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MINING GEOLOGY GL 318

Part III
METAMORPHIC DEPOSITS
Metamorphism Mineral Deposits
Hosted by Metamorphic Rocks
Skarn Deposits
Greisen Deposits

METAMORPHISM
Metamorphism is the mineralogical, chemical, and structural
adjustment of solid rocks to physical and chemistry conditions
which have generally been imposed at depth below the surface
zones of weathering and cementation, and which differ from the
conditions under which the rocks in question originated.
Dynamic metamorphism is the total processes and effects of
orogenic movements and differential stresses in producing new
rocks from old, with market structural and mineralogical changes
due to crushing and shearing at low temperatures extending to
higher temperatures.
Dynamically metamorphosed rocks are typically developed in
narrow zones, such as major faults, and thrusts, where particularly
strong deformation has occurred.
Epigenetic ores developed in dilatant zones along faults, often
show signs of dynamic effects (brecciation, plastic floage etc.)

Metamorphism
Contact metamorphic rocks crop out at or near the contacts of
igneous intrusions and in some cases the degree of metamorphic
change can be seen to increase as the contact is approached.
In contact metamorphism or thermal metamorphism the main agent
of metamorphism in these rocks is the heat supplied by the intrusion.
Regional Metamorphism
Regionally metamorphosed rocks occur over large tracts of the earths
surface. They are not necessarily associated with either igneous
intrusions or thrust belts, but these characteristics may be present.
Regionally metamorphosed rocks suffered metamorphism about the
time they were intensely deformed. Consequently they contain
structures as
cleavages, schistosity, foliation or lineation, which can be seen
in macroscopic and microscopic scales.

Metamorphism
Metamorphism is in principle isochemical, but temperature and
pressure changes may result in the production of gaseous phases
(CO2; CH4; S; H2O;) which are liable to move out the area in which
they are formed, and hence, change the overall composition.
Metassomatism where the transport of material is essential.
Recognition of metamorphosed ores
In contact and regionally metamorphosed areas these rocks
generally show:
- The development of metamorphic textures
- A change of grain size usually an increase
- The progressive development of new minerals.

METAMORPHIC FACIES

METAMORPHIC FACIES

Mineral Deposits Hosted by Metamorphic Rocks


It can be distinguished three main sub-groups:
Metamorphic Deposits
Metamorphic deposits are formed prior to metamorphism and
without significant metamorphic changes.
Mixed Metamorphosed-Metamorphogenic Deposits
The mixed metamorphosed-metamorphogenic deposits are
marginal to sub-economic deposits formed prior to metamorphism
which have become upgraded and economic due to
metamorphism.
Metamorphogenic Deposits
The metamorphogenic deposits formed by metamorphic processes
generally involving metamorphic mineralising fluids and structural
or tectonic traps.

This figure shows how a halo of new minerals can form around
an igneous intrusion due to the high temperatures.
This is an example of a contact metamorphic deposit.

SKARN DEPOSITS

Skarns are coarselycrystalline metamorphic rocks composed of


calcium-iron-magnesium-manganese-aluminium silicate minerals
(commonly refers to as calc-silicate minerals) that form by
replacement mainly of carbonate bearing rocks during contact
or regional metamorphism and metassomatism.

Skarn deposits have been termed hydrotermal metamorphic,


igneous metamorphic, but the most common term used was
pyrometassomatic.

The deposits form when magmatic-hydrotermal fluids expelled


from cooling magmas react chemically with carbonate-rich
sedimentary rocks

Skarns generally form where a granitoid pluton has intruded


sedimentary strata that include limestone and other carbonate
rocks.

SKARN DEPOSITS
The orebodies are characterized by the development of calcsilicate minerals such as diopside, wollastonite, andradite, garnet
and actinolite.
The skarn deposits are relatively small and extremely irregular in
shape. Tongues of ore may project along any available planar
structure bedding, joints, faults, etc.
The principal materials produced from skarns deposits are:
- iron, copper, tungsten,
- graphite, zinc, lead, molybdenium, tin,
- uranium, garnet, talc and wollastonite.
Exoskarn and endoskarn may contain ore

SKARN DEPOSITS

CLASSIFICATION OF SKARN DEPOSITS


A number of different metals are mined from skarn deposits:
(i) Magnetite skarn deposits
Magnetite and hematite, some pyrite and chalcopyrite, and the usual
Fe-rich contact minerals auch as olivine, hedenbergite, andradite and
ilvaite.
Deposits occur in ural Mountains (Russia), the island of Elba (Italy), etc.
(ii) Cassiterite skarn deposits
Cassiterite with wolframite, scheelite, Bi, Zn, and Fe minerals;
Deposits are known from the Erzgebirg (Czecoslovakia), Namibia,
Australia and Tasmania.
(iii) Scheelite skarn deposits
Scheelite with the sulphides of Fe, Mo, Bi, Cu, Pb, well known from
Canada; Nevada and California (USA); NE Brasil; King Island, Australia;
and Azegour, Morroco.
(iv) Molibdenite skarn deposits
Molibdenite with the sulphids of Fe, Cu, Zn, and some oxides.
Few deposits are sufficiently large to be exploited.

CLASSIFICATION OF SKARN DEPOSITS


(v) Chalcopyrite skarn deposits
Chalcopyrite with other Cu sulphide and the sulphides of Fe, Zn, Mo, and
Fe oxides.
Mines are found in the western part of the USA, in Mexico anf Roumania.
(vi) Sphalerite skarn deposits
Sphalerite with the sulphides of Fe and Pb, and magnetite.
Mines occur in the USA, (Coeur dAlene, Idaho, New Mexico); and the
Oslo district of Norway.
(vii) Galena
Galena with magnetite and the sulphides Fe, Cu and Zn.
(viii) Arsenopyrite-gold and gold deposits
Rare type that has been mined in British Columbia, Canada
(ix) Graphite with several small deposits in USA, Mexico, Sri Lanka,
Siberia

Skarn

This figure shows how a halo of new minerals can form around
an igneous intrusion due to the high temperatures.
This is an example of a contact metamorphic deposit.

GREISEN AND SKARN DEPOSITS

GREISEN DEPOSITS

The term greisen is German and comes from greissen, to


split. It was originally used by miners in Saxony with reference
to relatively coarse-grained aggregates of quarz and muscovite
found on the borders of tin veins in granites of the Erzgebirg,
Germany and the Czech Republique.

Greisen can be defined as a granoblastic aggregate of quartz


and muscovite (or lepidolite) with accessory amounts of topaz,
tourmaline and fluorite formed by the post-magmatic
metassomatic alteration of granite (Best, 1982 and Stemprok,
1987).

Greisens are formed by endoskarn alteration of granite during


the cooling stages of emplacement. Greisens fluids are formed
by granites as the last highly gas- and water-rich phases of
complete crystallization of granite melts. This fluid is forced into

GREISEN DEPOSITS
Greisen are usually developed at the upper contacts of granite
intrusions and are sometimes accompanied by stockwork development.
Greisen are important mainly for their production of tin and tungsten.
Usually one element is predominant but there may be by product
output of the other
Ore minerals may include cassiterite, wolframite, scheelite,
molybdenite, bismuth, and bismuthinite, accompanied in some deposits
by pyrrhotite and sphalerite, in additiion to chalcopyrite and other
sulfides.
Typical greisen deposits include:
Erzgebirge Czech Republic (tin greisen)
Tin deposits of Cornwall
Ardlethan, Lachlan Fold Belt, Australia (tin-antimony greisen deposit)
Timbarra, Lachlan Fold Belt, Australia (gold greisen deposit)

Topaz and quartz, Schneckenstein cliff, Kielberg


Mountain, Klingenthal, Vogtland, Saxony, Germany.
Stephan Wolfsried photo

Cassiterite, 5 4 3 cm, Horni Slavkov mine


(Schlaggenwald), Czech Republic. Photo courtesy of
http://
www.johnbetts-fineminerals.com.

Apatite, main crystal 1.7 cm across, Sauberg


mine,
Ehrenfriedersdorf, Erzgebirge, Saxony,
Germany

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