Advanced Applied Geology

Advanced Applied Geology

Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Formation Processes of the Marouiyeh Sedimentary Copper Deposit, Mahan, Southeast Kerman

Authors
Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
Abstract
The Marouiyeh sedimentary copper deposit, located 50 km southeast of Kerman and 10 km east of Mahan, lies within the Central Iran structural zone. The host rocks consist of Late Jurassic sandstone, shale, and localized gypsum occurrences. Copper-bearing minerals include malachite, azurite, chalcopyrite, bornite, and neotocite. Primary mineralization occurs where red sandstones and shales transition to greenish-gray sandstones and shales or in areas containing plant fossil traces. Microscopic analyses reveal that the sandstones are predominantly litharenite and sublitharenite, composed of quartz, chert, volcanic rock fragments, feldspar, opaque minerals, muscovite, sericite, biotite, chlorite, iron oxides, and siliceous to partially calcitic cement. Geochemical studies indicate an average copper grade of 1.34%, with host rocks exhibiting intense chemical weathering under warm, humid climatic conditions. During early diagenesis, the decomposition of organic matter produced humic acids, facilitating the hydrolysis of silicate minerals and releasing metal ions into an oxidizing fluid. The dissolution of evaporite minerals increased fluid salinity and chloride content, promoting the formation of metal-bearing chloride complexes. As these oxidizing fluids migrated through permeable sandstone layers and encountered organic-rich, reducing layers, interaction with reduced fluids destabilized the chloride complexes, leading to copper precipitation.
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Subjects

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