Geology of the Copper Mineralization in Proterozoic Ajabgarh Meta-Sediments of, Dokan-Dariba Belt, Sikar District Rajasthan Northwestern India

The Khetri copper belt is a well-known metallotect in northern part of Delhi fold belt in Rajasthan. On the eastern margin of the Khetri sub basin of North Delhi basin separated by a basement high, another sub basin Alwar-Ajabgarh sub basin exposes that a thick sequence of Ajabgarh group of rocks overlies a thick arenaceous sequence of Alwar group of Delhi Super Group of rocks. The Ajabgarh meta sediments here in the Neem Ka thana area are characterized by presence of Bornite dominated copper mineralization with silver association and minor presence of Pb. The mineralization has been described by various workers as strata-bound, hypogene and IOCG. But these inferences are based on part information and the inference drawn is sectorial in nature. The current study includes a holistic study based on exploration over a period of more than two decades and the data generated suggest thereof, that this syngenetic sulphide mineralization associated with the sedimentation of marl and carbonate rocks. Subsequently it has been relocated during 2nd deformation accompanied by epigenetic component of mineralization depicted in terms of vein filled coarse grained aggregates of bornite and chalcopyrite disposed across the general disposition of litho-package. The EPMA and fluid inclusion data generated from the area indicate association of typical hydrothermal environment minerals like, Perkrite, Wittchenite, Aguilarite, Molybdnite etc. The mineralizing fluids have been trapped between the temperature ranges of 130°C to 375°C with average being 250°C to 300°C. The fluid salinity also varies from near pure hot water to moderately saline fluid indicative of multi-episodic mineralization of syngenetic nature coupled with epigenetic component. The ore textures indicate 500°C temperature range;certain intergrowths of minerals like specular hematite and bornite suggest the occurrence of hypogene environment induced due to emplacement of granite/pegmatite on the eastern and southern margins of the belt. The strata bound nature suggests the euxogenic environment facilitated by carbonate facies of rocks. The parallelism of sulphide with the rock fabric was attained during first deformation and the epigenetic component coupled with the hypogene assemblage was deposited during the D2 deformation in the brittle ductile shear zones and limb shears, between the temperature ranges of 130°C to 570°C as deduced from petrochemical data. Hence a comprehensive model is suggested here on evolution of process of mineralization in the Neem Ka Thana belt.

Copper Mineralization in the Lower Cambrian Cover of Jbel N’Zourk (Central Anti Atlas, Morocco): Tectonic-Mineralizations Relationships

The Moroccan Anti-Atlas is a vast geological region composed of a Precambrian basement covered by a late-Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic sedimentary sequences. More than 200 copper occurrences are listed in these sequences. The copper mineralization of the Jbel N’Zourk (Central Anti-Atlas) is observed into the lower Limestones of the lower Cambrian (Adoudou formation), just above the volcanic formations of the Jbel Boho between Bou Azzer El Graara and Zenaga inliers. The region is by an E-W shortening resulting in an overlapping structure with vergence associated with folds. Generally, the mineralization is hosted along the principal fault of Jbel N’Zourk and sometimes in the anticlines hinges. The petrographic study showed that the mineralization can be observed in several aspects, either in the fractures and veins, in small karsts or rarely disseminated in calcite and dolomite minerals. These observations host new arguments who contribute to a later reconcentration of the copper mineralization of Jbel N’Zourk, trapped on faulted and folded structures attributed to Variscan deformation.

A Fluid Inclusion Study of Vein-type Copper Mineralization in the East Wulasigou Pb-Zn-Cu Deposit,Altay,Northwestern China

The Wulasigou Cu-Pb-Zn deposit,located 15 km northwest of Altay city in Xinjiang,is one of many Cu-Pb-Zn polymetallic deposits in the Devonian Kelan volcanic-sedimentary basin in southern Altaids.Two mineralizing periods can be distinguished：the marine volcanic sedimentary PbZn mineralization period,and the metamorphic hydrothermal Cu mineralization period,which is further divided into an early bedded foliated quartz vein stage（Q1） and a late sulfide-quartz vein stage（Q2） crosscutting the foliation.Four types of fluid inclusions were recognized in the Q1 and Q2 quartz from the east orebodies of the Wulasigou deposit：H2O-CO2 inclusions,carbonic fluid inclusions,aqueous fluid inclusions,and daughter mineral-bearing fluid inclusions.Microthermometric studies show that solid CO2 melting temperatures（T（m,CO2）） of H2O-CO2 inclusions in Ql are from-62.3℃ to-58.5C,clathrate melting temperatures（T（m,clath）l） are from 0.5 C to 7.5 C,partial homogenization temperatures（T（h,CO2）） vary from 3.3℃ to 25.9℃（to liquid）,and the total homogenization temperatures（T（h,tot）） vary from 285℃ to 378℃,with the salinities being 4.9%-15.1%NaCl eqv.and the CO2-phase densities being 0.50-0.86 g/cm-3.H2O-CO2 inclusions in Q2 have T（m,CO2） from-61.9℃ to-56.9℃,T（m,clath）from 1.3℃ to 9.5℃,T（h,CO2） from 3.4℃ to 28.7℃（to liquid）,and T（h,tot） from 242℃ to 388℃,with the salinities being 1.0%-15.5%NaCl eqv.and the CO2-phase densities being 0.48-0.89 g/cm-3.The minimum trapping pressures of fluid inclusions in Q1 and Q2 are estimated to be 260-360 MPa and180-370 MPa,respectively.The δ-（34）S values of pyrite from the volcanic sedimentary period vary from2.3‰ to 2.8‰（CDT）,and those from the sulfide-quartz veins fall in a narrow range of-1.9‰ to 2.6‰（CDT）.The δD values of fluid inclusions in Q2 range from-121.0‰ to-100.8‰（SMOW）,and theδ-（18）O（H2O） values calculated from δ-（18）O of quartz range from-0.2‰ to 8.3‰（SMOW）.The δD-δ-（18）O（H2O）data are close to the magmatic and metamorphic fields.The fluid inclusion and stable isotope data documented in this study indicate that the vein-type copper mineralization in the Wulasigou Pb-Zn-Cu deposit took place in an orogenic-metamorphic enviroment.

Influence of copper minerals on cyanide leaching of gold

The paper thermodynamically examined the behavior of various copper minerals in cyanide solu tions and investigated the influence of copper minerals on cyanide leaching of gold. In elucidating the influence of copper minerals on cyanide leaching of gold, copper minerals were classified into two types according to their solubility in cyanide solutions by proposing two concepts, cyaniding easily soluble copper (E Cu ) and cyaniding insoluble copper. The former involves copper occurrence in metal, oxides and secondary sulfides, and the latter refers mainly to primary sulfides. Experimental results show that not all the total copper in an ore affected cyanide leaching of gold, while cyaniding easily soluble copper turns out to be the decisive factor that interferes with gold cyanidation by causing decrease in gold cyanidation recovery and increase in cyanide consumption. When cyaniding easily soluble copper content ( w E(Cu) ) lies in the range of 0 0.25%, it linearly affects gold cyanidation recovery ( R ) as well as cyanide consumption ( m c). The regression equations have been worked out to be R (%)=94.177 5-142.735 7 w E(Cu) with a correlation coefficient of -0.902 and m c=5.590 7+33.572 9 w E(Cu) with a correlation coefficient of 0.945, respectively.

Petrology and Geochemistry of Ophiolitic Host Rocks of Copper Mineralization in Dowlat Abad-Tang e Hana Area (Neyriz-Iran)

Dowlat Abad-Tang e Hana area is a part of Neyriz ophiolite zone, parallel to the Zagros thrust, SW of Iran. It is also a part of obduction thrusting belt over the edge of the Arabian continent during the late Cretaceous. Petrographic investigation indicates the main host rocks are harzburgite, dunite, pyroxenite, basalt, gabbro and pelagic marine sediments. The main magma type of this ophiolite complex is sub-alkaline. The geochemical data of analysed samples show depletion of Na and K, and enrichment in Ca. Copper mineralization in Dowlat Abad-Tang e Hana is hosted mainly in peridotite rocks. The mineralizations are vein type and are associated as copper carbonate (malachite and less azurite). The average of Cu grade is 2.3 wt%. The geochemical and mineralogical data show that the primary source of copper is ortho-magmatic (from ultra-basic rocks and ferro magnesium minerals), which later influenced by hydrothermal processes.

Flotation of copper oxide minerals:A review

Copper oxide minerals are important copper resources,which include malachite,azurite,chrysocolla,cuprite,etc.Flotation is the most widely used method for the enrichment of copper oxide minerals in the mineral processing industry.In this paper,the surface properties of copper oxide minerals and their effects on the mineral flotation behavior are systematically summarized.The flotation methods of copper oxide minerals and the interaction mechanism with reagents are reviewed in detail.Flotation methods include direct flotation(using chelating reagents or a fatty acid as collector),sulfidization flotation(using xanthate as collector),and activation flotation(using chelating reagents,ammonium/amine salts,metal ions,and oxidant for activation).An effective way to realize efficient flotation of copper oxide minerals is to increase active sites on the surface of copper oxide minerals to enhance the interaction of collector with the mineral surface.Besides,various perspectives for further investigation on the efficient recovery of copper oxide minerals are proposed.

Metallogenetic Mechanism and Timing of Late Superimposing Fluid Mineralization in the Dongguashan Diplogenetic Stratified Copper Deposit,Anhui Province

An important diplogenetic mineralization event superimposed on pre-existing exhalation sediments in the Tongling area, Anhui province, was triggered by widespread granitic magmatism along the northeastern margin of the Yangtze Block during 140–135 Ma under extensional tectonic circumstances following the collision between the North China and Yangtze blocks. The main orebodies of the Dongguashan copper deposit, a typical diplogenetic stratified deposit among many polymetallic ore deposits in China, are hosted by strata between Upper Devonian sandstone and Carboniferous limestone, and its mineralization was genetically related to the Qingshanjiao intrusive. The Rb-Sr isotopic isochron of the Qingshanjiao intrusive yields an age of about 136.5±1.4 Ma. The ore-forming fluid reflected by the inclusion fluid in quartz veins is characterized by high temperature and high salinity, and its age was also determined by Rb -Sr isotope dating as 134±11 Ma. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope composition data suggest that the ore-forming fluid was derived mainly from magmatism. By integrating these isotopic dating data, characteristics of fluid inclusions and the geology of the deposit, the mineralization of the Dongguashan copper deposit is divided into two stages. First, a stratiform sedimentary deposit or protore layer formed in the Late Devonian to the Early Carboniferous, while in the second stage the pre-existing protore was superimposed by hydrothermal fluid that was derived from the Yanshanian magmatic activities occurring around 135 Ma ago. This two-stage mineralization formed the Dongguashan statiform copper deposit. Associated “porphyry” mineralization found in the bottom of and in surrounding intrusive rocks of the orebodies might have occurred in the same period as a second-stage mineralization of this deposit.

赣东北船坑—铜山推覆构造及其与同构造成矿岩浆的关系

通过野外构造变形解析得出,江西上饶船坑—铜山一带铜矿床及其相关的侵入岩体主要受中生代推覆构造控制。推覆构造面总体倾向SE,表现为波状起伏。推覆构造外来岩系为中石炭统至上三叠统碳酸盐岩及页岩、泥质粉砂岩,原地岩系为下侏罗统地层。外来岩系变形大多呈同斜褶皱,并伴生不同规模逆冲断层及顺层滑脱构造,局部存在平卧及箱状褶皱;原地岩系变形亦较强烈。推覆构造表现为自SE向NW的运动。成矿岩体大多呈相互平行的薄层状,岩席侵位于上述推覆体外来岩系顺层滑脱带中。岩石地球化学及同位素年代学分析表明成矿岩体具挤压机制下岩浆弧特征,形成于170 Ma。结合推覆构造卷入的地层、研究区外围德兴一带同类型侵入岩与中生代推覆构造关系的讨论,认为上饶船坑—铜山一带与铜多金属矿相关的中生代石英二长斑岩为受同时代推覆构造变形控制的同构造岩浆岩,可能与中生代古太平洋板块向中国东南大陆俯冲导致岩石圈增厚发生大规模推覆构造,并诱发下地壳重熔岩浆侵位至浅表顺层滑脱空间有关。