Abstract

Stannite group minerals (ferrokësterite and stannite) occur in small amounts in association with sulfides in hydrothermal Pb-Zn deposits in Kosovo. The chemical composition of sphalerite co-existing with Sn-bearing minerals has been investigated using laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Flat Sn-spectra suggest that Sn is bound in the sphalerite lattice or as nanoincluions. Sphalerite from Stan Terg, overgrown by ferrokësterite, contains the lowest Sn content (few ppm) and have been precipitated before Sn-enrichment in the fluids. The highest value of Sn (520 ppm) of Stan Terg sphalerite was obtained directly close to the ferrokësterite rim, and indicates a rapid increase of Sn in the hydrothermal fluids. Significantly higher values of Sn in sphalerite were obtained from other deposits: 1600 ppm (Artana), up to 663 ppm (Kizhnica), up to 2800 ppm (Drazhnje). Stannite-sphalerite geothermometry revealed the following ore-forming temperatures for the Kosovo mineralization: 240–390 °C for Stan Terg, 240–370 °C for Artana, >340 °C for Kizhnica, and 245–295 °C for Drazhnje. Sphalerite and stannite group minerals precipitated simultaneously during cooling from reduced hydrothermal fluids and under low-sulfidation fluid states. Fluctuations in physico-chemical fluid conditions are evidenced by the presence of stannite group minerals along growth zones in sphalerite and may be related to short interval of magmatic pulses during ore deposition.

Highlights

  • Tin is an economically important element with the highest concentration in Sn and W porphyry, skarn, greisen, or polymetallic vein-type deposits [1]

  • This study examines intergrowths of stannite group minerals-sphalerite from Kosovo Pb-Zn deposits, and presents results on chemical composition of sphalerite coexisting with SGM obtained by electron microprobe and LA-ICP-MS analyses

  • Sphalerite-stannite intergrowths in representative ore samples were determined by a JEOL

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Summary

Introduction

Tin is an economically important element with the highest concentration in Sn and W porphyry, skarn, greisen, or polymetallic vein-type deposits [1]. The most widespread Sn mineral is cassiterite, but Sn can frequently occur as sulfides (stannite, kësterite, mawsonite, etc.), or sulfosalts (cylindrite, franckeite, etc.). Tin mineralization was reported from porphyry-related and epithermal systems in China [2], Sn-Te-Bi-Sb polymetallic veins in Japan [3], polymetallic vein in Kutná Hora (Czech republic) [4], granite-related Sn-mineralization at Mount Wellington (Cornwall, Great Britain) [5], VMS-type deposit of Neves Corvo (Portugal) [6], CSA Cu-Pb-Zn deposit in Australia [7], and many others elsewhere. Sn mineral association from a Sn-As-Zn-Ag vein in the Besshi deposit, Japan, and Petruk [10] found thiostannates (stannite, kësterite, stannoidite, mawsonite) in Brunswick Tin Mines, Canada.

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