Deformation and distribution of massive sulphide deposits in Zacatecas, Mexico

摘要

The Cretaceous rocks exposed at the northern boundary of the Guerrero terrane are constitued by submarine arc and back-arc basin volcano-sedimentary sequences. In the Zacatecas region, these suites were affected by two generations of Late Cretaceous compressive ductile-fragile deformation. They developed a large NE thrust fault system with NE-SW trending folding and associated closed cleavage deformation. A Tertiary NE-SW extensional event developed normal and sinistral strike slip faults. Both, normal and lateral faults, host the epithermal Ag-Pb-Zn mineralization of the mining district of Zacatecas. Cretaceous rocks also host three important volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits of recent discovery: Francisco I. Madero, Real de Angeles and San Nicolas. These deposits may have been affected by the regional deformation events that we have documented in the Zacatecas area during Late Cretaceous. We consider that defining structural styles can be an important tool for mineral exploration.