Studies of petrography, metasomatic alteration, and genesis of Kamtal iron-copper skarn, northeast of Kharvana, East-Azarbaijan

Abstract

Kamtal skarn is located 15 km northeast of Kharvana, East-Azarbaijan. A quartz-monzonitic stock of Oligocene age intruded the upper Cretaceous sedimentary sequence (claystone, limestone, marl, and siltstone) developing noticeable metamorphic (marble, hornfels) and metasomatic (skarn) alteration zones along the contact. Kamtal skarn is of calcic type and consists of both endoskarn and exoskarn zones. Exoskarn includes two zones of garnet skarn and epidote skarn. Skarnification processes are divided mainly in two major stages (1) prograde and (2) retrograde. During prograde stage, the emplacement of intrusive body caused isochemical metamorphism of the wall rocks and developed marble and hornfels units in enclosing rocks. Crystallization of intrusive body led to evolvement of hydrothermal fluid phase which infiltrated into enclosing rocks. Reaction of these fluids with the early-formed metamorphosed wall rocks brought about extensive progressive metasomatic alteration characterized by the formation of anhydrous calc-silicate minerals such as garnets and pyroxenes at a temperature range of 420-550°C and ¦O2=10-22-10-25. Retrograde stage was accompanied by some physicochemical changes (decrease in temperature to <420°C and increase in ¦S2) which caused the alteration of pre-existing anhydrous calc-silicates to hydrous calc-silicates (epidote, and tremolite-actinolite), silicates (quartz, chlorites, and other clay minerals), oxides (magnetite and hematite), sulfides (pyrite, chalcopyrite, and tetrahedrite), and carbonate (calcite). Comparison of Kamtal skarn with some other ones of corresponding type from Iran and other countries shows that Kamtal skarn well resembles to Anjerd and Pahnavar skarns in East-Azarbaijan.

Keywords

• kharvana
• kamtal
• skarn
• metasomatic alteration
• physicochemical condition