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Vectoring Tools: Identifying Pyrophyllite with SWIR

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Vectoring Tools: Identifying Pyrophyllite with SWIR

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A significant portion of the world’s gold comes from hydrothermal ore deposits, with epithermal providing up to 13% (Frimmel, 2008). There is widespread hydrothermal alteration in these deposits, and the alteration mineral assemblages provide information on the physico-chemical characteristics of the hydrothermal fluids. According to Watanabe and Hedenquist, hydrothermal pyrophyllite (Al2[Si4O10](OH)2) is formed under medium-/high temperature (280-360°C). An extensive leaching of host rocks by highly acidic hydrothermal fluids causes these deposits to form, generally in zones surrounding the massive silica (vuggy silica) core of high-sulfidation epithermal systems. While it can occur within other environments, (i.e., metapelites with high grades), pyrophyllite is typical of hydrothermal alteration that is influenced by high sulfidation.

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