Application of rock geochemistry in exploration at the Kutemajarvi gold deposit, southern Finland

The sulfide-poor and telluride-rich Kutemajarvi (Orivesi) gold deposit is hosted by extremely altered sericite-quartz rocks. Within the ore, Te, Au and Bi are highly enriched and show strong correlation with each other. Other elements enriched in the ore are Sb, Ag, Se, Pb and As, whereas S, Cu, Zn, Co and Ni are depleted. Arsenic, Cu, Zn, S and Se show the strongest enrichment in the wall rocks. Statistical multivariate analysis reveals the associations Te-Au-Bi-Ag-Sb-Pb, Zn-As-S-Se(-Co) and Ni-Cu-Co(-S) within the ore. Silver correlates with Au, Te and Bi in the ore, but with Se, As, S, Cu, Zn and Pb in the wan rocks, and especially in the surrounding area. Maximum trace element concentrations in the area surrounding the Kutemajarvi deposit define four partly overlapping, roughly E-W-trending zones that arranged north to south are: Mo, Au-Te-Bi, Cu-Se and As-Pb-S-Sb-Zn-Ag.