S. Younesi; M. R. Hosseinzadeh; M. Moayyed
Abstract
The Mahour Zn-Cu-(Pb-Bi-Ag) deposit located in central Lut Block, formed in an intensely crushed fault zone, dominantly in dacite-rhyodacite volcanic-subvolcanic unit of Late Eocene- Oligocene age. Mineralization occurred as veins, veinlets and breccia massive sulfide and/or as quartz , quartz-carbonate ...
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The Mahour Zn-Cu-(Pb-Bi-Ag) deposit located in central Lut Block, formed in an intensely crushed fault zone, dominantly in dacite-rhyodacite volcanic-subvolcanic unit of Late Eocene- Oligocene age. Mineralization occurred as veins, veinlets and breccia massive sulfide and/or as quartz , quartz-carbonate or quartz-muscovite (sericite)- carbonate vein-veinlets. Apart from negligible dark sphalerite, only fine-grained pyrite is observed as disseminated phase within the host rocks. Hypogene mineralization is complex and the main minerals, in order of abundance, are pyrite, Fe-bearing sphalerite and chalcopyrite, with subordinate galena, Cu-sulfosalts, Bi-sulfosalts, Fe-poor sphalerite, and afew greenokite, arsenopyrite, digenite and probably covellite. The Considerable amounts of Ag exist in lattice of some sulfosalt and sulfide minerals, as well as locally negligible Au-bearing W minerals. Mineralization is dominantly associated with sericitic, intermediate argillic and propyllitic alterations and rarely with advanced argillic and quartz- adularia that formed at three main stages including: 1- quartz- pyrite, 2- Fe- bearing sphalerite, and 3- chalcopyrite stage with sulfosalts and minor high sulfidation minerals. Mineralization occurred after silicification and disseminated pyritization that comprise tourmaline (sericitic alteration prior to mineralization) and then weathering process affected it. According to very low dissolution of Cu in Cu-Zn-S equilibrium system, high density of chalcopyrite inclusions in Fe-bearing dark sphalerites in Mahour reveals replacement origin of chalcopyrite disease texture. This texture and mineralogy (ore and alteration) indicate formation of Mahour polymetal mineralization at temperature range of 200-400°C and from an intermediate sulfidation state and low acidity fluid which was neutralized to alkaline by interaction with wall rock. Although, a minor evidence for evolution to high sulfidation state, more acidic and oxidation conditions is recorded in Cu- rich zone. Mineralogical features of the Mahour deposit indicate predominantly magmatic origin for mineralizing hydrothermal fluid, and in combination with mineralization structure, association with calc-alkaline to shoshonitic igneous rocks and tectonic setting of host rocks, are very similar to cordilleran style polymetal lode deposits.
S Younesi; M.R Hosseinzadeh; M Moayyed; A Maghsoudi
Abstract
The study area is located at the center of the Lut area and the southern part of the Eocene- Oligocene Lut volcano-plutonic belt. The main exposed igneous rocks include widespread and thick units of Middle Eocene volcanic (basaltic andesite, andesiteand trachy-andesite) and Eocene-Oligocene volcanic-subvolcanic ...
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The study area is located at the center of the Lut area and the southern part of the Eocene- Oligocene Lut volcano-plutonic belt. The main exposed igneous rocks include widespread and thick units of Middle Eocene volcanic (basaltic andesite, andesiteand trachy-andesite) and Eocene-Oligocene volcanic-subvolcanic (dacite and rhyodacite) with related tuffs, intruded by microdioritic stock and dykes of Oligocene with gabbrodiorite to quartzdiorite compositions. Texture is dominantly porphyritic and the main minerals are plagioclase, clinopyroxene, hornblende, K-feldspar, quartz and minor amounts of biotite with apatite, zircon, rutile and opaque minerals as accessory phases. These rocks with predominant K-high calc-alkaline to shoshonitic affinities, are I type and metaluminous and are characterized by LILE, LREE and Th enrichment relative to HFSE, depletion in Nb,Ti,Ta and weak depletion in HREE and Y. These features are characteristic of the post-collisional calc-alkaline rocks along with a continental active margin tectonic setting. In spite of the low ratios of Nb/U, Nb/La and Ce/Pb, the Sm/Yb (1.6-2.1) ratio reveals low contamination of magmas with relatively thin crust which is in accordance with low crustal thickness in this area (36-38Km). According to geochemistry of trace elements and REEs, the main cause of magmatism in Mahour was melting of a metasomatized lithospheric mantle (E-MORB like) with spinel lherzolite composition accompanied by very small amount of garnet in the presence of phlogopite. On the basis of the phenocrysts assemblage, REE pattern with negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu*= 0.63- 0.9) and also La/Yb calibration to crustal thickness, magmas have undergone relatively dry crystallization in the magma chamber at shallow depths (
