Petrology and Stable Isotope (S, C, O) Studies of Selected Sediment-hosted Basemetal Ore Deposits in the Proterozoic Aravalli-Delhi Fold Belt, Rajasthan
Authors: Fareeduddin  , Venkatesh B.R. , Hanumantha R. , Golani P.R. , Sharma B.B. , Neogi S. 
Published: February 2014

An integrated mineralogical-geochemical and stable isotopic study of Pb-Zn deposits located at Kayar-Ghugra (Zn-Pb ± Ag), Rampura-Agucha (Zn-Pb, Ag), Dariba-Bethumni (Zn-Pb) and Zawar (Pb-Zn ± Cd, Ag) in Rajasthan is presented in this paper.

The Kayar Zn-Pb deposit hosted by (i) phlogopite-tremolite bearing dolomitic carbonates and (ii) scapolite bearing calc-silicates, both belonging to Mesoproterozoic Delhi Supergroup exhibit distinctly different δ13C signatures being close to zero permil for the former reflecting deposition in pristine marine environment and much depleted isotopic values for the latter possibly related to post-depositional alterations.

The Zn-Pb sulphides of Agucha, hosted in amphibolite facies to lower granulite facies metasedimentary units belonging to the Bhilwara Supergroup have δ34S values that indicate (i) H2S dominated regime characterized by low fO2, low pH, wherein the δ34S (fluid) responsible for mineralisation approximates the δ34S (sulphide); (ii) the role of seawater in the generation of Agucha ores; (iii) the process of a low temperature oxidation of sulphides in the hydrothermal fluids resulting in the formation of sulphate, by the interaction of ground water; (iv) isotopic disequilibrium in sulphate-sulphide pairs that explain oxidation of H2S by acid groundwater (low pH) and deposition of sulphides at higher temperatures and (v) equilibrium isotopic fractionation of the coexisting sulphides reflecting in a higher concentration of H2S (&gt;10-5m) in relation to the total metal content in the hydrothermal fluid (mH2S≥mSmetals ). Accordingly the concentration of sulphide-sulphate in the hydrothermal solution responsible for the mineralization in Agucha exceeds that of total metals.

The sulphides of Bethumni-Rajpura-Dariba belt hosted in low to medium grade siliceous carbonates has a marginally positive (mean of +1.5‰) δ13C values. At Sindeswar, broad and widely scattered δ34S values indicate a polymodal sedimentary source of sulphur that recrystallised at rather low temperature of &lt; 50°C possibly during the processes of low temperature bacterial reduction. The C and O-isotopic studies on mineralized and non-mineralized carbonates reveal (i) normal marine depositional signatures for non-mineralized carbonates with possible minor influence of biogenic carbon during deposition and (ii) ore zone carbonates exhibit depleted δ13C values presumably due either to the deeper mantle-like source of carbonates or due to post-depositional equilibration with isotopically light meteoric waters.

In Zawar belt, sulphides hosted in dolomitic carbonate indicated (i) near identical δ34S values of disseminated galena and pyrite veinlets and depleted values of -4.6 ‰ for late veins of massive galena of Zawar Mala (ii) pyrite-pyrrhotite veinlet having enhanced δ34S values when compared to the PbS-ZnS veinlet in Morchia-Magra, Balaria and Baroi mines. The carbon isotopic values for carbonates of Zawar Mala mine area are mostly depleted and those from Balaria and Baroi mines exhibit values of 13C close to zero. The generally depleted δ18O clustering around -15 ‰ tally well with the reported Paleoproterozoic carbonates and is attributed to the post-depositional equilibration reactions with isotopically light meteoric waters.

It is summarized that the host carbonates for Zn-Pb deposits occurring in different tectono-stratigraphic units in Rajasthan have largely similar but bimodal distribution of δ18O and δ13C isotopic ratios that suggest normal marine values and much depleted values. Whereas the former seems to be in general agreement with the nature of distribution in the Palaeoproterozoic carbonates the latter is attributed to (i) depositional conditions of the basins that includes absence or presence of biogenic activity (ii) isotopic re-equilibration under different metamorphic recrystallization events and/or (iii) interaction with isotopically lighter meteoric waters. In contrast to the uniformity in the C and O distribution pattern, the S-isotopic distribution in the deposits of Rampura-Agucha, Bethumni-Rajpura-Darbia and Zawar mine areas show marked variations reflecting complex deposit-specific ore-forming processes in the said deposits.