Spatial and Temporal Rls of Ore

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of
Ore Deposits - a Global Perspective.
MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

Introduction
Deposition of a metal or group of metals that are found at specific regions of
the world. They have been formed during certain periods of time in the
geological past.
Mineral deposits are not distributed uniformly through the Earth's crust.
Rather, specific classes of deposit tend to be concentrated in particular areas
or regions called metallogenic provinces.
The location of such deposits present around continents and oceans,

volcanoes, sedimentary basins, and mountain ranges and which are
controlled, either directly or indirectly, through the process of plate tectonics.
For example, the distribution of hydrothermal mineral deposits, which form

as a result of volcanism, is controlled by plate tectonics because most of the
Earth's volcanism occurs along plate margins.
In addition, porphyry copper deposits are formed as a result of volcanism

along a subduction zone.
Metallogenic epochs are units of geologic time during which
conditions were particularly favourable for the formation of specific
classes of mineral deposit.
Eg:- from 2.5 to 1.8 billion years ago, when all of the great Lake
Superior-type BIFs were formed.
A METALLOGENIC EPOCH is therefore a period of time in the

geological past during which notable ore formation took place; and
A METALLOGENIC PROVINCE is a region in which notable ore

formation took place during one or more metallogenic epochs.

EXAMPLES OF METALLOGENIC EPOCHS AND PROVINCES
Banded Iron Formations: These consist of quartz and hematite rich layers and
are found on all the continents of the world (particularly restricted to Archaean
Greenstone Belts). There is therefore, no distinct iron province recognizable as
such. The best development of these, however took place in the period 2600-
1800 m.y. ago (most forming 2200 m.y. ago) in early Proterozoic basins.
Sulfide Nickel Ores of Mafic-Ultramafic Association: These are confined to a

few Precambrian provinces, all restricted to Archaean Greenstone Belts:
a) Superior-Ungava area of Canada,
b) Western Australian Shield,
c) Kola Peninsula-Siberia region of Scandinavia-Russia, and
d) Zimbabwe-Rhodesia region of Southern Africa.

Stratiform Sulfide Deposits of Volcanic Affinity: These are present on all continents,
around old volcanic nuclei, volcanic arcs and eugeosynclines.
a) 1700 - 1500 m.y. Eg. Sullivan, Broken Hill & Mount Isa, and
b) 500 - 300 m.y. Eg. N. Appalachians, Caledonides & E. Australia
c) 65 m.y Tethys Himalayan remains
The "Porphyry Coppers": These are characterized by two regions and two provinces:
a. Circum-Pacific region (particularly in Western Americas, including Chile-Central

America, Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, N. British Columbia) - Mesozoic, and
b. Southwest Pacific Province (Philippines, New Guinea and Solomon Islands) -

Tertiary.

Tin Deposits of Granitic Affiliation: Commercial tin deposits have a strong relationship
with post-tectonic granites. The following associations are conspicuous and constitute
tin epochs:
6.6% with mid Paleozoic (Caledonian) granites,

18.1% with late Paleozoic (Hercynian) granites, and
63.1% with Mesozoic granites.
Eg:- a) Tin province of Eastern Australia (Paleozoic),
b) Tin province of Central South Africa,
Titanium Deposits of Anorthositic Association: These are emplaced within anorthosites

around 1600 + 200 m.y. ago. They are confined to mid Proterozoic mobile belts of
Laurasia and Gondwanaland.
Eg: a) Bergen, Egersund and Lofoten (Norway), and
b) Iron Mountain, Wyoming and Sanford Lake (New York).

Some Important World Ore Deposits
• MVT deposits
• Broken Hill deposit of Australia
• Ni-Pt deposit of Ontario
• Witwaters Sand deposit of South Africa
• Kuroko type deposit.

MVT Type Deposit
• Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits are epigenetic stratabound
carbonate-hosted sulphide bodies composed predominantly of
sphalerite and galena.
• These deposits account for approximately 25 percent of the

world's lead and zinc resources.
• They are so-named because several classic MVT districts are

located in carbonate rocks within the drainage basin of the
Mississippi River in the central United States (US).

MVT Type Deposit

MVT
Ores
Sphalerite and Galena in
Spalerite-galena-
brecciated, dolomitized
bearing breccia
limestone
Sphalerite Galena
Broken Hill deposit of Australia
• The Broken Hill Ore Deposit is located Broken Hill in western New South Wales,
Australia
• It is arguably the world's richest and largest zinc-lead ore deposit.
• The Broken Hill ore body is hosted within the sillimanite gneisses.
Ni-Pt deposit of Ontario

• Also known as Sudbury Nickel Deposit, Canada
• This is the largest nickel-mining deposits in the world.
• It has even been suggested that the whole complex was formed by a gigantic
volcanic eruption triggered off by the impact of a large meterorite.
Ni-Pt deposit of Ontario
• Also known as Sudbury Nickel Deposit, Canada
• This is the largest nickel-mining deposits in the world.
• It has even been suggested that the whole complex was formed by a
gigantic volcanic eruption triggered off by the impact of a large
meterorite.

Witwatersrand deposit of South Africa
• The Witwatersrand (locally the Rand or, less commonly, the Reef) is
a 56- kilometre-long, north-facing scarp in South Africa.
• It consists of a hard, erosion-resistant quartzite metamorphic rock,

over which several north-flowing rivers form waterfalls, which
account for the name Witwatersrand, meaning "ridge of white
waters" in Afrikaans
• The Witwatersrand Basin is a largely underground geological

formation which surfaces in the Witwatersrand, South Africa. It
holds the world's largest known gold reserves and has produced
over 40,000 metric tons), which represents about 50% of all the
gold ever mined on earth.

Kuroko type deposit

• VMS deposits constitute some of the richest deposits of copper, lead, and
zinc
known.
• The most famous is in Japan and called kuroko deposits, yield ores that
contain as much as 20 percent combined copper, lead, and zinc by weight,
plus important amounts of gold and silver.
Metallogenic Provinces
Hot spots, rifts and failed rifts (aulacogens)
1- Sn deposits associated with A-type granites
2- PGM and Chromite associated with huge mafic intrusions (e.g.
3- Bushveld)? Carbonatites
4- Fe-Ti oxide deposits associated with anorthosite massifs. Kimberlites?
5- Cu in Red bed type deposits
6- Evaporites
7- Oil & gas (e.g. North Sea).
8- MVT Pb-Zn-fluorite-barite deposits. Native Cu in the Keweenawan
9- basalts.
10- Cu – Fe – Ni deposits (e.g. Duluth and Noril’sk).
Mid-Ocean Ridge settings

1- Cyprus type VMS
2- Alpine type chromite deposits
3- Some evaporites (Red Sea type setting)?
4- Pb – Zn deposits associated with brine pools (Red Sea again!)

Passive Continental Margins
1- MVT Pb – Zn deposits
2- Stratiform sandstone hosted Pb-Zn
3- deposits. Sedimentary Mn deposits
4- Banded Fe formations. Beach placer
5- deposits
6- Oil & Gas (provided other conditions
attain).
Island Arcs (including back arc basins)
1- VMS deposits (Kuroko type).
2- Porphyry Cu and porphyry Mo
3- deposits Skarn deposits (magnetite).
Volcanic Arcs:
1- Porphyry Cu and porphyry Mo
2- deposits Skarn deposits (magnetite).
3 Base metal lode deposits (Cu – Pb – Zn) and some epithermal deposits
(e.g. Ag and Au).
4 Sn deposits related to S-type granites.

Collisional belts:
1- Sn & W deposits related to S-type granites.
2- Porphyry Cu and porphyry Mo deposit related to I-type
3- granites Placer deposits
Strike-slip settings:
1- Kaolinite deposits
2- Coal
3- Hypothermal Au deposits Placer
4- deposits
5- Oil & Gas
6- Mississippi Valley type Pb-Zn
deposits

Chief Metallogenic Epochs & Province in India
There are three epochs in India, they are:
1. Precambrian
2. Late Palaeozoic
3. Late Mesozoic to Early Tertiary
The important Metallogenic provinces in India are:

1. Gold province of Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu (Hutti-Kolar-
Anantpur-Gadag-Wynad Gold Province)
2. Copper province of Singhbhum
3. Copper province of Khetri-Pur-Banera
4. Lead Zinc province of Hesatu-Belbathan
5. Iron Ore province of Singhbhum-Keonjhar-Sundergarh-Mayurbhanj
6. Iron Ore province of Durg-Bastar-Chanda-Ratnagiri
7. Iron ore province of Karnataka-Goa
8. Manganese province of Balaghat-Bhandara-Nagpur

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Spatial and Temporal Distribution of

Ore Deposits - a Global Perspective.

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

The location of such deposits present around continents and oceans,

For example, the distribution of hydrothermal mineral deposits, which form

In addition, porphyry copper deposits are formed as a result of volcanism

A METALLOGENIC EPOCH is therefore a period of time in the

A METALLOGENIC PROVINCE is a region in which notable ore

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

Sulfide Nickel Ores of Mafic-Ultramafic Association: These are confined to a

a) Superior-Ungava area of Canada,

b) Western Australian Shield,

c) Kola Peninsula-Siberia region of Scandinavia-Russia, and

d) Zimbabwe-Rhodesia region of Southern Africa.

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

b) 500 - 300 m.y. Eg. N. Appalachians, Caledonides & E. Australia

c) 65 m.y Tethys Himalayan remains

a. Circum-Pacific region (particularly in Western Americas, including Chile-Central

b. Southwest Pacific Province (Philippines, New Guinea and Solomon Islands) -

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

6.6% with mid Paleozoic (Caledonian) granites,

Eg:- a) Tin province of Eastern Australia (Paleozoic),

b) Tin province of Central South Africa,

Titanium Deposits of Anorthositic Association: These are emplaced within anorthosites

Eg: a) Bergen, Egersund and Lofoten (Norway), and

b) Iron Mountain, Wyoming and Sanford Lake (New York).

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

• These deposits account for approximately 25 percent of the

• They are so-named because several classic MVT districts are

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

• It is arguably the world's richest and largest zinc-lead ore deposit.

Ni-Pt deposit of Ontario

• This is the largest nickel-mining deposits in the world.

• This is the largest nickel-mining deposits in the world.

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

• It consists of a hard, erosion-resistant quartzite metamorphic rock,

• The Witwatersrand Basin is a largely underground geological

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

Kuroko type deposit

Mid-Ocean Ridge settings

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

The important Metallogenic provinces in India are:

MSc Applied Geology KUFOS

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