Identification of ore-deposition environment from trace-element geochemistry of associated igneous host rocks
- 1 January 1977
- journal article
- Published by Geological Society of London in Geological Society, London, Special Publications
- Vol. 7 (1), 14-24
- https://doi.org/10.1144/gsl.sp.1977.007.01.03
Abstract
The tectonic environment of formation of volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits and porphyry tin and copper deposits can be identified from the geochemical characteristics of the associated igneous rocks. The ‘stable’ trace-element geochemistry (involving Ti, Zr, Y, Nb, Cr and rare-earth elements) and geology of metabasalts related to 12 massive sulphide deposits indicate that the deposits studied fall into four distinct classes. (1) Cyprus-type, including Cyprus, Oman and Betts Cove, possibly formed during the early stages of back-arc basin development; (2) Løkken-type, including Løkken and York Harbour, possibly formed at back-arc basin spreading centres; (3) Joma-type, including Joma, Røros and Bidjovagge, possibly formed in a small ocean of Red Sea type; and (4) Gjersvik-type, including Gjersvik, Buchans, Noranda and Lynn Lake, possibly formed during an early stage of island arc evolution (Gjersvik), later during island arc evolution (the Buchans Kuroko-type deposit) or in a Precambrian setting (Noranda and Lynn Lake). Deposits related to major ocean ridge crests appear to be small and relatively uncommon, perhaps because relatively few favourable sites for ore deposition exist in such environments.Keywords
This publication has 46 references indexed in Scilit:
- Magma type and tectonic setting discrimination using immobile elementsEarth and Planetary Science Letters, 1975
- Basalt geochemistry used to investigate past tectonic environments on CyprusTectonophysics, 1975
- Geochemistry of the Rare Earth elements in spilites from the oceanic and continental crustBeiträge zur Mineralogie und Petrographie, 1974
- Environments of formation of volcanogenic massive sulfide depositsEconomic Geology, 1973
- Volcanogenic Sulfide Deposits and Their Metallogenic SignificanceEconomic Geology, 1973
- Tectonic setting of basic volcanic rocks determined using trace element analysesEarth and Planetary Science Letters, 1973
- Sulfide Ore Deposits in Relation to Plate TectonicsThe Journal of Geology, 1972
- Ti, Zr, and Cr in some British Pillow Lavas and their Petrogenetic AffinitiesNature Physical Science, 1972
- Ophiolite origin investigated by discriminant analysis using Ti, Zr and YEarth and Planetary Science Letters, 1971
- Rb, Sr, Y, Zr and Nb in some ocean floor basaltic rocksEarth and Planetary Science Letters, 1970