Abstract
The typomorphic features of ore and placer gold at the Namovskoye deposit, part of the Malinovsky ore cluster (Southern Sikhote-Alin), were studied. The deposit formed under conditions of intense tectonic processes. The studies provided the first information on the basic characteristics (granulometric composition, morphology, fineness, trace elements, nanostructure, internal structure, and gold intergrowth with other minerals) of native gold from its primary source to its entry into placer halos (deluvial-alluvial deposition). Two generations of ore gold were identified. The earlier generation of gold is associated with bismuth tellurides and sulfotellurides; its fineness varies from 775 to 875 ‰, rarely reaching 1000 ‰. Later-generation gold is associated with bismuth sulfosalts and exposes fineness of 600 to 750 ‰. Analysis of gold from the Namovskoye deposit's placer halos revealed that it is predominantly represented by weakly rounded or semi-rounded grains, with rare unrounded specimens. The morphological form retains its original features, with gold intergrown with quartz, hematite, scheelite, and montanite. Bismuth and tellurium oxides, as well as clay minerals, are found in depressions. Fineness ranges from 804 to 1000 ‰, rarely 661-796 ‰. A comparative analysis of ore and placer gold from the Namovskoye deposit revealed that the most important typomorphic features of ore gold, including grain size, morphology, assay value, and the mineral composition of intergrowths, are preserved in the dispersion halos and serve as indicators of their genetic relationship to their primary sources. Based on these results, it was established that native gold from placer halos at the Namovskoye deposit typomorphically matches gold from its primary source.