Tectonic and lithospheric controls on the heterogeneous temporal distribution of mineral deposits

Abstract

Mineral deposits exhibit extremely heterogeneous distributions, with each major deposit type showing a distinctive, commonly unique, temporal pattern. Individual temporal patterns reflect a complex interplay between formational and preservational forces that, in turn, largely reflect changes in tectonic processes and environmental conditions in an evolving Earth. The first-order drivers were the super continent cycle and evolution from plume-dominated to modern-style plate tectonics in a cooling Earth. Consequent decrease in the growth rate of continental crust, and change from thick, buoyant sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) in the Precambrian to thinner, negatively buoyant SCLM in the Phanerozoic, led to progressive decoupling of formational and preservational processes through time. This affected the temporal patterns of deposit types including orogenic gold, porphyry and epithermal deposits, VHMS, palaeoplacer Au, iron-oxide Cu-Au, PGE, diamond and probably SEDEX deposits.