The Sedmochislenitsi Zn-Pb-Cu-Ag deposit, NW Bulgaria: could it be Irish-type? A review of the evidence

Abstract

Sedmochislenitsi is a stratiform-stratabound Zn-Pb-Cu-Ag deposit hosted in Triassic carbonates in the NW of Bulgaria. The deposits have been compared to the Alpine-type Zn-Pb deposits of Raibl, Salafossa, Mezica-Topla and Bleiberg-Kreuth located in the area of the Italian, Slovenian, Austrian border however Sedmochislenitsi differs significantly from these deposits in the fact that it contains a et al body of copper mineralization comprised of chalcopyrite, bornite and tennantite with significant amounts of silver sulphosalts and native silver. Historically many authors have attributed the deposit to being of MVT-affinity whilst others have hinted at the deposits of being SEDEX-type. However, to date, despite some convincing analogies with some of the deposits in the Irish Midlands nobody as yet, has discussed the possibility of them being an Irish-type Zn-Pb deposit. This paper evaluates the evidence.