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Morro Agudo Pb-Zn mine, Paracatu, Minas Gerais, Brazili
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Morro Agudo Pb-Zn mine | Mine |
| Paracatu | Municipality |
| Minas Gerais | State |
| Brazil | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
17° 30' 2'' South , 46° 49' 1'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
The Morro-Agudo Pb-Zn mine, a few km south of Paracatu, was discovered in 1952 and has been operated by Votorantim Metais. In the early 2000's it was producing about 0.8 million tonnes of ore a year. Ore grade in 2013 was 4.6% Zn and 1.9% Pb. By production, this ranks as the largest Pb-Zn deposit in South America.
The origin of the deposit is not well understood, and has been classified as Mississippi-Valley-type Pb-Zn deposit by some workers, a sedimentary-exhalative deposit by others, and an Irish-type by still others (see chapter 2 in Slezak, 2012 for discussion of differences between those kinds of Pb-Zn deposits). The mineralized strata are late Mesoproterozoic dolostones deposited in a passive margin sea at approximately 1.1 to 1.0 Ga. Mineralizing solutions flowed into the strata along normal faults produced by the episode of rifting that broke up the ancient supercontinent of Rodinia. Isotopic studies on the sulfides show that mineralizing solutions flowed into those strata during the Neoproterozoic (750-650 Ga). Collision of former microcontinents at about 630 to 500 Ma caused more metamorphism and igneous intrusions with folding and thrust faulting near the surface (area known as Brasilia Fold Belt), and formed a portion of the southern hemisphere supercontinent of Gondwana.
Deposit comprises eight mineralized zones, which are named, with increasing depth, N, M, J, K, L, G, H, and I (also referred to as Basal).
Production updated and geological information added by NK, September 2016
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
10 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ 'Apatite' Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) References: |
| ⓘ Baryte Formula: BaSO4 References: |
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 |
| ⓘ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ 'Clay minerals' |
| ⓘ Dolomite Formula: CaMg(CO3)2 References: |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS References: |
| ⓘ Phlogopite Formula: KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 References: |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 References: |
| ⓘ Rutile Formula: TiO2 References: |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Rutile | 4.DB.05 | TiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| ⓘ | Dolomite | 5.AB.10 | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Baryte | 7.AD.35 | BaSO4 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Phlogopite | 9.EC.20 | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Clay minerals' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Apatite' | - | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| O | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Rutile | TiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Rutile | TiO2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Ba | Barium | |
| Ba | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
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References
Teixeira, João Batista Guimarães, Misi, Aroldo, da Glória da Silva, Maria (2007) Supercontinent evolution and the Proterozoic metallogeny of South America. Gondwana Research, 11 (3) 346-361 doi:10.1016/j.gr.2006.05.009
Misi, A.; Azmy, K.; Kaufman, A.J.; Oliveira, T.F.; Sanches, A.L.; Oliveira, G.D. (2014) Review of the geological and geochronological framework of the Vazante sequence, Minas Gerais, Brazil: Implications to metallogenic and phosphogenic models. Ore Geology Reviews, 63. doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2014.05.002
