1986 Volume 36 Issue 200 Pages 425-437
The silver abundances were determined for common sulfide minerals (374 samples)-pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, bornite and tennantite-and manganese ore minerals (162 samples)-rhodochrosite, rhodonite, pyroxmangite, tephroite, spessartine, braunite and hausmannite-from varieties of ore deposits, with the atomic absorption analyzer and the electron microprobe X-ray analyzer. The following conclusions are reached.
(i) Tennantite from the kuroko deposits of the Shakanai mine and the Sangkaropi area, is highly argentiferous. Silver is concentrated in galena in the sedimentary deposits of the Broken Hill district, in the skarn deposits of the Kamioka Mine and in the Toyoha deposits of the vein type. On the other hand, silver is much abundant in chalcopyrite in the porphyry copper deposits of the Mamut Mine and in the Ohe deposits of the vein type. Bornite from the submarine exhalative-sedimentary deposits of the Mount Lyell mine is rich in silver, as compared with coexisting chalcopyrite and pyrite.
(ii) In sulfide ores, silver generally has an affinity for tennantite≥;galena≥;chalcopyrite≥sphalerite, pyrite> pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite.
(iii) Silver is below the limit of detection in most of the manganese ore minerals, though present in small amounts in some of rhodochrosite from the vein type deposits of Neogene Tertiary. Manganese ore minerals from the bedded manganese ore deposits of Pretertiary are extremely poor in silver.
