Economic Geology
Monireh Sakhdari; Mehrdad Behzadi; Mohammad Yazdi; Nematollah Rashidnejad-Omran; Morteza Sadeghi Naeini
Abstract
The Godar Sorkh area is located in the central part of the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone, 20 km southwest of the Muteh region. Gold mineralization at Godar Sorkh occurs in quartz-sulfide veins that hosted in metasedimentary rocks. Veins of mineralization typically formed along normal faults. Rock sequences ...
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The Godar Sorkh area is located in the central part of the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone, 20 km southwest of the Muteh region. Gold mineralization at Godar Sorkh occurs in quartz-sulfide veins that hosted in metasedimentary rocks. Veins of mineralization typically formed along normal faults. Rock sequences are affected by several deformation phase, gold mineralization occurs in ductile to ductile-brittle shear zones and had been under poly-phase metamorphism. The main alterations are Sulfidation, carbonization, silicification, chloritization, and sericitization. Ore-mineral assemblages include pyrite and chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, galena, and Fe-oxide. Mean homogenization temperature in gold-bearing quartz range between 275oC and 300oC. Fluid inclusions in quartz veins are dominated by CO2-H2O-NaCl fluid. Salinity ranges from 9 to 17 wt. % NaCl equivalent. Corresponding to a depth of <2 km, Godar Sorkh deposit is formed in epizonal environment. Measured δ18O values for the gold-bearing quartz range between 12.7 to 14.3 permil, estimated δ18Ofluid values range from +6.4 to +7.3 permil, δ34S values range from –16 to +5 permil, and estimated δ34Sfluid values range from +4.2 to -17.3 permil. Fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies on ore-bearing quartz-sulfide veins indicating the major role of metamorphic fluids. Gold derived from metasedimentary rocks. Gold mineralization in the Godar sorkh deposit classified as an orogenic gold deposit.
Economic Geology
Susan Ebrahimi; Alireza Arabamiri; Hadi Ghanbari
Abstract
The Sharifabad-Bardeskan copper mineralization is located in northeast of Bardeskan and south section of Sabzevar Zone. Mineralization occurs as vein in the pyroxene andesite, tuff, sandstone and conglomerate of Eocene age, which bearing local sericite - carbonate and silicic alterations and regional ...
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The Sharifabad-Bardeskan copper mineralization is located in northeast of Bardeskan and south section of Sabzevar Zone. Mineralization occurs as vein in the pyroxene andesite, tuff, sandstone and conglomerate of Eocene age, which bearing local sericite - carbonate and silicic alterations and regional propylitic alteration. Mineralization occurs as open space filling, disseminated, veinlets and consists of chalcocite pyrite, chalcopyrite, malachite, azurite with calcite and quartz as gangue minerals. Fluid inclusion studies in calcite show the evidence of mixing trend during the ore formation occurred at a wide range of temperature 200to 437 °C and varying salinity between 0.1 to 9.2 wt.% NaCl equivalent. The stable isotope composition of δ34S fall in a range of -23 to -24.3‰ could be considered as biogenetic sulfur from bacterial sulfate reduction. The δ13C values of calcite vary between -3.4 to -24.5‰ suggest a major contribution of marine carbonates associated igneous carbonates. Copper and sulfide rich hydrothermal fluid has flowed upward through the local faults and permeable interbeds within the Eocene volcanic sequence and formed the mineralized veins. Based on the mineralization, alteration, fluid inclusion and stable isotopes, Sharifabad mineralization is similar to those manto type deposits in Chile.
Economic Geology
Maryam Javidi Moghaddam; M.H Karimpour; Azadeh Malekzadeh Shafaroudi
Abstract
The Rashidi area, which comprises a part of the north Khur in eastern Iran is located at 120 km northwest of Birjand city. Preliminary prospecting in the area using the image processing of ASTER data by Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) algorithm resulted in the identification of propylitic and argillic alteration ...
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The Rashidi area, which comprises a part of the north Khur in eastern Iran is located at 120 km northwest of Birjand city. Preliminary prospecting in the area using the image processing of ASTER data by Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) algorithm resulted in the identification of propylitic and argillic alteration zones together with iron oxy-hydroxide minerals. The area consist of outcrops of Eocene pyroclastic rocks ranging from andesitic to rhyolitic in composition, intruded by diorite porphyry dikes. Vein mineralization in the area was mainly occurred along a fracture system hosted by andesitic tuff breccia unit. Vein copper mineralization was formed during two stages including the: (1) quartz-pyrite-chalcocite-tennantite assemblage, and (2) quartz-chalcocite-pyrite-sphalerite assemblage. The values of δ18O for quartz in the first and second stages of vein mineralization was 19.26 and 14.94 and the amount of δ18O water in equilibrium with quartz was 10.96 and 4.94 respectively that shows a magmatic origin and mixing with meteoric water in the second stage. Based on geology, vein geometry, fluid inclusion, and stable isotope geochemistry, the Rashidi Cu deposit can be classified as vein-type copper deposits, which has been formed along fault zones.
S. N. Haghighi Bardineh; R. Zarei Sahamieh; H. Zamanian; A. Ahmadi Khalaji
Abstract
The Takht iron deposit is located 120 km northeast of the Hamedan City in the Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic belt. The Miocene Takht granodiorite intruded into the Cretaceous carbonates and resulted in Fe-skarn formation. Epigenetic mineralization in the Takht Deposit occurred predominantly as vein and lenticular ...
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The Takht iron deposit is located 120 km northeast of the Hamedan City in the Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic belt. The Miocene Takht granodiorite intruded into the Cretaceous carbonates and resulted in Fe-skarn formation. Epigenetic mineralization in the Takht Deposit occurred predominantly as vein and lenticular ore bodies accompanied with argillic, carbonation, chloritization, epidotization and silicfication alterations and minerals including garnet, pyroxene, epidote, tremolite- actinolite, phlogopite, hornblende, quartz, calcite, magnetite, pyrite, specularite, chalcopyrite, hematite, limonite, goethite and malachite. Chemical composition indicates the presence of Si, Al, Ca, Mg, Ti and chalcophile elements such as Cu, Zn, As and Pb that originate from the coexistence of silicate and sulfide minerals with magnetite. The microthermometric results revealed homogenization temperatures (Th) from 153.2°C to 338.3°C and salinity from 0.827 wt.% NaCl eq. to 25.36 wt.% NaCl eq.. The δ18O (SMOW) values of magnetite were measured in the range of −0.46‰ to +2.31‰ and δ18O water is +8.1‰ to +10.9‰, respectively. These isotope values are similar to magmatic fluids that were also equilibrated with 18O enriched sources. The δ34S (V-CDT) values of pyrite show ranges of +7.3‰ to +12.5‰ and the original fluid δ34S H2S values were estimated ranging from +5.7‰ to +10.9‰. These positive δ34S values confirm that sulfur is provided by evaporate sulfates. During the retrograde stage of the Takht Skarn, re-mobilized metals accompanied with metal-bearing fluids (provided by intrusion) were mixed with sulfur-bearing descending meteoric waters and eventually, the mixing of the two fluids led to calcic Fe-skarn mineralization in Cretaceous carbonates.
S. Esmailnezhad; N. Taghipour; A. A. Hassannezhad
Abstract
The Nukeh iron deposit is situated at the north of Semnan and at south of Central Alborz structural zone. Volcano-pyroclastic rocks with Eocene age are the host of this deposit. Iron mineralization occurs as massive, disseminated, vein and breccia types in the Nukeh deposit and magnetite, hematite, pyrite, ...
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The Nukeh iron deposit is situated at the north of Semnan and at south of Central Alborz structural zone. Volcano-pyroclastic rocks with Eocene age are the host of this deposit. Iron mineralization occurs as massive, disseminated, vein and breccia types in the Nukeh deposit and magnetite, hematite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, garnet, epidote, quartz and calcite are the main minerals in this deposit. Fluid inclusions and stable isotopes (O, C, S) have been used to reveal the physico-chemical characteristics of hydrothermal fluids and genesis of the Nukeh Fe deposit. Seven types of fluid inclusions are identified in quartz, according to the phase numbers, which include, liquid inclusions (L), liquid-rich inclusions (L+V), vapor-rich inclusions (V+L), vapor inclusions (V), simple brine inclusions (L+V+S), halite-bearing liquid inclusions (L+S) and opaque-bearing liquid-rich inclusions (L+V+O). The ranges of homogenization temperature and salinity of liquid-rich fluid inclusions in quartz are 100-200˚C and 10-20 wt. % NaCl equivalent, respectively, whereas the ranges of homogenization temperature and salinity of vapor-rich fluid inclusions are 350-500˚C and 10-30 wt. % NaCl equivalent, respectively. Also homogenization temperature and salinities of liquid-rich fluid inclusions in calcite in garnet (type a) and magnetite (type b) zones is 75-125 ˚C but the salinity of fluid inclusions in calcite in garnet zone (15-25 wt. % NaCl) is more than salinity of these inclusions in magnetite zone (10-20 wt. % NaCl). δ13C and δ18O values of calcite (n=15) vary between -1.9 to +0.1 ‰ (VPDB) and -19.4 to -14.9‰ (SMOW), respectively. The average value of δ18OWater is of +17.85‰ (SMOW) in the Nukeh Fe deposit is different from the values for the primary magmatic fluid. Pyrite is the main sulfide mineral in the Nukeh Fe deposit and δ34S values of pyrite (n=9) is within the range of +3.9 to +5.4 ‰ CDT . The source of sulfur is considered to be magmatic on this basis. Fluid inclusions and stable isotopic (O, C, S) data suggest that the ore-forming fluids evolved by the various mixtures of magmatic brines and meteoric water and probably the genesis of the Nukeh Fe deposit is similar to skarn deposits.
F Malek Mahmoodi; M Khalili; H Bagheri
Abstract
Kavir bentonite in the northeast of Isfahan province is a part of the Khur bentonite horizon and lies in the Central Iranian structural zone. This deposits formed by the alteration of Eocene andesite-basalts. Based on the field observation several active faults are responsible in transporting siliceous ...
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Kavir bentonite in the northeast of Isfahan province is a part of the Khur bentonite horizon and lies in the Central Iranian structural zone. This deposits formed by the alteration of Eocene andesite-basalts. Based on the field observation several active faults are responsible in transporting siliceous fluids to the surface and their precipitation as geode, jasperoid and silicic veins. Microscopic observation indicates that these fluids outward alternatively in an alkaline aqueous basin. Chemical compositions of both siliceous and bentonitic samples as well as host volcanic rock show the same trend in trace elements and support the role of this hydrothermal fluid in bentonite formation. Depletion on LILE elements and Cs Positive anomalies is observed in siliceous and bentonitic samples. Oxygen and deuterium stable isotope study document that bentonites formed in temperature of about 83ْc and hydrothermal fluids are essentially derived from a meteoric water origin.
R. Monazzami bagherzadeh; H. Mirnejad; P. Eshback; M. H. Karimpour
Abstract
Listvenites or ophiocarbonates are considered important for exploration of precious and base metlas particularly Au, Ag, Cu, As and Hg. These rocks, which crop-out dominantly in ophiolite-mélange zones and in the vicinity of main faults and shear zones, have formed as the result of hydrous ...
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Listvenites or ophiocarbonates are considered important for exploration of precious and base metlas particularly Au, Ag, Cu, As and Hg. These rocks, which crop-out dominantly in ophiolite-mélange zones and in the vicinity of main faults and shear zones, have formed as the result of hydrous and carbonic alteration of ultramafic rocks. Listvenites occur extensively in eastern Iran. Based on petrography, Hangaran listvenites are grouped into three major types: 1. Carbonatic listvenite (type I), 2. Silicic listvenite (type II), and 3. Sulfie-bearing silicic listvenite with brecciated texture (type III). Gold contents of listvenites is generally low and the highest concentration (290 ppb) has been found in type III. Studies of mineral concentrates from stream sediments reveal the presence of gold, pyrite, chalcopyrite, cinnabar and native copper. Gold grains reach to a maximum sizes of 80 microns, and they are often associated with pyrite. Electron microprobe analyses on several sulfides and carbonates in Hangaran listvenites show that sulfide minerals are mainly pyrite, marcasite, bravoite and to a lesser amount chalcopyrite, and that many pyrite grains have been altered to marcasite. Important carbonated minerals are magnesite and dolomite. The presence of obiquitous bravoite zonation that results from alternations in Ni content indicates periodic changes in the physicochemical conditions of the hyrdorthemal solution. Petrographic studies and paragenetic sequence of minerals show that magnesite and dolomite formed prior to the mineralization stage, which was then followed by the formation of sulfides (mainly pyrite). Studies on the oxygen and carbone isotopes in 3 dolomite samples (δ18OSMOW = 9.353- 9.982 ‰, δ13CPDB =1.57- 1.67 ‰ ) show that oxygen and carbone can originate from oceanic waters, and that dolomite has formed due to the circulation of this water in ultramafic rocks and their subsequent alteration. Considering the variation in marcasite-pyrite paris from Hangaran silicic listvenite (δ34SCDT value 5.7-7.9 ‰ ), it seems that sulfur has originated from granitic rocks in south of the study area. Taking into accout the extentive outcrops of serpentinized ultramafic rocks and granite in the region can considered the source of Au, Ag and base elements such as Cu, Pb, Zn, Hg, As, Sb in related to granite masses, and Cr, Ni, Ti and Fe in related to serpentinized ultramafic rocks. Fluid inclusion studies on mineralized quartz in Hangaran listvenites show that the hydrothermal fluid affecting the host rocks was low salinity and had a maximum temperature of 280ºC.