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The Saheb Fe-Cu skarn deposit is located in the Sanandaj-Sirjan metamorphic belt, SE Saqqez, western Iran and has been formed along the contact between the Oligo-Miocene aged Saheb granitoid and the Permian aged impure calcareous rocks and includes endoskarn and exoskarn. Exoskarn is widely developed and includes garnet and epidote skarn zones. The majority of mineralized zones are concentrated in garnet skarn. The relatively oxidizing mineralogical assemblage of the Saheb skarn includes garnet (andradite-grossular), pyroxene (diopside-hedenbergite), magnetite and hematite. Magnetite is the main and abundant ore mineral throughout the ore deposit. Based on field evidences and microscopic studies of skarn zone samples, two stages of prograde and retrograde alteration are distinguishable. According to the results of sample analysis of Saheb skarn intrusive body by XRF and ICP-MS techniques, the combination of this body is chiefly granite to granodiorite-diorite and belongs to the I-type granitoids, metaluminous and K-rich calc-alkaline series. The Saheb granitoid is related to the VAG (Volcanic Arc Granite) tectonic setting.

The IIC deposit area to the east of the Bafq region exposes rocks that comprise the part of the Central Iran continental terrane. The IIC deposit iron orebodies are magmatic-related hydrothermal deposits that, when considered collectively display a vertical zonation from high-temperature, magmatic ± hydrothermal deposits emplaced at moderate depths (~1–2 km) to magnetite-dominant IOCG deposits emplaced at an even shallower subvolcanic level. The shallowest parts of these systems include near-surface, iron oxide-only replacement deposits, surficial epithermal sediment-hosted replacement deposits, and synsedimentary (exhalative) ironstone deposits. Alteration associated with the IOCG mineralizing system within the host volcanic, plutonic, and sedimentary rocks dominantly produced potassic with lesser amounts of calcic- and sodic-rich mineral assemblages. Our data suggest that hydrothermal magmatic fluids contributed to formation of the primary sodic and calcic alterations. The aim of this study is to delineate and recognize the different iron mineralized zones, based on surface and subsurface study. However, the data do not discriminate between a magmatic-hydrothermal source fluids resolved from Fe-rich immiscible liquid or Fe-rich silicate magma. Iron ores, occurring as massive-type and vein-type bodies are chemically different. Minor pyrite occurs as a late phase in the iron ores. The REE patterns of the mineralized metasomatites show LREE enrichment and strong Eu negative anomalies. The strong negative Eu anomaly probably indicates near-surface fractionation of alkali rhyolites involving feldspars. Field observations, ore mineral and alteration assemblages, coupled with lithogeochemical data suggest that an evolving fluid from magmatic dominated to surficial brine-rich fluid has contributed to the formation of the IIC deposit.

The XIV iron-oxide prospect in the northern part of the Bafq mining district is hosted by intrusive rocks and demonstrates similar characteristics with Kiruna mineralization. The plutonic complex of the XIV prospect is composed of two major types of intrusive rocks, including: 1) a granitic intrusive body which is itself composed of two types; a pale-pink leucogranite and a white-gray aplite, as well as 2) a gabbrodiorite intrusive body. Geochemically, these rocks are tholeitic-calcalkaline and metaluminous in nature. Geochemical characteristics of the plutonic rocks of the study area support a non-orogenic continental setting.

This paper presents an overview about the ΧІV iron-oxide prospect which is located in the Bafq mining district, central Iran. The prospect and its host rocks were investigated by field observations together with mineralogical and geochemical studies. According to these investigations, the XIV prospect is similar to Kiruna-type iron deposits and demonstrates a magmatic source for the ore forming processes with a metasomatic overprinting.