The black pearl mine, Arizona; Wolframite veins and stockscheider pegmatite related to an albitic stock

Wolframite-bearing quartz veins flanked by greisen alteration occur at and near the Black Pearl mine, Yavapai County, Arizona. The veins are genetically related to a small albitite stock, and cut a series of Proterozoic metasedimentary and intrusive rocks. The largest vein, the only one mined, is located at the apex of the stock. Field relations imply that this stock is a late-stage differentiate of the 1.4-Ga anorogenic Lawler Peak batholith, which crops out about 3 km to the south. Other, similar, albitites occur locally. Sharp contacts, relatively unaltered xenoliths, and uniform mineralogy indicate that the albitites are of igneous origin and have suffered only minor deuteric alteration. A thin (1 to 2 m) pegmatite unit ("stockscheider") occurs at the contact of the Black Pearl Albitite stock with the country rocks. Directional indicators and other evidence suggest that the pegmatite was formed in the presence of a volatile-rich fluid phase close to the time of magma emplacement. The sudden change from coarse-grained microclinerich pegmatite to fine-grained, albite-rich albitite suggests pressure quenching, possibly due to escape of fluids up the Black Pearl vein. Descriptions of other tungsten and tin deposits worldwide indicate that stockscheider-like textures typically occur near the apical contacts of productive plutons. The presence or absence of this texture is a useful guide in prospecting for lithophile metal deposits.