Mineralogy and Petrology (1999) 65:141-159
Mineralogy
and Petrology
© Springer-Verlag 1999
Printed in Austria
Hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions
in the Dra.u Range (Eastern Alps, Austria):
implications for the genesis of Bleiberg-type
Pb-Zn deposits
G. Rantitsch 1, J. Jochum 2, R. F. Sachsenhofer 1, B. Russegger 1, E. Schroll 3,
and B. Horsfield 4
1Institut ftir Geowissenschaften, Montanuniversit/it, Leoben, Austria
2Institut ftir Mineralogie und Lagerst~ttenlehre, RWTH Aachen, Federal Republic of
Germany
3 Institut ftir Mineralogie und Kristallographie, Universit/it Wien, Austria
4 Institut ftir Erd61 und organische Geochemie (IGC-4), Forschungszentrum Jtilich, Federal
Republic of Germany
With 6 Figures
Received February 10, 1998;
revised version accepted December 7, 1998
Summary
Hydrocarbons in ore minerals of Bleiberg-type Pb-Zn deposits and in authigenic quartz
of the Drau Range (Eastern Alps) have been analysed by bulk-sample gas
chromatography and fluorescence microscopy. Microthermometric data and the
molecular composition of the hydrocarbons indicate a hot (120 ° to 130 °C) pulse of
migrating condensate-like hydrocarbons within Late Triassic sediments during Middle
Cretaceous to Early Tertiary times. The molecular composition of hydrocarbons
enclosed in authigenic quartz corresponds to the composition of hydrocarbons trapped
in Bleiberg-type ore minerals, therefore a common fluid source is assumed. The
hydrocarbons possibly played an important role as reducing agents in the late stage of
sulfide precipitation.
Zusammenfassung
Kohlenwasserstoffhiiltige Fliissigkeitseinschliisse im Drauzug (Ostalpen, Osterreich)
und ihre Bedeutung fiir die Genese der Pb-Zn-Lagerstiitten vom Bleiberg-Typ
Die organo-chemische Zusammensetzung yon Kohlenwasserstoffen, die in Erzmine-
ralen vom Typus Bleiberg und in authigenen Quarzen des Drauzuges (Ostalpen)