ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

By S. NARAI

CONTENTS 1 NATURE OF IRAN AND ITS CLIMATE 1 1 LOCATION, BOUNDARIES, AND SURFACE AREA 1 2 ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION 1 3 IRANIAN PLATEAU 1 3 1 TREND OF IRANIAN PLATEAU TRANSFORMATION 1 4 PHYSIOGRAPHY 1 4 1 PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISION 1 5 VEGETATION 1 5 1 CASPIAN FLORAL PROVINCE 1 5 2 ZAGROS FLORAL PROVINCE 1 5 3 IRAN’S CENTRAL PLATEAU FLORAL PROVINCE 1 5 4 SOUTHERN COASTAL PLAINS FLORAL PROVINCE 1 6 SUMMARIZED FACTS ABOUT VEGETATION COVER 1 7 WEATHER SYSTEMS 1 7 1 AIR PRESSURE AND WIND FLOW IN DIFFERENT SEASON 1 7 2 PRECIPITATION 1 7 3 AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL 1 7 4 CHARACTERISTICS OF RAINFALL IN IRANIAN PLATEAU 1 7 5 GENESIS OF DRY AND WET WEATHER CYCLES 1 8 AVES 1 9 MAMMALS 1 10 MOUNTAINS 1 10 1 NORTHERN MOUNTAIN RANGES 1 10 2 ZAGROS MOUNTAINS 1 10 3 CENTRAL MOUNTAINS 1 10 4 EASTERN MOUNTAINS 1 11 SEAS 1 11 1 CASPIAN SEA 1 11 2 PERSIAN GULF 1 11 3 OMAN SEA (MAKRAN SEA) 1 12 LAKES 1 13 WATERSHEDS 1 14 RIVERS 1 14 1 CASPIAN SEA CATEGORY 1 14 2 PERSIAN GULF CATEGORY 1 15 DESERTS 2 A SUMMARY OF GEOLOGY OF IRAN 2 1 STRUCTURAL DIVISIONS OF IRAN 2 1 1 CENTRAL IRAN 2 1 2 SANANDAJ–SIRJAN 2 1 3 ZAGROS 2 1 4 ALBORZ 2 1 5 AZERBAIJAN 2 1 6 EASTERN IRAN 2 1 7 SOUTHEASTERN IRAN (MAKRAN) 2 1 8 KOPET DAGH 2 2 OPHIOLITE SERIES AND ULTRAMA?C ROCKS OF IRAN 2 3 BASEMENT ROCKS 2 4 SUMMARY OF STRATIGRAPHY OF IRAN 2 4 1 PRECAMBRIAN 2 4 2 PALEOZOIC 2 4 3 MESOZOIC IN IRAN 2 4 4 TERTIARY 2 5 STRATIGRAPHIC SUCCESSION IN VARIOUS STRUCTURAL DIVISIONS 2 6 OVERVIEW OF DISTRIBUTION AND NATURE OF MAGMATIC ROCKS IN IRAN 2 6 1 MAGMATIC ROCKS OF UPPER PRECAMBRIAN–LOWER CAMBRIAN 2 6 2 LOWER PALEOZOIC 2 6 3 UPPER PALEOZOIC 2 6 4 MESOZOIC 2 6 5 TERTIARY 2 7 STRUCTURAL AND OROGENIC EVENTS IN IRAN 2 7 1 PAN-AFRICAN 2 7 2 CALEDONIAN 2 7 3 HERCYNIAN 2 7 4 EARLY CIMMERIAN 2 7 5 MIDDLE CIMMERIAN 2 7 6 LATE CIMMERIAN 2 7 7 LARAMIDE 2 7 8 PYRENEAN 2 7 9 PASADENIAN 3 HISTORY OF MINING 3 1 INTRODUCTION 3 2 HISTORY OF MINING 3 2 1 HAKHAMANESHIAN PERIOD (550 B C –330 B C ) 3 2 2 SELEUCID PERIOD (320 B C –63 B C ) 3 2 3 ARSACID PERIOD (247 B C –228 A D ) 3 2 4 SASSANID PERIOD (224 A D –670 A D ) 3 2 5 ISLAMIC ERA (651 A D –1230 A D ) 3 2 6 MUGHAL ERA (1230 A D –1357 A D ) 3 2 7 SAFAVID PERIOD (1501 A D –1786 A D ) 3 2 8 QAJAR PERIOD (1794 A D –1925 A D ) 3 2 9 PAHLAVI PERIOD (1925 A D –1979 A D ) 3 3 MINING TECHNIQUES IN ANCIENT IRAN 3 3 1 EXPLORATION 3 3 2 EXPLOITATION 3 3 3 PROCESSING AND METALLURGY 3 4 MINING PROVINCES IN ANCIENT IRAN 4 METALLOGENIC AND MINERALIZATION PHASES OF IRAN 4 1 INTRODUCTION 4 1 1 LATE PROTEROZOIC–EARLY CAMBRIAN 4 1 2 EARLY PALEOZOIC 4 1 3 LATE PALEOZOIC–TRIASSIC 4 1 4 JURASSIC–EARLY CRETACEOUS 4 1 5 LATE CRETACEOUS–PALEOGENE (LARAMIDE), CHROMITE 4 1 6 TERTIARY–QUATERNARY (MIDDLE–LATE ALPINE) 5 METALLOGENY AND DISTRIBUTION OF MINERALS 5 1 IRON 5 1 1 METALLOGENIC PHASES OF IRON 5 1 2 DISTRIBUTION OF IRON DEPOSITS 5 2 MANGANESE 5 2 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF MANGANESE 5 2 2 DISTRIBUTION OF MANGANESE DEPOSITS 5 3 CHROMITE 5 3 1 METALLOGENIC PHASES OF CHROMITE 5 3 2 DISTRIBUTION OF CHROMITE DEPOSITS 5 4 COPPER 5 4 1 INTRODUCTION 5 4 2 COPPER ALLOYS 5 4 3 COPPER METALLOGENY IN IRAN 5 4 4 PHASES OF COPPER MINERALIZATION 5 4 5 DISTRIBUTION OF COPPER DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 5 LEAD AND ZINC 5 5 1 INTRODUCTION 5 5 2 METALLOGENIC PHASES OF LEAD AND ZINC 5 5 3 SPATIAL (GEOGRAPHICAL) DISTRIBUTION OF LEAD–ZINC DEPOSITS AND INDICATIONS 5 5 4 ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT LEAD–ZINC DEPOSITS 5 6 ALUMINUM 5 6 1 INTRODUCTION 5 6 2 TEMPORAL SETTINGS OF BAUXITE DEPOSITS 5 6 3 DISTRIBUTION OF BAUXITE DEPOSITS 5 7 GOLD 5 7 1 INTRODUCTION 5 7 2 GEOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GOLD RESERVES 5 7 3 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF GOLD DEPOSITS 5 8 ANTIMONY, ARSENIC, AND MERCURY 5 8 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF ANTIMONY, ARSENIC, AND MERCURY 5 8 2 DISTRIBUTION OF ANTIMONY, ARSENIC, AND MERCURY DEPOSITS 5 9 NICKEL AND COBALT 5 9 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF NICKEL AND COBALT 5 9 2 DISTRIBUTION OF NICKEL AND COBALT DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 10 TITANIUM 5 10 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF TITANIUM IN IRAN 5 10 2 DISTRIBUTION OF TITANIUM DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 11 TUNGSTEN 5 11 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF TUNGSTEN 5 11 2 DISTRIBUTION OF TUNGSTEN DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 12 URANIUM 5 12 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF URANIUM IN IRAN 5 12 2 DISTRIBUTION OF URANIUM DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 13 PHOSPHATE 5 13 1 INTRODUCTION 5 13 2 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF PHOSPHATE RESOURCES IN IRAN 5 13 3 DISTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 14 TALC 5 14 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF TALC IN IRAN 5 14 2 DISTRIBUTION OF TALC DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 15 MICA 5 15 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF MICA IN IRAN 5 15 2 DISTRIBUTION OF MICA DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 16 BORON AND BORAX 5 16 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF BORAX IN IRAN 5 16 2 DISTRIBUTION OF BORAX DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 17 MAGNESITE 5 17 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF MAGNESITE 5 17 2 DISTRIBUTION OF MAGNESITE DEPOSITS 5 18 CELESTINE (STRONTIUM SULFATE) 5 18 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF CELESTINE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 18 2 DISTRIBUTION OF CELESTINE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 19 BARITE 5 19 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 19 2 DISTRIBUTION OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 20 FELDSPAR MINERALIZATION 5 20 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF FELDSPAR DEPOSITS 5 20 2 DISTRIBUTION OF FELDSPAR DEPOSITS OF IRAN 5 21 ROCK SALT 5 21 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF ROCK SALT DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 21 2 DISTRIBUTION OF ROCK SALT DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 22 POTASH MINERALIZATION IN IRAN 5 22 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF POTASH DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 22 2 DISTRIBUTION OF POTASH DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 23 SILICA MINERALIZATION IN IRAN 5 23 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF SILICA DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 23 2 DISTRIBUTION OF SILICA DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 24 KAOLIN AND FIRECLAY 5 24 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF KAOLIN AND FIRECLAY DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 24 2 DISTRIBUTION OF KAOLIN AND FIRECLAY DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 25 BENTONITE 5 25 1 INTRODUCTION 5 25 2 DISTRIBUTION OF BENTONITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 25 3 SPECI?CATIONS OF BENTONITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN AND THEIR GENESIS 5 25 4 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF BENTONITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 25 5 AGE OF BENTONITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 25 6 ENVIRONMENT OF BENTONITE DEPOSITION 5 25 7 ORIGIN AND GENESIS OF BENTONITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 25 8 FORMATION OF BENTONITE DEPOSITS 5 26 DIATOMITE 5 26 1 DISTRIBUTION OF DIATOMITE DEPOSITS 5 27 PERLITE 5 27 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF PERLITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 27 2 DISTRIBUTION OF PERLITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 28 DOLOMITE 5 28 1 MINERALIZATION PHASES OF DOLOMITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 28 2 DISTRIBUTION OF DOLOMITE DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 29 TAR AND NATURAL ASPHALT 5 29 1 ORIGIN OF TAR AND NATURAL ASPHALT 5 29 2 DISTRIBUTION OF TAR AND NATURAL ASPHALT DEPOSITS IN IRAN 5 30 DIMENSION AND ORNAMENTAL (DECORATIVE) STONES 5 30 1 STANDARDS OF DIMENSION STONES 5 30 2 DISTRIBUTION OF DIMENSION STONES 5 31 RARE EARTH ELEMENTS (REES) RESOURCES IN IRAN 6 METALLOGENIC AND MINING PROVINCES, BELTS AND ZONES OF IRAN 6 1 INTRODUCTION 6 2 CATEGORIZATION OF METALLOGENIC AND MINING AREAS IN IRAN 6 3 METALLOGENIC PROVINCES OF IRAN 6 3 1 CENTRAL IRAN METALLOGENIC PROVINCE 6 3 2 URUMIYEH–DOKHTAR METALLOGENIC PROVINCE 6 3 3 SANANDAJ–SIRJAN METALLOGENIC PROVINCE 6 3 4 NORTHEAST METALLOGENIC PROVINCE (TAKNAR AND KAVIR–SABZEVAR METALLOGENIC BELTS) 6 3 5 ALBORZ METALLOGENIC PROVINCE 6 3 6 SOUTHEAST AND EAST OF IRAN METALLOGENIC PROVINCE (SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 1999) 6 3 7 ZAGROS OIL AND GAS PROVINCE (MOTIEI 1993) 6 3 8 KOPET–DAGH NATURAL GAS PROVINCE 7 THE POSITION OF IRANIAN MINING INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD 7 1 INTRODUCTION 7 2 BRIEF HISTORY 7 3 MINING ACTIVITIES IN IRAN 7 4 SHARE OF MINING SECTOR IN IRANIAN ECONOMY 7 5 MINERAL RESOURCES OF IRAN 7 5 1 IRON 7 5 2 MANGANESE 7 5 3 CHROMIUM (CHROMITE) 7 5 4 MOLYBDENUM 7 5 5 COPPER 7 5 6 LEAD–ZINC 7 5 7 ALUMINUM (BAUXITE) 7 5 8 ARSENIC 7 5 9 ANTIMONY 7 5 10 RHENIUM 7 5 11 GOLD 7 5 12 PHOSPHATE 7 5 13 FLUORITE 7 5 14 ROCK SALT 7 5 15 BORON (BORAX) 7 5 16 BENTONITE 7 5 17 VERMICULITE 7 5 18 MICA 7 5 19 STRONTIUM 7 5 20 BARITE 7 5 21 DIATOMITE 7 5 22 FELDSPARS 7 5 23 PERLITE 7 5 24 DIMENSION STONES 7 5 25 MAGNESITE 7 5 26 FOSSIL FUELS (PETROLEUM, NATURAL GAS, AND COAL) 7 5 27 WATER RESOURCES (BUDGET) 8 ENERGY RESOURCES, PRODUCTION, AND CONSUMPTION IN IRAN COMPARED WITH THE WORLD 8 1 TYPES OF ENERGY RESOURCES 8 2 NONRENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 8 2 1 CRUDE OIL 8 2 2 GAS 8 2 3 GAS CONDENSATES 8 2 4 TAR SANDS 8 2 5 KEROGENS 8 2 6 OTHER NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES 8 3 FOSSIL FUEL RESERVES OF IRAN 8 3 1 CRUDE OIL 8 3 2 GAS CONDENSATES 8 3 3 GAS 8 3 4 COAL 8 4 FOSSILIZED FUEL PRODUCTION OF IRAN AND THE WORLD 8 4 1 CRUDE OIL 8 4 2 GAS 8 4 3 COAL 8 5 FOSSILIZED FUEL CONSUMPTION IN IRAN AND THE WORLD 8 5 1 CONSUMPTION PATTERN 8 6 GLOBAL STATUS OF IRAN IN TERMS OF ENERGY RESOURCES 8 7 NUCLEAR ENERGY IN IRAN AND THE WORLD 8 8 RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES OF IRAN 8 8 1 HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY 8 8 2 SOLAR ENERGY 8 8 3 WIND ENERGY 8 8 4 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY 8 8 5 TIDAL ENERGY 9 LIST OF MINERAL DEPOSITS AND INDICATIONS OF IRAN 9 1 INTRODUCTION REFERENCES KNOWLEDGE SOURCES