The origin and economic potential of sandstone-hosted disseminated Pb-Zn mineralization in pyritic shale horizons of the Mid-Proterozoic Newland Formation,Montana, USA |
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| Authors: | J Schieber |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Geology, The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), 76019 Arlington, Texas |
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| Abstract: | Pyritic shale horizons of the Newland Formation (Belt Series, Mid-Proterozoic) show striking similarities to Proterozoic pyritic shales elsewhere that are host to major lead-zinc deposits, such as Mt. Isa and McArthur River. However, in contrast to these deposits the pyritic shales of the Newland Formation contain only minute quantities of lead and zinc. Elevated concentrations of lead and zinc are only found in pore spaces of intercalated sandstone beds. Petrographic and geochemical data indicate that pyritic shale deposition and elevated lead-zinc concentrations in sandstone beds are unrelated, that base metal mineralization is controlled by initial porosity, and that iron and base metals were derived from different sources.Petrographic studies show that base metal sulphides are diagenetic and resemble disseminated mineralization described from sandstone hosted lead-zinc and copper deposits in the Belt basin and elsewhere. The absence of orebodies of disseminated lead-zinc mineralization in sandstones of the Newland Formation may be due to a comparatively thin sedimentary sequence below the sandstone occurrences, as well as to unfavourable geometry and small volume of sandstone bodies. |
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