Sediment-hosted Ore deposits blog part 11 Irish Zn – Pb – Ag Orefield, Ireland

The many deposits of the Irish midlands form at the intersection between 1. Porous and permeable lower Carboniferous carbonates, 2. Host rock “prep” such as dissolution and dolomitization 3. Favourable structures related to extensional tectonic activity, 4. Metalliferous fluids and 5. Sources of sulphur. These rocks were variably dissolved and/or dolomitized, followed by mineralization that probably took place at different stages (syn-diagenetic, epigenetic) as the result of various fluid pulses and this is evidenced by the multitude of different textures and relationships in ore mineralization. A mini-workshop of presentations with researchers from ICraig at UCD and TCD. I was also lucky to be accompanied by the indomitable Oakley Turner during visits to various projects and mines such as Navan/Tara mines, Lisheen, Silvermines, Killbricken and Abbeytown. Learned about the importance of geophysical targeting using seismic surveys as a revolutionary tool in the mineral exploration in Ireland. Irish deposits and mineralization are certainly more dynamic and variable than is implied by literature.