Preliminary results of the re-exploration of the Rudabánya base metal ore deposit

Abstract

Map reambulation and geochemical analyses were made in the framework of the Rudabánya precious and base metal
ore exploration which was carried out in the ancient mining area and its surroundings. It was found that significant zinc
ore enrichment is present in the deposit, and this challenged the relative importance of copper and lead ore; the latter two
had previously been registered as being of greater significance. The enrichments of zinc are partly connected to the
siderite bodies and breccia zones, but there are high Pb–Zn concentrations in the clay marl. (In mining operations that had
taken place earlier, clay marl was regarded as a barren rock.) The enrichments of the Cu are also separated spatially and
by rock type from the Pb–Zn–Ag metal group. Based on our observations, a deformation model was established in order
to illustrate the ore formation phases. The primary stacking produced the mainly N–S trending ore-controlling structures.
The ore bodies were disrupted later by the faults of the Darnó strike-slip zone, and uplifted to a near-surface position; this
allowed the formation of an oxidation zone.