wAbstract
@The Sekarna Zn-Pb deposit is located in Central Tunisia at the
northeastern edge of the Cenozoic Rohia graben. Mineralization
comprises two major ore types: (1) disseminated Zn-Pb sulfides
that occur as lenses in sedimentary phosphorite layers and (2)
cavity-filling zinc oxides (calamine-type ores) that crosscut
Late Cretaceous and Early Eocene limestone. We studied Zn sulfide
mineralization in the Saint Pierre ore body, which is hosted in
a 5-m-thick sedimentary phosphorite unit of Early Eocene age.
The sulfide mineralization occurs as replacements of carbonate
cement in phosphorite. The ores comprise stratiform lenses each
in sphalerite with minor galena, Fe sulfides, and earlier diagenetic
barite. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
analyses of sphalerite and galena show a wide range of minor element
contents with significant enrichment of cadmium in both sphalerite
(6,000-20,000 ppm) and galena (12-189 ppm). The minor element
enrichments likely reflect the influence of the immediate organic-rich
host rocks. Fluid inclusions in sphalerite give homogenization
temperatures of 80-130. The final ice melting temperatures range
from -22 to -11, which correspond to salinities of 15-24 wt.
NaCl eq. and suggest a basinal brine origin for the fluids. sulfur
isotope analyses show uniformly negative values for sphalerite
(-11.2ρ to -9.3ρ) and galena (-16ρ to -12.3ρ). The Β34S
of barite, which averages 25.1ρ, is 4ρ higher than the value for
Eocene seawater sulfate. The sulfur isotopic compositions are
inferred to reflect sulfur derivation through bacterial reduction
of contemporaneous seawater sulfate, possibly in restricted basins
where organic matter was abundant. The Pb isotopes suggest an
upper crustal lead source.
Keywords: Zn-Pb deposits; Sedimentary phosphorites; Sekarna; Central
Tunisiax
Introduction
Geological setting
Analytical methods
Host rock petrography and geochemistry
@Petrography
@Geochemistry
Mineralization
@Saint Pierre deposit
@Saint EugeneiΕΜeΜͺΙMj deposit
Geochemistry
@Trace elements
@Fluid inclusions
@Sulfur isotopes
@Lead isotope compositions
Discussion
@Diagenetic vs. epigenetic origin
@Diagenetic barite
@Sulfur source(s)
Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References