Geology, petrography, mineral chemistry and fluids inclusion of the Kalate Shab iron skarn (East of Sarbisheh, Southern Khorasan)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Fatemeh Yari
• Mohammad Hossein Zarrinkoub
• Seyyed Saeid Mohammadi

Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

10.22067/econg.v12i4.77836

Abstract

Introduction
Extensive Eocene–Oligocene magmatic rocks in the Lut–Sistan region, eastern Iran crop out as a huge magmatic province (Pang et al., 2013). Skarnification in Paleocene- Eocene limestones in the Sistan suture zone is very popular (e.g. Nakhaei et al., 2013; Nakhaei et al., 2015; Zarrinkoub et al., 2011) and the Kalate Shab skarn is one of them. Geological and geochemical studies and the results of magnetic measurements in the area of interest and its applicability in exploration of other potential iron deposits in the neighboring areas (Saadat, 2016) are of interest. Metamorphic (the Siah Kamar Skarn) edge of the Mount Rigi granitoid intrusion is calcium type (Biabangard et al., 2015). This skarn is located 105 kilometers east of Sarbisheh, north of the Kalate Shab village. This area is a part of 1: 100,000 geological map of Mahirud (Guillou et al., 1981), with 60° 31' to 60° 35' longitudes, and 32° 21' to 32° 26' latitudes, in the southern Khorasan province (Figure 1), and in the northern part of the Sistan suture zone (Tirrul et al., 1983) in the east of Iran. The Sistan suture zone represents a deformed accretionary prism that was emplaced during the destruction of a small Neotethyan ocean basin, referred to as the Sistan Ocean, which once separated the Lut and Afghan continental blocks from each other (Tirrul et al., 1983). Late Cretaceous adakitic granodiorites and Early Eocene A-type granites have been emplaced in the suture (Zarrinkoub et al., 2012). This was followed by widespread Eocene–Oligocene calc-alkaline volcanic activity in the suture zone and to the west in the Lut block (Pang et al., 2013). Oligomiocene intrusive and sub volcanic bodies (Guillou et al., 1981) have intruded into the sedimentary units and caused skarnification in the north of the Kalate Shab.
 
Materials and methods
This study was done based on 140 thin sections, 1 polished section and 5 polished thin sections with 3 XRD analysis at the University of Birjand laboratory. 3 samples for fluid inclusions have been studied in the laboratory of the Payame Noor University of Mashhad. Microprobe analysis on 4 samples have been done at the Laboratory of Iran Mineral Processing Research Center.
 
Results
Intrusive and sub volcanic bodies with composition of diorite and quartz diorite have intruded into limestone and have produced Fe skarn in the Kalate Shab area. Mineralogical evidence suggests two stages of progressive and retrograde metamorphism in the region. Microprobe analysis of minerals in the skarn zone shows that garnets are andradite and pyroxene is of diopside- hedenbergite type. Average salinity and temperature of fluid based on micro thermometric data in the Kalate Shab are 13.2 wt% and 222^oC, respectively. Magmatic and meteoric waters mixing and chemical changes in carbonate host rock are the main factors for genesis of Fe deposit.
 
Discussion
An intermediate magma has intruded into the Paleocene- Eocene limestone, and has caused Fe- skarnification in the Kalate Shab region. The intrusive and sub volcanic rocks are diorite, quartz diorite, porphyritic quartz diorite and porphyritic diorite. Skarnification has occurred as exo skarn with pyroxene, garnet, idocrase, epidote and magnetite minerals. Pyroxenes are diopside- hedenbergite type and garnets are andradite based on EPMA and XRD analyses. Micro thermometric data in the Kalate Shab skarn show temperatures ranging from 171 to 286 ° C and salinity from 11.81 to 14.77%. Petrological studies show that the magnetite formation has occurred in the final stage of skarnification.
 
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Rouhollah Miri Bidokht and Dr. Amir Mahdavi for their consulting in microthermometry studies.
 
References
Biabangard, H., Ghanjalipour, R. and Ahmadi, A., 2015. Mineralogy, Paragenesis and the conditions for the formation of Siah kamar Skarn, West of Deh Salm, East of Lut Zone. Iranian Journal of Crystallography and Mineralogy, 23(1): 31–42. (in Persian)
Guillou, Y., Maurizot, P. and Villeon H.de la., 1981. Mahrud geological map, Geological map of Iran, 1:100000 series: Sheet 8154. Geological and mineral survey of Iran.
Nakhaei, M., Karimpour, M.H., Mazaheri, S.A., Heydariyan, M.R. and Zarrinkoub, M.H., 2013. Petrography and geochemistry of intrusive-subvolcanic bodies and their association with iron mineralization in Bisheh area (East Iran, South of Birjand). Iranian Journal of Crystallography and Mineralogy, 21(3): 457–470. (in Persian)
Nakhaei, M., Mazaheri, S.A., Karimpour, M.H., Stern, C.R., Zarrinkoub, M.H., Mohammadi, S.S. and Heydariyan, M.R., 2015. Geochronologic, geochemical and isotopic constraints on petrogenesis of dioritic rocks associated with Fe skarn in Bisheh area, Eastern Iran. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 8(10): 8481–8495.
Pang, K.N., Chung, S.L., Zarrinkoub, M.H., Khatib, M.M., Mohammadi, S.S., Chiu, H.Y., Chu, C.H,  Lee, H.Y. and Lo, C.H., 2013. Eocene– Oligocene post– collisional magmatism in the Lut– Sistan region, eastern Iran: Magma genesis and tectonic implications. Lithos, 180: 234–251.
Saadat, S., 2016. Geology, Geochemistry and Ground Magnetic Survey on Kalateh Naser Iron Ore Deposit, Khorasan Jonoubi Province. Journal of Economic Geology, 8(2): 593–607. (in Persian with English abstract)
Tirrul, R., Bell, L.R., Griffis, R.J. and Comp, V.E., 1983. The Sistan suture zone of eastern Iran. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 94(1): 134–140.
Zarrinkoub, M.H., Khatib, M.M., Chung, S.L. and Mohammadi, S.S., 2012. Analysis of the development of Cenozoic magmatism in the eastern part of Iran (northern part of Sistan structural state). Research Project, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran, 115 pp. (in Persian)
Zarrinkoub, M.H., Ketabi, P., Shiva, M. and Askari, M., 2011. Mineralogy of Haj-Elyas iron deposit, northwest of Nehbandan, East of Iran. Iranian Journal of Crystallography and Mineralogy, 19(1): 73–82. (in Persian)

Keywords

• mineral chemistry
• Geothermometry
• skarn
• Kalate Shab
• Sarbisheh
• Sistan suture zone

20.1001.1.20087306.1399.12.4.6.9

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