Geologicheskii Vestnik

This article presents, for the first time, the results of a detailed study of telluride mineralisation in ores from a gold-sulphide deposit in the Middle Urals. The study was carried out on a representative composite sample using a combined methodology involving electric pulse disaggregation, hydroseparation and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive microanalysis. During the work, seven tellurium-bearing mineral phases were identified: melonite (NiTe₂), colarite (PbTeCl₂), altaite (PbTe), tellurobismuthite (Bi₂Te₃), tellurium-bearing galena (Pb(S, Te)), coloradoite (HgTe) and calaverite (AuTe₂). The mineral balance revealed an anomalous predominance of melonite, accounting for 78.45% of the total tellurides. The telluride inclusions are micrometre in size (4–100 µm) and are predominantly associated with pyrite, sulphide grain boundaries and quartz-carbonate veins, which indicates their formation during the final stages of ore formation. Geochemical analysis revealed a consistent association of Te with Ni, Pb and Zn, whereas Au and As demonstrate relative independence, indicating a multi-stage nature of mineralisation. The application of a combined sample preparation technique ensured a statistically representative sample of heavy minerals without over-grinding or contamination.

telluride mineralisation; gold-sulphide deposit; tellurides; micromineralogy; electric pulse disaggregation; hydroseparation

• Anisimova G.S., Kondratieva L.A., Kardashevskaia V.N., Mustafin S.K. (2021) Features of the gold-silver-bismuth-tellurium mineralization in the Allakh-Yun metallogenic zone (North-East of Russia). Arctic and Subarctic Natural Resources. 26 (3), 5–30. DOI: 10.31242/2618-9712-2021-26-3-5-30 (In Russian).
• Bulakh A.G., Zolotarev A.A., Krivovichev V.G. (2014) Structure, isomorphism, formulas, and classification of minerals. Saint-Petersburg. 133 p. (In Russian).
• Voitekhovsky Yu.L., Chernyavsky A.V., Basalaev A.A., Savchenko E.E. (2010) Gold of the Kairaly ore occurrence: first results. Gold of the Kola Peninsula and adjacent regions / Ed. Yu.L. Voitekhovsky. Apatity: K&M Publishing House. P. 8–10. (In Russian).
• Voloshin A.V., Chernyavsky A.V., Voitekhovsky Yu.L. (2012) Telluride mineralisation in the gold-bearing occurrences of the Panarechenskaya volcano-tectonic structure, Kola Peninsula. Bulletin of the Kola Science Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 1, 67–79. (In Russian).
• Zorin A.S. (2022) Electric pulse technology for crushing soliddielectric materials. Factors influencing the dynamics of discharge processes. Proceedings of the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Series: Technical sciences. 13 (3), 87–96. DOI: 10.37614/2949-1215.2022.13.3.009 (In Russian).
• Ivanov A.A., Perelyaev A.P. (1941) Minerals of the gold group. Mineralogy of the Urals, 2. USSR Academy of Sciences. 60–101. (In Russian).
• Izvekova A.D., Damdinov B.B., Damdinova L.B., Moskvitina M.L. (2021) Gold-telluride mineralization in ores of the Pionerskoye gold-quartz deposit (Eastern Sayan, Russia). Geology of ore deposits. 63 (6), 498–519. DOI: 10.31857/S0016777021060022 (In Russian).
• Kazakov I.I., Storozhenko E.V., Kharitonov I.N., Stefanovsky V.V., Koshevoy Yu.N., Kozmin S.V., Martynov S.E., Fadeicheva I.F., Ronkin Yu.L., Lukin V.G. (2017) State Geological Map of the Russian Federation at a scale of 1:200 000 (second edition). Middle Ural Series. Sheet O-41-XXVI (Asbestos). Explanatory note. St. Petersburg: VSEGEI Cartographic Factory, 284 p. + 13 incl. (In Russian).
• Kasatkin A.V., Tsyganko M.V., Nestola F. (2023) Tellurium mineralization of the Priozernoe gold-quartz deposit (Northern Urals). Mineralogy. 9 (1), 5–22. DOI: 10.35597/2313-545X-2023-9-1-1 (In Russian).
• Lichmanova A.I. (1972) Application of ultrasound in soil preparation for mechanical analysis. Bulletin of the Soil Institute named after V.V. Dokuchaev. 4, 42–47. (In Russian).
• Lobanov V.L., Nabiullin F.M., Nacharov V.B., Filonov N.A., Makovskaya O.Yu., Timofeev E. (2015) Patent No. 2541236. A method for extracting gold from telluride ores and concentrates. Filed on 23 April 2013. Published on 10 February 2015. Bulletin No. 4. (In Russian).
• Maslennikov V.V. (2006) Lithogenesis and Pyrite Formation. Miass: UB RAS. 384 p. (In Russian).
• Maslennikova S.P., Maslennikov V.V. (2007) Sulphide pipes of the Palaeozoic ‘black smokers. Miass: UB RAS. 312 p. (In Russian).
• Moloshag V.P. Genetic characteristics of telluride mineralisation in pyrite deposits of the Urals. Metallogeny of Ancient and Modern Oceans, Miass. UB RAS. 150–153. (In Russian).
• Moloshag V.P., Grabezhev A.I., Gulyayeva T.Ya. (2002) Conditions for the formation of tellurides in ores of chalcopyrite and copper-zinc porphyry deposits in the Urals. Proceedings of the Russian Mineralogical Society. 5, 40–54. (In Russian).
• Nikolaeva A.N., Mazurov A.K. (2024) Tellurium-bismuth mineralization in the ores of the Maleevskoe pyrite deposit (Eastern Kazakhstan). Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Assets Engineering. 335 (5), 233–250. DOI: 10.18799/24131830/2024/5/4636 (In Russian).
• Patent No. 2281808 Hydraulic classifier. N.S. Rudashevsky, V.N. Rudashevsky; Claimed 08.12.2004. Published 20.08.2006. Bulletin No. 23. (In Russian).
• Rakhimov I.R., Saveliev D.E., Shagalov E.S., Ankusheva N.N., Pankrushina E.A. (2022) Geology, mineralogy, geochemistry and conditions of forming the Tukan gold-quartz deposit (Khudolaz trough, South Urals). Lithosphere (Russia). 22 (2), 200–218. DOI: 10.24930/1681-9004-2022-22-2-200-218 (In Russian).
• Rudashevsky N.S., Burakov B.V., Lupal S.D., Shuloyakov A.D., Kurets V.I. (1991) Electropulse disintegration is an optimal technology for releasing undisturbed grains of accessory minerals. Doklady Earth Sciences. 319 (1), 219–222. (In Russian).
• Rudashevsky N.S., Rudashevsky V.N., Antonov A.V. (2018) Universal mineralogical technology for the study of rocks, ores and technological products. Regional Geology and Metallogeny. 73, 88–102. (In Russian).
• Ore-formation and ore-facies analysis of pyrite deposits in the Ural Palaeo-ocean (2001) / Zaikov V.V., Maslennikov V.V., Zaikova E.V., Harrington R. Miass: UB RAS. 212 p. (In Russian).
• Sazonov V.N., Ogorodnikov V.N., Koroteev V.A., Polenov Yu.A. (2001) Gold deposits of the Urals: Scientific publication (second, corrected and supplemented). Yekaterinburg: USMGA Publishing house. 622 p. (In Russian).
• Seravkin I.B. (2009) Endogenous metallogeny of gold. Geological collection. 8, 164–176. (In Russian).
• Spiridonov E.M. (2001) On the sequence of formation and typochemical characteristics of gold-silver tellurides in deposits of the plutogenic gold-quartz formation (Northern Kazakhstan). Traditional and New Directions in Mineralogical Research. Moscow: IGEM RAS. 149–151. (In Russian).
• Spiridonov E.M. (2010) Review of mineralogy in the leading types of Au mineralization. Gold of the Kola Peninsula and adjacent regions. Ed. Yu.L. Voitekhovsky. Apatity: K&M Publishing House. 143–171. (In Russian).
• Strakhovenko V.D. (1995) Mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the behaviour of tellurium, selenium and silver in ores from rare-metal deposits in Kazakhstan (Northern Katpar, Kokten-Kol, Verkhnee Kairakty). Geology and Geophysics. 36 (7), 59–64. (In Russian).
• Tseluyko A.S., Maslennikov V.V., Ayupova N.R., Maslennikova S.P., Danyushevsky L.V. (2019) Tellurium-bearing minerals in clastic ores of Ybileynoe massive sulfide deposit (South Urals). Geology ore deposits. 62 (2), 39–71. DOI: 10.31857/S0016-777061239-71 (In Russian).
• Chumakov A.V., Alikin O.V., Rudashevsky V.N., Udintsova S.A., Panova E.G., Leibham P.N. (2025) Gold typomorphism in metasomatites of gold-sulfide deposit (Middle Urals, Trans-Ural megazone). Vestnik of Geosciences. 361 (1), 4–13, DOI: 10.19110/geov.2025.1.1 (In Russian).
• Yutkin L.A. (1986) Electrohydraulic effect and its application in industry. Mechanical engineering. Saint-Petersburg. 252 p. (In Russian).
• Belogub E., Novoselov K., Palenova E., Zabotina M., Khvorov P. (2013) Mineralogy of oxidized ore of Ikryanskoye gold deposit (Sverdlovsk district, Russia). Ore genesis. Proceeding papers of the international conference. Miass: IMin UB RAS. 22–24.
• Ciobanu C.L., Cook N.J., Spry P.G. (2006) Preface - Special Issue: Telluride and selenide minerals in gold deposits – how and why? Mineralogy and Petrology. 87, 163–169.
• Cook N.J., Ciobanu C.L. (2002) Tellurides: more than mineralogical curiosities, but also markers of fS2-fO2 evolution in zoned hydrothermal systems. IMA, 18th General Meeting, Programm with Abstracts, Edinburg, Scotland. 283 p.
• Goldfarb R.J., Berger B.R., George M.W., Seal, R.R. (2017) Tellurium, chap. R of Schulz, K.J., DeYoung, J.H., Jr., Seal, R.R., II, and Bradley, D.C., eds., Critical mineral resources of the United States-Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1802, R1-R27. DOI: 10.3133/pp1802R
• Hassan Y.L., Roberts M.P. (2017) Tellurides associated with volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) mineralization at Yuinmery and Austin, Western Australia. Ore Geology Review. 80, 352-362. DOI: 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.07.005
• Jin W., Chen S., Chen J., Chen J., Zhao Y., Zan P., Wu R. (2021) Mineralogy and geochemistry of tellurides and pyrite from the Laowan Au−Ag−Te deposit, Qinling−Dabie orogenic belt, central China: Implications for ore genesis. Ore Geology Review. 139. 104519. DOI: 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2021.104519
• Lastra R., Price J., Cabri L.J., Rudashevsky N.S., Rudashevsky V.N., McMahon G. (2005) Gold characterization of a sample from Malartic East (Québec) using concentration by hydroseparator. Proceedings International Symposium on the Treatment of Gold Ores, Calgary, Alberta. Eds. by. Deschênes, D. Houdin, L. Lorenzen. 17–29.