Darreh-Zanjir deposit; a typical carbonate hosted Zn-Pb deposit (MVT) in Early Cretaceous sedimentary sequence, Southern Yazd basin

Darreh-Zanjir Zn-Pb deposit is located at the south of Taft city. Sulfide minerals in this deposit include sphalerite, galena and pyrite. Replacement, open space filling, vein-veinlet, breccia and massive are the typical textures in the Darreh-Zanjir deposit. Mineralization is associated with normal fault. Gange mineral is dolomite and dolomitization is related to mineralization. Three types of dolomite have been recognized in the Darreh-Zanjir region: 1- Regional dolomite, formed during diagenesis of micritic limestone of the Taft formations and is exposed in whole region. It has dark gray color and fine crystals. 2- Thrusting dolomite, formed during compression and thrusting of the Taft formation on the Darreh-Zanjir formation, this dolomites are located at the vicinity of thrust fault.3- Mineralization and dolomitization occur adjacent to normal fault. This dolomite is known as hydrothermal dolomite (DH) and it decreases away from of sulfide mineralization. Geochemical studies suggest that high content of cadmium in sphalerites represents low temperature for ore forming fluid. Supergene and oxidation process caused change of sulfide minerals to non-sulfide minerals. Non-sulfide minerals of the Darreh-Zanjir deposit are smithsonite, hemimorphite, hydrozincite, cerrusite and Fe-oxides and hydroxides. The most important characteristics of mineralization at the Darrh-Zanjir deposit such as tectonic setting, post compression of normal fault controlling mineralization, host rocks, mineralogy, metal content as well as wall textures, show similarities with Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) Zn-Pb deposits.