Hi Hasan. You do not give much information about your deposit and some of the diagnostic criteria you present are not really 100% definitive, but I think you are right . It is probably a distal skarn, similar to the Fe-ores from Finnland, (close to the swedisch border - check literature about). Check your REE-spidergram and it will probably show a negative Eu anomaly. Is it in Iran? near Bafq?

Thank you Dr. Rosiere,

North Finland deposits are typical Kiruna type low grade apatite-magnetite deposits, Bafq and some other Iranian Fe deposits are also small-low grade and Kiruna type.

Hajigak Fe deposit is located in central Afghanistan, some 1000 km east of Bafq. High grade (>60 % Fe) stratiform, strata-bound ore bodies are in a thin but hundreds of Km discontinuous long belt. There is no apatite-magnetite mineralization here but there are pyrite-magnetite and barite mineralizations . Preliminary REE results are also resemble to BIF related deposits with strong positive Eu anomaly. Few samples have negative Eu anomaly (see the attachment pic). REE patterns resemble to Algoma type BIF but field relationships indicate younger age (Neoproterozoic-Lower Paleozoic).

Is any Neoproterozoic or Phanerozoic Large-high grade Fe deposite in south America?

What about Brazilian or Chilean Iron Belts (except El Laco) ?

Here is the REE graph for comparison.

I read your report and according to the information you furnished, your orebodies present several features of BIF-hosted Fe ore (REE Geochemistry for instance). Nevertheless you did not show any picture of a BIF so I understand they do not exist (ore may be not found yet) On the other hand they are certainly hosted by a volcano sedimentary sequence and probably of Phanerozoic age.

In BIF-hosted ores, the Fe content of a BIF is usually ~34wt% and the mineralized portions may reach 65-68wt%Fe. According the limited information available regarding your area that is not the scenario from Hajigak but you certainly have some kind of alteration with apparent oxidation of hematite and increase of LREE. Hard to say from here!

The Hajigak ore would fit in the scenario of a volcano-exhalative Fe deposit (ophiolites) such as the Lahn-Dill type that are apparently the Phanerozoic (Devonian to Ordovician) equivalent of BIFs. In Germany they have been described in the Lahn area, near Wetzlar and in Elbingerode im Harz. In Germany they are laminated like yours but do not show a clearly continuous banding. In Canada there are many of these deposits with jasper and banded jaspelites associated with massive sulphides. In Norway there are beautiful jaspelites associated with the Lokken ophiolites and massive sulphides in the Scandinavian mountains.

Fe-deposits of this type are usually small and not economic (particularly considering the availability of shipping facilities) but scientifically interesting. That is apparently not the case of Hajigak (at least as size is concerned). Try to define the age of the Kalu group and start sistematically to build up the geologic scenario of your deposit.

TRY GDCKIT SOFTWARE

Dear Hasan is there any difference in mineralization (texturally and mineralogically) near granitoid and far away from it? Do you measure magnetit size near granitoid and far away it? Do you see any over growth on quartz and jasper? By geochemistry, EPMA of magnetite near granitoid and far away it would be a good indicator for you.

It seams you must record differences in mineralization very carefully from granitoid to away from it (especially where mineralization is uneconomic and or mining operation is inactive).

Technical Report Reclamation of Mine Regions at Bisgod: Approaches and Challenges