Stable isotopes and mineral resource investigations in the United States
The elements oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, and carbon are important constituents of hydrothermal ore-forming systems and the weathering processes of mineral deposits in the surficial environment. They also play key roles in volcanic activity, ecosystem dynamics, climate change, and hydrologic and atmospheric processes. Therefore, study of the stable isotopes of these elements can provide powerful insights into these processes. This is especially true for ongoing U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) projects in the Eastern United States that are concerned with the origins of base (copper, lead, and zinc) and precious (gold and silver) metal deposits in the Carolina slate belt and northern Maine and with the environmental effects of weathering of mineral deposits (fig. 1).
Citation Information
Publication Year | 1999 |
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Title | Stable isotopes and mineral resource investigations in the United States |
DOI | 10.3133/70220369 |
Authors | Robert R. Seal |
Publication Type | Report |
Publication Subtype | USGS Unnumbered Series |
Series Title | Information Handout |
Index ID | 70220369 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |