Tourmaline in the central Swedish ore district

More than 40 recently discovered tourmaline occurrences have been investigated in the Mid-Proterozoic Bergslagen ore district of central Sweden. Some are spatially associated with ores, others with zones of leaching, remobilization and migmatization. Among the tourmaline-bearing ore deposits are the Dammberg ZnPb-Fe sulphide deposit, the Sala Pb-Zn-Ag deposit, the Dalkarlsberg, Pershyttan and Håksberg Fe oxide deposits, the Leja Cu deposit, and the Zinkgruvan Zn-Pb-Ag deposit. Tourmaline has been recorded a) as tourmalinites and tourmaline-bearing chemical sediments; b) in tourmaline-bearing skarns; c) in tourmaline-quartz veins; d) as disseminations along the foliation in schists; e) in tourmaline pegmatites; f) in tourmalinized haloes in metavolcanites along tourmaline pegmatites; and g) in late joints. Tourmalinites, tourmaline-bearing chemical sediments and tourmaline-bearing skarns are spatially associated with sulphide and oxide mineralizations. The dravite components in these tourmalines are proportional to the size of Zn-Pb sulphide mineralizations. Tourmalines from quartz veins close to and within ore deposits contain high Zr and Cr contents. With increasing distance away from these deposits, the Zr and Cr contents fall significantly. Tourmalines from pegmatites have inherited a number of trace element enrichments through partial melting and assimilation of volcaniclastic sediments into granitic melts. Despite magmatic homogenization, Zn contents in these tourmalines reflect the proximity of Zn-Pb-sulphide deposits, decreasing away from them. Tourmalines from late joints with Zn contents above the 100 ppm level are also indicative for the proximity of Zn-Pb sulphide mineralizations. Thus, some trace elements in these tourmalines may represent suitable exploration tools.