The Stratigraphic Distribution of the Bedded Cupriferous Pyrite Deposits and Manganese Deposits in Taiwan
It has long been known that several bedded cupriferous pyrite deposits and manganese deposits occur in the crystalline schists outcropping on the eastern slope of the Central Range of Taiwan***. Between 1916 and 1923 several deposits were prospected by the Japanese mining companies and three,of them were operated on a small scale.All the prospected and operated ore bodies are so small and so variable in thickness,pitch length,and breadth that all the prospects and operations were soon abandoned.Between 1935 and 1938 the second systematic prospects were carried out on the main deposits in six areas,but no workable large ore bodies were found.Several years ago the old prospecting adits in two areas were reopened by Chinese,but soon the work was given up because no workable ores are remained.The areas in which the deposits occur are covered by thick jungles and most of the old adits and roads to the deposits have been destroyed due to collapse of rocks and landsliding.Today,therefore,it is not easy even to approach the deposits and it is almost impossible to study these deposits in detail without reopening of the old prospecting adits or new prospecting work. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the stratigraphic distribution of the bedded cupriferous pyrite deposits and manganese deposits in Taiwan on the basis of the writer's work on the metamorphic terrain and of the occasional observations on the deposits.In the past the writer has never had an opportunity to investigate these deposits in detail;for the detailed description on the mode of occurrence,ore bodies,and genesis of these deposits the readers are referred to the reports and papers which have already been published(HATTORI,et al.,1933;ICHIMURA,1939;OGASAWARA, 1933; OGASAWARA,and KIMURA,1939).