CdS-ZnS and associated sulphide mineralization in the Caledonia-Albion gold mines, Blanca Creek, La Huerta Range, San Juan, Argentina

MOGESSIE, A.; GALLIEN, F.; BERNHARD, F.; BAUER, C.; CASTRO DE MACHUCA, B.; MEISSL, E; BJERG, E. A.; DELPINO, S

Jujuy

Congreso; XVII Congreso Geológico Argentino; 2008

Asociación Geológica Argentina

The La Huerta range is part of the Western Sierras Pampeanas and consists of a Proterozoic-Lower Paleozoic medium- to high-grade crystalline basement (granulitic gneisses, amphibolites, marbles-calcsilicate rocks, coronitic gabbros and granitoid rocks) and rhyolitic extrusives and breccias of Upper Carboniferous-Lower Triassic age. The mineralized zones are mostly associated with the occurrence of metacarbonate outcrops in contact with the highgradegranulite basement. Reflected light microscopic investigation and scanning electron microscopy including energy dispersive X-ray analyses of representative mineralized samples from the Caledonia-Albión gold mines, show the presence of several ore minerals: pyrite + sphalerite + galena + chalcopyrite ± arsenopyrite ± pyrrhotite ±greenockite ± bornite ± tennantite ± tetrahedrite ± covellite ± chalcocite ± aikinite ± wittichenite ± matildite ±berryite ± miharaite ± geocronite ± hematite ± magnetite.One of the most conspicuous features of the mineralization is the occurrence of hypogene greenockite in different parageneses and textures.