Mineral deposits classified as hydrothermal occur when hot water acts as a transporting, depositing, and concentrating agent. Out of all the deposit classes, they are the most numerous.
So what are the different types of deposits associated with hydrothermal springs?
Porphyry systems: Cu-Mo-Au mineralization from magmatic hydrothermal fluids in porphyritic intrusions (e.g., Bingham Canyon, Chuquicamata).
Epithermal systems
- Low-Sulfidation (Adularia-Sericite): Au-Ag in near-neutral pH fluids (e.g., Creede, Hishikari).
- High-Sulfidation (Acid-Sulfate): Enargite-Au in acidic, sulfate-rich fluids (e.g., Yanacocha, El Indio).
- Skarn Deposits: Metasomatic replacement at magma-carbonate contacts (e.g., Fe-Cu-Zn-Pb-W skarns).
Volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS): Seafloor exhalative sulfide deposits (e.g., Kuroko, Iberian Pyrite Belt).
Sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX): Subaqueous hydrothermal Pb-Zn-Ag deposits (e.g., Sullivan, McArthur River).
Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT): Carbonate hosted Pb-Zn from basinal brines (e.g., Tri State, Pine Point).
Orogenic Gold: Au in metamorphic hydrothermal quartz veins (e.g., Mother Lode, Witwatersrand analogs).
Iron Oxide Copper-Gold (IOCG): Fe-Cu Au-REE linked to magmatic/metamorphic fluids (e.g., Olympic Dam, Kiruna).
Carlin-Type Gold: Disseminated Au in carbonate rocks from thiosulfate-rich fluids (e.g., Carlin Trend).
Author: Altayeb Saad
