Mineralogy and Petrology (1998) 63:223-241 Mineralogy Rna Petrology © Springer-Verlag 1998 Printed in Austria Sphalerite remobilization during multistage hydrothermal mineralization events- examples from siderite-Pb-Zn-Cu-Sb veins, Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, Germany T. Wagner and N. J. Cook* Mineralogisches Institut, Universit~it Wtirzburg, Federal Republic of Germany With 7 Figures Received February 9, 1998; revised version accepted June 25, 1998 Summary A widespread feature of Variscan siderite-Pb-Zn-Cu vein deposits in the Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, Germany, is an overprinting brought about by late-Variscan Sb-rich fluids which exploited the existing vein geometry. In a number of cases, this later event led to considerable textural modification of the primary sulphide assemblage. Sphalerite is a major component of the primary mineralization in the Stahlberg (Mtisen), Sch6ne Freundschaft (Obersdorf) and Silberwiese (Oberlahr) deposits, Siegerland-Wied district and the Silbersand (Mayen) and Saarsegen (Altenahr) deposits in the Eastern Eifel. Primary sphalerite (sphalerite I) displays corrosion, replacement by a range of Pb-Sb- sulphosalts, partial dissolution and, ultimately, remobilization as a result of the overprinting event. Remobilized sphalerite has recrystallized (Sphalerite II) directly from the overprinting fluid. A comparable textural evolution is also noted in samples from the D6rnberg-Aurora (Ramsbeck) mine, although, in this case, several distinct stages of textural modification and remobilization are recognised, resulting from a yet more complex sequence of vein emplacement. Microanalysis of sphalerite representing distinct stages of textural evolution in each of the deposits reveals extensive removal of Fe by diffusion ahead of the reactive replacement front. Second generation sphalerite contains only low contents of Fe. The data are consistent with theoretical predictions and experimental observations of interdiffusion of Fe and Zn in sphalerite in contact with a low Fe/Zn fluid. Interaction with the Sb-rich fluids was sufficiently prolonged to permit substantial textural and compositional modification of the primary sphalerite, particularly in the case of smaller * Present address: Geological Survey of Norway, Boks 3006 Lade, N-7040 Trondheim, Norway