Orogenic

Metamorphic dewatering of sulfidic volcanic and/or sulfidic, carbonaceous and/or calcareous siliciclastic sequences during exhumation with fluid flow along dilatant structures. Iron minerals in host rocks are often sulfidized. Metavolcanic host rocks often contain volcanogenic seafloor sulfide deposits.
Color on map:

Deposit types

Name Commodities Critical minerals
Gold Au, Ag W, Te, As, Sb
Antimony Sb, Au, Ag Sb
Mercury Hg, Sb Sb
Graphite Graphite (lump) Graphite (lump)

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 = Orogenic

23 focus areas match these criteria.

Focus area Region States Mineral Systems Deposit types Commodities
Central Alaska-Seward Peninsula Gold Alaska Alaska Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Chugach Range Gold Alaska Alaska Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Eastern Alaska Range-Talkeetna Mountains Gold Alaska Alaska Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Eastern Brooks Range-Old Crow Gold Alaska Alaska Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Southeast Alaska Orogenic Gold Alaska Alaska Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Western Alaska Range Gold Alaska Alaska Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Yukon-Tanana Upland Gold Alaska Alaska Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Neoarchean Greenstone Belts of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota North Central Minnesota; North Dakota; South Dakota Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Levant and Carmel antimony prospects Northeast Maine Orogenic Antimony gold; lead; silver
Shorey antimony prospect Northeast Maine Orogenic Antimony gold; silver
Potomac Terrane Northeast; Southeast Maryland Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Boise antimony Northwest Idaho Orogenic Antimony; Gold gold; silver
Elk City antimony Northwest Idaho Orogenic Antimony; Gold gold; silver
Mineral Hill Northwest Idaho; Montana; Wyoming Orogenic Antimony; Gold gold; silver
Warren district vein system Northwest Idaho Orogenic Antimony; Gold gold; silver
Yellow Pine/Stibnite Mining District Northwest Idaho Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Sweetwater Arch Rocky Mountains Wyoming Orogenic Gold copper; gold; mercury; silver
Virginia metamorphic sulfide Southeast Virginia Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Klamath Mountains orogenic Au Southwest California; Oregon Orogenic Gold gold; silver
NW Nevada Orogenic Antimony Southwest Nevada Orogenic Antimony copper; gold; lead; silver
Sierra Nevada Foothills Southwest California Orogenic Antimony copper; gold; lead; silver
Sierra Nevada foothills orogenic Au Southwest California Orogenic Gold gold; silver
Southeast Mojave Desert Southwest California Orogenic Antimony copper; gold; lead; silver