Abstract
The ubiquitous iron sulphide, pyrite, occurs in trace amounts in rocks or may form massive pyritic ore bodies with all perceivable gradations in between. Very often it shares the deformational and metamorphic history of its host rocks. Textural characteristics of pyrite, and its behavior in natural ores and in experimental conditions under varying temperature and pressure, have therefore been studied by different workers from time to time. An overview of these studies shows that there is a mismatch between the experimentally achieved deformation mechanisms at different temperature and pressure, and the observed brittle or ductile behaviour of pyrite in naturally deformed sulphide bodies. An attempt is made here to analyze the deformation behaviour of pyrite under different temperature-pressure conditions, by studying pyritic ores in three sediment-hosted Pb–Zn sulphide deposits of Rajasthan (Balaria-Zawar, Rajpura-Dariba and Rampura-Agucha), occurring in broadly similar geological settings, but deformed and metamorphosed at different grades (upper greenschist, middle amphibolite and upper amphibolite to granulite facies respectively). Observations of hand specimens and optical microscopy of pyritic ores from Rajasthan have shown that the mineral behaved in a macroscopically ductile manner—not only in the form of mesoscopic and microscopic folding of layers, but also by distortions, bending and stretching of individual grains. In general, pyrite plasticity increases with temperature as revealed by more definitive evidences of plastic deformation in higher metamorphic grade deposits (e.g. Rajpura-Dariba and Rampura-Agucha) than in lower grade Balaria ores from the Zawar ore district. However, the Balaria ore, characterized by the coexistence of framboidal (sedimentary-diagenetic) and idiomorphic (metamorphic) pyrite, is more intensely folded. Higher grade ores may, on the other hand, induce more grain growth and thereby are likely to lose the evidence of plastic deformation through polygonization and grain coarsening. This may be one reason behind the apparent scarcity of plastic deformation textures observed in pyrite from naturally deformed and metamorphosed sulphide ore deposits.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Atkinson, B. K. (1975). Experimental deformation of polycrystalline pyrite: Effects of temperature, confining pressure, strain rate and porosity. Economic Geology, 70, 473–487.
Barrie, C. D., Boyle, A. P., Cook, N. J., & Prior, D. J. (2010a). Pyrite deformation textures in the massive sulfide ore deposits of the norwegian caledonides. Tectonophysics, 483, 269–286.
Barrie, C. D., Cook, N. J., & Boyle, A. P. (2010b). Textural variation in the pyrite-rich ore deposits of the Røros district, Trondheim region, Norway: Implications for pyrite deformation mechanisms. Mineralium Deposita, 45, 51–68.
Barrie, C. D., Pearce, M. A., & Boyle, A. P. (2011). Reconstructing the pyrite deformation mechanism map. Ore Geology Reviews, 39(4), 265–276.
Boyle, A. P., Prior, D. J., Banham, M. H., & Timms, N. E. (1998). Plastic deformation of metamorphic pyrite: New evidence from electron-backscatter diffraction and forescatter orientation-contrast imaging. Mineralium Deposita, 34, 71–81.
Cook, N. J., Halls, C., & Boyle, A. P. (1993). Deformation and metamorphism of massive sulphides at Sulitjelma Norway. Mineralogical Magazine, 57(1), 67–81.
Cox, S. F., Etheridge, M. A., & Hobbs, B. E. (1981). The experimental ductile deformation of polycrystalline and single-crystal pyrite. Economic Geology, 76(8), 2105–2117.
Deb, M. (1986). Sulphur and carbon isotope compositions in the stratiform Zn–Pb–Cu sulphide deposits of the Rajpura-Dariba belt, Rajasthan, NW India. Mineralium Deposita, 21, 313–321.
Deb, M. (1990). Regional metamorphism of sediment-hosted, conformable base metal sulphide deposits in the Aravalli-Delhi orogenic belt, NW India. In P. Spry & L. Brindzia (Eds.), Regional metamorphism of ore deposits (pp. 117–140). Netherlands: VSP.
Deb, M. (1993). The Bhilwara belt of Rajasthan—A probable proterozoic ‘aulacogen’. In S. M. Casshyap (Ed.), Rifted basins and aulacogens (pp. 91–106). Nainital: Gyanodaya Prakashan.
Deb, M., & Goodfellow, W. D. (Eds.). (2004). Sediment-hosted lead-zinc sulphide deposits: Attributes and models of some major deposits in India, Australia and Canada. New Delhi: Narosa Publishing House (367pp).
Deb, M., & Sarkar, S. C. (1990). Proterozoic tectonic evolution and metallogenesis in the Aravalli- Delhi Orogenic Complex, Northwestern India. Precambrian Research, 46, 115–137.
Deb, M., & Sehgal, U. (1997). Petrology, geothermobarometry and C-O-H-S fluid compositions in the environs of Rampura-Agucha Zn-(Pb) ore deposit, Bhilwara district, Rajasthan. Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences-Earth and Planetary Sciences, 106(4), 343–356.
Deb, M., Thorpe, R. I., Cumming, G. L., & Wagner, P. A. (1989). Age, source and stratigraphic implications of lead isotope data for conformable sediment-hosted base metal deposits in the Proterozoic Aravalli-Delhi orogenic belt, NW India. Precambrian Research, 43, 1–22.
Freitag, K., Boyle, A. P., Nelson, E., Hitzman, M., Churchill, J., & Lopez-Pedrosa, M. (2004). The use of electron backscatter diffraction and orientation contrast imaging as tools for sulphide textural studies: Example from the Greens Creek deposit (Alaska). Mineralium Deposita, 39, 103–113.
Gouda, H. C., Fareeduddin, Singh, R. K., Rajaram, H., Kumar, R., Kesavan, R., Golani, P. R., et al. (2015). Aeromagnetic anomaly maps of the Aravalli craton and their interpretations: Some new insights on stratigraphy and metallogeny of region. In Recent developments in metallogeny and mineral exploration in Rajasthan. Geological Survey of India, Special Publication,Vol. 101, pp. 1–28.
Graf, J. L., Jr., & Skinner, B. J. (1970). Strength and deformation of pyrite and pyrrhotite. Economic Geology, 65, 206–215.
Graf, J. L., Skinner, B. J., Bras, J., Fagot, M., Levade, C., & Couderc, J. J. (1981). Transmission electron microscopic observation of plastic deformation in experimentally deformed pyrite. Economic Geology, 76, 738–742.
Gupta, S. N., Arora, Y. K., Mathur, R. K., Iqbaluddin, P, B., Sahai, T. N., & Sharma, S. B. (1980). Lithostratigraphic map of Aravalli region, southern Rajasthan and northeastern Gujarat. Geological Survey of India, Special Publication, Hyderabad.
Gupta, S. N., Arora, Y. K., Mathur, R. K., Iqbaluddin, B. P., Sahai, T. N., & Sharma, S. B. (1997). The Precambrian geology of the Aravalli region, southern Rajasthan and northeastern Gujarat. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 123, 262.
Hazarika, P., Upadhyay, D., & Mishra, B. (2013). Contrasting geochronological evolution of the Rajpura–Dariba and Rampura–Agucha metamorphosed Zn–Pb deposit, Aravalli–Delhi Belt, India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 73, 429–439.
Heron, A. M. (1953). Geology of Central Rajputana. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 79, 389.
Krauskopf, K. B. (1967). Introduction to geochemistry. New York: McGraw Hill (721pp).
Kuscu, I., & Erler, A. (2002). Pyrite deformation textures in the deposits of the Kure mining district (Kastamonu–Turkey). Kure Maden Sahasi Yataklarinda Pirit Deformasyon Dokulari (Kastamonu–Turkiye), 11(3), 205–215.
Mc Clay, K. R., & Ellis, P. G. (1983). Deformation and recrystallization of pyrite. Mineralogical Magazine, 47, 527–538.
Mishra, B., & Berhardt, H. J. (2009). Metamorphism, graphite crystallinity, and sulfide anatexis of the Rampura–Agucha massive sulfide deposit, northwestern India. Mineralium Deposita, 44, 183–204.
Mookherjee, A. (1971). Deformation of pyrite. Economic Geology, 66, 200.
Mukherjee, I. (2013). Pyite-black shale association in varying metamorphic grades in the Precambrian of India: A comparative study of their textural, compositional and deformational characteristics (M.Sc thesis). University of Delhi, 203pp.
Passchier, C. W., & Trouw, R. A. J. (2005). Microtectonics. Berlin: Springer (366pp).
Ramsay, J. G. (1967). Folding and fracturing of rocks. New York: McGraw Hill (568pp).
Ray, S. K. (1977). Deformation of pyrite aggregates, Saladipura area, Khetri copper belt, Rajasthan. Indian Journal of Earth Science, 4, 169–182.
Roy, A. B., & Jhakar, S. R. (2002). Geology of Rajasthan (Northwest India) Precambrian to recent. Jodhpur: Scientific Publishers (421pp).
Sarkar, S. C., & Banerji, S. (2004). Carbonate-hosted lead-zinc deposits of Zawar, Rajasthan in the context of world scenario. In M. Deb & W. D. Goodfellow (Eds.), Sediment-hosted lead-zinc sulphide deposits (pp. 328–349). New Delhi: Narosa Publishing House.
Sarkar, S. C., Bhattacharyya, P. K., & Mukherjee, A. D. (1980). Evolution of the sulfide ores of Saladipura, Rajasthan, India. Economic Geology, 75, 1152–1167.
Sarkar, S. C., & Deb, M. (1974). Metamorphism of sulfides of the Singhbhum copper belt, India: The evidence from the ore fabric. Economic Geology, 68, 1282–1293.
Sinha-Roy, S., Malhotra, G., & Mohanty, M. (1998). Geology of Rajasthan. Bangalore: Geological Society of India (278pp).
Stanton, R. L. (1972). Ore Petrology. New York: McGraw-Hill (713pp).
Sugden, T., Deb, M., & Windley, B. F. (1990). Tectonic setting of the mineralization in the Proterozoic Aravalli-Delhi orogenic belt, northwest India. In S.M. Naqvi (Ed.), Precambrian continental crust and its economic resources (pp. 367–390). Developments of Precambrian Geology, Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Tiwary, A., Deb, M., & Cook, N. J. (1998). Use of pyrite microfabric as a key to tectono-thermal evolution of massive sulphide deposits—An example from Deri, southern Rajasthan, India. Mineralogical Magazine, 62(2), 197–212.
Acknowledgements
AC thanks Prof. M. E. A. Mondal for inviting to write a paper in this special volume, and pursuing his request tirelessly. Department of Geology, University of Delhi provided the necessary microscopic facility for study of the samples during the Master’s dissertation of IM. This research work was partially funded by the Faculty RandD Grant (No. RandD/2012/917) from the University of Delhi.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mukherjee, I., Chattopadhyay, A., Deb, M. (2019). Deformation of Pyrite at Varying Metamorphic Grades in Sediment-Hosted Base Metal Sulphide Deposits of Rajasthan, India. In: Mondal, M. (eds) Geological Evolution of the Precambrian Indian Shield. Society of Earth Scientists Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89698-4_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89698-4_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-89697-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-89698-4
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)