Regional appraisal of the potential for stratabound base-metal mineralisation in the Solway basin

Colman, T.; Holloway, S.; Smith, R.T.; Norton, G.E.; Kimbell, G.S.; Walker, A.S.D.; Tragheim, D.G.. 1995 Regional appraisal of the potential for stratabound base-metal mineralisation in the Solway basin. Nottingham, UK, British Geological Survey, 85pp. (WF/MR/95/017, Mineral Reconnaissance Programme open file report 17) (Unpublished)

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Abstract/Summary

The Carboniferous Solway-Northumberland extensional basin covers an area of 6500 km2 in northern England and southern Scotland (Figure 1.1). The basin, which is up to 7 km thick, developed due to N-S extension with major fault-controlled subsidence during the Courceyan-Holkerian (syn-extension phase), followed by more gradual post-extension regional subsidence during the later Carboniferous. It straddles the trace of the Iapetus Suture which marks the collision zone of the palaeo-North American and palaeo-European continents during Caledonian times. The major Irish lead-zinc deposits, including the world-class Navan deposit lie along the western extension of the Iapetus Suture. The basin is poorly exposed away from the margins and is covered by later Permo-Trias sediments. Much of the basin is also mantled with extensive drift deposits. Minor lead-zinc vein and replacement mineralisation occurs along the northern boundary of the basin, close to the contact with the underlying Lower Palaeozoic rocks of the Southern Uplands and vein style mineralisation carrying barite and minor base metals occurs along the southern margin at the contact with the Lower Palaeozoic rocks of the Lake District. More extensive syn-diagenetic mineralisation of Sedex style found in Ireland may occur adjacent to the major basin-controlling faults. Investigations of the regional geochemistry. geophysics and deep geology, together with Landsat imagery, show that the basin could be prospective for this style of mineralisation, but that the most likely rocks, in tenns of chronostratigraphy, are likely to be at considerable depth on the southern margin. However, suitable conditions for the emplacement of this mineralisation may be found in several areas close to the northern margin and in the Bewcastle Anticline.

Item Type:	Publication - Report
Programmes:	BGS Programmes > Economic Minerals
Funders/Sponsors:	British Geological Survey, Department of Trade and Industry
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	This item has been internally reviewed, but not externally peer-reviewed.
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	24 May 2023 12:51 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/534638

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