Paragenetic link between organic matter and late-stage ore deposition in the Sweetwater mine, Viburnum Trend, southeast Missouri
- South Carolina Geological Survey, Columbia, SC (United States)
- Tall Grass Field Studies Ltd., Salem, MO (United States)
Organic matter, herein referred to as bitumen, is commonly observed in the Mississippi Valley-type Pb-Zn deposits or the Viburnum Trend, southeast Missouri. In the mines, bitumen exudes from mine walls as a tacky liquid and occurs in vugs and openings as solid spherical blebs. In addition to solid, spherical bituminous blebs, Niewendorp (1987) described a brittle, coal-like bitumen in the Sweetwater mine, the southernmost operation in the Viburnum Trend. This bitumen's physical properties and organic chemistry indicate that it is an asphaltite similar to anthraxolite. Along the Viburnum Trend, occurrences of anthraxolite have been reported only from the Sweetwater mine. Both Marikos et al. (1986) and Henry et al. (1992) suggest that the occurrence of such bitumen is evidence for local generation within the Late Cambrian Bonneterre Dolomite which hosts the deposits. Leventhal (1990) proposed that bitumen is an alteration product of the mineralization process. This simple juxtaposition, however, does not establish a genetic link between this bitumen and the mineralizing process. This simple juxtaposition, however, does not establish a genetic link between this bitumen and the mineralizing process. In general, bitumen's emplacement is thought to be postore. To establish a genetic link, observations of modes of occurrence of bitumen and anthraxolite were carefully compiled, and anthraxolite samples were examined petrographically. In this communication, the authors cite evidence for the emplacement of bitumen with sulfides during the later stages of galena mineralization at the Sweetwater mine.
- OSTI ID:
- 5689570
- Journal Information:
- Economic Geology (plus the Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: Economic Geology (plus the Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists); (United States) Vol. 88:4; ISSN 0361-0128; ISSN ECGLAL
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
580000* -- Geosciences
BITUMENS
CAMBRIAN PERIOD
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
LEAD ORES
MINERALIZATION
MISSOURI
NORTH AMERICA
ORES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORIGIN
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PALEOZOIC ERA
PARAGENESIS
PETROGRAPHY
TAR
USA
ZINC ORES