Abstract

Celestite-barite occurrences of early Cretaceous age were studied in the Extra-Andean region of Neuquen, West central Argentina. The ores are located in a Subandean Mesozoic belt and show a conspicuous stratabound character related to evaporitic facies. The study of the geologic evolution of the sedimentary sequence allows prediction of the temporal and spatial setting of the evaporitic facies. Stratigraphy is the main geologic control for the celestite-barite ores and their areal distribution depends on the structure of the region. Based on the geometry and texture of the mineralization three types of ores have been recognized: 1) celestite beds syngenetic with the evaporitic facies; 2) epigenetic stratabound ores formed by "in situ" mobilization of celestite with stalactite growth and cavity infilling; 3) epigenetic vein-type ores formed by mobilized barium enriched solutions.

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