Trace-element signatures of pegmatite and post-pegmatite minerals from the Govedarnika Pb-Zn deposit, Laki district, Central Rhodopes

Abstract

The current study presents mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of pegmatite bodies from the Govedarnika Pb-Zn deposit, situated in Laki district, South Bulgaria. The studied pegmatites are composed mainly of K-feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and accessories of titanite, apatite, allanite and zircon. Intensive hydrothermal alteration resulted in specific mineral assemblage of chlorite, hematite, epidote and carbonates. According to the mineral relationships, it preceded or coincided with the time of base metal ore formation and affected both pegmatites and host metamorphic rocks. Both pegmatite accessories and post-pegmatite hydrothermal silicates often show enhanced contents of some strategic elements such as Sr, Li, V, Ga, Ni and REE. Pilot U-Pb geochronology of titanite from the studied pegmatites yielded a lower intercept age of 39.9±2.3 Ma.