Mineragraphic Study of some sulphide ores from Leadville New South Wales

Abstract

The Leadville ore bodies may be regarded as consisting of either essentially massive pyrite or mixed sulphides with sphalerite predominant. In polished sections of ores from the various workings pyrite, marcasite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, cubanite, sphalerite, galena, (?) jordanite, tetrahedrite, electrum, magnetite and haematite have been observed. In sphalerite, oriented pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite exsolution lamellae sometimes alternate in the same structural plane, or, less frequently, co-exist in the one lamellar body. Lamellae of galena often parallel these exsolved bodies. A temperature of sphalerite formation of 625° C. is indicated by its iron content. The tabulated assays afford comparisons between the various ore bodies in this field.