Gold-hosting supracrustal rocks on Storø, southern West Greenland: lithologies and geological environment

Authors

  • Christian Knudsen Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
  • Jeroen A M van Gool Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
  • Claus Østergaard NunaMinerals, Vandsøvej 5, P.O. Box 790, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland
  • Julie A Hollis Northern Territories Geological Survey, P.O. Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801, Australia
  • Matilde Rink-Jørgensen Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
  • Mac Persson Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
  • Kristoffer Szilas Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, DenmarkKristoffer Szilas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34194/geusb.v13.4972

Abstract

A gold prospect on central Storø in the Nuuk region of southern West Greenland is hosted by a sequence of intensely deformed, amphibolite facies supracrustal rocks of late Mesoto Neoarchaean age. The prospect is at present being explored by the Greenlandic mining company NunaMinerals A/S. Amphibolites likely to be derived from basaltic volcanic rocks dominate, and ultrabasic to intermediate rocks are also interpreted to be derived from volcanic rocks. The sequence also contains metasedimentary rocks including quartzites and cordierite-, sillimanite-, garnet- and biotite-bearing aluminous gneisses. The metasediments contain detrital zircon from different sources indicating a maximum age of the mineralisation of c. 2.8 Ga. The original deposition of the various rock types is believed to have taken place in a back-arc setting. Gold is mainly hosted in garnet- and biotite-rich zones in amphibolites often associated with quartz veins. Gold has been found within garnets indicating that the mineralisation is pre-metamorphic, which points to a minimum age of the mineralisation of c. 2.6 Ga. The geochemistry of the goldbearing zones indicates that the initial gold mineralisation is tied to fluid-induced sericitisation of a basic volcanic protolith. The hosting rocks and the mineralisation are affected by several generations of folding.

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Published

12-10-2007

How to Cite

Knudsen, C., van Gool, J. A. M., Østergaard, C., Hollis, J. A., Rink-Jørgensen, M., Persson, M., & Szilas, K. (2007). Gold-hosting supracrustal rocks on Storø, southern West Greenland: lithologies and geological environment. GEUS Bulletin, 13, 41–44. https://doi.org/10.34194/geusb.v13.4972

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Section

RESEARCH ARTICLE | SHORT