Inferred Indium Resources of the Bolivian Tin‐Polymetallic Deposits

Tin‐polymetallic base metal deposits of Miocene age in the Eastern Cordillera in Bolivia were studied by ICP/MS and EPMA for major and minor elements, paying an attention to indium concentration of the ore deposits. The highest indium content and 1000 In/Zn ratio of individual ore deposits are 5,740 ppm and 22.2 for the Potosi deposits, 2,730 ppm and 7.4 for Bolivar deposit, 2,510 ppm and 17.5 for Siete Suyos–Animas deposits, and 1,290 ppm and 3.3 for San Vicente deposit. The same content and ratio of composite samples of the studied deposits are up to 292 ppm and 4.0 for Potosi deposits, 3,080 ppm and 11.3 for Huari Huari deposit, 100 ppm and 0.3 for Tuntoco deposit, 152 ppm and 1.8 for Porco deposit, 103 ppm and 59.2 for Animas deposit, and 1,160 ppm and 3.7 for Pirquitas deposit. Those of zinc concentrates are as follows: 1,080 ppm and 2.1 at San Lorenzo; 584 ppm and 1.7 at Bolivar; 499 ppm and 1.23 at Porco; 449 ppm and 1.21 at Reserva, and 213 ppm and 0.61 at Colquiri deposit. Indium occurs mostly in dark colored sphalerite and that of the Potosi deposit was found to have one of the highest concentrations, containing up to 1.27 wt% In. Petrukite was discovered in the Potosi deposit, and indium minerals are expected to occur in the Huari Huari deposit and others with the high 1000 In/Zn ratios. The indium contents of the zinc concentrates and composite samples were applied to the produced and remaining ores, then the total amounts of indium in the Bolivian tin‐polymetallic base metal deposits are speculated to be more than 12,000 tons In, which is bigger than that of South China (11,000 tons) and the Japanese Islands (9,000 tons). Sphalerites of the Potosi deposit have one of the highest ranges of indium, similarly to those of the San Vicente deposit. Both the San Vicente and Potosi deposits are rich in silver, implying significance of both silver‐polymetallic and tin‐polymetallic environments for the concentration of trace amounts of indium.     

Resource Evaluation and Some Genetic Aspects of Indium in the Japanese Ore Deposits

Abstract. There have been two primary sources for industrial indium; one from massive sulfides, while the other is dissemination-veins and skarns, related to felsic igneous rocks. The latter group of the In-bearing deposits is abundant in the Japanese Islands. Indium occurs as In-minerals such as sakuraiite, roquesite, laforetite and many unidentified minerals, but the majority is contained as an impurity in sphalerite, and tin and copper sulfides. Average grades of the ores from which indium has been extracted vary from a few ppm (e.g., Kosaka mine) to more than 300 ppm (Toyoha mine). The amount of indium in all the major basemetal deposits is estimated by analyzing representative samples. The main indium deposits are subvolcanic and tin-poly-metallic vein types. The largest one is Toyoha mine (4,700 tons hi) and the Ashio mine (ca. 1,200 tons In) was found to be the second largest. Many small occurrences, were recognized in the Miocene magnetite-series belt, besides the classic occurrences in the ilmenite-series granitic terrains of SW Japan, including the Ikuno and Akenobe tin(-tungsten) polymetallic veins, located in the northern margin of the late Cretaceous Sanyo ilmenite-series province. Magnetite-series magmas with deep source are necessary to concentrate sulfur in the magma chamber but sedimentary source rocks and their reducing agents are needed to collect and to precipitate indium. The Japanese islands are essentially accretionary terrains intruded by various deep oxidized magmas; thus forming magnetite/ilmenite-series paired belts, which are sometimes mixed. This unique geologic setting may be the most fundamental reason why indium is rich in vein-type deposits of the Japanese Island arcs.     

In, Sn, Pb and Zn Contents and Their Relationships in Ore-forming Fluids from Some In-rich and In-poor Deposits in China

All the indium-rich deposits with indium contents in ores more than 100×10- 6 seems to be of cassiterite-sulfide deposits or Sn-bearing Pb-Zn deposits, e.g., in the Dachang Sn deposit in Guangxi, the Dulong Sn-Zn deposit in Yunnan, and the Meng'entaolegai Ag-Pb-Zn deposit in Inner Mongolia, the indium contents in ores range from 98×10-6 to 236×10-6 and show a good positive correlation with contents of zinc and tin, and their correlation coefficients are 0.8781 and 0.7430, respectively. The indium contents from such Sn-poor deposits as the Fozichong Pb-Zn deposit in Guangxi and the Huanren Pb-Zn deposit in Liaoning are generally lower than 10×10-6, i.e., whether tin is present or not in a deposit implies the enrichment extent of indium in ores. Whether the In enrichment itself in the ore -forming fluids or the ore-forming conditions has actually caused the enrichment/depletion of indium in the deposits? After studying the fluid inclusions in quartz crystallized at the main stage of mineralization of several In-rich and In-poor deposits in China, this paper analyzed the contents and studied the variation trend of In, Sn, Pb and Zn in the ore-forming fluids. The results show that the contents of lead and zinc in the ore-forming fluids of In-rich and -poor deposits are at the same level, and the lead contents range from 22×10-6 to 81×10-6 and zinc from 164×10-6 to 309×10-6, while the contents of indium and tin in the ore-forming fluids of In-rich deposits are far higher than those of In-poor deposits, with a difference of 1-2 orders of magnitude. Indium and tin contents in ore-forming fluid of In-rich deposits are 1.9×10-6-4.1×10-6 and 7×100-6-55×10-6, and there is a very good positive correlation between the two elements, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9552. Indium and tin contents in ore-forming fluid of In-poor deposits are 0.03×10-6-0.09×10-6 and 0.4×10-6--2.0×10-6, respectively, and there is no apparent correlation between them. This indicates, on one hand, that In-rich ore-forming fluids are the material basis for the formation of In-rich deposits, and, on the other hand, tin probably played a very important role in the transport and enrichment of indium.     

大井矿冶遗址冶炼产物的输出方向

大井矿冶遗址是我国北方发现最早的一处古铜矿遗址。本文利用ICP方法,测试了该遗址的铜矿、炼渣和辽西地区出土的部分青铜器。结果显示,遗址的冶炼金属产品Ag、As、Sb、Bi、Co、Zn等元素含量偏高,Mo含量偏低。同时发现,这批辽西地区出土的青铜器样品微量元素特征明显不同于铜绿山和皖南的铜锭,而与大井铜矿很相似,其铜料来源很可能来自大井古铜矿或其周边铜矿。这一结论,对探讨大井古铜矿冶炼产品的使用范围和辽西地区的冶金历史有重要意义。     

云南镇康地区铅锌多金属矿成矿规律

镇康地区位于西南"三江"成矿带南段,是云南省重要的铅锌铁铜多金属矿矿集区之一。区内以铅锌矿为主,次为铁、锡,伴生铜、银;已发现超大型铅锌矿1个,中型铅锌矿3个,小型锡矿1个。文章认为区内的寒武系沙河厂组、核桃坪组及保山组碳酸盐岩地层和奥陶系是本区重要的赋矿层位,铅锌多金属矿床受构造控制明显,多分布在区域褶皱核部断裂带上,往往与夕卡岩型铁矿及夕卡岩体相伴,且产于花岗岩体与围岩接触带上。因此,区内的磁异常及区域低重力场中的次级重力高异常是寻找铅锌多金属矿的主要标志,而铅、锌、铜、银等元素的化探异常及重砂异常范围可指示铅锌矿的存在区域。     

A Preliminary Study on Exhalative Mineralization in Permian Basins, the Southern Segment of the Da Hinggan Mountains, China – Case Studies of the Huanggang and Dajing Deposits–

Abstract: The southern segment of the Da Hinggan Mountains is a well‐known tin–polymetallic metallogenic belt of North China with Jurassic‐Cretaceous volcanic–plutonic rocks widespread. Principally because of this, most of the deposits are regarded as epigenetic hydrothermal deposits in genetic connection with the Mesozoic magmatism. But nearly 90 % of the deposits occur in Permian strata, and show concordant stratiform mineralization with a spatial distribution constrained by sedimentary facies of the Permian strata. A close association between mineralization and Permian strata is recognizable. The Huanggang Fe‐Sn deposit was regarded as a standard skarn‐type deposit formed by magmatic hydrothermal solutions in connection with Mesozoic granites. But there are abundant fabrics indicating submarine hydrothermal exhalation both in magnetite ores and in skarns, including bedding/lamination, soft–deformation, synsedimentary brecciation, and collo‐form fabrics. The magnetite orebodies and skarn‐bodies are predominantly concordant stratiform, and extend nearly 20 km along certain stratigraphic horizon, that is, the upper section of the Lower‐Permian submarine volcanic rocks. The Mesozoic granitic rocks crosscut the magnetite and skarn zone. Instead of skarnization, they show strong greisenization associated with cassiterite‐quartz veins, distinct from the magnetite skarn‐ore with disseminated tin in the Permian rocks. The Dajing Sn‐polymetallic deposit is generally regarded as subvolcanic‐hydrothermal origin, principally because of the close spatial association between ores and some of the Mesozoic subvolcanic dikes (called rhyolitic porphyry). Detailed geological, fabric, petrographical and mineralogical study demonstrates that this very kind of subvolcanic rocks is actually a new type of exhalites (called ‘siderite‐sericite chert’ according to its mineral assemblage), formed by hydrothermal sedimentation during the evolution of the Later‐Permian lacustrine basin. There are, however, indeed some rhyolitic porphyry dikes that crosscut orebod–ies. The orebodies and their associated exhalite predate, and thus have no genetic relation, to the Mesozoic magmatic process. We thus conclude that subaqueous exhalative mineralization did occur during the basin evolution at the Permian time in the southern segment of the Da Hinggan Mountains, which is ignored and poorly understood, but might be as important as the hydrothermal mineralization connected with the Mesozoic magmatism.     

New data on distribution of indium in ore deposits of Central Kazakhstan

Iron, tin, tungsten, copper, and polymetallic deposits are examined and the paper investigates the mineral distribution of indium in mineral deposits in central Kazakhstan. Indium is a relatively rare element; of the 18 formations examined only five revealed high concentrations of indium. Economic accumulations were discovered only in Early and Late Variscan skarnitic formations with lead-zinc, copper, and bismuth mineralizations. Among the hypogene minerals, indium was found in sulfides, and silicates. Among supergene minerals indium was found only in oxides, carbonates, and silicates. Sphalerites are the principal collector of indium. No connection between the enrichment in indium and the typomorphic peculiarities of different varieties of sphalerites could be established. In mineral deposits with higher indium concentration, a paragenetic connection of this element with tin is noticeable. Regular enrichment of sphalerites in indium would admit as most probable an isomorphous replacement of zinc and bivalent iron by indium. — A.W. Bellais     

Distribution of indium in ores of some base metal and tin–sulfide deposits in Siberia and the Russian Far East

The study of base-metal massive sulfide and tin–sulfide deposits in Siberia and the Russian Far East has revealed that the indium content in ores exceeding the average statistical value at similar deposits worldwide could be economically important. Sphalerite and chalcopyrite and chalcopyrite, bornite, and sphalerite are the major indium carriers in the base-metal massive sulfide and tin–sulfide ores, respectively. In addition, base-metal massive sulfide ores have high Cd, Ag, and Te contents, whereas tin–sulfide ores have elevated Ge, Ga, and Nb contents. This has stimulated the investment attractiveness of these deposits.     

Indium Mineralization in Copper–Tin Stratiform Skarn Ores at the Saishitang–Rilonggou Ore Field,Qinghai, Northwest China

The Saishitang–Rilonggou Ore Field (SROF), which includes the Saishitang, Tongyugou, and Rilonggou ore deposits as well as other scattered occurrences, is located in the Elashan region in Qinghai Province, and is a significant Cu–Sn ore field in NW China. These ores are hosted in stratiform skarn deposits with the main metals being Cu and Sn, as well as Zn, Pb, Au, Ag, and trace elements (e.g. Ga, Ge, Se, and In). Bulk‐rock geochemical analyses of 50 ore samples from the three deposits show that In contents in the Saishitang deposit range from 0.03 to 39 ppm (average 12.7 ppm, n = 19), with 1000 In/Zn values that vary from >0.01 to 29.83 (average 4.29). Indium contents in the Tongyugou deposit vary from 7.51 to 131 ppm (average 28.37 ppm, n = 13), with 1000 In/Zn values from 0.74 to 48 (average 17.55). Finally, indium contents in the Rilonggou deposit vary from 0.73 to 120 ppm (average 36.15 ppm, n = 18), with 1000 In/Zn values from 0.33 to 47 (average 8.52). Indium is hosted mainly in sphalerite, while some other In‐bearing minerals (e.g., roquesite, stannoidite, and stannite) are present locally within the ore field. Roquesite, which replace or fill bornite, occurs in bornite‐rich ores in the Saishitang deposit. This is the first reported Chinese locality of roquesite. Based on previously reported Zn resources, a total of 136 tons of In is calculated to be hosted in the SROF, with 30, 66, and 40 tons of In attributed to the Saishitang, Tongyugou, and Rilonggou deposits, respectively. The differences in indium contents among the deposits and their respective geological histories and characteristics suggest that the origin of indium relates to volcanogenic metallogenesis in an early Permian volcano‐sedimentary basin. Based on the evaluation of In resources, future mining operations should include the recovery of indium in the Tongyugou and Rilonggou deposits.     

大井锡多金属成矿地质特征及找矿方向探讨

内蒙古林西大井锡多金属矿是我国北方最大的锡多金属矿床，通过对其地质背景、成矿地质条件、富集规律、控矿因素的认识和分析，建立大井式的综合找矿标志，对指导矿区及其外围找矿，扩大矿产资源、发展地方经济，具有重要的意义。     

北祁连块状硫化物矿床中矿石和主要矿石矿物地球化学特征

对北祁连山白银矿田和郭密寺矿田中主要矿床的矿石和矿石矿物组分特征研究表明，由于各矿田的成矿条件和地球化学背景存在差异，造成不同矿床的矿石和矿石矿物元素组合各具特色。但作为同一类型矿床，它们之间又有很多共性，特别是同一矿田内各矿床的地球化学特征具有相似性和过渡性，反映了成矿条件变化的趋势。     

新疆东昆仑白干湖成矿带成矿地质背景及找矿方向

成矿带位于塔里木-华北板块(Ⅰ)南部,柴达木微陆块(Ⅱ)南缘的祁漫塔格加里东褶皱系。区内各矿种成矿与地质背景的专属性明显:研究区东部鸭子泉一带的鸭子泉混杂岩带控制着区内铜、金、铁多金属矿产的分布;中东部白干湖—黑山一带下元古界金水群、志留系白干湖组与阿尔金深大断裂的次一级构造白干湖断裂,以及北东向展布的加里东—华力西期侵入岩带控制着区内钨锡矿产的分布;中部古尔嘎一带奥陶系祁漫塔格群、阿尔金和碧云山两大断裂的次一级断裂,以及华力西期侵入岩带控制着铜、金矿产的分布;西部黑山—吐拉一带金水口群与碧云山断裂的次一级构造及东西向展布的华力西期岩浆岩带控制着区内铜、金矿产的分布。成矿带内划分了5个找矿靶区。近年,在各靶区内钨、锡、金、铜以及多金属矿产的地质找矿成果显著,先后发现了以白干湖钨锡矿田为代表的一批矿床和有希望、有新突破的矿产地多处。该区有可能成为我国主要的矿产资源基地之一。     

西昆仑黑恰—三十里营房地区矿产资源潜力评价

通过在西昆仑黑恰—三十里营房地区开展1∶5万水系沉积物扫面、大比例尺矿产地质填图、地质-物探-化探综合剖面测量及槽探等工作,在查明地质特征、成矿类型及成矿规律的基础上,评价该区矿产资源潜力。结果表明: 研究区主要有黑恰海底喷流沉积(改造)型铁多金属矿、阿克塔河南海相沉积型含钛铁矿及阿克塔河北层控型铜金矿3种成矿类型; 划分了7处成矿预测区,其中A类预测区1个,B类预测区1个,C类预测区5个; 铁矿石预测资源量为1 565.69万t,锰矿石预测资源量为39.73万t,铜金属预测资源量为0.35万t,铅金属预测资源量为1.33万t,锌金属预测资源量为2.58万t,钛金属预测资源量为14.76万t; 圈定了5处找矿靶区,其中A类找矿靶区2处,B类找矿靶区3处; 建议进一步对黑恰铁多金属成矿带开展Fe、Pb、Zn找矿工作,扩大找矿成果; 首次在阿克塔河南早石炭世帕斯群发现海相沉积型含钛铁矿矿体,有望取得重大找矿突破。     

Characteristic Features of Tin–iron–copper Mineralization in the Anle-Huanggangliang Mining Area, Inner Mongolia, China

Abstract: The Anle Sn‐Cu and Huanggangliang Fe‐Sn deposits have been exploited in the Linxi district, which is located 165 km northwest of Chifeng City in northern China. In this study the formation mechanisms of the tin deposits in the Anle and Huanggangliang mining area were investigated to understand the mechanisms of tin mineralization in northern China. The veins of the Anle deposit are divided into cassiterite–quartz–chlorite veins, chalcopyrite‐bearing quartz veins, cassi–terite–chalcopyrite–bearing quartz veins and sphalerite‐quartz veins. The sequence of mineralization is tin mineralization (stage I), copper mineralization (stage II), and lead‐zinc mineralization (stage III). The Huanggangliang tin deposit consists of magnetite skarn orebodies and many cassiterite‐bearing feldspar–fluorite veins and veinlets cutting the magnetite orebodies. The fluid inclusions in quartz and fluorite in ores from the Anle and Huanggangliang tin deposits are divided into two‐phase fluid inclusions, vapor‐rich fluid inclusions and poly‐phase fluid inclusions. The final homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions of quartz in the ores of the Anle deposit and fluorite of tin‐bearing feldspar veins in the Huanggangliang tin deposit range from 195 to 425C and from 215 to 450C, respectively. The fluids responsible for the Anle and Huanggangliang tin deposits were of very high temperature and NaCl‐rich ones containing K, Ca, Al, Si, Ti, Fe and Cl in addition to ore metals such as Sn and Cu. The temperature and chemical composition of fluid in fluid inclusions of igneous rocks in the mining area are very similar to those of fluid in fluid inclusions in the ores of these deposits. The fluid for these ore deposits had a close relation with the fluid coexisting with melt of Late Jurassic granitic rocks in this mining area. Salinities of fluid inclusions from these ore deposits and granitic rocks in the mining area were estimated to range from 35 to 50 wt % NaCl equivalent. Based on arsenopy‐rite geothermometry and fluid inclusion studies, a fluid containing 40 wt% NaCl (eq.) could be formed by phase separation of fluid having 6 wt% NaCl (eq.) at a temperature of 420 to 500C and a pressure of 0.3 to 0.4 kb. The temperatures and pressures presented above indicate an NaCl‐rich magmatic fluid derived from granitic melt that had intruded into a shallow level of crust caused the Sn–Fe–Cu mineralization of the mining area. The geological relationship between these ore deposits and granitic bodies around the ore deposits, and the similarity of fluids forming these ore deposits and coexisting with granitic melt, suggest that these ore deposits were formed by the activity of fluid derived from granitic melt in Late Jurassic age.     

In-bearing potential of tin‒sulfide mineralization in ore deposits of the Russian Far East

The increased demand for indium has made it necessary to revise prospects of In-bearing tin ore deposits in the Russian Far East on the basis of geological data and results of recent analytical methods (X-ray fluorescence with synchrotron radiation, atomic absorption, and ICP-MS). The average In contents in ores of the Tigrinoe and Pravourmiiskoe deposits vary from 55 to 70 ppm, which allows tin ore deposits with Sn?sulfide mineralization to be considered as quite promising with respect to In production from ores of Russian deposits. By their estimated In reserves, the Tigrinoe and Pravourmiiskoe deposits may be attributed to large ore objects.     

福建省龙岩中甲铁矿矿床特征及分散元素铟镉的富集规律

福建龙岩中甲含锡多金属硫化物磁铁矿矿床中有2种分散元素In、Cd具有工业价值.本文利用常规的显微镜观察、化学分析手段,对该矿床矿石中分散元素铟、镉的含量及富集规律进行了分析研究,结果表明矿床锌(铅)矿化系列铁矿矿石中分散元素铟、镉含量在多金属硫化物型矿石中均超过其作为伴生有用组分的最低工业品位数倍,含量较高.分散元素地球化学特征指示矿床为火山沉积-热液叠加改造成因.该矿床位于南岭多金属成矿带与中国东部环西太平洋大陆边缘多金属成矿带复合部位之闽西-梅州Pb-Zn-Cu-Fe矿多金属成矿带,因此对矿床特征及其中伴(共)生的分散元素富集规律研究具有重要的理论和现实意义.     

New data on mineralogy and metallogeny of scarns in the Pitkyaranta ore region

A wide application of modern precision research techniques to the studies of Pitkyaranta ores allowed us to find increased contents of indium (to 0.33%), silver (447 g/t), gold (0.2–0.4 g/t), and palladium (0.2 g/t). A series of rare minerals previously not found here was also discovered. Among ore minerals, these are roquesite, zavartskite, electrum, stutzite, altaite, bismite, glaucodot, cervelleite, hedleyite, pavonite, cannonite, plantnerite, lindkvistite, ashoverite, etc. The discovery of roquesite and electrum is the most important in terms of metallogeny. Roquesite (indium sulfide) is found in Karelia for the first time. The highest indium contents in direct correlation to those of zinc are characteristic for polymetallic ores of the Pitkyaranta ore fields with sphalerite as the concentrating mineral (to 0.5% of In). The predicted zinc resources are evaluated to ∼2.5 million t for the Pitkyaranta group of ore deposits, and to 400 000 t for the Hopunvaara region. Respectively, the resources of indium amount to ∼2400 t (total) and 600 t for the Hopunvaara region.     

内蒙古自治区锡林浩特市毛登锡锌矿地质特征

毛登锡锌矿位于内蒙古兴安岭晚古生代中生代铜、铅、锌、金、银、锡、铬（钼）成矿区大兴安岭中南部成矿带,哲斯乌兰浩特成矿亚带之黄岗梁甘珠尔庙突泉乌兰浩特铁、锡、钨多金属成矿带上,区域成矿地质条件好。在对该矿床开展详查工作的基础上,分析了矿床地质特征,指出矿区发育有利于多金属成矿的地层、构造和岩浆岩条件,分析了矿床成因,提出了找矿标志,对该区远景找矿具有一定的指导意义。     

岩浆-热液系统中铟的成矿作用

铟作为支撑新兴高科技产业发展的关键金属,主要应用于电子工业、半导体、焊料合金及航空航天等领域,对国家安全和经济发展至关重要.当前铟的重要来源是与花岗质岩浆有关的锡多金属矿床,其中铟的富集程度远超其他类型矿床.文章在简要概括铟矿床类型的基础上,探讨了铟在岩浆-热液系统各演化阶段的富集过程以及锡、铟同步富集的原因.在岩浆演...     

滇西勐往-曼卖地区离子吸附型稀土矿成矿规律与找矿潜力

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