Iron and Fe-Mn mineralisation in Iran: implications for Tethyan metallogeny

More than 200 iron deposits with about 4 billion tons of iron ore have been discovered in Iran. Major iron oxide districts comprise the Bafq-Posht-e-Badam back arc district in Central Iranian microcontinent, the Ac Kahoor and Hormoz districts in the Zagros mountain range, the Gol-e-Gohar and Hamekasi deposits in the Sanandaj-Sirjan magmatic-metamorphic zone and also the Sangan deposit east of Central Iran. Several smaller iron ore deposits are distributed in the Alborz-Azarbaijan magmatic belt. There is a significant correspondence between the distribution of these deposits and main suture zones in the Iran plate composite. Stratiform iron deposits with a volcano-sedimentary origin are common features of the rifting phases of the future Prototethys and Neotethys oceans. Kiruna-type iron oxide deposits of the Zanjan area, and Fe skarn and iron oxide-copper-gold deposits in the Khaf-Bardaskan-Kashmar district are associated with subduction of Neotethys Ocean. Kiruna-type deposits within the Kashmar-Kerman magmatic arc are related to the Prototethys. Different geotectonic scenarios and their evolution explain the distribution patterns of most of the Fe and Fe-Mn deposits in Iran. Stratiform volcano-sedimentary Fe- and Fe-Mn deposits are related to the rift basin, and other types of Fe and Fe-Mn deposits such as the Kiruna-type deposits, skarn and iron oxide-copper-gold deposits in Iran are related to basin closure and plate collision. Magmatism in the subduction zone produced the magmatic and hydrothermal fluids, which caused Fe and Fe-Mn mineralisation in Central Iran microcontinent, Sanandaj-Sirjan magmatic-metamorphic zone, Alborz-Azarbaijan magmatic belt, east of Central Iran and the Lut blocks. The Central Iran microcontinent (Khaf-Bardaskan-Kashmar district), east of Central Iran, the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone and the Alborz-Azarbaijan belts are the most prospective districts for Fe and Fe-Mn exploration. Based on the age data on the studied deposits, favourable time periods for the largest Fe and Fe-Mn mineralising events in Iran were the Neoproterozoic-lower Cambrian (volcano-sedimentary and Kiruna-type deposits), upper Paleozoic-lower Mesozoic (volcano-sedimentary iron deposits) and Cenozoic (Kiruna type, iron oxide-copper-gold deposits and especially skarn deposits). More than 200 iron deposits with about 4 billion tons of iron ore have been discovered in Iran. Major iron oxide districts comprise the Bafq-Posht-e-Badam back arc district in Central Iranian microcontinent, the Ac Kahoor and Hormoz districts in the Zagros mountain range, the Gol-e-Gohar and Hamekasi deposits in the Sanandaj-Sirjan magmatic-metamorphic zone and also the Sangan deposit east of Central Iran. Several smaller iron ore deposits are distributed in the Alborz-Azarbaijan magmatic belt. There is a significant correspondence between the distribution of these deposits and main suture zones in the Iran plate composite. Stratiform iron deposits with a volcano-sedimentary origin are common features of the rifting phases of the future Prototethys and Neotethys oceans. Kiruna-type iron oxide deposits of the Zanjan area, and Fe skarn and iron oxide-copper-gold deposits in the Khaf-Bardaskan-Kashmar district are associated with subduction of Neotethys Ocean. Kiruna-type deposits within the Kashmar-Kerman magmatic arc are related to the Prototethys. Different geotectonic scenarios and their evolution explain the distribution patterns of most of the Fe and Fe-Mn deposits in Iran. Stratiform volcano-sedimentary Fe- and Fe-Mn deposits are related to the rift basin, and other types of Fe and Fe-Mn deposits such as the Kiruna-type deposits, skarn and iron oxide-copper-gold deposits in Iran are related to basin closure and plate collision. Magmatism in the subduction zone produced the magmatic and hydrothermal fluids, which caused Fe and Fe-Mn mineralisation in Central Iran microcontinent, Sanandaj-Sirjan magmatic-metamorphic zone, Alborz-Azarbaijan magmatic belt, east of Central Iran and the Lut blocks. The Central Iran microcontinent (Khaf-Bardaskan-Kashmar district), east of Central Iran, the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone and the Alborz-Azarbaijan belts are the most prospective districts for Fe and Fe-Mn exploration. Based on the age data on the studied deposits, favourable time periods for the largest Fe and Fe-Mn mineralising events in Iran were the Neoproterozoic-lower Cambrian (volcano-sedimentary and Kiruna-type deposits), upper Paleozoic-lower Mesozoic (volcano-sedimentary iron deposits) and Cenozoic (Kiruna type, iron oxide-copper-gold deposits and especially skarn deposits).