The ore assemblages include sulfantimonides, gold and silver tellurides, stibnite, cinnabar, native mercury, electrum, native gold, native silver, selenides and to a lesser extent galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite. Typical gangue minerals found are quartz, calcite, fluorite, barite and pyrite. Dolomite, hematite, chlorite, rhodonite are sometimes found. Contents Age range Erosion has a very important part to play in the occurrence of epithermal gold deposits. Very few epithermal deposits can be related directly to deep seated intrusive bodies, but this relationship can be seen where deep erosion has occurred.
Most deposits have no visible relationship with plutonic rocks.
As these ore deposits are found at or near the surface and in tectonically active areas, they are susceptible to immediate erosion. Subsequently this type of deposit is dominantly found in areas of Tertiary volcanism, and is almost unknown in pre Cenozoic lithologies.