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Genesis of Zn-Pb-(Ba-Sr) mineralization in the peridiapiric cover of Jebel El Akhouat, Ech Chehid salt dome, Northern Tunisia

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Abstract

The Jebel El Akhouat Zn-Pb-(Ba-Sr) ore deposit, located in the Tunisian Dome zone, is hosted mainly in the organic matter-rich Albian and Cenomanian–Turonian rocks. The orebodies occur mainly as open-space fillings and are structurally-controlled. The paragenetic sequence consists of three stages, which reflect three ore events. Three discrete stages of Zn-Pb sulfide and/or Zn-Pb-Ba-Sr sulfide-sulfate ores are identified. Fluid inclusion study carried out on selected minerals of different stages reveals that sphalerite, galena, marcasite, celestine, barite, and fluorite precipitated as a result of mixing between a hydrothermal, saline, metal-rich basinal fluid and a low-temperature, less saline, metal-depleted, sulfur- or sulfate-rich fluid with the intermittent involvement of hydrocarbons. Based on sulfur isotope data, sulfur of sulfides was derived from the reduction of the dissolved Triassic sulfates primary through thermochemical sulfate reduction with a contribution of bacterial sulfate reduction. The Pb isotopic composition of galena samples and trace elements data of the host carbonate rocks suggest that metals were derived primarily from the Paleozoic siliciclastic rocks with a contribution of the organic matter-rich Albian and Cenomanian–Turonian rocks. The Alpine orogeny triggered the migration of the metalliferous fluids from the deep parts of the basin towards the peridiapiric paleohigh of Ech Chehid diapir through major faults towards the loci of deposition.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to extend their profound appreciation to the personnel of the Laboratory of Lausanne, Bern for C, O, Pb isotope analysis, the Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometer facility at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada for the C, O isotope analysis and the personnel of the Spectrometry facility at the Department Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, for the S isotope analysis. We also would like to thank Nafti Ncib for helping analyze trace elements in the Centre des Recherches de Métlaoui. X-ray powder diffraction analysis was done at Compagnie des Phosphates de Gafsa (CPG). The authors would also like to thank two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and suggestions that improve the quality of this manuscript. We are grateful to the Associate Editor Qiang Wang and the Editor-in-Chief Lutz Nasdala for their suggestions and for handling this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté des Sciences, Département de Géologie, Université de Gafsa, Sidi Ahmed Zarroug, 2112, Gafsa, Tunisia

    Nejib Jemmali & Emna Rahali

  2. Laboratoire des Matériaux Utiles, Institut National de Recherche et d Analyse Physico-Chimiques, 2026, Technopole de Sidi Thabet, Tunisia

    Nejib Jemmali & Fouad Souissi

  3. Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Planetary Division, 2001 Oriental Boulevard, Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York, NY, 11235-2398, Brooklyn, New York, USA

    Larbi Rddad

  4. GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, D-14473, Telegrafenberg, Germany

    Marta Sośnicka

  5. Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, D-07749, Jena, Germany

    Marta Sośnicka

  6. Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Département de Géologie, Université de Tunis El Manar, 2092 El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia

    Fouad Souissi

  7. Discipline of Geological Sciences, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa

    Emmanuel John Carranza

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Jemmali, N., Rddad, L., Sośnicka, M. et al. Genesis of Zn-Pb-(Ba-Sr) mineralization in the peridiapiric cover of Jebel El Akhouat, Ech Chehid salt dome, Northern Tunisia. Miner Petrol 116, 71–91 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00710-021-00767-7

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