Aleksandar Pačevski

Mineralogy and genetic characteristics of the Rudnik Pb-Zn/Cu,Ag,Bi,W polymetallic deposit (Central Serbia) - New occurrence of Pb(Ag)Bi sulfosalts

The mineral aschamalmite, of heyrovskyite-like composition, but different in structure, from the Rudnik Pb–Zn/Cu,Ag,Bi,W polymetallic deposit in the central part of Serbia has been investigated. This polymetallic deposit includes over 90 hydrothermal and skarn-replacement orebody types, primarily hosted by Cretaceous sediments and occassionally by Oligocene dykes and sills of dacitic composition, and contact-metamorphic-metasomatic rocks. These rocks are host to an assemblage of pyrrhotite, colloform pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, arsenopyrite, native bismuth and scheelite as well as minor pyrite, sphalerite, bismuthinite, argentopentlandite, and native silver. The chemical composition of the ore is very complex, where weight contents of valuable metals range as follows (%): Zn 0.49–4.49; Pb 0.90–5.66; Cu 0.08–2.18; WO 3 0.05–1.18; Ag 0.005–0.030; Bi 0.005–0.081; and Cd 0.002–0.016. In reflected light, aschamalmite is optically anisotropic, with moderately high bireflectance ranging from slightly greenish to slightly gray. Electron-microprobe analysis gave an average crystallochemical formulae of (Pb 5.82 Ag 0.20 ) Σ6.02 Bi 2.03 (S 8.93 Te 0.02 Se 0.01 ) Σ8.96 . The strongest diffraction maximums of the X-ray powder pattern [ d (in A)(I)] are 3.419(100), 3.382(92), and 3.334(66). Monoclinic unit cell parameters are a =13.727(7); b =4.122(3); c =31.32(2) A; β =90.72(5) o ; and V =1771.8(1) A 3 . Mineral assemblages and genesis of the Rudnik polymetallic deposit are discussed in detail and the sulfobismuthite mineralization has been compared with similar well-known global deposits.

Occurrence of Sn-Bearing colusite in the ore-body “T” of the Bor copper deposit, Serbia

The ore body “T” is the newly discovered massive-pyrite type one which is located in the central part of the Bor copper mine. The main copper minerals are chalcocite-digenite, covellite and enargite. Small amounts of colusite are frequently present in the ore-body. It mostly occurs as the distinct exsolutions in digenite and, associating with enargite and covellite. Composition of the studied colusite shows enriched Sn content, giving an empirical formula from Cu24.7V1.8Fe0.2As5.1Sb0.2Sn0.8S32 to Cu26.7V2.0Fe0.3As3.0Sb0.3Sn3.5S32. This colusite represents a solid solution between colusite and nekrasovite within a range of 14–54 mol % nekrasovite. Most of the analyses show content of <50 mol % nekrasovite corresponding to the Sn-bearing colusite variety, while one analysis shows content of 54 mol % nekrasovite corresponding to the As-bearing nekrasovite.

Crystal Structure and Chemical Composition of Ludwigite from Vranovac Ore Deposit （Boranja Mountain, Serbia）

: The crystal structure of ludwigite from Vranovac ore deposit (Boranja Mt., Serbia) was refined using the X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) Rietveld method in the space group Pbam to a final RB=7.45% and RF=5.26%. It has the unit cell dimensions of: a= 9.2515(2) A; b= 12.3109(2) A; c= 3.03712 (7) A; and V= 345.91(1) A3. The calculated distances and angles are mostly in good agreement with the Mg2+-Fe2+ substitutions across the M(1) and M(3) sites, as well as with the Fe3+-Al3+ replacement in the M(4) site. However, the mean observed M(2)-O distance is considerably shorter than prescribed, due to a slight increase of the Fe3+ content in the M(2) site. Such replacement was compensated by slight increase of the Fe2+ content in the M(4) site, resulting in the (Mg1.48Fe2+0.46Fe3+0.05Mn0.02)2.01 (Fe3+0.94Fe2+0.04Al0.02)1.00B1.00O5 composition. The formation temperature was estimated to be about 500–600°C. The influences of the various chemical compositions to the crystallographic parameters, M-O distances, M(3) and M(4) sites shift, distortion parameters and estimated valences, were also studied and compared with other reference samples.