Abstract
AbstractMineral deposits are heterogeneously distributed in both space and time, with variations reflecting tectonic setting, evolving environmental conditions, as in the atmosphere and hydrosphere, and secular changes in the Earth's thermal history. The distribution of deposit types whose settings are tied to plate margin processes (e.g. orogenic gold, volcanic-hosted massive sulphide, Mississippi valley type Pb–Zn deposits) correlates well with the supercontinent cycle, whereas deposits related to intra-cratonic settings and mantle-driven igneous events, such as Ni–Cu–PGE deposits, lack a clear association. The episodic distribution of deposits tied to the supercontinent cycle is accentuated by selective preservation and biasing of rock units and events during supercontinent assembly, a process that encases the deposit within the assembled supercontinent and isolates it from subsequent removal and recycling at plate margins.
Highlights
The regional framework of mineral deposits and mineral provinces provides fundamental information essential for successful long-term exploration and discovery
Our aim is to show that temporal variations in mineral deposit distribution are a primary signature of generation in specific tectonic settings and reflect selective preservation enhanced by specific phases of the supercontinent cycle
Hawkesworth et al (2009, 2010; see Condie et al 2011) have argued that peaks in age data may not represent episodic growth but instead reflect the greater preservation potential of igneous and sedimentary rocks formed in collisional belts, and are biased by the construction of supercontinents. They outline a model whereby the observed rock record of igneous crystallization ages is the integration of the volumes of magma generated during the three phases of the supercontinent cycle, and their likely preservation potential within each of these phases (Fig. 2): magma volumes are high in subduction settings but low during continental collision and breakup
Summary
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