JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
Year:2011 | Volume:2 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Nakhlak lead mine is located at the Nakhlak mountain 55 km NE of Anarak town in Isfahan province. The mineralogy is simple, galena and barite are the main primary minerals and cerussite is the main secondary mineral. Sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite-tennantite and acanthite occur as minor and trace mineral inclusions in galena. Secondary minerals are anglesite, plattnerite, wulfenite and malachite. The host rock has undergone a pre-mineralization dolomitization process. Four types of dolomite have been identified which saddle dolomite is the most distinguished. Open space filling textures occur in the form of breccia, cockade, crustification and colloform. Analysis of the galena samples indicates presence of many trace elements in galena among which silver is the most important. Element pairs such as Ag-As, Zn-Cd, As-Cu and As-Sb are highly correlated. This correlation may be explained by the presence of inclusions. Ag-Sb-Bi ternary diagram indicates that galena samples from Nakhlak are rich in Ag and Sb and poor in Bi. Sb/Bi (3773) ratio in galena is suggestive of a low temperature of formation for the deposit. The Upper Cretaceous carbonate host rocks and their dolomitization, the stratabound and epigenetic mineralization, the absence of igneous activity, the open space filling texture, the simple mineralogy and geochemistry all point to a Mississippi valley type model for the Nakhlak Pb deposit.

Northwest of Shir-Kuh batholith, a number of leucocratic granitic and granodioritic plutons have intruded sedimentary hosts including shale-sandstone (Triassic-Jurassic) and sandstone-conglomerate (Lower Cretaceous). Contact metamorphism and hydrothermal alterations are widespread. Late alteration assemblage mainly occurs in arkosic sandstones of Sangestan Formation and includes propylitic, quartz-sericitic, advanced argillic and silicific zones. Quartz-sericite zone is the most widespread. Advanced argillic alteration is characterized by the following assemblage: jarosite, alunite, turquoise, from the Al-Phosphate-Sulfate group (APS). Considering this mineral assemblage and probable interactions taking place between the minerals, a geochemical environment with high fO2 and low pH is thought to be prevailing at the time of alteration and formation of alunite, jarosite and turquoise.

The Arghash area is located 45 km to southwest of Neyshabour. The sub volcanic rocks in the area consist of biotite hornblende quartz monzodiorite porphyry, hornblende biotite quartz monzodiorite porphyry, hornblende monzonite porphyry, biotite hornblende monzonite porphyry, monzodiorite porphyry and biotite quartz monzodiorite porphyry units. The volcanic rocks consist of hornblende biotite dacite, biotite hornblende dacite, and andesite and pillow lava. The plutonic rocks consist of hornblende monzodiorite, hornblende monzonite, quartz monzonite, hornblende quartz monzodiorite, biotite granodiorite, hornblende granodiorite, biotite hornblende granodiorite, biotite quartz diorite and pyroxene dolerite units. Five types of alteration including propylitic, carbonate, argillic, silicification and sericitic were recognized. Those are subdivided into twelve sub-zones based on the mineral abundances and intensity of alteration. Primary pyrite, 3-4%, is found mainly as disseminated. Secondary mineralization includes limonite, hematite and jarosite. Twenty rock chip and 8 stream sediment samples were collected for geochemical exploration. The samples were analysed for Cu, Zn, Pb, Ag and Sb using Atomic Absorbtion Spectrophotometric (AAS) method. In stream sediment samples, Cu abundance is 34-58 ppm, Zn 45-422 ppm, Pb 28-42 ppm and Ag 2-12 ppm, whereas in rock chip samples, Cu abundance is 8-1137 ppm, Zn 13-411 ppm, Pb 15-97 ppm and Ag 3-32 ppm.

Molybdenite occurs in five forms in the Sar Cheshmeh porphyry copper deposit, namely, (1)-veinlets with quartz-molybdenite, (2)-veinlets with quartz-molydenite that were filled with pyrite, (3)-veinlets with quartz-molybdenite-pyrite–chalcopyrite, (4)-Molybdenite veinlets with very low quartz and (5)-disseminated molybdenite grains. Because of their large size, the veinlet-related molybdenite grains are easily liberated from the gangue minerals, provided the grinding is properly conducted (74 micron). Because of their fine-grain size, the disseminated molybdenite grains are not liberated from the gangue and enter the tailings during the flotation process.

Two types of mineralization including porphyry copper and epithermal gold mineralization have occurred in relation with an intermediate volcano-plutonic complex in Masjeddaghi area. Different alterations including silica, advanced argillic, intermediate argillic and propylitic have been distinguished in relation with epithermal mineralization, which have a zonal pattern. Elemental mass gains and losses during alterations were calculated using Zr as an immobile monitor. Silica zone has enriched in SiO2 and relatively in Al2O3 and K2O, and has depleted in Na2O, MgO and CaO. Ba, Sr, Pb, Rb and Cu elements have also enriched. The advanced argillic zone shows enrichment in SO3, Al2O3, SiO2, K2O, MgO and L.O.I, and depletion in Fe2O3, CaO, Na2O, MnO and MgO. Barium, Cu, Sr and Zn have depleted in this zone. Propylitic zone has enriched in MgO, CaO, L.O.I and SiO2, and has depleted in Na2O and K2O. Geochemical and mineralogical evidences indicate that the hydrothermal leaching of mafic minerals in parent rocks and formation of quartz, kaolinite, sericite and alunite assemblage in advanced argillic zone, and chlorite, epidote and calcite assemblage in propylitic zone is responsible for the above mentioned chemical variations. It is likely that the gains and losses of elements have been controlled by agents such as water/rock ratios, temperature changes and chemistry of hydrothermal solutions. The CIA and MIA indicators in the altered rocks indicate the intensity of alteration in silica and advanced argillic zones in comparison with propylitic zone.

The area is located 20 km northwest of Kashmar and about 4 km of Kalateh Taimour in Khorasan Razavi province. The study area is part of Tertiary volcanic-plutonic belt north of Daruneh fault and its situation in tectonic inliers between two important active faults, Doruneh and Taknar. Volcanic rocks are mainly intermediate to acid pyroclastic type. They formed during early Tertiary. The volcanic rocks of the Kalateh Taimour area are predominantly andesitic basalt, andesite, latite, trachyte, dacite and rhyodacite and are observed as lava, tuff, lapilli tuff and agglomerate. Field evidences and study show several sub volcanic bodies including quartz hornblende biotite monzodiorite porphyry, quartz biotite monzodiorite porphyry, quartz diorite porphyry and microdiorite which are intruded sometime in mid-Tertiary. In this belt, new methods of image processing were used for enhancing the alteration zones to help near infra red and short wavelength infrared and bands example band ratios and principle component method. Propylitic, sericitic and argillic are the main alteration types. Minor silicification is found in some areas. Alteration is extent but mineralization is limited. Mineralization is mainly controlled by fault system. Several mineralized faults are being discovered. Open space filling features are abundant. In the study area, disseminate and stock work mineralization are abundant. The amount of sulfide minerals is very small. Ancient mining is present in the area. Stream sediment geochemical study shows a very broad and high level of gold anomaly. Rock geochemical study show very high levels of Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn and Au value is correlative to Cu, Pb, Zn and Ag values. Due to alteration modeling, non uniformity in mineralization and low abundance of sulfide mineralization suggest study in low sulphidation Au-Cu deposit.

Gomish-Tappeh Zn-Pb-Cu (Ag) deposit is located 90 km southwest of Zanjan, in northwestern part of Urumieh-Dokhtar volcano-plutonic zone. Exposed rocks at the area include Oligo-Miocene volcano-sedimentary and sedimentary sequences as well as Pliocene volcano-plutonic sequence (andesite porphyry dykes, dacitic sub volcanic dome and rhyodacitic volcanics). Alteration in the deposit developed as silicic, silicic-sulfidic, sericitic, carbonate, argillic and propylitic. Main mineralization at the Gomish-Tappeh deposit is observed as veins occurring in a steeply-deeping normal fault defined by an NE-SW trend in host rocks such as dacitic crystal litic tuff, dacitic sub volcanic dome, specifically the rhyolitic tuff. Para genetic minerals in the ore veins consist of pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, bornite, low-Fe sphalerite, galena, tetrahedrite and specularite. Gangue minerals accompanying the ores include quartz, calcite, chlorite, sericite and clay minerals. Based on geochemical data, average grades for samples from the ore veins at the Gomish-Tappeh deposit are: 4% Pb, 6% Zn, 2% Cu and 88 ppm Ag. Moreover, REE distribution patterns for altered samples of the dacitic sub volcanic dome and acidic tuff when compared with fresh samples, show enrichment in LREE, while HREE demonstrate various bahaviours. The negative Eu anomaly in chondrite-normalized REE patterns for these rocks is related to the increase in fluid/rock ratio and destruction of those grains of plagioclase enriched in Eu. REE distribution patterns for the silty tuff (footwall to the ore) compared with acidic tuff represent enrichment in all REE as well as positive Eu anomalies. However, the ore samples indicate more enrichment in LREE/HREE ratios and higher Eu contents when compared with wallrock of the ore veins (silty tuff). This is due to the influence of chloric magmatic-hydrothermal fluids that caused alteration along the ore zone, releasing LREE and Eu from the host rocks and finally, concentrating and transporting these elements in the ore fluid.