Vol. 337 No. 3 (2026)
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/3/5448
Thermobarogeochemical features and staging of mineral formation in the Sochatinoe gold deposit (Prikolyma terrain)
Relevance. The study of the material composition of gold mineralization at the Sokhatinoe deposit is of great importance in both theoretical and practical aspects. In comparison with other gold ore deposits of the Shamanikhinsko-Stolbovsky ore region, the mineralogy of the ores of the Sokhatin deposit has not been sufficiently studied. The results of this research refine the model of deposit formation and can be used for forecasting and prospecting new ore bodies within the deposit and the ore cluster as a whole. Aim. To conduct a detailed study of the mineralogy and thermobarogeochemical parameters of gold mineralization at the Sokhatinoe deposit and to refine the paragenetic scheme of mineral formation. Object. The primary focus is on the rocks, metasomatites, and ores of the Sochatinoe deposit. Methods. Ores and metasomatic rocks were studied using optical methods on a Carl Zeiss Axio Imager.A2m research microscope. The composition of ore minerals was determined using a Tescan VEGA scanning electron microscope equipped with an Oxford X-Max 50 energy-dispersive microanalyzer. Thermobarogeochemical studies of fluid inclusions were carried out using a Linkam THMS600 heating-freezing stage coupled with a Carl Zeiss Axio Imager optical microscope and a Horiba LabRam HR800 Evolution Raman spectrometer with an Olympus BX-FM microscope and a He-Ne laser. Results and conclusions. The authors have determined thermobarogeochemical characteristics of fluid inclusions in quartz, clarified the sequence of mineral formation, and identified seven mineral associations grouped into four stages of the hydrothermal process. The most productive mineral associations in terms of gold content are the gold-polysulfide and gold-bismuth-telluride associations, which genesis is associated with CO₂-H₂O-H₂S fluid systems circulating under mesothermal ore formation conditions at pressures ranging from 270 to 1330 bar. The average fineness of native gold in these associations is 788 and 734‰, respectively. The proposed paragenetic scheme reflects the deep relationship between tectonic impulses, fluid evolution, and ore deposition. The obtained results expand our understanding of gold deposition mechanisms in the structures of northeast Asia and form the basis for further prospecting and exploration work within the deposit and adjacent territories.
For citation: Molukpaeva D.K., Voroshilov V.G., Timkin T.V. Thermobarogeochemical features and staging of mineral formation in the Sochatinoe gold deposit (Prikolyma terrain). Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Assets Engineering, 2026, vol. 337, no. 3, pp. 47–58. https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/3/5448
Keywords:
Sokhatinoe deposit, gold mineralization, mineral associations, thermobarogeochemistry, Prikolymsky terrane
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