The geology of ore deposits

This book presents to the senior level university or college student the principles and data fundamental to understanding the genesis and localization of ore deposits and of the minerals associated with them. It is assumed that the student has at least upper division command of chemistry and physics, as well as mineralogy, petrology, and structural geology. Mineralogy is especially important; the student should be familiar with common minerals, their compositions, and significant interpretative aspects. The text stresses throughout that minerals and their compositions are the memories of formative processes. They are one of the means by which the earth scientist can deduce both what has gone before and where an observer stands in the anatomy of an orebody. It is an express purpose of this text to develop the concept that no two ore deposits are exactly alike. None of us will find another Butte, Montana, solely by memorizing the descriptive characteristics of that district. But by perceiving the chemical and geologic characteristics of the Butte ores, and by understanding their relationship to other porphyry and Cordilleran Vein orebodies, one is equipped to prospect successfully for porphyries and related deposits wherever in the world they occur. Another purpose of the book is to develop and combine the abilities of the explorationist the mine finder-and of the scholar of ore-forming processes the researcher. Together they can significantly improve our ability to exploit the nonrenewable resources of the planet Earth effectively and benignly. The book emphasizes that the days of easy discovery of outcropping ores are not over-tracts of land remain on every continent to be effectively examined as the worlds geologic perceptions and needs change. The productive explorationist of the twenty-first century will certainly be the one who understands and can most effectively utilize geochemical, geophysical, and geological knowledge of the Earths crust.