Geochemistry, Paragenesis, and Wall-Rock Alteration of the Qatruyeh Iron Deposits, Southwest of Iran: Implications for a Hydrothermal-Metasomatic Genetic Model
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Hindawi Publishing Corporation Journal of Geological Research Volume 2014, Article ID 590540, 25 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/590540 Research Article Geochemistry, Paragenesis, and Wall-Rock Alteration of the Qatruyeh Iron Deposits, Southwest of Iran: Implications for a Hydrothermal-Metasomatic Genetic Model Sina Asadi and Mohammad Ali Rajabzadeh Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz 7146713565, Iran Correspondence should be addressed to Sina Asadi; [email protected] Received 16 June 2014; Accepted 27 August 2014; Published 22 October 2014 Academic Editor: Salvatore Gambino Copyright © 2014 S. Asadi and M. A. Rajabzadeh. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The Qatruyeh iron deposits, located on the eastern border of the NW-SE trending Sanandaj-Sirjan metamorphic zone, southwest of Iran, are hosted by a late Proterozoic to early Paleozoic sequence dominated by metamorphosed carbonate rocks. The magnetite ores occurred as layered to massive bodies, with lesser amounts of disseminated magnetite and hematite-bearing veins. Textural evidences, along with geochemical analyses of the high field strengths (HFSEs), large ion lithophiles (LILEs), and rare earth elements (REEs), indicate that the main mineralization stage occurred as low-grade layered magnetite ores due to high-temperature hydrothermal fluids accompanied by Na-Ca alteration. Most of the main ore-stage minerals precipitated from an aqueous-carbonic ∘ ∘ fluid (3.5–15 wt.% NaCl equiv.) at temperatures ranging between 300 and 410 C during fluid mixing process,2 CO effervescence, cooling, and increasing of pH. Low-temperature hydrothermal activity subsequently produced hematite ores associated with propylitic alteration. The metacarbonate host rocks are LILE-depleted and HFSE-enriched due to metasomatic alteration. 1. Introduction physicochemical conditions the protore iron mineralization could consist of magnetite or hematite, or a mix of the two. The last decade has seen major progress in our understanding They occur in different tectonic environments, such as intra- of the origin of iron ore deposits worldwide. The majority continental terranes associated with anorogenic magmatism, of interpretations focused on the igneous iron oxide deposits continental arc terranes, and metamorphic belts [18–20]. either having formed by magmatic liquid immiscibility [1–7] The most favorable area for hydrothermal ore deposits in or by hydrothermal alteration and replacement [8–14]. The Iran is the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (SSZ), which has a NW-SE hydrothermal iron deposits generally are found at many loca- trend and is characterized by magmatism-metamorphism tions around the Pacific basin, Central America, Australia, and an obliquely thrusted wedge, with asymmetrical and Japan [15]. They are commercially far less important structures in the HP-LT metamorphic rocks [21]. This as global source of iron than banded iron formations and metamorphic belt contains abundance of iron ore deposits, igneous iron deposits, except for many countries without including the Gol-Gohar (Kerman), Totak, Dehbid (Fars), these types of iron deposits. Genetic models for hydrother- Galali, Baba-Ali (Hamedan), and Shams-Abad (Arak). mal Fe-oxide deposits associated with hybrid magmatic to However, distribution of these deposits from NW toward nonmagmatic fluids, which locally mix at the trap site [16], SE Sanandaj-Sirjan is very important but the origin of these suggest that metamorphic processes or a primary felsic to deposits has been a subject of heated debate. Eshraghi et intermediate intrusion could be regarded as source of the al. [21] were the first to present the details of the geology majority of hydrothermal fluids and metals17 [ , 18]. Therefore, and genesis of the Gol-Gohar and the Qatruyeh deposits metasomatic iron-rich fluid regimes are associated with and proposed metamorphism as main factor controlling the magmatism or metamorphism, or both. Depending on the mineralization. However, based on textural and geochemical 2 Journal of Geological Research evidence, [22–24] suggested iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) has been dated by U-Pb method on zircons, at 520 Ma origin for Sanandaj-Sirjan iron deposits. According to [25], [41]. the iron deposits from Hamadan to Gol-Gohar situated in the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone about 1200 km apart and show striking Group B. Alternation of amphibolite, migmatite, minor mineralogical and textural similarities. They believed that micaschist, marble, and metamorphosed mafic and ultra- the ore bodies are of magmatic origin and formed at late mafic rocks. The age of the metamorphic rocks is 310 Ma 40 40 stages of hydrothermal conditions. based on K- Ar dating method on extracted white mica, In spite of the existence of the important iron ore deposits biotite, plagioclase, and amphibole. in the Qatruyeh area, there are a few reports on the ores with no exploitation activities. This paper presents detailed field Group C. Micaschist, calc-schist, marble, minor amphibo- observations, mineralogical alteration assemblages, textural lite, and mafic to ultramafic rocks. Along the Sanandaj- relationships, fluid inclusions and geochemical data on the Sirjan zone, comparable rocks yielded deformed Devonian ore bodies, and the associated dolomitic-marble host and corals [21, 42, 43]. The Chah Pazhan metagabbro contains plutonic rocks at the Qatruyeh iron ores, southwest of Iran, medium-grained clinopyroxene (e.g., augite, hedenbergite, in order to reveal a genetic model for the deposits in the area. andpigeonite),plagioclasefeldspar,andorthopyroxenes(e.g., enstatite).Theclinopyroxeneshavebeenamphibolizedand uralitized (actinolitization-tremolitization). 2. Methods Group D. Schist, slate, calc-schist, metabasite, quartzite, and Major and trace elements analyses were carried out on rep- intercalations of marble. The metacarbonate intercalations resentative samples using inductively coupled plasma optical are more frequent towards the upper part of the group. Paly- emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), with 0.1 ppm detection nomorphs (Galyptosporites, Laevigatosporites, Polyedrxium limit at Geological Survey of Iran (22 ore samples), and using sp., Ancyspora sp., Geminospora sp., and Relusotrilletes sp.) standard wet chemical analysis by flame atomic absorption indicate a late Devonian-early Carboniferous age for this spectrophotometry (FAAS), with 0.5 ppm detection limit at group [21]. the Department of Earth Sciences, at Shiraz University (5 fresh marbles, 11 altered marbles, and 12 diorites). Rare earth Group E. Limestone, dolomite, basalt, and synsedimentary elements (REE) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma monogenetic breccias. Above the early Cimmerian uncon- mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with 0.01 ppm detection limit at formity, the Upper Triassic and Jurassic sequence were ALS Chemex Analytical Services, Canada (4 diorites and 22 deposited in turbiditic basins, geometry of which is still ore samples). Sample locations are shown in Table 1 and they poorly known [40]. These rocks show a weak but obvious are described with regard to type of analyses. cleavage, indicative of a deformation that affects the upper Triassic and Jurassic conglomerates and sandstones, but not 3. Geological Setting and Lithostratigraphy the overlying Cretaceous series in adjacent areas. The Deh Vazir Jurassic deformed conglomerate is located The Qatruyeh area is located about 50 km NE of Neyriz in the north part of the area and is sandwiched between and lies within the Zagros orogenic belt in SW of Iran. The twothrustsheetswhicharepartoftheMainZagrosThrust Zagros orogenic belt of Iran consists of three parallel tectonic zone. Most of the pebbles in this conglomerate consist of domains: (1) the Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic belt (UDMB), micaschist and phyllite [44], but at some localities, the (2) the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (SSZ), and (3) the Zagros folded- presence of massive magnetite pebbles indicates the ore thrust belt (ZFTB) [35]. The iron deposits are located in the formation is prior to main metamorphism (Laramide phase) eastern margin of the NW-SE trending Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (Figure 3(a)). The conglomerate was occurred extensively in (Figure 1). the area which covers metamorphosed limestones, turbidite The SSZ consists of Paleozoic to Triassic high-grade shales, and sandstones. metamorphic rocks overlaid by Mesozoic metasedimentary strata. The Mesozoic sediments were deposited along a passive continental margin [36–39]andsubsequentlylarge- 4. Deformation and Metamorphism scale Mesozoic plutons ranging from gabbro to granite, The SSZ underwent polyphase deformation events during emplaced in about 160 ± 10 Ma by the K-Ar methods theMesozoicera.Thelatesteventrecordedintherocks [40]. The ore bodies show a strong deformation in parallel reflects collision of the Afro-Arabian continent and Iranian to the regional west-northwest structural trend. Lithostrati- microcontinents and subsequent southward propagation of graphic relationships in the Qatruyeh area are summarized the fold-thrust belt [39, 45, 46]. Geological and textural infor- in Figure 2.Someresearchers[40, 41]recognizedfiverock mation suggest that there are at least three main deformation groupsinNeyrizarea,frombasetotopandfromlow-tohigh- phases D1,D2,andD3 [47]. grade metamorphic rocks, which are unconformably overlaid The