Invisible Gold in Pyrite Revealed by NanoSIMS Analysis

Learn how NanoSIMS detects invisible gold and sulfur isotope ratios in pyrite from Carlin-type deposits, aiding exploration strategies.

Revealing invisible gold in pyrite with NanoSIMS sulfur isotope analyses

The Application

In Carlin-type gold deposits, much of the gold is “invisible”—locked inside microscopic Fesulfide minerals where concentrations are too low for EPMA detection.

The Challenge

Invisible gold is hard to analyze because pyrite grains are extremely small, gold concentrations fall below EPMA detection limits, and the processes controlling gold deposition involve multiple, overlapping fluid events that demand high isotopic precision to resolve. Without advanced imaging techniques, key information about ore genesis, gold-rich fluid pulses, and trace element associations remains hidden.

Our Unique Solution

Based on the SIMS technique, CAMECA’s NanoSIMS-HR provides unmatched analytical performance to expose invisible gold and its geological history:

Ultrahigh spatial resolution, down to 30 nm, enables clear mapping of trace elements embedded in pyrite.
Exceptional sensitivity reveals gold, As, Sb, Cu and Te distributions that were previously undetectable.
Sulfur isotope ratio mapping (³⁴S/³²S) identifies distinct gold bearing fluid events with precision unavailable to other techniques.
Simultaneous detection of up to seven masses, enabling high precision detection of multiple isotopes.

NanoSIMS-HR uniquely integrates elemental and isotopic mapping to reveal the hidden geochemical signature of goldbearing fluids, empowering miners and geoscientists to make smarter exploration decisions.

Case Study

In this study, NanoSIMS elemental maps of pyrite revealed the distribution of invisible gold and related trace elements.

Elevated Au zones align with higher As, Sb, Cu, Te and distinct low ³⁴S/³²S sulfur‑isotope ratios, highlighting two separate gold‑rich fluid events within the deposit

From: Uncloaking invisible gold: use of NanoSIMS to evaluate gold, trace elements, and sulfur isotopes in pyrite from Carlin-type gold deposits. Shaun L.L. Barker et al. Economic Geology.

Best-fit product: CAMECA NanoSIMS-HR

The NanoSIMS-HR is the ideal instrument for investigating invisible gold in pyrite. With its high mass‑resolution, multi‑isotope detection, and nanoscale imaging capabilities, it allows researchers to simultaneously map gold, trace elements, and sulfur isotope ratios—unlocking insights into ore genesis, fluid evolution, and trace‑element behavior in Carlin‑type deposits.

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