Geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the central part of the Alšar deposit (Republic of Macedonia) with particular reference to investigations by x-ray diffraction

Abstract

The Alšar deposit consists of several ore bodies and numerous occurrences, each characterized by specific associations of metal and mineral assemblages. The antimony-arsenic-thallium-gold mineralization occurs within a zone almost 3 km long and 200 – 300 m wide. Sb and gold dominate the central part of the deposit, but it also contains significant amounts of arsenic, thallium, minor barium, mercury and traces of lead. The ore bodies contain 2 to 3% antimony, 2% arsenic, up to 0.4% thallium, up to 3.5 ppm gold and 435 ppm barium. In this paper geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the central part of the Alšar deposit are presented along with the results of new investigations of some specimens from this area.