Mineralogy and chemistry of tin and lead sulfides and sulfosalts in the Pirquitas Mine vein deposit, Jujuy, Argentina (22°41'S-66°28'W).

Abstract

The complex mineralogical paragenesis of the Pirquitas mine deposit, Rinconada department, province of Jujuy, Argentina, includes Snsulfides, Agsulfosalts, PbAg sulfosalts, Biminerals, besides pyritemarcasite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, cassiterite, sphaleritewurtzite and minor wolframite. In the Oploca sector, an important concentration of SnPb sulfosalts occurs. The latter are present as the minerals cylindrite (Pb-rich), members of the triclinic franckeite isoseries (franckeite solid solutions potosiite), teallite and the recently described new mineral species suredaite. The last mineral is one of the end members of the isoseries ottemannitesuredaite, chemically Sn₂S₃PbSnS₃ with orthorhombic symmetry. New and yet not completely characterized mineral species are 'Asfranckeite' and 'Ascylindrite'. Recent microprobe analyses indicate a pronounced chemical zoning of the above mentioned sulfosalts. The xenothermal SnAg Pirquitas vein deposit is emplaced into Ordovician pelites and quartzites of the Acoite Formation, and it is related to the Neogene calcalcaline episodes of the central Andean volcanism.