Mineralogical characterization of Sn deposits from the Santa Fe District, Bolivia

Abstract

The Sn-Zn-Pb-Ag Japo-Santa Fe-Morococala ore deposit is located in the Central Andean Belt province. The ore mineralization is hosted in a Paleozoic metasedimentary sequence and porphyritic Oligocene-Miocene igneous rocks. Ore minerals occur in veins and disseminations. Two types of ore mineralization are distinghished: (1) An early Sn mineralization and (2) a late Sn and Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization. Mineral association consists mainly of quartz, pyrite, cassiterite, other sulfides and sulfosalts. Cassiterite, up to 0.25 wt% In, constitutes the earliest mineralization. Galena and sphalerite are the main sulphide minerals. Sphalerite shows up 0.24 wt% In. Stannite group is represented by stannoidite, kësterite, and sulfides of the Sn-Cu-Zn-Fe-S system. Sulfosalts include sakuraiite, potosiite, franckeite, freibergite, tetrahedrite, myargyrite, boulangerite, jamesonite, zinckenite, cylindrite and andorite. In this deposit, after an epigenetic magmatic stage, a long greisen-hydrothermal event took place with several episodes of metal deposition.