Mina do bonito: tipologia e geoquímica dos minérios de ferro - jucurutu/rn - brasil

Abstract

The present work deals with the data concerning the geological, geochemical and typological context of the iron ores present in Bonito Mine, located 20 km from the municipality of Jucurutu / RN. In the studied area, there are primary ferriferous bodies of vulcan-sedimentary origin formed by the ferriferous formations (bif's), represented by the itabirites: 1. (Ia) - Itabirito amphibolítico; 2. (Iag) - Itabirito amphibolítico goethítico; 3. (Im) - Itabirito martítico; And 4. (Ime) Itabirito Martítico Especularítico, as well as iron bodies of hydrothermal origin (high iron content) represented by: 1. (Mag) - Magnetitito; 2. (Smg) - Magnesium Skarn; 3. (Stm) - Skarn Tremolite with actinolite. Field observations and petrographic studies show variations in the proportions of magnetite (primary and secondary), hematite (martite, specularite), goethite and iron amphiboles. The surface mapping of the Bonito Mine was carried out according to eight sections transversal to the regional structuring, spaced of 200 meters with description and collection of structural data every 100 meters. Some probe holes were reviewed and described, aiming the characterization of a mineral typology based on mineralogical, chemical and magnetic parameters. In the currently accepted regional geological context, the bif's are attributed to the Serra dos Quintos Formation, stratigraphically inferior to the Jucurutu Formation, while the marbles are positioned in the Jucurutu Formation. However, in the Bonito Mine, marbles and itabirite are intercalated composing, together with quartzites and schists, a kilometer antiformal structure with a dipping axis to the south. The rocks have a penetrative planar structure developed in ductile conditions represented by a compositional bandage in the bif's and schistzite and schistosomiasis. The itabirites correspond to the iron formations facies oxide and oxide-silicate metamorphosed in conditions of the amphibolite facies, whereas the bodies of secondary ores have hydrothermal origin associated to the final phases of folding. When comparing the contents of the traces of the itabirite of the Bonito Mine to those of other iron formations, it shows a pattern different from that of the Algomas type, and similar to the Upper Lake type. Although the absolute levels of the rare earth elements of the Mine do Bonito itabirite are generally very low, the pattern of distribution of these elements when normalized by the NASC is similar to that of the vast majority of archaean and paleoproterozoic bif's from different parts of the world, In which the positive anomaly of europium represents a characteristic feature.