Ore Deposit Geology and Its Influence on Mineral Exploration

ISBN-13: 9789401180580 / Angielski / Miękka / 2012 / 466 str.

Richard Edwards

Opis

Why another book about Ore Deposits? There are a number of factors which motivated us to write this text and which may provide an answer to this question. Firstly our colleagues are predominantly mining engineers and minerals processing technologists, which provides us with a different perspective of ore deposits from many academic geologists. Secondly we have found that most existing texts are either highly theoretical or merely descriptive: we have attempted to examine the practical implications of the geological setting and genetic models of particular ore deposit types. We have written the text primarily for undergraduates who are taking options in Economic Geology towards the end of a Degree Course in Geology. However, we hope that the text will also prove valuable to geologists working in the mining industry. The text is to a large extent based on a review of the existing literature up to the end of 1984. However, we have visited most of the mining districts cited in the text and have also corresponded extensively with geologists to extend our knowledge beyond the published literature. Nonetheless writing a text-book on Ore Deposits is a demanding task and it is inevitable that sins of both omission and commission have been committed. We would therefore welcome comments from readers which can be incorporated in future editions. RICHARD EDW ARDS KEITH ATKINSON Cmnhome School (~n1illcs April 1985 Glossary Adit A horizontal, or near horizontal, passage from the surface into a mme.

Spis treści

1 Introduction.- 1.1 Objectives and reasons for the approach taken.- 1.2 Mineral deposit or mine?.- 1.3 A genetic model as the basis for exploration.- 1.4 The scientific study of mineral deposits.- References.- 2 Magmatic Deposits.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Chromite deposits.- 2.3 Nickel sulphide deposits.- 2.4 Kimberlites.- 2.5 Concluding statement.- References.- 3 Magmatic Hydrothermal Deposits.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Porphyry copper deposits.- 3.3 Exploration for porphyry copper deposits.- 3.4 Porphyry molybdenum deposits.- 3.5 Exploration for porphyry molybdenum deposits.- 3.6 Porphyry gold deposits.- 3.7 Porphyry tin deposits.- 3.8 Volcanic-associated massive sulphide deposits.- 3.9 Exploration for volcanogenic sulphide deposits.- 3.10 Concluding statement.- References.- 4 Hydrothermal Vein Deposits.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Classification of hydrothermal vein deposits.- 4.3 Classification of hydrothermal gold deposits.- 4.4 Hydrothermal gold deposits in Archaean terrain.- 4.5 Exploration for gold in Archaean terrain.- 4.6 Concluding statement.- References.- 5 Placers and Palaeo-Placers.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Placer deposits.- 5.3 Eluvial (residual), colluvial and fluvial (alluvial) deposits.- 5.4 Beach sand deposits.- 5.5 Marine placers.- 5.6 Palaeo-placer deposits.- 5.7 Concluding statement.- References.- 6 Sediment-Hosted Copper-Lead-Zinc Deposits.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Sediment-hosted copper deposits.- 6.3 Syngenetic and diagenetic lead-zinc deposits in shales and carbonates (sedimentary-exhalative deposits).- 6.4 Epigenetic carbonate-hosted lead-zinc deposits (Mississippi Valley-type).- 6.5 Exploration for Mississippi Valley-type deposits.- 6.6 Concluding statement.- References.- 7 Ore Deposits Formed by Weathering.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Bauxite deposits.- 7.3 Lateritic nickcl deposits.- 7.4 Kaolin deposits.- 7.5 Supergene manganese deposits.- 7.6 Supergene sulphide enrichment.- 7.7 Concluding statement.- References.- 8 Iron Ores of Sedimentary Affiliation.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Classification of iron ores.- 8.3 General characteristics of iron-formation.- 8.4 Genesis of iron-formation.- 8.5 Enriched haematitc ore deposits.- 8.6 The Hamersley Basin — an example of banded iron-formation and associated enrichment ores.- 8.7 Exploration.- 8.8 Evaluation.- 8.9 Concluding statement.- References.- 9 Uranium Ores of Sedimentary Affiliation.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Geochemistry of uranium in the secondary environment.- 9.3 Unconformity-type uranium deposits of the Northern Territory, Australia and Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.- 9.4 Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits of the western USA.- 9.5 Concluding statement.- References.- 10 Ores Formed by Metamorphism.- 10.1 Introduction.- 10.2 Skarns.- 10.3 Skarn deposits.- 10.4 Classification of skarn deposits.- 10.5 Genesis of skarn deposits.- 10.6 Exploration for skarns.- 10.7 Concluding statement.- References.- 11 The Design and Implementation of Exploration Programmes.- 11.1 Introduction.- 11.2 Who undertakes exploration?.- 11.3 Factors affecting exploration programmes.- 11.4 The exploration programme.- 11.5 Concluding statement.- References.- Mineral list.