Polymetallic ore

This article is about complex metal ores. For metallic combination of elements, see Alloy.

Polymetallic ores or multimetal ores are complex ores containing a number of chemical elements, among which the most important are lead and zinc. In addition, polymetallic ores can contain copper, gold, silver, cadmium, sometimes bismuth, tin, indium and gallium.[1] The main minerals that form polymetallic ores are galena, sphalerite, to a lesser extent pyrite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, cassiterite.[1][2] They are most commonly formed from sulfides but also include oxides.[1][3]

The three main families of sulfide polymetallic ores are identified as volcanogenic massive sulphide family, the sedimentary exhalative family, and the Mississippi Valley type family. The classification of lead-zinc deposits in particular has been varied and resulted in a number of different organizations schemes.[1] The term "polymetallic ore" also includes nodules, principally Manganese nodules, that do not form as terrestrial deposits but as concretions on the ocean floor.[3][4]

Rocks containing polymetallic ores are often altered or formed by hydrothermal processes — chloritization, sericitization and silicification.[5][6] These deposits are often iron hydroxides containing cerussite PbCO3, anglesite PbSO4, smithsonite ZnCO3, calamine Zn4[Si2O7] [OH]2×H2O, malachite Cu2[CO3](OH)2, azurite Cu3[CO3]2(OH)2. Depending on the concentration of ore minerals, a distinction is made between solid or disseminated ores. Ore bodies of polymetallic ores are distinguished by a variety of sizes (having a length of several m to km), morphology (lenticular bedding deposits,[7] stockwork, veins,[8] nests, complex tube-like bodies) and occurrence conditions (gentle, steep, consonant, secant, etc.).[9]

  1. ^ a b c d Vikentyev, I.V.; Damdinov, B.B.; Minina, O.R.; Spirina, A.V.; Damdinova, L.B. (2023). "Classification of Polymetallic Ore-Forming Processes and Transitional VMS–SEDEX–MV-type: the Example of the Giant Ozernoe Deposit in Transbaikalia, Russia". Geology of Ore Deposits. 65 (3): 191–223. doi:10.1134/S1075701523030054. ISSN 1075-7015.
  2. ^ "Oʻzbekiston milliy ensiklopediyasi". National Encyclopedia of Uzbekistan (in Uzbek). Tashkent: National Encyclopedia of Uzbekistan State Scientific Publishing House. 2000–2005.
  3. ^ a b "Polymetallic Vein Deposits". Geologyscience.com.
  4. ^ Das, RP; Anand, S. (2017). "Metallurgical processing of polymetallic ocean nodules". In R. Sharma (ed.). Deep-Sea Mining: Resource Potential, Technical and Environmental Considerations (PDF). Springer. pp. 365–94.
  5. ^ Barnes, Hubert Lloyd, ed. (1997). Geochemistry of hydrothermal ore deposits (3rd ed.). New York: Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-57144-5.
  6. ^ Hedenquist, Jeffrey W.; Lowenstern, Jacob B. (1994). "The role of magmas in the formation of hydrothermal ore deposits". Nature. 370 (6490): 519–527. doi:10.1038/370519a0. ISSN 0028-0836.
  7. ^ Reineck, Hans‐Erich; Wunderlich, Friedrich (1968). "Classification and Origin of Flaser and Lenticular Bedding". Sedimentology. 11 (1–2): 99–104. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3091.1968.tb00843.x. ISSN 0037-0746.
  8. ^ Bons, Paul D.; Elburg, Marlina A.; Gomez-Rivas, Enrique (2012). "A review of the formation of tectonic veins and their microstructures". Journal of Structural Geology. 43: 33–62. doi:10.1016/j.jsg.2012.07.005.
  9. ^ Mykhailov, V.; Yessendossova, A. (2022). "Factors of Controlling Polymetallic Mineralization on the Example of the Dalnegorsky (Far East) and Uspensky (Central Kazakhstan) Ore Districts". 15th International Conference Monitoring of Geological Processes and Ecological Condition of the Environment. European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers: 1–5. doi:10.3997/2214-4609.2022580041.