DISTRIBUTION OF METALLOGENIC PROVINCES IN RELATION TO MAJOR EARTH FEATURES.

Abstract

Global tectonic fact and theory provide new ways of 1) categorizing the known distribution of some metallogenetic provinces with respect to the present lithospheric plates; 2) restricting possible alternative genetic models; and 3) analyzing distributional patterns of older deposits with respect to a) original contiguity, or b) the positions and nature of former plate boundaries. Analysis of mineral-deposit data in plate-tectonic terms may give new insight into such problems as mantle vs crustal provenance of ore elements and the energy to concentrate them. Refs.