The Irish Orefield is characterised by the presence of both Zn-Pb- and Cu-Ni-As-rich deposits, prospects, and orebodies in similar structural and stratigraphic positions. However, the genetic relationships between these mineralisation types are still debated. In this article, we present new mineralogical, paragenetic, and mineral-chemical observations from the Cu-Ni-As-rich ores at the classic Lisheen deposit, County Tipperary. These observations indicate the intimate association and cogenetic nature of these ores with the more abundant Zn-Pb-rich mineralisation. Specifically, both mineralisation types appear to have formed at the same time, under similar physicochemical conditions, and from the same ore fluids. In addition, both types of mineralisation contain elevated Ge contents. The cogenetic nature of the two mineralisation types, the relative absence of Cu-Ni-As-rich ores from most of the larger Irish-type Zn-Pb deposits compared to expectations derived from probable ore fluid compositions, and finally, the known geological characteristics of larger Cu-Ni-As-rich ore bodies, like Gortdrum, indicate that significant Cu-Ni-As-rich mineralisation could be present at lower stratigraphic levels across the Irish Orefield. Areas with extensive known Zn-Pb mineralisation are expected to be particularly prospective for such ores, which may occur at stratigraphic levels as deep as the Old Red Sandstone. This may have additional implications beyond Ireland, and could point to the potential for undiscovered Cu-rich ores in low-temperature carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb districts elsewhere.

爱尔兰矿田的特点是存在富含锌铅和铜镍砷的矿床、远景以及结构和地层位置相似的矿体。然而，这些矿化类型之间的遗传关系仍然存在争议。在本文中，我们介绍了蒂珀雷里郡经典 Lisheen 矿床富含铜镍砷矿石的新矿物学、共生和矿物化学观察结果。这些观察结果表明这些矿石与更丰富的富锌铅矿化具有密切联系和同生性质。具体来说，这两种矿化类型似乎是在相似的物理化学条件下、由相同的矿石流体同时形成的。此外，两种类型的矿化体都含有较高的Ge含量。两种矿化类型的同生性质，与根据可能的矿石流体成分得出的预期相比，大多数较大的爱尔兰型锌铅矿床相对缺乏富铜镍砷矿石，最后，已知的地质特征较大的富铜镍砷矿体（如 Gortdrum）表明，爱尔兰矿田的较低地层可能存在大量富铜镍砷矿化。已知具有广泛锌铅矿化的地区预计特别有可能开采此类矿石，这些矿石可能出现在深达老红砂岩的地层中。这可能会对爱尔兰以外的地区产生额外的影响，并可能表明其他地方的低温碳酸盐锌铅地区存在未被发现的富铜矿石的潜力。