Geochemistry of tetrahedrite group minerals and associated silver paragenesis in the Boguszów baryte deposit, Poland

Abstract

Primary ore mineralization in the abandoned Boguszów baryte-polymetallic deposit, located in the Intra-Sudetic Depression, was studied by reflected light microscopy and electron microprobe. Ore minerals, occurring as veinlets, irregular aggregates and lenses in baryte veins are hosted by the Upper Carboniferous Chełmiec rhyodacite laccolith. They are dominated by galena, sphalerite (with Cd up to 0.04 apfu) and tetrahedrite group minerals (TGM). Four generations of the TGM were distinguished according to textural features and Ag content: (1) low-Ag tetrahedrite-(Zn) (Ag: 0.22–0.6 apfu), (2) Ag-enriched tetrahedrite-(Zn) and Ag-enriched tetrahedrite-(Fe) (Ag: 0.71–1.45 apfu), (3) members of the freibergite series: “freibergite-(Fe)” and “freibergite-(Zn)” (Ag: 3.21–3.48 apfu; Hg: up to 0.75 apfu), (4) member of the “freibergite-(Fe)” series (Ag: 5.32–5.78 apfu). Several elongated inclusions of Ag-bearing sulphosalts within galena crystals were observed (members of the series “freibergite-(Fe)” and “freibergite-(Zn)”, pyrargyrite and polybasite). These polymetallic silver-bearing ores were mined in Boguszów from the 15th to the 19th century. Additionally, small grains of cobalt-enriched löllingite and gersdorffite were observed, which were formed from fluids sourced from the ultramafic basement. The textural characteristics of the ore, the mineral paragenesis and the chemical composition of individual ore minerals indicate low-temperature crystallization conditions.