Nb-Ta-Ti oxides in topaz granites of the Ehrenfriedersdorf tin-tungsten ore deposit (Krušné hory Mts., Germany)

Abstract

Nb-Ta-Ti-bearing oxide minerals represent the most common hosts of Nb and Ta in high-F, high-P2O5, Li-mica granites from the Sauberg granite stock in the Krušné hory/Erzgebirge Mts. batholith (Figure 1). The stock hosts the Ehrenfriedersdorf ore deposit, representing the most significant Sn-W ore deposit in this area. This ore deposit was mined from the 13th century until the year 1990. Since July 2019, the Ehrenfriedersdorf mining landscape makes a significant part of the UNESCO world heritage site, the Montanregion ore mountains. Fine- to medium-grained granites of the Sauberg granite stock are composed by quartz, albite (An 0.1–0.5), K-feldspar (Or97–99, Ab1–3), Li-mica and topaz. Both feldspars are partly enriched in phosphorus (up to 0.52 wt. % P2O5). Apatite, zircon and monazite are accessory phases. The Nb-Ta-Ti-bearing oxide minerals – Nb-Ta-rich rutile, Fe-columbite, W-ixiolite occur in accessory amounts in ore-bearing structures together with cassiterite and wolframite. The main ore-bearing structures are represented by mineralised vein structures and metasomatic stringer zones, which are the most significant. The latter are characterised by numerous parallel to sub-parallel E-W striking en-echelon sets of ore veins. The Sauberg granite stock hosting the Nb-Ta mineralization is mostly formed by highly fractionated, highly peraluminous S-type granites (ASI = 1.2–1.4) with Nb/Ta ratio = 1.8–5.5 and depletion in CaO, MgO, Ba, Sr and high-field-strength elements. (Table 1, 2). The Nb-Ta-bearing rutile is the most common Nb and Ta carrier and occurs mostly as subhedral inclusions in Li-mica flakes. It has very low Mn/(Mn Fe) ratio (0.0–0.01) and low Ta/(Ta Nb) ratio (0.04–0.25) (Table 3). Columbite-group minerals are represented by columbite-(Fe) with a Mn/(Mn Fe) ratio varying from 0.11 to 0.14 and with relatively low Ta/(Ta Nb) values (0.08–0.26) (Table 4). The rare, W-ixiolite was observed as needle-like subhedral crystals and/or as inclusions in needle-like aggregates of wolframite. The W-ixiolite is Fe-rich with relatively low Mn/(Mn Fe) and Ta/(Ta Nb) values of 0.11–0.13 and 0.07–0.25, respectively (Table 5).