Przejawy mineralizacji kruszcowej w martwicy karniowickiej

Abstract

ORE MINERALIZATION IN THE KARNIOWICE SINTERSummaryThe Karniowice sinter is a fresh-water limestone of travertine type. It occurs locally in the region between Trzebinia and Krzeszowice. Its thickness, ascertained at exposures, amounts to 8 m, being 3­–5 m on the average. The cream-coloured limestone consists mainly of calcite. Its age has been determined as Lower Permian (I. Lipiarski, 1968). The basement of the sinter is built up mainly of arenaceous deposits, Westphalian in age. Among volcanic rocks are found the so-called Filipowice tuffs and tuffites, younger than the sinter, and effusive rocks ascertained to occur in the neighbouring areas.The sinter discloses ore mineralization. Among the primary minerals the following have been discovered using ore microscope methods: chalcopyrite, galena, marcasite, pyrite, and sphalerite; among the secondary are: anglesite, azurite, cerussite, chalcosine, covellite, limonite, and malachite. In addition to this, there occur also a mineral, the optical features of which suggest the presence of smithsonite. Among the non-ore minerals there occur large idiomorphic crystals of calcite, most probably related to sulphide mineralization; and a quartz druse sticking within a single fragment of sinter.As a rule the mineralization appears in fissures and cavities, where mineral crusts are formed, frequently up to more than 10 cm2 in their area, or fine limonite aggregates occur, disseminated in rock body.As compared with the Karniowice sinter, the fissure-and-point occurrence form of mineralization is of epigenetical nature. The Lower Permian volcanites , found to occur in the vicinity of the sinter area, evidence the ascensional nature of this mineralization. This, however, do not excludes any possibility of its development by infiltration or by lateral secretion, also with a source in the Lower Permian volcanites of the Krzeszowice area.