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Western Karazhal |
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Kazakhstan |
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Fe
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Super Porphyry Cu and Au
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The iron deposit (mine) near Western Karazhal is located within central Kazakhstan, 50 km southwest of Zhayrem.
The deposit is hosted by a sequence that comprises:
i), an up to 1500 m thick accumulation of lower and middle Devonian trachytic and rhyolitic lavas and associated sediments, overlain by polymict sandstone, siltstone, shale and chert-clay rocks; overlain by
ii), a similar thickness of upper Devonian to lower Carboniferous sediments, commencing with a lower carbonaceous-siliceous and carbonaceous-clay-siliceous limestone with bands of siliceous jasperoid, spilites and their tuffs and lava breccias, and magnetite, hematite and manganese ore. In the middle part of this sequence there are siliceous-argillaceous-carbonate and jasperoid rocks, tuffaceous sediments and ash tuffs with subordinate limestone. The upper suite includes limestone with bands of argillite, and locally sandstone. Dykes of diorite and diorite porphyry cut the lower Carboniferous sediments (Smirnov, 1977).
The host sequence dips at 45 to 50°NW in the upper sections, steepening to 70 to 80° at depth. The ore occurs as a conformable, layered body, and can be traced over a strike length of 6500 m, and for 800 m down dip. The thickness varies from 30 to 40 m on the eastern flank, to 25 to 30 m in the central portion, but wedges out to the west and down dip. The ore layer occurs between a footwall of carbonaceous-siliceous limestone with seams of jasper, and limestones with seams of jasper in the hangingwall. In the lower sections of the ore hematite is developed, magnetite predominates in the middle parts, while low grade hematitic manganese is found in the upper sections. Further lensoid accumulation of manganese are found in the lower hematitic zone, while baritic iron ore occurs as a zone in the upper parts of the deposit (Smirnov, 1977).
The commercial ore comprises magnetite, magnetite-hematite and hematite. The principal ore minerals are hematite and magnetite; with minor siderite, barite and pyrite; and small amounts of arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and galena. The ores are banded and massive, while the textures are granular and porphyroblastic. The high grade ore averages 55.6% Fe, 0.5% MnO, 12.5% SiO2, 0.6% S, and 0.03% P (Smirnov, 1977).
Reserves quoted by Smirnov (1977) were 310 Mt of ore.
Western Karazhal is some 50 km to the south-west of the Zhayrem Zn-Pb-Cu deposit, hosted by a very similar sequence of the same age. An 'iron ore' unit also occurs in the immediate hangingwall of the Zn-Pb-Cu mineralisation at Zhayrem which was found by testing a magnetic anomaly as part of an Fe exploration program.
The most recent source geological information used to prepare this decription was dated: 1977.
This description is a summary from published sources, the chief of which are listed below.
© Copyright Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, storage or dissemination prohibited.
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Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd (PorterGeo) provides access to this database at no charge. It is largely based on scientific papers and reports in the public domain, and was current when the sources consulted were published. While PorterGeo endeavour to ensure the information was accurate at the time of compilation and subsequent updating, PorterGeo, its employees and servants: i). do not warrant, or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use of the information contained herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency, or otherwise; and ii). expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or conclusions contained herein.
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