Mineral assemblages group of major and associated mineral phases in the Kadiica porphyry copper deposit, eastern Macedonia

Abstract

Several representative mineral associations and mixed mineral phases have been detected within the Kadiica porphyry copper deposit. It was studied mineral association in oxidation and cementation zones, where were confirmed primary relics of chalcopyrite, pyrite, magnetite, pyrrhotite, enargite, etc. In the oxidation zone were determined magnetite, rutile, hematite and sphene relics, followed by tra­nsformed limonite, goethite and unclassified Fe-oxides. In the cementation zone have been confirmed chalcocite, covellite, bornite and series of rare mixed phases of emplectite, wittichenite, mawsonite etc. Studied compositions of particular minerals shown steadiness at primary mineral phases close to the theoretical values with minor presence of admixture elements, while at mixed sulphosalt phases such as emplectite-wittichenite we witnessed irregular compositions and theoretically undefined mineral phases. In the case of wittichenite compositions ranged 38. 32–39.4 % Cu, 0.27–0.83% Fe, 0.33–0.46% Zn, 38.72–39.97% Bi and 19.98–21.66% S, while for emplectite they were 13.88% Cu, 0.15% Fe, 0.09% Zn, 24.91% Bi and 60.96% S.