Geological Characteristics of Epithermal Gold Deposits and Status Quo of Researches in China

Since large quantities of epithermal gold deposits were discovered in Circum-Pacific region in 1970's,it has already become the hot spot of the gold deposits research these days.It is also one of the most important gold deposit types in the world.The metallogenic period of epithermal gold deposit is predominantly controlled by the tectonic evolution.Epithermal gold deposit is generally hosted by intermediate-acid volcanic rock series and adjacent rocks in island arc or continental margin.The epithermal gold deposit can be divided into two types according to the features of mineral assemblage and alteration:high sulfur type low sulfur type.The high-sulfer epithermal gold deposits show generally paragenetic relationship with porphyry copper-gold deposits and they may be products of the same mineralization system.Theoretically,the conditions for epithermal gold deposits mineralization are quite good in China.Thus it is surely a bright future for prospecting of such deposits.