What are hypogene and supergene ore deposits?

In ore deposit geology, hypogene processes occur deep below the earth’s surface, and tend to form deposits of primary minerals, as opposed to supergene processes that occur at or near the surface, and tend to form secondary minerals.

Where does supergene sulfide enrichment occur?

Supergene enrichment occurs at the base of the oxidized portion of an ore deposit. Metals that have been leached from the oxidized ore are carried downward by percolating groundwater, and react with hypogene sulfides at the supergene-hypogene boundary.

How do supergene deposits form?

The supergene routes of laterite formation predominantly involve periodic meteoric water circulation derived from precipitation of snow and rain. The meteoric waters flow in the weathering profile under moderate topography with concomitant oxidation and chemical weathering of preexisting ore minerals.

What is hypogene deposit?

Hypogene ore deposits are formed under the influence of deep-seated endogene (=hypogene) geologic processes by the action of ascending solutions. Such solutions and conditions of ore formation are also called hypogene. The temperature and pressure are higher in hypogene than in supergene conditions.

What does supergene mean?

Definition of supergene : a group of linked genes acting as an allelic unit especially when due to the suppression of crossing-over.

What is oxidation and supergene enrichment?

supergene sulfide enrichment, also called Secondary Enrichment, in geology, natural upgrading of buried sulfide deposits by the secondary or subsequent deposition of metals that are dissolved as sulfates in waters percolating through the oxidized mineral zone near the surface.

What is magmatic deposit?

Summary. Magmatic ore deposits, also known as orthomagmatic ore deposits, are deposits within igneous rocks or along their contacts in which ore minerals crystallised from a melt or were transported in a melt.

What is supergene ore?

In the traditional view, supergene ore and gangue minerals are the products of reactions between hypogene sulfide minerals and descending, acidic meteoric waters; these processes take place at or near the ground surface in subaerial environments (Guilbert and Park, 1986).

What is secondary supergene enrichment?

What is supergene alteration?

This chapter uses supergene alteration in the wider sense of the chemical and physical processes that affect rocks as a result of meteoric influences, processes which, while most obvious at or near the earth’s surface, may produce changes in rocks to depths measured in kilometres.

What is supergene enrichment deposits?

What are the conditions necessary for oxidation and supergene enrichment?

·      Special conditions of time, climate, physiographic development and amenable ores are necessary for the process of oxidation and supergene enrichment to be effective. ·      Such ores occur in most of the non-glaciated land areas of the world.

How are ore deposits formed?

Ore Deposits Formed by Oxidation and Supergene Enrichment ·       When ore deposits are exposed to the oxidation zone they are weathered and altered with the country rocks. ·       The surface waters oxidize many ore minerals and yield solvents that dissolve other minerals.

What is the zone of supergene enrichment?

Deposits in the zone of supergene enrichment  In the supergene zone metals are concentrated in a narrow band just below the water table. This is the richest part of an ore deposit.

What is supergene sulphide enrichment?

Supergene Sulphide Enrichment  Surface waters percolating down the outcrops of sulphide ore bodies oxidize many ore minerals and yield solvents that dissolve other minerals.