Chemistry of Tetrahedrite Group Minerals as a Tool for Genetic Discrimination: Examples from Polymetallic Ore Deposits in North Tyrol (Austria)
Abstract
The chemical composition of tetrahedrite group minerals (fahlore) offers an opportunity to examine the influence of geological processes and environments on ore mineralizations. By integrating petrographic observations with in-situ geochemical analyses, this study characterizes the chemical variability of fahlore across different occurrences in North Tyrol. The investigated ore samples occur in diverse geological settings and ore deposit types (Alpine type Pb-Zn, red bed Cu, Veitsch-type magnesite, metamorphosed base metal deposits), exhibiting a wide range of textures and mineral assemblages. Chemically, they are highly variable representatives of the tetrahedrite group and frequently display complex internal chemical zoning. Multivariate statistics reveals that the most significant control on fahlore chemistry in the investigated occurrences is the origin of the mineralizing fluid. Furthermore, this study shows that major and trace element ratios are an effective tool for distinguishing sedimentary from metamorphic associated mineralizing systems. These findings contribute to the refinement of regional ore forming models and provide new insights into the metallo-genesis of the North Tyrolean ore mineralizations.
© 2026 Elias Schreieck, Frank Melcher, Peter Tropper, Viktor Bertrandsson Erlandsson, Clifford G.C. Patten, published by Austrian Geological Society
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.