Metamorphism, Magmatism and Structural Controls of Silica Vein Mineralization in the Eastern Lut Metallogenic Province, Iran

Silica vein systems hosted within metamorphic terranes represent important targets for structurally controlled hydrothermal mineralization in convergent tectonic settings. The Aska exploration area, located in the southeastern sector of the Eastern Lut Metallogenic Province, is characterized by a complex assemblage of metamorphic rocks intruded by granitoid bodies and dissected by regional-scale fault systems. The dominant lithologies include schists, metasedimentary units, hornfels, and granitic intrusions of probable Jurassic-Cretaceous affinity. Field investigations indicate that silica veins are strongly controlled by brittle deformation zones and fracture networks trending predominantly N-S and NW-SE. These structures acted as primary conduits for hydrothermal fluid migration and vein emplacement. The spatial relationship between vein systems and contact-metamorphic aureoles suggests a genetic link between magmatic activity and hydrothermal circulation. The study highlights the role of structural anisotropy, lithological contrasts, and magmatic heat sources in the development of silica vein systems within metamorphic host rocks. A conceptual genetic model is proposed in which fluid flow was focused along reactivated fault zones, leading to quartz-rich vein formation under brittle-ductile transition conditions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Silica veins ، Structural control ، Metamorphic terranes ، Magmatism ، Lut Block ، Hydrothermal systems ، Fault zones ، Metallogeny