Geology and genesis of Halab Mn deposit, SW Zanjan

Halab manganese deposit is located in the Sanandaj- sirjan zone, 100 km southwest of Zanjan. The rock units in the study area include Precambrian Kahar and Jangoutaran marble Formations. Manganese mineralization in the Halab area, occurred as veins and massive in the Jangoutaran marble and minor amount in the schist unit. The main important minerals in the Halab manganese mineralization consist of pyrolusite, psilomelane, manganite and goethite, which calcite and quartz occurred as associated gangue minerals. The ore textures include cloform, vein-veinlets, massive, comb, dogtooth, botryoidal, replacement and relict. Actinolite, carbonate and silicic are the main important alterations in this area. Primitive mantle normalized of the rare earth elements (REE) patterns in the orebody and hydrothermal carbonate samples show that the samples relatively enrichmed in light REE. The analyzed samples show significant negative anomaly in Ce and weak negative anomalies in Eu. Furthermore, the primitive mantle normalized pattern of trace elements in the orebody and hydrothermal carbonate show significant enrichment in Ba, U, La, Pb, Sr and negative anomaly in Rb, Th, Nb, Ce, P, Zr and Ti. The field and microscopic studies as well geochemical evidences suggest that the mineralization formed by hydrothermal fluids. The circulation of meteoric and/or magmatic fluids within the Precambrian units provide the important elements such as Mn, Fe and Ca for mineralization. When the mineralizing fluid contact with reactable rocks, caused the formation of Mn mineralization in the Halab area.