Abstract
The somehow ignored northern portion of the Banat-Timok Province/Banatitic Belt is reconsidered in metallogenetic terms after updated evaluation based on recent considerations and long ago recognized tectonic, magmatic and metallogenetic evidence. Banatitic occurrences in the investigated area are confined to the NE extent of the non productive alkali-calcic alignment up to the Mures Valley where it joins the sub-latitudinal Bega-Mures branching lineament. Banatitic edifices related to this junction depart from the alkali-calcic trend, drifting to the productive calc-alkaline porphyry environment, characteristic of Timok-South Banat metallogeny. The assemblage of Cretaceous volcanics/pyroclastics and sedimentary formation with subvolcanic and blind intrusions with associated alteration and mineralization creates a environment that reminds the well-known Timok setting. Despite the so far poor understood setting with underestimated economic attractivity, integrated geological-geophysical evidence underscore the potential of this peculiar Timok like volcano-plutonic structure associated with blind porphyry Cu-Au and distal base metal expression, fostering future investigations.
Highlights
Plate tectonic setting is still controversial, featuring both compressional and extensional interpretations. if progress was made in terms of geochronology and petro-geochemistry, lack of systematic sampling procedure or even use of uncredited samples or otherwise speculative interpretations represent so far obstructions in recognizing the real Banatitic magmatic-metallogenetic signature
This somehow ignored area was revisited recently and reconsidered in metallogenetic terms based on a set of three long ago recognized, and still valid evidences, with – so far – the most reliable regional geophysical support provided by andrei et al (1989): Banatitic tectono-magmatic alignments, by GiușCă et al (1966); Banatitic magmatism, both volcanic and intrusive, characterized by poly-stage emplacement; spatial distribution as coinciding magmatic and metallogenetic alignments by CiofLiCa & vLad (1973); Magmatic-metallogenetic zonation with spatially distributed porphyry vs. non-porphyry environments: the main intrusive event contains two calkalkaline productive magmatic suites, resulting in Cu vs. base metal ore formation and adjacent non-economic alkali-calcic suite by vLad (1979)
Minor veins of polymetallic character have been mentioned along tributaries of rozalia valley, i.e., Vingl, Banita and Talianu. They include Au-telluride species and Au. re-evaluation of these data suggest the following: in terms of large scale evaluation of the alkalicalcic Banatitic alignment, the more evolved Gladnarozalia intrusion contains the main stage of the poly-stage banatite evolution; Since the main stage is productive throughout the BMMB, we expect a certain degree of ore formation at Gladna-rozalia, too
Summary
The history of banatites extends from early sources such as von CoTTa (1864) who introduced this term into the geological literature, till present times when this complex rock association of Late Cretaceous age is accepted as a subcontinental belt named Banatitic Magmatic Metallogenetic Belt /BMMB (e.g., Berza et al, 1998) or apuseni–Banat–Timok–Srednogorie Magmatic Metallogenetic Belt/aBTS (e.g., PoPov et al, 2000). relaying on multi-secular time span contributions, various authors expressed their interest during the last decades in terms of general outlook, structural setting, petro-geochemistry, geochronology and metallogeny, (e.g., Janković, 1997; vLad, 1997; Berzaet al., 1998; PoPovet al., 2000; HeinriCH & neuBauer, 2002; CioBanu et al, 2002; duPonT et al, 2002; vLad & Berza, 2003; Berza, 2004; von QuadT et al, 2005; ziMMerMan et al, 2008; Berza & iLinCa, 2014; GaLLHofer et al, 2015; vander et al, 2016). Relaying on multi-secular time span contributions, various authors expressed their interest during the last decades in terms of general outlook, structural setting, petro-geochemistry, geochronology and metallogeny, (e.g., Janković, 1997; vLad, 1997; Berzaet al., 1998; PoPovet al., 2000; HeinriCH & neuBauer, 2002; CioBanu et al, 2002; duPonT et al, 2002; vLad & Berza, 2003; Berza, 2004; von QuadT et al, 2005; ziMMerMan et al, 2008; Berza & iLinCa, 2014; GaLLHofer et al, 2015; vander et al, 2016). Late stage: differentiated dikes and final lamprophyre dikes The intrusive activity generated contact aureoles with recrystallization and metasomatic products (hornfels and marble, respectively skarn, hydrothermal alteration and mineralization)
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