Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.1
2.2
Journals
Minerals
Special Issues
Mineralization and Geochemistry of VMS Deposits
share announcement

Mineralization and Geochemistry of VMS Deposits

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Deposits".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 4665

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Stavros Triantafyllidis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechneiou 9, Zografou, 15780 Athens, Greece
Interests: ore deposit geology; sulfide-sulfosalt mineralogy and geochemistry; applied geochemistry; stable and radiogenic isotopic geochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Stylianos Tombros

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science, School of Natural Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Rio Patras, Greece
Interests: VMS deposits; hydrothermal mineralization; geochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Volcanogenic or volcanic-hosted massive sulfides (VMSs) form in submarine volcanic and volcano-sedimentary successions located at, or close to, divergent margins, convergent arcs, and back-arc spreading settings. In general, they can be connected with nearly all possible geotectonic environments related to volcanic activity in deep marine settings, regardless of the type of volcanism.

VMS bear several characteristics beneficial to mankind, present since the earliest stages of human history, including ease of identification, mining, and ore processing. Their significance is primarily their base metal potential. Technological advances during the 20th century have made VMS deposits perfect targets for precious, strategic/critical metals, and metalloids (such as Au, Ag, Ga, Ge, As, Mo, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, and Bi to name a few), the latter characterized by continuous and exponential demand. Therefore, VMSs are considered, to this day, essential for evolution and societal development.

Due to the large diversity in the geologic and geotectonic setting, the geochemical and mineralogical characteristics vary both between the various VMS types, as well as within the same type. These variations determine the recoverable commodities. The objective of this Special Issue is to compile available and newly aquired geochemical and mineralogical information on VMS and demonstrate how these data may be employed and utilized in the development of new deposits.

Dr. Stavros Triantafyllidis
Dr. Stylianos Tombros
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sulfides and sulfosalts
  • base, precious, strategic, and critical metals
  • massive, stringer ore
  • polymetallic mineralization
  • host lithologies
  • geotectonic setting

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

32 pages, 9777 KiB  
Article
Geochemical Characterization of and Exploration Guide for the World-Class Mafic–Siliciclastic-Hosted Touro VMS Cu Deposit, Northwestern Iberian Peninsula
by Pablo Nuñez, Alvaro Rubio, Daniel Arias, Jorge Fuertes-Blanco, Fernando Cortés, Fernando Díaz-Riopa and Agustin Martin-Izard
Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1159; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111159 - 16 Nov 2024
Viewed by 393
Abstract
A geochemical study was conducted on the Touro deposit, which is situated within the Iberian Variscan Massif on the allochthonous terrain of the Galicia–Tras-os-Montes Zone. This study encompassed both mineralogical and geochemical analyses of the host rocks, with a particular focus on the [...] Read more.
A geochemical study was conducted on the Touro deposit, which is situated within the Iberian Variscan Massif on the allochthonous terrain of the Galicia–Tras-os-Montes Zone. This study encompassed both mineralogical and geochemical analyses of the host rocks, with a particular focus on the high-grade Fornás metamorphic unit of the Órdenes Complex. The deposit is composed of massive and semi-massive sulfides, the host rocks are amphibolites and paragneisses, and the ore is hosted in garnet amphibolites and mineralized paragneisses. A microscopic study of thin sections and over 300 electron probe microanalyses on various minerals were conducted with the objective of geochemical characterization. Furthermore, a study of approximately 6000 samples processed by mining companies for multielement analyses of over 1350 drill cores was conducted to geochemically characterize the host and mineralized rocks for use as exploration guides. Additionally, five samples underwent Sm-Nd isotope analysis. The data from the Touro Cu (Zn-Co) deposit are consistent with its classification as a mafic–siliciclastic (Besshi-type) VMS deposit constructed in a back-arc environment during the Ordovician period. Following burial and high-grade metamorphism during the Middle Devonian period, these rocks were subsequently exposed during the later Variscan deformation phases, resulting in the formation of the Arinteiro antiform. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralization and Geochemistry of VMS Deposits)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 12371 KiB  
Article
The Fate of “Immobile” Ti in Hyaloclastites: An Evidence from Silica–Iron-Rich Sedimentary Rocks of the Urals Paleozoic Massive Sulfide Deposits
by Nuriya R. Ayupova, Valery V. Maslennikov, Irina Yu. Melekestseva, Dmitry A. Artemyev and Elena V. Belogub
Minerals 2024, 14(9), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090939 - 13 Sep 2024
Viewed by 701
Abstract
The formation of Paleozoic silica–iron-rich sedimentary rocks in the Urals volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits is considered a result of seafloor alteration of hyaloclastites mixed with calcareous/organic or sulfide material. These rocks host various Ti mineral phases pointing to the transformation of precursor [...] Read more.
The formation of Paleozoic silica–iron-rich sedimentary rocks in the Urals volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits is considered a result of seafloor alteration of hyaloclastites mixed with calcareous/organic or sulfide material. These rocks host various Ti mineral phases pointing to the transformation of precursor metacolloidal TiO2 phases to disordered anatase during seafloor alteration of hyaloclastites, which was later converted to globules and clusters and further to diagenetic rutile. The LA-ICP-MS analysis showed that the Ti content of hyaloclasts partly replaced by finely dispersed Si–Fe aggregates increases to 540–2950 ppm and decreases (<5 ppm) in full Si–Fe pseudomorphs after hyaloclasts. LA-ICP-MS element mapping reveals the enrichment in V, U, Cr, W, Nb, Pb, and Th of the anatase globules and the local accumulation of Zr, Y, and REE on their periphery. Corrosive biogenic textures in the outer zones of some hyaloclasts and biomorphic aggregates in rocks contain anatase particles in assemblage with apatite indicating the biophilic properties of Ti. This work fills the knowledge gaps about Ti mobilization during low-temperature seafloor alteration of hyaloclastites in VHMS deposits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralization and Geochemistry of VMS Deposits)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 13193 KiB  
Article
Revisiting the Concealed Zn-Pb±(Ag,Ge) VMS-Style Ore Deposit, Molai, Southeastern Peloponnese, Greece
by Elias Kevrekidis, Stavros Savvas Triantafyllidis, Stylianos Fotios Tombros, Sotirios Kokkalas, Joan Papavasiliou, Konstantinos Kappis, Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Ioannis Koukouvelas, Michalis Fitros, Dimitrios Zouzias, Panagiotis Voudouris, Degao Zhai and Karen St Seymour
Minerals 2024, 14(9), 885; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090885 - 30 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1395
Abstract
The concealed Molai Zn-Pb±(Ag,Ge) stratiform deposit in southeastern Peloponnese is hosted in Triassic intermediate tuffs, ignimbrites and subaerial andesitic flows. The host rocks display trace element signatures of a Supra-Subduction Zone (SSZ) setting. Three ore-forming stages are recognized, with stages I and II [...] Read more.
The concealed Molai Zn-Pb±(Ag,Ge) stratiform deposit in southeastern Peloponnese is hosted in Triassic intermediate tuffs, ignimbrites and subaerial andesitic flows. The host rocks display trace element signatures of a Supra-Subduction Zone (SSZ) setting. Three ore-forming stages are recognized, with stages I and II related to formation of the epigenetic, stratiform, massive-to-semi-massive ore and a late stage III associated with vein-type mineralization. The O and D isotope geochemistry of gangue chlorite and epidote reveal mixing with fresh meteoric water during the weaning stages of the hydrothermal activity of the late stage II due to uplifting of the hydrothermal system. Sphalerite is the major ore phase, with three different varieties formed during stages I (Sp-I) and II (Sp-II and Sp-III). All sphalerite varieties coexist, depicting gradual change in the chemistry of the ore-forming fluids. Molai ores are characterized by elevated Ag and Ge contents. Tetrahedrite is the major Ag carrier, while among the three sphalerite varieties, early Sp-I comprises the highest Ge contents. The Molai Zn-Pb±(Ag,Ge) deposit is characterized by intermediate features between bimodal felsic massive sulfides and subaerial epithermal systems based on the shallow formation depth, the presence of hydraulic breccias associated with phase separation, the ore formation along high-angle faults, the relatively low ore-forming temperatures below 250 °C obtained from geothermometry, and the absence of the typical structure of bimodal felsic type ores. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralization and Geochemistry of VMS Deposits)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 11641 KiB  
Article
Characterization of a Metamorphosed Volcanic Stratigraphy and VMS Alteration Halos Using Rock Chip Petrography and Lithogeochemistry: A Case Study from King North, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia
by Jamie Kelly, Steven P. Hollis, Cendi D. P. Dana, Allan Kneeshaw, Darryl Podmore, Megan James, Riquan Azri, Conal Rodgers and Stephen Roberts
Minerals 2024, 14(5), 481; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14050481 - 30 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1506
Abstract
Despite countless advances in recent years, exploration for volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits remains challenging. This is particularly the case in the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia, where outcrop is limited, weathering is deep and extensive, and metamorphism is variable. At Erayinia in [...] Read more.
Despite countless advances in recent years, exploration for volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits remains challenging. This is particularly the case in the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia, where outcrop is limited, weathering is deep and extensive, and metamorphism is variable. At Erayinia in the southern Kurnalpi terrane, intercepts of VMS-style mineralization occur along ~35 km strike length of stratigraphy, and a small Zn (-Cu) deposit has been defined at King (2.15 Mt at 3.47% Zn). An extensive aircore and reverse circulation drilling campaign on the regional stratigraphy identified additional VMS targets, including the King North prospect. Through a combination of detailed rock chip logging, petrography (inc. SEM imaging), and lithogeochemistry, we have reconstructed the volcanic stratigraphy and alteration halos associated with the King North prospect. Hydrothermal alteration assemblages and geochemical characteristics at King North (Mg-Si-K enrichment, Na depletion, and high Sb, Tl, Eu/Eu*, alteration index, CCPI, and normative corundum abundance values) are consistent with an overturned VMS system. The overturned footwall stratigraphy at King North is dominated by metamorphosed volcanic rocks, namely the following: garnet amphibolite (tholeiitic, basaltic), biotite amphibolite (andesitic, calc-alkaline), chlorite–quartz schist (dacitic), and narrow horizons of muscovite–quartz schist (dacitic to rhyolitic, HFSE-enriched). The hanging-wall to the Zn-bearing sequence is characterized by quartz–albite schists (metasedimentary rocks) and thick sequences of amphibolite (calc-alkaline, basaltic andesite). An iron-rich unit (>25% Fe2O3) of chlorite–actinolite–quartz schist, interpreted as a meta-exhalite, is associated with significant Cu-Au mineralization, adjacent to a likely syn-volcanic fault. Extensive Mg metasomatism of the immediate felsic footwall is represented by muscovite–chlorite schist. Diamond drilling into the deep hanging-wall stratigraphy at both King North and King has also revealed the potential for additional, stacked VMS prospective horizons in the greenstone belt stratigraphy. The discovery of HFSE-enriched rhyolites, zones of muscovite–chlorite schist, presence of abundant sulfide-rich argillaceous metasedimentary rocks, and a second upper meta-exhalite horizon further expand the exploration potential of the King–King North region. Our combined petrographic and lithogeochemical approach demonstrates that complex volcanic lithologies and VMS alteration signatures can be established across variably metamorphosed greenstone belts. This has wider implications for more cost-effective exploration across the Yilgarn Craton, utilizing RC drilling to reconstruct the local geology and identify proximal halos, and limiting more costly diamond drilling to key areas of complex geology and deeper EM targets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralization and Geochemistry of VMS Deposits)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4

Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

1. Stavros Triantafyllidis et al. Mineralogy and geochemistry of a concealed VMS deposit, Molai, south-eastern Peloponnese, Greece.
 
2. Jamie Kelly, Steven P. Hollis, Cendi D.P. Dana, Allan Kneeshaw, Darryl Podmore, Megan James, Riquan Azri, Conal Rodgers & Stephen Roberts Characterization of a metamorphosed volcanic stratigraphy and alteration halos through rock chip petrography and lithogeochemistry: constraints from the King North Zn-Cu-Au VHMS prospect, Yilgarn Craton.
Back to TopTop