Document Type : Original Research Paper
Authors
1 Ph.D., Department of Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assosiate Professor, Department of Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
3 Assosiate Professor, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, California, USA
Abstract
The Bahr Aseman volcanic-plutonic complex is located to the southeast of the Kerman magmatic belt. Unlike Kerman magmatic belt which formed and evolved during Cenozoic in a dominantly continental arc and post-collision tectonic setting, Bahr Aseman complex formed during Late Cretaceous in an oceanic island-arc setting. The complex is composed of andesitic and andesitic-basaltic lava flows and subordinate pyroclastic materials and carbonate interlayers, as well as abyssal tonalite to quartz-diorite and quartz- monzodiorite intrusive bodies and shallow dioritic intrusions. Vein- type copper deposits, iron skarn and copper skarn are the main ore deposit types in Bahr Aseman. Chalcopyrite is the main ore mineral in vein-type and skarn-type copper deposits; the mineral is converted to oxide copper ores at surface and shallow depths. Magnetite is the main commodity in skarn type iron deposit. Highly altered porphyritic bodies associated with copper oxide ore were identified that are comparable, in some aspects, with porphyry type copper deposits; subsurface data, however, is required for conclusive remarks.
The various types of deposits are distinguished by distinct fluid inclusion characteristics. In the vein type copper deposits, fluids in association with mineralization represent dominant homogenization temperature (Th) of 150-220 ºC and salinity of 5-10 and 25-30 wt% NaCl. Fluids in the skarn type copper deposits represent 170-250 ºC and ranges of 5-15 and 27-35 wt% NaCl as dominant Th and salinity, respectively.
The δ34S values in the vein-type copper deposits vary between +3.9 and +5‰, suggesting a magmatic origin for sulfur and probably metals (directly derived from magma or leached from magmatic rocks). Sulfur isotope ratios for two samples from Moka are +4.3 and +7.1‰, slightly different from typical magmatic δ34S ranges. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios for the vein-type copper deposits, measured on quartz and fluids extracted from inclusions in the mineral, are -6.6 to +1.9‰ and -79.4 to -51.8‰, respectively. This values suggest mixing of magmatic and meteoric fluids and/or fluid-rock interactions at different ratios. It appears that larger deposits have more shares of fluids with magmatic origin. With regards to the island-arc tectonic setting, recognized deposit types and ore minerals paragenesis, finding new copper and iron and probably gold deposits are possible in the Bahr Aseman area.
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