DISCUSSION

AND

COMMUNICATIONS

THE

TIN DEPOSITS

OF LL./tLL./tGU./t,

BOLIVI./t.

Sir:--Dr. Turneaure's paper x on the tin deposits of Llallagua is a valuable contribution to the genesis of theseuniquedeposits. I take the libertyof presenting my opinion, based uponmy large experience with Boliviantin deposits, regarding some points in his
paper.

I agreewith the authorin the essential points,but my microscopic examinations of ores revealedsomedifferent resultsrespecting the paragenesis of minerals. (See Turneaure's Fig. o, graphicalrepresentation of mineral sequence.) The formation of tourmalineand cassiterite overlaps slightly,as is shownby the
occurrenceof tourmaline needleson cassiterite crystals. Cas-

siteriteand wolframitesimilarlyoverlap. The early formation

of bismuthinite,before wolframite and cassiterite, mentionedby the author, is unusual; however, I observedsimilar casesin other Bolivian deposits,e.7. Ce?ro de Potosi and Chorolque. At .Llallaguatherealsois later bismuthinite replacing stannite. 2 Arsenopyrite occursalwayswith early sulphides as veinletsor crys-

tals in pyrrhotite or as massive vein fillings. Replacement of the pyrrhotiteby marcasite-pyrite has left residuals of arsenopyrite in marcasite-pyrite. I agree with theauthorregarding the replacement of pyrrhotite by marcasite-pyrite during the last stageof hypogene mineralization, and alsoas to the fact that this process extends to all zones. It was produced through a kind of "autohydration" of the intrusiveby residualaqueous solutions, probably alkalic,containing
x Turneaure, F, S.: The Tin 'Deposits of Llallagua, Bolivia.
3o, pp. I4-6o, x7o-9o, 935.

Ecoa. GlgoL., vol.

2 Ahlfeld, F.: Ueber Zinnkies. Neues Jahrb. Min. B.B. 68, Abt. A, x934, pl. 8,
Fig. 7.
219

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DISCUSSION

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COMMUNIClTIONS.

much HaS. These affected principally the pyrrhotite, whose cleavage(along oooI), invisiblein fresh pyrrhotite,appeared by partial solution. The spaces betweenthe pyrrhotite plateswere filled by franckcite,which to a great extent has beenreplaced by later pyrite. Accordingto my observations, the franckcite of Llallagua belongs to the late phaseof "replacementof pyrrhorite." Turneaure'sFig. 2 doesnot provethat franckciteis older than pyrrhotiteand replaced by it. I have never seenfresh pyrrhotite with franckeke. Siderite likewise.was formed by replacement of pyrrhotite,and many samples containinclusions of franckcite in siderite of the same generation. The age of the

franckeke at Llallgua corresponds, therefore, with that of

franckeke in other'Bolivian deposits. The latest hypogeneminerals were rhodochrosite, sphalerite with colloform texture, chalcopyrite, crystallizedmarcasiteand
wavellite, all in small amounts.

As to the zonal distributionof minerals,the author speaks of "a high-grade cassiterite core and a low-gradesulphide shell." Basedupon physico-chemical conditions, which below the rich
cassiteritezone must have been other than above it, a mineraliza-

tion in the vicinity of the magma different from that near the surfacemustbe expected. This provedto be true? At the outcropsof many of the veins,mineralsof a mesothermal and epithermal type were found. I had at my disposal a numberof specimens, collected by Mr. H. Block,managerof the Uncia mine in i9o8, from the upper2o metersof the deposit. Among these therearemanysamples Of purestannite, of tefrahedrite, franckeke in compact vein fillings,wurtzite, alsomanganese-rich wolframite (hiibnerite), which is so characteristic for.the epithermal stibnite veinsin Bolivia? Gmehling o givesthe followingdescription of
s Moritz, H.: Beltrag zur Kenntnis der Sulfostannate Boliviens, Tell II. Neues Jahrb. Min. B.B. 66, Abt. A, pp. 191-212 , 1933. 4Ahlfeld, F.: The Tin Ores of Uncia-Llallagua, Bolivia. EcoN. Gv. ot.., vol. 26,
pp. 241-257, I93 I.

Ahlfeld, F..' Ueber die Verteilung des Wolframs in der bolivianischen Zinn~ provinz. Chemie der Erde, vol. 7, PP. i21-129, I932. 6Stelzner, A.: Die Silber-Zinnerzlagerstitten Boliviens. Zeit. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. 49, P. I29, 1897.

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TIONS.

221

the outcrops of the Uncia-Llallagua deposit:'"In tieferen Regionen nimmt derGehalt an Zinnerzen (mit wenigen Ausnahmen)mehr undmehr ab,deranSitbererzen zu; in derRegel sind
letztereAntimonverbindungen."

Certainly in otherveinsmuchcassiterite andmarcasite-pyrite, formed by the oxidation of pyrrhotite, werealready to be found

near the surface.

As to the deepest zone, the epi-andmesothermal minerals mentionedabove are missing, alsothebismuth minerals. Apart from scanty cassiterite, muchmarcasite-pyrite, and smallquantities of franckeite, formed in the way describedabove, arsenopyrite, pyriteandblacksphalerite occur, all formedat high temperatures. The change of veinsrich in cassiterite above,into sulphidic veins with sphalerite and pyrrhotitein depth,is well knownin Bolivia. The occurrence of marcasite-pyrite and franckeitein the deeper levelsis to be explained by the fact that the last phaseof mineralization hasequally affected all zones. As to the formation of

tourmaline, the author isright when hesays that the tourmalinization has affected the whole intrusive rock, but in the near-surface

zone there is no tourmaline,or scarcely any, in the veins,and in the deepest levels many of the veinsare stronglytourmalinized. I believethat, accordingto the evidence given above,the three vertical zonesdescribed by myself from Llallagua are well established. I also found the same zonal distribution of minerals at

Avicaya and at Chorolque, in deposits whichhave a certainsimilarity with thoseof Llallagua. The lateral zoning at Llallagua can be studiedvery well in the peripheralzonesof the Salvadoraneck. Many veinsin the sedimentsare partly associated with pyrite, blacksphalerite and small quantities of cassiterite in the form of needletin, [s is characteristicin mesothermal and epithermalBolivian deposits. Thus, in the southeast part of the Uncia mine and nearly onekilometer distant from the contact,Mr. Oropezaworks two veins,one with pyrite,sphalerite and needle tin, the otherwith tetrahedrite.
FRIEDRICH AHLFELD.

LA PAz, BOLIVIA,

Dec. 6, 935.