Geological investigations and mineralogical characterization of the Awreith Gol Lead-Antimony Deposit, Chitral, Pakistan

Abstract

Purpose. The importance of mineralogical characterization for complex ore deposits is continuously increasing due to the increasing demand for minerals worldwide. The proper mineral characterization needs to be carried out for selecting appropriate processing technology for the beneficiation of complex ore in order to efficiently obtain ore concentrate according to the market demand. The purpose of this study is to carry out a detail mineral characterization of the complex lead-antimony ore deposit of Chitral, Pakistan, necessary for selecting the most appropriate processing technology and designing a mineral processing plant. Methods. In this research, a preliminary study was conducted on representative samples of complex lead-antimony ore deposits of the Awreith Gol area in Chitral, Pakistan to investigate and characterize the deposit prior to beneficiation, as well as to determine the processing potential of the deposit and to make a further decision on a suitable beneficiation technology. In this regard, thin section of complex ore representative samples was studied using a Scanning Electron Microscope for ore morphology analysis, EDX for chemical composition analysis, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer analysis. Findings. The ore deposit of the studied area is mainly composed of sedimentary rocks and intrusions of igneous rocks with varying degrees of metamorphism. Geologically, the area is characterized by the Paleozoic-Mesozoic sequence of North Karakorum system and volcano-sedimentary series. The study of mineral characteristics confirms that galena and stibnite are ore minerals containing lead 48.01% and antimony 15.43%. Originality. The geological characteristics of the studied area have been explored. The studied ore consists of lead, antimony, stibnite and galena. The mineral characterization results have revealed that these metals can be extracted economically by selecting an appropriate mineral processing technology. Practical implications. Mineralogical study of the mineral, combined with the chemical analysis of the ore, confirms that the lead-antimony complex ore of Chitral deposit can be beneficiated using relatively cheap gravity separation technology.