Mineralogical, chemical, and crystallographic properties of supergene jarosite-group minerals from the Xitieshan Pb-Zn sulfide deposit, northern Tibetan Plateau, China
Mineralogy and Petrology
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Abstract
Supergene jarosite-group minerals are widespread in weathering profiles overlying Pb-Zn sulfide ores at Xitieshan, northern Tibetan Plateau, China. They consist predominantly of K-deficient natrojarosite, with lesser amounts of K-rich natrojarosite and plumbojarosite. Electron microprobe (EMP) analyses, scanning electron microcopy (SEM) investigation, and X-ray mapping reveal that the jarosite-group minerals are characterized by spectacular oscillatory zoning composed of alternating growth bands of K-deficient and K-bearing natrojarosite (K2O >1 wt.%). Plumbojarosite, whenever present, occurs as an overgrowth in the outermost bands, and its composition can be best represented by K0.29Na0.19Pb0.31Fe2.66Al0.22(SO4)1.65(PO4)0.31(AsO4)0.04(OH)7.37. The substitution of monovalent for divalent cations at the A site of plumbojarosite is charge balanced by the substitution of five-valent for six-valent anions in XO,4/sub> at the X site. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of representative samples reveal mass losses of 11.46 wt.% at 446.6 °C and 21.42 wt.% at 683.4 °C due to dehydroxylation and desulfidation, respectively. TGA data also indicate that the natrojarosite structure collapses at 446.6 °C, resulting in the formation of NaFe(SO4)2 and minor hematite. The decomposition products of NaFe(SO4) are hematite and Na,2SO4. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses show that the jarosite-group minerals have mean unit-cell parameters of a=7.315 ä and c=016.598 ä. XRD and EMP data support the view that substitutions of Na for K in the A site and full Fe occupancy in the B site can considerably decrease the unit-cell parameter c, but only slightly increase a. The results from this study suggest that the observed oscillatory zoning of jarosite-group minerals at Xitieshan resulted mainly from substitutions of K for Na at the A site and P for S at the X site.
Suggested Citation
Chen, L., Li, J., Rye, R.O., Benzel, W., Lowers, H., He, M., 2013, Mineralogical, chemical, and crystallographic properties of supergene jarosite-group minerals from the Xitieshan Pb-Zn sulfide deposit, northern Tibetan Plateau, China: Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 107, no. 4, p. 487-499, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00710-012-0258-y.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Mineralogical, chemical, and crystallographic properties of supergene jarosite-group minerals from the Xitieshan Pb-Zn sulfide deposit, northern Tibetan Plateau, China |
| Series title | Mineralogy and Petrology |
| DOI | 10.1007/s00710-012-0258-y |
| Volume | 107 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Publication Date | December 18, 2012 |
| Year Published | 2013 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Contributing office(s) | Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center |
| Description | 13 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Mineralogy and Petrology |
| First page | 487 |
| Last page | 499 |
| Country | China |
| Other Geospatial | Tibetan Plateau |