Occurrence Forms of Carbon, Sulfur, and Noble Metals in Deposits of the Black-Shale Formation by the Example of the Degdekan Gold-Ore Deposit (Northeastern Russia)

Abstract

Pyrite crystals and ore-bearing shales of the Degdekan deposit were studied by means of XPS, SEM–EDX, EPMA, and AAS. Five peaks of carbon organic forms were identified, conforming to polymer compounds containing either double bonds of carbon or alkyne groups and compounds containing C–OH and C=O bonds, as well as, probably, small amounts of S-containing compounds and those with functional groups of carboxylic acids. Sulfate prevails over sulfite in pyrites; among the surface sulfide forms, disulfide prevails over monosulfide; the presence of polysulfide is registered. The occurrence of various chemical forms of sulfur on the surface might provide for concentrating of microelements including the noble metals (NMs) in their surface-bound forms. The regular behavior of NMs (Au, Pt, Pd, and Ru) depending on the grain sizes (specific surfaces) of pyrite crystals along with the narrow range of the ratios of structural and surface components of the concentrations of different NMs points to NM coprecipitation with pyrite during the same productive stage. No capture of NM-containing carbonaceous phases took place, which should violate the regularity of Au distribution in pyrites of the Sukhoi Log deposit.