Biotite and amphibole geobarometer as an indicator of exploration potential for Cu-Fe deposits in the Panah-Kuh skarn, West of Yazd

The intrusion of Panah-Kuh granodiorite-quartz diorite stock into the limestone-dolomite of the Jamal Formation has led to the skarn formation in the Panah-Kuh area. Skarns have formed in direct contact with intrusions in carbonate rocks. The Panah-Kuh granitic rocks are mainly metaluminous, calc-alkaline with I-type granitoid characteristics. Biotite and amphibole phenocrysts are the most abundant hydrous mineral in the Panah-Kuh granite. Chemical analysis of biotite and amphibole in granitic rocks in Panah-Kuh shows that the total Al (TAl) content of them can be used as a useful indicator for distinguishing between mineralized and nonmineralized granitic rocks. A good positive correlation is showed between the TAl content and the formation pressure of the granitic rocks estimated by biotite and hornblende geobarometers. These facts suggest that the TAl content of biotite and hornblende can be used to estimate the solidification pressure of the granitic rocks. According to the obtained biotite and amphibole geobarometers, it is estimated that Panah-Kuh Fe-Cu skarn deposit was formed at pressures of 1-2 kb similar to Yaguki, Kamaishi and Tanazawa Fe-Cu deposits in Japan. Therefore, biotite and amphibole geobarometers of granitic rocks may be a useful indicator in the exploration of skarn ore deposits related to granitic rocks.