Wilbur Hot Springs and the McLaughlin Mine
- Key words
- Exploration; Geochemistry; USA; California; Mineralogy; Sulfur; Fluid Inclusions; Quartz; Hydrothermal Alteration; Oxygen-18; Deuterium; Isotopes; Dissolved Gas; Solubility in Brine; Epithermal; Gold
- Location
- Wilbur Springs, California
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 1991
- Session
- Exploration; Geochemical surveys; Thermal springs; Gold; Eco
- Language
- English
Abstract
A small, moderately saline and sulfur rich geothermal system exists at Wilbur Springs, California, and is carrying Au/Ag/Hg to the surface of a hot spring system. The gold is present in solution at 1 ppb in the fluid and is carried as a complex of reduced sulfur. The San Quentin gold shoot of the nearby McLaughlin ore body has fluid inclusions composed of waters which are chemically and isotopically similar to Wilbur Springs. Gold bearing quartz samples are isotopically heavy, near +24 per mil. In neither the presently active hot spring system nor the ore deposit do meteoric waters play any significant role.
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