The geochemistry of gold in modern seafloor hydrothermal systems and implications for gold mineralization in ancient volcanogenic massive sulfides

The occurrence of gold has been studied in (1) seafloor sulfides from the N.E. Pacific and Mid-Atlantic, (2) metalliferous sediments, hydrothermal plumes, and vent waters from the East Pacific Rise and Explorer Ridge, (3) sub-seafloor stockwork mineralization from DSDP Hole 504B and Agrokipia B, Cyprus and (4) supergene sulfides and Fe-oxide gossans from the mid-Atlantic Ridge. A routine method for analysis of gold and associated elements by direct neutron activation with a low-flux reactor was developed for this study. Gold contents of seafloor sulfides range from ;Quenched products from high-temperature vents (up to 350...