Vein Formation and Mineralization of the Sambo Pb-Zn-Barite Deposit, South Korea

Abstract

The Sambo Pb-Zn-Barite deposit belongs to a fissure filling vein type. The present study represents that the mineralized stages are classified into the four (I, II, III and IV). Major constituent minerals of each stage are as follows: quartz and sulfides (stage I), barite (stage II), quartz and sulfides (stage III) and quartz (stage IV). The ranges of filling temperature of fluid inclusions for stages I and III are very similar (90•‹ to 300•Ž for stage I and 120•‹ to 310•Ž for stage III), while the range for stage II (110•‹ to 260•Ž) is slightly lower than those for stages I and III. However, the salinity for stage II (8.7 to 11.8 wt% NaCl eq.) is higher than those for stage I (1.1 to 5.1 wt% NaCl eq.) and stage III (2.3 to 5.7 wt% NaCl eq.). The higher salinity for stage II (barite-forming stage) suggests the possibility of mixing of original fluid with high saline, Ba-rich solution (probably connate water origin). And the mixing may be responsible for the slightly lower range of filling temperature for stage II than those for stages I and III. Stage IV, the latest stage, shows the lowest range of filling temperature (110•‹ to 170•Ž).