Mise en évidence d'une tectonique compressive Éocène-Oligocène dans l'Ouest de la Cordillère orientale de Colombie, d'après la structure en duplex des gisements d'émeraude de Muzo et de Coscuez (Evidence for an Eocene-Oligocene compressive tectonics in the western part of Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, from the duplex structure of the Muzo and Coscuez emerald deposits)

The structures of the emerald deposits of the western part of Eastern Cordillera of Colombia (thrusts, ramps, duplexes, tear faults) have been formed by three deformational events forming a single thrust-tectonics phase, synchronous with the emerald-forming hydrothermalism. As this hydrothermalism is Late Eocene-Early Oligocene in age, it is also the age of the thrust tectonics

Epigenesis versus syngenesis: a contribution to the debate based on the stratiform tungsten skarn,nnineralizations of Djebel Aouam, central Morocco1

Abstract. Stratiform scheelite-biotite banded mineralizations in the polymetallic W-Pb-Zn-Ag district of Djebel Aouam, central Morocco, are interpreted as skarn bodies resulting from a two-stage process: (1) Metamorphic reactions in interbedded pelitic and impure limestone layers produce a characteristic zonation by cation exchange; (2) Later infiltration of hydrothermal fluids causes the replacement of the previously constituted calc-silicate layers and the formation of the stratiform tungsten mineralization. This stratiform skarn development occurs away from the granitic contact

BEHAVIOUR OF REE DURING THERMAL METAMORPHISM AND HYDROTHERMAL INFILTRATION ASSOCIATED WITH CENTRAL MOROCCO* SKARN AND VEIN-TYPE TUNGSTEN ORE BODIES IN

Abstract Giuliani, G., Cheilletz, A. and Mechiche, M:, 1987. Behaviour of REE during thermal metamorphism and hydrothermal infiltration associated with Skarn and vein-type tungsten ore bodies in central Morocco. Chem. Geol., 6 4 279-294. The analysis of REE in tungsten ore bodies and surrounding rocks from Paleozoic schist-sandstone and limestone series in central Morocco shows two kinds of behaviour: (1) no significant modification of lanthanide distribution occurs during thermal and hydrothermal metamorphic events; and (2) important variations of REE patterns characterize highly infiltrated and mineralized samples corresponding to the mixing of scheelite and wall-rock spectra. A water/rock ratio of N 2.4 is estimated for the paleogeothermal continental system. By comparison of REE patterns, hydrothermal mineralizing fluids are assumed to be derived from blind evolved late acidic magmas rather than from outcropping Aouam granitic stocks

Isotopic and geochemical constraints on lead and fluid sources of the Pb-Zn-Ag mineralization in the polymetallic Tighza-Jbel Aouam district (central Morocco), and relationships with the geodynamic context

International audienceThe Wsingle bondAu, Pbsingle bondZnsingle bondAg, and Sbsingle bondBa mineralizations of the polymetallic Tighza-Jbel Aouam district (central Meseta, Morocco), are hosted in Paleozoic rocks surrounding late-Carboniferous granitic stocks. The Pbsingle bondZnsingle bondAg Tighza deposit formed at 254 ± 16 Ma, and is clearly disconnected from the late-Variscan Wsingle bondAu deposit (295-280 Ma). The Pbsingle bondZnsingle bondAg mineralization precipitated from a complex hydrothermal fluid. It displays air-normalized 3He/4He ratio (0.018–0.103) typical of the upper crust. This crustal component is confirmed by the oxygen and carbon isotope compositions (δ18O = +19 to +25‰; δ13C = −3.6 to −11.2‰) and the ɛNd values (−4.84 to −9.01) of gangue carbonates, which show mixing of (i) fluids that have interacted with late-Carboniferous magmatic rocks, and (ii) fluids in equilibrium with the Paleozoic metasediments. In addition, the Pbsingle bondZnsingle bondAg mineralization has 40Ar/36Ar values in the range 284–315 typical of a meteoric fluid. The radiogenic Pb isotopic compositions (207Pb/204Pb = 15.70–15.80 and 206Pb/204Pb = 18.30–18.50) suggest leaching of Pb from the surrounding Paleozoic metasediments and late-Variscan granites, whereas the low radiogenic signatures (207Pb/204Pb = 15.40 and 206Pb/204Pb = 18.05) provide evidence of a deeper source attributed to the lower crust.Crustal thinning related to extensional tectonics in late-Permian and Early-Triassic lead to high-K calc-alkaline to alkaline magmatic activity, which is evidenced by a dense SW-NE-trending dike network that pre-dated the Atlantic Ocean opening (early Liassic times). This magmatic event induced a regional heat flux increase that triggered the circulation of a complex hydrothermal fluid, which has a strong crustal component, but also a meteoric and a lower crustal components. The polymetallic district of Tighza-Jbel Aouam thus results from superposition of an intrusion related porphyry-gold mineralization (Wsingle bondAu, 286 Ma) followed by a Pbsingle bondZnsingle bondAg epithermal mineralization (254 Ma), during two distinct magmatic-hydrothermal events.The proposed metallogenic model for the Pbsingle bondZnsingle bondAg Tighza-Jbel Aouam deposit provides new constraints for the Pbsingle bondZnsingle bondAg exploration in the Moroccan Meseta. Exploration targets must take into account the following geological features: (i) Permo-triassic high-K calk-alkaline to alkaline dikes, (ii) extensional tectonics and reactivation of ancient crust-scale faults and shear zones, and (iii) Paleozoic series containing organic matter (e.g., black shales) subjected to low grade metamorphism (e.g., greenschist facies)