5/26/2023 0 Comments At transform plate boundaries![]() ![]() Some 50% of the world’s chromite production is associated with oceanic rocks consisting of layered mafic and ultramafic (i.e. Similar mineralisation occurs in Semail, Oman. The massive sulphides and related stockwork occurs within a basaltic pillow lava sequence. Historic examples of volcanic massive sulphide deposits include the Troodos copper-iron complex in Cyprus. Minerals associated with mid-ocean ridges include iron, zinc, copper, lead, gold, and silver. As the super-heated fluids make contact with the seawater, metals that were dissolved from the surrounding basaltic rocks are re-deposited on the sea floor.Ĭompanies are currently considering undersea mining of this type of deposit in the Red Sea. Black smokers and volcanic massive sulphide deposits are created by water circulating via cracks along ridges, collecting minerals from the heated rock before being expelled through hydrothermal vents. Image CC Divergent Plate Boundaries and MineralisationĪs the seafloor splits apart, the hydrothermal activity causes deposits of both sulphides and metalliferous sediments along flanks of ridges. If we have a clear understanding of the location of ancient plate boundaries, it’s easier to predict where regional mineralisation may occur today. However, for the exploration geologist, it is not just about where plate boundaries are now – it’s about where they were many hundreds of millions of years ago. These rocks become the source of many of our largest mineral deposits. Plate boundaries are also a way for deep-seated rocks from the mantle to find a way to the near-surface. The energy released along boundaries results in volcanic and hydrothermal activity that creates the right conditions for many minerals to be concentrated. What happens along plate boundaries is critical for mineral formation. The San Andreas fault in California is the best known example.
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