Geologia, mineralogia e geoquímica de crostas manganesíferas, Bacia Alto Tapajós, Apuí - AM

Abstract

This paper aim to study the geology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of Apui City manganese ore occurrences, SE of Amazon State, Alto Tapajós Basin. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microprobe (SEM) studies was used to mineralogy investigations and ICP/MS to chemical analyses. Six points named Beneficente, Holanda, Cotovelo, Zé Julião, Fazenda Silva and Fazenda Floresta was selected to represent the study area. The geology around the study area is represented by sandstones with parallel laminations and ripples marks, covered by tabular and slump beddings manganese red siltstones, followed by manganese lateritic duricrusts and colluvium accumulations. The geological interpretations illustrate a lacustrine basin where the manganese oxihidroxides should be deposited in rich oxygenated waters. At the same time gravitational slumps build up convolute beds and sigmoid manganese lens hosted in the red siltstones. Barite veins and sulphates ocurrences cited in this basin, associated with volcanic breccias founded in the study area, indicate probable hydrothermal source to dissolved manganese in the paleolake. The manganese duricrusts was originated by manganese siltstones under lateritization events in the Amazon Craton. Erosion process of some duricrusts promote the manganiferous colluvium accumulations during landscape evolution. Romanechite and holandite are the most manganese minerals identified, followed by cryptomelane, pyrolusite, lithiophorite, vernadite and manjiroite, where the pyrolusite and lithiophorite precipitate during lateritization process. Caulinite, quartz, gibbsite, goethite and illite are another frequent minerals founded in the crusts. The duricrust geochemistry show high contents of K2O according with cryptomelane occurrences, variations of Al2O3 and SiO2 according presence of clay and quartz and, high Fe2O3 where the duricrust have portions of goethite. MnO vary against Al2O3, SiO2 and Fe2O3 in the profile. Mn/Fe ratios and REE content show similarity with the Precambrian Tanganshan and Xiangtan China, Azul and Corumba Brazil ore deposits. The manganese duricrust is enriched by Ba, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sr, Be, Rb, Pb, Ce, Ta and Hg indicating possible hydrotermal source, whereas MnO, TiO2, Fe2O3 and Al2O3 diagnostic plots to manganese genesis indicate a terrigenous and biogenic contributions.