Mineral Deposits of Central Europe

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Deposits".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2019) | Viewed by 61330

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Mineralogical Institute, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University, Welfengarten 1, D-30167 Hannover, Germany
Interests: economic geology; technical mineralogy; applied sedimentology-geomorphology; archeo-metallurgy; pegmatites; placers; clay minerals; supergene alteration; actuo-geology; ore geology strategic elements
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Guest Editor
Department of Geosciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø,Dramsvegen 201, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway

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Guest Editor
Mineral Raw Materials and Energy Resources Department, Polish Geological Institute–National Research Institute, 4 Rakowiecka Street, 00-975 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: ore geology; economic geology; geochemistry; mineralogy; geochronology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After more than two thousand years of mining in Central Europe, many of the metallic deposits can no longer be worked for the classical metals Fe, Pb, Ag, Cu and Sn. They are no longer competitive on a global scale and a different element spectrum encompassing REE, Ge, In, Ga, Nb/Ta, Sc, Li and Co is required by the new technologies. Mineral deposits operated for industrial minerals in Europe still rank very highly in the raw material supply. The Special Issue devoted to “Mineral deposits in Central Europe” offers a forum to present the geological features of the traditional mining regions in Central Europe as well as new discoveries, exploration models, and processing and application techniques related to high-tech metals and to the varied spectrum of non-metallic commodities such as clay minerals, silica raw materials, volcanic rocks and lightweight aggregates. Ornamental stones and gemstones, highly estimated for their aesthetic value are not excluded. The regional constraints of the study area may be deduced from the mineral and resources map on the scale 1: 2 500 000 published within the scope of the most recent overview of fossil fuels, ore and industrial minerals in Central Europe by Dill et al. (2008).

Prof. Dr. Harald G. Dill
Prof. Dr. Sabina Strmic Palinkas
Prof. Dr. Stanisław Z. Mikulski
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Classical base metals
  • electronic/strategic elements
  • industrial minerals
  • ornamental stones
  • exploration models
  • processing
  • Central Europe

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

47 pages, 11738 KiB  
Article
Trace Element Distributions in the Zn-Pb (Mississippi Valley-Type) and Cu-Ag (Kupferschiefer) Sediment-Hosted Deposits in Poland
by Stanisław Z. Mikulski, Sławomir Oszczepalski, Katarzyna Sadłowska, Andrzej Chmielewski and Rafał Małek
Minerals 2020, 10(1), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10010075 - 17 Jan 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6535
Abstract
We applied geochemical (ICP-MS, WD-XRF, GFAAS, and AMA 254) and mineralogical (EPMA) studies of 137 samples to ore mineralization from Middle-Triassic sediment-hosted Zn-Pb (Mississippi Valley-type MVT) and Lower Zechstein sediment-hosted stratiform (SSC) Cu-Ag (Kupferschiefer-type) deposits in Poland. They contain a number of trace [...] Read more.
We applied geochemical (ICP-MS, WD-XRF, GFAAS, and AMA 254) and mineralogical (EPMA) studies of 137 samples to ore mineralization from Middle-Triassic sediment-hosted Zn-Pb (Mississippi Valley-type MVT) and Lower Zechstein sediment-hosted stratiform (SSC) Cu-Ag (Kupferschiefer-type) deposits in Poland. They contain a number of trace elements which are not recovered during the ore processing. Only Cu, Ag, Pb, Ni, Re, Se, Au, and PGE are extracted from Cu-Ag deposits while Zn and Pb are the only elements produced from Zn-Pb deposits. Zn-Pb deposits contain Cd, Ag, Ga, and Ba in slightly elevated concentrations and have potential to be mineral resources. This applies to a lesser extent to other trace elements (Bi, As, Hf, Tl, Sb, Se, and Re). However, only Cd and Ag show high enrichment factors indicative of potential for recovery. The bulk-rock analyses reveal strong correlations between Zn and Cd and Se, As and Mo, and weaker correlations between Ag and Cd, as well as Ga and Zn. Electron microprobe analyses of sphalerite revealed high concentrations of Cd (≤2.6 wt%) and Ag (≤3300 ppm). Zn-Pb deposits have fairly significant estimated resources of Ga and Sc (>1000 tons) and Cd (>10,000 tons). The Cu-Ag deposits have element signatures characterized by high values of Co, V, Ni, and Mo and much lower of Bi, As, Cd, Hg, Mo, Sb, and Tl. Bulk-rock analyses show strong correlations between Se and V; As and Co; Bi and Re; and weaker correlations between, for example, Cu and Mo; V, Ni, Ag and Mo; and Ni, V, and Co and Ni. The EPMA determinations reveal strong enrichments of Ag in Cu sulfides (geerite ≤ 10.1 wt %, chalcocite ≤ 6.28 wt %, bornite ≤ 3.29 wt %, djurleite ≤ 9080 ppm, yarrowite ≤ 6614 ppm, and digenite ≤ 3545 ppm). Silver minerals and alloys, as well as the native Ag and Au, were recorded in the Cu-Ag ores. Large resources of Co, V, and Ni (>100,000 tons) and Sc and Mo (>10,000 tons) are notable in Cu-Ag deposits. A number of trace elements, classified as critical for the economy of the European Union, including Ga and Ba (to a lesser extent Hf, Nb, and Sc) in Zn-Pb deposits, and Co and V in the Cu-Ag deposits, may eventually be recovered in the future from the studied deposits if proper ore-processing circuits and increasing demand are favorable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Deposits of Central Europe)
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38 pages, 8612 KiB  
Article
Origin of Talc and Fe-Ti-V Mineralization in the Kletno Deposit (the Śnieżnik Massif, SW Poland)
by Grzegorz Gil, Piotr Gunia, Jaime D. Barnes, Michał Szymański, Petras Jokubauskas, Anna Kalbarczyk-Gil and Bogusław Bagiński
Minerals 2020, 10(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10010013 - 22 Dec 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5516
Abstract
The Kletno deposit in the Śnieżnik Massif (Central Sudetes, SW Poland), mined for Fe, U, Ag, Cu, fluorite, and marble through the ages, developed at the contact of marbles and orthogneiss. Here, we present a new Fe-Ti-V-ore (containing up to 14.07 wt. % [...] Read more.
The Kletno deposit in the Śnieżnik Massif (Central Sudetes, SW Poland), mined for Fe, U, Ag, Cu, fluorite, and marble through the ages, developed at the contact of marbles and orthogneiss. Here, we present a new Fe-Ti-V-ore (containing up to 14.07 wt. % Fe, 2.05 wt. % Ti, and 2055 ppm V in bulk rock) and ornamental- to gem-quality talc prospect at the southwest margin of this deposit. This newly documented Fe-Ti-V mineralization is hosted in hornblendites, dolomite veins, and chlorite schists, which, along with talc, envelopes a tectonic slice of serpentinite. Hornblendites are interpreted as metamorphosed ferrogabbros, derived from the same mafic melts as adjacent barren metagabbros. The oxygen and carbon isotope compositions of metabasites and dolomite veins (amphibole δ18O values = 8.8–9.3‰; carbonate δ18O values = 12.8–16.0‰, and δ13C values = −8.3‰ to −7.2‰), in combination with those of the country marbles (carbonate δ18O and δ13C values = 23.2‰ and +0.1‰, respectively), suggest that mineralization-bearing hornblendites formed due to interaction of the mafic magma with CO2 released during the decarbonation of the sediments. The CO2-bearing fluid interaction with gabbros likely caused carbonation of the gabbros and formation of the dolomite veins, whereas talc formed due to Si-rich fluids, possibly derived from a mafic intrusion, interaction with serpentinite, or due to the metasomatism of the serpentinite–gabbro assemblage. Moreover, fluids leaching Fe and Ti from the adjacent sediments can mix with the mafic magma causing enrichment of the magma in Fe and Ti. Consequently, the mineralization-bearing ferrogabbros became even more enriched in Fe and Ti, which can be linked with the formation of Fe-Ti-V ore bodies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Deposits of Central Europe)
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23 pages, 4991 KiB  
Article
New Constraints on the Main Mineralization Event Inferred from the Latest Discoveries in the Bor Metallogenetic Zone (BMZ, East Serbia)
by Miodrag Banješević, Vladica Cvetković, Albrecht von Quadt, Darivojka Ljubović Obradović, Nebojša Vasić, Aleksandar Pačevski and Irena Peytcheva
Minerals 2019, 9(11), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9110672 - 31 Oct 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3915
Abstract
This study aims at better constraining the link between magmatism and metallogeny in the south-easternmost sector of the Bor Metallogenetic Zone (BMZ), where the world-class copper and gold deposit of Čukaru Peki was recently discovered. The obtained U/Pb zircon ages confirm the earlier [...] Read more.
This study aims at better constraining the link between magmatism and metallogeny in the south-easternmost sector of the Bor Metallogenetic Zone (BMZ), where the world-class copper and gold deposit of Čukaru Peki was recently discovered. The obtained U/Pb zircon ages confirm the earlier knowledge that the major Cu–Au porphyry and epithermal mineralization in the BMZ is genetically related to the first volcanic phase (‘Timok andesite’; 85–90 Ma). However, the data also suggest that during this phase, two subgroups of andesite porphyry were formed; they are named volcanic phase 1A (V1A) and volcanic phase 1B (V1B). The V1A andesite (89–90 Ma) is plagioclase-hornblende phyric, holocrystalline and ubiquitously hydrothermally altered and/or mineralized, whereas the V1B (85–86 Ma) is hornblende-plagioclase phyric, holo- to hypocrystalline, fresh, and non-mineralized. According to our simplified model, the contrasting productivity of the V1A and V1B is explained by fluctuations during AFC (assimilation-fractional crystallization) processes of water-rich parental magma, which have controlled the order of crystallization of hornblende and plagioclase in the V1A and V1B andesite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Deposits of Central Europe)
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17 pages, 9765 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Diatomaceous Earth and Halloysite Resources of Poland
by Marcin Lutyński, Piotr Sakiewicz and Sylwia Lutyńska
Minerals 2019, 9(11), 670; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9110670 - 31 Oct 2019
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 10433
Abstract
The mining industry of Poland is based mostly on coal and copper ores. Strict carbon emissions and the depletion of deposits will slowly phase out coal. Therefore, metallic ores and other mineral raw materials will dominate the extractive industry of Poland. Current measured [...] Read more.
The mining industry of Poland is based mostly on coal and copper ores. Strict carbon emissions and the depletion of deposits will slowly phase out coal. Therefore, metallic ores and other mineral raw materials will dominate the extractive industry of Poland. Current measured resources of the largest deposits of halloysite and diatomaceous earth in Poland are over 0.5 Mt and 10 Mt, respectively. Halloysite and diatomaceous earth samples from halloysite Dunino deposits and Jawornik diatomaceous earth deposits (composed mostly of diatomaceous skeletons (frustules)) were subjected to mineralogical analysis, scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) nanostructural, chemical, elemental, and mineral content analysis. Both these minerals have similar properties, i.e., sorption capacity and cation exchange capacity, and are used mostly for the same purposes, e.g., adsorbents, filler material, and filtration. Samples of Dunino halloysite consist of minerals such as halloysite, kaolinite, hematite, magnetite, quartz, magnesioferrite, rutile, ilmenite, geikielite, goyazite, gorceixite, and crandallite, with little impurities in the form of iron oxides. Occasionally, halloysite nanoplates (HNP) nanotubes (HNT) were found. Diatomaceous earth is composed mainly of silica-containing phases (quartz, opal) and clay minerals (illite and kaolinite). The frustules of diatoms are mostly centric (discoid) and have radius values of approximately 50–60 μm. Large resources of these minerals could be used in the future either for manufacturing composite materials or highly advanced adsorbents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Deposits of Central Europe)
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42 pages, 21148 KiB  
Article
The Kupferschiefer Deposits and Prospects in SW Poland: Past, Present and Future
by Sławomir Oszczepalski, Stanisław Speczik, Krzysztof Zieliński and Andrzej Chmielewski
Minerals 2019, 9(10), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9100592 - 28 Sep 2019
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 19731
Abstract
Polish sediment-hosted stratiform copper deposits associated with Zechstein sediments are one of the country’s most valuable natural resources and the basis for its copper industry. The paper presents the history of their research and current exploration. Although documented deposits and their identified resources [...] Read more.
Polish sediment-hosted stratiform copper deposits associated with Zechstein sediments are one of the country’s most valuable natural resources and the basis for its copper industry. The paper presents the history of their research and current exploration. Although documented deposits and their identified resources are described and characterized, much attention is paid to areas located outside of them, including those where geological exploration is currently underway. The gradual depletion of shallow Cu–Ag reserves in the Lubin-Sieroszowice district and elsewhere in the world requires exploration for deeper-seated deposits. To expand resources, time span and scale of copper production in Poland, exploration and definition of new prospects is of great importance. Thirty-five prospective areas with hypothetical and speculative resources have been delineated in SW Poland, including the most prospective areas adjacent to the Cu–Ag Lubin-Sieroszowice deposit. The paper also focuses on those parts of the Fore-Sudetic Monocline where new copper deposits were recently identified. Their resources are described along with the methodology of establishing their boundaries, which differs from recommended Polish threshold parameters not taking into account the depths exceeding 1500 m. Intelligent modern mining and ore processing technologies are considered as a prerequisite for future profitable development of deposits at deeper levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Deposits of Central Europe)
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12 pages, 4639 KiB  
Article
Geological Mapping and Characterization of Possible Primary Input Materials for the Mineral Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide in Europe
by Dario Kremer, Simon Etzold, Judith Boldt, Peter Blaum, Klaus M. Hahn, Hermann Wotruba and Rainer Telle
Minerals 2019, 9(8), 485; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9080485 - 13 Aug 2019
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 13849
Abstract
This work investigates the possible mineral input materials for the process of mineral sequestration through the carbonation of magnesium or calcium silicates under high pressure and high temperatures in an autoclave. The choice of input materials that are covered by this study represents [...] Read more.
This work investigates the possible mineral input materials for the process of mineral sequestration through the carbonation of magnesium or calcium silicates under high pressure and high temperatures in an autoclave. The choice of input materials that are covered by this study represents more than 50% of the global peridotite production. Reaction products are amorphous silica and magnesite or calcite, respectively. Potential sources of magnesium silicate containing materials in Europe have been investigated in regards to their availability and capability for the process and their harmlessness concerning asbestos content. Therefore, characterization by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and QEMSCAN® was performed to gather information before the selection of specific material for the mineral sequestration. The objective of the following carbonation is the storage of a maximum amount of CO2 and the utilization of products as pozzolanic material or as fillers for the cement industry, which substantially contributes to anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The characterization of the potential mineral resources for mineral sequestration in Europe with a focus on the forsterite content led to a selection of specific input materials for the carbonation tests. The mineralogical analysis of an Italian olivine sample before and after the carbonation process states the reasons for the performed evaluation. The given data serves as an example of the input material suitability of all the collected mineral samples. Additionally, the possible conversion of natural asbestos occurring in minerals as a side effect of the carbonation process is taken into consideration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Deposits of Central Europe)
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