quartz; the Aguas Claras area presents a broader paragenesis in the primary sulphide zone, that includes: chalcopyrite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, cobaltite, quartz, magnetite, wolframite and tourmaline. Primary gold occur as diminute particles finelly disseminated in the sulphides and with different compositions in the Au-Ag alloy. In the Águas Claras area it occurs associated with a wide range of Bi-, Ag- and Pb-tellurides, besides native bismut. Tourmaline (dravite) and wolframite (ferberite) also occur as important accessory minerais, both in the primary and secondary environment. In the gossans they occur as centimetric cumulates, acting as important guides for gossans identification. Major element geochemistry of the profiles is mainly characterized by very high iron contents in the gossans, that progressively diminish toward the latossols. On the oder hand, the contents of Si, Al, Ti and LOI increase toward the top of the profiles. Calcium, Mg, Na e K are completely depleted in the gossans and laterites. Geochemical associations of trace elements are variable for the two areas and reflect mainly the chemical and mineralogical variations from the primary zones. In the mineralized bodies (gossans + iron crust) the following geochemical signatures were characterized: Au, Cu and Mo, for the Igarapé Bahia area; and Au, Cu, As, B, W, Sn and Bi, for the Águas Claras area. From the various horizons and zones of the profiles, different gold particles were separated and analised by Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive System. Strong variations were described in terms of morphology and chemical compositions in the Au-Ag alloy. Silver, Pt, Pd, Fe e Cu were frequently detected, where Ag contents range from less than 1% to more than 25%. The studied grains were divided in two groups: (1) Primary particles associated with primary sulphides; and (2) Secondary or supergene particies, associated with gossans, latentes and latosols. These were further divided in two groups: (2.1) residuais particles, generally with more than 30 grn of mean diameter and exhibiting a primary core with Ag-depleted rims; and (2.2) authigenic or neoformed particles, which are extremely fine (< 5 1.un) and of very high fineness, frequently associated to the coarser and residual grains. The results obtained allowed us to interpret the supergene evolution of the area in four main phases, each one associated with or related to a major period of gold remobilization: Phase I - Gossan formation: related to the development of gossanic bodies in tropical climatic conditions which ranged from semi-arid to seasonally humid (savannas). In this work this is considered as prior to Lower Tertiary. During this phase, gold was remobilized from lower primary zones through thiosulphates complexes and reprecipited in the upper oxidized zones associated with iron oxy-hydroxides. The reprecipitated gold is fine-grained and of medium fineness. Phase Mature Lateritization: related to the broad lateritic weathering processes that took place in the whole Amazon region during Early Tertiary times. Mature lateritic profiles were formed above the gossans and their wall-rocks, with the development of a brecciated lateritic iron crust that includes gossans fragmenta. The gossan system was obviously oppened during this phase resulting in physical and chemical dispersion of gold. The role of organic matter related to biological activity was very important in the chemical remobilization of gold. Phase 111 - Post-Mature lateritization: related to all weathering processes that took place in the region after the establishment of the lateritic profiles during the trànsition Upper Oligocene-Middle Miocene. The main supergene products of this phase are the upper latosols of the Igarapé Bahia area. After the weathering of gold-bearing lateritic crusts, this element is once again remobilized following the same chemical mechanisms of phase II, but under increasing biological activity. This resulted in an intensive physical dispersion, broadening of geochemical haloes and weakening of gold signals. This new lateritic cycle was less intensive as compared to the previous one. It took place in the transition to more and conditions during the Plio-Pleistocene, resulting in an intense denudation of the landscape with erosion, truncation and exposure of the Aguas Claras gossans. Widespread gold-bearing coluvium (in the Águas Claras arca) and Placer deposits are inportant supergene products regionally related to this phase. Ali the weathering processes that took place after the establisment of the landscape in the end of phase III are considered in this work as phase IV. These are related to prevailing humid conditions that become dominant after the end of Pleistocene and during the Holocene, giving rise to new latosols, stone-lines, coluvium and aluviums.Acesso AbertoMineralogiaGeoquímicaGossanLateritaOuroSerra dos Carajás - PATeseCNPQ::CIENCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA::GEOCIENCIAS::GEOLOGIA::GEOQUIMICACNPQ::CIENCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA::GEOCIENCIAS::GEOLOGIA::PROSPECCAO MINERAL