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http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02fire/background/hirez/chemistry-
Ore deposit environments
Magmatic
Cumulate deposits fractional crystallization processes can
concentrate metals (Cr, Fe, Pt)
Pegmatites late staged crystallization forms pegmatites
and many residual elements are concentrated (Li, Ce, Be,
Sn, and U)
Hydrothermal
Magmatic fluid - directly associated with magma
Porphyries - Hot water heated by pluton
Skarn hot water associated with contact metamorphisms
Exhalatives hot water flowing to surface
Epigenetic hot water not directly associated with pluton
Ore deposit environments
Sedimentary
Placer weathering of primary minerals and transport
by streams (Gold, diamonds, other)
Banded Iron Formations 90%+ of worlds iron tied
up in these
Evaporite deposits minerals like gypsum, halite
deposited this way
Laterites leaching of rock leaves residual materials
behind (Al, Ni, Fe)
Supergene reworking of primary ore deposits
remobilizes metals (often over short distances)
Geochemical Traps
Similar to chemical sedimentary rocks must leach
material into fluid, transport and deposit ions as
minerals
pH, redox, T changes and mixing of different fluids
results in ore mineralization
Cause metals to go from soluble to insoluble
Sulfides (reduced form of S) strongly binds metals
many important metal ore minerals are sulfides!
Oxides Oxidizing environments form
(hydroxy)oxide minerals, very insoluble metal
concentrations (especially Fe, Mn, Al)
Hydrothermal Ore Deposits
Thermal gradients induce convection of
water leaching, redox rxns, and cooling
create economic mineralization
Massive sulfide deposits
Hot, briny, water
leaches metals
from basaltic
ocean rocks
Comes in contact
with cool ocean
water
Sulfides
precipitate
Vermont Copperbelt
Besshi-type massive sulfide deposits
Key Units:
Giles Mountain formation More
siliciclastic, including graphitic pelite,
quartoze granofels (metamorphosed
greywacke), hornblende schist,
amphibolite
Standing Pond Volcanics mostly a fine
grained hormblende-plagioclase
amphibolite, likely formed from extrusive
basaltic rocks (local evidence of pillow
structures in St. Johnsbury). Felsic dike
near Springfiled VT yielded a U-Pb age
of 423 4 Ma.
Waits River formation Calcareous
pelite (metamorphosed mudstone),
metalimestone, metadolostone,
quartzite.