Summary of a Workshop on the Search for unconventional ore deposits in Arizona

Abstract

A workshop on the future of research on mineral resources in Arizona was held on January 12 and 13, 1987, in Tucson, Arizona. The objective was to exchange information from research on the geology of metallic mineral resources. The emphasis was on the potential for the discovery of new ore deposits and on the type of research necessary to fulfill that potential. We recognized at the outset that copper and associated metals derived from porphyry-type deposits related to calc-alkaline igneous rocks have dominated and most likely will continue to dominate metallic mineral production in Arizona. We also recognized that a large research effort has been devoted and will continue to be devoted to the understanding of these traditional As a result, the potential for other deposit types has largely been neglected. The decision was made to emphasize those geologic environments in which nontraditional deposits might be found. The term unconventional used in the workshop title simply means nonporphyry copper deposits. 16 pages.