RESEARCH GROUP Mineral Resources and Geofluids

Ore Deposits Introductory Course Prof. Lluís Fontboté and collaborators

Ore deposits introductory course

Table of contents (v. Aug 2013)

* Chapters marked with an asterisk are generally treated in the Master Courses on Ore Deposits, but Bachelor students can download them from
"chamilo"

Introduction and general topics

A Economic Aspects
Slides complementing the course

B1 Ore Deposits - General overview of genetic processes and ore forming fluids

B2 Magmatic crstallisation and ore forming fluids

B3 Hydrothermal fluids: types, composition, transport, and precipitation

B4 Hydrothermal alteration
Slides complementing the course

*C1 Ore deposit classifications

*C2 Geometrical terms and other nomenclature aspects

Ore deposits according their geological context

*D Ore deposits in mafic and ultramafic intrusive rocks, without alkaline rocks
Examples: Chromite deposit, Ni-PGE in layered mafic intrusions
Slides complementing the course

*E Ore deposits in alkaline intrusions in stable areas
Examples: P, Cu, (PGE) in carbonatites, diamonds deposits

*F Felsic intrusions. Part I: phanerocrystalline textures. Pegmatites, greisen et skarn. Part I: phaneritic textures
Slides complementing the course

G Felsic intrusions Part II: porphyrocrystalline textures. The Porphyry System
Examples: Porphyry copper deposit
Slides complementing the course

H Extrusive rocks I: Submarine environment
Example: volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits (VHMS)
Slides complementing the course

I Extrusive rocks II: Continental and subaereal environment
Examples: Epithermal Au and Ag deposits
Slides complementing the course

J Sediment-hosted ore deposits. Part I: Fe and Mn deposits
Example: Banded Iron Formation (BIF)
Slides complementing the course

K Sediment-hosted ore deposits. Part II: Au-U and Cu-U ore deposit in clastic rocks
Examples: Kupferschiefer deposits; Sediment-hosted massive sulfide deposits

L Sediment-hosted ore deposits. Part III: Ore deposits formed by basinal brines in clastic and carbonate rocks
Exemple: Mississippi Valley Type deposits (MVT)
Slides complementing the course

*M Ore deposits in sedimentary rocks. Part IV: Chemical sediments (without Fe and Mn)
Slides complementing the course

*N Ore deposits in metamorphic rocks and orogenic gold deposits
Slides complementing the course

Surface processes

O Residual ore deposits
Examples: Bauxites, laterites

P Placers
Slides complementing the course

Q Supergene alteration and enrichment processes
Slides complementing the course

*T Acid mining drainage and other environmental problems related to mining

U Industrial minerals

Z References

 

Slides to Chapter L

Sediment-hosted ore deposits. Part III: Ore deposits formed by basinal brines in clastic and carbonate rocks

Exemple : Mississippi Valley-ore deposits (MVT)

Crustiform ore from the Mississippi Valley-type deposit of Olkusz, Upper Silesia, Poland.
Sphalerite (dark brown and yellow) is the dominant constituent and largely under the colloform variety called Schalenblende.
The sample also contains wurtzite, marcasite, pyrite and galena.
Photo and coll. Pierre Perroud. Copyright © 1999 - Pierre Perroud.

 

Sandstone-hosted Pb-Zn MVT deposit
Cap Garonne Copper mine (Var, France)

Cap Garonne mine (Var, France).
North entrance with wiew of the main host rock Triassic fine grained sandstone and pelite.
Photo Pierre Perroud, Oct. 1992, n1. Copyright © 2000 - Pierre Perroud

 

Cap Garonne mine (Var, France).
Pillar with alternation of fine grained sandstone and conglomeratic sandstone bearing ore.
Grey: sulfides (tennantite, chalcocite, covellite; galena). Green: Cu sulfates (brochantite, etc.).
Photo Pierre Perroud, Oct. 1992, n3. Copyright © 2000 - Pierre Perroud

Cap Garonne mine (Var, France). Typical host rock: Sandstone beds.
Photo Pierre Perroud, Oct. 1992, n2. Copyright © 2000 - Pierre Perroud

 

Cap Garonne mine (Var, France). Old tip truck covered with calcium carbide from acetylene lamps.
Photo Pierre Perroud, Oct. 1992, n4. Copyright © 2000 - Pierre Perroud

 

 

Evaporite pseudomorph. Navan, Ireland, 1984.
© Photo Lluís Fontboté
Click on the picture for an enlarged version of this photograph

 

 

 

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