Features of Sulfide Mineralization of the Hydrothermal System of Cape Fiolent (Southwestern Crimea)

Abstract

As a result of generalization of geophysical studies, petro-paleomagnetic and structural-geomorphological analyses, as well as thermodynamic modeling, some features of ore formation in the hydrothermal system of Cape Fiolent (southwestern Crimea) under island arc conditions were revealed. It has been established that the main transformations of rocks of the Middle Jurassic igneous complex of Cape Fiolent occurred under the influence of hydrothermal fluids during the introduction of felsic intrusions during 168–140 Ma. The zones contain sulfide mineralization, the main minerals of which are pyrite, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, galena, chalcopyrite and arsenic pyrite. In the central parts of the hydrothermal alteration zone, massive sulfides are strongly weathered; these zones contain many secondary sulfates. In the marginal parts of hypergenic limonite, yellow-brown goethite prevails in the oxidation zone, yellow jarosite in the center, which is probably due to the large amount of pyrite in the center of the system, which gave more sulfuric acid during oxidation. The presence of native sulfur in the section testifies to the mixing of the acidified hydrothermal solution with seawater. Complex petro-paleomagnetic and magnetometric studies have shown that contact changes and transformation of the contrasting basalt-rhyolite formation occurred along the NNW-trending faults.

Keywords

• hydrothermal system
• sulfide mineralization
• petro-paleomagnetism
• electrotomography
• magnetometry
• faults
• island arc