document display

Pgina 1 de 4

Professional Development Practical Ore Microscopy and Mineralography Part 2: Mineral Identification and Characterization

Summary Text

Identification (1) ... | Identification (2) ... | Characterization (1) ... | Characterization (2) ... | Paragenesis ... | Review #2 ...

Paragenesis
Session Headings: Definitions

Definitions
(See Summary for main points) Paragenesis : any assemblage of ore minerals, with or without gangue, formed during the same time (interval). Paragenetic Sequence : chronological order of mineral deposition: includes the concepts of contemporaneity, overlapping deposition and successive deposition. Depositional Stages : recognizably distinct intervals of mineral deposition within the longer depositional history of a complete paragenetic sequence. A depositional stage commonly is characterized by a distinctive mineral assemblage. Paragenesis deals with the sequence of mineral deposition. Here we will be concerned with
l

the criteria by which sequential depostion can be established unequivocally diagrammatic means of summarizing established relationships

Why an Interest in Paragenesis?

(See Summary for main points) The paragenetic sequence partly reflects changes in the general nature of the ore-forming fluid. Stages of deposition may be useful in determining age of formation of individual veins in a vein camp and, more generally, might be useful in integrating vein evolution into the structural history of an area. Processes superimposed on an original ore assemblage can be either detrimental or beneficial from the point of view of beneficiation. Paragenesis commonly is closely related to zoning, including (1) mineral or assemblage zoning, (2) textural zoning and (3) cryptic zoning. Cryptic zoning is not visible megascopically and thus depends on microscope investigations, assay information, etc. See Guilbert and Park (1986). Minerals that are closely related in time, especially those formed by contemporaneous deposition, are likely to form intergrowths i.e., paragenesis can be related to liberation

http://premium.infomine.com/edumine/xutility/html/documentDisplay.htm

24/02/2004

document display problems.

Pgina 2 de 4

Paragenetic Sequence
(See Summary for main points) Criteria for Determining Paragenetic Sequence In older literature very definite paragenetic criteria commonly are interpreted as being infallible leading to very complicated and detailed sequences of mineralization being outlined. As Stanton (1972, p. 263) states, "It seems likely that at least many of the structures ascribed to replacement up to about 1955 are due rather to simple grain growth, precipitation, annealing and so on." (See Stanton (1972)). During the past 40 years experimental work with sulfide systems has cast doubt on the certainty of some criteria and has shown that many textures are ambiguous in terms of determining depositional sequence; thus, it becomes important to evaluate individual textures critically. For example, a variety of textures previously thought to be indicative of exsolution (e.g., myrmekitic intergrowths of chalcocite and bornite) are now known to form by replacement and contemporaneous deposition as well as by exsolution. Even apparent cross-cutting relations must be examined in detail to ascertain their paragenetic meaning as they can arise by replacement, exsolution, open space filling, or may be relict features. A few open space filling and replacement textures useful in establishing paragenesis are illustrated in Figure Sequence 1 and Figures 2 through 6. In brief, some of the useful textures are:
l

Open Space: crustification, coxcomb, colloform, cockade, mineral inclusions along primary growth zones, etc.

Replacement: generally divided into massive (no directional control) and oriented (directional control evident), eutectoid (development of an intergrowth of two solids from a liquid) and exsolution (see special section); evidence includes pseudomorphs, cleavage control of a later mineral, twinplane control, various intergrowth textures, etc.

http://premium.infomine.com/edumine/xutility/html/documentDisplay.htm

24/02/2004

document display

Pgina 3 de 4

Mineral stabilities in some cases can be used to indicate order of deposition.

Graphic Representation
(See Summary for main points) Graphic Representation of Paragenesis The depiction of a paragenetic sequence is through the use of two types of diagrams (1) line diagrams, and (2) Vandeveer diagrams. Simple line diagrams (Bastin (1950)) are illustrated in Figure 7, where minerals are listed along the ordinate and relative position of mineral deposition (relative ages) is shown along the abscissa (time axis). Two variations are shown in Figures 8 and 9, including a composite line diagram for a mining district. The principal advantage of line diagrams is their simplicity. Line diagrams show relative age of minerals, clearly demonstrate contemporaneity and overlap but have no implications of time duration for deposition of individual minerals.

Vandeveer diagrams (Robertson and Vandeveer (1952)) are somewhat more complicated but also depict more information, including some general textural implications. Minerals are shown as circles arranged clockwise around a larger circle in order of younging (with respect to paragenesis). The earliest mineral is located in the 12 o'clock position. Size of circles (for minerals) is roughly proportional to the amount of mineral present, and the name and sequential number in the paragenesis can be shown beside each mineral circle. Identical numbers for two circles (minerals) indicates contemporaneous deposition. The minerals in contact have their circles joined by a line, thus, mineral associations may stand out on the diagrams.

http://premium.infomine.com/edumine/xutility/html/documentDisplay.htm

24/02/2004

document display

Pgina 4 de 4

Where replacement is obvious, an arrowhead is directed at the circle representing the mineral that has been replaced. Variations in thickness of the lines joining minerals involved in replacement can be used to indicate the relative intensity of particular replacement relations. Arrows in both directions on a single line indicate ambiguous or conflicting criteria for replacement. Dashed lines point to inconclusive criteria for the process of replacement. Exsolution products are shown on a large arc with a line drawn between solute and solvent. Superimposed mineralogies (e.g., weathering products) are shown on a second, larger arc, further outward from the main mineral circle than is the exsolution arc, and connected by a line to the earlier minerals with which they are associated. The main problems with Vandeveer diagrams are (1) partly overlapping deposition of minerals is difficult to depict clearly, and (2) if many minerals are present that are in contact with each other the diagrams can become very confused. Apart from these problems, the diagrams are particularly useful in applied mineralographic studies because their features indicate mineralogy, relative abundances of minerals as well as implying potential textural (replacement, intergrowth) and mineralogical problems. Line diagrams do not show mineral associations clearly, do not relate subsequent alterations to primary minerals, can show only rough abundances and do not indicate replacements and intensity of a replacement. Several of these limitations in line diagrams are better demonstrated using Vandeveer diagrams, particularly for studies directed toward milling of ores. In practice, it is useful to generate both types of diagrams as part of an applied mineralogical study.

Confirm your knowledge of "Part 2: Mineral Identification and Characterization" with - Review #2 OR Continue the course with - Part 3: Exsolution, Metamorphism and Stabilities Identification (1) ... | Identification (2) ... | Characterization (1) ... | Characterization (2) ... | Paragenesis ... | Review #2 ...

Practical Ore Microscopy and Mineralography - August 15 2003

http://premium.infomine.com/edumine/xutility/html/documentDisplay.htm

24/02/2004