Mineral exploration in Germany - Deutsche Rohstoffagentur

Thomas Seifert, Jens Gutzmer I Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology I www.hzdr.de/hif

Mineral Exploration in Germany –

Activities and Opportunities

PDAC 2012

Thomas Seifert (TU Bergakademie Freiberg)

Jens Gutzmer (Helmholtz Institute Freiberg)

Toronto, 07. March 2012

Member of Helmholtz Society Page 2 Thomas Seifert, Jens Gutzmer I Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology I www.hzdr.de/hif

Exploration Projects for Mineral Deposits in Germany

Mineralization type

1. Polymetallic sediment-

hosted massive sulfide-

type (Pb, Zn, Cu, Ag, Au?)

2. Kupferschiefer-type (Cu,

Ag, Pb, Zn, Au?)

3. Sn-W(-Mo-Li) greisen-,

vein-, & skarn-type

4. Ag-rich base metal vein-

type

5. Ag-rich Bi-Co-Ni-As vein-

type

6. Fluorite and barite vein-

type

Location

exploration target

1 (4, 6)

2

3-6



Mineralization type





Ag, Pb, Zn, Au?)


vein-, and skarn-type


type


type


type

Location

exploration target

1 (4, 6)

2

3-6


SHMS Deposit Rammelsberg (eastern Goslar Basin):

The Harz License of Scandinavian Highlands1

1: The license of Scandinavian Highlands covers the historic Harz mining district Rammelsberg and historic Ag-

base metal ore fields

Source: www.scandinavian-highlands.com


SHMS Deposit Rammelsberg: Ore Types & Production

1: cf. Large et al. (1999)

2: cf. Stedingk (2009)

Cumulative production2

27.5 Mt polymetallic sulfide ore: 2160 kt Zn, 4590 kt Pb, 540 kt Cu, 4050 t Ag

Ore Types1

Typical mottled Cu-rich ,Melierterz‘ (1) and Zn-Pb-Cu-rich ‚Banderz‘ (2-5),

Rammelsberg SHMS deposit


The “Gosetal” Anomaly – Indication for a Rammelsberg Twin?

Gosetal Magnetic Anomaly

Source: www.scandinavian-highlands.com

Explanation

• 1-2 km west of Rammelsberg mine, situated within the „Wissenbacher

shales“, similar to the Rammelsberg deposit

• Strong conductor, unique in the surveyed area; shallow crustal level;

same depositional sub-basin as the Rammelsberg ore bodies!!

Model

Rammels- berg

„Gosetal“ Magnetic Anomaly



Mineralization Type





Ag, Pb, Zn, Au?)




type


type


type

Location

exploration target

1 (4, 6)

2

3-6


Distribution of Kupferschiefer ore deposits in Germany and

Poland

1: Kopp (2009) modified after Paul (2006) and Pöhlig (1986); Oszczepalski et al. (1999)

Exploration

1953-1980: Geophysical exploration and ca. 130 deep exploration drills

Position1

hanging

wall

footwall

Kupferschiefer Spremberg

Stratigraphic position of the Kupfer-

schiefer in the Permian of Central Europe


Kupferschiefer Spremberg: Claim, Resources, Composition

of Ore Body

1: © KSL Kupferschiefer Lausitz GmbH

2: cf. Kopp et al. (2006); Hennig et al. (1974)

Resources and composition of ore body2

• Resources: 97.7 Mt polymetallic sulfide

ore: 1.5 Mt Cu; 2,680 t Ag;

161 kt Pb; 81.8 kt Zn

• Composition of ore body: hanging wall

22.9%, Kupferschiefer 45.7%, footwall

31.4%

Claim area and steps1

Exploration

seismics Drilling exploration

(and feasibility study)

• Average ore content: 1.5 wt.% Cu,

34 g/t Ag

• Thickness of ore body: 0.8-8.2 m,

ø 2.4 m

• Depth of ore body: 800-1500 m



Mineralization Type





Ag, Pb, Zn, Au?)




type


type


type

Location

exploration target

1 (4, 6)

2

3-6


Mineral Deposits / Occurrences of Erzgebirge-Vogtland Area

Source: modified after Lehmann / LfLUG Sachsen (2010)

Saxony Sachsen-

Anhalt

Thuringia

Czech

Republic

Poland


Current Mineral Exploration Projects in Saxony

Source: Claim areas and companies after SOBA Freiberg, status: 02/2012

Claim Area (Erzgebirge-

Vogtland region)

Company Exploration Data from

1920-1990 Available

Main Commodity

Seiffen BEAK Consultants GmbH minor Sn, W, Cu, Ag

Gottesberg Deutsche Rohstoff AG abundant Sn, W, Mo, Cu

Delitzsch (NW Saxony) Deutsche Rohstoff AG abundant REE, Nb, W

Niederschlag Niederschlag EFS abundant fluorite, barite

Zschorlau, Wolkenstein,

Brand-Erbisdorf

Sachsenerz Bergwerks

GmbH

minor - abundant Ag, Au, Zn, W, Sn

Ehrenfriedersdorf/Geyer Sachsenzinn GmbH abundant Sn, W, Li, Zn, Ag

Eibenstock , Kottenheide Saxore Bergbau GmbH minor Sn, W, Li

Zinnwald Solar World Solic. GmbH abundant Li, Sn, W

Marienberg-Süd Umbono Minerals &

Mining LCC

minor - medium Sn, W, In, Ag, Zn,

fluorite


Location of the Zinnwald Li-Sn-W Deposit

Source: modified after Seifert & Kempe (1994); Seifert (2008)

Metamorphic basement

Late-collisional granite

Post-collisional granite

Post-collisional high-

F rhyolite

Lamprophyre (dike,

stock, flow)

Sn, Sn-W-Mo-Li,

W deposit

ZINNWALD:

Sn-W(-Li) mining

since about 1378

until 1990 (→flat-

dipping veins)


Li-Sn Greisen Ore Bodies Zinnwald

1: Seifert (1994)

Explanation

• Irregular lenses or zones, mostly flat dipping; thickness: up to 25 m

• Mineralization: quartz-topaz-Li-mica(zinnwaldite)-fluorite greisen

(+ cassiterite, wolframite, molybdenite)

Tiefer Bünau adit, Zinnwald1

Li-mica-rich greisen

@ 0.3 wt. % Li,

0.15 wt.% Sn

Li-Sn ore

Historical Li-mica mining around

1940

( greisen-type ores)


Li-resources of Greisen Deposits in the Erzgebirge

1: Lächelt (1960) 4: Seifert (1983), Uhlig (1988)

2: Starý et al. (2009) 5: AIMR (2010); Manitoba Energy and Mines Economic Geology Report

3: GKZ (2008) ROHSA Study ER84-1, Kippenberger & Krauß (1988); cf. Seifert & Gutzmer (2010)

Greisen Deposit Li-content (wt%) Resources (kt Li)

Zinnwald + Cinovec 0.3 421+112.82

Altenberg 0.12 333

Schenkenshöhe 0.25 353

Ehrenfriedersdorf

(greisen)

0.1 to 0.44 unknown

Gottesberg unknown unknown

For comparison: International important Li-pegmatite deposits5

Greenbushes (AUS) 1.3 584

Tanco Mine (CA) 1.3 86

Bikita (ZIM) 1.4 51


Source: modified after Besser & Kühne (1989)

Evaluation of Metal Contents & Mineralogy by new Drills (2012)

Exploration Drills from the 1950’s and 1980’s in the

Zinnwald Ore Field


Encouraging Areas for Future Mineral Exploration Projects

in Germany (selection)

Areas • Lausitz massif (Ni-Cu-

PGE?)

• Thuringian Forest (fluorite,

barite, Au?, Ag?)

• Rheinisches

Schiefergebirge (SHMS,

Ag?, Au?)

• Black Forest (fluorite,

barite, Ag)

• Fichtelgebirge / Oberpfalz

(Sn, W, fluorite, Au?)

• Bavarian Forest

Location

current exploration projects

Erzgebirge

Spremberg Harz Mts.

Delitzsch

Documents

Mineral exploration in Germany - Deutsche Rohstoffagentur