Ore facies, ore horizons and genesis of the Gol-e-Zard sedeimentary-exhalative (SEDEX) zinc-lead, Lorestan province

The Gol-e-Zard zinc-lead deposit is located in the Malayer-Isfahan belt of Sanandaj-Sirjan zone in northeast of Aligudarz, Lorestan province. Mineralization occurred as two different ore horizon within metamorphosed Jurassic shale and sandstone. Generally, two ore facieses were distinguished in the deposit: 1) vein-veinlet/stringer facies, and 2) bedded facies. Primary minerals of the ores involve pyrite, sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite, and the secondary minerals include cerussite, smithsonite, azurite, malachite and goethite. The gangue minerals are quarts, chlorite, calcite and clay-mineral. In the stringer facies, chalcopyrite replaced mainly pyrite and other minerals indicating influx of a copper-rich hot fluid influx into a pyrite-rich ore called as “zone-refining process”. In the Gol-e-Zard deposit metal and mineralogical zonation was observed. Alteration zones have distinct pattern, silicic-carbonatic at core to chloritic at margins. Based on textures and structures, mineralogical, ore facies, alterations and geochemical characters, the zinc-lead mineralization in the Gol-e-Zard region is of Selwyn-type sedimentary-exhalative (SEDEX) deposits, deformed and metamorphosed by the Late Cimmerian and Laramid Orogenies at green schist facies.