Paleozoic stratigraphy as an ore control of hydrothermal, base-metal, sulfide deposits in New Mexico

<p>"Until now the concept or regional stratigraphic control of hydrothermal ore deposits has not received much attention in the literature as a possible exploration guide for locating additional ore bodies. This concept is applied on a regional scale to Paleozoic strata in thirteen mining districts with hydrothermal base-metal deposits in a 35,300 square mile area or southwest New Mexico.</p> <p>The rocks at the stratigraphic position of the ore-zones are characterized as massive- to thick-bedded with less than 5 percent chert present. The rocks are abundantly to moderately fractured. Fine- to medium-grained dolomite is the dominant host-rock in the lower Paleozoic and limestone is the host-rock in the upper Paleozoic. Limestones have been the most productive. Grainstones and packstones have shown large production while carbonate mudstones and wackestones are more common in less productive horizons.</p> <p>The basal Paleozoic Bliss Sandstone (Cambrian-Ordovician) and Devonian shale strata are barren of ore deposits. The productive Paleozoic subdivisions in order of decreasing productivity are the Mississippian strata, Pennsylvanian strata, Fusselman Dolomite (Silurian), Montoya Dolomite (Ordovician), El Paso Limestone (Ordovician) and Permian strata. These strata have been the major host-rock for lead and zinc produced in New Mexico during the period 1848 to 1959.</p> <p>Local thickness trends except in two cases appear to exert little influence on ore deposition. The presence of overlying shale appears to localize deposits near the top of favorable strata_ Lead is the dominant base-metal produced from lower Paleozoic dolomite host-rock while zinc is the dominant metal produced from upper Paleozoic limestone host-rock.</p> <p>Favorable Paleozoic strata near Laramide intrusives of proper size and character represent an ideal exploration target in southwest New Mexico"--Abstract, pages ii-iii.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D. in Geology

Grantor

University of Missouri--Rolla

Year dc:date.available

2016

Author dc:creator

• Sullivan, John Samuel, Jr.

• Geology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/247

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsmine.mst.edu:doctoral_dissertations-1249