A first record of alluvial gold in the Olănești and Cheia rivers, Southern Carpathians, Romania

Abstract

We provide the first scientific record and the mineralogical characterization of alluvial gold in the Olănești area, Southern Carpathians, Romania, based on field evidence, optical microscopy, and XRD, BSE and EPMA data. Chemical data were acquired on 11 alluvial gold grains from the Olănești and Cheia rivers and revealed a generally continuous variation in gold and silver content with Ag ranging from 7.31 to 19.77 wt.% and Au ranging from 80.26 to 93.16 wt.%. The source of the primary native gold is inferred to be the Cu-Au Valea lui Stan and/or the Costești As-Au shear-zone-related ore deposits located towards the north and west, respectively, of the study area.