The Jebel Ressas Pb–Zn deposits in North‐Eastern Tunisia occur mainly as open‐space fillings (lodes, tectonic breccia cements) in bioclastic limestones of the Upper Jurassic Ressas Formation and along the contact of this formation with Triassic rocks. The galena–sphalerite association and their alteration products (cerussite, hemimorphite, hydrozincite) are set within a calcite gangue. The Triassic rocks exhibit enrichments in trace metals, namely Pb, Co and Cd enrichment in clays and Pb, Zn, Cd, Co and Cr enrichment in carbonates, suggesting that the Triassic rocks have interacted with the ore‐bearing fluids associated with the Jebel Ressas Pb–Zn deposits. The δ18O content of calcite associated with the Pb–Zn mineralization suggests that it is likely to have precipitated from a fluid that was in equilibrium with the Triassic dolostones. The δ34S values in galenas from the Pb–Zn deposits range from −1.5 to +11.4‰, with an average of 5.9‰ and standard deviation of 3.9‰. These data imply mixing of thermochemically‐reduced heavy sulfur carried in geothermal‐ and fault‐stress‐driven deep‐seated source fluid with bacterially‐reduced light sulfur carried in topography‐driven meteoric fluid. Lead isotope ratios in galenas from the Pb–Zn deposits are homogenous and indicate a single upper crustal source of base‐metals for these deposits. Synthesis of the geochemical data with geological data suggests that the base‐metal mineralization at Jebel Ressas was formed during the Serravallian–Tortonian (or Middle–Late Miocene) Alpine compressional tectonics.
The juxtaposition of a Triassic evaporite diapir with the organic matter-rich Fahdene Formation (Albian-Vra-conian) along major faults in the Slata ore district raises the question of the roles played by halokinesis, hydrocarbons, and tectonics in mineralization. The Slata mining district, located in the Tunisian salt diapiric zone, contains Ba-Pb-(± Zn) ore hosted in the Aptian carbonates. The mineralogical paragenetic sequence consists of barite (Ba-1)–galena ± sphalerite ± calcite (Ca-1)–barite (Ba-2) and finally, late calcites (Ca-2 and Ca-3). Fluid inclusions from early barite reveal that it was precipitated from a warm (134°–157°C), H2O-NaCl-KCl-CaCl2, moderately saline (13.3–24.6 wt % NaCl equiv) basinal brine. This fluid is thought to have resulted from the mixing of a deep-seated, hot, metal-bearing fluid with a cooler, dilute -rich fluid. Early calcite and cogenetic sulfides (galena and sphalerite) precipitated from fluids of similar salinities and temperatures as the barite-forming fluids, but with the additional involvement of hydrocarbons. Sulfur isotope data suggest that thermochemical sulfate reduction of Triassic gypsum was the main source of reduced sulfur for sulfides. Late barite precipitated as a result of the mixing between a Ba-rich, hot, ascending fluid with a cooler, dilute Triassic sulfate-rich fluid in the absence of hydrocarbons. The homogeneous Pb isotope compositions of galena along with the Sr isotope compositions of barite point to a Paleozoic reservoir as the main source of metals with a contribution from the Triassic-Cretaceous rocks. The emplacement of the ore occurred during the Eocene-Miocene Alpine compressional tectonic activity that triggered the circulation of Paleozoic-derived metal-bearing fluids.