Presence of native gold and tellurium in the active high-sulfidation hydrothermal system of the La Fossa volcano (Vulcano, Italy)

Grains of native gold and tellurium were found in siliceous hydrothermally altered rocks in the high-temperature (170-540 degrees C) fumarolic field of the La Fossa volcano (Island of Vulcano). In addition to Au and Te, Pb-Bi sulfides (cannizzarite) and Tl-bromide chloride were found as sublimates in the hottest fumarolic vents of the crater rim. The chemical composition of altered rocks associated with sublimate deposition indicate the presence of a significant concentration of Te (up to 75 ppm), while gold concentrations are very low (< 9 ppb). Pb, Bi and Tl are strongly enriched in the hottest and less oxidized fumarolic vents, reaching concentrations of 2186, 146 and 282 ppm, respectively. These elements are transported (generally as chloride complexes) to the surface by volcanic gases, and several of these (Bi, Te, Tl) are originated from magma degassing. The silicic alteration is produced by the flow of fluids with pH < 2. High acidity results from introduction of magmatic gases such as SO2, HCl and HF released by the shallow magmatic reservoir of La Fossa volcano. The silicic alteration found at Vulcano may represent an early stage of the 'vuggy silica' facies which characterizes the high-sulfidation epithermal ore deposits, confirming the analogies existing between this type of ore deposit and magmatic-hydrothermal systems associated with island-are volcanoes. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.