New Mineral Deposit Models for Gold, Phosphate Rare Earth Elements, and Placer Rare Earth Element-Titanium Resources Completed
USGS Mineral Deposit Models are "an organized arrangement of information describing the essential characteristics or properties of a class of mineral deposits. Models themselves can be classified according to their essential attributes (for example: descriptive, grade-tonnage models, genetic, geoenvironmental, geophysical, probability of occurrence, and quantitative process models)." (Stoeser and Heran, 2000). They are a tool for assessing areas for undiscovered mineral deposits.
This project focused on updating mineral deposit models for future assessment work within the U.S. The updated models included six gold deposit types (epithermal, orogenic, Carlin-like, alkaline-related, iron oxide copper gold, and Precambrian paleoplacer), sedimentary phosphorus (± rare earth elements) deposits, and titanium-rare earth element placer deposits. These mineral deposit models are designed for assessment use and include components on geoenvironmental impacts, human health, and critical elements. Other activities included investigating modern techniques in the applications of geochemistry and geophysics for all gold models.
Reference: Stoeser, D.B., and W.D. Heran, 2000, USGS mineral deposit models: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 64, 1 disk, https://doi.org/10.3133/ds64.
Below are publications associated with this project and previous mineral deposit model publications.
Mississippi Valley-Type Lead-Zinc Deposit Model
Low-fluorine Stockwork Molybdenite Deposits
Carbonatites of the world, explored deposits of Nb and REE— Database and grade and tonnage models
Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits of the World - Database and Grade and Tonnage Models
Modeling cape- and ridge-associated marine sand deposits: A focus on the U.S. Atlantic Continental Shelf
Preliminary model of porphyry copper deposits
Porphyry copper deposits of the world: Database and grade and tonnage models, 2008
Proceedings for a workshop on deposit modeling, mineral resource assessment, and their role in sustainable development
Descriptive and Grade-Tonnage Models and Database for Iron Oxide Cu-Au Deposits
A tectonic model for the spatial occurrence of porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits - applications to Central Europe
Porphyry copper deposits of the world: database, map, and grade and tonnage models
Sediment-hosted copper deposits of the world: Deposit models and database
- Overview
USGS Mineral Deposit Models are "an organized arrangement of information describing the essential characteristics or properties of a class of mineral deposits. Models themselves can be classified according to their essential attributes (for example: descriptive, grade-tonnage models, genetic, geoenvironmental, geophysical, probability of occurrence, and quantitative process models)." (Stoeser and Heran, 2000). They are a tool for assessing areas for undiscovered mineral deposits.
This project focused on updating mineral deposit models for future assessment work within the U.S. The updated models included six gold deposit types (epithermal, orogenic, Carlin-like, alkaline-related, iron oxide copper gold, and Precambrian paleoplacer), sedimentary phosphorus (± rare earth elements) deposits, and titanium-rare earth element placer deposits. These mineral deposit models are designed for assessment use and include components on geoenvironmental impacts, human health, and critical elements. Other activities included investigating modern techniques in the applications of geochemistry and geophysics for all gold models.
Reference: Stoeser, D.B., and W.D. Heran, 2000, USGS mineral deposit models: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 64, 1 disk, https://doi.org/10.3133/ds64.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project and previous mineral deposit model publications.
Filter Total Items: 91Mississippi Valley-Type Lead-Zinc Deposit Model
Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) lead-zinc (Pb+Zn) deposits are found throughout the world, and these deposits are characteristically distributed over hundreds of square kilometers that define individual ore districts. The median size of individual MVT deposits is 7.0 million tonnes with grades of about 7.9 percent Pb+Zn metal. However, MVT deposits usually occur in extensive districts consisting ofAuthorsDavid L. Leach, Ryan D. TaylorLow-fluorine Stockwork Molybdenite Deposits
Low-fluorine stockwork molybdenite deposits are closely related to porphyry copper deposits, being similar in their tectonic setting (continental volcanic arc) and the petrology (calc-alkaline) of associated igneous rock types. They are mainly restricted to the Cordillera of western Canada and the northwest United States, and their distribution elsewhere in the world may be limited. The deposits cAuthorsSteve Ludington, Jane Hammarstrom, Nadine M. PiatakCarbonatites of the world, explored deposits of Nb and REE— Database and grade and tonnage models
This report is based on published tonnage and grade data on 58 Nb- and rare-earth-element (REE)-bearing carbonatite deposits that are mostly well explored and are partially mined or contain resources of these elements. The deposits represent only a part of the known 527 carbonatites around the world, but they are characterized by reliable quantitative data on ore tonnages and grades of niobium andAuthorsVladimir I. Berger, Donald A. Singer, Greta J. OrrisVolcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits of the World - Database and Grade and Tonnage Models
Grade and tonnage models are useful in quantitative mineral-resource assessments. The models and database presented in this report are an update of earlier publications about volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits. These VMS deposits include what were formerly classified as kuroko, Cyprus, and Besshi deposits. The update was necessary because of new information about some deposits, changes inAuthorsDan L. Mosier, Vladimir I. Berger, Donald A. SingerModeling cape- and ridge-associated marine sand deposits: A focus on the U.S. Atlantic Continental Shelf
Cape- and ridge-associated marine sand deposits, which accumulate on storm-dominated continental shelves that are undergoing Holocene marine transgression, are particularly notable in a segment of the U.S. Atlantic Continental Shelf that extends southward from the east tip of Long Island, N.Y., and eastward from Cape May at the south end of the New Jersey shoreline. These sand deposits commonly coAuthorsJames D. Bliss, S. Jeffress Williams, Karen S. BolmPreliminary model of porphyry copper deposits
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Resources Program develops mineral-deposit models for application in USGS mineral-resource assessments and other mineral resource-related activities within the USGS as well as for nongovernmental applications. Periodic updates of models are published in order to incorporate new concepts and findings on the occurrence, nature, and origin of specific mineralAuthorsByron R. Berger, Robert A. Ayuso, Jeffrey C. Wynn, Robert R. SealPorphyry copper deposits of the world: Database and grade and tonnage models, 2008
This report is an update of earlier publications about porphyry copper deposits (Singer, Berger, and Moring, 2002; Singer, D.A., Berger, V.I., and Moring, B.C., 2005). The update was necessary because of new information about substantial increases in resources in some deposits and because we revised locations of some deposits so that they are consistent with images in GoogleEarth. In this report wAuthorsDonald A. Singer, Vladimir I. Berger, Barry C. MoringProceedings for a workshop on deposit modeling, mineral resource assessment, and their role in sustainable development
The world's use of nonfuel mineral resources continues to increase to support a growing population and increasing standards of living. The ability to meet this increasing demand is affected especially by concerns about possible environmental degradation associated with minerals production and by competing land uses. What information does the world need to support global minerals development in a sDescriptive and Grade-Tonnage Models and Database for Iron Oxide Cu-Au Deposits
Iron oxide Cu-Au deposits are veins and breccia-hosted bodies of hematite and/or magnetite with disseminated Cu + Au ? Ag ? Pd ? Pt ? Ni ? U ? LREE minerals formed in sedimentary or volcano-sedimentary basins intruded by igneous rocks. Deposits are associated with broad redox boundaries and feature sodic alteration of source rocks and potassic alteration of host rocks.AuthorsDennis P. Cox, Donald A. SingerA tectonic model for the spatial occurrence of porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits - applications to Central Europe
A structural-tectonic model, which was developed to assess the occurrence of undiscovered porphyry copper deposits and associated polymetallic vein systems for the Matra Mountains, Hungary, has been expanded here and applied to other parts of central Europe. The model explains how granitoid stocks are emplaced and hydrothermal fluids flow within local strain features (duplexes) within strike-slipAuthorsLawrence J. DrewPorphyry copper deposits of the world: database, map, and grade and tonnage models
Mineral deposit models are important in exploration planning and quantitative resource assessments for two reasons: (1) grades and tonnages among deposit types are significantly different, and (2) many types occur in different geologic settings that can be identified from geologic maps. Mineral deposit models are the keystone in combining the diverse geoscience information on geology, mineral occuAuthorsDonald A. Singer, Vladimir Iosifovich Berger, Barry C. MoringSediment-hosted copper deposits of the world: Deposit models and database
Introduction This publication contains four descriptive models and four grade-tonnage models for sediment hosted copper deposits. Descriptive models are useful in exploration planning and resource assessment because they enable the user to identify deposits in the field and to identify areas on geologic and geophysical maps where deposits could occur. Grade and tonnage models are used in resourAuthorsDennis P. Cox, David A. Lindsey, Donald A. Singer, Barry C. Moring, Michael F. Diggles