a fluid inclusion study of a large mvt barite-fluorite deposit: komshecheh, central iran

the komshecheh barite-fluorite deposit is the product of epigenetic hydrothermal mineralizationin dolomitized limestone of middle triassic age. the deposit is structurally and lithologically controlled andoccurs predominantly as bedded stratabound replacement sheets, although the veins and solution-collapsebreccias constitute important modes of occurrence. brecciation, dolomitization, silicification andmineralization are interrelated. post-eocene intrusions and nw-se and ne-sw trending faults are importantore controls. the ore mineralogy is simple and consists of barite and fluorite with very minor galena, pyrite,chalcopyrite, malachite and azurite. sulfides are extremely rare in the deposit. at least two episodes ofdeposition have been identified: an early stage of fluorite precipitation and a later barite-fluoritemineralization event with spatial and temporal variations in salinity and temperature. thermometricinvestigations indicate that homogenization temperatures (th) for primary and pseudosecondary fluidinclusions in the fluorite range from 89 to 244°c with a mode at 150°c, whereas those for primary fluidinclusions in barite range from 119 to 323°c with two modes at 150 and 250°c. evidence for boiling is seenduring barite deposition. the mean salinities measured are 12 and 10 equivalent weight percent nacl forfluids in fluorite and barite, respectively. hydrocarbons in the inclusions hosted by fluorite samples were alsodetected. chemical analyses of fluids extracted from inclusions in fluorite and barite show compositionsdominated by na, ca and mg ionic species. barite shows δ34s values between 22.6 and 26.7 per mil. thecomparatively narrow spread in δ34s values suggests very uniform environmental conditions throughout themineralization field. consideration of these data in their geologic context favors a basinal source for the oreforming fluids which have been significantly affected by heating during intrusive emplacement. thedeposition of barite and fluorite resulted from physicochemical changes in ba-f-rich hydrothermal brinesduring mixing with sulfate-rich formational water and wall rock interaction.