Sn-Bearing Minerals and Associated Sphalerite from Lead-Zinc Deposits, Kosovo: An Electron Microprobe and LA-ICP-MS Study

Abstract

Stannite group minerals (ferrokësterite and stannite) occur in small amounts in association with sulfides in hydrothermal Pb-Zn deposits in Kosovo. The chemical composition of sphalerite co-existing with Sn-bearing minerals has been investigated using laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Flat Sn-spectra suggest that Sn is bound in the sphalerite lattice or as nanoincluions. Sphalerite from Stan Terg, overgrown by ferrokësterite, contains the lowest Sn content (few ppm) and have been precipitated before Sn-enrichment in the fluids. The highest value of Sn (520 ppm) of Stan Terg sphalerite was obtained directly close to the ferrokësterite rim, and indicates a rapid increase of Sn in the hydrothermal fluids. Significantly higher values of Sn in sphalerite were obtained from other deposits: 1600 ppm (Artana), up to 663 ppm (Kizhnica), up to 2800 ppm (Drazhnje). Stannite-sphalerite geothermometry revealed the following ore-forming temperatures for the Kosovo mineralization: 240-390˝C for Stan Terg, 240-370˝C for Artana, >340˝C for Kizhnica, and 245-295˝C for Drazhnje. Sphalerite and stannite group minerals precipitated simultaneously during cooling from reduced hydrothermal fluids and under low-sulfidation fluid states. Fluctuations in physico-chemical fluid conditions are evidenced by the presence of stannite group minerals along growth zones in sphalerite and may be related to short interval of magmatic pulses during ore deposition.

Trace Element Analysis of Minerals in Magmatic-Hydrothermal Ores by Laser Ablation Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry: Approaches and Opportunities

“…Considerable opportunity therefore exists for LA-ICP-MS studies addressing the partitioning behavior of potential by-product metals, such as Ga or Sn, in multi-phase sulphide-oxide-silicate assemblages. Even for relatively well-studied minerals, more trace element data, especially for rare elements, is welcome (e.g., in sphalerite [162]). Such additional data will assist in building holistic element distribution models, and will undoubtedly highlight the importance of minor and trace minerals as hosts for specific elements.…”

A geochemical study of gersdorffite from the Trepça Mineral Belt, Vardar Zone, Kosovo

“…Additionally, Bi sulfosalts, Bi sulfotellurides, Sn minerals, gold, Ag minerals and Pb-Sb sulfosalts were described recently (Kołodziejczyk et al 2015(Kołodziejczyk et al , 2016a(Kołodziejczyk et al , b, 2017Mederski et al 2018;Węgrzynowicz et al 2019). A similar Pb-Zn-Sb mineralization was observed in the Kizhnica-Hajvalia-Badovc ore field (Hyseni et al 2010a;Kołodziejczyk et al 2016b;Mederski et al 2019), including various Pb-Sb sulfosalts, as well as accessory minerals such as Bi sulfosalts, Sn minerals and gold (Kołodziejczyk et al 2016b;Mederski et al 2019).…”

“…Earlier publications about the Stan Terg deposit and Kizhnica-Hajvalia-Badovc ore field did not indicate the presence of Ni minerals in the hydrothermal system (Dangić 1993;Féraud and Deschamps 2009;Kołodziejczyk et al 2016b). New research performed on various small occurrences in the broad Stan Terg area and the Kizhnica-Hajvalia-Badovc ore field shows that Ni mineralization seems to be fairly common in the hydrothermal systems in the Vardar Zone (Bal et al 2019;Mederski et al 2019;Wojsław et al 2019).…”

Минералого-Геохимические Признаки Метасоматических Преобразований Гранитов В Дайках Северной Части Берёзовского Рудного Поля (Средний Урал)

“…Кроме выше указанных минералов были обнаружены также более железистые разности кестерита, вплоть до феррокестерита и станнина. Составы этих минералов соответствуют таковым из других месторождений аналогичной формационной принадлежности [Moore, Howie,1984, Kołodziejczyk et al, 2016. Главным минералом концентратором вольфрама в метасоматитах является шеелит.…”