Laki Ore Field, Geological Map and Information

Major Oligocene lead-zinc mineralization in the Central Rhodopes occurs in four ore fields: Madan, Laki, Davidkovo (South Bulgaria) and Thermes (Greece).

Laki ore field is situated to the south from town Laki in the northern slope of Central Rhodope Dome and western border of Eastern Rhodope Paleogene Depression. It includes the 15 main ore deposits and number of ore occurrences. Ore-bearing faults form four linear elongated fault zones – Djourkovo, Govedarnika, Momchil yunak and Goranska Padina.

  • Djourkovo fault zone includes deposits Pilevo, Djourkovo and Goranska Padina.
  • Along the Govedarnika fault zone the same name deposits (with its 10 ore zones) and ore occurrences Urvata, Suvatsko dere, Stoudenets are situated.
  • Momchil yunak fault zone includes deposits Kenan dere, Momchil yunak and the ore occurrences Yurutsko dere, Imaret dere, Tri chouchura and Madjarko.
  • Chetroka fault zone includes deposits Chetroka, Lakavitsa, Kroushevo, Belitsa and Garkovitsa. Deposit Balkan mahala is assumed as transitional one towards Davidkovo ore field.

Ore bodies are mainly of vein type, formed along the faults, some of them with length up to 7 km (deposit Govedarnika). Except veins, also replacement bodies in marble layers are observed.

The main minerals for the Laki ore field are galena, prevailing over sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, quartz, calcite and rhodochrosite. In the deposits Djourkovo and Kenan dere large (up to 12 cm) cube-octahedral galena crystals are observed.

Laki Ore Field, Geological Map