Article https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-020-0019-6 pISSN 1226-4806 eISSN 1598-7477 Geosciences Journal GJ Geology, geochemistry, mineralogy of Phayaung Taung, Patheingyi Township, Mandalay Division, Myanmar Naing Aung Khant 1,2 , Adam Piestrzynski 2 , and Chungwan Lim 1 * Department of Earth Science Education, Kongju National University, 56 Kongju-Daehak-Ro, Kongju, Chungnam 32588, Republic of Korea Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow 30-059, Poland ABSTRACT: Myanmar is endowed with a diverse array of metallic and nonmetallic mineral deposits, a number of which have recently been developed as world-class mines. Tagaung Taung deposit north of Mandalay is a resource approximately 40 km from Mandalay City. The Phayaung Taung gold deposit from the Slate Belt is hosted in phyllite, schist, and quartzite. Mineralization is associated with the stockwork quartz vein system. Wall-rock silicic alteration by cryptocrystalline quartz or amorphous silica is dominant. Phyllic alter- ation is characterized by sericite, quartz, chlorite, and pyrite with disseminated hematite. Gold occurs in tourmaline-quartz and sul- fide-bearing quartz veins. It is associated with pyrite and chalcopyrite as well as Au-Ag-Bi-Te ore assemblages of petzite, hessite, and tellurobismuth. The Phayaung Taung gold deposit shows typical mesothermal characteristics. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analyses revealed the average gold content of electrum grains, i.e., 75.1 wt% Au, with grain sizes ranging from 3 to 40 μm. Moreover, secondary native gold grains were formed with hematite and iron oxides in secondary remobilized/deformed veins at strongly brecciated/oxidized zones. The association between gold and altered sulfides suggests that gold was refractory in sul- fides. It can be considered that supergene oxidation extended to deep mineralization veins. Such gold grains had the highest Au con- tent, and are often in almost pure condition. This study discussed the geology, geochemistry, and mineralogy of the Phayaung Taung gold mine in Myanmar. New minerals were identified in the samples obtained from the study area, which were subjected to multiple analyses to determine their properties and understand the relationships between them. Key words: gold, copper, telluride mineralization, Phayaung Taung Manuscript received March 14, 2020; Manuscript accepted May 25, 2020 1. INTRODUCTION Myanmar is geologically divided into four parts by north- south trending linear belts as follows: (1) Shan-Tanintharyi (or Shan-Thai) Block, (2) Central Cenozoic Belt, (3) Western Fold Belt, and (4) Rakhine Coastal Belt. The Shan-Tanintharyi Block mainly consists of older rock groups including plateau limestone and metamorphic complex (MyintSwe et al., 2004). Gold deposits are located in six main geological tectonic belts in Myanmar (Gardiner et al., 2016): (1) intrusion-related gold- quartz veins, porphyry style copper ± gold ± molybdenum and related epithermal gold mineralization in the Central Magmatic Arc (Shangalon, Le-U-Banmauk, Kyaukpazat); (2) epithermal to mesothermal gold mineralization along the Tagaung Myitkyina Belt; (3) gold-quartz veins and locally skarn Au (Cu) in marble and granite within the Mogok Metamorphic Belt; (4) sediment- hosted epithermal Au mineralization along the Sagaing Fault zone; (5) Slate Belt-hosted orogenic gold-quartz veins in the Chaung Magyi and Mergui Group; and (6) gold-sulfide-bearing quartz veins hosted in ophiolitic units and greenschist in the Jade Mines Belt. The Phayaung Taung gold mine, 40 km away from Mandalay city, is located in the Eastern Highlands of the Shan-Tanintharyi Block and hosted within a greenschist facies Precambrian metamorphic terrane. Gold mineralization is localized in saddle reefs along the axes of small tightly-folded anticlines and synclines (drag folds) on the west flank of a larger structure. The main anticline is bounded by northeast trending faults, and *Corresponding author: Chungwan Lim Department of Earth Science Education, Kongju National University, 56 Kongju-Daehak-Ro, Kongju, Chungnam 32588, Republic of Korea Tel: +82-41-850-8298, E-mail: tephra@kongju.ac.kr Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-020- 0019-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to autho- rized users. The Association of Korean Geoscience Societies and Springer 2020