The Economic Aspect of GeologyLeith, C. K. (Charles Kenneth)
Science
The Economic Aspect of Geology
Leith, C. K. (Charles Kenneth)
Geology, Economic
=Copper in limestone near igneous contacts.= Another great group of
copper deposits occurs as replacements of limestone adjacent to porphyry
or granitic intrusives. This type is illustrated by some of the deposits
at Bingham, Utah, and at Bisbee, Arizona. The primary deposition was of
chalcopyrite and other copper sulphides, together with garnet, diopside,
and other minerals known to have required high temperature in their
formation. The ore fills fissures and replaces extensive masses of the
limestone. It is likely to show a fairly sharp contact on the side
toward the intrusive, and to grade off into the country rock on the
other side with numerous embayments and irregularities. These deposits
have been enriched by weathering in the same manner as indicated above
for the porphyry coppers, but to highly varying degrees. In the Bisbee
deposits large values were found in the weathered zone, and secondary
sulphide enrichment below this zone is also important. In the Bingham
camp, on the other hand, the weathered zone is insignificant and most of
the ore beneath is primary. The weathering of the silicated limestone
gangue results in great masses of clay which are characteristic features
of the oxide zones of these deposits.
=Copper deposits in schists.= Other copper deposits, as at Jerome,
Arizona, in the Foothill and Shasta County districts of California, at
Ducktown, Tennessee, etc., are irregular lenticular bodies in schists
and other rocks, but all show relationship to igneous rocks. The Rio
Tinto ores of Spain and Portugal, which belong in this group, have been
referred to on page 108.
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