scholarly journals The Haidbach deposit in the Central Tauern Window, Eastern Alps, Austria: a metamorphosed orthomagmatic Ni-Cu-Co-PGE mineralization in the Polymetallic Ore District Venediger Nappe System – Hollersbach Complex

2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Frank Melcher ◽  
Sonja Schwabl ◽  
Peter Onuk ◽  
Thomas Meisel ◽  
Thomas Aiglsperger ◽  
...  

Abstract Cu-Ni-Co-PGE mineralization occurs at Haidbachgraben in the Early Palaeozoic, Subpenninic Hollersbach Complex of the Central Tauern Window, Austria. Massive sulfide ore formed from sulfide melt segregated from silicate melt during intrusion of pyroxenite into magmatic rocks formed in an MORB-type environment. Relics of magmatic minerals include chromian spinel and polyphase sulfide droplets composed of pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite preserved in recrystallized pyrite. Both ore and host rocks were multiply deformed and metamorphosed, leading to hornblendite carrying the ore, enveloped by chlorite-epidote schist. Conditions of – likely Variscan – amphibolite facies metamorphism are documented by relict pargasitic cores in hornblende and actinolite-tremolite, and by ternary sulfarsenide compositions in the Co-Ni-Fe solid solution series that are the most common accessory minerals found in the sulfide ore. Pyrrhotite, pentlandite, chalcopyrite and pyrite are the major sulfide minerals. Chalcopyrite is Cd-rich and retains a high-temperature magmatic signature. High Co/Sb and moderate Se/As ratios in pyrite also point to a magmatic environment of mineralization. The accessory mineral assemblage of small grain size (mostly <10 µm) comprises native Au-Ag alloy and petzite as Au-Ag minerals, sperrylite, a variety of Pd tellurides and bismuthotellurides with elevated Sb, irarsite, and Re sulfides such as tarkianite and a Pb-Re sulfide. In addition, minor molybdenite, bournonite, scheelite and selenides have been identified. Two precious metal assemblages are present in individual samples: (1) hessite associated with Pd tellurides, often accompanied by sphalerite and chalcopyrite; (2) tarkianite forming euhedral inclusions in pyrite. Sperrylite and Au-Ag native alloys are present throughout and were also detected in silicate matrix. Most of the precious metal-bearing phases must have formed during recrystallization of base metal sulfides after the magmatic, and probably during later metamorphic events terminating in the Neoalpine Tauern crystallization.

1997 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 1405-1419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-Fu Zhou ◽  
Reid R. Keays ◽  
Peter C. Lightfoot ◽  
Gordon G. Morrison ◽  
Michelle L. Moore

Chromian spinels occur in mafic–ultramafic inclusions in the Sublayer of the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC) as well as in mafic–ultramafic rocks in the immediate footwall of the Sublayer. The host rocks are pyroxenite and melanorite with minor dunite, harzburgite, and melatroctolite. As common accessory phases in these rocks, the chromian spinels display euhedral or subhedral forms and are included in olivine and orthopyroxene. Chromian spinel grains generally have ilmenite lamellae and contain abundant inclusions (zircon, olivine, diopside, plagioclase, biotite, and sulfide). All the chromian spinels have similar trace element abundances and are rich in TiO2 (0.5–15 wt.%). They have constant Cr# (100Cr/(Cr + Al)) (55–70) and exhibit a continuum in composition that traverses the normal fields of spinels in a Al–(Fe3+ + 2Ti)–Cr triangular diagram. This continuum extends to that of the composition of chromian magnetite in the host norite matrix to the mafic–ultramafic inclusions. This continuum in composition of the spinels suggests that the noritic matrix to the Sublayer formed from the same magma as the inclusions. A positive correlation between the Cr and Al contents of the spinels was probably produced by dilution of these elements by Fe3+ contributed, perhaps, by a plagioclase-saturated melt. Zircon inclusions in a chromian spinel grain reflect incorporation of crustal, felsic materials into the magma before crystallization of chromian spinel. The chemical characteristics and mineral inclusions of the spinels suggest that the Sublayer formed in response to magma mixing. It is suggested that subsequent to the formation of the crustal melt, mantle-derived high-Mg magmas mixed vigourously with this and generated the magmatic sulfides that eventually formed the Ni – Cu – platinum-group elements sulfide ore deposits. Some of the early crystallization products of the high-Mg magma settled to the chamber floor, where they partially mixed with the crustal melt and formed the mafic–ultramafic inclusions and footwall complexes.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Mónica Arias ◽  
Pablo Nuñez ◽  
Daniel Arias ◽  
Pablo Gumiel ◽  
Cesar Castañón ◽  
...  

The Touro volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit is located in the NW of the Iberian Variscan massif in the Galicia-Trás-os-Montes Zone, an amalgamation of several allochthonous terrains. The Órdenes complex is the most extensive of the allochthone complexes, and amphibolites and paragneisses host the deposit, characterized as being massive or semimassive (stringers) sulfides, mostly made up of pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. The total resources are 103 Mt, containing 0.41% copper. A 3D model of the different orebodies and host rocks was generated using data from 1090 drill core logs. The model revealed that the structure of the area is a N–S-trending antiform. The orebodies crop out in the limbs and in the hinge zone. The mineralized structures are mostly tabular, up to 100 m in thickness and subhorizontal. Based on the petrography, geochemistry and the 3D model, the Touro deposit is classified as a VMS of the mafic-siliciclastic type formed in an Ordovician back-arc setting, which was buried and metamorphosed in Middle Devonian.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 354
Author(s):  
Anatoly M. Sazonov ◽  
Aleksei E. Romanovsky ◽  
Igor F. Gertner ◽  
Elena A. Zvyagina ◽  
Tatyana S. Krasnova ◽  
...  

The gold and platinum-group elements (PGE) mineralization of the Guli and Kresty intrusions was formed in the process of polyphase magmatism of the central type during the Permian and Triassic age. It is suggested that native osmium and iridium crystal nuclei were formed in the mantle at earlier high-temperature events of magma generation of the mantle substratum in the interval of 765–545 Ma and were brought by meimechite melts to the area of development of magmatic bodies. The pulsating magmatism of the later phases assisted in particle enlargement. Native gold was crystallized at a temperature of 415–200 °C at the hydrothermal-metasomatic stages of the meimechite, melilite, foidolite and carbonatite magmatism. The association of minerals of precious metals with oily, resinous and asphaltene bitumen testifies to the genetic relation of the mineralization to carbonaceous metasomatism. Identifying the carbonaceous gold and platinoid ore formation associated genetically with the parental formation of ultramafic, alkaline rocks and carbonatites is suggested.


2018 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-53
Author(s):  
Gerit E. U. Griesmeier ◽  
Ralf Schuster ◽  
Bernhard Grasemann

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent F. Verwater ◽  
Eline Le Breton ◽  
Mark R. Handy ◽  
Vincenzo Picotti ◽  
Azam Jozi Najafabadi ◽  
...  

Abstract. Neogene indentation of the Adriatic plate into Europe led to major modifications of the Alpine orogenic structures and style of deformation in the Eastern Alps. Especially, the offset of the Periadriatic Fault by the Northern Giudicarie Fault marks the initiation of strike-slip faulting and lateral extrusion of the Eastern Alps. Questions remain on the exact role of this fault zone in changes of the Alpine orogen at depth. This necessitates quantitative analysis of the shortening, kinematics and depth of decoupling underneath the Northern Giudicarie Fault and associated fold-and thrust belt in the Southern Alps. Tectonic balancing of a network of seven cross sections through the Giudicarie Belt parallel to the local shortening direction reveals that it comprises two kinematic domains with different amounts and partly overlapping ages of shortening. These two domains are delimitated by the NW-SE oriented strike-slip Trento-Cles – Schio-Vicenza fault system, cross-cutting the Southern Alpine orogenic front in the south and merging with the Northern Giudicarie Fault in the north. The SW kinematic domain (Val Trompia sector) accommodated at least ~18 km of Late Oligocene to Early Miocene shortening. Since the Middle Miocene, the SW kinematic domain experienced a minimum of ~12–22 km shortening, whereas the NE kinematic domain underwent at least ~25–35 km shortening. Together, these domains contributed to an estimated ~53–75 km of sinistral strike-slip motion along the Northern Giudicarie Fault, implying that (most of) the offset of the Periadriatic Fault is due to Late Oligocene to Neogene indentation of the Adriatic plate into the Eastern Alps. Moreover, the faults linking the Giudicarie Belt with the Northern Giudicarie Fault reach ~15–20 km depth, indicating a thick-skinned tectonic style of deformation. These fault detachments may also connect at depth with a lower crustal Adriatic wedge that protruded north of the Periadriatic Fault and was responsible for N-S shortening and eastward escape of deeply exhumed units in the Tauern Window. Finally, the east-west lateral variation of shortening indicates internal deformation and lateral variation in strength of the Adriatic indenter, related to Permian – Mesozoic tectonic structures and paleogeographic domains.


Solid Earth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 437-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuelle Ricchi ◽  
Christian A. Bergemann ◽  
Edwin Gnos ◽  
Alfons Berger ◽  
Daniela Rubatto ◽  
...  

Abstract. Thorium–lead (Th-Pb) crystallization ages of hydrothermal monazites from the western, central and eastern Tauern Window provide new insights into Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Tauern metamorphic dome. Growth domain crystallization ages range from 21.7 ± 0.4 to 10.0 ± 0.2 Ma. Three major periods of monazite growth are recorded between ∼ 22–20 (peak at 21 Ma), 19–15 (major peak at 17 Ma) and 14–10 Ma (major peak around 12 Ma), respectively, interpreted to be related to prevailing N–S shortening, in association with E–W extension, beginning strike-slip movements and reactivation of strike-slip faulting. Fissure monazite ages largely overlap with zircon and apatite fission track data. Besides tracking the thermal evolution of the Tauern dome, monazite dates reflect episodic tectonic movement along major shear zones that took place during the formation of the dome. Geochronological and structural data from the Pfitschtal area in the western Tauern Window show the existence of two cleft generations separated in time by 4 Ma and related to strike-slip to oblique-slip faulting. Moreover, these two phases overprint earlier phases of fissure formation. Highlights. In situ dating of hydrothermal monazite-(Ce). New constraints on the exhumation of the Tauern metamorphic dome. Distinct tectonic pulses recorded from east to west.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuelle Ricchi ◽  
Christian A. Bergemann ◽  
Edwin Gnos ◽  
Alfons Berger ◽  
Daniela Rubatto ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document