Multi-stage Ag–Bi–Co–Ni–U and Cu–Bi vein mineralization at Wittichen, Schwarzwald, SW Germany: geological setting, ore mineralogy, and fluid evolution

Staude, Sebastian; Werner, Wolfgang; Mordhorst, Teresa; Wemmer, Klaus; Jacob, Dorrit E.; Markl, Gregor

doi:10.1007/s00126-011-0365-4

Cited by 66 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Most workers have tried to explain the formation of these deposits based on fluid inclusion or electrochemical arguments involving iron oxidation (Ondrus et al 2003), fluid mixing (Marshall et al 1993;Staude et al 2012), boiling, and cooling, or a combination of these parameters (Kissin 1992). Earlier studies, however, imply that neither temperature or pressure during formation nor host rock type or alteration style, age, or fluid composition provided any clue to a common mechanism of formation, as none of these parameters is typical of all deposits of this type, and Kissin (1992) proposed up to seven different genetic hypotheses.…”

Section: The Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our line of arguments is based on textures observed during the macroscopic and microscopic inspection of hundreds of specimens from European five-element deposits, such as Wittichen and Wenzel (Staude et al 2007(Staude et al , 2012, Mackenheim and Nieder-Beerbach (Fettel 1978;Ramdohr 1975), Schneeberg (Keil 1933;Lipp 2003) and Bieber (Wagner and Lorenz 2002) in Germany, Turtmanntal in Switzerland (Meisser 2003), and a large literature compilation on worldwide deposits (see Kissin 1992, and references therein;Ahmed et al 2009;Bastin 1950;Clavel 1963;Gammon 1966;Keil 1933;Lietz 1939;Marshall 2008;Ondrus et al 2003;Petruk 1968;Wilkerson et al 1988) ( Table 1). The following typical features are recognized:…”

Section: The Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although gangue minerals appear after the native metal ore stage, we still found methane in some fluid inclusions in calcite paragenetically associated with arsenides at the Odenwald/Germany localities we investigated by Raman spectroscopy (Burisch, unpublished results), while the majority of analyzed fluid inclusions there and at other localities is methane-free and records the ordinary hydrothermal system after re-attainment of equilibrium (Staude et al 2007(Staude et al , 2012Kerrich et al 1986;Marshall et al 1993;Wilde et al 2001). Alternatively, the introduced methane could also have been entirely oxidized to HCO 3 − before fluid trapping.…”

Section: Carbon Isotope and Fluid Inclusion Evidence And The Origin Omentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It may originate from biogenic or abiotic sources (Apps 1985;Schoell 1988;Lüders et al 2012;Welhan 1988), the latter being, e.g., graphitic schists or H 2 -or CO 2 -bearing fluids reduced by catalytic contact with ferrous iron (Apps 1985), by carbonate methanation, or via FischerTropsch type reactions (Etiope and Sherwood Lollar 2013). Such carbon-or sulfide-rich host lithologies are typically present close to five-element veins (Kissin 1992 and references therein; Staude et al 2012). Hence, methane should be easily available for the process proposed, especially, as mass balance calculations show that the required quantities are small.…”

Section: Carbon Isotope and Fluid Inclusion Evidence And The Origin Omentioning

confidence: 99%

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Natural fracking and the genesis of five-element veins

2016

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Hydrothermal Ag-Co-Ni-Bi-As (five-element vein type) ore deposits show very conspicuous textures of the native elements silver, bismuth, and arsenic indicating formation from a rapid, far-from-equilibrium process. Such textures include up to dm-large tree-and wirelike aggregates overgrown by Co-Ni-Fe arsenides and mostly carbonates. Despite the historical and contemporary importance of five-element vein type deposits as sources of silver, bismuth, and cobalt, and despite of spectacular museum specimens, their process of formation is not yet understood and has been a matter of debate since centuries. We propose, based on observations from a number of classical European five-element vein deposits and carbon isotope analyses, that Bnatural fracking,^i.e., liberation of hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon-bearing fluids during break up of rocks in the vicinity of an active hydrothermal system and mixing between these hydrocarbons (e.g., methane and/or methane-bearing fluids) and a metal-rich hydrothermal fluid is responsible for ore precipitation and the formation of the unusual ore textures and assemblages. Thermodynamic and isotope mixing calculations show that the textural, chemical, and isotopic features of the investigated deposits can entirely be explained by this mechanism.

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Section: The Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Carbon Isotope and Fluid Inclusion Evidence And The Origin Omentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Carbon Isotope and Fluid Inclusion Evidence And The Origin Omentioning

confidence: 99%

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Natural fracking and the genesis of five-element veins

2016

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“…The reactions between sulfides with fluids are observed. Emplectite and wittichenite were deposited after bismuthinite in accordance with observations of Staude et al (2012) at the Wittichen deposit (SW Germany). Formation of Bi-bearing minerals is followed by tellurides (tsumoite) and selenides (laitakarite).…”

Section: Ore Stage IImentioning

confidence: 55%

Cu–Au vein mineralization related to the Talat n’Imjjad shear zone (western High Atlas, Morocco): geological setting, ore mineralogy, and geochemical evolution

Ilmen

Alansari

Bajddi³

et al. 2014

Arab J Geosci

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The Cu-Au deposit of the Talat n'Imjjad occurrence, southwestern Azegour mine, western High Atlas of Morocco, is situated in a NW trending quartz vein along a shear zone in quartz diorite host rocks. The recently discovered shear zone,~200-m long, NW-SE trending, so-called Talat n'Imjjad vein system of Cu-Au-Bi-Te-Se mineralization that crosscuts the Al Medinet quartz diorite, represents a landmark in regional metallogeny. This region has long been known for its polymetallic ore deposits, with the historical Mo-Cu-W mine of Azegour and Pb-Zn-Ag mine of Erdouz. The economic sulfide enrichment is often hosted by breccias and quartz veins in the ductile shear zone. Samples from the field surface and boreholes show macro-and microscopic evidence of shearing such as S-C fabrics and microshear planes. The quartz diorite was deformed and mylonitized, then the igneous texture was modified. On the basis of textures, mineral assemblages, and hydrothermal alteration, four stages were documented and could be distinguished: (1) quartz I-sericite-chloriteepidote pre-ore stage; (2) chlorite-quartz II-calcite-pyrite ore stage; (3) native bismuth-bismuthiniteemplectite-wittichenite-(tsumoite-laitakarite)-chalcopyrite-sphalerite-native gold-calcite ore stage II; and (4) bismuthite-hematite-malachite-covellite post-ore stage. Bi-chalcogenides are considered as pathfinders for gold in Au-quartz veins. The association of gold with Biminerals is linked to the role of Bi melt as scavenger for gold. Tellurides and selenides are also the best indicators of the magmatic signature. The alteration types of the wall rocks include seritization, silicification, chloritization, carbonatization, and propylitization. The auriferous shear zone of Talat n'Imjjad represents a newly discovered occurrence in the western High Atlas characterized by its mineralogy, paragenetic sequence, hydrothermal alteration, and magmatic and structural control of the deposit of sulfide minerals.

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Hydrothermal Deposits

Neukirchen¹,

Ries²

2020

The World of Mineral Deposits

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Multi-stage Ag–Bi–Co–Ni–U and Cu–Bi vein mineralization at Wittichen, Schwarzwald, SW Germany: geological setting, ore mineralogy, and fluid evolution

Cited by 66 publications

References 59 publications

Natural fracking and the genesis of five-element veins

Natural fracking and the genesis of five-element veins

Cu–Au vein mineralization related to the Talat n’Imjjad shear zone (western High Atlas, Morocco): geological setting, ore mineralogy, and geochemical evolution

Hydrothermal Deposits

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