Abstract
This important class of ore deposits is the source of most of the world’s metals. Hydrothermal deposits provide almost 100% of our Pb, Zn, Mo, and Ag, 60–90% of our Cu, Au and U, as well as gemstones and industrial materials such as clay minerals and quartz. Hydrothermal deposits are diverse, being present in a wide range of geological settings and tectonic environments: some are closely associated with granitic intrusions, others form on the ocean floor and still others are in sedimentary basins. What all the deposits have in common is their origin via the precipitation of metals or ore minerals from hot aqueous fluids.
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Arndt, N., Ganino, C. (2011). Hydrothermal Deposits. In: Metals and Society. Metals and Society, vol 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22996-1_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22996-1_4
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