Applied Mineral Exploration
Discussion and research relevant to mineral
exploration. Calcite
Decrepitation is usually extremely intense, but at unusually high
temperatures given the typically low formation temperature of calcite.
This sample is from the Bou Jaber mine in Tunisia, a small,
limestone
hosted karst breccia with Pb, Zn, F and Ba mineralization. Fluid
inclusion
homogenization data in barite and fluorite indicate a formation
temperature
of 90-120 C from hydrocarbon rich source fluids. Calcite and other
carbonates
have decrepitation peaks ranging from 400 to 800 C which do not reflect
formation temperature.
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