Ore paragenesis of the Tajo Vein, Paramillos de Uspallata ore deposit, Mendoza Province, Argentina
Acta Geológica Lilloana 25(1-2)2013
Keywords:
Ore paragenesis, mineral chemistry, Tajo Vein, Paramillos de Uspallata ore deposit, Precordillera of Mendoza ProvinceAbstract
The Tajo Vein is part of the Paramillos de Uspallata ore de- posit (32°28’29.6”S; 69°08’46”W) that is located in the Western Precordillera of Mendoza Province. This ore deposit consists of Pb-Zn-Ag veins hosted by Triassic-Jurassic basalts and Triassic sedimentary rocks. Mineralogical studies (optical microscopy and SEM-EDX analyses) carried out on samples from the Tajo Vein allowed the identification of an ore paragenesis consisting of Ag-galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, freibergite, boulangerite, owy- heeite, pyrite, arsenopyrite and marcasite, occurring in two mineralization stages, the first consisting of Pb-Zn-Ag-(Cu) mineralization with a carbonate gangue and the barren second one with a quartz gangue. Chemical analyses allowed to determine the composition of the ore min- erals and the Ag-bearing phases.