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Hydrothermal mineral deposits are divided into six main subcategories: porphyry, skarn, volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS), sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX), and epithermal and Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits. Each hydrothermal mineral deposit has different distinct structures, ages, sizes, grades, geological formation, characteristics and ...
Volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposits, also known as VMS ore deposits, are a type of metal sulfide ore deposit, mainly copper-zinc which are associated with and produced by volcanic-associated hydrothermal vents in submarine environments. [2] [3] [4] These deposits are also sometimes called volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits
Different mineral associations precipitate during the typical stages of mineralization that characterize the life span of such systems. [1] [2] [3] Minerals present in a hydrothermal system or a fossil volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit are deposited passively or reactively.
Main ore minerals in SEDEX deposits are fine-grained sphalerite and galena, chalcopyrite is significant in some deposits; silver-bearing sulfosalts are frequent minor constituents; pyrite is always present and can be a minor component or the dominant sulfide, as it is the case in massive sulfide bodies; barite content is common to absent ...
Epithermal — mineral ore deposits formed at low temperatures (50–200 °C) near the Earth's surface (<1500 m), that fill veins, breccias, and stockworks. [2] Telethermal — mineral ore deposits formed at shallow depth and relatively low temperatures, with little or no wall-rock alteration, presumably far from the source of hydrothermal ...
Massive sulfide deposits are ore deposits that have significant stratiform ore bodies consisting mainly of sulfide minerals.Most massive sulfide ore deposits have other portions that are not massive, including stringer or feeder zones beneath the massive parts that mostly consist of crosscutting veins and veinlets of sulfides in a matrix of pervasively altered host rock and gangue.
The ore fluids of MVT deposits are typically low temperature (100 °C–150 °C) and have the composition of basinal brines (10–30 wt.% NaCl equivalent) with pH's of 4.5–5 (buffered by host carbonates). This hydrothermal fluid may or may not carry the required sulfur to form sulfide minerals.
The Oubasi orogenic gold deposit in Southern Ghana is host to mineral resources of over 70 Moz Au at a grade of 7.39g/t or higher, with a past production of 32 Moz Au. [9] The deposit is located in the Birimian orogen, where gold mining is known to have taken place back to the 17th century, but modern industrial-scale mining began in 1897 by ...