Log In
Nakhlak Mine (Madan-e Nakhlak; Ma'dan-e-Nahlak), Anarak District, Nain County, Isfahan Province, Irani
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Nakhlak Mine (Madan-e Nakhlak; Ma'dan-e-Nahlak) | Mine |
| Anarak District | District |
| Nain County | County |
| Isfahan Province | Province |
| Iran | Country |
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
33° 33' 47'' North , 53° 50' 41'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
The Nakhlak mine, 55 kilometers northeast of Anarak is the largest and one of the most ancient lead ore deposits ever exploited in the Anarak region. Mining history, based on dated material from the mine adits and nearby historical ruins (e.g. the Qaleh-Bozorg fortress), was traced to the earliest stages of the Sassanid Empire (224-651 AD), and possibly even the latest stages of the Parthian Empire (247 BC-224 AD) (Hallier, 1972; Stöllner and Weisgerber, 2004). The Gombad and Shaft no. 1 of the Nakhlak mine are nearby undated historical digging sites (which may reach 80 m depth), where smelters and mining tools (e.g. picks, hammers, wooden shoes, lamps, etc) are still preserved (Pernicka et al. 2011). Old reports on Iranian lead ores, including Nakhlak, can be found in the articles of Vaughan (1896) and Stahl (1897). More modern mining started in the mid-1930s, in co-operation with German and Austrian engineers and geologists like E. Fischer, E. Bohne, G. Ladame and M. Mazcek.
The lead mineralization is situated mainly in the lower part of the Late Cretaceous carbonate rocks at Nakhlak, where sandstones and conglomerates are more common. Many characteristics of the ore deposit fit well with that of the typical Iranian MVT deposits (Rasa, 1987). The ore bodies occur within dolomites and dolomitized sandy limestones as steeply dipping quartz-calcite-barite veins or vein clusters of massive galena. Their thickness varies from 0.25 to 25 meters and extends up to 500 meters in length; it can be traced down along the dip to 400 meters deep (Romanko et al. 1984). Mining reserves have been estimated at ca. 7 million tons of lead (8.33%), zinc (0.38%) and a considerable amount of silver (72 g/t) (Cherepovsky, Chinakov and Kokorin, 1981). The lead greatly predominates over the zinc and silver contents, suggesting a basinal brine origin or fluid release model for the deposit (Rasa, 1987). The northern and southern flanks, as well as the deeper levels, offer potential supplementary mining possibilities, where even new ore bodies may be found.
The primary ore seems to be monomineralic, consisting solely of galena. Cerussite in various forms is common in the oxidized zone.
The lead mineralization is situated mainly in the lower part of the Late Cretaceous carbonate rocks at Nakhlak, where sandstones and conglomerates are more common. Many characteristics of the ore deposit fit well with that of the typical Iranian MVT deposits (Rasa, 1987). The ore bodies occur within dolomites and dolomitized sandy limestones as steeply dipping quartz-calcite-barite veins or vein clusters of massive galena. Their thickness varies from 0.25 to 25 meters and extends up to 500 meters in length; it can be traced down along the dip to 400 meters deep (Romanko et al. 1984). Mining reserves have been estimated at ca. 7 million tons of lead (8.33%), zinc (0.38%) and a considerable amount of silver (72 g/t) (Cherepovsky, Chinakov and Kokorin, 1981). The lead greatly predominates over the zinc and silver contents, suggesting a basinal brine origin or fluid release model for the deposit (Rasa, 1987). The northern and southern flanks, as well as the deeper levels, offer potential supplementary mining possibilities, where even new ore bodies may be found.
The primary ore seems to be monomineralic, consisting solely of galena. Cerussite in various forms is common in the oxidized zone.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Acanthite Formula: Ag2S References: |
| ⓘ Anglesite Formula: PbSO4 References: |
| ⓘ Cerussite Formula: PbCO3 |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS |
| ⓘ Hemimorphite Formula: Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O References: |
| ⓘ Mimetite Formula: Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| ⓘ Plattnerite Formula: PbO2 |
| ⓘ 'Tennantite Subgroup' Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S |
| ⓘ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup' Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S |
| ⓘ Wulfenite Formula: Pb(MoO4) |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Acanthite | 2.BA.35 | Ag2S |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | 'Tennantite Subgroup' | 2.GB.05 | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S |
| ⓘ | 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup' | 2.GB.05 | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Plattnerite | 4.DB.05 | PbO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Cerussite | 5.AB.15 | PbCO3 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Anglesite | 7.AD.35 | PbSO4 |
| ⓘ | Wulfenite | 7.GA.05 | Pb(MoO4) |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Mimetite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Hemimorphite | 9.BD.10 | Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Hemimorphite | Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| O | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Hemimorphite | Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O |
| O | ⓘ Mimetite | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| O | ⓘ Plattnerite | PbO2 |
| O | ⓘ Wulfenite | Pb(MoO4) |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Hemimorphite | Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Acanthite | Ag2S |
| S | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Tennantite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S |
| S | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Mimetite | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Tennantite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S |
| Cu | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Hemimorphite | Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O |
| As | Arsenic | |
| As | ⓘ Mimetite | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| As | ⓘ Tennantite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S |
| Mo | Molybdenum | |
| Mo | ⓘ Wulfenite | Pb(MoO4) |
| Ag | Silver | |
| Ag | ⓘ Acanthite | Ag2S |
| Sb | Antimony | |
| Sb | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| Pb | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| Pb | ⓘ Mimetite | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| Pb | ⓘ Plattnerite | PbO2 |
| Pb | ⓘ Wulfenite | Pb(MoO4) |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
AsiaContinent
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
Indian Plate
- Yazd BlockOrogenic Belt
Iran
- Saveh-Yazd porphyry copper beltMineral Province
This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
Nakhlak Mine, Anarak District, Nain County, Isfahan Province, Iran