Masters Theses

Abstract

“The Bushy Park zinc-lead deposit is located in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The sulfides are hosted by karst-related breccias that were formed in carbonate shelf deposits of the Neoarchean (2.55 Ga) Campbellrand Subgroup. These rocks are dolomitized completely and silicified partially but have not undergone major metamorphism and thus display remarkable preservation of depositional fabrics. The stratigraphic interval includes the Papkuil and Klippan Formations (> 210 m), a sequence of cyclic microbial laminates interbedded with domed and columnar stromatolites. The Klippan is distinguished from other formations b intense silicification and brecciation. These strata are overlain by the Kogelbeen Formation, consisting of more than 210 m of intertidal facies that occur at the bottom and subtidal facies toward the top. These three formations have undergone slight synsedimentary folding and final stage basin fill towards the end of the Kogelbeen Formation deposition.

The sequence studied is interpreted to represent a third order cycle. The Kogelbeen Formation possibly represents a third order transgression, and the Papkuil-Klippan Formations, a regression. Fourth order cycles are represented by minor shallowing upward sequences throughout the succession and fifth order parasequences are also recognized in the strata immediately above a black shale which represent the contact between the Klippan and Kogelbeen Formations

Replacive dolomite ranges from a relatively fine crystalline planar texture, typical of early diagenetic dolomitization, to a coarse crystalline nonplanar texture, suggestive of epigenetic dolomitization and/or neomorphism of pre-existing dolomite. The nonplanar dolomite is associated with coarse crystalline dolomite and calcite cements that are paragenetically related to quartz cement, abundant pyrobitumen, Zn, Pb, minor Cu, Fe sulfide minerals, and intense brecciation. A distinctive cathodoluminescent microstratigraphy, observed in the carbonate cements, indicates a paragenesis involving multiple stages of cementation and mineralization. All of this suggests a complex fluid history, which includes the emplacement of petroleum. Breccias contain clasts of banded iron formation that is at least Paleoproterozoic in age and therefore suggests a maximum age of 2.5 Ga for the mineralization event.

This study indicates that the Bushy Park deposit underwent depositional, diagenetic, and epigenetic processes similar to Paleozoic and younger Mississippi Valley-type deposits worldwide and share many characteristics in common with Pb-Zn deposits found in the Appalachian Region of North America”--Abstract, pages iii-iv.

Advisor(s)

Jay M. Gregg

Committee Member(s)

Richard D. Hagni
Kevin L. Shelton

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Geology and Geophysics

Comments

One plate, folded in the back pocket of the manuscript, is provided here as a supplemental file. Due to its large size, this file may take more time to download.

The author thanks the Society of Economic Geologists for its sponsorship of this research.

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

Spring 2002

Pagination

xiv, 174 pages , map

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 168-173).

Geographic Coverage

Northern Cape Province, South Africa

Rights

© 2002 William Daniel Baugaard, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Geology -- South AfricaMines and mineral resources -- South Africa

Thesis Number

T 8016

Print OCLC #

50000411

Baugaard_Williams_2002_plate_1.tif (472227 kB)
Appendix A: Borehole Location Map

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