Major, minor, and trace element contents of cassiterite from the Neves Corvo Cu-Zn-Pb(-Sn) deposit (Portugal)

Understanding the chemical composition of cassiterite provides critical insights into the evolution of mineralizing systems and the processes that concentrate strategic metals in ore deposits. The Neves Corvo Cu–Zn–Pb(–Sn) deposit, located within the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IBP), represents one of the world’s largest volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) systems, distinguished by its exceptional size, high Cu–Zn grades, and remarkable metal endowment. In addition to its economic relevance, the deposit is notable for its substantial Sn mineralization and anomalously high concentrations of elements such as In and Se, which make it an important natural laboratory for studying metal enrichment and mobility. Mineralization at Neves Corvo is spatially and genetically associated with felsic volcanic rocks and black shales and occurs in three principal styles: (1) stringer and massive cassiterite mineralization, (2) stockwork and massive sulfide mineralization, and (3) late-stage tectonic to metamorphic remobilization. A key feature of the system is the structurally controlled Sn enrichment localized within the so‑called “tin corridor” of the Corvo orebody, where cassiterite records complex chemical and textural histories.
In this publication, we compile and present a comprehensive multielement dataset encompassing major, minor, and trace elements measured in cassiterite from both stringer- and massive‑type mineralization. These data provide a robust framework for evaluating geochemical signatures related to ore-forming processes and the physicochemical conditions of mineralization. The accompanying document describes the geological context of the studied samples and details the analytical methods employed, including electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA‑ICP‑MS). Together, this dataset and description aim to facilitate further research into cassiterite chemistry and its application in reconstructing metallogenic processes within complex VHMS environments.

The overriding goal of the DFG priority programm 2238 - DOME (https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/spp2238/) is to find solutions to fundamental questions of element transport and mineralization in heterogeneous chemical systems that are complex, dynamic and highly transient. The topic of ore genesis has been studied for a long time from a combined field/laboratory perspective and also experimentally in simplified systems, but rarely have these techniques been integrated in a coordinated way with the third perspective from numerical process modeling. The originality and innovation potential of this priority program lies in the coordination of empirical field-related studies that define the geological/mineralogical framework of natural ore systems with experimental work and numerical models that provide a quantitative understanding of the processes involved