KUSHK ZINC-LEAD DEPOSIT A TYPICAL BLACK-SHALE-HOSTED DEPOSIT IN YAZD STATE, IRAN

Abstract

Kushk zinc- lead deposit is located about 167 km east of the city of Yazd, Iran. The geographical location of the mine is 31°, 40' N and 55", 40' E. Different rock types including volcanics and subvolcanics (rhyolites, rhyodacites, dacites, and rhyolitic tuffs) and sedimentary rocks (shale, limestones and dolomites) crop out in the area. Mineralization of the deposit occurs in black shale of the late Precambrian time. The paragenetic sequence of the minerals indicates two stages of mineralization for lead minerals (galena) and one stage for zinc minerals (sphalerite). The Kushk deposit bears several similarities to the base metal deposits related to submarine volcanisms and sedimentation. The deposit is hosted by black shale and is proposed to be similar to the Rarnrnelsberg (Germany) and Sullivan (British Colombia, Canada) deposits. The Kushk deposit is believed to be associated with the evolution of Protrozoic continental rifting in Iran and the mineralization in this deposit passes gradually outward into an iron rich sulfide zone which is the case in Sullivan-type deposits