Meteoric convection

Low-sulfidation Au-Ag deposits associated with mantle plume volcanic rocks form under relatively low oxygen and sulfur fugacities, and have low base metal contents and high Au/Ag ratios and selenium contents. Low-sulfidation deposits also occur along extensional fault zones that are not associated with proximal, coeval magmatic activity.
Color on map:

Deposit types

Name Commodities Critical minerals
Low sulfidation epithermal gold-silver Au, Ag, Hg, Sb Sb, Te
Low sulfidation epithermal antimony Sb Sb
Low sulfidation epithermal mercury Hg

References


Source: Hofstra, A.H., and Kreiner, D.C., 2020, Systems-Deposits-Commodities-Critical Minerals Table for the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020-1042, 24 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201042.

List of Earth MRI focus areas with mineral system = Meteoric convection

3 focus areas match these criteria.

Focus area Region States Mineral Systems Deposit types Commodities
Yellow Pine/Stibnite Mining District Northwest Idaho Meteoric convection Low sulfidation epithermal antimony; Low sulfidation epithermal gold-silver gold; mercury; silver
Coast Ranges Southwest California Meteoric convection Low sulfidation epithermal gold-silver gold; lead; mercury; silver
McDermitt Caldera Southwest Nevada; Oregon Meteoric convection Low sulfidation epithermal mercury mercury