Global Tectonics and Metallogeny, Vol. 7, No.
2 , 1 999
T he Geology of Las Cristinas Gold Deposit - Km 88, Venezuela
A. BERNASCONI
Placer Dome de Venezuela, C.A.
Av. Las Americas Can Via Colombia
Torre Loreto - Piso No. 3, Otic. 3-B
Puerto Ordaz, Estado Bolivar, Venezuela
With 2 figures in the text
ABSTRACT
Gold was probably discovered and mined for the tuff, with variable quantities of mixed sediments. The
first time in the km 88 district by British companies, entire volcano-sedimentary assemblage has been
for a short period of several years, at the beginning subjected to the low-grade greenschists facies of
of this century. However, not until very recently in the regional metamorphism. Intrusive felsic porphyritic
1980s that mining in the district was apparently re and granodiorite dykes have also been observed.
activated by several thousands of itinerant miners The lithostratigraphic succession described above
(garimpeiros), which discovered and surficially mined has been affected by the intrusion of numerous gra
numerous gold-rich lateritic and saprolitic deposits. nitoids. In fact, the field evidence suggests that a
In addition, a significant quantity of gold was also re significant proportion of the sequence has been par
covered from the alluvional sediments of the major tially removed. Whilst the remaining part of the suc
streams such as the so-called Quebrada Amarilla. cession has been dismembered, metamorphosed,
Systematic exploration - evaluation programs car and deformed by these intrusions, which occupy the
ried out by Placer Dome de Venezuela within the dis southernmost part of the district. These granitoids,
trict, has also revealed the presence at depth of sig which are most probably Na-rich rocks, such as
nificant primary gold-copper-bearing sulphide miner trondhjemites, granodiorites and monzonites appear
alization within two major mineralized areas viz. the to be related to the Transamazonian tecto-thermal
Conductora-Cuatro Muertos ore body (255.4 million event. Furthermore, the sequence has been region
M.T., 1.16 gfT, Au, 0.12% Cu) and the Mesones - ally folded with the fold axis trending in a NE-SW di
Sofia ore body ( 14.3 million T.M., 1.67 gfT Au,
- rection coincidental with the trend of the Amarilla
0.437% Cu). River. It is also important to note that the entire
Three major lithostratigraphic units have been rec km 88 District is enclosed within this fold struc
ognized within the mapped area viz. a metamorph ture, which in add ition contains the two major
osed, greenstone-belt type, volcano-sedimentary se mineralized trends viz. the NNE and NW trends.
quence, and an associated suite of intrusive granit Primary Cu-Au mineralization occurs mainly in the
oid rocks, both of Palaeo-Proterozoic age, and a form of disseminations, stringers and veins. The ore,
Younger Middle Proterozoic (Roraima Supergroup), a sulphide-bearing mineral assemblage, comprised
and even Mesozoic (?) , suite of younger intrusions mainly of pyrite and chalcopyrite, with lesser chalco
comprising dykes, sills and plugs of diabase and pyrite, covellite and molybdenite, carries also specks
gabbro composition. of visible gold. Four distinctive types of mineralization
The greenstone-belt type sequence consists have been recognized viz. tourmaline and Cu-rich
mainly of intermediate metalavas and pyroclasts. breccia, sulphide (pyrite)-bearing lodes; dissemina
Andesite, porphyritic andesite and lapilli tuff. The tions and stringers; and quartz veins.
schistose rocks, namely chlorite schist and sericite Most of the hydrothermal mineralization and as
schist are interpreted as intermediate to aguagene sociated alteration halos coincide with a rather gen-
DOI:10.1127/gtm/7/1999/91
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