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摘要
Petrographic studies of Zn-Pb ore zones hosted by Lower Carboniferous dolomitized Waulsortian reef limestones in the Rathdowney Trend reveal a paragenetic association between sphalerite and potassium silicates: (Ba, K)-feldspar, adularia, and albite as well as rare quartz, illite and phengite. The dominant mineral assemblage is composed of 1) sphalerite +/- (K,Ba) feldspar +/- pengite/illite near the putative feeder conduit for the Lisheen Main Zone, and 2) a sphalerite +/- pengite/illite assemblage distal to the major normal faults (NW of Main Zone, Island Zone and Rapla occurrence). In addition, clay minerals have been identified in fault gouges located at the interface between the Waulsortian reef and argillaceous limestone of the Ballysteen Formation. This mineral assemblage has provided additional constraints on the physico-chemical conditions of ore formation (eH, pH, sulfur and metal species). Another implication of the mineral assemblage, is a revision of fluid rock interaction processes, in which mineral solution precipitation reactions are contributing to the development of hydrothermal breccias, with dolomitic black matrix breccias interpreted as a by-product of massive sulfide precipitation. Additionally, textural studies of the breccias through fractal dimension analysis of fragment geometry extracted from large scale scanning electron microscope element maps (1 cm(2) areas or more), indicates the prevalence of chemical brecciation-corrosion processes in the generation of the black matrix breccias. Integration of these new observations allows for comparison of ore forming processes across the Irish Midlands from the perspective of gangue mineralogy and may provide further links with classic Mississippi-type deposits from the mid-continent region of the United States of America.
- 出版日期2017-8
