Melilite from skarns, Zvezdel-Pcheloyad ore deposit, Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria Мелилит от скарни, Звездел-Пчелоядско рудно поле, Източни Родопи, България

Skarn xenoliths (nodules) were found in mine gallery No 68 from Zvezdel-Pcheloyad Pb-Zn ore deposit. They are hosted by monzonitic rocks of the second intrusive phase (Nedialkov, Mavroudchiev, 1995) of the Zvezdel pluton without relation with the carbonatebearing protolith. No surface exposures of the skarns are found so far and most probably they represent an upper part of more deeply situated body. The skarns consist of coarse grained clinopyroxene-garnet and garnet lenses (exoskarns) up to 30 cm in diameter, surrounded by the wollastonite-bearing zones (endoskarns). Melilite is observed as relicts in garnets from clinopyroxene-garnet zone in association with garnets of the grossular-andradite series (Adr94.23–6.20), melanites with TiO2 content of 8–11 wt.%, fassaitic clinopyroxene (Al2O3 – up to 17.75 wt.%), calcite, quartz, and prehnite. Titanite, apatite and magnetite are present as accessory minerals. The present study reports for the first time data on crystal chemistry and Raman spectra of melilite found in Bulgaria. The occurrence of melilite in the skarns is important in terms of interpretation of their genesis.