Greenockite and associated sulphide mineralization from the Caledonia Group Mines, Blanca Creek, La Huerta Range, San Juan Province, Argentina

MOGESSIE, ABERRA; GALLIEN, FLORIAN; BERNHARD, FRANZ; BAUER, CHRISTOPH; CASTRO DE MACHUCA, BRÍGIDA; MEISSL, ESTELA; BJERG, ERNESTO; DELPINO, SERGIO

CANADIAN MINERALOGIST

MINERALOGICAL ASSOC CANADA

Lugar: Montreal; Año: 2009 vol. 47 p. 129 - 141

0008-4476

We document various textural occurrences of greenockite associated with several ore minerals in varying parageneses: pyrite + sphalerite + galena + chalcopyrite ± arsenopyrite ± pyrrhotite ± bornite ± tennantite ± tetrahedrite ± covellite ± chalcocite ± aikinite ± wittichenite ± matildite ± berryite ± miharaite ± geocronite ± hematite ± magnetite from mineralized samples of the Caledonia Group mines, Marayes mining district, La Huerta Range, San Juan province, Argentina, based on reflected light and scanning electron microscope investigations. The mineralization is hosted mainly in metacarbonate outcrops in contact with the granulite basement and associated intermediate to mafic meta-intrusive rocks. We recognize three types of greenockite on the basis of textural and chemical criteria. Type-1 greenockite contains less than 1 mol.% ZnS, but its Fe content varies from 0.2 up to 4.5 mol.% FeS. Type 2 is Zn-rich, with 10?25 mol.% ZnS component and