Mine detail: Muruntau

Previously called 'Murun Tau'

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Location

Lat / long:

40.99825, 65.50088

Resource(M)

Primary:	Gold
Secondary:	Palladium
Ore:	Bismutite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Molybdenite, Pyrite, Scheelite, Sphalerite
Gangue:	Ankerite, Calcite, Feldspar, Mica, Quartz, Tourmaline
Orebody form:	IRREGULAR
Discovery year:	1956

Production

Operation type:	Unknown
Deposit type:	Contact Metasomatic
Production size:	Large
Development status:	Producer

Geology

Host rock:	Besopan Suite
Host type:	Slate,Greenschist,Shale,Siltstone,Sandstone
Associated type:	Mafic Intrusive Rock
Structure:	Southern Flank Taskazgan Anticline., Small En Echelon Fissures, Prominent Ne Striking High Angle Faults Connecting Two Shear Zones. Principal Faults Are The Southern, The Structural And The Northwestern.
Tectonic:	Large Shear Zone Active Within The Hercynian During The Change From Compression To Transpression.
Alteration processes:	Metasomatism, Lesser Serpentinization, Silicification, Chloritization; Albite, Quartz & Apatite Prior To Gold Deposition. Quartz, K-Feldspar, Ankerite, Biotite, Chlorite, Monazite, Plus Or Minus Apatite, Accompanying The Gold Mineralization. Post Gold Deposition Alkalic And Dioritic Dikes Were Emplaced Along The High-Angle Faults, And These Contain Quartz, Pyrite, Tourmaline Veinlets With K-Feldpar, Sericite,& Bastnaesite. Calcite And Pyrite Make Up The Last Stage Of Alteration.

References

MRDS	M046642
DEP	10039108
Reference	{Deposit:: BADALOV, S. T. ET AL., 1969, GEOCHEMISTRY OF PLATINOIDS...IN CENTRAL ASIA, DOKLADY OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, USSR, ESS, VOL. 184, PP. 170 - 172}{Deposit:: KRASON, JAN, 1984, MURUNTAU: THE WORL * LARGEST GOLD PRODUCING MINE COMPLEX: MINING ENGINEERING, NOV., P. 1549-1550.}{Deposit:: INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW, 1968, ORE DEPOSITS, SEPT., V.10, NO.9, P. 141.}{Deposit:: SMIRNOV, V.I., 1977, ORE DEPOSITS OF THE USSR, V.III, P. 35.}{Deposit:: BERGER, BYRON, 1992, MINING THE MYSTERY AT MURUNTAU, USGS MINERAL RESOURCES NEWSLETTER, V.3, NO.2, P.8.}{Production:: KRASON, 1984}
Reporter	Till, Alison B., Orris, Greta J., Paidakovich, Matthew E., Moyer, Lorre A. (Marcus, S.M.)