A study of sulfur isotopes in determining the genesis of Goynuk and Celaldagi desandre Pb-Zn deposits, eastern Yahyali, Kayseri, Central Turkey

Abstract

Pb-Zn deposits are widespread and common in various part of the Taurus Belt. Most of the deposits are related to faults in limestones and dolomitic limestones. Goynuk and Celaldagi Desandre deposits are typical of those found in the Yahyali district of the Aladag region, located northwest of the eastern Taurus. The concordant nature of these deposits with wall rocks differentiates them from other deposits in the same region. The following typical important features characterize the concordant and fault-related deposits: (1) the absence of any rocks indicating magmatic activity, (2) no evidence of thermochemical changes along the ore body-wall rocks contact, (3) the presence of a simple mineral assemblage in the paragenesis, (4) the presence of marcasite, reflecting the low temperature occurrence, (5) considerable carbonatization and sulfatization, and (6) the higher abundance of Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni and Co in wall/host rocks compared with those in the unaltered limestones. The delta S-34 values for galena are within the range of -0.5 to 0.9 parts per thousand (n = 10, Mean = 0.17 +/- 0.49) for Goynuk and 8.4 to 10.9 parts per thousand (n = 10, Mean = 9.28 +/- 0.75) for Celaldagi Desandre. The origin of sulfur in Celaldagi Desandre is probably seawater, whereas Goynuk reflects the complete reduction of seawater sulfate within a closed basen. The concordant Pb-Zn deposits in the Aladag region are carbonate-hosted deposits. These were probably associated with rifting processes in the Eastern Mediterranean prior to the Early-Middle Triassic. The fault related deposits formed from leaching, transportation and re-deposition of the concordant deposits by seawater within fault zones. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.