The origin of Slovenian ore deposits

Abstract

The whole chronologic succession of sedimentary rocks from Ordovician period to Quaternary appears to occur in Slovenia, regardless some not clear classifications and interruptions. The majority of the ore deposits is bound to the interval from Carboniferous to Triassic beds. The multistage origin of some ore deposits is a characteristic feature, inherent also in world wide known mercury deposit of Idria, as well as in lead-zinc deposit of Mežica. The uranium ore beds of Žirovski Vrh are regarded to be largely of early diagenetic origin, but their original character has been highly obscured by subsequent geochemical processes and structural modifications. During the early Tertiary folding the ore deposits rising towards the surface became emplaced at different levels of lithosphere, and due to continued pressure, overthrusts have taken place. The ore deposits have been thrust up northward and southward of the Periadriatic Lineament. During the late Tertiary and Quaternary periods they have been highly disturbed and different associated processes permitted migration of the mobile ore and gangue minerals.