The impact of lithological variability of reservoir rocks on the quality parameters of the Cu-Ag deposit, Lubin–Głogów Copper District (LGCD)

Abstract

The article discusses the lithological and facies development of the copper ore deposit in the Fore-Sudetic Monocline in the so-called depression at the top of the Weissliegend. The lithological variability and quality parameters of the deposit in the exploitation field located between the Central and Northern elevations of Rudna, where the deposit profile is described as “typical”, i.e. the Cu-Ag mineralization occurs in all three basic lithological types of copper ore, is analyzed. The lithological variability of ores in depression zones is the reason why the degree of mineralization and the parameters of the economic deposit are highly variable. The authors focused on the mutual relationships between the neighbouring lithological units and the development of the balance deposit. To illustrate the variability of deposit parameters closely related to the lithological and facies development of the host rocks, three-dimensional lithological and geochemical models and isoline maps of the thickness of individual specific copper ore types were made using geostatistical methods and based on field observations and sampling of the deposit.