Interpretation of Mineralization in the Western Carpathians (Polish Segment)—A Tectonic Mélange Approach

Katarzyna Jarmołowicz-Szulc,Leszek Jankowski

doi:10.3390/min11111171

Abstract

Quartz, carbonates and other minerals as e.g., realgar are present in veins and caverns in sedimentary rocks in the Western Carpathians. In the Polish segment, they have been characterized from the mineralogical, petrologic, and geochemical points of view, as well as fluid inclusions. Their characters are discussed from perspective of a description of particular types of chaotic complexes—the tectonic mélange zones, distinguished in the Western Carpathian area over the last two decades. The mélange zones are considered to be geochemical systems open to fluid flow, a site for mineral crystallization and/or migration zones of hydrocarbons and mineralized waters. In this context the tectonic mélange in the Jabłonki/Rabe vicinity (SE Poland, the Bieszczady region) in comparison to that of the Mszana Dolna tectonic window area are proposed as the examples. The trapping conditions of fluids (brine and methane) in the minerals in the mélange zones appear to have been 180–205 °C and ~550–570 bars, and 220 °C and 500 bars for calcite and quartz, respectively. The general trend of the increase in temperatures and pressures from west towards east and south-east in the mélange zones points to an increase in the degree of exhumation of different parts of the Carpathians.

Highlights

The tectonic mélange represents one of the types of chaotic complexes—the sediments which display a lithology of “blocks in the matrix”
This study focuses on the Polish sector of the Outer Carpathians, a thin-skinned thrust and fold belt, which constitutes the accretionary wedge of the Carpathian orogen
Sampling proceeded in the distinct mélange zones, as e.g.,: in the vicinity of Jabłonki—Rabe and Cisna (JRC) region in the Bieszczady Mts. [13], and in the west, in the area of the Mszana Dolna tectonic window (MD)

Summary

Introduction

The tectonic mélange represents one of the types of chaotic complexes—the sediments which display a lithology of “blocks in the matrix”. Numerous mélange zones are present in the Western Carpathians in the south of Poland and contain different minerals. They have been gradually discovered in the field by Jankowski in the last 20 years ([1,2], and references therein) and presented on the geological maps of the Carpathians (e.g., [3,4], and references therein). Recognition of the tectonic mélange zones is, significant for the reconstruction of additional stages of tectonic deformation (strike–slip faults and the orogenic collapse) and for an explanation of mineralization zones, as well as the hydrocarbon migration. They should be studied with different methods

Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion