Kiruna-type Deposits Research Articles

ORIGIN OF VOLCANIC-HOSTED MAGNETITE AT THE LAGUNA DEL MAULE COMPLEX, CHILE: A NEW EXAMPLE OF ANDEAN IRON OXIDE-APATITE MINERALIZATION

Abstract Iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits, also known as magnetite-apatite or Kiruna-type deposits, are a major source of iron and potentially of rare earth elements and phosphorus. To date, the youngest representative of this group is the Pleistocene (~2 Ma) El Laco deposit, located in the Andean Cordillera of northern Chile. El Laco is considered a unique type of IOA deposit because of its young age and its volcanic-like features. Here we report the occurrence of similarly young IOA-type mineralization hosted within the Laguna del Maule Volcanic Complex, an unusually large and recent silicic volcanic system in the south-central Andes. We combined field observations and aerial drone images with detailed petrographic observations, electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), and 40Ar/39Ar dating to characterize the magnetite mineralization—named here “Vetas del Maule”—hosted within andesites of the now extinct La Zorra volcano (40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 1.013 ± 0.028 Ma). Five different styles of magnetite mineralization were identified: (1) massive magnetite, (2) pyroxene-actinolite-magnetite veins, (3) magnetite hydrothermal breccias, (4) disseminated magnetite, and (5) pyroxene-actinolite veins with minor magnetite. Field observations and aerial drone imaging, coupled with microtextural and microanalytical data, suggest a predominantly hydrothermal origin for the different types of mineralization. 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating of phlogopite associated with the magnetite mineralization yielded a plateau age of 873.6 ± 30.3 ka, confirming that the emplacement of Vetas del Maule postdated that of the host andesite rocks. Our data support the hypothesis that the magnetite mineralization formed in a volcanic setting from Fe-rich fluids exsolved from a magma at depth. Ultimately, Vetas del Maule provides evidence that volcanic-related IOA mineralization may be more common than previously thought, opening new opportunities of research and exploration for this ore deposit type in active volcanic arcs.

Petrography and mineral chemistry of metasomatites related to Iron-Apatite mineralization in Kiruna-type deposits in the Bafq region with a focus on Choghart and Chadormalu mining district, Central Iran

Petrography and mineral chemistry of metasomatites related to Iron-Apatite mineralization in Kiruna-type deposits in the Bafq region with a focus on Choghart and Chadormalu mining district, Central Iran

Genesis of the Kiruna-type Nixintage iron deposit, Chinese Western Tianshan, NW China: Constrains of ore geology, geochemistry and geochronology

The Nixintage iron deposit is located in the central segment of the Awulale metallogenic belt, Chinese Western Tianshan. Iron ores are mainly hosted by andesitic tuff and andesite of the Carboniferous Dahalajunshan Formation. The paragenetic sequence includes a magmatic magnetite-apatite stage (I); a magmatic–hydrothermal stage (II), and three substages can be divided, including magnetite-albite substage (II-1), magnetite-chlorite-pyrite substage (II-2), magnetite-quartz-calcite substage (II-3); and a late hydrothermal quartz-calcite-sulfides stage (III). Anhedral, fine-grained magnetite associated with apatite in brecciated and matrix ores formed in stage I with relatively variable compositions, most probably indicate the fast crystallization under a disequilibrium condition. The high-grade magnetite orebodies mainly formed in the stage II, are featured by widespread hydrothermal mineral assemblages associated with the ores. Magnetite formed in this stage has medium-to-high concentrations of V, low-to-medium concentrations of Ti, Cr, relative depletion of Mg, Ni, K, and these data mainly plot in the Kiruna and porphyry fields of discriminant diagrams that comparable to magnetite from typical Kiruna-type iron deposits. Both stages I and II magnetites show similar wide δ18O ranges and with peak values at 6.0–10.0 ‰, heavier than typical Kiruna-type deposits, while could be attributed to the relatively low crystallization temperature inferred by microthermometric data of a previous study. The δ34S values of pyrite formed in different stages range between 0.1 and 2.4 ‰, comparable to the sulfur isotopic composition of the mantle-derived magma. These features indicate that stage I iron mineralization was generated by the extrusion of iron phosphorous oxide melts separated from the parental silicate magma. Subsequent deuteric fluids exsolved from basaltic to andesitic melts during the late stage of volcanism, generated magmatic–hydrothermal iron mineralization in stage II, and the continuous evolution of the deuteric fluids formed stage III hydrothermal veins. In summary, integrated evidence suggests the Nixintage is a Kiruna-type iron deposit.Zircon U-Pb ages of ore-hosting andesite and andesitic tuff are 317.6–314.4 Ma, and timing for iron mineralization was inferred at the same time, i.e., ca. 315 Ma. Previously published petro-geochemical data combined with our geochronological data of these rocks, suggest the ore-related volcanism in Nixintage probably originated from the partial melting of the mantle wedge modified by subducted fluids under a Late Carboniferous continental arc setting. Consequently, a genetic model for the studied deposit could be created. Furthermore, the southeast of the Nixintage nearer to the vent might have potential for prospecting large Kiruna-type iron deposits.

Constraints of Fe-O isotopes on the origin of magnetite in the El Laco Kiruna-type iron deposit, Chile

The Pliocene El Laco iron deposit is the youngest and best-preserved Kiruna-type deposit in the world, the genesis of which has been on dispute for several decades. The massive magnetite (δ56Fe = 0.28–0.39‰, with average value of 0.35‰), the magnetite in the veined magnetite-apatite ores (i.e., veined magnetite; δ56Fe = 0.16–0.41‰, with average value of 0.26‰), the magnetite in scoriaceous ores (δ56Fe = 0.26–0.34‰, with average value of 0.28‰) and the magnetite found in degassing cavities (δ56Fe = 0.27–0.28‰, with average value of 0.28‰) yielded Fe isotope compositions consistent with the igneous magnetite in the host fresh andesites (δ56Fe = 0.13–0.46‰, with average value of 0.23‰). On the other hand, the veined magnetite also contains slightly higher δ18O (0.65–5.98‰) than the general igneous magnetite (δ18O = +1.5–+4.5‰), consistent with the O isotopes of massive magnetite as previously reported (δ18O = 4.3–5.0‰). Both the Fe and O isotopes of the magnetite demonstrate that the El Laco magnetite ores might be derived from a high-temperature ortho-magmatic origin. Additionally, the El Laco fresh andesites display δ18O values of 10.34–12.06‰, which might be not equilibrated with the magnetite in the ores. By combining the data of Fe-O isotopes with the geological features, we propose that the El Laco magnetite ores might not originate from the ore-hosting andesitic melt, but from a more mafic Fe-rich parental melt.

Experiments on phosphate–silicate liquid immiscibility with potential links to iron oxide apatite and nelsonite deposits

The formation of phosphorus–iron oxide (P–Fe) immiscible melts and their possible connection to the genesis of Kiruna-type and Nelsonite deposits was experimentally investigated by adding phosphoric acid (H3PO4), water, and sulfur, to andesite at 100–450 MPa, 500–900 °C, at the NiNiO and magnetite-hematite fO2 buffers using internally heated gas vessels. The addition of up to 8.02 wt% of H3PO4 to the andesite causes crystallization of apatite. At higher concentrations of H3PO4 whitlockite crystallizes, and at concentrations above ~ 11.4% H3PO4 (at 800 °C, 385 MPa) an immiscible P–Fe melt forms. Adding sulfur at low fO2 (NiNiO) causes an additional immiscible Fe–S melt to form. Increasing the fO2 to the hematite-magnetite buffer causes the sulfur-rich melt to shift in composition to a Ca–S–O melt, and the coexisting P-Fe melt to incorporate large amounts of SO4. Immiscible P-Fe melts can form at temperatures above 1100 °C down to 600 °C (at 400 MPa). Mass balance calculations show that some experimentally produced P-Fe rich immiscible liquids may result in mineral assemblages similar to those found at some Kiruna-type deposits, such as actinolite-rich dikes, and apatite-rich veins. Depending on the geological conditions and the composition the fractionation of a P-Fe melt may result in the formation of nelsonites at high pressures, high temperatures, and low fO2 or Kiruna-type deposits at lower temperatures and higher fO2.

Re–Os dating of pyrite and mineral chemistry of magnetite from the Yamansu Fe deposit, Xinjiang, northwestern China

The Yamansu iron deposit, hosted in submarine volcanic rocks, is located in the Aqishan–Yamansu Fe–Cu metallogenic belt of eastern Tianshan, Xinjiang. New pyrite Re–Os and pyroxene diorite intrusion ages and the chemistry of magnetite constrain the origin of the deposit. The Yamansu orebodies display banded or lenticular forms and sharp contacts with marble and garnet skarn. Pyrite associated with magnetite from hydrothermal massive ores has a Re–Os isochron age of 320.3 ± 9.1 Ma, which is consistent with the Carboniferous age of volcanic rocks. However, the pyroxene diorite age (252.1 ± 3.7 Ma) is obviously younger than the mineralization age, implying no temporal relationship between mineralization and intrusion. Magnetite samples from different ores in the Yamansu deposit are suggested to have a magmatic–hydrothermal origin. The magmatic primary magnetite is rich in TiO2 and poor in SiO2, MgO, and CaO, similar to magnetite from Kiruna type deposits. The hydrothermal magnetite is rich in FeO, CaO, and SiO2 but poor in TiO2 and shows oscillatory zoning. Moreover, magmatic and hydrothermal magnetite samples show different characteristic normalized rare earth element and trace element patterns. A combination of ore fabrics, discrimination diagrams, and normalized patterns for magnetite samples can reflect the magmatic–hydrothermal process. The Yamansu iron deposit is spatially and temporally associated with Carboniferous volcanism, and we propose that the magmatic magnetite ores were derived from iron-rich melt through melt immiscibility. The residual iron-rich magma ascended and erupted along with hydrothermal activity; then moderate to large amounts of hydrothermal massive, banded, or disseminated magnetite formed with skarns.

Geology, geochemistry, fluid inclusions and O–H stable isotope constraints on genesis of the Lake Siah Fe-oxide ± apatite deposit, NE Bafq, Central Iran

The Lake Siah iron ± apatite deposit is situated in the Bafq Mining District (BMD), Central Iran. The iron ± apatite orebodies are hosted by a succession of rhyolite, rhyolitic tuff, trachyandesite, and andesite of Lower Cambrian age. The host rock has undergone widespread alteration and mineralization stages including Na (albite–quartz), followed by Na–Ca (albite–calcite–amphibole–magnetite ± quartz ± epidote), magnetite–apatite, K (biotite ± K-feldspar), hydrolytic (sericite–quartz), and argillic (kaolinite–montmorillonite ± dickite), respectively. Electron microprobe analyses (EPMA) from magnetite and hematite show significant variations of trace elements. Based on Ni/Cr + Mn and Ca + Al + Mn versus Ti + V diagrams, the majority of magnetite samples belong to Kiruna-type deposits. At least, three generations of fluid inclusions, including solid-bearing (L + V + S) (Type I), liquid-rich (L + V) (Type II-A), vapor-rich (L + V) (Type II-B), and liquid or vapor mono-phase (Type III), are recognized in quartz and apatite. The solid-bearing fluid inclusions in quartz completely homogenized at temperatures of 150 to > 530 °C with salinities of 30–58 wt% NaCl equiv. Liquid-rich fluid inclusions in apatite homogenized to a liquid phase at 175–210 °C, whereas the vapor-rich fluid inclusions homogenized to a vapor at 335–350 °C. Oxygen isotope analysis was carried out on quartz and magnetite. The hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of quartz (δ18Ofluid values of 7.57–11.04‰) show that with progress in time the ore-forming solutions gradually evolved from a magmatic to meteoric-dominated source.

Timing and origin of the host rocks to the Malmberget iron oxide-apatite deposit, Sweden

The northern Norrbotten region in Sweden hosts abundant iron-oxide apatite (IOA) deposits including Kiirunavaara, the type locality for Kiruna-type deposits, and Malmberget. Felsic and intermediate metavolcanic rocks hosting the Malmberget IOA deposit contain oscillatory zoned zircon which yield magmatic U-Pb SIMS ages of 1885 ± 6 Ma and 1881 ± 6 Ma, respectively. Metamorphic rims on zircon from these rocks yield 1797 ± 7 Ma and 1775 ± 6 Ma, respectively, and record the age of the latest Svecofennian regional metamorphic event in the Gällivare area, tentatively interpreted as regional contact metamorphism. Two granite dikes that cut the ore yield U-Pb zircon emplacement ages of 1790 ± 6 Ma and 1791 ± 7 Ma, respectively, overlapping with the metamorphic overgrowths, and set a lower age limit for ore formation in the Malmberget IOA deposit. Rocks hosting the Malmberget IOA deposit have an alkalic to alkali-calcic affinity with a geochemical signature that favors a continental-arc, transitional to extensional setting. These rocks are suggested to have been generated in a back-arc region, in response to subduction beneath the craton margin retreating to the SW or W. The obtained ages and geochemical signatures of these rocks coincide well with the regionally defined Kiirunavaara group rocks, hosting several other IOA deposits in northern Sweden.

Trace element geochemistry of magnetite from the Cerro Negro Norte iron oxide−apatite deposit, northern Chile

Kiruna-type iron oxide−apatite (IOA) deposits constitute an important source of iron and phosphorus, and potentially of rare earth elements (REE). However, the origin of IOA deposits is still a matter of debate with models that range from a purely magmatic origin by liquid immiscibility to replacement of host rocks by hydrothermal fluids from different sources. In order to better constrain the origin of Andean IOA deposits, we focused on the Cretaceous Cerro Negro Norte deposit located in the Chilean Iron Belt, northern Chile. The Cerro Negro Norte magnetite ore is hosted in andesitic rocks and is spatially and genetically associated with a diorite intrusion. Our results show that the deposit is characterized by three main mineralization/alteration episodes: an early Fe–oxide event with magnetite and actinolite followed by four stages that comprise the main hydrothermal event (hydrothermal magnetite + actinolite; calcic–sodic alteration + sulfides; quartz–tourmaline and propylitic alteration) and a minor supergene event. Based on textural and chemical characteristics, four different types of magnetite are recognized at Cerro Negro Norte: type I, represented by high-temperature (~ 500 °C) magnetite cores with amphibole, pyroxene, and minor Ti–Fe oxide inclusions; type II, an inclusion-free magnetite, usually surrounding type I magnetite cores; type III corresponds to an inclusion-free magnetite with chemical zoning formed under moderate temperatures; and type IV magnetite contains abundant inclusions and is related to low-temperature (~ 250 °C) hydrothermal veinlets. Electron probe and laser ablation ICP-MS analyses of the four magnetite types show that the incorporation of Al, Mn, Ti, and V into the magnetite structure is controlled by temperature. Vanadium and Ga concentrations are relatively constant within each magnetite type, but are statistically different among magnetite types, suggesting that both elements could be used to discriminate between magmatic and hydrothermal magnetite. However, our results show that the use of elemental discrimination diagrams should be coupled with detailed textural studies in order to identify superimposed metasomatic events and evaluate the impact of inclusions on the interpretation of microanalytical data. The presence of a distinct textural and chemical variation between magnetite types in Cerro Negro Norte is explained by a transition from high- to low-temperature magmatic-hydrothermal conditions. The microanalytical data of magnetite presented here, coupled with new δ34S data for pyrite (− 0.5 to + 4.3‰) and U–Pb ages of the diorite (129.6 ± 1.0 Ma), are indicative of a genetic connection between the diorite intrusion and the magnetite mineralization, supporting a magmatic-hydrothermal flotation model to explain the origin of Kiruna-type deposits in the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile.

Two-tiered magmatic-hydrothermal and skarn origin of magnetite from Gol-Gohar iron ore deposit of SE Iran: In-situ LA–ICP-MS analyses

Genesis of magnetite from Gol-Gohar iron deposit (GGID) of southeastern Iran is studied with reference to elemental composition. More than 1.2 billion tonnes of magnetite ore at 58% total Fe is hosted by greenschist- to amphibolite-facies metapelites and magnesian marbles. The GGID occurs in the mainly-metamorphic terrain of Sanandaj-Sirjan geological province, with continental-margin tectonic setting. The magnetite-bearing ore is divided into two distinct types of massive and banded; the latter hosted mainly by magnesian marbles. Both subtypes of the ore bodies are associated with mineral assemblages consisting of calcite, dolomite, forsterite, tremolite-actinolite, talc, serpentine, and chlorite. The ore minerals in both subtypes are magnetite, hematite with minor amounts of pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite. Concentrations of temperature-dependent elements, Ti, Al, and Ga in the two subtypes would suggest that temperature of formation was higher for the massive magnetite (with Ti = 626 ppm, Al = 69 ppm and Ga = 56 ppm, on average) and relatively lower for the banded magnetite (with Ti = 60 ppm, Al = 62 ppm and Ga = 4 ppm, on average). The multi-element diagrams, for massive magnetite, show patterns closer to those of magmatic-hydrothermel iron deposits (Kiruna-type), whereas, patterns of the banded magnetite match better with those of skarn deposits, particularly the magnesian skarns. Average concentrations of V (>1000 ppm) and Cr (∼4 ppm) of the massive subtype fall within the range of those of Kiruna-type deposits, and the in average lower concentrations of V (∼10 ppm) and Cr (∼1 ppm) of the banded magnetite match the values of skarn deposits. The average V content of the massive magnetite (1342 ppm) is consistent with the global range of magmatic-hydrothermal magnetite (up to 3880 ppm), but different from global values of purely-magmatic magnetites (up to 6600 ppm). The banded magnetites contain 0.21–25 ppm V, which is only consistent with the lowest values of hydrothermal magnetites. We contend that the massive magnetite was formed by magmatic-hydrothermal processes (i.e., Kiruna type) and the banded magnetites were generated via metasomatic reactions between iron-rich residual magmatic fluids and the magnesian carbonate host rocks (i.e., skarn type).

New contributions to the understanding of Kiruna-type iron oxide-apatite deposits revealed by magnetite ore and gangue mineral geochemistry at the El Romeral deposit, Chile

Iron oxide-apatite (IOA) or Kiruna-type deposits are an important source of iron and other elements including REE, U, Ag, and Co. The genesis of these deposits remains controversial, with models that range from a purely magmatic origin to others that involve variable degrees of hydrothermal fluid involvement. To elucidate the formation processes of this deposit type, we focused on the Chilean Iron Belt of Cretaceous age and performed geochemical analyses on samples from El Romeral, one of the largest IOA deposits in northern Chile. We present a comprehensive field emission electron microprobe analysis (FE-EMPA) dataset of magnetite, apatite, actinolite, pyroxene, biotite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite, obtained from representative drill core samples. Two different types of magnetite grains constitute the massive magnetite bodies: an early inclusion-rich magnetite (Type I); and a pristine, inclusion-poor magnetite (Type II) that usually appears as an overgrowth around Type I magnetite. High V (∼2500–2800 ppm) and Ti concentrations (∼80–3000 ppm), and the presence of high-temperature silicate mineral inclusions (e.g., pargasite, ∼800–1020 °C) determined by micro-Raman analysis indicate a magmatic origin for Type I magnetite. On the other hand, high V (2300–2700 ppm) and lower Ti (50–400 ppm) concentrations of pristine, inclusion-poor Type II magnetite indicate a shift from magmatic to hydrothermal conditions for this mineralization event. Furthermore, the composition of primary actinolite (Ca- and Mg-rich cores) within Type II magnetite and the presence at depth of fluorapatite and high Co:Ni ratios (>1–10) of pyrite mineralization are consistent with a high temperature (up to 840 °C) genesis for the deposit. At shallow depths of the deposit, the presence of pyrite with low Co:Ni ratios (<0.5) and hydroxyapatite which contains higher Cl concentrations relative to F record a dominance of lower temperature hydrothermal conditions (<600 °C) and a lesser magmatic contribution. This vertical zonation, which correlates with the sub-vertical shape of the massive iron ore bodies, is concordant with a transition from magmatic to hydrothermal domains described in several IOA deposits along the Chilean Iron Belt, and supports a magmatic-hydrothermal model for the formation of the El Romeral. The close spatial and temporal association of the deposit with the Romeral Fault System suggests that a pressure drop related to changes in the tectonic stress had a significant impact on Fe solubility, triggering ore precipitation.

イラン・ザンジャン州のキルナ型鉱床の岩石学的、地球化学的特徴

イラン・ザンジャン州のキルナ型鉱床の岩石学的、地球化学的特徴

Sedimentary exhalative origin for magnetite deposits of the New Jersey Highlands

The New Jersey Highlands and contiguous Hudson (New York) Highlands host hundreds of small, worked-out magnetite mines, and the major zinc-oxide deposits of Franklin and Sterling Hill. The origin of the magnetite ore remains controversial. Two temporally distinct genetic models have been proposed for magnetite: (1) a pre-Ottawan, sedimentary exhalative model in which ores were deposited on the seafloor as precipitates from iron-enriched hydrothermal fluids; (2) a late-Ottawan, fluid alteration model in which the current mineral composition of ores was derived from Fe-rich, alkaline fluids, associated with late episodes of granitic plutonism (low-Ti Kiruna-type deposits), or in which deposits derived from metamorphogenic fluids circulating in a regional shear zone leached metals from host rocks and precipitated them in veins and faults. Detailed mapping of ore deposits and host rocks near Wanaque and Ringwood, New Jersey, and Warwick, New York, reveal that ore bodies are hosted by supracrustal rocks deposited in a back-arc basin. At Wanaque and Warwick, ores are strataform and stratabound. Discordant ore bodies at Ringwood are associated with a feeder zone, presumed to have intersected the paleosurface at a steep angle. Sharply layered quartz–diopside gneiss is spatially associated with ore at Wanaque and Warwick, and massive diopsidite is spatially associated with ore at all three locations. Diopsidite in these rocks is nonaluminous, iron enriched, and shares these characteristics with modern metalliferous sediments. Massive diopsidite and quartz–diopside gneiss are interpreted to be metamorphosed carbonate facies iron formation, and associated magnetite to be metamorphosed oxide-facies iron formation.

Identifying Rare Earth Elements and Thorium and Uranium in Iron Oxide–Apatite Deposit of Gazestan Bafgh, Southeast of Iran

The Gazestan magnetite-apatite deposit is one of Kiruna-type deposits located 78 km from Bafgh in the province of Yazd, in the Bafgh Posht-e-Badam district, southeast of Iran. In the mining region of Bafgh, volcanic rocks and Precambrian volcano-sedimentary are the main host of iron-apatite deposits. Iron deposits are essentially located in Bafgh region inside the green acidic metamorphic rocks. Volcanic rocks are basically rhyolite and rhyodacitic and the sedimentary units are mostly made of dolomite. Rock units of the region belong to the Rizzo series. The Bafgh apatite compounds are fluoride-type and seen in the monazite mineral. The similarity of the rare earth elements pattern in all samples indicates the magma source. The most amount of rare earth elements in the Gazestan deposit include 7766.25 ppm and the most amount of Th is equal to 65.1 ppm and U is equal to 8.33 ppm. The most amount of P2O5 s equal to 26.5 wt% and Fe is equal to 61.3 wt%. Also, it can be concluded that due to their high correlation with rare earth elements, the deposit is of Uranium Thorium-bearing type.

Chadormalu Kiruna-type magnetite-apatite deposit, Bafq district, Iran: Insights into hydrothermal alteration and petrogenesis from geochemical, fluid inclusion, and sulfur isotope data

The Chadormalu is one of the largest known iron deposits in the Bafq metallogenic province in the Kashmar-Kerman belt, Central Iran. The deposit is hosted in Precambrian-Cambrian igneous rocks, represented by rhyolite, rhyodacite, granite, diorite, and diabasic dikes, as well as metamorphic rocks consisting of various schists. The host rocks experienced Na (albite), calcic (actinolite), and potassic (K-feldspar and biotite) hydrothermal alteration associated with the formation of magnetite–(apatite) bodies, which are characteristic of iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) and iron oxide-apatite (IOA) systems. Iron ores, occurring as massive-type and vein-type bodies, consist of three main generations of magnetite, including primary, secondary, and recrystallized, which are chemically different. Apatite occurs as scattered irregular veinlets in various parts of the main massive ore-body, as well as apatite-magnetite veins and disseminated apatite grains in marginal parts of the deposit and in the immediate wall rocks. Minor pyrite occurs as a late phase in the iron ores. Chemical composition of magnetite is representative of an IOA or Kiruna-type deposit, which is consistent with other evidence.Whole rock geochemical data from various host rocks confirm the occurrence of Na, Ca, and K alteration consistent with the formation of albite, actinolite, and K-feldspar, respectively. The geochemical investigation also includes the nature of calc-alkaline igneous rocks, and helps elaborating on the spatial and temporal association, and possible contribution of mafic to felsic magmas to the evolution of ore-bearing hydrothermal fluids.Fluid inclusion studies on apatites from massive- and vein-type ores show a range of homogenization temperatures from 266 to 580°C and 208–406°C, and salinities from 0.5 to 10.7wt.% and 0.3–24.4wt.% NaCl equiv., respectively. The fluid inclusion data suggest the involvement of evolving fluids, from low salinity-high temperature, to high salinity-low temperature, in the formation of the massive- and vein-type ores, respectively. The δ34S values obtained for pyrite from various parts of the deposit range between +8.9 and +14.4‰ for massive ore and +18.7 to +21.5‰ for vein-type ore. A possible source of sulfur for the 34S-enriched pyrite would be originated from late Precambrian-early Cambrian marine sulfate, or fluids equilibrated with evaporitic sulfates.Field observations, ore mineral and alteration assemblages, coupled with lithogeochemical, fluid inclusion, and sulfur isotopic data suggest that an evolving fluid from magmatic dominated to surficial brine-rich fluid has contributed to the formation of the Chadormalu deposit. In the first stages of mineralization, magmatic derived fluids had a dominant role in the formation of the massive-type ores, whereas a later brine with higher δ34S contributed to the formation of the vein-type ores.

Economic Geology of the XIV Iron-Oxide Prospect, Bafq Mining District, Central Iran: A Preliminary Approach

This paper presents an overview about the XIV iron-oxide prospect which is located in the Bafq mining district, central Iran. The prospect and its host rocks were investigated by field observations together with mineralogical and geochemical studies. According to these investigations, the XIV prospect is similar to Kiruna-type iron deposits and demonstrates a magmatic source for the ore forming processes with a metasomatic overprinting.

The Shaytor Apatite-Magnetite Deposit in the Kashmar-Kerman Tectonic Zone (Central Iran): A Kiruna-Type Iron Deposit

The Shaytor apatite-rich iron deposit is located in the Kashmar-Kerman tectonic zone in the central of the Iranian plat, which is an important polymetallic belt in Iran. The ore bodies are interbedded with the upper inferacaamberian calc-alkaline igneous rocks that show well-preserved porphyritic and volcaniclastic textures. The iron ores have massive, disseminated, and brecciated structures. Magnetite from the Shaytor deposit is low in Ti (TiO2 = up to 0.70 wt.%) and different ore types show similar rare earth element (REE) and trace element-normalized patterns with weak-to-moderate enrichment in light REE and negative Eu anomalies, indicating a common source and genesis. The similar REE patterns for the magnetite and volcanic basaltic host rocks suggest their close genetic linkage and support a magmatic origin for the deposit. The Shaytor deposit shows the typical characteristics of Kiruna-type deposits with regard to the mineral assemblages, ore texture and structure, and the apatite and magnetite geochemistry. We propose that the Kiruna-type Shaytor apatite-rich iron deposit was derived from Fe-P-rich melt through liquid immiscibility and the activity of hydrothermal fluids.

The Shaytor Apatite-Magnetite Deposit in the Kashmar-Kerman Tectonic Zone (Central Iran): A Kiruna-Type Iron Deposit

The Shaytor apatite-rich iron deposit is located in the Kashmar-Kerman tectonic zone in the central of the Iranian plat, which is an important polymetallic belt in Iran. The ore bodies are interbedded with the upper inferacaamberian calc-alkaline igneous rocks that show well-preserved porphyritic and volcaniclastic textures. The iron ores have massive, disseminated, and brecciated structures. Magnetite from the Shaytor deposit is low in Ti (TiO2 = up to 0.70 wt.%) and different ore types show similar rare earth element (REE) and trace element-normalized patterns with weak-to-moderate enrichment in light REE and negative Eu anomalies, indicating a common source and genesis. The similar REE patterns for the magnetite and volcanic basaltic host rocks suggest their close genetic linkage and support a magmatic origin for the deposit. The Shaytor deposit shows the typical characteristics of Kiruna-type deposits with regard to the mineral assemblages, ore texture and structure, and the apatite and magnetite geochemistry. We propose that the Kiruna-type Shaytor apatite-rich iron deposit was derived from Fe-P-rich melt through liquid immiscibility and the activity of hydrothermal fluids.

Trace elements in magnetite from massive iron oxide-apatite deposits indicate a combined formation by igneous and magmatic-hydrothermal processes

Iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits are an important source of iron and other elements (e.g., REE, P, U, Ag and Co) vital to modern society. However, their formation, including the namesake Kiruna-type IOA deposit (Sweden), remains controversial. Working hypotheses include a purely magmatic origin involving separation of an Fe-, P-rich, volatile-rich oxide melt from a Si-rich silicate melt, and precipitation of magnetite from an aqueous ore fluid, which is either of magmatic-hydrothermal or non-magmatic surface or metamorphic origin. In this study, we focus on the geochemistry of magnetite from the Cretaceous Kiruna-type Los Colorados IOA deposit (∼350Mt Fe) located in the northern Chilean Iron Belt. Los Colorados has experienced minimal hydrothermal alteration that commonly obscures primary features in IOA deposits. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) transects and electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) wavelength-dispersive X-ray (WDX) spectrometry mapping demonstrate distinct chemical zoning in magnetite grains, wherein cores are enriched in Ti, Al, Mn and Mg. The concentrations of these trace elements in magnetite cores are consistent with igneous magnetite crystallized from a silicate melt, whereas magnetite rims show a pronounced depletion in these elements, consistent with magnetite grown from an Fe-rich magmatic-hydrothermal aqueous fluid. Further, magnetite grains contain polycrystalline inclusions that re-homogenize at magmatic temperatures (>850°C). Smaller inclusions (<5μm) contain halite crystals indicating a saline environment during magnetite growth. The combination of these observations are consistent with a formation model for IOA deposits in northern Chile that involves crystallization of magnetite microlites from a silicate melt, nucleation of aqueous fluid bubbles on magnetite surfaces, and formation and ascent of buoyant fluid bubble-magnetite aggregates. Decompression of the fluid-magnetite aggregate during ascent along regional-scale transcurrent faults promotes continued growth of the magmatic magnetite microlites from the Fe-rich magmatic-hydrothermal fluid, which manifests in magnetite rims that have trace element abundances consistent with growth from a magmatic-hydrothermal fluid. Mass balance calculations indicate that this process can leach and transport sufficient Fe from a magmatic source to form large IOA deposits such as Los Colorados. Furthermore, published experimental data demonstrate that a saline magmatic-hydrothermal ore fluid will scavenge significant quantities of metals such as Cu and Au from a silicate melt, and when combined with solubility data for Fe, Cu and Au, it is plausible that the magmatic-hydrothermal ore fluid that continues to ascend from the IOA depositional environment can retain sufficient concentrations of these metals to form iron oxide copper–gold (IOCG) deposits at lateral and/or stratigraphically higher levels in the crust. Notably, this study provides a new discrimination diagram to identify magnetite from Kiruna-type deposits and to distinguish them from IOCG, porphyry and Fe–Ti–V/P deposits, based on low Cr (<100ppm) and high V (>500ppm) concentrations.

Giant Kiruna-type deposits form by efficient flotation of magmatic magnetite suspensions

Kiruna-type iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits are an important source of Fe ore, and two radically different processes are being actively investigated for their origin. One hypothesis invokes direct crystallization of immiscible Fe-rich melt that separated from a parent silicate magma, while the other hypothesis invokes deposition of Fe-oxides from hydrothermal fluids of either magmatic or crustal origin. Here, we present a new model based on Fe and O stable isotopes and trace and major element geochemistry data of magnetite from the ~350 Mt Fe Los Colorados IOA deposit in the Chilean iron belt that merges these divergent processes into a single sequence of events that explains all characteristic features of these curious deposits. We propose that concentration of magnetite takes place by the preferred wetting of magnetite, followed by buoyant segregation of these earlyformed magmatic magnetite-bubble pairs, which become a rising magnetite suspension that deposits massive magnetite in regionalscale transcurrent faults. Our data demonstrate an unambiguous magmatic origin, consistent with the namesake IOA analogue in the Kiruna district, Sweden. Further, our model explains the observed coexisting purely magmatic and hydrothermal-magmatic features and allows a genetic connection between Kiruna-type IOA and iron oxide-copper-gold deposits, contributing to a global understanding valuable to exploration efforts.