Abstract
The Perrefitte anticlinorium district in the Paleozoïc province of the Pyrenees contains abundant mineral occurrences, prospects, and old mines in the upper volcano-sedimentary layer of the Ordovician and Devonian sediments which have been metamorphosed in the greenschist to amphibolite facies. Although of different lithologic environments, the mineralization shows, as everywhere in the Pyrenees, many common characteristics. However, the Arrens deposit outcropping over 5 km on both limbs of a syncline displays specific characteristics: abundant barite with lateral Zn (Pb) Ba zoning, exceptionally thick subreef (?) footwall limestone overlain by black siltstone, abundant Ba silicate, in particular celsianite, locally cymrite, and siliceous, sedimentary-hydrothermal gangue.
Due to deformation, such as tight folds and flow cleavage, the paleogeography of the Arrens geological environment could not be precisely reconstructed. However, the deposit is very likely located in an unstable shelf zone. Lithology underwent many changes close to the synsedimentary faults including at Arrens a limestone shelf facies and some small basins of black siltstone, at the bottom of which mineralization occurs. As all the mineralization of the Pyrenees Paleozoic, the deposit is of the exhalative or hydrothermal sedimentary type and bears some analogies with other exhalative deposits throughout the world. (The word “exhalative” is etymologically related to gases. Although “hydrothermal” is a more exact word as it pertains to hot water, “exhalative” will be used in this paper, being of most current usage.)
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aye, F., Strauss, J.K.: Identification de cymrite (Ba, Al, Si3O8 OH) dans la Province Sud-Ibérique (La Zarza, Huelva, Espagne). C.R. Acad. Sc, Paris, t. 281, 1935–1938 (1975)
Bois, J.P., Pouit, G.: Les minéralisations de Zn (Pb) de l'anticlinorium de Pierrefitte: un exemple de gisements hydrothermaux et sédimentaires associés au volcanisme dans le Paléozoïque des Pyrénées Centrales. Bull. Bur. Rech. Géol. Min., t. 2, 543–567 (1976)
Braux, Ch., Pouit, G., Alsac, Cl.: Les minéralisations Zn (Pb) stratiformes du Paléozoïque volcano-sédimentaire en bordure nord du dôme de Lys Caillaouas, Hautes Pyrénées (Vals de Lustou et d'Azet). Bull. BRGM, 2ème série, Section II, no 4, 323–331 (1979)
Carne, R.C.: Geological setting and stratiform lead-zinc-barite mineralization of Tom Claims, Mac Millan pass, Yukon territory. Depart. of Indian and Northern Affairs, 29, (1979)
Carr, G.R., Smith, J.W.: A comparative isotopic study of the Lady Loretta zinc-lead-silver deposit. Mineral. Deposita 12:105–110 (1977)
Coats, J.S., Smith, C.G., Fortey, N.J., Gallagher, M.J., May, F., McCourt, W.J.: Stratabound barium-zinc mineralization in Dalradian schist near Aberfeldy, Scotland. Inst. of Min. and Metal. Trans, 89, sect. 8: B110-B122 (1980)
Escande, B., Fortune, J.P., Permingeat, F.: Minéralisations barytiques et leurs relations avec l'encaissant dans la région de Pierrefitte-Arrens (Hautes-Pyrénées). Compte rendu de fin d'Action Concertée DGRST, 12 p., 2 annexes (1981)
Froehlich, F.: Les montagnes au Sud d'Arrens (Htes Pyrénées, zone axiale): étude géologique et métallogénique (gisements de blende, galène, barytine). Thèse 3ème cycle, Faculté des Sciences de Paris, 190 p. (1970)
Froehlich, F., Sandrea, A.: Présence de cymrite dans la minéralisation dévonienne à blende, galène, barytine d'Arrens. C.R. Acad. Sc. Paris, t. 227: 2445–2447 (1973)
Gatinot, F.: Les minéralisations plombo-zincifères du Dévonien entre Argelès-Gazost et Bagnères de Bigorre. Thèse 3ème cycle, INPL, Université de Nancy, 108 p. (1977)
Johan, Z., Oudin, E., Picot, P.: Analyses germanifères et gallifères des silicates et oxydes dans les gisements de zinc des Pyrénées Centrales. IMPM Tschermaks Min. Petr. Mitt. 31: 97–119, Berlin - Heidelberg - New York: Springer 1983
Krebs, W.: The geology of the Meggen ore deposits. Handbook of strata-bound and stratiform ore deposits, part. III, vol. 9, by K.H. Wolf, pp. 509–549 (1981)
Large, D.E.: Geological parameters associated with sediment hosted submarine exhalative Pb-Zn deposits: an empirical model for mineral exploration. Geol. Jb, D 40:59–129, Hannover 1980
Large, D.E.: Sediment-hosted submarine exhalative lead-zinc deposits: a review of their geological characteristics and genesis. Handbook of strata-bound and stratiform ore deposits, Chap. 8, vol. 9, K.H. Wolf, ed., pp. 470–506, (1981)
Loudon, A.G., Lee, M.K., Dowling, J.F., Bourn, R.: Lady Loretta silver-lead-zinc deposit. C.L. Knight, ed. Economic Geology of Australia and Papuara, New Guinea, Australia, Inst. Min. Metall., Monogr. 5:377–382 (1975)
Mac Intyre, D.G.: Geological setting of recently discovered stratiform barite-sulphide deposits in Northeast British Columbia. CIM Bull. 75:99–113 (1982)
Oudin, E., Bassez, C., Bosch, B., Jacob, C., Picot, P., Sureau, J.F.: Les minéralisations polymétalliques du Paléozoïque volcanosedimentaire des Pyrénées Centrales. Compte rendu de fin d'Action Concertée DGRST 147 p. (1979)
Oudin, E., Sureau, J.F., Ahmadzadeh, H.: Minéralogie des Pyrénées Centrales, Annexe III, Compte rendu de fin d'Action concertée DGRST, 29 p. (1982)
Pouit, G.: Gisements et volcanisme, Mém. h. sér. Soc. Géol. France, no 7:115–126 (1976)
Pouit, G.: Différents modèles de minéralisations «hydrothermales sédimentaires» à Zn (Pb) du Paléozoïque des Pyrénées Centrales. Mineral. Deposita 13:411–421 (1978)
Pouit, G., Alsac, Cl.: Les faciès noirs tuffacés du Dévonien et de l'Ordovicien des Pyrénées centrales et leurs minéralisations Zn (Pb). C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris, t. 287:415–418 (1978)
Pouit, G., Bouquet, C., Bois, J.P.: Les principaux niveaux minéralisés (Zn, Pb, Cu, Ba) du Paléozoïque des Pyrénées Centrales: éléments de synthèse. Bull. BRGM, 2ème série, section II, no 1:23–33 (1979)
Pouit, G.: Les minéralisations hydrothermales sédimentaires volcanogéniques. Abstract 26 CGS Paris, 3:991 (1980)
Pouit, G.: Les gisements à sulfures massifs exhalatifs sédimentaires: une mise au point sur leur classification et la méthodologie de leur recherche. Chron. Rech. Min., no 476:31–34 (1984)
Weber, L.: The stratiform lead-zinc mineralization of the Paleozoic of Graz (Styria, Austria). In: Mineral deposits of the Alps and of Alpine epoch in Europe, H.J. Schneider ed. pp. 81–87, Berlin - Heidelberg - New York: Springer 1983
Willan, R.C.R.: Stratiform barite and sulphite mineralization in the Dalradian supergroup of the Grampian Highlands, Scotland. In press. Sixth IAGOD Symp. Tbilissi, 1982
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pouit, G., Bois, JP. Arrens Zn (Pb), Ba Devonian deposit, Pyrénées, France: an exhalative-sedimentary-type deposit similar to Meggen. Mineral. Deposita 21, 181–189 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00199798
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00199798
