Economic Geology

Vol. 57, 1962, pp. 982-985

DISCUSSIONS

USE OF THE TERM GOSS.4N

Sir: In a recentissueof this journal, Patrick A. Hill has given an ex-

cellentdiscussionof limonitegossansas exemplifiedin Cuba (1). His state-
ment that "Several gossantypes may occur in one boulder . . ." directs
attentionto definitions. He differentiatesgossaninto two main types, in-
digenousand exotic. Essentially,his indigenousgossanis grosslypseudo-
morphic after massivesulfide,and thereforethe ferric hydroxide could be
termeda syngenetic part of the gossan. His exoticgossanapparentlycontains
iron broughtby ground water from an extraneoussource,and consequently
the hydroxide couldbe called epigenetic.
These qualificationsseemdistinct,but their applicationmay involve some
conflict becauseof variables that characterizechemical weathering. For
instance,Hill correctly cites the limonite ores of the Cartersville district in
Georgia as of the indigenoustype, but his referenceto the ocher depositsas
exoticdoesnot agreewith his useof terms.
Most of the Cartersvilleocher was formed, and is still being formed, by
in-place hydration of beddedspecularhematite occurringin a well-defined
stratigraphicposition (2), and henceits ferric hydroxide is syngenetic(and
indigenous). Where these beds are cut by faults, there is an apparent en-
richment of the hydroxide, with residual hydrothermal minerals, suggesting
that epigeneticpyrite, depositedin the fault breccias,may have added to the
syngenetichydroxide formed during weathering. It is known, however,that
specularireis the chief sourceof the ocher, and that any contributionfrom
pyrite is quite local.
Conversely,the limohire (brown iron ore) depositsat Cartersville evi-
dently were derived principally from pyrite. They are not confinedto the
ocher-yieldinghematitebeds,but more commonlyoccurin the deepresiduum
of faulted dolomite. Several of the less-cavedopen cuts, in spite of long
abandonment,show pyrite in too great abundancefor use of the remaining
ore. Except for the discoveryof a sourcemineral, the sameconditionsof
lithology,structure,and drainagecharacterizethe manganese oxide deposits,
and, for both typesof ores,have led to the interpretationof hydrothermal
fault-zone mineralization, with subsequentgossan developmentextending
to the presenttime (2).
There is difficultywith any definitionunlessgossanis viewed as a new
bodyof rockoriginating
with the oxidationof the freshmaterials. Whether
a sulfidemineral is syngeneticor epigenetic,the oxidesresultingfrom its
chemicalweatheringare syngeneticif they replaceor envelopthe original
982
 DISCUSSIONS 983

mineral and its gangue; they are epigeneticif their ions have been trans-
ferred by groundwater and the oxidesdepositedin a new host rock.
By long-standinguse,gossanmeansthe outcropor near-surfacepart of a
depositof metalliferousore mineralsmodifiedchemicallyby leachingand
oxidation,and physicallyby slumpingand erosion,but occupyingapproxi-
mately the samepositionas was occupiedbefore the supergenealteration.
The importanceof slumpingand collapseduring leachingdependson the
overallproportionof substances
relativelysolublein groundwater, and on
their structural arrangement in the original deposit. Erosion of gossans
may form float, talus,colluvial,or evenalluvial deposits. Nomenclaturefor
theseis clearly available,but the term exotic gossanis ambiguousas Hill
apparentlyascribesfor it a supergenechemicalorigin mostly unassociated
with outcrop gossanor primary ore.
The quantitativedata and extensivereview of the literature are unusually
goodfeaturesof Hill's paper, and the only changesuggested,other than that
involving the Cartersvilleocher, is a return to the essentialmeaningof the
term gossanas strictly an outcropfeature of metalliferousore minerals.
Extending the use to include"any mass of limonite that has formed out-
sidethe orebodyor outsidethe limits of the indigenousgossan"(1) would
destroythe economic valueof the term, which,by usage,impliescontiguous
unoxidized ore minerals.
THOMAS L. KESLER
FOOTE MINERAL COMPANY,
KINGS MOUNTAIN. N. C.,
June 4, 1962

REFERENCES

1. Hill, Patrick Arthur, 1962, The gossans of Minas CarIota, Cuba: EcoN. GEOL., v. 57,
p. 168-194.
2. Kesler, Thomas L., 1950, Geology and mineral deposits of the Cartersville district, Georgia:
U.S. 'Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 224, pp. 10-16, 27-28, 45-57, 82-89.

REFLECTION CHARACTERISTICS OF ORE MINERALS

Sir: The paper by Dr. Gray and Dr. Millman (ECON. GEOL.,V. 57, p.
325--349) will help to stimulateinterestin quantitativemethodsof identifying
ore mineralsusingthe reflectingmicroscope. However, at the presentstage
of development,caution is required lest the promisingapplicationof the
quantitativemeasurement of reflectivityand microhardness to mineralidenti-
ficationfalls into disreputethrough too much being attemptedtoo soon.
It seemspertinent,therefore,to invite attentionto the followingpoints:
1. The linearity of responseof the photometer(usually a photo-celland
galvanometer)mustbe checkedfor eachof the requiredwave lengths,using
a monochromatorwith the samecharacteristics
as that employedin establish-
ing the standards.Resultsobtainedwith "open-band"filters, suchas the