Economic Geology
Almasi Alireza; Ghasem Nabatian; Amir Mahdavi; Qiuli Li
Abstract
The Maher abad and Khopik porphyry Cu deposits occurred in the Upper Eocene (39-37 Ma) in Lut block. All of them associated with intermediate (mostly monzonite) rocks. Porphyry deposits are closely associated with oxidized magmas. Oxygen fugacity (fO2) is a key factor that controls the formation of porphyry ...
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The Maher abad and Khopik porphyry Cu deposits occurred in the Upper Eocene (39-37 Ma) in Lut block. All of them associated with intermediate (mostly monzonite) rocks. Porphyry deposits are closely associated with oxidized magmas. Oxygen fugacity (fO2) is a key factor that controls the formation of porphyry Cu deposits. The composition of the major and trace elements of zircon grains related to several ore-bearing monzonite were measured in Maher abad and Khopik porphyry copper indices. Zircon grains show moderate to low Ce4+/Ce3+ with a range of 19 to 610 and an average of 155. The average of oxygen fugacity (logfO2) values of Meher abad and Khopik ore-bearing magmas, range ∆FMQ -3.2 to MFMQ -1.3 with mean ∆FMQ -2.2, indicate formation under moderate oxidation conditions (between Ni-NiO (NNO) and Faylite magnetite-quartz (FMQ) buffers, but magnetite-hematite (HM) buffer, which ), which is not ideal for the formation of porphyry deposits. This is supported by whole-rock and Sr-isotopic data, and absence of high oxidation minerals such as hematite, and the poor adakitic charactristic of rocks in both deposits, which are due to factors involved in magma origin such as rock type and partial melting rate (possibly peridotite with low participation of slab).
A. Mahdavi; E. Rastad; M. Hoseini Barzi
Abstract
Markasheh occurrence, includes redbed sediments (Garadu Redbeds) of Jurassic-Cretaceous age that extend in a large area for over 400 km in an area. Garadu Redbeds include alternate of red oxidized sandstone, conglomerate and siltstone that is partly reduced. Mineralization occurred in reduced horizons ...
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Markasheh occurrence, includes redbed sediments (Garadu Redbeds) of Jurassic-Cretaceous age that extend in a large area for over 400 km in an area. Garadu Redbeds include alternate of red oxidized sandstone, conglomerate and siltstone that is partly reduced. Mineralization occurred in reduced horizons and is related with paleochannels. In the Markasheh area two obvious main reduced horizons and four sub-horizons occur. Each of these horizons includes three zones: Red oxidized zone, Bleached zone and Reduced mineralized zone. Based on characteristics of Markasheh Cu occurrence such as lithology, lens like and layered shape (in geometry), regional extent, replacement and disseminated textures, simple mineralogy, presence of plant fossils and concentration of copper mineralization in relation to fossils, Markasheh Cu occurrence is considered as a Red bed sediment-hosted copper deposit type. The mineralization has been occured after early diagenesis before burial of the host roks.
