Magmatic Sulfide Deposits

This book is written by a leading authority on the subject of magmatic sulfide deposits. An overview of deposit types, accompanied by a summary of the resources of nickel, copper and platinum-group elements in the world’s principal known deposits, is followed by a summary of the relevant physical chemistry. The core of the book comprises a discussion about the geology and geochemistry of each of the deposit types in turn, accompanied by the implications of this data to the origin of the deposits in the light of our understanding of the chemical processes involved. A final chapter focuses on the use of the genetic concepts in exploration.

Processes and Ore Deposits of Ultramafic-Mafic Magmas through Space and Time focuses on the fundamental processes that control the formation of ore deposits from ultramafic-mafic magmas, covering chromite, platinum-group element (PGE), Ni-sulfides and Ti-V-bearing magnetite. The exploration, exploitation and use of these magmatic ores are important aspects of geology and directly linked to the global economy. Magmatic ores form from ultramafic-mafic magmas and crystallize at high-temperature after emplacement into crustal magma chambers, and are genetically linked to the evolution of the parental magmas through space and time. This book features recent developments in the field of magmatic ore deposits, and is an essential resource for both industry professionals and those in academia. Elucidates the relationships between tectonic settings and magmatic ore mineralization Provides the links between magma generation in the mantle and ore mineralization at crustal levels Features the latest research on changing patterns in magmatic ore mineralization through time and their bearing on the chemical evolution of the Earth’s mantle

Nickel Sulfide Ores and Impact Melts: Origin of the Sudbury Igneous Complex presents a current state of understanding on the geology and ore deposits of the Sudbury Igneous Complex in Ontario, Canada. As the first complete reference on the subject, this book explores the linkage between the processes of meteorite impact, melt sheet formation, differentiation, sulfide immiscibility and metal collection, and the localization of ores by magmatic and post-magmatic processes. The discovery of new ore deposits requires industry and government scientists and academic scholars to have access to the latest understanding of ore formation process models that link to the mineralization of their host rocks. The ore deposits at Sudbury are one of the world’s largest ore systems, representing a classic case study that brings together very diverse datasets and ways of thinking. This book is designed to emphasize concepts that can be applied across a broad range of ore deposit types beyond Sudbury and nickel deposit geology. It is an essential resource for exploration geologists, university researchers, and government scientists, and can be used in rock and mineral analysis, remote sensing, and geophysical applications. Provides the only reference book to focus entirely on the Sudbury Igneous Complex Brings together an understanding of ore deposit and impact melts as a basis for future exploration Authored by a leading expert on the geology of the Sudbury Igneous Complex with 35 years of experience working on nickel sulfide ore deposits

Mineral deposits have supplied useful or valuable material for human consumption long before they became objects of scientific curiosity or commercial exploitation. In fact, the earliest human interest in rocks was probably because of the easily accessible, useful (e. g. , red pigment in the form of earthy hematite) or valuable (e. g. , native gold and gemstones) materials they contained at places. In modem times, the study of mineral deposits has evolved into an applied science employing detailed field observations, sophisticated laboratory techniques for additional information, and computer modeling to build complex hypotheses. Understanding concepts that would someday help geologists to find new mineral deposits or exploit the known ones more efficiently have always been, and will continue to be, at the core of any course on mineral deposits, but it is a fascinating subject in its own right, even for students who do not intend to be professional economic geologists. I believe that a course on mineral deposits should be designed as a "capstone course" that illustrates a comprehensive application of concepts from many other disciplines in geology (mineralogy, stratigraphy and sedimentation, structure and tectonics, petrology, geochemistry, paleontology, geomorphology, etc. ). This book is intended as a text for such an introductory course in economic geology, primarily for senior undergraduate and graduate students in colleges and universities. It should also serve as a useful information resource for professional economic geologists.

"Structural Control” remains a crucial point that frequently lacks in any scientific and/or economic analysis of ore deposits, whatever their type and class. The case of lode deposits is exemplary, although also other deposits, like breccia pipe, stockwerk, massive sulphides, skarn, etc., can, surprisingly, be concerned. Several concepts like the gold-bearing shear zone have not proven valid during the last few decades in terms of our understanding of gold deposit and have been totally abandoned. Additionally, the relationships between magmatism, regional tectonic context, and mineralization remain uncertain and have been debated in several recent publications. This demonstrates that this issue is still relevant, and its solution may help in the distinction between intrusion-related and orogenic deposits. In this Special Issue, we particularly invite any case study of mineral deposits, in which it has been demonstrated that structural geology may have a significant role in the establishment of the deposit model of formation and/or on exploration and exploitation programs. Examples in which the structural model diverges from those described in the classical literature are particularly welcomed, including studies in which relationships with magmatism can be suspected and/or demonstrated. Indeed, all cases that illustrate concepts that differ from the classic ones and from theoretical models may represent significant contributions to this volume.

This monograph resulted from a Symposium held at Stanford University on November 12 and 13, 1966. This was conceived in 1962 when the Program Policy Committee recommended that the Society of Economic Geologists should sponsor a symposium on magmatic ore deposits, prompted by the realization that the underlying theory of the formation of magmatic ore deposits was formulated many decades ago. In the intervening years, much new data had been acquired from systematic research, and it was therefore time to assess this new data and to point out the unresolved problems.