Precambrian ores of the northern part of Norrbotten county, northern

26th International Geological Congress
Paris 1980
Precambrian ores of the northern part
of Norrbotten county, northern Sweden
Guide to excursions 078 A+C, Part 1 (Sweden)
Edited by Rudyard Frietsch
Geological Survey of Finland
Espoo 1980
26th International Geological Congress
Paris 1980
PRECAMBRIAN ORES OF T H E N O R T H E R N
PART O F N O R R B O T T E N C O U N T Y ,
NORTHERN SWEDEN
Guide to excursions 078 A
+ C,
Part 1 (Sweden)
EDITED BY
RUDYARD FRIETSCH
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF FINLAND
E S P 0 0 1980
Frietsch, Rudyard (Editor), 1980. Precambrian ores of the northern part
of Norrbotten county, northern Sweden. Guide to excursions 078 A+ C, Parf l
(Sweden). 26" International Geological Congress, Paris 1980.
The following Precambrian ore deposits in northern Sweden and their
geological setting are described: the Kiirunavaara, Luossavaara, Nukutusvaara, Rektor, Gruvberget, Kiilavaara, Saivo and Mertainen iron ores, and
the Viscaria, Gruvberget and Aitik copper ores.
Key words: economic geology, ore deposits, metallogenic provinces, iron,
copper, Precambrian, Northern Sweden
Rudyard Frietsch, Sveriges geologiska undersckning,
Box 670, S-75128 Uppsala, Sweden
ISBN 951-690-115-8
Helsinki 1980. Valtion painatuskeskus
CONTENTS
Precambrian ores of the northern part of Norrbotten county. northern Sweden
-Budyard Frietscb ................................................
Introduction ......................................................
Geological setting ................................................
Ore deposits .....................................................
Iron ores ....................................................
Copper ores ..................................................
Geology of the Kiruna area -- P a d F o r d and Lisbetb Godin ...............
Geology and ores of the Svappavaara area -- Rtldyard Frietsch ..............
Geological setting ................................................
Ore deposits .....................................................
Saivo iron ore -- Rtldyard Frietscb ......................................
Mertainen iron ore -- Rdyard Friefscb ..................................
Aitik copper ore -- Ham ZweifeZ ......................................
Introduction ......................................................
Geological setting ................................................
The ore .......................
...........................
.....................
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DAILY ROUTES
Excursion 078A: 27th June-5th
Excursion 078C: 19th July-27th
July, 1980
July, 1980
In Sweden (Part 1 )
First day
Second day
Third day
Fourth day
27th
28th
29th
30th
June
June
June
June
19th
20th
218t
22nd
July
July
July
July
. . . .... . . .. . .
Kiruna area . . . . . . . .
Kiruna area.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kiruna-Svappavaara-Saivo-Kiruna
Kiruna-Mertainen-Aitik-Gallivare
.
July
July
July
July
July
23rd
24th
25th
26th
27th
July
July
July
July
July
Galhare-Kerni-Oulu
. .. . . . . . . . . 6
Oulu-Vihanti-Oulu
.. . . . . . . . .. . . . 14
Oulu-Otanmaki-Kuopio
.. . . .. .. . . 25
Kuopio-Outokumpu-Kuopio
. . . .. 33
Kuopio-Kotalahti-Kuopio-Helsinki
42
..
13
19
20
27
In Finland (Part 2 )
Fifth day
Sixth day
Seventh day
Eighth day
Ninth day
let
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
..
.
.
Excursion leaders:
I n Sweden: Paul Forsell, L K A B Prospektering A B , 3-98104 Kiruna, Sweden
Ru&ard Frietsch, Sveriges geologiska undersokning, Box 670,
3-75128 Uppala, Sweden
Lisbeth Godin, L K A B Prospekterifig A B , S-98 104 Kirama, Sweden
Hans Zweife, Boliden Metall A B , S-93050 Boliden, Sweden
I n Finland: A u h Hiikli, Outokumpu Oy, Box 27, SF-02201 Espoo 21, Finland
0le Lifidholm, Rautaruakki Oy, Ampubaukantie 4, SF-90250 Oulu 25,
Finland
Excursion route and daily stops.
PRECAMBRIAN ORES OF THE NORTHERN PART OF NORRBOTTEN COUNTY,
NORTHERN SWEDEN - by Rudyard Frietsch
Introduction
Within the Precambrian in the northern part
of the county of Norrbotten, some of the most
important ore deposits of Sweden are found.
This region contains about 80 % of the iron ore
reserves of the country (4 billion tons out of a
of the
total of 5 billion tons) and about 95
iron reserves (2 billion tons out of a total of
2.35 billion tons). About 85
of the total iron
ore production of Sweden comes from Norrbotten; in 1974, 30.5 million tons iron ore, concentrate and pellets were produced, and in 1976,
25.5 million tons. The Aitik copper deposit
contains about 10 % of the metal content of the
sulphide ores of Sweden and produces about
60 % of the annual quantity of mined sulphide
ore in Sweden. Other deposits are of such size
and quality or have such a geographical position
that they cannot be exploited economically.
Limited mining of limestone-dolomite, feldspar, quartzite and ultrabasic rock also takes
place.
Several hundered deposits and occurrences of
ore are known of which the earliest discovered
were the copper ores at Gruvberget, Svappavaara (in 1654) and some others further north
in the latter part of the 17th century. At this
time some iron ores were also known at Masugnsbyn (in 1644) and Gruvberget, Svappavaara (in
1654). At Masugnsbyn a blast furnace was
erected a few years later and was the most
northerly situated blast furnace of its kind in
the world. The vast iron ore deposits at Kiruna
and Malmberget have been known since the
latter part of the 17th century. Most of the iron
ore deposits were found at the end of the 19th
century and during and immediately after the
First World War. Early in the 1930's some
copper deposits were discovered of which the
most important is Aitik. More recently several
iron ores and some copper ores such as Viscaria
at Kiruna, have been found.
Geological setting
In the Precambrian of the northen part of
Norrbotten county supracrustal rocks (including
gneisses derived from these) and igneous rocks
have approximately the same aerial extents (Fig.
1). The supracrustals form belts orientated
N-S and NNE-SSW with a less distinct NW-SE
orientation. The internal relationships between
the different rock types are uncertain and radiometric age determinations are few. However
regional mapping conducted during the last
decade (Offerberg 1967, Padget 1970, 1977,
Witschard 1970, 1975, Eriksson and Hallgren
1975) have elucidated many of these problems
so that a relatively detailed stratigraphic division
can now be ascertained.
The earlier subdivision by Odman (1957) of
the Precambrian into an older, Svecofennian
cycle and a younger, Karelian cycle has been
abandoned in the light of radiometric age datings.
At present the Precambrian is divided into two
main units. The first is the Archean fold belt,
more than 2 700-2 800 Ma old, covering a
I
J
K
L
Fig. 1. The iron ore and copper ore deposits in the northern part of the Norrbotten county.
M
restricted area in the north. Younger than this
is the Svecokarelian fold belt which makes up
the rest of the Precambrian. I n other parts of
Sweden the Svecokarelian folding came to an
end about 1 800 Ma ago. In Norrbotten some
igneous and volcanic rocks were formed 1 5001 600 Ma ago thus indicating a clear postorogenic age in relation to the Svecokarelian. As
these rocks have been folded and metamorphosed
it means that post-Svecokarelian orogenic events
may taken place. The metamorphism is possibly
related to the formation of late granites about
1 500 Ma ago.
All rocks suggest intermediate metamorphic
conditions dominated exclusively by amphibolite
facies assemblages. A typical feature for the
northern part of Norrbotten county is that the
rocks rather commonly contain scapolite resulting from a relatively late stage regional metasomatic process.
T o the north of Kiruna the Archean (preSvecokarelian) basement is found. It is a biotitebearing, weakly schistose, rnicrocline-porphyritic
granite with a U/Pb radiometric age of about
2 750-2 800 Ma (Welin et al. 1971). Farther to
the north and to the east, adjacent to the Finnish
border, vast areas are covered by gneisses which
also possibly belong to the basement (Lindroos
and Henkel 1978). In the northernmost area,
abundant dykes of serpentinized ultrabasites
occur which are not deformed by the Archean
folding and possibly represent an intraorogenic
magmatism, pre-dating the formations of Svecokarelian age.
Within the Svecokarelian four supracrustal
groups can be ascertained but no major unconformity has been observed between them. Oldest
among the supracrustal is the Greenstone group
(Kiruna greenstone group, Vittangi greenstone
group, Veikkavaara greenstone group, Suorsa
greenstone group). On the granite-gneiss basement, under the main part of the Greenstone
group, occur narrow horizons of quartz-bearing
conglomerate and quartzite, occasionally siltstone
and limestone-dolomite. This Tjarro quartzite
formation is the lowest part of the Greenstone
group, formed as an epicontinental facies in the
Svecokarelian development. The Greenstone
group is dominated by spilitic, often pillowbearing effusives of basaltic composition. In
addition andesites and peridotites are present.
All these rocks are sub-alkaline to alkaline
(Frietsch 1980) and hypabyssal rocks of similar
composition occur sporadically. I n the basic
volcanics, mostly in the higher stratigraphic
parts, occur intercalations of tuff, tuffite, phyllite,
graphite-bearing schist, limestone-dolomite, mar1
and chert. These formations were deposited in a
closed basin environment at the border of the
Archean craton during the evolutionary phase
of the Svecokarelian orogeny. Similar rocks in
Finland have yielded radiometric ages in the
2 000-2 200 Ma range.
The Greenstone group is overlain by micaschists and conglomerates of moderate thicknesses. This Schist-conglomerate group (Pahakurkkio group, Kiilavaara quartzite group) is of
restricted extent but forms a distinct marker
horizon. Examples exist at Kiruna (Kurravaara
conglomerate) and include the metasediments at
Tiirendo (Padget 1970) and Lainio (Witschard
1970).
The Porphyry group, which is the following
unit in the sequence, is composed of predorninantly sodic or sodium-potassium intermediate,
rhyolitic and trachytic rocks of sub-alkaline to
alkaline composition; all the acid rocks are subalkaline (Frietsch 1980). The Porphyry group
occurs mainly in the western and central parts
of the county; in addition it appears in restricted
areas to the east around Tarendo, Pajala and
Lannavaara. Locally porphyritic and other volcanic textures are well preserved, but mostly
they have been obliterated due to the later
metamorphism which has resulted in the transformation of the rocks to fine-grained, equigranular rocks or more rarely to somewhat coarser
gneissic rocks. Narrow intercalations of metasediments occur to some extent, especially among
the intermediate volcanics. Mostly agglomerates,
conglomerates, tuffs, tuffites, sandstones and
mudstones are encountered; occasionally also
limestones. The age of the volcanics at and southwest of Kiruna is 1 605-1 635 Ma (Rb/Sr age
determination, Welin e t al. 1971).
I n the eastern part of the county restricted
areas are covered by metasediments (amphiboleschists, conglomerates, limestones, pelitic and
basic schists; the Kalix-alv group) which are
possibly of the same age as the Porphyry group
(Padget 1970).
The youngest supracrustal unit is the Quartzite group (Upper Hauki complex, Mattavaara
quartzite group, Rissavaara quartzite, Kuusivaara quartzite) which is composed of quartzitic
sandstone with occasional phyllitic intercalations.
I t is of limited extent and mostly bounded by
dislocations, indicating a formation in subsiding
grabens. West of Malmberget, near the Caledonides, other, possibly more transgressive
sedimentary conditions must have prevailed. The
quartzites (Snavva-Sjofall quartzites) have a
thickness of up to 10 000 m and extend to the
south for a distance of some hundreds of kilometres (Odman 1957).
Two groups of granitoids with different ages
can be discerned. Younger than the Greenstone
group is a differentiated series with gabbro,
diorite and granodiorite; the latter member
dominating. The distribution of this Granodiorite group (or the Haparanda >>granite))
series) is tectonically controlled and occurs predominantly in the eastern part of the county
mainly associated with rocks of the Greenstone
and Schist-conglomerate groups. Radiometric
Rb/Sr age determinations on granitoids in the
coastal area round Haparanda give an age of
about 1 880 Ma (Welin 1970, Welin e t al. 1970).
Whether similar granitoids in other areas of the
county have the same age is still an open question.
The younger intrusive group, which transects
all the supracrustal rocks and the rocks of the
older intrusive group, is composed of latekinematic potassium-granites accompanied by
pegmatites and aplites. The formation of the
granites is associated with an intense gneissification. Thus the supracrustal rocks have over large
areas been transformed into gneisses, particularly
in the eastern part of the county along the coast
and the Finnish border. Radiometric age determination~of the Lina granite, which is the most
widespread of the granites belonging t o this
group, have given a Rb/Sr age of about 1 565 Ma
(Welin 1970, Welin e t al. 1971). For some
granitoids, however, an age of 1 820 Ma has
been recorded. The distribution between the
younger and older Lina granites is not known.
The older ones probably belong to the same
phase as the Granodiorite group.
Restricted areas among the younger granitoids
are covered by perthite granites and perthite
monzonites. As pointed out by Geijer (1931 a)
and Witschard (1975) these show a close chemical
and genetical relationship with the rocks of the
Porphyry group. Rb-Sr isotope data show that
the age of these granitoids is 1 535-1 565 Ma
(Gulson 1972).
It should be pointed out that the stratigraphic
succession of the Kiruna area presented by
Forsell and Godin on p. 13 in the present
publication in many respects deviates from that
described above. According to several authors
(Lundbohm 1910, Geijer 1931 a, Offerberg 1967,
Frietsch 1979) the rocks in the Kiruna area occur
in a monoclinal sequence which, from the oldest
to the youngest, comprises: (basement granitequartz-bearing conglomerate and quartzite)Kiruna greenstone-Kurravaara conglomeratesyenite-porphyry, quartz-bearing porphyry and
volcanics of the Lower Hauki formation (complex, series)-conglomerate, phyllite and quartzitic sandstone of the Upper Hauki formation
(complex, series).
Ore deposits
The ores in the Precambrian, present in the
northern part of the county of Norrbotten, are
almost totally restricted t o supracrustal rocks
The apatite-bearing iron ores are considered
to be closely associated with the volcanics in
which they occur and to have originated by a
magmatic differentiation in which volatiles
played an important role. While the main part
of the magma crystallized the ore remained in
Iran orer
solution and was injected as a late, separate phase
The main part of the iron ore deposits (Geijer 1910, 1931 b, 1935, Geijer and odman
occur in a broad zone which extends from the 1974, Frietsch 1973 b, 1978). The magmatic
Caldonides west of Kiruna eastwards to the origin is indicated by the fact that the ore beFinnish border (Fig. 1). South of this zone haved as a younger igneous body; the nore
scattered occurrences are present around 6811i- breccia,) is a primary, magmatic structure. The
vare. The following iron ore types can be phosphorus-rich type is thought to have formed
discerned: apatite-bearing iron ore (of the at a somewhat later stage in the differentation
Kiruna type), skarn iron ore, quartz-banded process when there was an men higher content
iron ore and metasomatic, mostly hematitic of volatiies. In the near vicinity and southwest
of Kiruna there are some economically unimimpregnations.
The apatite-bearing iron ores occur in inter- portant apatite-free, siliceous hematite ores that
mediate and acid volcanics of the Porphyry replace acid volcanics. This ore type is considgroup having a tendency to appear relatively low ered to be a late hyiIrotherma1 formation related
in the stratigraphic sequence. The ores consist to the same process that produced the apatiteof magnetite and less commody of hematite bearing ores; it is characterized by the presence
together with varying amounts of apatite. The of barite and an intense metasomatic alteration
apatite contains mostly 2.5-3
F, but in (sericitization) of the wall rock.
In the apatite-bearing iron ores magnetite is
some deposits it is chlorine-rich with 1-2 % C1
(Frietsch 1974). The content of phosphorus in the primary iron oxide from which hematite has
the ore is mostly around 1
but some deposits, been formed by oxidation (Frietsch 1967 b).
or parts of deposits, are low in phosphoras. The This is due to metasomatic processes occurring
apatite occurs evenly distributed or as more or as a late phase in the activity that gave the ore.
less distinct layers. Apatite-rich ores, with be- The volcanic wall rock was altered to quartz and
tween 2 and 5 % P, are found in the vicinity of sericite and sometimes also calcite and chlorite.
Kiruna (Rektor, Hauki, Nukutus, Henry and In addition small amounts of tourmaline, fluorite,
Lappmalmen) and SW of Kiruna (Pattok). Other barite and allanite occur in these alteration
minerals associated with the ore are tremolite- rocks.
aainolite, diopside and in some deposits calcite.
A palingenetic-sedimentary origin for the
The content of titanium is less than 1 % and the apatite-bearing iron ores has been postulated by
contents of manganese and sulphur less than Landergren (1948) and an exhalative-sedimentary
0.1 X.
origin by Oelsner (1961) and Parkk (1975 a and
The ore occurs as elongated, tabular bodies b). According to the latta author the ores in
or in part as veinlets forming an irregular net- the Kiruna area were deposited in a volcanowork ())ore breccia))). The average content of sedimentary environment. The ores formed as a
iron in the massive bodies is 55-65 % Fe and result of chemical and minor mechanical sec$in the network parts 3 5 4 5 0/,. The reserves are mentation in connection with the volcanism.
about 3 billion tons of ore with more than This hypothesis of formation is supported by
50 % Fe.
various observations, for example, quartzose,
and occur in these both as syngenetic as well
as epigenetic formations. The igneous rocks and
the gneisses are mostly devoid of mineral
deposits.
X,
stratified ores grading into apatite-bearing ores;
in addition, the apatite-bearing ores occur as
fragments in the wall rock indicating that the
ore is older than part of the volcanics and, thus,
not of intrusive origin. The ,,ore beccias,, are
considered to have formed by mobilization of
sedimentary ore material which has been
directed into a fracture system.
The skarn iron ores occur in the Greenstone
group, mostly in the stratigraphic higher parts.
The host rocks consist mainly of chemical or
detrital sediments, less commonly of the basic
volcanics proper. I n many cases the ores are
associated with limestones-dolomites and marls,
or, at least occur in the same stratigraphic position. All the larger deposits are associated with a
sedimentary sequence. The ore forms lenses, up
to 1-2 km long and 10-100 m across, which
are concordant with the host rocks. The dominant ore mineral is magnetite or, exceptionally,
hematite. The amount of iron varies in most
The ore usually
cases between 30 and 40
contains subordinate amounts of pyrite and
pyrrhotite and sometimes also chalcopyrite. The
The
sulphur content is a rule higher than 1
content of phosphorus, in the form of apatite,
but in some
is in most cases less than 0.1
deposits the content is higher and rises locally
to 1 or 2 X. The content of manganese is usually
less than 0.2 %. The reserves are about 500 million tons of ore with an average of 36
Fe.
The ore is accompanied by large amounts of
skarn silicates which are evenly distributed in the
ore or form independent masses or layers. Rather
common is an interlayering of magnetite and
skarn minerals, or sometimes also calcite. The
skarn silicates are either Ca-Mg-rich (tremoliteactinolite, diopside, hornblende) or Mg-rich
(phlogopite-biotite, olivine and serpentine). I n
some deposits there seems to be a tendency for
the Ca-Mg-rich silicates to form independent
masses outside the ore and the Mg-rich silicates
to be distributed within the ore itself. There are
indications from some deposits that the Mg-rich
silicates are later than the Ca-Mg-rich silicates,
X.
X.
X,
the order of formation being diopside-tremoliteserpentine.
The skarn ores have been considered as
pyrometasomatic (Geijer 1931 a, Geijer and
Magnusson 1952), the iron emanating from the
older granitoids, or as volcanic-sedimentary
formed simultaneously with the host rocks
(Frietsch 1973 a, 1977). The main reasons for a
sedimentary mode of formation are that skarn
iron ores and quartz-banded iron ores, of which
the latter are undoubtedly of sedimentary origin,
both occur in the same stratigraphic position in
the Greenstone group. In some deposits the two
types occur intermingled with each other. The
skarn-layering and the more rare carbonatelayering in the skarn iron ores is probably a
relict sedimentary texture. The skarn formation
was possibly completed before the intrusion of
the older group of granitoids (Frietsch 1967 a).
The magnetite in the skarn iron ores and in the
quartz-banded iron ores has a similar trace
element distribution (Frietsch 1970); of special
interest is the relatively high content of magnesium (up to several percent) in both types. The
skarn iron ores are therefore considered as ironsilica-carbonate-rich sediments which through
later metamorphic processes have attained their
present mineralogical composition.
The quartz-banded iron ores in the Greenstone group are quartzites in which magnetite
and skarn minerals occur in a more or less banded
fashion. The ores, which are considered to be
volcanogenic (Frietsch 1973 a, 1977), are locally
rather high in iron, but the average grade is
mostly below 20 %. The occurrences are small
and the reserves are about 10 million tons of
ore. The deposits have a large extension along
the strike but the width is only some tens of
metres. The most common skarn minerals
are cummingtonite-grunerite, clinoenstatite-hypersthene, hornblende and almandite. Small
amounts of pyrite and pyrrhotite are also present
and the sulphur content reaches some per cent.
The content of phosphorus is less than 0.1
The manganese content is mostly low but rises
X.
in some deposits to 1-2 %. In these deposits
the silicates are manganese-bearing and dch in
ferrous iron.
The quartz-handed iron ores in the southern
part of the Norrbotten county differ in some
respects from those described above. They
oceur in terrains with acid volcanics. The
wall rock is made up of metasediments such as
mica-schist and quarrzites, but also the volcanics
proper. The most common skarn minerals are
diopside, trernolite-aainolite, garnet, epidote
and biotite. The content of manganese is in some
deposits rather high, rising to 7 %. These ores
which most probably also are of volcanogenic
origin, are in many respects similar to the qnartzbanded iron ores of Central Sweden. The
reserves are somewhat more than 120 million
tons of ore.
copper
oreJ
In the Precambrian of Not-rbotten county
copper ores are found in the Greenstone group
and the Porphyry group and occur spowdically
in gneiss'and granite. Copper sulphides are found
rather frequently but tend to form weak mineralization~of small size. The sulphides (mostly
chalcopyrite, with subordinate bornite and
chalcocite) appear as disseminarions or fissure
fillings. Pyrite and magnetite, together with
molybdenite in some deposits, commonly belong.
to the association, and a small number of deposits contain sphalerite and sporadic galena.
The skarn iron ores and the quartz-banded
iron ores in the Greenstone group contain small
amounts of iron sulphides (pyrrhotite and pyrite)
and subordinate amounts of chalcopyrite. The
copper grades are mostly below 0.1 % Cu, but
some skarn iron ores contain up to 0.2-4.3 %
Cu; the largest being Tervaskoski with 50 million tons of ore with 0.1
Cu. The graphitebearing schists which occur in the same stratigraphic position as the iron ores also contain the
same ifon sulphides but are devoid of chalco-
pyrite. Exceptionally, as in the Viscaria occurrence west of Kiruna, chalcopyrite is present in
economical amounts as a h e banding, even
impregnation and veblets (cf. p. 17).
Other occurrences of copper sulphides in the
Greenstone group have a less marked relationship to certain stratigraphic horizons. In many
cases the mineralizations are epigenetic, mostly
occurring in metasediments of different kinds.
In the Porphyry group the copper ores vary
depending on their geographical location. For
example, at TjPrrojBkka, WSW of Kiruna, tuff
intercalations in the porphyries contain stratabound mineralizations with chalcopyrite, bornite
and magnetite, In the Svappavaara-Gallivare
area chalcopyrite-bornite mineralizations occur
in scapolitized supracrustal rocks. At Gruvberget, Svappavaara, chalcopyrite and bornite are
found in scapolite-altered trachytes (p. 23) and
the mineralbations in the Gallivare area (Aitik
and Nautanen) lie ia sericite-tourmaline-scapolite
altered metasediments (biotite schism, quartzites
and skarn gneisses). These rocks possibly belong
to the Schist-conglomerate group. The ore
minerals present are chalcopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, magnetite, bornite and chalcocite which
appear as impregnations or veinlets. The gangue
is composed of quartz, calcite, barite and fluorite.
The only deposit of impoaance is Aitik, being
the greatest single copper deposit in Sweden.
The outcrop area is 300 000 m8 and the reserves
are 300 million tons of ore with 0.45 % Cu (p.
28). About 5 km east of Aitik a similar but
smaller mineralization occurs called Liikavaara E.
In the southern part of the county vein type
deposits with chalcopyrite, magnetite, bornite,
covellite and chalcocite are present in acid
volcanics. Sphalerite is a relatively common
constituent in some deposits within metasediments and supracrustal gneisses. In these deposits
small amounts of galena, molybdenite and
arsenopyrite belong to the association. Some
mineralizations occur in connection with breccias in basic-acid volcanin or metasediments.
GEOLOGY O F T H E KIRUNA AREA - by Paul Forsell and Lisbeth Godin
The Kiruna area is exclusively underlain by
Precambrian rocks (Fig. 2). The oldest rockcomplex, mostly consisting of gneisses, is found
in the northern part of the Kiruna district (outside the map). Those rocks comprise the basement of Kiruna Volcanics, the oldest group of
which is the Kiruna Greenstone (spilite) with
intercalations of tuff, graphite-schist, limestone,
and albitite (l)'). Magnetite and sulphides
(mainly pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite) are common constituents of these sediments (1). Ultrabasic members are found in the western part
of the greenstone group.
The Kurravaara Conglomerate (2) is younger
than the siliceous basal porphyry (quartz-keratophyre) and the syenite-porphyry (keratophyre).
Sixty to seventy percent of the pebbles are composed of silicic porphyries similar to those found
east of the conglomerate. Pebbles of magnetitesyenite-porphyry (see below) also indicate that
the Kurravaara Conglomerate is younger than
most of the syenite-porphyries. The conglomerate forms a synclinal fold (see cross-section).
The syenite (3) is found between the silicic
porphyry and the syenite-porphyry. The eastern
margin of the syenite is transitional into the
syenite-porphyry.
The syenite-porphyry (3, 4, 5) often exhibits
amygdaloidal structures. Tuffaceous intercalations are rarely found (3). I n the upper parts of
the syenite-porphyry suite there occurs a rock
consisting of albite-needles in matrix of magnetite referred to as a magnetite-syenite-porphyry. The syenite-porphyry sometimes contains
veins and fragments of magnetite, which sometimes form lean iron-ores. The amygdaloidal
types of syenite-porphyry (3) as well as the
tuffaceous parts sometimes show a pronounced
unconformity with the overlying ores (Figs. 3,
4). The existence of a denudation-period before
l)
Refers to locality number in text and in Fig. 2.
the deposition of the ores is also supported by
the occurrence of a conglomerate (Fig. 5) between the syenite-porphyry and the iron ore.
The main ore bodies, the Kiirunavaara- (4)
and Luossavaara-ores, comprise fine grained
magnetite-ores, partly very rich in apatite. There
are two types of ores (Fig. 6), one is rich in apatite,
often showing a distinct banding, and the other
is an almost apatite-free, massive type. The
apatite is rich in rare-earth-elements (about
0.5 X). Actinolite and calcite occur in very
subordinate amounts. The foot-wall contact is
commonly very sharp (4). I n the hanging-wallcontact (4), however, a kaolinization of the
quartz-bearing porphyry is common. Recent
geological and geochemical data contradict the
magnetite-intrusive theory proposed by Geijer
(1931 b). A hypothesis of a volcanic-sedimentary
origin of the ores has been proven to be more
consistent with known geological facts (Parhk
1975 a).
The ore, as well as the above mentioned rocks,
are often intersected by porphyry dykes, which
chemically occupy a position between the syeniteporphyries and the quartz-bearing porphyries.
The quartz-bearing porphyry (6, 7, 8, 9)
(quartz-keratophyre to rhyolite) forms the hanging-wall of the main ores. It is locally rich in
xenoliths of apatite-magnetite ore (6). Sometimes
agglomeratic to conglomeratic layers are found
(6). In one drillhole through the quartz-bearing
porphyry a 5 m long section of anhydrite was
encountered.
The iron-ores of Hauki-type (Haukivaara,
Rektorn, Henry, Nukutusvaara and the deepseated Lappmalmen) of the Lower Hauki-rocks
are often extremely apatite-rich hematite and
magnetite varieties (7, 8, 9). They show great
similarities with the main ores and are probably of
contemporary age. Their present position above
the quartz-porphyry is the result of folding fol-
SANDSTONE, PHYLLlfE
m KURRAVAARA AN0
m
m
m
SYENITE-PORPHYRY
BASAL QUARTS- PORPHYRY ( KERATOPHYRE)
GREENSTONE. SPI LITE WlTH SEOIMENTS
VlSCARlA
COPPER-ORE
GREENSTONE WlTH ULTRABASITS
gfO
NUMBERS REFER
LOCAL1 TI ES
a
CROSS
TO EXCUR5lON
CROSS-SECTIONS
SECTION
A-@
CROSS SECTION
Fig. 2. Geological map and cross-sections of the Kirunn district.
C-
b
r
I
.............
...,:. ..:..7+:..:..
:. ........... ..,.....::..
~ o d u l s rsyeniteporphyry
/r/ Drift
Fig. 3. Beds of nodular syenite-porphyry in foot-wall porphyry. Kiirumvaara (Dh = Drill holes).
Fig. 4. Tkre Luossavaara-ore and ore-veins in the footwall.
lowed by over-thrusting. This interpretation
implies that the quartz-bearing porphyry is
younger than the Lower Hauki-series.
The R&or Porphyry (8, 9) is a product of a
potassium-dominant volcadsm that differs from
that which formed the sodium-ricb countryrocks of the main ores. Locally bedding and
cross-bedding structures indicate a reworking of
the volcanic material. The Hauki Hematite (8,9)
is lady developrd as quartz-banded h a a t i t e ores (Fig. 7).
The Hauki Conglomerate (10) shows a strong
similarity to the Kurravaara Conglomerate and
is therefore considered to be of contemporary
Fig. 5. Pebbles of nodular syenite-porphyry in a matrix of magnetite in the foot-wall contact
in the Kiirunavaara ore. Photo B. Ronnberg.
1-1
P - r s c h ore
m-4
P-
P
O
.
ore
Fig. 6. Distribution of P-rich and P-poor ore in the Kiirunavaara ore.
Fig. 7. Photo showing the continuous transition from pure quartz to pure hematite.
age, i.e. younger than the syenite-porphyries and
older than the ores.
The phyllites and the sandstones (7) of Vakkotype represent the youngest sedimentary cycle.
Intraformational conglomerates are common in
the sandstone.
The Lina Granites of this area are considered
to be the youngest plutonic rocks (about 1500
Ma old). The quartz-porphyry-dykes that intersect the southern part of the Kiirunavaara ore,
as well as its country-rocks, are of a similar age.
The Tuolluvaara area is dominantly underlain
by quartz-porphyries identical to the basal porphyries east of the Kurravaara Conglomerate.
The Tuolluvaara iron ore is thus older than the
Kiruna ores.
Cross-section through the Viscaria ore (stop 1-1,
locality 1). Kiruna Greenstone with sediments
and copper mineralization.
The Kiruna Greenstone comprise a series of
NE-trending spilitic lavas intercalated with thick
sedimentary beds. The dip of the rocks is 80" to
the east. The sedimentary beds consists of tuff,
partly fine-grained and partly coarser (up to
lapilli size), graphite-schists, albitites (chert) and
limestones.
The metamorphic grade of the area is low
(greenschist facies), and primary structures such
as graded bedding, slumping, stylolites, oolites,
distinct layering and pillows are extremely well
preserved. Major folds and boudinage in the
limestone, and pinch and swell structures in the
albitite are also common. The rocks show
distinct bedding and some are mineralized with
chalcopyrite (Fig. 8).
The copper mineralization which is mainly
bound to the limestone and graphite-schist,
appears as rich impregnations and also as more
distinct bands in the limestone which is locally
bordered by zones of massive ore (1 cm-l m).
The copper mineralization is also found as
distinct stratabound bands, lenses and fracture
fillings in the graphite-schist. Magnetite is found
as rich impregnations in the limestone, as thin
layers in the tuffs and also as distinct, several
metres-thick beds. Rhytmic banding with slump
structures between magnetite and chalcopyrite
layers can be seen locally. There is always a
positive correlation between copper and magnetite. Pyrrhotite is the most common sulphide mineral throughout the greenstone series;
pyrite is only rarely found. Apart from chalco-
GRAPHITE-
1
\ALBITITE
WITH
.*.....-..*-
COPPER
HIGH-GRADE
ORE
GRAPHITESCHIST
0RE
---I
Fig. 8. Generalized profile through the A-zone of the Viscaria copper ore.
pyrite there also exists subordinate amounts of alternating. The pebble material can be traced
to the porphyries, jaspilitic rocks, magnetite ore
sphalerite.
The estimated reserves known today are 30 and to the greenstones.
West of the beneficiationplant (stop 1-3, locality
million tons of ore of about 1.1 % Cu bound to
three separate beds. These are named A, B and 3). Syenite (3 a). Quartz-porphyry-dyke (granoD horizons and have a length of 3.5, 1.8 and phyre) (3 b). The open pit: syenite-porphyry (3 c)
1.0 km, respectively and a grade of 1.4 %, 1.0 % with tuff-intercalation (3 d).
3 a. The syenite is red to grey, often greenishand 1.0 % Cu. The thickness varies between 5 m
coloured
by epidote. The transition between the
and 25 m and the depth between 150 m and
the syenite and the syenite-porphyry is gra400 m.
Valkeasiipivaara (stop 1-2, locality 2). Pillow- dational. The mineralogical composition of the
syenite is similar to that of the syenite-porphyry,
lava (2a). Kurravaara Conglomerate (2 b).
2 a : The main part of the Kiruna Greenstone consisting of Na-rich, perthitic feldspar, pyrlava consists of a medium-grained, commonly oxene, epidote, magnetite, sphene, apatite, and
scapolitized, homogeneous rock of spilitic to occasionally quartz.
3 b: The quartz-porphyry-dyke is of a similar
basaltic composition. It is only at the highest
levels of the greenstone series (above known age as the Lina Granite and usually rather
mineralizations) that pillow-structures have been strongly deformed.
3 c-3 d: Along the bench in the foot-wall
found in beds up to 80 m thick. The pillows are
comparatively small, 5-50
cm in diameter. different types of the syenite-porphyry can be
Pillow exteriors are composed of devitrified glass studied as well as minor intercalations of banded
which enclose a zone of radially oriented nodules; tuff.
the central parts of the pillows are fine-grained.
The Kiirunavaara ore, undergro~nd(stop 1---4
2 b: The Kurravaara Conglomerate rests un- locality 4). A cross-section from footwall to
conformably on the Kiruna Greenstones. The hanging-wall. Ore and contacts between the ore
Conglomerate is polymictic, and commonly and the syenite-porphyry (foot-wall) and the
cross-bedded; pebble-free and pebble-rich layers quartz-bearing porphyry (hanging-wall).
Second day
The smmit of Luossavaara Mountain (stop 2-1,
locality 5). ))Ore-dykes,)in the syenite-porphyry
(5)5. These ore-veins (Fig. 4) have been regarded
as an indication of an intrusive emplacement of
the ore. However, as much other data suggest a
volcanic-sedimentary origin of the ores, a more
likely interpretation is that these ore-veins are
precipitates formed in connection with the
extrusion of the syenite-porphyry lava. Major
differences are found between the trace element
distribution in magnetites from the >)oredykes))
and that in magnetite from the main ore body.
The hanging-wall (east) side of the Luossavaara
ore (stop 2-2, locality 6). Xenoliths of ore and
porphyry in the quartz-bearing porphyry (6 a).
Agglomerates (6 b).
6 a. Xenoliths and fragments of magnetite-ore
are rather common in the quartz-bearing porphyry. The ore-inclusions are of the same finegrained apatite-magnetite type that exists in the
main ores. Fragments of syenite-porphyry are
also rather common. The ore-inclusions support
the concept that the quartz-bearing porphyry is
younger than the main ores.
Pardk (1975 a) also reported fragments of
rock-types similar to those of the Lower Haukiserie, which suggests that the quartz-bearing
porphyry is younger than the Lower Hauki
rocks.
6 b. Agglomeratic and sometimes conglomeratic intercalations are common in the quartzbearing porphyry.
Nakutusvaara (stop 2-3, locality 7). Lower
Hauki-ore with banded apatite-magnetite ore
(7 a). Upper Hauki-sediments: Vakko Sandstone
(7 b).
7 a . The banded, apatite-rich ore is typical of
the apatite-rich ores both here and in the main
ore body. Recrystallization of the apatite has
commonly segregated the apatite and magnetite.
7 b. The Vakko Sandstone is a red to grey-red
feldspar-quartzite, commonly with distinct bed-
ding and cross-bedding. Intraformational conglomerate-beds are common. A few pebbles of
of rocks from the Lower Hauki-series were
recorded by T. Pardk but normally only quartzbearing porphyry-pebbles are found which
implies that the Lower Hauki-rocks were largely
covered by quartz-bearing porphyry at the
time of the deposition of the Vakko Sandstone.
The central part of the open pit of the Rektor ore
(stop 2 4 , locality 8). >,Rektor-porphyry>>,
Hauki Hematite (8 a) and Hauki-ore with a
))slaty cleavage,, (8 a). The Rektor Porphyry
commonly forms the hanging-wall to the apatitemagnetite ore.
8 a . The Rektor Porphyry is a somewhat inadequate name for a group of mostly red rocks
comprising lava, tuff and their reworked material.
In the banded varieties one locally finds crossbedding.
The Hauki Hematite, a quartz-hematite-ore,
sometimes developed as a quartz-banded ore
(Fig. 7), shows a more or less gradational contact zone to the Rektor Porphyry.
8 b. The ore of the ~ e k t o rdeposit at this
locality displays a unique schistosity resembling
slaty cleavage.
The sodern part of the open pit of the Rektor ore
(stop 2-5, locality 9). Banded, folded apatite-ore
(9 a). ),Agglomerate)> (9 b). Normal apatitemagnetite ore with intersecting pegmatitic dykes
(9 c). Rektor Porphyry and Hauki Hematite (9 d).
Syenite-porphyry of Hauki-type (9 e).
9 a . In the western wall of the open pit there
is a banded apatite-hematite rock exhibiting
minor folding. Similar apatite-rich ores are
characteristic of the contact-zone between normal Hauki-ores and the quartz-bearing porphyry.
9 b. The same type of banded apatite-rock
forms the matrix in a rock with large ,fragments),
of schistose, quartz-bearing porphyry. The shape
of the pebbles perhaps indicates a pyroclastic
origin.
9 c. The apatite-magnetite ore displays large
veins and irregular areas, where a mobilization
of the apatite has produced veins and irregular
bodies of almost pure apatite. The intersecting
pegmatite dykes consist of quartz, calcite,
hematite, albite and rarely tourmaline.
9d. The great variation of the Rektor porphyry and the Hauki Hematite is well exposed
at this locality. In the eastern part of the open
pit there is a Hauki Hematite-rock with porphyroblasts of potash-feldspar.
9 e . The syenite-porphyry of the Hauki-type
is normally a schistose rock consisting of albite,
quartz, muscovite, sericite, biotite and hematite.
Orthite, zircon, tourmaline and apatite are also
found. Locally it is possible to determine the
original character of the rock. The structurally
less-deformed rocks resemble the syenite-porphyries in the foot-wall of the main ores.
Dokfornr &lie (east of the Rektor ore) (stop
2-6, locality 10). Hauki Conglomerate (10.)
10. The pebbles of the conglomerate, where it
is less schistose than at this locality, can be
observed to consist of quartz-porphyry and
hematite. The porphyry-pebbles here mostly
resemble grey schists. Jaspilite, quartz and greenstone are other more rare pebble components.
In other parts of the Lower Hauki series the
conglomerate is subordinate to fine-grained
sediments of greywacke-character. The similarity
to the Kurravaara Conglomerate has already
been pointed out.
Third day
GEOLOGY AND ORES OF THE SVAPPAVAARA AREA - by Rudyard Frietsch
Geological setting
The Svappavaara area, which is one of the
oldest mining districts in the county of Norrbotten, contains iron and sulphide ores (Frietsch
1966). The copper ore at Gruvberget was
discovered 1654 and mined to the end of the
1670's. The copper deposits at Sarkivaara (discovered 1714) and Kiilavaara (discovered 1751)
were mined to a limited extent in the middle of
the 18th century. The apatite-bearing ore at
Gruvberget, which was found at the same time
as the copper ore, underwent small scale exploitation at the beginning of the 18th century. The
other iron ores of the area (Leveaniemi and Tansari of the apatite-bearing type and Alpha,
Kiilavaara and Kulleri of the skarn ore type)
were all discovered at the end of the 19th century.
The Leveaniemi ore has been mined since 1964.
Supracrustal rocks and intrusive rocks have
approximately the same aerial extent in the
Svappavaara area (Fig. 9). The supracrustals
belong to mainly the Greenstone and the Porphyry groups. The Schist-conglomerate group
covers only a small area.
The Greenstone group is dominated by tuffites
in which the original material is of basic volcanic
origin. These rocks, which are partly banded,
consist of tremolite-actinolite, albite and biotite.
In the tuffites occur intercalations of graphitebearing schists, biotite-rich quartzites, marls,
amphibole schists and limestones, all of which
have a sedimentary origin. The marls, whichare
well banded, contain scapolite, diopside, tremolite-actinolite and biotite. The amphibole
schists, dominantly of tremolite-actinolite, are
interpreted as silica-rich, calcareous sediments.
Amphibole and pyroxene skarns, which in part
contain thin intercalations of chert, occur on a
small scale in association with the limestones.
The Greenstone group is in the east overlain
by a quartzitic sandstone, partly limited by faulting, belonging to the Schist-conglomerate group.
Fig. 9. Geological map of the Svappavaara area. After Grip and Erietsch (1973).
The main part of the Porphyry group is composed of trachytes which are fine-grained equigranular rocks consisting of plagioclase (albiteoligoclase, more rarely oligoclase or andesine),
microcline, quartz and biotite. Locally the rocks
are porphyritic with phenocrysts of albite or
microcline. Within the trachytes are intercalations of basic volcanics containing biotite and
subordinate amounts of microcline, albite-oligoclase, chlorite and tremolite-actinolite. Towards
the northwest a large area is covered by albite
porphyrites which consist of plagioclase (albite,
rarely oligoclase or andesine), biotite, and locally
also amphibole. The chemical composition is
similar to a trachyte although the occasional
presence of Ca-rich feldspar and the high amphibole content suggest that the albite porphyrites might originally have been basic lavas but
later altered to their present composition.
In the trachytes west of the iron ore at LeveHniemi occurs an intercalation of mar1 with some
limestone; narrow limestone bands are also found
in the trachytes to the NNE of the deposit.
These calcareous rocks are similar to those in
the Greenstone group.
Syn-kinematic intrusions occur concordant to
the layering within the supracrustals. In the
Greenstone group and the Porphyry group small
intrusions of andesite porphyrite are found consisting of andesine, hornblende, biotite and less
commonly diopside. The quartzitic sandstone of
the Schist-conglomerate group is intruded by a
granodiorite possibly belonging to the older
group of intrusives.
In the southern part of the Svappavaara area
microdine-plagioclase-beariag granites and associated pegmatites occur peripherally against
the supracrustals. These late-kinematic intrusions
belong to the younger intrusive group. In the
granite are found biotite-quartz-oligoclase gneisses of unknown origln; they might either be
derived from the Greenstone group, or, less
probable, from the Porphyry group.
A gabbro forms the eastern and partly also
the western border of the supracrustal rocks. In
the eastern massif the gabbro contains bodies of
microcline-plagiodase-bearing syenite and granite which probably belong to the same magmatic
suite. The age of the intrusives is not known.
The tectonic conditions in the Svappavaara
area are difficult to interpret. The Greenstone
group shows a complicated folding fabric with
moderate to steep folding axes. The rocks adjacent to the Porphyry group are delineated by
NW-SE and NE-SW faults. The Porphyry group
is also folded; the trachytes occur in synforms
with fold axes trending (moderately) N or NE.
Albitites or so called leucodiabases are found
in the basic volcanics within the Porphyry group,
Greenstone group and to a small extent in
andesite porphyrite, and gabbro. Mostly the
albitites, which occur as elongated bodies parallel
to tectonic disturbances, are fine-grained, reddish leucocratic rocks which consist of albite
(An,-,J and small amounts of amphibole and
carbonate. The albite often forms irregular laths
arranged in a pseudo-ophitic texture. kccording
to adman (1957) the albitites are of magmatic
origin. Padget (1959) and Frietsch (1966) considered them to have been formed by metasomatic alteration of basic rocks in the neighbourhood of faults and fracture zones. Active in
this process were solutions rich in sodium and
containing some carbon dioxide; in the basic
rocks successive change in the mineral composition commonly occurred with the breaking down
of the dark minerals and a bleaching of the rocks.
With the exception of syenite and granite the
rocks of the Svappavaara area are more or less
scapolitized. The scapolite is a dipyr (Ma,,-,,),
exceptionally a mizzonite. In the Greenstone
group the scapolite has been formed in those
rocks which contain carbonate and day minerals,
such as marls and calcareous-rich graphitebearing schists. This explains the intimate, but
irregular distribution of scapolite-rich and
scapolite-poor or scapolite-free rocks in the
Greenstone group. The content of scapolite is
here a measure of the original content of carbonate and d a y minerals.
The scapolitization is a regional process of
a relatively young age. According to Geijer
(1931 a) and Odman (1957) it is genetically
related to the younger group of granitoids. An
addition of solutions rich in chlorine (and other
elements such as sodium) is considered as prerequisite. According to Frietsch (1966) all the
necessary components, except chlorine, could
have been present in the marly and calcareous
sediments in the Greenstone group, so that the
formation of scapolite is thus mainly a result of
a internal redistribution caused by regional
metamorphism.
The northern part of the ore body consists of
magnetite with small amounts of hematite. The
gangue is composed of apatite, calcite and some
actinolite. To the south the magnetite ore passes
transitionally into hematite ore. The hematite,
often associated with apatite, calcite and andradite, has been formed from magnetite through
oxidation. The northern part of the hematite
ores is separated from the wall rock by a skarn
consisting of andradite, actinolite and epidote.
In the hanging wall part of the hematite ore
there is a fragment-bearing zone about 400 m
long and up to 20 m wide. This fragmentary ore
type, which contains angular to sub-angular
fragments of hematite and sericite schist in a
Ore deposits
matrix of hematite, chlorite and some quartz and
In the Svappavaara area both apatite iron ores calcite, is tectonically derived and is probably
and skarn iron ores are found. The apatite- related to a crush-zone which borders the hanging
bearing ore exemplified at Gruvberget, Levea- wall of the ore body. The tectonization is of a
niemi and Tansari, occur within trachytes be- relatively young age; this is shown by the presence
longing to the Porphyry group in the central of fragments of coarse microcline derived from
part of synforms. The skarn iron ores which the pegmatites belonging to the Lina granite.
Within the fragment-bearing ore extending
are of limited extent and importance, include
Alpha, Kiilavaara and Kulleri in the Greenstone northwards, the hematite at the hanging wall has
group, and Koivujarvi which lies within a biotite been subject to weathering to a depth of at least
gneiss. Some unimportant sulphide mineraliza- 200 m (Frietsch 1960). The trachyte in the hangtions are also present, for example, at Gruv- ing wall has been kaolinized. The alteration of
berget disseminations and veins of copper both the ore and the trachyte is caused by the
sulphides occur in scapolitized trachytes of the action of percolating surface water. The alteraPorphyry group. Syngenetic sulphide assem- tion seems to be restricted to the same zone of
blages consisting mainly of pyrite, pyrrhotite tectonization as the fragment-bearing hematite;
and subordinate chalcopyrite are found in the the fracturing of the hematite and the trachyte
rocks of the Greenstone group; at Isovainio in has probably facilitated the percolation of the
a skarn-bearing limestone and at Kiilavaara in a solutions. In the soft ore all minerals except
graphite-bearing schist. In the latter deposit some hematite were leached out. The age of this
galena and sphalerite appear as fissure-fillings. process is older than the latest glaciation. The
Grtlvberget iron and copper ore (stop 3-1). The age relations between the fragment-bearing and
Gruvberget iron ore, situated 3 km to the west soft ore types are not further known; possibly
of the Svappavaara village, is in the form of a the superficial weathering is much younger.
In the foot wall, adjacent to the main ore body,
tabular body about 1300 m long, 6 to 65 m
across and an outcrop area of about 44 000 m2 an nore breccia),, up to 70 m across, is encoun(Fig. 10). The body strikes about N-S and dips tered containing veinlets of magnetite and
50-75" eastwards; to the north the body is hematite. In addition small ore bodies and minerdislocated by NE-SW, or less commonly WNW- alization~are scattered throughout the volcanics
up to 500 m west of the ore body.
ESE, faults.
Magnetite ore
Hematite ore
Trachyte
m]
Kaalinired trachyte
m
..,...
Fragment-bearing
hemotite ore
Soft hemat ite ore
m
''---yt
L
'
"Ore breccia"
\
J
p
-1
-
Sericite schist
Fig. 10. The iron ore at Gruvberget. After Grip and Frietsch (1973).
1
The average grade of the magnetite ore is
56.5 % Fe and 1.1
P. The hematite ore and
the fragment-bearing hematite ore contain 55.4
% Fe and 0.86 % P. The soft hematite ore contains 66.6 % Fe and 0.02 % P. To a depth
somewhat greater than 300 m the amount of ore
(including adjacent parts of the nore breccia)))
with an average of 40.9 % Fe and 0.65
P,
is about 74 million tons.
The wall rock is composed of an equigranular
trachyte with plagioclase (albite-oligoclase, more
rarely oligoclase or andesine), microcline, quartz
and biotite. Locally the rock is porphyritic with
phenocrysts of albite. West of the ore body
there are up to 200 m wide intercalations of a
biotite-rich basaltic lava.
The ore and the volcanics are cut by a series
NW-SE trending dykes (up to 10 m wide) of
metabasites composed of scapolite, biotite and
and hornblende.
Locally the volcanics have been metasomatically altered with the formation of sericite, quartz
and some chlorite. The alteration is closely
associated with tectonic zones; evidenced by the
occurrence of altered sericite-quartz breccias.
These altered rocks are cut by the Lina granite
and its pegmatite. From the nearby iron ore at
Leveaniemi, it is possible to show that the
metabasites that intersect the volcanics and the
ore, are also younger than the sericitization.
According to Frietsch (1967 b), the alteration
is intimately connected with the ore forming
process, representing a late hydrothermal phase
in the differentiation. The same solutions are
considered to have caused the alteration of
magnetite to hematite.
On both sides of the iron ore body, mainly
around the northern part and to a less extent the
middle part, the trachyte is scapolitized over
relatively large areas. The altered rock contains
scapolite with subordinate amounts of tremoliteactinolite, epidote and minor quartz, calcite,
stilbite, chabazite and copper sulphides. The
secondary minerals occur as schlieren, vein fillings and evely distributed within the trachyte.
Probably the alteration is facilitated by NE-SW
faults acting as channelways in this part of the
deposit. In the south where no faults are known,
the scapolitization is missing.
Within the scapolitized trachyte a sporadic
copper mineralization is found. The main part
of the mineralization, which was discovered in
1654 and exploited to the end of the 167OYs,
lies to the west of the iron ore body. The primary copper minerals are chalcopyrite and
bornite from which secondary chalcocite, covellite, malachite and azurite are formed by superficial weathering. Exceptionally and in very
minor amounts, pyrite, arsenopyrite, crythrite,
molybdenite, gold and native copper are encountered. The mineralization appears in the scapolitealtered trachyte in secondary schlieren and joints,
which besides scapolite contain tremolite-actinolite, stilbite, chabazite and calcite. The mineralized zones are up to a few metres wide and contain around 0.5 % Cu.
Kiilavaara iron ore (stop 3-2). The skarn iron
ore at Kiilavaara, situated about 1 km to the
east of the Svappavaara village, occurs in association with a limestone in the Greenstone group.
The ore body has a known length of some
hundred metres and is about 20 m across. The
ore which strikes N-S and dips steeply towards
east, is surrounded by and contains a skarn
consisting of tremolite-actinolite or less commonly of phlogopite with some diopside, pyrite
and chalcopyrite. The skarn forms separate
layers some metres wide or occurs within the
ore as a mm-wide banding or uniformly distributed. Small amounts of pyrite and occasionally
some chalcopyrite belong to the association. The
ore contains 30-35 % Fe, 0.02-0.05 % P and
1-2 % S.
The immediate wall rock of the ore is a skarnbearing limestone surrounded by basic tuffites
and graphite-bearing schists. On both sides of
the ore an albitite is encountered which has
possibly a N-S extension and follows in the
main a small fault visible in the terrain as a
bog-filled depression.
SAIVO IRON ORE - by Rudyard Frietsch
Tbe Saivo iron ore deposit (stop 3-3), situated
about 20 km east of Kiruna and about 400 m
north of lake Sautusjarvi, is economically quite
unimportant but interesting from the genetic
point of view. It differs from the other ore types
in Norrbotten.
The ore lies within a large gabbro massif. The
immediate wall rock is perthite-syenite, which is
locally porphyritic and granitic in composition
(Lehto 1972). The syenite is a red, fine- to
medium-grained rock with albite-oligoclase and
perthitic microcline as the main minerals. Subordinate are diopside, tremolite-actinolite, quartz,
epidote, magnetite and sphene. The gabbro and
the syenite pass successively into each other with
the syenite often containing irregular and
schlieren-like remnants of a scapolitized gabbro;
in these scapolite, diopside and albite-oligoclase
dominate with small amounts of biotite and
tremolite-actinolite. A less altered gabbro is
found 1 km west of the deposit.
Within the syenite there is an E-W oriented,
about 250 m long and 50-60 m wide skarn
body which has the general apperance of a
fissure filling (Fig. 11). In the gabbro and the
syenite there are in addition smaller veins and
fissure fillings of a similar skarn. In part the
skarn contains angular fragments of the syenite
in breccia-like formations. The main skarn body
is built up of a diopside (the crystals reaching
50 cm or more in length) with subordinate
magnetite, sphene, ankerite and plagioclase.
b . . . .
. . . . E
m
Iron ore
m Skam
U
Syenite
m Syenite with relicts
of gabbro
Fig. 11. The Saivo iron ore. After Lehto (1972).
a Gabbra
Along the skarn-syenite contact, mainly in the
south, accumulations of magnetite occur which
are between some decimetres and 5-6 m across
and consist of a coarse magnetite with crystals
up to 10-20 cm in length. The magnetite is
accompanied by diopside, amphibole and sphene.
Magnetite occurs also within the skarn together
with sphene as coarse crystals or as veins up to
some decimetres wide. The magnetite has a high
content of titanium (3 % Ti) which occurs as
ilmenite or is sited in the magnetite lattice
(Frietsch 1970).
The origin of the magnetite-bearing skarn at
Saivo is uncertain. The order of formation is
gabbrolsyenitelskarn and magnetite. According
to Frietsch (1970) the skarn and magnetite
represent a late stage in the magmatic activity
that gave rise to the gabbro; an interpretation
supported by the high content of titanium in the
magnetite. A metasomatic origin of the skarn
and ore is, however, also plausible (Lehto 1972);
by metasomatic processes the gabbro has been
altered to syenite and the skarn and ore were
formed by elements released by this process.
According to Eriksson and Hallgren (1975) the
skarn and ore are connected with the formation
of the perthite-syenite which is considered as a
normal member of the youngest group of deepseated rocks, and thus with an age of about
1 535-1 565 Ma.
Fourth d q
MERTAINEN IRON ORE - by Rudyard Frietsch
Tbe Mertainen deposit (stop 4-l),
situated
30 km SE of Kiruna, is an apatite-bearing iron
ore (of the Kiruna type). The ore-bearing area
strikes NE-SW and has a length of about 1 200
m and a width of 200 m (Fig. 12). The dip of
the ore is moderately or steeply northwest. The
ore which is composed of magnetite, to a very
slight degree altered to hematite, appears as
narrow, relatively short bodies or as veinlets
forming a net-work ())ore breccia))). The magnetite is accompanied by small amounts of
actinolite skarn. In the ))breccian there is also
calcite, partly of secondary nature, and scapolite,
which at least partly was formed simultaneously
with the magnetite.
The wall rock is a porphyritic trachyte which
in a matrix of quartz and feldspar contains
phenocrysts of albite together with secondary
biotite and scapolite. Vesicles filled with magnetite and some actinolite, sphene, apatite, biotite,
quartz and feldspar are common (Lnndberg and
Smellie 1979). I n addition the trachyte often contains impregnations of magnetite, occurring as a
finely divided matrix material. There are gradual
transitions between ore, ))ore breccian, trachyte
with magnetite vesicles and magnetite impregnations. According to Lundberg and Smellie (1979)
the magnetite-rich trachytes resulted by an
assimilation of iron-rich material during their
formation. The ore is the result of immiscibility
aided by a high content of volatiles. The importance of the magnetite filled vesicles is emphasized. This is in accordance with Geijer (1931 a,
1960): the ores and the vesicles are similar formations, volatiles being active in both.
In spite of many irregularities within the ore
there is some degree of partition in that the ore
bodies which occur in the south-eastern part of
the deposit are separated from the underlying
almost ore-free porphyry by a narrow zone of a
poor ))ore breccia)) containing vesicles and impregnations of magnetite. T o the north the ore
Magnetite ore
I/-I Rich "ore
D Poor "ore
breccia"
breccio"
Fig. 12, The Mertainen iron ore. After Gsip and Frietsch (1973).
bodies are surrounded by rich sbreccia>>passing
transitionally to a poor >)breccia~
and finally to a
magnetite-poor trachyte. The ore-bearing area,
often cut by narrow dykes of metabasites, is also
dislocated latt~ally by small faults mainly
orientated in NW-SE and NNVV-SSE direcrions.
The apatite content of the ore is low, on an
average 0.05 % P although in the northeast
there are parts which are relatively rich in
phosphopas (between 0.2 and 0.9 % P). The
reserves in the deposit calculated to a depth of
300 m, are about 165 million tons of ore with an
aTeragt af 34 Fe. The ore body in the middle
part of the deposit has been mined between
1956-1958 with 218 900 t ~ n sof ore and
210 000 tons of )>breccia))removed.
AITIK COPPER ORE - by Hans Zweifel
Introduction
wr
The Aitik
is
about 15 km E of Gallivare, Norrbomn County,
at lat. 67'07'N and long. 21" E. About 5 km
E of Aitik a similar but smaller mineralization
occurs called Liikavaara E.
The area is covered by extensive swamps
dissected by moraine ridge*. Outcrops are rare
the glacial overburden has a thickness of
5-15 m. Several small deposits are known to the
N of Ai& (Liikavaara, Nautanen a.s.0.).
Glacial boulders with disseminated chalcopyrite were found in the area by the Boliden
Company in 1930. Geological investigations in
1932 resultated in the discovery of a small mineralized outcrop at the place where the Aitik mine
has subsequently been developed. EM-survey
with the Swedish two-frame method at that time
resulted in the localization of the Aitik zone and
Liikavaara E zone, 5 km east of Aitik. Drilling
took place in 1933 and 1936. As the grade of
mineralization was not attractive at that time,
there was a period of inactivity until 1948. Between 1948 and 1956 loop frame (slingram)
surveys and minor geochemical investigations
were carried out. In 1957 a new period of
activity started including geological mapping,
airborne electromagnetic and magnetic surveys
and later diamond drilling, especially on the
deeper levels of the mineralizations. Resistivity
surveys which were carried out between 1960
and 1962 showed that this method was superior
to the EM-methods to indicate the disseminated
mineralization in the Aitik zone. By 1963 the
drilling had outlined so extensive an area of low
grade mineralizations that a feasibility study for
an open pit mine was started, which later showed
that the project was economically reasonable.
The development work started in 1965 and ore
production in 1967.
Project Aitik No. 1 was to develop the mine
for a 2 million tonlyear open pit operation with
an average grade of 0.5
Cu and a cut-off
grade of 0.37 % Cu down to 50 m below the
surface. In project No. 2, 1970-1972, the mine
was developed for a 5 million tonslyear output
with an average grade of 0.4 % Cu. At present
the mine produces 6.5-7 million tonslyear with
an average grade of 0.4 Cu. Future plans are to
design the mine for a production of 11.3 million
tonslyear by open pit operation down to a depth
of 370 m. The stripping ratio is 0.7 : 1.
The ore handling from the primary crushing
to the bulk flotation consists of two parallel
sections, the A- and B-section. The A-section
is built in a conventional way with primary
crushing, secondary crushing, rod- and pebble
grinding. The B-section consists of primary
crushing, autogenous and pebble grinding. The
fine product from the hydrocyclons in the Aand B-sections is mixed together and pumbed to
bulk flotation series. In the A-section the bulk
concentrate is floated in two parallel flotation
series, each consisting of 28 BFR-300 flotation
cells. In the B-section the bulk flotation consists
of three flotation series with 40 BFR-300 cells
in each.
the
The Cu-grade of the feed ore is 0.4
The
concentrate 28.0
and the tailings 0.04
dried concentrate is collected in containers with
11 tons net weight and then transported 18 kilometers (12 miles) with lorries to the railway
station in Gallivare, where the containers are
loaded over to railway cars for further transport
400 kilometers (250 miles) to the company's
smelting plant in Ronnskar situated on the coast.
X,
X.
Geological Setting
The rock units of the area are of Precambrian
age and consist of metamorphosed sediments
occurring in a zone 40 km long, parallel t o the
general N 20°W strike and with an average
width of about 5 km (Zweifel 1972, 1976). This
zone of metasediments is surrounded by the
younger Lina granite and gabbro (see Figs. 13
and 14). The Lina granite, which is obviously
younger than the metasediments, has been shown
by the Rb/Sr-method to be 1 565&35 million
years old (Welin e t al. 1971).
According to the geological structures and the
type of country rock a distinction can be made
between the eastern and western part of the
Aitik-Liikavaara zone. Tectonically the eastern
part is a syncline, with a SSE dipping axis,
slightly overturned to the east with both limbs
dipping steeply west. This syncline can be
recognized from the magnetic map and way-up
determinations based on cross-bedding observations. The rocks of the eastern part, the Liikavaara group, consist mainly of meta-arenites; in
the higher parts intercalations with amphibolitic
layers occur. The sedimentary clastic origin of
Aitik Region
Geological map
H. Z w e i f e l
1971
l
Z km
1
4
A;t;k
[IIIIIIIB8ot;te-
group
omph;bole gneisses
Liikovooro group
mMetooren;tes
0 ~ ; t ; k
tormotion
a
Skornbonded layer l A ; t i k
hongnng wall 1
m
o
r
e
I\(\ Gneasses
with amphibolat~clayers
Metooren;tes
W Syncline
m
Anticline
with skorn-schlieren
a
Noulonen f ormotion
Fig. 13. Geological map and cross-section of the Aitik region.
m Skarn-banded
mh m p h i b o l i t e
rocks
0Somewhat
banded biotite gneisses
W of skarn-banded rocks
between and
Pegmatite
m Sericite schists and gneisses
0Ore boundary (0.4%Cu average)
0Fin?-grained
d
- - Gneisses
w i t h skarn veinlets and schlieren
m
partly amphibolite
J Fold axes (small scale)
biotite quartzites, gneisses and
s c h ~ s t spartly w i t h garnet
Coarse-grained gneisses w i t h porphyroblasttc
feldspar
Pig. 14. The Aitik copper ore.
-r
Drillholes outside of the ore
Strike IS) generally foliation
7 Contact, dip
The average S-content is about 1.5 %, BaO
1.0 % and P20, 0.18 %; the magnetite content
is around 3 % and the average Au content is
0.4 g/t and Ag 4 g/t. Other metallic elements
occur in traces only.
At present the ore is mined at an average grade
of 0.4 % Cu. Ore reserves (open pit) down to
the 300 m level are about 300 million tons with
an average content of 0.45 % Cu and a 0.22 %
Cu cut-off.
Mineralogj. The only mineral of economic
importance is chalcopyrite, which occurs together with pyrite, magnetite and pyrrhotite.
Bornite, chalcocite and malachite also occur but
are without economic importance.
Molybdenite, sphalerite, galena and arsenopyrite have only been observed occasionally
within the mineralization. Pegmatites (postmineralization) contain occasionally isolated
grains of molybdenite, scheelite and uraninite.
Barite occurs generally as veinlets and fluorspar
has also been observed.
Mode of occurrence. The mineralized zone occurs
on the western flank of an antiform structure
and is almost 3 km long and 400 m wide.
Towards the hanging (west side) wall the
mineraked zone has a sharp contact, marked by
the skarnbanded gneisses. To the east, along the
The Ore
footwall, the mineralization gradually fades out,
Area andgrade. The mineralized zone is almost with no sharp boundary. The general dip of the
3 km long and 400 m wide. Within this the ore ore and the mineralized zone is 45' W and the
has a length of about 2 km and a width of up strike N 10-20°E.
The dip of the footwall
to 200 m. The known ore areas on the different (grade limit) is generally somewhat steeper than
levels are as follows; the 300 and 600 m levels the dip of the hanging wall. In the deeper parts,
are at present only known in the northern part the hanging wall flattens to about 35'W. The
of the ore zone.
ore is probably situated in a minor anticlinal
Surface
structure on the west side of the larger antiform.
( 0 4 0 m)
300 m
600 m
The plunge of the economic mineralization is
Average % Cu
0.68
0.65
0.7
25-30" toward N 20°E in the northern part of
Cut-off % Cu
0.5
0.5
0.5
Area mz
100 000
92 000
14 000
the ore, parallel to observed fold axes. In the
Average % Cu
0.5
0.54
0.52 centre of the ore the fold axes are almost horil;ontal and in the southern part they dip 20"
Cut-off % Cu
0.32
0.4
0.4
Area m%
220 000
205 000
97 000
toward S 20°W. The plunge of the ore (> 0.4 %
Average % Cu
0.4
0.42
0.38 Cu) does not follow the fold axes in the south
Cut-off y, Cu
0.22
0.22
0.22 part, but the mineralization, if we include the
Area m2
380 000
480 000
270 000
pyrite, seems to do so.
these rocks can easily be recognized from conglomerates and other sedimentary features, e.g.
cross- and graded bedding. The copper deposit
Liikavaara East occurs on the eastern side of the
syndine.
The western part of the zone is tectonically
interpreted as an antiform and dome structure.
The antiform has been established by observations of folding axes, change of dip and interpretation of the magnetic map. The rocks here
are collectively referred to as the Aitik group,
and are divided into the older Aitik formation
and an overlying formation of biotite and
biotite-amphibole gneisses. The main rock types
of the Aitik formation are skarnbanded gneisses,
fine grained biotite gneisses, partly with garnet
or amphiboles, sometimes changing to micaschists or quartzites, gneisses with skarn-schlieren, amphibolites and coarse grained biotite
gneisses. Scapolitization, tourmalinization and
microcline infiltration have partly changed the
original composition of the rocks. Sericitization
occurs mainly within the ore zone.
Pegmatites occur between the Lina granite in
the west and the Aitik ore zone. Their frequence
and thickness diminishes from W to E, and with
increasing depth.
1
l
1
Tjjes of mineralization:
1. Disseminations and stringers of chakopyrite
(and some pyrite) in fine grained biotitegneiss, -schist or -quartzite.
2. Disseminated chalcopyrite and pyrite (or
stringers) in sericite-schist or quartzite.
3. Chalcopyrite and pyrite in skarn-schlieren and
-veinlets.
4. Chalcopyrite and pyrite in quartz-veinlets and
-veins (partly with some bornite and chalcocite).
5. Dissemination of chalcopyrite in red microcline infiltrated gneisses (only known from
drillhole on the 600 m level).
The sericite schists occur mainly towards the
hanging wall, where pyrite is also dominant in
relation to other parts of the ore. There exists a
certain zoning between pyrite and chalcopyrite.
The grade of the mineralization varies both in
the small and large scales. Zones from dm to
10'th of metres wide with Cu-contents of more
than 1 % alternate with low grade mineralized
parts. The hanging wall is composed of a layer
of typical skarnbanded gneisses, and the mineralization never penetrates this layer. The boundaries of the economic ore are just grade limits.
The genesis of the Aitik ore is explained by
primary sedimentary preconcentration and later
mobilization in connection with metamorphism
and pneumatolytic activity (Zweifel 1972, 1976).
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