Mineralogy and geochemistry of banded iron formation and iron ores from eastern India with implications on their genesis

The geological complexities of banded iron formation (BIF) and associated iron ores of Jilling-Langalata iron ore deposits, Singhbhum-North Orissa Craton, belonging to Iron Ore Group (IOG) eastern India have been studied in detail along with the geochemical evaluation of different iron ores. The geochemical and mineralogical characterization suggests that the massive, hard laminated, soft laminated ore and blue dust had a genetic lineage from BIFs aided with certain input from hydrothermal activity. The PAAS normalized REE pattern of Jilling BIF striking positive Eu anomaly, resembling those of modern hydrothermal solutions from mid-oceanic ridge (MOR). Major part of the iron could have been added to the bottom sea water by hydrothermal solutions derived from hydrothermally active anoxic marine environments. The ubiquitous presence of intercalated tuffaceous shales indicates the volcanic signature in BIF. Mineralogical studies reveal that magnetite was the principal iron oxide mineral, whose depositional history is preserved in BHJ, where it remains in the form of martite and the platy hematite is mainly the product of martite. The different types of iron ores are intricately related with the BHJ. Removal of silica from BIF and successive precipitation of iron by hydrothermal fluids of possible meteoric origin resulted in the formation of martite-goethite ore. The hard laminated ore has been formed in the second phase of supergene processes, where the deep burial upgrades the hydrous iron oxides to hematite. The massive ore is syngenetic in origin with BHJ. Soft laminated ores and biscuity ores were formed where further precipitation of iron was partial or absent.     

碱熔—磷钒钼黄法测定铁、锰矿中的磷

以氢氧化钾熔融分解样品，以热水浸提、铁、铜、钴、镍等干扰物进入沉淀而与磷分离，然后在7％的硝酸介质以钼酸铵铵及偏钒酸铵混合显色剂显色测定磷的含量，该方法简便、稳定、快速、适合于铁、锰矿中磷的测定。     

冀东司家营铁矿床富矿成矿条件研究

根据野外勘查,对冀东司家营铁矿床的普通矿石和富铁矿石进行了岩相学、主量元素、微量元素和稀土元素的研究。富铁矿顺层产于贫矿体中,富铁矿石颗粒与贫铁矿相比稍粗,主要由磁铁矿及铁闪石组成,部分铁闪石蚀变为绿泥石,表明司家营铁矿床的富铁矿矿石的形成与后期热液活动密切相关。司家营铁矿床不同矿石的主量元素分析结果表明,富矿石较普通矿石的石英含量减少,镁铁质矿物含量相对增加,所有矿石中MnO/TFe2O3比值极低,含量变化于0.001～0.01之间,平均值为0.002,指示了矿石的热水沉积成因。普通矿石和富铁矿石的微量元素和稀土元素配分模式有较好的一致性,表明不同类型矿石成矿物质来源可能相同。与磁铁矿普通矿石相比,赤铁矿普通矿石和富铁矿矿石的∑REE+Y含量更高,稀土元素配分曲线相比较更加平缓。造成赤铁矿普通矿石∑REE+Y含量增高和稀土元素配分曲线平缓的原因可能是赤铁矿距离地表较近,遭受后期淋滤作用。关于富铁矿矿石稀土元素∑REE+Y含量最高和稀土元素配分曲线平缓的原因,除了铁质沉积物更易吸收稀土元素外,后期变质热液蚀变也是非常重要的因素。     

Iron–phosphorus relationship in the iron and phosphorite ores of Egypt

Iron and phosphorite ores are very common in the geological record of Egypt and exploitable for economic purposes. In some cases these deposits belong together to the same geographic and geologic setting. The most common deposits include phosphorites, glauconites, and iron ores. Phosphorites are widely distributed as a belt in the central and southern part of Egypt. Sedimentary iron ores include oolitic ironstone of Aswan area and karstified iron ore of Bahria Oasis. Glauconites occur in the Western Desert associated with phosphorites and iron ores. As these ores are exploitable and phosphorus in iron ores and iron in phosphorites are considered as gangue elements, the iron–phosphorus relationship is examined in these deposits to clarify their modes of occurrences and genetic relationship based on previously published results.Phosphorus occurs mainly as carbonate fluorapatite (francolite). Iron, on the other hand, occurs in different mineralogical forms such as glauconites, hematite, limonite and goethite.In P-rich rocks (phosphorites) no relationship is observed between iron and phosphorus, which in turn indicates that the FeP model is unlikely to interpret the origin of the late Cretaceous phosphorites and the association of phosphorites and glauconites in Egypt. In Fe-rich rocks (iron ores and glauconites) also no relationship between iron and phosphorus is observed. The present work, therefore, does not support the hypothesis that there is a genetic relationship between phosphorus and iron in sedimentary rocks.     

Univariate and multivariate stochastic modeling of the chemical composition of iron ores in Northern Goa, India

Chemical components such as SiO ₂,TiO ₂,MnO, P ₂ O ₅,and especially Fe ₂ O ₃ of the iron ores of Bicholim Mine, Northern Goa, have been determined for lateral and vertical sections of the mine at equal intervals of 3 and 1 m, respectively, so as to form the spatial (time) series. Univariate stationary models of the type Autoregressive moving average—ARMA (p, q)—were established for each series on the basis of statistical analyses of their auto (acf) and partial auto (pacf) correlation functions. These models were used for forecasting assay values at different lead distances from any pivot. Principles of parsimony simplified all of the candidate ARMA (p, q) models to pure AR (p) models, and the univariate forecasts were significantly improved by multivariate stochastic forecasts.     

The lateritic iron ores,itabiritic quartzites and epidiorites of the Kemmangundi area,Bababudan hills,Mysore state,India

Epidiorites forming the basement and occurring also as bands in ferruginous quartzites in Kemmangundi in the Bababudan Hills of Mysore State are described in regard to their structure, mineralogy, petrography, and the petrochemistry of the epidiorites and their role in the formation of the two types of iron ores in the area. The ferruginous quartzites, itabiritic iron ores, and epidiorites strike NW-SE and were simultaneously structurally deformed. They may be considered as eugeosynclinal formations. The data collected do not suggest any genetic relation between the itabiritic ores and the epidiorites. The lateritic iron ores on the other hand, were formed by the alteration of the ferruginous quartzites (itabiritic ores).

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Zusammenfassung Itabiritische Quarzite und Epidiorite aus Kemmangundi in den Bababudan-Hügeln des Staates Mysore wurden hinsichtlich ihrer Struktur, ihres Mineralbestandes und ihrer chemischen Zusammensetzung untersucht. Insbesondere wird der Zusammenhang mit den beiden Typen von Eisenlagerstätten in der Gegend beleuchtet: Die itabiritischen Quarzite haben sich nicht aus den Epidioriten gebildet; dagegen sind die lateritischen Eisenerze als Verwitterungsprodukte der Eisenquarzite zu betrachten.

     

Single/multiple input-single output transfer function with noise models for constituents of iron ores of Northern Goa, India

Parametric time domain time series models for different chemical constituents such as SiO ₂,Fe ₂ O ₃,TiO ₂,MnO, and P ₂ O ₅ of iron ores belonging to banded hematite quartzites in Bicholim Mine (Goa) have been utilized for forecasting Fe ₂ O ₃ assay values through single/multiple input—single output (Fe ₂ O ₃ ) transfer function with noise methodology. Statistically significant correlated chemical constituent inputs (say, SiO ₂,TiO ₂,MnO, P ₂ O ₅ ) along lateral (horizontal strike direction) and vertical (perpendicular to bedding planes) sections in this mine are useful in modeling as well as forecasting assay values of blocks of ore to be exploited. Parameters of transfer function—noise models are estimated by utilizing time domain methodology, and the usefulness of these models for optimization of mining operations is discussed.     

Syndepositional and diagenetic features in the pyrite ores of Amjhore,Bihar, India

The sedimentary pyrite deposit of Amjhore, Bihar associated with the Bijaigarh Shale of the Upper Vindhyan Group (Proterozoic age) exhibits characteristic syndepositional features suggestive of both calm and disturbed conditions of deposition. The pyrite ores also show typical diagenetic features.     

Primary and secondary structures in the polymetallic ores of Rajpura-Dariba,Rajasthan, India

The Precambrian Rajpura-Dariba polymetallic deposits of Rajasthan, associated with black schists, quartzite and calcsilicate rocks, exhibit several primary structures, suggesting a syn-sedimentary origin. The secondary features of the sulphides are attributed to the effects of metamorphism.     

Mineralogy and chemistry of the iron ores of Nainarmalai,Tamilnadu

The magnetite-quartzites of Nainarmalai forms part of a large iron ore belt of Tamilnadu which occurs in a high grade granulite terrain. They are associated with basic granulites and gneisses. Mineralogical and chemical studies indicate their similarities with other metasedimentary iron ores.     

Ferride geochemistry of Swedish precambrian iron ores

Chemical analysis for major and trace elements have been performed on 30 Swedish Precambrian iron ores and on some from Iran and Chile. The Swedish ores consist of apatite iron ores, quartz-banded iron ores, skarn and limestone iron ores from the two main ore districts of Sweden, the Bergslagen and the Norrbotten province. Some Swedish titaniferous iron ores were also included in the investigation. The trace element data show that the Swedish ores can be subdivided into two major groups: 1. orthomagmatic and exhalative, 2. sedimentary. Within group 1 the titaniferous iron ores are distinguished by their high Ti-contents. From the ferride contents of the Kiruna apatite iron ores, the ores are considered to be mobilization products of skarn iron ores from the Norbotten province.     

Formation conditions of some iron ores in the Uda-Shantar basin,Far East

The first results of the SEM study of banded iron ores of the Uda-Shantar basin in the Russian Far East are described. They show that the ores contain various microbial remains with Fe-Mn mineralization.     

Water determination in iron oxyhydroxides and iron ores by Karl Fischer titration

Protohematite (Fe_2?x/3(OH) _x O_3?x 1 ≤ x < 0.5) and hydrohematite (Fe_2?x/3(OH) _x O_3?x 0.5 ≤ x < 0) are iron-defective phases containing hydroxyl groups in their structures. These species were described in prior studies mainly with the aid of X-ray diffraction and Infrared spectroscopy. The existence of these phases in soils might have influence in redox processes, and they were considered as a possible water reservoir in Martian soils. In this study, we have used for the first time the Karl Fischer titration method to determine the amount of water released after heating several synthetic samples of goethite, hematite and natural iron ores at 105, 400, 600 and 900 °C. It was found that heating at 105 °C did not remove all moisture from the samples, and higher temperatures were necessary to completely remove all the absorbed water. The water contents determined at 400, 600 and 900 °C were found to be the same within the experimental errors, suggesting the inexistence of both protohematite and hydrohematite in the investigated samples. Therefore, the above-mentioned effects of these phases in soils might have to be reevaluated.     

Distribution of copper,cobalt and nickel in ores and host-rocks,Ingladhal, Karnataka,India

Stratiform quartz-sulphide lodes in Ingladhal occur in a typical Precambrian green-stone-belt environment comprising metabasalts, tuff, chert and cherty iron-sulphide formation. Unusually high cobalt contents of metavolcanics and of sulphide minerals in orebodies suggest a consanguinity between ores and rocks. 90% of total nickel, 70% of total cobalt but only 30% of total copper in rocks occur in silicate phases and thus indicate an early separation of copper from cobalt and nickel. Unusually high non-sulphide copper in barren bedded cherts implies availability of Cu-rich solution prior to their lithification. Pyrite in sediments, in volcanics, and in orebodies is characterized by a distinctive pattern of Co-Ni distribution in each case. Partitioning of Co and Ni between coexisting sulphide pairs is complex, but gross equilibrium is indicated. Very high trace metal content of orebody pyrite sharply contrasts with very low such values in pyrite from adjacent sediments and points to a higher temperature of formation of orebodies.     

Mineralogy, chemistry and genesis of Nishikhal manganese ores of South Orissa, India

Manganese ores of Nishikhal occur as distinctly conformable bands in the khondalite suite of rocks belonging to the Precambrian Eastern Ghats complex of south Orissa, India. Manganese minerals recorded are cryptomelane, romanechite, pyrolusite, with minor amounts of jacobsite, hausmannite, braunite, lithiophorite, birnessite and pyrophanite. Goethite, graphite, hematite and magnetite are the other opaque minerals and quartz, orthoclase, garnet, kaolinite, apatite, collophane, fibrolite, zircon, biotite and muscovite are the gangue minerals associated with these ores. The mineral chemistry of some of the phases, as well as the modes of association of phosphorous in these ores have been established. The occurrence of well-defined bands of manganese ore; co-folding of manganese ore bands and associated metasedimentary country rocks; the min-eral assemblage of spessartite-sillimanite-braunite-jacobsite-hausmannite; the geochemical association of Mn-Ba-Co-Ni-Zn together with the Si versus Al and Na versus Mg plots of the manganese ores suggest that the Nishikhal deposit is a metamorphosed Precambrian lacustrine deposit. Continental weathering appears to be the source for manganese and iron. After deposition and probable diagenesis, the manganese-rich sediments were metamorphosed along with conformable psammitic and pelitic sediments under granulite facies conditions, and subsequently underwent supergene enrichment to produce the present deposit. Received: 14 March 1995 / Accepted: 11 April 1996     

Precambrian mafic magmatism in the Singhbhum craton,eastern India

The Singhbhum craton has a chequred history of mafic magmatism spanning from early Archaean to Proterozoic. However, lack of adequate isotopic age data put constraints on accurately establishing the history of spatial growth of the craton in which mafic magmatism played a very significant role. Mafic magmatism in the craton spreads from ca.3.3 Ga (oldest “enclaves” of orthoamphibolites) to about 0.1 Ga (‘Newer dolerite’ dyke swarms). Nearly contemporaneous amphibolite and intimately associated tonalitic orthogneiss may represent Archaean bimodal magmatism. The metabasic enclaves are appreciably enriched and do not fulfill the geochemical characteristics of worldwide known early Archaean (>3.0 Ga) mafic magmatism. The enclaves reveal compositional spectrum from siliceous high-magnesian basalt (SHMB) to andesite. However, the occurrence of minor depleted boninitic type within the assemblage has so far been overlooked. High magnesian basalt with boninitic character of Mesoarchaean age is also reported in association with supracrustals from southern fringe of the granitoid cratonic nucleus. The subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) below the craton is conjectured to have initiated during the early Archaean. Significantly, recurrence of depleted magma types in the craton is observed during the whole span of mafic igneous activity which has been vaguely related to “mantle heterogeneity”, although the alternative model of sequential mantle melting is also being explored. The Singhbhum craton includes the Banded Iron Formation (BIF) associated mafic lavas, MORB-like basic and komatiitic ultrabasic bimodal volcanism — documented as Dalma volcanics, Dhanjori lavas, and the Proterozoic Newer dolerite dykes. Three different types of REE fractionation patterns are observed in the BIF-associated mafic lavas. These are the REE unfractionated type is more depleted than N-MORB and some lavas with boninitic type of REE distribution. MORB-like basic and komatiitic ultrabasic (Dalma volcanics) are emplaced within the Proterozoic Singhbhum Basin (PSB). The vista of magmatism in the basin was controlled by a miniature spreading centre represented by the mid-basinal Dalma volcanic ridge. The volcano-sedimentary basinal domain of Dhanjori emerged at the interface of two subprovinces (viz. the mobile volcano-sedimentary belt of PSB and rigid granite platform) under unique stress environment related to extensional tectonic regime. Trace element distribution in Dhanjori lavas is remarkably similar to that in PSB minor intrusions and lavas (except a Ta spike in the latter). The Proterozoic Newer dolerite dykes within Singhbhum nucleus manifest an unusually wide spam of intrusive activity (ca 2100 Ma to 1100 Ma) and unexpectedly uniform mantle melting behaviour.     

Young ores in old rocks: Proterozoic iron mineralisation in Mesoarchean banded iron formation,northern Pilbara Craton,Australia

The origin of bedded iron-ore deposits developed in greenstone belt-hosted (Algoma-type) banded iron formations of the Archean Pilbara Craton has largely been overlooked during the last three decades. Two of the key problems in studying these deposits are a lack of information about the structural and stratigraphic setting of the ore bodies and an absence of geochronological data from the ores. In this paper, we present geological maps for nearly a dozen former mines in the Shay Gap and Goldsworthy belts on the northeastern margin of the craton, and the first U-Pb geochronology for xenotime intergrown with hematite ore. Iron-ore mineralisation in the studied deposits is controlled by a combination of steeply dipping NE- and SE-trending faults and associated dolerite dykes. Simultaneous dextral oblique-slip movement on SE-trending faults and sinistral normal oblique-slip movement on NE-trending faults during initial ore formation are probably related to E–W extension. Uranium–lead dating of xenotime from the ores using the sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) suggests that iron mineralisation was the cumulative result of several Proterozoic hydrothermal events: the first at c. 2250 Ma, followed by others at c. 2180 Ma, c. 1670 Ma and c. 1000 Ma. The cause of the first growth event is not clear but the other age peaks coincide with well-documented episodes of orogenic activity at 2210–2145 Ma, 1680–1620 Ma and 1030–950 Ma along the southern margin of the Pilbara Craton and the Capricorn Orogen farther south. These results suggest that high-grade hematite deposits are a product of protracted episodic reactivation of a structural architecture that developed during the Mesoarchean. The development of hematite mineralisation along major structures in Mesoarchean BIFs after 2250 Ma implies that fluid infiltration and oxidative alteration commenced within 100 myr of the start of the Great Oxidation Event at c. 2350 Ma.     

Polymetamorphism of ores in Precambrian stratiform massive sulfide deposits at Ambaji-Deri,Western India

Massive stratiform zinc-lead-copper sulfide ores, in association with cordierite-anthophyllite rocks, occur in adjacent localities of Ambaji and Deri, in Western India. The metasedimentary country rocks, interlayered with amphibolites and intruded by acidic to intermediate plutonic rocks, belong to the Precambrian Delhi Supergroup. The ore minerals identified by detailed mineragraphic studies include: sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite (both monclinic and hexagonal phases), magnetite, ilmenite, rutile, arsenopyrite, molybdenite, cubanite, mackinawite, boulangerite, gudmundite, meneghinite, lautite, tenantite, native bismuth, native silver, chalcocite and covellite. The common sulfide-silicate schistosity in the ores, flowage of sulfide streaks and tails around rotated poikiloblasts and in their pressure shadow region developed during early folding (F₁) and regional metamorphism of the rocks under green schist facies condition. These were superimposed by a pervasive hornfelsic fabric involving sulfides and silicates and including microfabrics due to annealing and grain growth in sulfides, during a subsequent phase of low pressure thermal metamorphism and related tectonism (F₂). Finally certain deformation features and some uncommon fabrics like martensitic lamellae in galena and subgrains in sphalerite developed during a mild deformation episode (F₃) in the waning stages of tectonism in the area. Compositional change in the ores during thermal metamorphism was minimal.