Caves filled with clastic dolomite and galena mineralization in disaggregated dolomites

Abstract

Jaskinie wypełnione osadem dolomitycznym i mineralizacja galenowa w rozsypliwym dolomicie kruszconośnym A laminated, fine-grained detrital dolomite occurs as a secondary component of the ore-bearing dolomite in the Muschelkalk of the Cracow-Silesian region. It fills crevices and caves, and consists of recycled grains derived exclusively from the ore-bearing dolomite, and notably, from solutionally disaggregated; i.e. “sanded” parts of this rock. The formation of the dolomite-filled caves was essentially penecontemporaneous with the disaggregation of the dolomite, and was linked in time with a late, presumably Tertiary, phase of galena mineralization. The galena resident in sanded dolomites occurs as irregular veinlets and patches. It also lines the relics of unsanded dolomite, so that the free crystal faces project into the disaggregated host-rock.