Carbonate-hosted nonsulphide Zn–Pb mineralization of southern British Columbia, Canada

Paradis, Suzanne; Keevil, Halley A.; Simandl, George J.; Raudsepp, Mati

doi:10.1007/s00126-014-0565-9

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…Nonsulfi de deposits located in northern latitudes have been described in British Columbia by Paradis et al (2011Paradis et al ( , 2015. These authors surmise that their potential is good, regardless of the intensity of the glaciations that affected the deposits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

A cold supergene zinc deposit in Alaska: The Reef Ridge case

Santoro

Boni

Mondillo

et al. 2015

Geological Society of America Bulletin

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The Reef Ridge deposit is a typical supergene "nonsulfi de" zinc mineralization, located in the Yukon-Koyukuk region of west-central Alaska (USA). It is hosted in sedimentary rocks of the Farewell terrane, a continental fragment sandwiched between the Siberian and Laurentian cratons during the early Paleozoic. The mineralization occurs in Lower-Middle Devonian shallowwater dolomite of a Paleozoic carbonate platform succession belonging to the Nixon Fork tectonic unit. The mineralization consists of oxidized minerals associated with minor remaining sulfi des (pyrite/marcasite and sphalerite). In the oxidation zone, smithsonite is the predominant mineral, mixed with Fe-(hydr)oxides (goethite and hematite).A complete petrographic and mineralogical study was performed. Samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and emission spectrometry, energy dispersive scanning electron microscopy, and QEMSCAN ® (quantitative evaluation of minerals by scanning electron microscopy). The most abundant mineral in the nonsulfi de ore is smithsonite. Similar to other nonsulfi de Zn deposits worldwide, the fi rst generation of smithsonite has replaced both primary sphalerite and the host carbonates. A second smithsonite generation precipitated as cement in vugs, cavities, and fractures. Minor zinc amounts also occur in the Fe-(hydr) oxides , and zinc traces have been identifi ed in clay minerals.The carbon and oxygen isotope values of smithsonite at Reef Ridge vary from -0.7 to 2.1‰ relative to Vienna Peedee belemnite (VPDB) and 19.1‰ to 21.9‰ relative to Vienna standard mean ocean water (VSMOW ). The δ 13 C values are similar to those of the host rock, suggesting that the predominant carbon source for smithsonite was the host carbonates, with only a limited contribution from organic carbon. The oxygen isotope ratios of Reef Ridge smithsonite are more depleted in 18 O compared to supergene nonsulfi des from other parts of the world formed under warm-humid, temperate, or semiarid climates. The oxygen isotope fractionation between water and smithsonite, which relates the δ 18 O value of the mineralizing solution, the formation temperature of smithsonite, and its δ 18 O composition, indicates that the δ 18 O composition of Reef Ridge smithsonite is related to very low formation temperatures (~10 °C), and strong depletion in 18 O of the precipitating waters.The δ 18 O smithsonite composition, the strong 18 O depletion, and the relationship of the formation of the Reef Ridge nonsulfi de deposit with the development of the Sleetmute upland surface (which started in the Late Tertiary and continues to the present) indicate that the formation of the Reef Ridge nonsulfi de deposit is probably related to cold/humid weathering episodes during a period comprised between Late Tertiary and Holocene.The "traditional" interpretation on the genesis of Zn nonsulfi de deposits in warmhumid, temperate, or semiarid conditions should be questioned where other climate zones are indicated.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

A cold supergene zinc deposit in Alaska: The Reef Ridge case

Santoro

Boni

Mondillo

et al. 2015

Geological Society of America Bulletin

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“…Demand has increased significantly for ores containing elements such as Te, Ge, Se and In. This is due to the fact that these elements are critical for a variety of high-technology applications, and future demand for them will continue to increase (Paradis, 2015). In addition, In and Ge are included in the latest list of Critical Raw Materials 2017 released by the European Commission.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, In and Ge are included in the latest list of Critical Raw Materials 2017 released by the European Commission. These elements seldom form primary ores but are mainly obtained as by-products of the refining of major metals from base-metal ores (Graedel et al , 2014; Paradis, 2015). For instance, Te and Se are largely produced from copper refining, and In and Ge from the processing of sphalerite in base metal ores.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Enrichment in critical metals (In-Ge) and Te-Se in epithermal deposits of the ‘La Carolina’ district, San Luis, Argentina

et al. 2018

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Epithermal Au-Ag deposits of the La Carolina district, in the San Luis metallogenetic belt (Argentina), are related spatially and genetically to Mio-Pliocene volcanism. In this district, mineralization in the Cerro Mogote and Puesto La Estancia prospects occur as disseminations, veins and fracture/cavity infillings in volcanic/pyroclastic rocks, metamorphic basement and hydrothermal breccias. The gangue assemblage is dominated by carbonates (siderite, rhodochrosite, kutnahorite, dolomite). The main sulfides are pyrite, sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite. Pyrite and sphalerite have compositional zoning, the former with As-rich cores and Cu-rich overgrowths, the latter with Fe-rich and Fe-poor bands. Sphalerite shows variable contents of Mn, Cu, In, Ga, Ge and Ag. The In-richest sphalerite hosts up to 5940 ppm In but also contains elevated concentrations of Cu, Ag, Ga and Ge, suggesting a coupled substitution mechanism resulting in enrichments in monovalent (Ag+, Cu+) and trivalent-tetravalent cations (Ga3+, In3+, Ge4+). The main precious metal minerals are Ag-rich tetrahedrite, acanthite, argyrodite, pearceite–polybasite and Au-Ag alloy. Locally, Se and/or Te-enriched minerals include galena Pb(S0.9–1Se0.1–0), hessite Ag2(Te0.9–1Se0.1–0), Se-rich cervelleite Ag4(Te1.3–0.9S1–0.5 Se0.5–0.2), and also alburnite [Ag8GeTe2S4] and benleonardite [Ag15Cu(As,Sb)2S7Te4]. Pearceite contains Te (3.6–4.3 wt.%) and Se (1–2.3 wt.%) substituting for S, which are unusually high concentrations for this mineral. The Puesto La Estancia deposit contains various tellurides including sylvanite, petzite, stutzite, altaite, tellurobismuthite and volynskite. This study shows that the chemistry of the fluids fluctuated during ore deposition suggesting different fluid pulses (system rejuvenation and/or boiling). The enrichment in Te, Se and Bi enrichment is supportive of a magmatic contribution to the ore fluid, while graphite in the metamorphic basement could be the source of germanium, although a magmatic source cannot be ruled out.

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“…1). The district contains several types of carbonate-hosted mineralization, including stratabound replacement sulphides, quartzcarbonate-sulphide veins, and classic Mississippi Valley-type (Paradis 2007(Paradis , 2015. The quartz-carbonate-sulphide veins have undergone extensive oxidation and alteration, forming zones rich in smithsonite and cerussite, which is referred to as the 'oxide zone'.…”

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confidence: 99%

Geochemical and mineralogical controls on metal(loid) mobility in the oxide zone of the Prairie Creek Deposit, NWT

Stavinga

Jamieson

Layton‐Matthews

et al. 2017

GEEA

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Prairie Creek is an unmined high grade Zn-Pb-Ag deposit in the southern Mackenzie Mountains of the Northwest Territories, located in a 320 km 2 enclave surrounded by the Nahanni National Park reserve. The upper portion of the quartzcarbonate-sulphide vein mineralization has undergone extensive oxidation, forming high grade zones, rich in smithsonite (ZnCO 3 ) and cerussite (PbCO 3 ). This weathered zone represents a significant resource and a potential component of mine waste material. This study is focused on characterizing the geochemical and mineralogical controls on metal(loid) mobility under mine waste conditions, with particular attention to the metal carbonates as a potential source of trace elements to the environment. Analyses were conducted using a combination of microanalytical techniques (electron microprobe, scanning electron microscopy with automated mineralogy, laser-ablation inductively-coupled mass spectrometry, and synchrotron-based element mapping, micro-X-ray diffraction and micro-X-ray absorbance). The elements of interest included Zn, Pb, Ag, As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Sb and Se.Results include the identification of minor phases previously unknown at Prairie Creek, including cinnabar (HgS), acanthite (Ag 2 S), metal arsenates, and Pb-Sb-oxide. Anglesite (PbSO 4 ) may also be present in greater proportions than recognized by previous work, composing up to 39 weight percent of some samples. Smithsonite is the major host for Zn but this mineral also contains elevated concentrations of Pb, Cd and Cu, while cerussite hosts Zn, Cu and Cd, with concentrations ranging from 6 ppm to upwards of 5.3 weight percent in the two minerals. Variable concentrations of As, Sb, Hg, Ag, and Se are also present in smithsonite and cerussite (listed in approximately decreasing order with concentrations ranging from <0.02 to 17 000 ppm). A significant proportion of the trace metal(loid)s may be hosted by other secondary minerals associated with mineralization. Processing will remove significant mineral hosts for these elements from the final tailings, although some may remain depending on whether the smithsonite fraction is left as tailings. Significant Hg and Ag could remain in tailings from cinnabar and acanthite that is trapped within smithsonite grains, which were found to act as a host for up to 53% of the Hg and 79% of the Ag contained in some samples.In a mine waste setting, near-neutral pH will encourage retention of trace metal(loid)s in solids. Regardless, oxidation, dissolution and mobilization is expected to continue in the long term, which may be slowed by saturated conditions, or accelerated by localized flow paths and acidification of isolated, sulphide-rich pore spaces.

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Carbonate-hosted nonsulphide Zn–Pb mineralization of southern British Columbia, Canada

Cited by 14 publications

References 46 publications

A cold supergene zinc deposit in Alaska: The Reef Ridge case

A cold supergene zinc deposit in Alaska: The Reef Ridge case

Enrichment in critical metals (In-Ge) and Te-Se in epithermal deposits of the ‘La Carolina’ district, San Luis, Argentina

Geochemical and mineralogical controls on metal(loid) mobility in the oxide zone of the Prairie Creek Deposit, NWT

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