F Padyar; M Rahgoshay; S Alirezaei; M Pourmoafi; A Tarantola; O Vanderhaeghe; M Caumon
Abstract
The Latala base and precious metals deposit is hosted by quartz veins, associated with a porphyry pluton intruded into a Cenozoic volcanic sequence. Euhedral quartz with sulfide mineralization such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite, with minor sulfosalts occurs in these veins as open space ...
Read More
The Latala base and precious metals deposit is hosted by quartz veins, associated with a porphyry pluton intruded into a Cenozoic volcanic sequence. Euhedral quartz with sulfide mineralization such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite, with minor sulfosalts occurs in these veins as open space fillings and minor replacement bodies. Progressive growth of quartz crystals is evidenced by their texture revealed by cathodoluminescence imaging. The analysis of fluid inclusions indicate a decreasing homogenization temperature from 350°C in the core to 135°C along the edge of the quartz crystals with overgrowths. The presence of CO2 vapor suggested by the thermometric analysis is confirmed by Raman spectrometry. The solid phases in fluid inclusions identified as phyllosilicates, presumably muscovite and illite, chlorite, quartz and carbonate-mineral such as (Natrocarbonate, Dawsonite) by petrography and Raman spectrometry. Solid phase of halite were identified in two fluid inclusions. The homogenization temperature and salinity varies between 131 to 380 °C and 0.17 to 7.7 wt.% NaCl eq respectively. The properties of fluid inclusions corresponds to a magmatic hydrothermal fluid circulating from depth to shallower environments. The sulfur isotopic composition for galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and pyrite varies between -9.8 and -1‰, which correspond to values of magmatic sulfur. The δ34S values from +1.8 to -9.2‰ are in the range of hydrothermal fluids. Fluid inclusions features show a magmatic hydrothermal source which transported magmatic fluid and vapor from the depth through fractures to shallow environment. It suggests that magmatic water mixing with meteoric water was responsible for transportation of metals in Latala. Epithermal mineral precipitation during boiling, mixing and water-rock interaction formed hydrothermal quartz and sulfide mineralization. The available evidence suggests that the hydrothermal fluids changed from magmatic to epithermal in the region.
S Nasiri Bezenjani; M Boomeri; H Biabangard; M Abdollahy
Abstract
Distinct cathodoluminescence (CL) properties of certain minerals such as quartz allow rapid identification of the different mineral constituents and their distribution within rocks using CL microscopy. Quartz is not only one of the main mineral in felsic intrusive rocks associated with porphyry copper ...
Read More
Distinct cathodoluminescence (CL) properties of certain minerals such as quartz allow rapid identification of the different mineral constituents and their distribution within rocks using CL microscopy. Quartz is not only one of the main mineral in felsic intrusive rocks associated with porphyry copper deposits, but is the most abundant hydrothermal mineral in potassic and phyllic alterations. Although the study of the quartz in Back Scattered Electrons (BSE) images is useful but study of quartz by Scanning Electron Microscope- Cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) revealed many textures (zoning, healed microfractures and cobweb textures) that cannot be observed in backscattered electrons images. The observed zonations reflect chemical and/or physical changes during growth in the precipitation environment (i.e. concentric zonation). Healed microfractures and cobweb textures are present in some of the quartz grains. The main purpose of this study is investigation of quartz textures and generations by SEM-CL in potassic and phyllic zones of the Sarcheshmeh porphyry copper ore deposit. Investigation of quartz using SEM-CL in the deposit revealed different generations of quartz (in phenocrysts and veins) that have been precipitated under different conditions. Quartz in the studied samples predominantly exhibits blue luminescence.