minerals Article Valentinite and Colloform Sphalerite in Epithermal Deposits from Baia Mare Area, Eastern Carpathians Gheorghe Damian 1,2, Andrei Buzatu 2, Ionut Andrei Apopei 2,* , Zsolt László Szakács 1 , 1,3 1 2 Ioan Denut, , Gheorghe Iepure and Daniel Bârgăoanu 1 North University Centre of Baia Mare, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 430083 Baia Mare, Romania;
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[email protected] (G.I.) 2 Department of Geology, Faculty of Geography and Geology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Ias, i, 700505 Ias, i, Romania;
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[email protected] Received: 9 December 2019; Accepted: 26 January 2020; Published: 30 January 2020 Abstract: Valentinite forms through the alteration of stibnite in sulphide deposits. Colloform sphalerite is a widespread mineral in low-temperature deposits, particularly those of the Mississippi-Valley type. We identified valentinite and colloform sphalerite in hydrothermal deposits occurring in the Baia Mare area. The Baia Mare metallogenic district of Neogene age occurs in the northwestern part of the Neogene volcanic chain within the Eastern Carpathians. The Neogene volcanism from Baia Mare area is related to the subduction processes of the East European plate under two microplates, Alcapa and Tisza-Dacia/Tisia, in the post-collisional compressive phase. We have identified valentinite in the Dealul Crucii and Baia Sprie deposits, associated with other epithermal minerals, in the absence of the stibnite. Valentinite is deposited in the final phase of the epithermal process after calcite and manganese-bearing calcite.