MVT Deposits

Tectonic settings
 normally located in intracratonic setting they

are at shallow depth at flanks of basins
mostly in platform carbonate sequences. (in
undeformed and foreland thrust belts).
 Some are associated with rifting (Continental
separation by rifting).
 Fauna and lithologis shows that they have
mostly formed in a shallow water near shore
enviroments of warm seas.
 Host: carbonate rocks, most dolostone, limestone.
Dolomitization is of regional significance or as immediate
host rock
 A small portion in associated sandy and shaly rocks
 Carbonate rocks contribute part of reef i.e., it is biohemral.
 A large proportion of the deposits occur at the intersection
of major regional faults which may have provided solution
passage ways.
 At pine point 3 faults are recognised.
MVT TYPES
 There is variation in mineralogy and proportions b/w
mining districts which is expected because of wide
ranging fluid compositions, geological and geochemical
 conditions, fluid pathways, and precipitation
mechanisms possible at the scale of MVT fluid migration.
Zn Dominant….Sphalerite rich, Galena , low in copper as
chalcopyrite and its other forms also possible..Pine Point Canada
Pb Dominant….Galena,, spalerite with cadmium, indium and
gallium…nickel and cobalt,,, Viburnum trend, Missouri, USA
F Dominant…..Fluorite rich,
Sphalerite with germanium and cadmium… galena subordinate to
sphalerite,,,, Illenois- Ketucky district produce 75% Flourospar
Phanerozoic age
 Mineralogy:
 Principle minerals are
ZnS,PbS,FeS2/FeS,BaSO4,CaF2
Texture/form
 Sulfide minerals are coarsely crystalline to fine-
grained, massive to disseminated.
 MVT ore is extremely varied in character and
form.
 Orebodies range from massive replacement
zones to open space fillings of fractures
 breccias to disseminated clusters of crystals
that occupy intergranular pore space.
ORIGIN
 Based on pint point lead -Zn deposits:
 Sulphur source: S is critical in controlling the
deposition of Pb-Zn and therefore it origin is
necessary for understanding ore genesis.
 The S isotopic value shows nearby evaporites( Brines)
as the source.
 It is thought the S was transported in connate brines
derived from near by evaporites (Devonian evaporites
in core) of pine point
 (The mean value of S32/S32 is 18.4,19.3,19.7,21.6
similarly of sulphide ores and evaporites (19 .2-20).
 Dunsmore and Shearman 1977 stated that MVT
formed at 30 degree latitudes of North and South
and include arid climate zones…. Sabkha type
evaporites associated with carbonates which are
source for sulphur…
2.Source of metals:
 Different sources are suggested (for pine point).
 compaction of Shales and evaporites and expulsion of
(like basinal compaction) lead Zn (shale have more
Pb-Zn and particularly when Carbonaceous ).
 Sandstone in the vicinity may also provide source
evaporites are considered to have provided both S
and metals.
 3.Source of fluid: Based on the homogenization
temperature of fluid inclusions from ZnS, temp. range
is 51 to 99C.
 Metal bearing brines and meteoric water are thought
to be source of ore fluids.
Genesis (Pine Point):
 There is unanimity about the sedimentary
environment in which host rocks have been
deposited and most worker agree that
deposition of ores is controlled by the filling of
voids which resulted due to Karstification of the
emergent carbonate barrier(reef) (thus making
brecciation).
 Some suggest that Brecciation may be bcz. of
Hydraulic fracturing associated with local
faulting within the fluid saturated aquifers.
Genesis (Pine Point):
 The fluid inclusion data suggest that ore fluid

was a metalliferous brine depositing its load
in temp range of 51-99c.
 Metal bearing brines in basin (350km far)
show fluid inclusion compounds and have
recorded T and composition similar to those
of the deposit fluid inclusions.
Geophysical exploration
has been used su ccessfully in some districts to map known geologic ore
controls (Guinness
and others, 1983). For example, airborne magnetic surveys have been used
in Southeast Missouri to define buried
Precambrian topography, an important control on the localization of some ore
(Allingham, 1966; Cordell, 1979;
Cordell and Knepper, 1987). Galena and pyrite are consistently conductive
and have associated induced polarization
anomalies, whereas sphalerite's resistivity is variable (Sumner, 1976). In
Ireland, induced polarization and
geochemical surveys have been combined to make discoveries of carbonate-
hosted sulfide deposits (Hallof, 1966);
associated resistivity data have also been used to map subsurface faults that
control mineralization and to map
mineralized carbonate reefs (Hallof, 1966; Hitzman and others, 1992).

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MVT Deposits

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Tectonic settings

 normally located in intracratonic setting they

 The fluid inclusion data suggest that ore fluid

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