The petrology of the Kielder sulphide bodies and their wall rocks : district of Prieska, N. Cape, South Africa

Bibliography: p. 83-96.Recently discovered base metal (Zn>Cu>>Pb) massive sulphide deposits in the Northern Cape district of Prieska occur at Kielder 12 kilometres north-west of a similar Zn-Cu deposit, the Copperton mine. Three massive sulphide bodies known as K3, Kl and K6 occur as stratabound massive sulphide lenses within granulite grade quartz-feldspar gneisses, basic granulites and amphibolites. Extensive exploratory core-drilling provided specimens of the massive sulphides, their disseminated pyritic haloes and the enclosing wall rocks in an area of poor outcrop with extensive calcrete and sand cover and, in places,in situ Karoo Super-group Owyka System varved shales.Geothermometry and geobarometry using garnet-biotite, garnetcordierite,garnet-hypersthene,and the FeS content of sphalerites showed a gradual metamorphic gradient from east to west, with the K3 area suffering P-T conditions of 695⁰ C and 6. 0 Kbars; the Kl area 686⁰ C and 5.8 Kbars and the K6 area 590⁰ C and 5.6 Kbars