Origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from Jebel Ouichane near Nador in Morocco
Abstract Light-blue barite from Jebel Ouichane in Morocco forms blade-like tabular crystals (up to ca. 10 cm) with superb transparency and lustre and represents one of the most spectacular gem-quality worldwide. The barite is hosted by iron-ore-bearing skarns, developed within Jurassic-Cretaceous li...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Nature Publishing Group
2021-05-01
|
Series: | Scientific Reports |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89692-5 |
id |
doaj-229e18fd78dc4eb393020288ce749012 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-229e18fd78dc4eb393020288ce7490122021-05-16T11:23:42ZengNature Publishing GroupScientific Reports2045-23222021-05-0111111610.1038/s41598-021-89692-5Origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from Jebel Ouichane near Nador in MoroccoMagdalena Dumańska-Słowik0Beata Naglik1Tomasz Toboła2Tomasz Powolny3Miłosz Huber4Stanislava Milovska5Natalia Dobosz6Kamil GuzikAleksandra Wesełucha-Birczyńska7Faculty of Geology, Geophysics, and Environmental Protection, AGH-University of Science and TechnologyPolish Geological Institute-National Research InstituteFaculty of Geology, Geophysics, and Environmental Protection, AGH-University of Science and TechnologyFaculty of Geology, Geophysics, and Environmental Protection, AGH-University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Geology, Soil Science and Geoinformacy, Faculty of Earth Science and Spatial Management, Maria Curie – Skłodowska UniversityEarth Science Institute, Slovak Academy of SciencesFaculty of Geology, Geophysics, and Environmental Protection, AGH-University of Science and TechnologyFaculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian UniversityAbstract Light-blue barite from Jebel Ouichane in Morocco forms blade-like tabular crystals (up to ca. 10 cm) with superb transparency and lustre and represents one of the most spectacular gem-quality worldwide. The barite is hosted by iron-ore-bearing skarns, developed within Jurassic-Cretaceous limestones, and occurs in close spatial association with calcite. The crystals have their cores enriched in Sr and contain abundant monophase (liquid) fluid inclusions of primary and pseudosecondary origin. The barite probably precipitated slowly at a relatively low supersaturation and under the control of a surface reaction precipitation mechanism. However, there were some episodes during its formation with a fast growth rate and the coupled dissolution and recrystallization processes. A combination of fluid inclusion data and stable δ 18O value for barite (+ 6.71‰ VSMOW) suggests that low-salinity barite-forming solutions resulted from the mixing of strongly-diluted meteoric waters (enriched in light oxygen isotope) with magmatic-hydrothermal fluids under low-temperature conditions (< 100 °C). Meanwhile, the mineralizing fluids must have been enriched in Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, and other elements derived from the alteration of carbonate and silicate minerals in sedimentary and igneous rocks. The coupling between sulphur and oxygen isotope data (+ 16.39‰ VCDT and + 6.71‰ VSMOW, respectively) further suggests that barite crystallized in steam-heated environment, where SO4 2- derived from magmatic-hydrothermal SO2 reacted with sulphates that originate from the oxidation of H2S under near-surface conditions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89692-5 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Magdalena Dumańska-Słowik Beata Naglik Tomasz Toboła Tomasz Powolny Miłosz Huber Stanislava Milovska Natalia Dobosz Kamil Guzik Aleksandra Wesełucha-Birczyńska |
spellingShingle |
Magdalena Dumańska-Słowik Beata Naglik Tomasz Toboła Tomasz Powolny Miłosz Huber Stanislava Milovska Natalia Dobosz Kamil Guzik Aleksandra Wesełucha-Birczyńska Origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from Jebel Ouichane near Nador in Morocco Scientific Reports |
author_facet |
Magdalena Dumańska-Słowik Beata Naglik Tomasz Toboła Tomasz Powolny Miłosz Huber Stanislava Milovska Natalia Dobosz Kamil Guzik Aleksandra Wesełucha-Birczyńska |
author_sort |
Magdalena Dumańska-Słowik |
title |
Origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from Jebel Ouichane near Nador in Morocco |
title_short |
Origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from Jebel Ouichane near Nador in Morocco |
title_full |
Origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from Jebel Ouichane near Nador in Morocco |
title_fullStr |
Origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from Jebel Ouichane near Nador in Morocco |
title_full_unstemmed |
Origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from Jebel Ouichane near Nador in Morocco |
title_sort |
origin and occurrence of gem-quality, skarn-hosted barite from jebel ouichane near nador in morocco |
publisher |
Nature Publishing Group |
series |
Scientific Reports |
issn |
2045-2322 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
Abstract Light-blue barite from Jebel Ouichane in Morocco forms blade-like tabular crystals (up to ca. 10 cm) with superb transparency and lustre and represents one of the most spectacular gem-quality worldwide. The barite is hosted by iron-ore-bearing skarns, developed within Jurassic-Cretaceous limestones, and occurs in close spatial association with calcite. The crystals have their cores enriched in Sr and contain abundant monophase (liquid) fluid inclusions of primary and pseudosecondary origin. The barite probably precipitated slowly at a relatively low supersaturation and under the control of a surface reaction precipitation mechanism. However, there were some episodes during its formation with a fast growth rate and the coupled dissolution and recrystallization processes. A combination of fluid inclusion data and stable δ 18O value for barite (+ 6.71‰ VSMOW) suggests that low-salinity barite-forming solutions resulted from the mixing of strongly-diluted meteoric waters (enriched in light oxygen isotope) with magmatic-hydrothermal fluids under low-temperature conditions (< 100 °C). Meanwhile, the mineralizing fluids must have been enriched in Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, and other elements derived from the alteration of carbonate and silicate minerals in sedimentary and igneous rocks. The coupling between sulphur and oxygen isotope data (+ 16.39‰ VCDT and + 6.71‰ VSMOW, respectively) further suggests that barite crystallized in steam-heated environment, where SO4 2- derived from magmatic-hydrothermal SO2 reacted with sulphates that originate from the oxidation of H2S under near-surface conditions. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89692-5 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT magdalenadumanskasłowik originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco AT beatanaglik originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco AT tomasztoboła originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco AT tomaszpowolny originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco AT miłoszhuber originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco AT stanislavamilovska originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco AT nataliadobosz originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco AT kamilguzik originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco AT aleksandrawesełuchabirczynska originandoccurrenceofgemqualityskarnhostedbaritefromjebelouichanenearnadorinmorocco |
_version_ |
1721439454675075072 |