A study of Late-Proterozoic host rocks, the style of mineralization and alteration, and their timing at the Deep River gold prospect, central North Carolina

The Carolina terrane of the southern Appalachians hosts major gold deposits and historically producing mines. The deposits have been interpreted to be either structurally controlled or epithermal in origin. An improved understanding of the geologic setting, style of alteration, and mineralization can assist in developing exploration strategies.;The Deep River gold prospect, central North Carolina, is hosted by volcanic, volcaniclastic and epiclastic rocks of the Virgilina sequence, which have been intruded by porphyritic, felsic and andesitic dikes, and mafic dikes. Soil anomalies and radiometric features show concentric patterns associated with centers of intense silica and propylitic alteration, haloed by phyllic alteration. U-Pb zircon geochronology gives ages between 547.0+/-0.7 and 550.6+/-1.1 Ma for a non-mineralized felsic dike, while molybdenum ages place the mineralization between 532+/-2 and 543+/-2 Ma. This study suggests that gold mineralization is most likely intrusion-related and represents a high-level gold porphyry system.