Log InRegister
Quick Links : The Mindat ManualThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMindat Newsletter [Free Download]
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreContact UsAdvertise on Mindat
Donate to MindatCorporate SponsorshipSponsor a PageSponsored PagesMindat AdvertisersAdvertise on Mindat
Learning CenterWhat is a mineral?The most common minerals on earthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesThe ElementsThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryGeologic Time
Minerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDLocalities Near MeSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryMore Search Options
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
Mining CompaniesStatisticsUsersMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsThe Mindat DirectoryDevice SettingsThe Mineral Quiz
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColorNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Bowell, R. J. (1992) Supergene gold mineralogy at Ashanti, Ghana: Implications for the supergene behaviour of gold. Mineralogical Magazine, 56 (385) 545-560 doi:10.1180/minmag.1992.056.385.10

Advanced
   -   Only viewable:
Reference TypeJournal (article/letter/editorial)
TitleSupergene gold mineralogy at Ashanti, Ghana: Implications for the supergene behaviour of gold
JournalMineralogical MagazineISSN0026-461X
AuthorsBowell, R. J.Author
Year1992 (December)Volume56
Issue385
PublisherMineralogical Society
Download URLhttps://rruff.info/doclib/MinMag/Volume_56/56-385-545.pdf+
DOIdoi:10.1180/minmag.1992.056.385.10Search in ResearchGate
Generate Citation Formats
Mindat Ref. ID1868Long-form Identifiermindat:1:5:1868:9
GUID0
Full ReferenceBowell, R. J. (1992) Supergene gold mineralogy at Ashanti, Ghana: Implications for the supergene behaviour of gold. Mineralogical Magazine, 56 (385) 545-560 doi:10.1180/minmag.1992.056.385.10
Plain TextBowell, R. J. (1992) Supergene gold mineralogy at Ashanti, Ghana: Implications for the supergene behaviour of gold. Mineralogical Magazine, 56 (385) 545-560 doi:10.1180/minmag.1992.056.385.10
In(1992, December) Mineralogical Magazine Vol. 56 (385) Mineralogical Society
Abstract/NotesAbstractAt the Ashanti concession, Ghana, gold-bearing quartz veins and disseminated sulphide lodes occur in narrow (1-3 m) shear zones with altered argillites and metatholeiite host rocks. The mineralisation is concealed by up to 10 m of kaolinite-mica forest ochrosol soils, beneath which is a saprolitic zone of leached rock extending down 60-70 m to the hypogene ore zone. In the unweathered hypogene orebody, gold occurs as free grains in quartz, as sub-microscopic inclusions in the disseminated arsenopyrite, as gold tellurides and as aurostibite. The gold is released from the hypogene orebody by physical dissaggregation and chemical dissolution, the latter involving hydroxyl, thiosulphate, cyanide, and fulvate complexing. Dissolution and reprecipitation of the gold appears to have taken place largely in situ with little evidence of supergene enrichment. Consequently, the gold mineralogy of the soils is complex with residual and secondary gold grains exhibiting widely different textural and compositional characteristics. Residually enriched grains display pitted, rounded surfaces and have silver-depleted rims, while supergene gold grains are compositionally homogenous and have unpitted surfaces. The supergene grains display platelet, dendritic, irregular and octahedral habit. A fine grained spongy form of gold has also been observed from weathered telluride-bearing quartz veins. Much of the secondary gold is intergrown with iron oxides and hydroxides. The gold mineralogy of the Ashanti soils appears to be controlled by physico-chemical processes active during the lateritic pedogenesis producing residual and supergene enrichment of gold.

Map of Localities

Locality Pages

LocalityCitation Details
Kotopre prospect, Obuasi Gold Project, Obuasi Municipal District, Ashanti Region, Ghana

Mineral Occurrences

LocalityMineral(s)
Kotopre prospect, Obuasi Gold Project, Obuasi Municipal District, Ashanti Region, Ghana Calaverite, Chalcocite, Native Gold, Paratellurite, Petzite, Quartz, Scorodite, Tellurite


See Also

These are possibly similar items as determined by title/reference text matching only.

 
and/or  
Mindat.org is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2025, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: August 14, 2025 03:04:04
Go to top of page