Lead isotope analyses of gold–silver ores from Roşia Montană (Romania): a first step of a metal provenance study of Roman mining activity in Alburnus Maior (Roman Dacia)

Baron, Sandrine; Tămaş, Calin-Gabriel; Caüuet, Béatrice; Munoz, Marguerite

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2010.12.004

Cited by 31 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The high‐resolution isotopic measurements applied on these referenced materials increase the archaeological significance of the isotopic data of the ore sources and improve the tracing for future metal provenance studies (Baron et al . ).…”

Section: The Importance Of Knowing Which Ores Were Actually Used By Amentioning

confidence: 97%

“…We assume that the normalization of 208 Pb, 207 Pb and 206 Pb isotopes to the 204 Pb isotope is an extremely useful representation that allows a significant improvement in metal tracing (Baron et al . , ; Villa ; Desaulty et al . ).…”

Section: The Reporting and Interpretation Of Lead Isotopic Ratiosmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…; Baron et al . ). It is beyond the scope of this paper to present the theory behind the use of lead isotopes in geochronology: more details are reported elsewhere (Marcoux ; Faure and Mensing ; Allègre ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the beginning of the 1980s, numerous non-ferrous metal provenance studies based on chemical elemental signature and lead isotopic compositions have been carried out successfully and they highlight various archaeological and historical challenges. These metal provenance studies contribute to the reconstruction of the trade routes in ancient metals, and help us to better understand the economic, political and social aspects of ancient civilizations (e.g., Stos-Gale et al 1997;Gale 1999;Sayre et al 2001;Niederschlag et al 2003;Baron et al 2011). It is beyond the scope of this paper to present the theory behind the use of lead isotopes in their isotopic treatments, but not at all on their choices of mining district or their isotope data acquisition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How Mineralogy and Geochemistry Can Improve the Significance of Pb Isotopes in Metal Provenance Studies

2013

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Section: The Importance Of Knowing Which Ores Were Actually Used By Amentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: The Reporting and Interpretation Of Lead Isotopic Ratiosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How Mineralogy and Geochemistry Can Improve the Significance of Pb Isotopes in Metal Provenance Studies

2013

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“…The deposit was known during the Roman period (106-273 AD) as Alburnus Maior (Pošepný 1870;Sîntimbrean 1989) and kilometers of Roman workings are still preserved (Benea and Tămaş 2010;Cauuet and Tămaş 2012). Recent data (Tămaş et al 2009; Baron et al 2011) indicate that several Au-Ag ore bodies exploited by the Roman miners in Alburnus Maior had Te and Ge traces. The name of the mineral is thus derived from the Latin name of the locality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alburnite, Ag8GeTe2S4, a new mineral species from the Rosia Montana Au-Ag epithermal deposit, Apuseni Mountains, Romania

Tămaş

Grobéty

Bailly

et al. 2014

American Mineralogist

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Alburnite, ideally Ag 8 GeTe 2 S 4 , was discovered in the Cârnicel vein from the Roşia Montana epithermal Au-Ag ore deposit, Apuseni Mountains, Romania. The new mineral is associated with tetrahedrite, galena, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and tellurides (hessite, altaite, and sylvanite). Associated gangue minerals are rhodochrosite, quartz, calcite, and rhodonite. Alburnite was observed only at the microscopic scale as rounded to sub-rounded grains, veinlets or irregular inclusions hosted mainly by tetrahedrite, hessite, and rhodochrosite. Due to the small size of alburnite grains observed so far it was not possible to determine some macroscopic properties; reported properties are based on microscopic observations. The mineral has a metallic luster and is opaque. It is non-fluorescent and has an estimated Mohs hardness of 4. The mineral shows no cleavage. Density could not be measured because of the small grain size, but calculated density based on the empirical formula is 7.828 g/cm 3 . In plane-polarized light in air, alburnite is gray-blue with a bluish tint. It shows no pleochroism or bireflectance in air. Between crossed polars alburnite is isotropic and internal reflections have not been observed in air. The mineral decomposes in intense light. Reflectance minimum values in air (in percents) are: 470 nm 29.70; 546 nm 28.00; 589 nm 27.35; 650 nm 26.95. The average chemical composition based on 18 electron microprobe analyses from 9 different grains in one polished section is (in wt%): Ag 65.49, Ge 4.82, Te 20.16, S 9.66, total 100.13. The ideal formula of alburnite, Ag 8 GeTe 2 S 4 , based on 15 apfu requires Ag 65.43, Ge 5.50, Te 19.35, S 9.72, total 100.00 wt%. Features of the crystal structure of alburnite were determined based on electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Alburnite is cubic, space group F43m, with unit-cell parameters a = 10.4(1) Å, V = 1125(30) Å 3 , Z = 4. The strongest eight calculated XRD lines [d in Å(I)(hkl)] are: 6.004(, 1.838(76)(044), and 1.644(12)(026). The name of the new mineral alburnite is derived from the Latin name of the locality. Roşia Montana Au-Ag deposit was known during the Roman period as Alburnus Maior. The mineral and the mineral name have been approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, IMA 2012-073.

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Coupling Techniques and Orthogonal Combination of Mass Spectrometric Techniques

Pröfrock

2016

Metallomics

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Lead isotope analyses of gold–silver ores from Roşia Montană (Romania): a first step of a metal provenance study of Roman mining activity in Alburnus Maior (Roman Dacia)

Cited by 31 publications

References 13 publications

How Mineralogy and Geochemistry Can Improve the Significance of Pb Isotopes in Metal Provenance Studies

How Mineralogy and Geochemistry Can Improve the Significance of Pb Isotopes in Metal Provenance Studies

Alburnite, Ag8GeTe2S4, a new mineral species from the Rosia Montana Au-Ag epithermal deposit, Apuseni Mountains, Romania

Coupling Techniques and Orthogonal Combination of Mass Spectrometric Techniques

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