Chemical Characterization of a Mineral Deposit of Economic Interest

Abstract

Chemical and structural characterization of four representative samples of an ore deposit located in the eastern of Hidalgo State was carried out. According with the results, it could be appreciate some areas showing silicified zones with abundant amounts of disseminated pyrites that are part of a rock unit from early Jurassic consisting in inter - bedded black shales and sandstones. Thus, the contents of base metal were greater than 30 ppm Zn and 9 ppm Cu. Chemical analysis of rock gave the following results; 82 ppm of Ba, 1.64 % Wt. Fe, 0.08 % Wt. Ti, 40.8 % Wt. Si, 20 ppm of Ce, 2.2 ppm Co, 30 ppm Cr, 2.7 ppm Cs, 0.9 ppm Er, 2.5 ppm Ga, 1.6 ppm Gd, 1.5 ppm Ge, 9 ppm La, 71 ppm Li, 104 ppm Mn, 10 ppm Nd, 17 ppm Rb, 2 ppm Se, 9 ppm Sr, 10 ppm Ta, 6 ppm Te, 28 ppm V, 9 ppm Y, and 0.7 ppm Yb, among others. Finally, the values found for precious metals, were; Au < 0.02 ppm, Pd <0.05 ppm, Pt <0.05 ppm. It was inferred that the low content of base metals in outcrop studied, are due to the alteration of the black shales. According to these results, we can consider a stratiform–type mineralization of Pb-Zn which could be prospective for SEDEX–Type deposit. By means of XRD, it was possible to identify; pyrite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and minor amounts of sphalerite and Co-Ni arsenide.