Characteristic minerals are psilomelane, hollandite, cryptomelane, and coronadite, more rarely ramsdellite and pyrolusite. Host rocks are Mn-deficient; 80 percent of examples are middle to late Tertiary layered volcanics. Though deposits are shallow, mostly mined to only 100-200 feet (maximum 500 feet), a hypogene origin is indicated by their persistent association with barite and fluorite, a peripheral position in the zonal pattern of some metal-mining districts, alteration of plagioclase to K-spar, and abundance of W, Pb, Cu, Mo, Ti, As, Sb. They represent the subzone of Mn-bearing epithermal vein deposits lying nearest the surface, succeeded in depth by four other subzones: barite, fluorite, gold-silver, and base metals.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 1964 |
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Title | Veins of hypogene manganese oxide minerals in the southwestern United States |
DOI | 10.2113/gsecongeo.59.8.1429 |
Authors | D. F. Hewett |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Economic Geology |
Series Number | |
Index ID | 70221905 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization |