TY - THES

T1 - Sulfide Geochemistry of the Hohen Tauern Historic Gold Districts (Austria)

AU - Göbel, Eileen

N1 - no embargo

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The Hohe Tauern mountains in Austria are both historically and scientifically significant. They play a special role in the evolution of the Alps and the evolution of geologic knowledge related to mountain building processes. The ore deposits in the Hohen Tauern are significant in the evolution of our knowledge of the formation of gold deposits, as well as having been one of the largest sources of revenue for the Archbishopdom of Salzburg and later the Austrian Empire. The gold mineralization in the Hohen Tauern mountains is associated with the uplift of the mountain range and can be generally characterized as vein hosted orogenic gold. Gold occurs as electrum and the host rocks vary widely, but are often high-grade metamorphic rocks, especially orthogneisses. Sulfide minerals are known to be associated with the gold mineralization but have generally been understudied and underappreciated as a potential carrier of gold. These sulfides minerals within the mineralization, as well as the exposed nappes of the Penninic Ocean and the European continental margin, provide the opportunity to better understand the development of the Alpine orogeny and the ore deposits therein. The sulfide mineral pyrite is a common sedimentary, metamorphic, and hydrothermally formed mineral. Its ubiquitousness as well as its unique ability to incorporate an array of trace elements (ex. Au, Ag, As Co, Cu, Ga, Ge and Ni) makes it a crucial record of a number of geologic processes, especially the formation of ore deposits. This thesis investigates the sulfide geochemistry of the historic gold districts in the Hohen Tauern mountains, with a focus on the geochemistry of pyrite and gold. The aim is to provide a regional comparison of the sulfide minerals associated with the gold mineralization, in the hopes of better understanding these deposits in a more wholistic fashion as well as the relationships between the individual deposits. Special attention is paid to understanding the morphology of the pyrite, its relationships with other ore minerals, and its association with the gold mineralization. By analyzing 24 samples from 12 mining districts with a combination of reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and electron probe microanalysis, this work offers insights into the trace element composition of pyrite and gold. The findings contribute to understanding the origin of the mineralizing fluids, potential correlations between the trace elements in gold and pyrite, and the complex nature of the region's metallogenic history.

AB - The Hohe Tauern mountains in Austria are both historically and scientifically significant. They play a special role in the evolution of the Alps and the evolution of geologic knowledge related to mountain building processes. The ore deposits in the Hohen Tauern are significant in the evolution of our knowledge of the formation of gold deposits, as well as having been one of the largest sources of revenue for the Archbishopdom of Salzburg and later the Austrian Empire. The gold mineralization in the Hohen Tauern mountains is associated with the uplift of the mountain range and can be generally characterized as vein hosted orogenic gold. Gold occurs as electrum and the host rocks vary widely, but are often high-grade metamorphic rocks, especially orthogneisses. Sulfide minerals are known to be associated with the gold mineralization but have generally been understudied and underappreciated as a potential carrier of gold. These sulfides minerals within the mineralization, as well as the exposed nappes of the Penninic Ocean and the European continental margin, provide the opportunity to better understand the development of the Alpine orogeny and the ore deposits therein. The sulfide mineral pyrite is a common sedimentary, metamorphic, and hydrothermally formed mineral. Its ubiquitousness as well as its unique ability to incorporate an array of trace elements (ex. Au, Ag, As Co, Cu, Ga, Ge and Ni) makes it a crucial record of a number of geologic processes, especially the formation of ore deposits. This thesis investigates the sulfide geochemistry of the historic gold districts in the Hohen Tauern mountains, with a focus on the geochemistry of pyrite and gold. The aim is to provide a regional comparison of the sulfide minerals associated with the gold mineralization, in the hopes of better understanding these deposits in a more wholistic fashion as well as the relationships between the individual deposits. Special attention is paid to understanding the morphology of the pyrite, its relationships with other ore minerals, and its association with the gold mineralization. By analyzing 24 samples from 12 mining districts with a combination of reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and electron probe microanalysis, this work offers insights into the trace element composition of pyrite and gold. The findings contribute to understanding the origin of the mineralizing fluids, potential correlations between the trace elements in gold and pyrite, and the complex nature of the region's metallogenic history.

KW - Hohe Tauern

KW - Erzgeologie

KW - Gold

KW - Sulfide

KW - Spurenelemente

KW - Pyrit

KW - Hohe Tauern

KW - Ore Geology

KW - Gold

KW - Sulfides

KW - Trace elements

KW - Pyrite

U2 - 10.34901/mul.pub.2025.012

DO - 10.34901/mul.pub.2025.012

M3 - Master's Thesis

ER -