Gold mineralization in Barika sheared zone(East of Sardasht, western Azarbaijan

Abstract:
      Barika gold bearing district is located in west of Iran, 17km east of Sardasht (western Azarbaijan province).
   Main host rock of the Gold mineralization is Upper Cretaceous meta-volcanic which are sheared in N ? S direction.
   The sheared zone is about 3000m long and several hundreds meters wide. The zone is accompanied with different alterations (silicic, Sulfidic and argillic).
   In the southern part of this zone a barite mine exists being actually exploited now.
   The results of sample Analysis of the area indicate that noticeable grade of gold contents (0.43 ? 17.8 ppm) is often associated with alteration zones (silicification, sulfidation); oxidation zone; barite and altered host rocks of barite.
   Regarding the grade and also the highly extension of gold mineralization in the sheared zone, there is a noticeable gold reserve in Barika district; therefore study of controlling factors of gold mineralization in the district can be used as a model for exploration of the same occurrences in neighboring areas.