Epochs of zinc–lead ore formation in the geological history of the Earth

Analysis of the regularities of the distribution of mineral resources in the Earth’s geological history allows one to optimize a strategy of prospecting for deposits. On the basis of an original database of Pb and Zn deposits along with a statistical analysis it has been found that the evolution of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Moscow University geology bulletin 2015-05, Vol.70 (3), p.240-249
Main Authors: Dergachev, A. L., Dergachev, A. A., Eremin, N. I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Geological history
Geology
Lead
Mesozoic
Mineral resources
Paleozoic
Statistical analysis
Zinc
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Summary:Analysis of the regularities of the distribution of mineral resources in the Earth’s geological history allows one to optimize a strategy of prospecting for deposits. On the basis of an original database of Pb and Zn deposits along with a statistical analysis it has been found that the evolution of lead–zinc ores formation during the last 3500 million years was extremely uneven. Two distinguished metallogenic epochs fall in the Neoarchaean (2750–2680 Ma), and the Palaeo–Mesoproterozoic (1925–1580 Ma). The most prominent ore formation epoch occurred during the terminal Neoproterozoic to Late Palaeozoic (560–290 Ma), while the latest epoch began in the Late Mesozoic and has lasted until the present (since 100 Ma). The highly productive periods of lead–zinc ore formation alternated with more protracted (600–1000 Ma) intervals when metal-resource accumulation practically halted or was proceeding at a very slow pace.
ISSN:0145-8752
1934-8436
DOI:10.3103/S0145875215030035