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Hydrothermal vein deposits are formed when these hydrothermal solutions enter a country rock
along cracks and fractures. It precipitates in the parent rock in a vein like structure.
The hydrothermal solution in vein deposits can also soak through the country rock which for
disseminated ore deposits. This is less concentrated but as formed with the vein together they form
economical deposit.
Disseminated copper depoits are associated with porphyry copper deposits. This depoist is
associated with granitic to dioritic composition.
Sedimentary process
Sedimentary process includes sedimentary sorting and precipitation.
Sedimentary sorting
Sedimentary sorting is the settling down of heavy minerals first and later of the less denser
particles. example of such sorting is settling of gold in a stream when water slows down. As
streams flows it carries clay, sand and gold particles. Gold settles down and conceive in the
bedrock into coarser sediments. Gold concentrates in the bedrock and coarser gravel and is placer
deposits.
Precipitation
Water seeping through the soil and bedrock dissolve ions which then flows into streams and
oceans providing sodium and chloride ions which makes water salty. these can deposit only by the
evaporation process which is not possible in the ocean however, lakes developed in the deserts
evaporates and evaporites deposits are formed by precipitating crystals.
Weathering process
Environments of high rainfall, water dissolves most soluble ions forms the soil and exposed
surface rocks where insoluble ions are left as a residual. Iron and aluminium have less solubility
so these ions are left behind which forms the bauxite. Bauxite is the principal aluminium
providing residual but in come cases iron can also accumulate enough to be economical deposit.
Weathering process can also provide metals to ores which are produced by other processes.
Disseminated deposits contain metals but are not economical to mine so ground water and rainfall
weathers these metals. In some cases metals react to weathering instead of removal which creates
a supergene ore rich in metals above low grade mineralization.
Metamorphic process
Metamorphic rocks form by heat and pressure altering mineralogy and it can also expel water
from the rocks. This water due to heat makes hydrothermal deposits so they are also associated
with metamorphism