Romanian .!ournal CI/Mineral Devosi 79 SuDDI 1.

2000 47

RIFT SYSTEM IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN PART OF THE

SOUTH CARPATHIANS

Gh. GAROU, S.C.PROSPECTIUN I S.A., 1 Caransebes St., Bucuresti, Romani a

E-mai l: prospec3 @su nu .mc.ro

The Eastern Transylvanian Basin is one of the areas in Europe that di splays typical
depleted manti e geochemi stry (Vasselli et al. , 1995). Downes (1999) made a review on
heterogeneity in lithospheric mantie, and concluded that despite the vicinity of the Carpathian
subduction zone, most xenoliths from SCLM (subcontinental lithospheric mantie) are LREE-
depleted and present no interaction with subduction-zone fluids . On the other hand, samples fro m
the central Pannonian Basin, on the contrary, show strong evidences of interaction with
subduction fluids.
Analysis regarding Alpine and pre-Alpine tectonothermal events in the South Carpathians
from 40 Ar/39 Ar hornblende and muscovite ages (Dallmeyer, 1994) pointed out a phenomenon
which occurred at 200 Ma. It could be connected with a rifting event at the Triassic/Jurassic
boundary, and ages of 118 Ma suggest thrust propagation.
Fission track (FT) thermochronology analysis on apatite, zircon and sphene (Bojar, 1998,
1999) from several fo rmations in the South Carpathians suggested an exhumation and cooling of
the rift flanks prior to the Severin rift opening at about 200 Ma (i.e. between Getic and Danubian
areas).
A therm ic event, occurring at the same time, have been outlined by Badescu (1997), by a
different method - stretching facto r method.
Paleomagnetic measurements made by Hambach et al. ( 1996) Oxfordian limestones in the
Padurea C raiului and Bucegi Mountains stated that this area was located at 18 - 20 N latitude in
M iddle-Late Jurassic, and since then suffered an important clockw ise rotation. Measurements
made by Patrascu and Panaiotu (1990) in Upper Cretaceous magmatic rocks in Hateg Basin and
in Rusca Montana (western part of South Carpathians) and in the Apuseni Mountains, ou'tlined a
northward movement, and a clockwise rotation, (starting at least from 65 Ma). Similar results
were obtained for the Apuseni Mountains (Surmont, 1990).
160 Ma ago, Earth 's magnetic field intensity was at about half of the present day (Juarez,
1998), so it should be taken into account in convective processes modelling and in constraining
history plate movement. Consequently, we assume that paleomagnetic measurements sho uld be
affected by a correction factor (i.e. paleolatitudes of 18 - 20 N at 160 Ma should be considered at
about 180-200 Ma). .
Newest alkali basalts occurrences in Europe are in the eastem part of the Panonian Basin,
i.e. Banat area and Persani Mountains, Neogene - Q ages (2,64 - 0,7 Ma), (Seghedi et al., 1994):
one in Sumeg hill, in the southem part of Gataia, and the other one crops out between Lucaret
and Sanovita, o n a 40 sq .km area. In both cases, magmatites are trachybasalts in Le Bas et al.
( 1986) diagram. To note that in both areas Cr and Ni are in higher percentages than usual , i.e.
( 119 - 213 ppm Ni, 210 - 488 ppm Cr), and Cr percentage is higher in the Persani Mountains.
That is why we propose here a kinematic model for the westem part of the South
Carpathians. We used geophyscal data (gravity, aeromagnetic, and magnetotelluric sounding) and
geological data, and constructed a 3D Model. Fourier and Wavelet analyses were used to
constraint this model. In our model the rift initiated 200 Ma ago, in Severin zone, at 18 - 20 N
48 Romanian ./o urnal o( Mineral DeposiLs 79. Sur:ml 1. 2000

latitude. Then it propagated northward, and suffered clockwi se rotation. At that time, Severin and
Ceahlau units were the same. Later, the South Transylvanian Fault, that we consider to be a
transform one, detached these units, and has been affected by the strong Cretaceous thrusting
event, so making it difficult to reconstruct the plate movement.
One of the problems of tectonic plates is that a spreading ridge will eventually approach a
subduction zone (Kreemer, 1998) and then it will break-up or not.
That is why we have constructed this model , trying to fit measurement data with processed
geophysical data. Finally, we made a rheological model and a simulated one (using MathLab
5.0).

References
Badescu. D. (1997) Tectono-therm al regimes and Iith osphere behavi o ur in the External
Dacides in th e Upper Triass ic and Jurass ic Tethyan o pening ( Romania" Carpathians). Tectonophys ;cs. 282 ,
167- 188.
Bojar, A-V., Neubauer, F., Fritz, H. (1998) Cretaceous ta Cenozoic thermal evolutia" o fthe south-western South
Carpath ians: ev idence from fi ss ion-track therm oc hronology. Tectonophys ics, 297, 22 9-249.
Dallmeyer, R. D. , Neubauer, F., Fritz, H., Mocanu, V. (1994) Pre-variscan, Variscan and Alpine tectonoth ermal
evo luti e " w ithin th e southem Carpathi ans, Romania: Ev idence from 40 ArP9Ar hornblende aud muscov ite
ages. Rom. J. TecI. Reg. Geol .,75 , 10-12 .
Downes, H. (1999) Heterogen e ity in th e lithospheric manti e beneath the European Plate: A continent-wi de re view.
Ophioliti, 53 .
Juarez, M.T. (1998) The intens ity o fthe Earth 's magneti c fi eld ave r the past 160 millio n years. Nature, 394 .
Linzer H.-G ., et al. (1998) Kinematic evo lutian ofthe Roman ian Carpathians. Teclonophysics, 297, 13 3- 156.
Patrascu , St.! Blcahu, M. , Pana iotu , C., Panaiotu , C.E. (1992) The paleomag netism of the Upper Cretaceo us
magmatic rocks in the Banat area o f So uth Carpathians: tecto nic imp licatio ns. Teclonophysics, 213, 341-352 .
Panaiotu, C. (1998) Paleomagneti c constraints on the geodynamic hi story of Romania, Reports on Geodesy,
Warsaw.
Seghedi, I. et al. (1994) Geochemical approach to the orig in o f the eastemmost N eogene-Qu aternary alkali-basa lti c
voJcani sm in eastem Europe (Banat regio n and Persani Mo untains- Transil va nia) , Rom. J. Min. , 76 .

SULPHIDES OF Mn METAMORPHOSED DEPOSITS IN THE

BISTRITA MOUNT AINS, ROMANIA

P. HIRTOPANU
In stitutul Geolog ic al Romani ei, 78 344, Romani a

The Mn-metamorphosed deposits of BM are situated in the middl e par! of the Cambrian
Tulghes Series (Tg2) in the Putna Nappe. The primary ore consists mainly of approximately 70%
Mn carbonates, approximately 20% Mn-silicates and approximately 10% oxides+sulphides.
Their distribution is very unhomogeneous. The sulphides can represent 5-10, sometimes 15% of
the entire ore. They appear as accessory minerals, like Ni , Co, Bi, As sulphosalts, but al so as
constituent minerals, like pyrite, chalcopyrite, alabandite, bornite, sphalerite, galena, tetraedrite,
tenanntite, etc. The main Ni, Co, Bi, As sulphosalts enclosed in Mn-humite-jacobsite-
rhodochrosite-alabandite association are: cattierite, gersdorffite, carrolite, lollingite, glaucodot,
breithauptite, rammelsbergite, cobaltite, linneite, arsenopyrite etc. Figure 1 presents the chemical
profi le of cobaltite in the Dadu deposit. These sulphides have formed at T>550oC, log fS2 =+ 1/-3,
(higher than the pyrite-pyrrhotite buffer), 10gf02 = -16/-20 (Hirtopanu, 1999). Based upon
carbonate thermometry and silicates phase equilibria a temperature of 550 oC+ 30 and a pressure
 Romanian Journal o(Mineral Deoosits 79 Suool I 2000 49

of 6Kb+2kb for the tirst metamorphic event of Tg2 bearing sulphides have been inferred. AIso,
recent determination of alabandite in the Holdita baryte-sulphides deposit, as constituent
mineral, demonstrates the common origin for these mineralisations. In this deposit there is a
banding of baryte, sulphides, and Mn-silicates in the same sequence. The presence of Ba-
feldspars (celsian, hyalophane) together with baryte and sulphides Holdita deposit indicates
special formation in conditions - rarely occuring in nature. Ba-feldspars cim form from baryte
or from earlier hydrous silicate phase (harmotome).
I"-F.'H-"!
.. '1 ", 1 (1 - 20 k E:l)
Li'...' ~: 1'0,1) :s
F:.:...:a.l: :::: i s CI E: 2. li

<: . (1
:t
6.120 kE:l.)
,-,-,1 "1 .2 :>
C':'-
; '-'- '-' ;'" c:h 316= 1.:::. ...
MEM1 :BDS SR
Fig.l - Chemi cal profile of cobaltite in Dadu deposit

Generally, it is argued that the Ba in exhalative environments was derived from

underlying oceanic basalts. The evidence for such a submarine hydrothermal system includes the
presence of some characteristic trace elements of Mn silicate ore (Hirtopanu, Popescu, 1999),
the Sr - rich baryte, the presence of Ni-Co-Bi sulphosalts, which are commonly associated with
this system. The unmixin% structures of chalcopyrite and bomite in the Orata deposit indicate
temperatures above 475 C. Some grains of chalcopyrite in the Brosteni ore contain numerous
minute stars and blebs of sphalerite.
The high temperature at which the unmixing develops explains the rarity of those
intergrowths in nature. The occurrence of such an intergrowth is evidence that the deposit has
formed al a temperature above 500 oC. The presence of cassiterite enclosed in pyrite is a evidence
of a relatively high temperature too, for this second metamorphic phase. The lhird phase of
50 Romaniqn Joumal QfMineral Devosits 79 Suvvl. 1 2000

sulphide vein m ineralisation contains: bournonite, sphalerite, semseyite, tetraedrite,

arsenopyrite, freibergite, boulangerite, matildite, jamesonite, tenrumtite, stannite,
galenobismutite, bornite, etc which have been recently determined in the Puiu-Suharzel deposit
c10sely associated with Mn-silicates. Figure 2 presents elemental maps of pyrite, chalcopyrite,
galena, Ag-tetraedrite and quartz in the Puiu deposit.

Fig. 2 - Elemental maps ofpyrite-chalcopyrite-galena-Ag tetraedrite-quartz in the

sample BP87 Puiu deposit

The association of sulphides with lhe Mn-Fe amphiboles is very interesting. Pyrrhotite
coexists with grunerite amphiboles in ferrous sequence of the Mn deposits in the association
amphibole+pyrrhotite+magnetite-+garnet+quartz. The grunerite amphibole has a composition
which situated it about the value of 29 mol%wt end term. It is c1ear that fS2 exert a strong control
over Fe content of the amphibole. Experimental data of over the amphibole-pyrrhotite are
expresated by the simultane equilibria:
amphibole+02---magnetite+quartz+H20
amphibole+S2---pyrrhotite+quartz+H20+02
 Romanian Journal QfMineral Deposits 79 Suppl J 2000 51

The fS 2 can affect the stability of the amphiboles through the influence of the the fl-hO
(which is low at the high fS 2 ) and through the directly reaction with the Fe-component thus
forming pyrrhotite. The primary pyrite occurs in silicate-carbonate ore and in graphite quartzite.
The idiomorpfism of pyrite of the graphite quartzites is due to a statical growth, probably
provoked by a relaxation, an uplift, which followed the orogeneses phase, most probably the
Variscan one. We believe that the mineralisations of sulphides+oxides, Ba-sulphates, Mn-
carbonates and silicates have a common origin, namely from a submarine hydrothermalism,
pro bably of midocean ridge or back arc basin type.

Rcferences
Hirtopanu, P. (1999) Alabandite of Mn-deposits o f Bistrita Mts, Romania. Raum. J. Mineral. , Abstract volum , 79,
Suppl. 1, p. 3 7, Bucuresti.
Hirtopanu, P., Popescu, M . (1999) Geochemistry and se lTIe considerations about ori g in o f th e Bistri ta manganese
depo s its, East Carpathians, Romani a. Anal. Univ. Buc., Geologie, Abstract vo lum e, Suppl., AN X LVIII , p.
32-34 .

ROMANIA'S MINERAL WATER ATLAS

M . MAIERU, C. MAIERU, C. ILIESCU, M. ILIESCU, D. SLAVOACA, R. SLAVOACA,

M. DRAGHICI, D. ZORJLESCU, S.c. PROS PEC T1UNI S. A ., 78.344-Bucharest, I Caran sebes SI., Romania

Mineral Water Atlas presents data concerning the hydromineral patrimony of Romania, so
that it should provide a wide range of informational elements, concentrated in a relatively
restrained volume, easily accessible and graphically attractive.
Economically, this paper is interesting for natural and medicinal mineral water sale, health
resorts, touri sm and turning to better account of thermal water as thermic agent.
Romania's Mineral Water Atlas is drawn up by a staff of the S.C. Prospectiuni S.A. together
with specialists of the Mineral Water National Society (M.W.N.S.); it is based on the processing of a
great number of data, mainly Erom the S.c. Prospectiuni S.A. archives, as well as Erom the National
Agency for Mineral Resources (N.A.M.R.), Mines-Geology General Directorate within the Industry
and Trade Ministry and M.W.N. S. archives.
As a geological and land survey basis the Geological Map of Romania - scale 1:200,000 (50
sheets), edited and published by the Geological Institute of Romania is used.
Data processing and plotting is mostly elaborated by computer processing within S.c.
Prospectiuni S.A.
Artemiu Pricajan (1972) defines mineral water as underground or shallow waler (hal, due
10 minera/izalion or 10 some special physical qualities, can be used in balneary cure or as raw
material, in induslry This category includes Ihe Ihermal water with reduced mineralization,
ulilized as energy source.
The Health Ministry aligned itself (1961-1973) to the international balneological
concept ion based on "The decis ion from Nauheim of 1913 ", according to which, positioning ofa
water in "mineral water" category is made as a result of its compliance with one or several of the
following conditions:
- to conlain at least 1 g salls oblained at 1 liter of waler;
- to contain chemica/ elements wilh enhanced pharmac%gical action (S, Fe, J, Br), in a
proportion admitted as necesary minimum;
52 Romanian .!ournal of Mineral D~posits. 79 Suppl I 2000

- to comprise some gas as COl, H}S, Radon. in a certain concentrat ion;

- to have at emergence a temperature above 20oC;
- to have a curative effec/, scientifically recognized.
The governmental decision (ll761N0vember 1996) defines lhe natural mineral water as
"exclusively underground water, microbiologically pure. extracted by drillings or from natural
sources" .
The same governmental decision defines, within drinking mineral water, the following
categories of water: gaseous natural mineral water, decarbonated (sti Il) natural mineral water,
natural mineral water re-impregnated with carbon dioxide from the source or gaseificated.
1. CONSIDERA TIONS ABOUT CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
The chemical character of water is related to the complex conditions from the deposit in
terms of the substance exchanges with the bedrock, the blends with fluids and the underground
circulation evolution.
a) Within the hydromineral system, the local geological particularities confer the lIniqlle
character for each deposit, implicitly resulting the specificity of the waters housed by it ,
concerning the temperature, flow and chemical character.
b) Within a deposit, the water chemical variations result from the process of mi xture of different
origins waters (different mineralizations), in proportions variable in the space.
c) At the same source, there are present variations of the physical-chemical parameters, due to
the variation in time of the mixture between different origins waters, of the resulted flow and
inflow (dissolving and loss) of dissolved gas.
2. MINERAL WATER CLASSIFICATION APPROPIATE FOR THE ROMA IA'S
MINERAL WATER ATLAS
Due to the interference between the processes that lead to the above mentioned mineral
water genesis, their cJassification cannot be unique.
Further there will be presented some e1ements that serve as classification criteria and
related positionings:
2.1. Classification depending on chemi cal composition (major chemi cal types):
2.1.1. Classification depending on the prevailing anion
bicarbonated water
chlorosodic water
sulphated water
2.1.2. Classification depending on the prevailing cation
calcic water;
magnesic water;
sodic water.
2. 1.3. Classification depending on the specific components: - Dissolved gas
carbonated water (C0 2 > 500 mgll)
sulphurous water (H 2 S > 1 mgll)
- Specific chemical elements
iodided water (I > 1 mgll),
bromided water (Br > 5 mgll),
ferruginous water (Fe > 10 mgll);
2.2. Classification depending on tonicity (total minerali zation without dissolved gas)
oligomineral water (min. tot. < 1000 mgl!)
 Romqnian Journal o(Mineral Devosits 79 Suvvl. 1 2000 53

isotone water (1000 < min . tot. < 8000 mgll)

hypotone water (8000 < min. tot. < 10000 m g/ l)
hypertone water (min. tot. > 10000 mg/ l )
2.3. Depending on temperature
cold water (temp . < 20C),
hypothermal water (20 < tempo < 35C),
isothermal water (35 < tempo < 40C),
hyperthermal water (temp. > 40C);
3. Classificatio n depending on utilization (Bottlable mineral water):
decarbonated natural mineral water (sti II);
carbonated natural mineral water;
med icinal mineral water (used with medical prescription);
Mineral water of balneary and/or entertaining use;
Mineral water used as thermic agent.

Referenccs
Pricajan, A. ( 1972) Ape le min erale si termale din Romania. Ed it. Tehn., Bucuresti .
Sa ndul esc u, M. (1984) Geotec tonica Roman iei . Edit. Tehn. , Bucuresti.
*** (196 1-1 973) Ape minerale si namoluri terapeutice din R.P.R. Edit. Medicala, I- IV, Bucuresti.

THERMAL ANO CHEMICAL EVOLUTION OF THE CA VNIC HYOROTHERMAL

SYSTEM, BAIA MARE MINI NG DISTRICT,
THE ORIGIN OF THE MINERALISATION FLUIDS

Z. F. MAR IAS, Univers itatea de Nord Baia Mare, str. V. Babes 62/A, cod 4800 Romani a.
P. PIANTONE, P. NEHL IG , BRGM, Orleans, Cedex 2, France

The Cavnic base-metal sulphide + (Au, Ag) deposit is located in the central part of Maramures
county and is a part of the Oas - Guti - Varatec Neogene magmati c province of the East
Carpathian chain in North - Western Romnia. The magmati6 activity in the Baia Mare Mining
District occured between the Badenian and the late P liocene. The products of vo lcanism are
constituted of andesites and a number of acid rock varieties: dacites, rhyo lites, q uartziferous
andesites.
The fluid mineralisation was deposited in a single metallogenetic process, during wh ich
seven fluid tectonic and metallogenetic evo lution stages [M, - M, l were individualised (Mari as,
1996 a). Each mo ment is characterised by specific paragenesis, whose limits are marked with the
vein fillin g.
1. Th e Milleralisatioll Fluid Temperature. In ali samples the forming temperatures
range between 207 0 C and 324 0 C (average = 282+21 0 C, n=286).
The relatively low vari ation of the deposition temperature of the minerali sation
moments, of- 75 C (Table 1) is a indicator of the retrograde boiling of the hydrothermal fluids
during the mineralisations deposition in this deposit.
The -fossil fluid salinity in the Cavnic deposit was calculated from the temperature of
final ice di sappearance, using the Potler equation ( 1977); in thi s respect the salinity values range
54 Romaniqn .Journal QfMineral Deoosils 79 Suool 1 2000

fro m 1,2 to 14 % equiv. NaC I for aII m ineralisation moments . The low eutectic temperatw'es
(arollnd - 50 C), sllggest the presence of bivalent cations (Ca, M g, and Fe ... ) in the
hydrothermal solutions.

Table 1. Temperalures al which Ihe Cavnic mineralisalion was sellled, corresponding 10 lhe
mineralisolion momenls
Moments Freezing Fi ling temperatures C
temperatures (C0 2 )
Min. Max. Average Mi n. Max. Average
M, -4 -1.8 -2.9 279 324 302
M2 -7.3 -1. 7 -4.5 266 322 294
M3 -3.2 -1.6 -2.4 264 298 28 1
M4 -2.6 -0.7 -1.7 245 298 27 1
M- -3.6 -1.7 -2.7 265 302 284
M6 -3 .8 -1.6 -2.7 207 248 227
A fa li of the freezing po int was observed of 1,85 0C/C0 2 moI. The di stinct enrichmem in
gold during the last habitual m ineral depositions at Cavnic and the low sulphidati on epithermal
deposits generally coincide with the occurrence of relati vely sal ine flu ids (Heald et al. , 1987).
2. T/, e Milleralisation Fluid Temperature obtained 0 /1 Basis of t!t e Sulp!tur Isotopic
Compositio/l. For a temperature of 3000 C, correspod ing to the ave rage temperature obtained by
mi crothermo metry, the slight variations that were noted are consistent w ith the vailles o f the
fractio n factors given by Ohmoto ( 1972).
Three pairs of sulph ides were selected to estimate the su lph ide crystalli sation
temperature corresponding to the M. moment; thi s is the fi rst important flui d mixtllre (magmat ic
+ meteoric) w ith consequences in precipitating the go ld sulphides and sulphosaIts in the calc ite-
dolomite gangue.
The obtai ned results indicate that the temperatures for the sphalerite - galena pa ir
(sample 203) are abnormally hi gh (Table 2), as compared to the 'geothermometric resuIts based
on the study of flui d inclusions; the on ly temperatures obtained for the sphalerite-galena pair,
w hich are consistent w ith the data obtained fro m the fl uid inc1usions, are the ones fro m samples
2 10 and 227.
Table 2. Thermomelric values based an isolopic composiliol1s of simullaneously cryslallised
sulphidesji-om Ihejluid an Ihe moment M" oflhe Cavnic hydrolhermal sySlem
M Samp SP GN Py DPy/G DSP HI DPy/ S T" C T"C TOC
le H N GN F Py/G SPH/G Py/ SP
N N H
M4 203 2.4 l.l 3. 5 2.4 1.4 I 379 445 277
M4 21 0 4 1.2 4. 3 3.1 2.8 0.3 300 234 731
,
M4 227 2.6 0.3 ~ 2.7 2.3 0.4 34 1 287 596
The unconvincing result obtained with sample 203 and the contradictory results of the
pyrite-sphalerite pairs (samples 2 10 and 227) suggest that the fraction equilibrium was not
reached and therefore the pyrite did not deposit simultaneously with the galena and sphale ri te .
Supposing that the suphide deposition temperatures fo r moments [M 2 - M 4 1 were of
 Romanian JOllrnal o{Mineral Del2osits. 79. SUI2(2i 1 2000 55

approximately 3000 C - a result obtained from the study of fluid inclusions - we can calculate for
a dominant average H2S values of d 34S of +3.4 %0 for the hydrothermal fl uid . These values are
comparable with a magmatic sulphur source: 0%0--5 %0 (Ohmoto, Rye, 1979).
3. The Origin of the Mineralisation Fluids. AII the types of isotopic analyses and of fluid
inclusions were performed in the BRGM - Orleans Laboratories, France. The d 18 0 from the
quartz of the metallogenetic moments varies between +6,7 and + II, I %0 as compared to
SMOW.
The changes ofthe d l80 quar< values in ti me throughout the metallogenetic events between
MI and M, suggests a heavy isotope enrich ing for the interva l MI - M 3 - M s (Marias, 1996 b).
Thi s aspect indicates the concentration of heavy isotopes as the boi ling evolves and is
subsequentl y generalised in M3. The dO values range between - 71 and - 109 ( - 10%0)
(P iantone et al. , 1999).
Consequently, fro m the point of view of the d 18 0 _dD ratio the Cavnic hydrothennal
system was dominated by fluid s in which the magmatic component increased during the [M I-M 3]
metall ogenetic interval ; whil e in the late stages of the process, [M 4-M 7 ] , the mixed and finall y
meteori c flui ds prevailed (Fig. 1).

." .,. .,- - -, ,.

Fig. I - d 180 plotted against dD of quartz from the four main ore deposition moments
(Pian tone et al. , 1999).

The diagram shows vanatlons in fluid isotopic composition equilibrated with propylitized
vo lcan ic rocks (full Iines) and sedimentary rocks (dashed lines) as a function of the initial fluid
composition T. Various water / rocks ratios are a1 so reported.

References
Hea ld, P., Hay ba, 0 .0., Foley, N.K . ( 198 7) Comparative Anatomy ofVolcan ic-H osted Epithermal Deposits: Acid-
sulp hate and Adu larip-seric ite typcs. Econ.Geol., 82 , p. 1-26.
Marias, Z. Fr. (l996a) Unpub li shed PhO Thes is Babes-Bo lya i"U ni versity.
Marias, Z. Fr. ( 1996b) The 18 0/ 160 Isotopic ral ias in Min erals and Hydroterma\ Flu ids from th e Cavni e Epitherm al
Sistem (Ba ia Mare, Roman ia). Effects of the boi i ing on the Isotopic Compos ition, Sal in ity and Me tal Depos ition
in .he Ore Body. An. InSI. Ceol. Rom., 69, Suppl.1 , p.118 -121.
Ohmoto, H. (1972) Systematics of Su lfur and Carbon Isotopes in Hyd roth ermal Ore Depos its. Econ. CeaI., 67 , p.
55 1 -579.
Ohmoto, H. , Rye, R.O . (1979) Isotopes of Sul fu r aud Carbon. Jn :Geochem of Hydrot hennal Ore Depos its (sec.ed.) ,
Barnes, H.L.(ed.). p. 509 -56 1.
56 Romanian Journal q/Mineral Deposils 79 SURDI 1 2000

PianJone, P., Bailly, L., Nehlig, P., Grancea , L., Lcroy, J., Marias, Z. Fr., Marcoux, E. (1999) Flu id ln clusion
and Isotope Study ofthe Cavnic Epithennal Depas it, Romania. In : Min . Depos its Processes ta Process ing, Stanley
el al. (eds) Balkema, Rotterdam, p.79-82 .
Potter, R.W. (1977) Pressure Correction s for Fluid Inclusion Homogen izat ion Temperatures Based an (h e
Volum elric Properties of lhe Syslem NaC I-H, O. u.s. Ceai. Surv. J. Research, 505, p. 603-607, p. 603-607.

STRUCTURE AND DISTRIBUTION OF COMPLEX ORE RESOURCES

EXISTING IN ROMANIA

M. MARINESCU, 1. POPA , R. POPA, University of Bucharest, 70 139-Bucharest, Romania,

G. MARINESCU, "G. Clinescu " High School, Bucharesl

Introduction
In Romania, the polymetallic (complex) character of the ores is given by the presence of
Zn, Pb and Cu as major metals. These metals occur as sulphides and seldom contain small
quantities of Au and Ag, sometimes in recoverable amounts.
The composition of the pollymetalic ores can also contain a series of rare, disperse or
minor elements (Mo, Sb, Bi, As, Se, Ge, In, Ga, Ta, Cd, Te, W etc.), some of them valuabl e in
economic respect.
From the total ofthe common non-ferrous ores of Romania (complex, copper, go ld-si lver
and bauxite) , the complex ores are ranking on the second place as importance (after the copper
ores) and on the first place considering the number of occurrences.
1. Major Geo-Structural Units Hosting Pollymetalic Ore Resources
The existing mineral resources, known up-to-now within the North Dobrogean Orogen
are related to the Mesozoic magmatic activity.
From the five occurences known, on ly three were quantified as resources of polfymetalic
ores. It represents about 1% from the total quantified resources existing in Romania .
In the Carpathian Orogen the pre-Alpine metamorphic and magmatic fonn ations, as well
as the Alpine magmatic formations comprise complex ore deposits.
The numerous occurrences identified in the Carpathian Orogen contain 99% [rom the
total quantified resources known in Romania.
2. The Structure of Existing Reserves of Complex Ores
The pollymetalic ore resources often contain, as recoverable utile minerals, sulphides:
galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite. Sometimes, besides sphalerite occurs wuertzit. More
often, the chalcopyrite appears together with other minerals of copper: chalcosine, covellite,
bornite, tetrahedrite. Also, besides pyrite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, and mispickel , as mineral s
containing iron can be noticed.
It is to note that the recoverable utile minerals represent 15% from the total amount of
pollymetalic ore.
The quantitative mineralogical structure, in weight percent, of recoverable utile mineral s
from the pollymetalic ores resources existing in Romania is, as follows: galena - 7.20%,
sphalerite - 15.40 %, equivalent chalcopyrite - 4.70%, equivalent pyrite - 72.70%. The oxide
form of the pollymetalic ore is rare.
From the recoverable elements of the Romanian pollymetalic ores on the first place are:
S, Zn, Pb, Cu. As secondary metals, Au, Ag are present in recoverable quantities.
 Romanian Journal Q/Mineral Deposits 79 Supui. 1 2000 57

If we report the whole amountof the use ful minerals to the whole amount of complex
ores, the following mean contents are obtained: sphalerite - 2.4% ; galena . 1. 1%; equival ent
chalcopyrite - 0.7%; equivalent pyrite - 11.2%.
Reporting the quantity of elements to the whole existing resources of complex ores the
following mean contents are obtained: 1.6% Zn; 1.0% Pb; 0 .2% Cu; 0 .3 git A u; 20 git Ag;
8.8% S.
3. The Occurrence of Polymetallic Ore Resources
The term of objective is se ldom similar to ore deposit/accumulation. There are also
situations w hen objective means zone in extensio n (on surface/depth) ofthe ore deposit or within
the ore area but with different mineralization (oxide/sulphide ore, compactlimpregnation ore
etc.).
In this paper 183 objectives have been considered.
With about 10S obj ectives the East Carpathians rank on the first place among the geo-
structura l units. Following the geograph ical criteria the area can be structured, as follows: G uti
Mts. (3 1 objectives), Maramure Mts. (30), Rodnei Mts. ( 19), Bistriei Mts. (II), Oa Mts. (S),
ible Mts. (4) , Giurgeu Mts. (3), C limani Mts. ( 1) and Gurghiu Mts. (1).
Apuseni Mountains contain only 39 objectives. The geographical distribution is:
Metaliferi Mts. (19 objectives), Bihor Mts. ( 10), G ilu Mts.(S), VIdeasa Mts. (2), es Mts. (2)
and Zarand Mts. (1).
In the South Carpathians are located 36 objectives w ith polymetallic ore deposits,
geographica lly spread, as follows: Fgra Mts. (14 objectives), Poiana Ru sc Mts. (13) and
Banatului Mts. (8).
With 2% of the objectives containing pol ymetallic ore resources, the North Dobro gea
Orogeni c area ranks on the last place. O nly 3 objecti ves with quantified resources are known::
Somova - Cortelu, C la - Mineri - Dealul Carierei a nd Movila Spat.
The reserves distribution upon quantity is similar w ith that performed by a number of
o bjectives.
The orogenic cycles related to the genesis of the polymetallic ore resources are : Middl e -
Upper Proterozoic, Earl y Caledonian, Hercynian and Alpine cycles.
T he Alpine orogenic cycle generated the most favourable accumulatio n conditi ons.
During the a lpine and early Caledonian orogenesis 83% of the Romanian resources have been
formed. A small part of the existing resources (0.3%) have an uncertain appurtenance to any of
the cycles.
About half of the Romanian polymetallic ore resources have a hydrothermal genesis. The
other well represented type (3S%) is the metamorphosed volcanogene-sedimentary one.
Among the other genetic types the contact-metasomatic and hydrothermal and
metamorphosed hydrothermal represent 10% from the ex isting resources.
The andesitic magmatism related to the M io-Pliocene subduction has generated almost
ha lf of the polymetallic ore resources of Romania. Together with the Cambrian rhyo litic
vo lcani sm , carbonaceous, amphybolic and micaceous formati ons and granodioritic magmatism,
related to Late Cretaceous - Palaeocene subduction processes, has generated 90% of the
resources.
The polymetallic ore resources are kno wn in 42 metallogenetic distri cts out of which on ly 4
(Dealul Crucii - B iu, Baia Bora, Tama Mare a nd Valea Blaznei - Guell exceed SO miII ion
tones of ore.
58 Romaniqn Journal o{Mineral Deposjls 79 Surol 1 2000

Most of the districts (55%) have resources of less than 10 miII ion tones and about 43%
less than 5 million tones.
An important criterion for the resources c1assification is the degree of geological
assurance. From this point of view the resources are described as identified/unidentified
(hypothetical , speculative).
The Romanian polymetallic resources are divided, afler the degree of geological
ass urance, into identified (29%) and unidentified (71 %).
Some of the ore deposits contain on ly identified or unidentified resources. but us ually they
appear together.

THE RNUA DEPOSIT - CLOSE DOWN OR A NEW ECONOMIC

POTENTIAL FOR U - MO

S. MATY AS I, Geo Prospect Lld., Ie i , 3638, Romnia.

S. CMPEAN , C.N.C.A.F., " Minvcst ,. S.A., Deva, 2700. Romnia,
. OSVALO, Compania Naional a Uraniu lui S.A., Bucureti , 70184, Romnia,
L. MATYASI, C.N.U., Sucursala Mgurele , 769 11 , Bucure ti.

Tbe Rnua deposit is located in the south-western part of the Codru Moma Mountains,
undeI' the c rest between Creu and Zalea Neagr val leys, at 9 km from Moneasa spa and about
130 km from Arad city, respectively. It represents the only U - Mo deposit in Romania.
Geologically and structurally the minera li zed zone is located in the Moma unit and within
it in the "Lower Rh yolite Formation" (ignimbrites) framed between the basa l " Bioturbati onal
Sa ndstone Formation" and the "Basic Formation" (basalts, argillites, sandstones). T he whole
strati graphic aggregate is of Permian age. The U-Mo deposit is developed on the N -W limb of an
inclined fold , looki ng like a false monocl ine orientated NE-SW, with dips of 30-35 towards SE.
The thickness of metarhyolites ranges between 15 and 85 m .
The host rocks of the mineralization is exclusive ly represented by metarhyo lites, which are
quasico nformably or tectonically related to the surrounding rocks.
The mineral paragenesis is: pitchblende-molybdenite ( jordisite, il semannite)-uraniul11
mo lybdates (ul110hoite, iriginite, moluranite), along with uraniul11 black , torbernite. a utunite,
uranophane associated w ith wulfenite, chalcopyrite. chalcocite, pyrite, smaltite, chloantite,
tetrahedrite, galena, hematite, malachite and barite.
The geochemica l spectrum of the mineralizing process consists of: U, Mo, Bi, Co, Cu, Pb,
Li , Ag, TI a nd As and the elements characteristic of the rock background are: V, Ba, Sr, Ti, Z r,
N i and Mn. Type correlations (r = 0,8-0,9) were found for U-C u, U-Mo, Mo-Bi, Bi-Co, Pb-Co
and lack of correlation for U-Pb and Pb-Ba. Lithium spatially superposes U and Mo with no
correlation with those or other elements.
The mineralization is present as impregnations in the mass;ve and compact rock as well as
in pel licular form on the joint and foliation plans, forming lenticular ore bod ies dis posed
quasiconfonnably with the foliation , the morpho logy being complicated by tension and plication
fau lts.
From the genetic point of view, from the literature, it can be c1assified in the volcanic type;
strata bound extracaldera (Dahlkamp, 1993), model 25 f - volcanogenic U, respectivel y (Cox,
Singer, 1992), and the authors as tectonically redi stributed volcanogenic-sedimentary.
 Romanian .!ournal o{Mineral Deposits 79 SuDal 1. 2000 59

Economic aspects. The deposit is mostly explored on a length of about 3 km, opened by
three adits and by a 195 m deep exploration shaft from which two research levels were dug,
accumulating agreat amount of underground mining work and of underground and surface
drilling operations (Fig. 1). At 2 km north of shaft no. I shaft no. 2 was partly operated whi ch
needed only 7 m to fulfil the geological target, but it was abandonned.
The economic value of the deposit is the U-Mo ore, adding to this lithium (700-1000 ppm)
for which no reserve computations were made. The last findings, in contrast to the earlier ones,
make obvious a substantial enrichment in uranium towards the outermost northern part and
towards the fali ing of the mineralized structure (Fig. 2), followed by the decrease of the
molybdenum content to the level of the geochemical background , resulting in the di sappearance
of this undesirable element in the milling process. In spite of these findings, that lie at the basis
of the reguiding the geological research that resulted in improved economic parameters and in an
increased amount of outlined resourses due the workings made in the last five years, the deposit
is proposed for fina l close down. In conclusion, it results that the exploration of the deposit is not
finished and in thi s stage the adjoining field represents an ongoing imp0l1ant metallogenetic
potential fo r U-Mo-Li associated sulphides.
After the 1NTURGEO ( 1988) classificatio n the deposit is placed in category "O" size, of
word occurrences (except for the USA and Canada).

t "-'."U'f'L. " " L."'~~I I /

I
)o "." ''''''"'' ,.'ri.. / S .f"
'1(
lAYO UT t.ft.AP I """' '''''.,. '" " .... / / I

RArWSA :) EP o srT o';'"~

~.''";
. . '. ", ___ ----"","""'r

:I ///
! /

/
l'
~ .!,
//

~~'7~:.~ .f~ . . I

'"
'.
/
s~ .. n." , '1'

.. ,'

~'.
L E CE',O
/--:::":.""::..
11 ::OOm
. ~~/ ___ J

, Fir;. 1 , , , . . . . .: p~

Refercnces
Co. , D. r ., Singer, D. A. (1992) Mineral Deposit Models. U.S Geo/. Survey Bul/etin, 379 p.
Dahlkamp, F. J. ( 1993) Uran ium ore deposits. Springer Verlag Berlin , 460 p.
Matyasi, S. (1993) Referiri asupra zac mintelor mici de uraniu din Mu nii Apuseni. Rev. Mine/ar, nrA.
Matyasi. S. et al. ( 1994) Documentai e geologic de nch id ere a lu c r r i lor de explora re , Sector Ranua . Arhiva
C.N.U . Bucureti.
Popescu, M. (1987) Studiul aureolelo r pri mare in vederea determinrii pozitiei corpurilor minera le. Arhiva
C.N.U. Bucureti.
Salajan, 1. (1970) Studiu l geo logic si petrografic a l prii centra le din Munii Codru-Moma , cu pri vire s pecial
as upra mineralizaiei urano-molibden ifere. Tez de doctorat, Unv. din Cluj , 248p.
*** (1988) 1NTURGEO: A World Atlas of Uranium Occurrences and Oeposits. l.A .E.A.-
TECOOC-471 , Vielma.