The formation of UST’s is considered to be a result of pulsating pressure changes across cotectic boundaries in the quartz-feldspar stability

field (Figure 1). The quartz stability field expands with increasing pressure (Tuttle and Bowen, 1958) and thus alternate bands of quartz
and quartz plus feldspar are precipitated in cupolas as the cotectic boundary oscillates during
Seltmann pressure
R., Gerel varia tions,
O., Kirwin (Figure
D.J. (Eds), 20052). This is
considered somewhat akin to the pressure build up and release observed as the lid of a pot of boilingand
Geodynamics water rises and
metallogeny falls. The pressure
of Mongolia
release mechanism in an over pressured cupola could be related to commencement of hydraulic
with a special emphasisfracturing andgold
on copper and brittle failure of the
deposits
confining wallrocks.
© International Association on the SEG-IAGOD Field Trip, 14-16 Aug. 2005, 8lh Biennial SGA Meeting.
The UST Genesis
zonesofare
Oretypically
Deposits bands
(IA GOD)
a few metres to tens of metres 1AGOD in Guidebook
extent occurring at or
Series 11: near the apex of
CERCAMS/NHM a cupola
London, pp. and
63-84rarely they are
more than two or three metres thick. They are usually parallel or sub-parallel to a nearby intrusion-wallrock contact (Figure 3). The rela-
tively small size of UST outcrops is one reason why they are frequently unrecognised. In other cases they are oblitered by subsequent
sheeted quartz vein and breccia- tion events.
The first published data concerning UST’s is by Russian scientists (Kormilitsyn and Manuylova, 1957; Povilaitis, 1961), who described
examples from Siberian UNIDIRECTIONAL
tungsten-bearing intrusions.SOLIDIFICATION
The first record of Mongolian TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
occurrences is that by Batjargal and Lham- suren
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED
(1979) at the Yuguzer tungsten mines in the southeast Gobi. MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS
During the mid 1970’s, company geologists working with AMAX at the Climax and Henderson molybdenum
This paper documents some of the UST occurrences in Mongolia (Figure 4) and their metallogenetic association.
Douglas J. Kirwin
TUNGSTEN, MOLYBDENUM AND
Ivanhoe Mines Exploration & Mining (Thailand) Ltd.. 51/278 Muang Ake. Tambon Lak, 6 Amphoe Muang.
TIN EXAMPLES
Pathumtanee, 12000 Thailand

The first recognition of UST’s in Mongolia was made by J. Lhamsuren in 1975 while mapping the Yuguzer tungsten-molybdenum district
in southeast Mongolia (Batjargal and
Abstract: Unidirectional Lhamsuren,
solidification 1979;
textures Bakumenka
(UST’s) are primaryetmagmatic
al., 1981; Lhamsuren
features and Batjargal,
which comprise 1996). bands of quartz
parallel to subparallel
crystals with orientated c-axis terminations. The UST zones are products of rhythmic precipitation of quartz and quartz plus feld spar during
Yuguzer periods of volatile over pressuring within relatively small degassing felsic cupolas.
Numerous examples of UST’s have been observed at a variety of mineral deposits throughout Mongolia. The first documented example was
from the Yuguzer tungsten deposit in southeast Mongolia in 1975. Recently UST’s have been recognised at copper-gold porphyry deposits
Wolframite-bearing
(Oyu Tolgoi,greisens areOyut
Kharmagtai, located
Ulaan,inHunguit
the apical partUul),
and Saran of a copper
crescent-shaped granitic stock
and gold intrusion-related withatsurface
prospects dimensions
Tsagaan Chuluut, of approximately
and Zuun Mod
and possible(Jargalsaihan,
two square kilometres porphyry-related1996).
occurrences at Chandman
Minor Uul, Holvoo
molybdenite, Tolgoi.
fluorite and Oyut Ovoo.
beryl Excellent
are examples
associated withof UST’s have beenmineralisation.
the tungsten found at the Two
Umnu Hutul tungsten-rare earth occurrence, the Hanbodgd alkaline granitic complex, a Climax-type molybdenum breccia pipe complex at Khuj
samples collected and described by Professor Lhamsuren contain cogenetic beryl and molybdenite within the UST quartz
Khaan and the Urt Gozgor tin deposit. A most interesting and unusual tourmaline UST has been identified at the Bayan Uul prospect where
layers. Exposure
of the UST zones is mineralisation
copper poor however and samples
is associated collected by Professor
with tourmaline-quartz Lhamsuren
veins and breccia pipes. are from outcrops several square metres in size. The host
rocks are aplitic Theporphyries
presence of which appearthat
UST’s indicates pervasively sericitised
volatile-rich cupolas and and
are eroded theexposed
UST’sin are semi most
their upper parallel
levels. bands of quartz,
This is also millimetres to
an envi ronment
centimetres in where
widthporphyry copper,
(Figure5). gold, molybdenum
Highly differentiatedand tungsten stockwork,
quartz eye sheeted vein and breccia-hosted mineralisation might be expected to occur.
porphyries
Examples of mineralised UST’s are uncommon, although chalcopyrite is present in UST quartz bands at Southwest Oyu Tolgoi and at
Kharmagtai implying commencement of sulphide deposition during the transition from magmatic to hydrothermal pressures and temperatures.

INTRODUCTION mines, mapped and described UST zones from various

porphyritic intrusions (White el al., 1981) and proposed
the term “UST” (Shannon et al., 1982).
64 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 1. Phase diagram of the system NaAlSijOs - KAlSi 3Os - SiCL - Fig. 2. Mineralised UST from the Anticline molybdenum deposit.
H2O. Boundary curves for water-saturated liquids in equilibrium (500; I British Columbia (photo courtesy of R. Kirkham).
000; 3 000 and 5 000 bars). After Carmichael el al.. 1974; Tuttle and
Bowen, 1958.

Fig. 4. Map showing location of Mongolian UST occurrences.

 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED 65
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

observed at Yuguzer (Figure 4) display “snowball” tex-

tures similar to examples described by Seltmann and
Mueller (2003).

Umnu Hutul

Excellent examples of UST’s were recognised in 2002

at the Umnu Hutul tungsten and molybdenum deposit in
far western Mongolia. They occur as an annulus around
an aplitic cupola which is capped by a roof pendant of
basic volcanics. The UST zone has dimensions of 200
metres by 200 metres and a thickness of up to 15 metres.
The textures vary considerably from distinctly parallel
quartz bands to highly contorted layers, including atoll
structures (Figure 6). In extreme cases bands occur as
clasts in an aplitic matrix. The thickness of individual
quartz bands ranges from less than one millimetre to tens
of centimetres. The ratio of quartz bands to intraband
aplite varies as well, with some examples being mostly
quartz. Approximately 500 metres southeast of the UST
occurrence there is a quartz vein stockwork body
approximately 150 metres by 100 metres which has weak
molybdenite and wolframite mineralisation.

Khuj Khaan

Interesting UST’s have been observed at the Khuj Khaan

tungsten-molybdenum deposit in Tsenhermandal sub-
province. The mineralisation occurs as sheeted quartz
veins, breccia pipes and greisens in the apical parts of the
Early Mesozoic Modot granite. Topaz and fluorite are
common accessories and an outer zone of quartz-
wolframite veins appears to be a shell around a core of
quartz-molybdenite veins. The main breccia pipe, which
forms a ridge, has approximate dimensions of 300 metres
by 600 metres. Clasts displaying UST’s, aplitic clasts
with plumose feldspar bands and sheeted quartz veins,
and greisenised porphyry clasts are hosted in a granitic
matrix (Figure 7).

Urt Gozgor

The Urt Gozgor district is located 60 kilometres south

southeast of Ulaan Baatar in Tuv province. Large scale
placer mining for tin is taking place in drainages adjacent Fig. 5. (a) — Yuguzer tungsten mines. Southeast Gobi, Mongolia, (b)
to an unroofed Early Mesozoic topaz-bearing amazonite — UST’s from Yuguzer (sample courtesy of Professor Lhum- suren),
granite. A narrow zone of UST’s occurs within a one (c) — Quartz eye amazonite porphyry from Yuguzer.
metre thick band at the contact with hornfelsed me-
tasediments (Figure 8).

PORPHYRY COPPER-GOLD- at the Southwest Oyu gold-rich copper deposit. This was
MOLYBDENUM EXAMPLES studied in detail by I. Kavalieris and is described in Fig-
ure 9. The upper part of the zone at the igneous contact
The southern part of Mongolia is now recognised as a features two metres of massive silica underneath which is
highly prospective terrain for copper-gold porphyry a 10 metre interval containing UST’s.
deposits. This is largely based on exploration being car- The sequence appears to be repeated over the next 15
ried out at the Oyu Tolgoi project (Perello et al., 2001, metres down the core. The UST layers are typically
Forster et al., 2003; Kirwin et al., 2003). millimetres thick and highly contorted. Thin sections of
these narrow quartz bands clearly show the orientated “c
Oyu Tolgoi
axis” terminations characteristic of UST’s. The eight
A well preserved UST zone has been found near the metres UST zone in drill hole 183 assayed 0.25 g/t Au
contact of a quartz monzodiorite stock in drill hole 183 and 1.1% Cu. Other UST’s occur in drill hole 514 in the
Hogo zone where two metres assayed 0.2 g/t Au and
3.3% Cu. Most of the sulphide mineralisation crosscuts
66 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 6. (a) — View of cupola at Umnu Hutul (large hill in the foreground), (b) — Parallel UST bands, (c) — UST clast in aplitic groundmass, (d)
— Atoll texture.

the UST quartz layers and also the quartz veins. Sinuous Kharmagtai
quartz veins are commonly found throughout high grade
mineralised zones at Oyu Tolgoi, however these are more Similar UST’s have been observed at the Kharmagtai
typical of the “A veins” described at El Salvador by porphyry copper-gold district 120 kilometres northwest
Gustafson and Hunt (1975). These are not considered to of Oyu Tolgoi. Drill hole 229 from the Tsa- gaan Tsudal
be UST’s, although they may well have formed under deposit has a 10 centimetre narrow UST band (Figure
high pressure disequilibrium conditions as the veins 10). Mineralisation at Tsagaan Sudal occurs as sheeted
display strongly embayed quartz crystal boundaries. and stockwork quartz veins hosted
 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED 67
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

(a)

Fig. 7. (a) — View of Khuj Khaan breccia pipes. Eastern Mongolia, (b) — Sheeted quartz vein clast, (c) — Clast illustrating UST's, (d) — Quartz-
feldspar UST band.

mainly within an albite-magnetite altered microdiorite Saran Uul

porphyry. A two metre interval assaying 3.05 g/t Au and
1.31% Cu from 282 to 284 metres in hole 277 at Altan Another porphyry copper-gold related UST occur-
Tolgoi contains well mineralized contorted UST’s. Chal- rence was recently observed at a small aplitic knoll at
copyrite veinlets also crosscut the UST layers. Hydro- Saran Uul in Central Mongolia. Sub-economic copper
thermal breccia pipes, some of which are tourmaline- and gold mineralisation occurs as disseminated and
bearing post-date the copper-gold mineralising event. The fracture coatings of chalcopyrite and bornite within a
UST’s occur in several mineralised zones and the quartz pervasively albite-biotite altered granodiorite. Unlike
layers appear to contain cogenetic magnetite grains and Oyu Tolgoi and Kharmagtai, quartz stockwork veining is
rare pyrite. not well developed at Saran Uul and the style of min-
UST
zone at too of Qtz monzodkxMe intrusion in OTD1B3

68 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED

WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

2®5 - Contact low angle lo cc/a axis -30 degrees

Mastx.c miky white quartz. hdiswxt coarse crystts 2676

Thk* bard* <S- 10cm) cl contorted UST

Gradual^ thmer UST

Highly crcnUatod UST <1 mm thldt bano«

276,5

CracMe-brace* in*ik>a by white mlky quartz

2619 ~

Massie ana coarsely cryttaiine white cjuanj

Fig. 8. (a) — View of Urt Gozgor amazonite granite and alluvial tin and
tungsten mines, (b) — Quartz and feldspar UST’s, (c) — Amazonite
Gradation *cm thk* to thin h»oh» ccrtrted UST bands
granite with snow ball quartz textures.

MU

601b by of 2«nhck NgNy oontcrtwi UST

Ml

Se.'e-al (hr UST barxto

MS’ IMIUST < a)

(b)

(c)

Fig. 9. (a) — Section from drill hole OTD-183 at Southwest Oyu, Oyu Tolgoi, Illustrating the UST zone, (b) — Thin section of a UST band with
orientated “C-axis” terminations, (c) — Close-up view of lacey UST bands.
 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED 69
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 10. (a) — View of Kharmagtai porphyry copper-gold district, South Gobi, (b) — Drill core with UST zone, individual quartz bands have
cogenetic magnetite and pyrite?

eralisation is more typical of that described at porphyry bands in which individual larger quartz crystals also
copper deposits in British Columbia in Canada (Kirkham display internal quartz-feldspar growth zones (Figure 12).
and Sinclair, 1995; Lang et al., 1995). The UST The UST’s are hosted in an aplitic cupola similar to the
occurrence at Saran Uul sub-crops near the top of an Saran Uul occurrence. The Oyut Ulaan district comprises
unmineralised aplitic knoll which appears to form a very diorite-hosted gold-copper porphyries which may have
small cupola approximately one kilometre distant from similarities to those at Kharmagtai. Skarns and copper-
the main prospect (Figure 11). Formation of UST’s may mineralised tourmaline breccia pipes are also present at
be the result of very localised build up of volatiles prior Oyut Ulaan.
to the main mineralising event.
Hunguit
Oyut Ulaan
Three monzodiorite-hosted UST occurrences have
In the course of geological mapping at Oyut Ulaan, been identified at the Hunguit porphyry copper-gold
UST’s were identified at the Aplite prospect. The outcrop prospect (also known as Bronze Fox) in the southeast
is relatively small with dimensions of two metres by three Gobi (Figure 13). One outcrop features a “bubble-like”
metres. The UST’s are multiphase rhythmic UST zone, which has an inner 30 centimetres thick UST
70 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 11. (a) — Base camp and prospect area with trenches at Saran Uul, Central Mongolia, (b) — View of small cupola which hosts UST's, ap-
proximately one kilometre from the main mineralised area, (c) — Close-up view of quartz UST’s in aplite.

Fig. 12. (a) — View of copper-bearing tourmaline

breccia pipes, Oyut Ulaan, Southeast Gobi, (b) & (c) —
Cross section of quartz-feldspar UST from Aplite pros-
pect, Oyut Ulaan.
 UNI
DIR
ECTI
ONA
L
SOLI
DIFI
CAT
ION
TEX
TUR
ES
ASS
OCI
ATE
D
WIT
H
INT
RUSI
ON-
REL
ATE
D
MO
NGO

Fig. 13. Location of UST occurrences at Hunguit.

72 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 14. (a) — View of UST outcrops at Hunguit, Southeast Mongolia,

(b) — Large orientated quartz crystals with C-axis lengths of 10 cen-
timetres, (c) — Layers of UST’s below the more massive UST shown
in (b).

Fig. 15. (a) — View of second UST outcrop at

Hunguit, Southeast Mongolia, (b) — Slabbed
sample of UST illustrating a well developed quartz
layer at the top and increasingly irregular layers
below.
 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED 73
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 16. Outcrop photos of the UST mineralised layer

at Huguit. (Photos courtesy of A. Stewart).

Sample No. MR 75702 - 0.82 g/t Au, 1.60% Cu (c)

Fig. 17. (a) — Mineralised UST, (b) — Mineralised base of UST zone,
(c) — Mineralised mariolitic cavity zone below the UST band at
Hunguit.
74 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 18. (a) — General view of high sulphi-

dation lithocap at Shuteen, (b) — Magnetite-
bearing UST from Shuteen. (Photo courtesy of
M. Sharry. QGX Ltd.).

layer with large orientated quartz crystals (Figure 14). Zuun Mod
The outcrop is approximately 12 square metres and ap-
pears to be a locally confined zone of silica accumula- Unidirectional solidifiacation textures have been
tion. A second outcrop two kilometers to the east has a identified at Zuun Mod in Bayankhongor Aimag,
more regular 20 centimetre thick UST layer. The quartz southwest Mongolia. The UST banding consists of quartz
bands become progressively thinner and less well de- interlayered with sericite and orthoclase, and in several
veloped away from the cupola-wallrock contact (Figure cases can be traced around circular to oval massive quartz
15). A third UST occurrence recognised at Hunguit is outcrops, with diameters ranging from a few metres to
significantly mineralized. Well developed and highly over 400 metres (Figures 19 and 20). Seven exposures of
contorted quartz bands up to a few centimeters thick UST-textured quartz have been found around Zuun Mod.
occur within a layer two metres wide and, which can be The UST’s occur within a four kilometres long, by one
traced for 50 metres (Figure 16). Below this the host kilometre wide, northeast-trending, porphyritic biotite-
monzodiorite features abundant micro-miarolitic cavities. granodiorite intrusion, locally affected by moderate to
Samples collected from the UST layercon- tained up to intense porphyry-style quartzsericite (-pyrite) alteration
1.1 ppm gold and 0.29% copper. Samples of the and containing localised quartz-sulfide veinlets. The
monzodiorite with miarolitic cavities assayed up to 1.92 UST’s and hydrothermal alteration are accompanied by
ppm gold and 2.15% copper. These examples have weak porphyry copper and molybdenum mineralisation.
abundant disseminated iron oxides (after magnetite?) and
do not contain any quartz veining (Figure 17). OTHER INTRUSION-RELATED
Widespread gold-copper bearing quartz veins and tour- COPPER AND GOLD EXAMPLES
maline breccias are present throughout the district. An-
Occurrences of UST’s have been recently observed at
other magnetite-bearing UST occurrence has recently
Chandman Uul, Oyut Ovoo, Tsagaan Chuluut, and Ba-
been recognized at Shuteen. approximately 15 kilometres
yan Uul in central Mongolia and Tsagaan Chulut in
to the southwest of Hunguit. The magnetite appears
northeast Mongolia. These occurrences may be related to
mostly on the inner side of the quartz bands, i.e. where
porphyry copper systems however insufficient data exists
the “c” axis terminations are present (Figure 18). No
to characterise the specific metallogenetic setting.
copper or gold mineralization is evident.
 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED 75
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Chandman Uul

The UST’s at Chandman Uul are well developed

contorted and semi parallel bands which vary in thickness
from millimetres to centimetres (Figure 21). Outcrop is a
small exposure of aplitic intrusive and is a few square
metres in size. Approximately 500 metres to the
northwest there is a rhyolitic body which has weakly
developed sheeted quartz veins containing anomalous
gold values. A large unmineralised silicified breccia pipe,
250 metres in diameter, lies one kilometre to the
northeast. Exposures in the vicinity of the Chandman Uul
UST’s appear to be the roof zone of a granitic body.
Extensive copper-bearing massive magnetite skarns are
located 10 kilometres to the northeast.

Holvoo Tolgoi

Two excellent exposures of UST’s occur on the flanks

of two adjacent hills at Holvoo Tolgoi in southeast
Mongolia. They are associated with pervasively
sericitised aplite porphyries. The western outcrop shown
in Figure 22 has a two metre thick UST layer which can
be traced for 80 metres around the side of the hill. The
quartz layers are thickest at the cupola contact. The out-
crops approximately 500 metres to the east have a one
metre thick UST layer exposed over a distance of 200
metres, which in places is crosscut by sheeted quartz
veins with minor malachite staining.

Oyut Ovoo

At Oyut Ovoo in Central Mongolia a narrow band of

UST’s (several centimetres thick) has been observed for
50 metres at the contact of a granitic? stock which hosts
copper-bearing magnetite skarns and magnetitehaematite
matrix hydrothermal breccia pipes. The mineralisation is
located around a prominent cluster of low hills
comprising a one square kilometre area, and could
represent the upper part of a porphyry system.

Fig. 19. (a) — View of the large circular quartz layer at Zuun Mod,
Southwestern Mongolia. The diameter of this quartz feature is ap-
Tsagaan Chuluut proximately 400 metres, (b) — View of a similar small circular quartz
layer 2 kilometres southwest of (a). The diameter of this example is
The Tsagaan Chuluut district is located 200 kilome- approximately 70 metres, (c) — Close-up view of UST's exposured
tres north northwest of Choibolsan in the northeast corner underneath the massive quartz layer illustrated in figure 15(b).
of Mongolia district is a centre of intense medium to large
scale alluvial gold mining activities. The regional geology with C axis lengths exceeding one metre have been ob-
is comprised of Jurassic granodiorite and quartz feldspar served. Other UST outcrops comprise more typical mil-
porphyry stocks, dioritic and gabbroic intrusions which limetre to centimetre thick contorted quartz layers within
have been emplaced adjacent to graben bounding faults. zones up to several metres thick and strike extents of tens
Mesothermal gold and copper-bearing quartz veins are to hundreds of metres. Atoll and cast textures are well
associated with one or more of the porphyritic intrusions. developed where planar interfaces between UST layers
Cupolas of some of the quartz-feldspar porphyry have been exposed (Figure 23). The UST’s at Tsagaan
stocks have been exposed and well preserved UST zones Chuluut appear unmineralised, however fine grained
outcrop as a cluster of small hills. The upper most haematite could be after magnetite. The deposition of
sections of the cupolas comprise massive silica bodies massive silica in the cupolas seems related to a single
several cubic metres in size which in some cases have overpressuring event whereas the more typical
UST features. Individual large zoned quartz crystals rhythmically banded UST’s indicate oscillating
overpressuring.
76 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 20. (a) — Aerial view of the "bubble-like” UST outcrop 2 kilo- Fig. 21. (a) — View of UST outcrops at Chandman Uul, Southeast
metres northeast of the UST zone illustrated in figure 15(a), (b) — Mongolia, (b) — Outcropping UST’s illustrating quartz bands of
View of the UST outcrop, (c) — Close-up of contorted UST quartz variable thickness, (c) — Slabbed sample of UST’s showing ductile?
bands. deformation during crystallisation.

Bayan Urt
Mineralisation at Bayan Uul occurs as sheeted veins of
Highly contorted UST’s have been found as float quartz, tourmaline and chalcopyrite and tourmaline
boulders at Bayan Urt in eastern Mongolia (Figure 24). breccia pipes hosted in Permo - Triassic? diorites and
Cut slabs exhibit cauliflower-like quartz bands referred granodiorites. A subsequent visit by the author in July
to here as atoll textures (Figure 6d). The metallogenetic 2003 found that the UST zone subcrops over a strike
association of this UST occurrence is not known, how- length of 20 metres and a width of three to five metres.
ever there are numerous intrusion-related fluorite and The quartz bands vary in thickness from millimetres to
molybdenite deposits in this region of eastern Mongolia. centimetres and are regular to highly contorted in texture.
Cross cutting relationships suggest sheeted quartz-
Bayan Uul tourmaline veinlets post-date the formation of the UST’s
(Figure 26). A small cupola outcrop 10 metres from the
A very interesting float sample of a tourmaline-rich tourmaline examples, does not have tourmaline and con-
UST (Figure 25) was found at Bayan Uul, 50 kilometres tains minor amounts of haematite after magnetite? and
northwest of Oyut Ovoo in late 2002 by D. Jargalsaihan. malachite after chalcopyrite.
During the 1960’s and 1970’s, UST’s were generally considered to be associated only with fluorine-bearing molybdenum, tungsten
systems. In fact, the occurrence of UST’s was considered a positive indicator in the exploration for “Climax-type” molybdenum deposits.
UNIDIRECTIONAL
About this time, Russian scientists had a similar philosophySOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES
focused on tungsten ASSOCIATED
and rare earth deposits. 77
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS
Subsequently Kirkham and Sinclair (1988) described numerous UST examples from Canadian molybdenum tungsten and also tin
deposits (Sinclair et al., 1988). Since the early 1980’s UST’s have been documented from intrusion-related gold deposits (e.g. Kidston,
Baker and Andrew,ALKALINE INTRUSION
1991; Mt Leyshon, WormoldEXAMPLE
et al., 1991; Timbarra, Mustard et al., 1998; Shotgun, Rom- bach and Newberry, 2001
and Kutemjarvi, Kirwin and Seltmann, 2002). More recently, UST’s have been recognised in porphyry copper-gold systems (e.g. North
An interesting
Parkes, Hithersay occurrence
and Walshe, 1995; of non
Red quartzTorrey
Dome, UST’setobserved
al., 1988, Skouries, Tobey et al., 1998; Batu Hijau, Garwin, 2002; Tampang,
Kavalieris at
andthe Hanbogd
Bunting, alkaline
2003, igneous complex
Cadia-Ridgeway, is included
Lickfold in and Bajo de Alumbrera (Harris et al., 2004).
et al., 2003)
The USTthisoccurrences
paper as it is considered
observed to be a rare
in Mongolia mayvariation
be broadlyof the
categorised according to the geological setting and element association.
USTfrom
The examples phenomena.
Oyu Tolgoi, Kharmagtai and Hunguit are associated with porphyry gold and copper mineralisation and the deposition
of most of sulphides commenced during the UST formation. As temperatures (and pressures) decreased from above 600° C, a transition
from magmaticHanbogd
to hydrother mal events took place as well as a transition from brittle to ductile regimes (cf. examples from North Parkes
and Cadia-Ridgeway). It may be that some magnetite and sulphides are cogenetic with the UST quartz seen at
The Permian Hanbogd alkaline igneous complex is a
circular pancake-shaped intrusion approximately 30
kilometres in diameter (Garamjav, 1996) located in the
South Gobi region 70 kilometres north of the border with
China.
A prominant cupola comprises a knoll which has a
two metre thick zone of orientated plumose arfvedsonite
crystals which are up to 30 centimetres in length (Figure
27). The layer also has associated albite, quartz, eudylite
and the rare zirconium minerals elpidite and armstrongite
(Valdykin et al., 1981). The arfvedsonite UST zone forms
a 60 metres annulus around the cupola and is underlain by
a one metre thick “line rock” zone composed of
centimetre rhythmic layers of albite and arfvedsonite.
Orbicular alkali granites also occur within the Hanbogd
igneous complex.

DISCUSSION

Fig. 22. (a) — View of UST outcrop at Holvoo Tolgoi, Southeast

Mongolia, (b) — Close-up view of UST layers which commence with
thicker quartz bands near the cupola contact to progressively thinner
bands away from the contact, (c) — Slabbed sample of UST’s with
isolated embayed quartz blebs between the UST layers.

Kharmagtai and Hunguit and therefore mineralisation

might have been initiated at magmatic temperatures and
pressures (cf. UST’s at Tampang). At both Oyu Tolgoi
and Kharmagtai, the host intrusions are low K to medium
K calc-alkaline in composition and are cylindrical or
dyke-like apophyses related to larger underlying in-
trusions (eg. the cupola illustrated in the center of Figure
3).
The gold, chalcopyrite and magnetite observed in the
Bayan Uul UST example are clearly cogenetic with the
host UST quartz. The high gold and copper assays of 12.2
g/t gold and 0.8% copper are quite remarkable and may
be evidence for trapped porphyry-type fluids
78 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 23. (a) — Outcrop of UST’s at Tsagaan Chuulut, Northeast Mongolia, (b) — Close up view of large orientated quartz crystals, (c) ■— Thick
UST quartz bands, (d) — Contorted delicate UST’s.
 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED 79
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 24. (a) — Boulder float of highly contorted UST layers at Bayan Urt, Eastern Mongolia, (b) — Slabbed sample from the above boulder
illustrating concentric quartz layers ("atoll texture”).

Fig. 25. (a) — View of UST outcrops at Bayan Uul, Central Mongolia, (b) — Quartz-tourmaline UST with alterating bands of quartz and tourma -
line, (c) — Sheet quartz-tourmaline veins cross cutting quartz-tourmaline UST’s, (d) — Tourmaline matrix breccia 100 metres from the UST
outcrops.
80 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

premineralisation accumulation of volatiles within small

cupolas emplaced at a relatively deep level as a large
intrusion was being emplaced (e.g. the cupola illustrated
on the right side of Figure 3).
Silica carapaces and underlying UST zones similar to
those at Oyu Tolgoi and Tsagaan Chuluut have been
observed in drill core from the Rina porphyry goldcopper
prospect at Masupa Ria in Indonesia. (Huw Williams,
pers. comm.). The accumulation of silica at the cupola-
wallrock contact acts as a seal enhancing the volatile
overpressuring effect.
The tungsten-molybdenum deposits with UST’s
(Yuguzer. Umnu Hutul and Khuj Khaan) also have aplitic
cupolas, and in the case of Khuj Khaan sheeted quartz
veins and hydrothermal breccia pipes with UST- bearing
clasts demonstrate continued hydrothermal activity.
These examples may be related to Climax-type
molybdenum porphyry systems (White et al., 1983).
Similar fluorite-bearing UST’s have been recognized at
Kung Hu Tung in Inner Mongolia, China.
At Bayan Uul, tourmaline UST’s, sheeted quartzveins
and tourmaline breccia pipes outcrop within an area of
less than one square kilometre. This is an excellent
example illustrating the evolution of processes which
form tourmaline breccia pipes (Figure 28). A sudden
release of pressure due to hydraulic failure of wallrocks at
the cupola contact could result in the deposition of
sheeted quartz-tourmaline veins and subsequent for-
mation of tourmaline breccia pipes.
Sheeted quartz veins are frequently observed to
overprint UST’s and these are interpreted to represent the
final pressure decrease which terminates UST formation.
Experimental studies by Fedkin et al. (2002) demonstrate
the crucial role of sudden pressure decreases during the
formation of UST’s.
Tourmaline-quartz UST’s are very rare as boron
readily partitions into a vapour phase and not into a melt
(Pichavant, 1981). Another example is known to come
from the Wheal Remfry tourmaline pipe in Cornwall
(Kirwin, 1983). The common presence of fluorite or
topaz associated with UST’s in tungsten, molybdenum
and tantalum systems (Reyf et al., 2000) implies that
fluorine is involved with processes that form UST's, as
Fig. 26. (a) — Gold-Copper bearing. UST. Bayan Uul, (12.2 ppm Au proposed by Balashov et al., 2000 and described by
and 0.8% Cu). (b) — Thin section illustrating location of native gold Breiter et al., 2003.
grains in the above sample. The gold occurs with the quartz and the
host rock, (c) — Native gold in partly altered plagioclase phenocryst.

CONCLUSIONS
evolved from an oxidized intrusion at magmatic pressures
Several UST occurrences are now recognised in dif-
and temperatures. This is also the case for the mineralized
ferentiated felsic intrusions throughout Mongolia. They
occurrence at Hunguit. Similar mineralized examples
are associated with tungsten and molybdenum, porphyry
have been observed at the Hada Sumu goldcopper deposit
copper and gold and intrusion-related copper and rare
in Inner Mongolia, China (Forbes et al., 2003). In fact,
earth mineralisation. Whilst in many cases, the UST
the UST zone at this deposit was mined as gold ore.
zones are not directly associated with mineralisation, they
In contrast the occurrences at Saran Uul, Oyut Ovoo,
are considered to be useful indicators for volatilerich
Oyut Ulaan, Holvoo Tolgoi and Chandman Uul are
intrusive complexes, at a district prospecting scale. They
hosted in small aplitic cupolas within monzonitic plutons
also represent the first stage, in a series of dynamic
with no directly associated mineralisation. There are
processes which can evolve to form sheeted and
however copper-gold mineralised stockwork veins,
stockwork quartz veins and breccia pipes. From an ex-
breccia pipes or skarns within a few kilometres of each of
ploration viewpoint breccia-hosted ore deposits related to
these cupolas. The UST's are most likely products of
these structural settings would occur at a topographi-
 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFIC ATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED 81
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 27. (a) — Cupola outcrop, west margin of the Hanbogd complex, (b) — Arfvedsonite-albite line rock, (c) — Plumose arfvedsonite zone, (d) —
Close up view of plumose arfvedsonite crystals.
82 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

Fig. 28. (a) — Formation of UST’s as overpressured volatiles concentrate in a cupola, (b) — Subsequent release of overpressuring due to hydrau lic
fracturing of wallrocks and formation of sheeted veins, (c) — Final catastrophic failure of wallrocks as a breccia pipe is created and the pres sure
suddenly drops to equilibrium.

cally higher intervals perhaps 100 to 200 metres above ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

the UST zone where exposed. In contrast porphyry type
and disseminated mineralisation could be adjacent to or The author wishes to thank the many Mongolian and
below the UST horizon. expatriate geologists working with Ivanhoe Mines who
Gold and chalcopyrite deposition have commenced have contributed to this compilation. In particular Mr.
during the formation of the UST’s at Oyu Tolgoi, Jargalsaihan and Mr. Batjargal recognised the UST oc-
Kharmagtai and Hunguit This phenomenon has been currences at Umnu Hutal, Bayan Uul and Oyut Ulaan.
observed at Tampang in Sabah and the Lachlan Fold Belt Mr. Bat Erdene and Mrs. Tserenjav guided the author to
porphyry copper-gold systems in Australia. In particular, the Tsagaan Chuluut locality and Troy Resources Ltd. is
UST’s are frequently associated with K calc- alkaline thanked for permission to publish data concerning this
gold-rich copper porphyry deposits. The reason for this is occurrence. Gallant Minerals kindly permitted the author
not clear, however the presence of fluorine and carbon to visit the Zuun Mod locality which the author
dioxide as volatiles during the transition from magmatic subsequently visited. Professors Lhumsuren and Uhknaa
to hydrothermal fluids may be significant. from the Mongolian Technical University, and Mrs.
Oyunbat accompanied the author to the Urt Togozgor
 UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION TEXTURES ASSOCIATED 83
WITH INTRUSION-RELATED MONGOLIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS

district. Mr. D. Garamjav’s encyclopedic knowledge of Garwin, S., 2002, The geology of intrusion-related
the Hanbodg alkaline complex made several brief field hydrothermal systems near the Batu Hijau porphyry
visits very memorable occasions. Quincunx Gold Ltd. copper-gold deposit, Sumbawa, Indonesia, in: Gold-
kindly provided the description and photograph for UST farb, R., and Nielsen, R., eds., Integrated Methods for
example at Shuteen. Finally the many hours discussing Discovery. Reviews in Economic Geology, Special
UST’s with Reimar Seltmann and Rod Kirkham have Publication, V. 9, pp. 333-366.
greatly benefited the author’s understanding about these Gustafson, L.B., and Hunt, J.P., 1975, The porphyry
fascinating rocks. copper deposit at El Salvador, Chile. Economic Ge-
ology, V. 70, pp. 857-912.
Harris, A.C., Kremenetsky, V.S., White, N.C., and Steele,
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