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Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits of the world: Database and grade and tonnage models

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• What does this data set describe?
  1. How might this data set be cited?
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  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
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What does this data set describe?

1. How might this data set be cited?
   Mosier, Dan L., Berger, Vladimir I., and Singer, Donald A., 2009, Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits of the world: Database and grade and tonnage models: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009-1034, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California.

   Online Links:

   • https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20091034
   • https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1034/

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -157.210000
   East_Bounding_Coordinate: 179.958333
   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 73.040556
   South_Bounding_Coordinate: -54.858333
   

3. What does it look like?

   https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1034/images/coverthb.jpg (JPEG)

   Small map image depicting the entire data set, 446x277 pixels, 72k bytes

4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Calendar_Date: 2009

   Currentness_Reference:

   publication date

5. What is the general form of this data set?

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map
   

6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Entity point (1090)
   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is World Geodetic System 1984.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS 84.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257.
      
7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   main

   Primary descriptive information about the site (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   depname

   Name of deposit.

   Most recent name for the deposit. Textual values of no more than 55 characters. (Source: this dataset) Single names, ASCII text

   altname

   Other names.

   Alternative names that have been used for the deposit. Textual values of no more than 61 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 836 records have no value for other_name.

   includes

   Included deposits.

   Names of deposits that have been combined with the primary deposit as a result of the 500-meter minimum separation rule. Textual values of no more than 256 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 947 records have no value for includes.

   cntry_code

   Country code.

   Four-letter abbreviation for both country and state or province. Textual values of no more than 4 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   AGTN	Argentina
   ARMA	Armenia
   AUNS	Australia, New South Wales
   AUQL	Australia, Queensland
   AUTS	Australia, Tasmania
   AUVT	Australia, Victoria
   AUWA	Australia, Western Australia
   BLVA	Bolivia
   BRZL	Brazil
   CILE	Chile
   CINA	China
   CLBA	Colombia
   CNBC	Canada, British Columbia
   CNMN	Canada, Manitoba
   CNNB	Canada, New Brunswick
   CNNF	Canada, Newfoundland
   CNNS	Canada, Nova Scotia
   CNNT	Canada, Northwest Territories
   CNON	Canada, Ontario
   CNQU	Canada, Quebec
   CNSK	Canada, Saskatchewan
   CNYT	Canada, Yukon Territory
   CUBA	Cuba
   CYPS	Cyprus
   DMRP	Dominican Republic
   ECDR	Ecuador
   EGPT	Egypt
   ERIT	Eritrea
   FIJI	Fiji
   FNLD	Finland
   FRNC	France
   GERA	Georgia
   GRBR	Great Britain
   GUAT	Guatemala
   GUYN	Guyana
   INDA	India
   INDS	Indonesia
   IRAN	Iran
   IRLD	Ireland
   JAPN	Japan
   KAZN	Kazakhstan
   MNGL	Mongolia
   MRCO	Morrocco
   MXCO	Mexico
   MYAN	Myannmar
   NRWY	Norway
   OMAN	Oman
   PERU	Peru
   PKSN	Pakistan
   PLPN	Phillippines
   PORT	Portugal
   RUSA	Russia
   SAAR	Saudi Arabia
   SPAN	Spain
   SWDN	Sweden
   TRKY	Turkey
   USAK	United States, Alaska
   USAL	United States, Alabama
   USAZ	United States, Arizona
   USCA	United States, California
   USGA	United States, Georgia
   USID	United States, Idaho
   USME	United States, Maine
   USMI	United States, Michigan
   USMS	United States, Mississippi
   USNH	United States, New Hampshire
   USNM	United States, New Mexico
   USNV	United States, Nevada
   USOR	United States, Oregon
   USVA	United States, Virginia
   USVT	United States, Vermont
   USWA	United States, Washington
   USWI	United States, Wisconsin
   UZBN	Uzbekistan
   VNZL	Venezuela

   country

   Country.

   Name of the country where the deposit occurs. Textual values of no more than 18 characters. (Source: this dataset) Unabbreviated text

   stprov

   State or province.

   Name of the state or province where the deposit occurs. Textual values of no more than 30 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 192 records have no value for stprov.

   latdeg

   Latitude (degrees).

   Degrees latitude, south negative. Integer values. Int of width 3. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-54
   Maximum:	73
   Units:	degrees
   Resolution:	1

   latmin

   Latitude (minutes).

   Minutes latitude, south negative. Integer values. Int of width 3. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-59
   Maximum:	59
   Units:	minutes
   Resolution:	1

   latsec

   Latitude (seconds).

   Seconds latitude, south negative. Integer values. Int of width 3. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1 records have no value for latsec.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-59
   Maximum:	59
   Units:	seconds
   Resolution:	1

   latitude

   Latitude.

   Latitude in decimal degrees, south negative, WGS84. Real numbers stored in double precision. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-54.8583333333333
   Maximum:	73.0405555555556
   Units:	degrees

   londeg

   Longitude (degrees).

   Degrees longitude, west negative. Integer values. Int of width 3. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-157
   Maximum:	179
   Units:	degrees
   Resolution:	1

   lonmin

   Longitude (minutes).

   Minutes longitude, west negative. Integer values. Int of width 3. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1 records have no value for lonmin.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-59
   Maximum:	59
   Units:	minutes
   Resolution:	1

   lonsec

   Longitude (seconds).

   Seconds longitude, west negative. Integer values. Int of width 3. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1 records have no value for lonsec.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-59
   Maximum:	59
   Units:	seconds
   Resolution:	1

   longitude

   Longitude.

   Longitude in decimal degrees, west negative, WGS84. Real numbers stored in double precision. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-157.21
   Maximum:	179.958333333333
   Units:	degrees

   dep_type

   Deposit type.

   Type of deposit: Felsic; Bimodal-Mafic; or Mafic. These VMS-deposit types were adopted on the basis of simplicity of use, greater relevance to map units, and our grade and tonnage models. The three VMS-deposit types are compared to previous VMS-classification schemes in table 1 of the report. The felsic type deposits are hosted in a dominantly felsic to intermediate volcanic sequence and includes those formerly classified as kuroko-type deposits (Singer, 1986b; Singer and Mosier, 1986b). This type includes deposits hosted in a continuous felsic to intermediate volcanic sequence, a bimodal-felsic volcanic sequence, or a siliciclastic-felsic volcanic sequence. The bimodal-mafic type deposits are hosted in a dominantly mafic (andesite to basalt) volcanic sequence associated with greater than 10 percent felsic (rhyolite to rhyodacite) volcanic units. Dacite or andesite rocks are either rare or absent. This deposit type includes kuroko-type (Singer, 1986b; Singer, and Mosier, 1986b), Noranda-type (Morton and Franklin, 1987; MacGeehan and MacLean, 1980), and Urals-type (Prokin and Buslaev, 1999) deposits of previous classifications. The mafic type deposits are hosted in a dominantly mafic (andesitic basalt to basalt) volcanic sequence; some are associated with gabbro, diabase, and ultramafic rocks of more complete ophiolite sequences. Felsic rocks are rare or absent. This deposit type include the Cyprus-type and Besshi-type deposits (Cox, 1986; Singer, 1986a; Singer, 1986c; Singer and Mosier, 1986a). In a few cases, it was not possible to classify a deposit for lack of crucial information, such as the composition of volcanic rocks or the proportions of felsic and mafic volcanic rocks in bimodal volcanic sequences. Textual values of no more than 13 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1 records have no value for dep_type.

   disc_date

   Discovery date.

   Date the deposit was discovered, if this is known. Textual values of no more than 13 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 166 records have no value for disc_date.

   start_date

   Startup date.

   Start date of mining or production if known. B.C. years are negative numbers and A.D. years are positive numbers. Textual values of no more than 13 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 472 records have no value for start_date.

   tonnage

   Tonnage.

   Total amount of ore in millions of metric tons (tonnes) based on the total production, reserves, and resources at the lowest possible cutoff grade. Real numbers stored in double precision. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 222 records have no value for tonnage.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0.01
   Maximum:	469
   Units:	tonnes

   cu_grade

   Copper grade.

   Percentage of copper in the ore. Real numbers stored in double precision. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 222 records have no value for cu_grade.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0
   Maximum:	10.2
   Units:	weight percent

   zn_grade

   Zinc grade.

   Percentage of zinc in the ore. Real numbers stored in double precision. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 222 records have no value for zn_grade.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0
   Maximum:	25.1
   Units:	weight percent

   pb_grade

   Lead grade.

   Percentage of lead in the ore. Real numbers stored in double precision. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 222 records have no value for pb_grade.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0
   Maximum:	16
   Units:	weight percent

   au_grade

   Gold grade.

   Grams of gold per metric ton of ore. Real numbers stored in double precision. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 222 records have no value for au_grade.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0
   Maximum:	34
   Units:	g/T

   ag_grade

   Silver grade.

   Grams of silver per metric ton of ore. Real numbers stored in double precision. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 222 records have no value for ag_grade.

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0
   Maximum:	785
   Units:	g/T

   stringer

   Stringer zone?.

   Presence or absence of small offshoot veins of ore material. Textual values of no more than 3 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 275 records have no value for stringer.

   comments

   Comments.

   Supplementary information about incompletely explored deposits, as well as grades of additional elements, such as S, Ba, Pt, Pd, Cd, Se, and others when available. Textual values of no more than 849 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 17 records have no value for comments.

   age_dep

   Age of deposit.

   Formal division of geologic time during which the deposit formed. Textual values of no more than 45 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 3 records have no value for age_dep.

   age_my

   Age (m.y.).

   Absolute age reported in millions of years before the present based on reported absolute (typically zircon geothermometry or isotope geochronology) ages or midpoints of geologic time-scale units (Remane, 1998). Textual values of no more than 5 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 3 records have no value for age_my.

   ore_area

   Area of deposit.

   Area of the deposit in square kilometers. Textual values of no more than 8 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 964 records have no value for ore_area.

   ore_a

   Orebody A-axis.

   Major axis of the orebody in km. Textual values of no more than 6 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 553 records have no value for ore_a.

   ore_b

   Orebody B-axis.

   Minor axis of the orebody in km. Textual values of no more than 6 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 583 records have no value for ore_b.

   alter_area

   Area of alteration.

   Area of the alteration zone in square kilometers. Textual values of no more than 8 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1078 records have no value for alter_area.

   alter_a

   Alteration zone A-axis.

   Major axis of the alteration zone in km. Textual values of no more than 5 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1024 records have no value for alter_a.

   alter_b

   Alteration zone B-axis.

   Minor axis of the alteration zone in km. Textual values of no more than 5 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1026 records have no value for alter_b.

   geochem

   Geochemical anomaly.

   Short description of the chemical elements whose values are anomalous, may include the type of material in which those anomalies were found. Textual values of no more than 625 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1008 records have no value for geochem.

   geochem_a

   Geochem anomaly A-axis.

   Major axis of the geochemical anomaly in km. Textual values of no more than 4 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1067 records have no value for geochem_a.

   geochem_b

   Geochem anomaly B-axis.

   Minor axis of the geochemical anomaly in km. Textual values of no more than 4 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1067 records have no value for geochem_b.

   geophys

   Geophysical anomaly.

   Short description of the geophysical attribute whose value is anomalous, may include method of determining the anomaly. Textual values of no more than 302 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1047 records have no value for geophys.

   geophys_a

   Geophys anomaly A-axis.

   Major axis of the geophysical anomaly in km. Textual values of no more than 5 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1062 records have no value for geophys_a.

   geophys_b

   Geophys anomaly B-axis.

   Minor axis of the geophysical anomaly in km. Textual values of no more than 4 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1064 records have no value for geophys_b.

   cover

   Deposit cover (m).

   Deposit cover provides information about the thickness of the covering material. A zero value indicates that the ore deposit, including gossan outcrops, is exposed at the surface. A value greater than zero depicts the thickness of the material covering the deposit. Deposit cover values may also include the water depth for deposits hidden beneath a lake, such as at Chisel Lake, Manitoba, Canada. No value indicates that no information is available for this field. Textual values of no more than 4 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 441 records have no value for cover.

   lithotect

   Lithotectonic setting.

   A classification of the deposit using one or more of eight lithostratigraphic associations in tectonic settings. When the lithotectonic setting was undetermined, it was coded as 'Unclassified.' The lithotectonic settings are defined as follows: 1. Siliciclastic-felsic in a mature epicontinental arc. Found in epicontinental backarc settings, the stratigraphy consists of continent-derived sedimentary rocks (~80%) and felsic volcaniclastic rocks, with minor flows domes, and their intrusive equivalents (~25%), mafic (tholeiitic to alkaline) flows, sills, and minor volcaniclastic rocks (~10%). Mafic volcanic rocks and argillaceous and chemical sedimentary rocks are typically in the hanging wall. 2. Bimodal-felsic in an epicontinental arc. Found in rifted continental margins and incipient (suprasubduction related) arcs, the stratigraphy consists of submarine felsic volcanic rocks (35-70%), basalt (20-50%), and terrigenous sedimentary strata (~10%). 3. Bimodal-felsic in an oceanic arc. Found in oceanic backarc rifts, the stratigraphy consists of submarine felsic volcanic rocks (50-70%), mafic volcanic rocks (20-50%), and sedimentary rocks (up to 30%). 4. Bimodal-mafic in an epicontinental arc. Found in epicontinental backarc settings, the stratigraphy is dominated by mafic volcanic rocks (pillowed and massive basaltic flows and pyroclastic rocks), with minor felsic volcanic rocks (flows, pyroclastic rocks, domes) and volcaniclastic rocks (<25%), and subordinate terrigenous sedimentary rocks. 5. Bimodal-mafic in an oceanic arc. Found in incipient-rifted arcs above intraoceanic subduction zones. The stratigraphy is dominated by basalt pillowed and massive flows and volcaniclastic rocks with minor felsic flows, volcaniclastic rocks, and domes (<25%), and subordinate terrigenous sedimentary rocks. 6. Mafic in a primitive oceanic backarc. This stratigraphy includes mature intraoceanic backarcs and transform fault settings, dominated by MORB-boninitic and tholeiitic successions of pillowed and massive basalt flows, minor felsic flows and domes, including subvolcanic plagiogranite and icelandite, minor ultramafic flows and intrusions, synvolcanic mafic dikes and sills (up to 50%), and prominent altered mafic synvolcanic intrusions. Sedimentary rocks are minor (<10). Less common is alkaline basalt (locally bimodal) in oceanic island or late-stage continental backarc seamount environments. 7. Mafic in a midoceanic ridge. The stratigraphy consists of dominantly massive and pillowed basalt flows associated with synvolcanic mafic dikes or sills, ultramafic flows, and intrusions, typically part of an ophiolite sequence. Felsic volcanic and sedimentary rocks are rare (<5%). This mafic setting is distinguished from the primitive oceanic backarc setting by the absence of an associated arc. 8. Pelite-mafic in a mature oceanic backarc. This stratigraphy includes mature oceanic backarc and sediment-covered midoceanic ridge and transform fault settings. The stratigraphy consists of basalt and pelite, in equal proportions, to pelite-dominated successions, with mafic sills (up to 25%), felsic flows, sills, domes, and volcaniclastics (<5% or absent), and carbonaceous argillite with subordinate siltstone, wacke, and sandstone. Because of the difficulty of recognizing the specific lithotectonic setting for each of the VMS deposits in this report, the lithotectonic setting classification should be viewed as preliminary. Many of the volcanic belts have not been sufficiently investigated to determine whether they were formed in an epicontinental (sialic) or an oceanic (ensimatic) environment. Furthermore, the tectonic settings of some belts are not in agreement among investigators, such as at Joma, Norway (Stephens and others, 1984). Lithogeochemical data, particularly for the rare earth elements, are not available for many volcanic rocks that would allow classification of paleotectonic environments using element-ratio discriminant diagrams. Textual values of no more than 72 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 1 records have no value for lithotect.

   postmindef

   Post-mineralization deformation.

   Post-mineral deformation includes such actions on the ore deposit as folding, displacement, and shearing. Textual values of no more than 3 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 188 records have no value for postmindef.

   meta_grade

   Metamorphic grade.

   The grade of regional metamorphism and, where intrusions are present, the nature of contact-hydrothermal effects. In some cases, diagnostic metamorphic minerals and contact temperature and pressure are given. Textual values of no more than 282 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 289 records have no value for meta_grade.

   synminint

   Intrusion during mineralization.

   The presence of subvolcanic or plutonic intrusive bodies that were emplaced at the time of mineralization. Textual values of no more than 3 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 365 records have no value for synminint.

   postminint

   Post-mineralization intrusion.

   The presence of subvolcanic or plutonic intrusive bodies that were emplaced after mineralization. Textual values of no more than 3 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 317 records have no value for postminint.

   syndepctrl

   Syndeposition controls.

   Structural controls on mineralization. 'Stratigraphic' is used for stratabound or stratiform deposits that occur mostly within a single lithostratigraphic unit. 'Rock contact' is used for ore deposits that occur either at the contact between two different rock layers or with a discordant rock body, such as a dome or an intrusion. Other terms in this field are recorded as initially reported. Textual values of no more than 100 characters. (Source: this dataset)

   Value	Definition
   (no value)	Information not available for this record. 209 records have no value for syndepctrl.

   mineral

   Minerals forming the deposit (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   value

   Mineralogy.

   Reported minerals listed in alphabetical order. We attempted to tabulate specific mineral names when available, but, in some cases, when specific minerals were not reported, group names were included, such as 'carbonates' or 'sulfosalts.' Most ubiquitous rock forming minerals, such as feldspar, calcite, and quartz, are not included. Native metals are reported with just their element names, such as gold, silver, bismuth, and platinum. For consistency, attempts were made to eliminate synonyms, such as covelline, black jack, niccolite, which were replaced by covellite, sphalerite, nickeline, respectively. Some solid solution series, such as 'tennantitetetrahedrite,' were entered as separate mineral end members of the series, such as 'tennantite, tetrahedrite'. Chemical formulas were included for some unnamed species or rarer minerals. Because of the varied levels of reporting mineralogy, most of the deposits in this report display an incomplete list of minerals. Textual values of no more than 63 characters. (Source: this dataset) Single textual names.

   host_rock

   Rocks in direct contact with the ore deposit. (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   value

   Host rocks.

   Rocks that are in direct contact with the ore deposit. Facies associations in the same horizon are indicated by rock names connected by hyphens. The rocks listed are those that occur in the stratigraphic column immediately around the VMS deposit. Some rocks that are important in exploration for VMS deposits, such as exhalite beds (for example, chert, jasperoid, or siliceous bed), may not have been recorded if they were not recognized by the investigators. (Source: this dataset) Textual values of no more than 124 characters.

   rocks_up

   Rocks that stratigraphically overlie the ore deposit. When available, we list the stratigraphic order of rock units from top to bottom, with given or measured thicknesses of rock units shown in parentheses. Facies associations in the same horizon are indicated by rock names connected by hyphens. The rocks listed are those that occur in the stratigraphic column immediately around the VMS deposit. Some rocks that are important in exploration for VMS deposits, such as exhalite beds (for example, chert, jasperoid, or siliceous bed), may not have been recorded if they were not recognized by the investigators. (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   value

   Rocks overlying ore.

   Rocks that stratigraphically overlie the ore deposit. When available, we list the stratigraphic order of rock units from top to bottom, with given or measured thicknesses of rock units shown in parentheses. Facies associations in the same horizon are indicated by rock names connected by hyphens. The rocks listed are those that occur in the stratigraphic column immediately around the VMS deposit. Some rocks that are important in exploration for VMS deposits, such as exhalite beds (for example, chert, jasperoid, or siliceous bed), may not have been recorded if they were not recognized by the investigators. (Source: this dataset) Textual values of no more than 171 characters.

   rocks_down

   Rocks that stratigraphically underlie the ore deposit. When available, we list the stratigraphic order of rock units from top to bottom, with given or measured thicknesses of rock units shown in parentheses. Facies associations in the same horizon are indicated by rock names connected by hyphens. The rocks listed are those that occur in the stratigraphic column immediately around the VMS deposit. Some rocks that are important in exploration for VMS deposits, such as exhalite beds (for example, chert, jasperoid, or siliceous bed), may not have been recorded if they were not recognized by the investigators. (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   value

   Rocks underlying ore.

   Rocks that stratigraphically underlie the ore deposit. When available, we list the stratigraphic order of rock units from top to bottom, with given or measured thicknesses of rock units shown in parentheses. Facies associations in the same horizon are indicated by rock names connected by hyphens. The rocks listed are those that occur in the stratigraphic column immediately around the VMS deposit. Some rocks that are important in exploration for VMS deposits, such as exhalite beds (for example, chert, jasperoid, or siliceous bed), may not have been recorded if they were not recognized by the investigators. (Source: this dataset) Textual values of no more than 129 characters.

   rocks_5km

   Rocks on a regional map found within 5 kilometers of the deposit. When available, the ages of the associated rocks are added to the field. (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   value

   Rocks within 5km.

   Rocks on a regional map found within 5 kilometers of the deposit. When available, the ages of the associated rocks are added to the field. (Source: this dataset) Textual values of no more than 101 characters.

   dep_5km

   Deposit types that occur within 5 kilometers of the deposit. In many situations, these spatially related deposits are merely occurrences and not economic mineral deposits. The deposit type is designated using the model number and name listed in USGS Bulletins 1693 (Cox and Singer, 1986) and 2004 (Bliss, 1992). (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   value

   Deposit types within 5km.

   Deposit types that occur within 5 kilometers of the deposit. In many situations, these spatially related deposits are merely occurrences and not economic mineral deposits. The deposit type is designated using the model number and name listed in USGS Bulletins 1693 (Cox and Singer, 1986) and 2004 (Bliss, 1992). (Source: this dataset) Textual values of no more than 38 characters.

   dep_10km

   Deposit types that occur within 10 kilometers of the deposit. In many situations, these spatially related deposits are merely occurrences and not economic mineral deposits. The deposit type is designated using the model number and name listed in USGS Bulletins 1693 (Cox and Singer, 1986) and 2004 (Bliss, 1992). (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   value

   Deposit types within 10km.

   Deposit types that occur within 10 kilometers of the deposit. In many situations, these spatially related deposits are merely occurrences and not economic mineral deposits. The deposit type is designated using the model number and name listed in USGS Bulletins 1693 (Cox and Singer, 1986) and 2004 (Bliss, 1992). (Source: this dataset) Textual values of no more than 44 characters.

   reference

   Papers, web sites, and unpublished sources that provided data for the deposit (Source: this dataset)

   rec_id

   Record ID.

   Unique identifying number for the record, links to related rows in other tables. Integer values. Int of width 4. (Source: this dataset)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	571
   Maximum:	1713
   Resolution:	1

   value

   References.

   Papers, web sites, and unpublished sources that provided data for the deposit. (Source: this dataset) Textual values of no more than 570 characters.

Who produced the data set?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Mosier, Dan L.
   • Berger, Vladimir I.
   • Singer, Donald A.
2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   We are grateful for the reviews and comments by Dennis Cox and Randy Koski. We thank I.S. Goldberg and Cynthia Dusel-Bacon for information, the USGS library staff, particularly Anna Tellez, Susie Bravos, Tammy Huang, and Jon DeBord, for help with library materials, Barry Moring for suggestions on GIS files, and Michael Diggles for help with the Internet files. We are grateful for the text edits by Tracey Suzuki, Jim Hendley, and Jane Ciener.

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   Dan L Mosier

   USGS WR SW GD

   Geologist

   345 Middlefield Road$Mail Stop 901

   Menlo Park, CA
   

   USA

   650-329-5050 (voice)

   650-329-5491 (FAX)

   mosier@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

Grade and tonnage models are useful in quantitative mineral-resource assessments. The models and database presented in this report are an update of earlier publications about volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits. These VMS deposits include what were formerly classified as kuroko, Cyprus, and Besshi deposits. The update was necessary because of new information about some deposits, changes in information in some deposits, such as grades, tonnages, or ages, revised locations of some deposits, and reclassification of subtypes. In this report we have added new VMS deposits and removed a few incorrectly classified deposits. This global compilation of VMS deposits contains 1,090 deposits; however, it was not our intent to include every known deposit in the world. The data was recently used for mineral-deposit density models (Mosier and others, 2007; Singer, 2008). In this paper, 867 deposits were used to construct revised grade and tonnage models. Our new models are based on a reclassification of deposits based on host lithologies: Felsic, Bimodal-Mafic, and Mafic volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits.

How was the data set created?

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   USGS OFR-2009-1034 (source 1 of 1)

   Mosier, Dan L., Berger, Vladimir I., and Singer, Donald A., 2009, Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits of the world: Database and grade and tonnage models: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009-1034, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California.

   Online Links:

   • https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20091034
   • https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1034/

   Type_of_Source_Media: Digital spreadsheet data
   Source_Contribution: Digital files from which the SQL database was derived.
   

2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: 2009 (process 1 of 2)

   Compilation of these data from original reference sources given in the records for each deposit, including mineral resource studies and geologic maps. Statistical analysis of the grade and tonnage models and development of the classification of these types of deposits. This step was carried out by the authors. Data sources produced in this process:

   • USGS OFR-2009-1034

   Date: 2012 (process 2 of 2)

   Parsing of the data from spreadsheets provided in the published report, separation of one-to-many field values into associative tables, conversion of this information into a SQL database, creating this metadata record. Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Peter N Schweitzer

   USGS Geology, Energy, and Minerals Science Center

   Geologist

   12201 Sunrise Valley Drive

   Reston, VA
   

   USA

   703-648-6533 (voice)

   703-648-6252 (FAX)

   pschweitzer@usgs.gov

   Data sources used in this process:

   • USGS OFR-2009-1034

3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

1. How well have the observations been checked?
   
2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
   
3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
   
4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
   The compilation includes all deposits described in the source references for which sufficient descriptive information was available. Some deposits thought by some investigators to be VMS deposits were excluded from this compilation when there were uncertainties with the assumed metamorphic protoliths, or when they were classified by other investigators as sedimentary exhalative deposits.
5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
   Rules for the selection of source data to be included in this compilation are given in the source report. In particular, all mineralized rock within 500 meters was combined into one deposit in this compilation, even if the source references use several different names for rock bodies that are within this distance. The 500-meter rule was developed to insure that deposits in grade and tonnage models correspond to deposits as geologic entities rather than introduce variation due to commercial concerns into the scientific analysis of each deposit. Additional considerations, such as those involving specific lithologies reported at each location, were used to classify the volcanic host rocks of these deposits. The details of these decision rules are included in the text of the source report.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints: none

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
   
   Peter N Schweitzer

   USGS Geology, Energy, and Minerals Science Center

   Geologist

   12201 Sunrise Valley Drive

   Reston, VA
   

   USA

   703-648-6533 (voice)

   703-648-6252 (FAX)

   pschweitzer@usgs.gov
2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? USGS Open-File Report 2009-1034
3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards (or with the North American Stratigraphic Code). Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	Deposit locations and characteristics in format FileMaker Pro (version 7) Size: 3.8
     Network links:	https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1034/of2009-1034_data.zip

     Data format:	Deposit locations and characteristics in format Delimited text
     Network links:	https://mrdata.usgs.gov/vms/

     Data format:	Deposit locations and characteristics in format KML (version 2.2)
     Network links:	https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1034/VMS.kml

     Data format:	Deposit locations and characteristics in format Shapefile (version 1.0)
     Network links:	https://mrdata.usgs.gov/vms/vms.zip

     Data format:	Deposit locations and characteristics in format CSV (version 1.0)
     Network links:	https://mrdata.usgs.gov/vms/vms-csv.zip

     Data format:	Deposit locations and characteristics in format OGC WMS (version 1.3.0)
     Network links:	https://mrdata.usgs.gov/services/vms?request=getcapabilities&service=WMS&version=1.0.0&

     Data format:	Deposit locations and characteristics in format OGC WFS (version 1.0.0)
     Network links:	https://mrdata.usgs.gov/wfs/vms?request=getcapabilities&service=WFS&version=1.0.0&

   • Cost to order the data: none

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:

Last modified: 10-Feb-2021

Metadata author:

Peter N Schweitzer

USGS Geology, Energy, and Minerals Science Center

Geologist

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive

Reston, VA

USA

703-648-6533 (voice)

703-648-6252 (FAX)

pschweitzer@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-1998-001)