Genesis of sulphide ores

The hall-mark of specific metals is imprinted on metallogenetic provinces by deep-seated processes in early geological time, the pattern of ore districts being often related to profound crustal lineaments along which ore fluids rise from the depths. Many sulphide deposits are derived from residual hydrothermal solutions emanating from granitic plutons, while granitisation may lead to the concentration of ore-forming metals within resistant country rocks or mobile granitic fluids, and also to their incorporation within hospitable oxide and silicate minerals.

Metamorphism may produce ore deposits, especially in open systems which facilitate the migration of valuable constituents into favourable sites for deposition, and ores may be regenerated by hydrothermal fluids of magma tic, metamorphic or even groundwater type. Among sedimentary sulphide ores those of submarine-hydrothermal origin seem to be dominant.