My OperaSeafloor Copper-Gold Deposits
Monday, September 24, 2007 9:30:07 AM
Seafloor massive sulphide deposits were first recognised during the exploration of the deep oceans and the mid ocean ridge spreading centres in the early 1960's. Deep ocean Bathyspheres and Remote Operated Vehicles have visited and taken samples of black smoker chimneys, and it has been long recognised that such chimneys contain appreciable grades of copper, lead, zinc, silver, gold and other trace metals. Massive sulphide deposits are currently forming in the deep ocean around submarine volcanic arcs, where hydrothermal vents exhale sulphide-rich mineralising fluids into the ocean. Massive sulphide deposits are laterally extensive and are comprised of a central vent mound around the area where the hydrothermal circulation exits, with a wide apron of unconsolidated sulphide silt or ooze which precipitates upon the seafloor.
The diagram shows the principle of a hydrothermal vent. Magmatic processes provide the driving mechanism for hydrothermal circulation through oceanic rocks. Seawater with a starting temperature of around 2°C seeps through the lavas above a magmachamber and are heated to around 400°C. The hot water dissolves minerals (like copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold) in from the surrounding rocks. We now have what is called a hydrothermal fluid. When the hydrothermal fluids exit the chimney and mix with the cold seawater sulphide and sulphate precipitates.
Cyprus was famous in antiquity for its copper resources. In fact the very word copper is derived from the Greek name for the island, Kupros. The Cyprus copper deposits are ancient massive sulphide deposits once formed on the ocean floor.
Obviously extraction of seafloor massive sulphide deposits would be of economic interest. The biggest complication is the extreme water depths at which these deposits are forming. Anyway exploration for such deposits is going on, and Nautilus Minerals Inc. is one of the players - See its News Release of 20 September 2007.
The Company's main focus for 2007 is a project located in the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea between the island chains of New Britain and New Ireland in the western Pacific Ocean.
The Company acquires electromagnetic data from a Remotely Operated Vehicle operating in 1,500m water depth. In the electromagnetic profile the sulphide body shows up as a large electromagnetic anomaly (see Nautilus image).
PS: Maybe a map of major tectonic boundaries in the area would be relevant. Here it comes:
The diagram shows the principle of a hydrothermal vent. Magmatic processes provide the driving mechanism for hydrothermal circulation through oceanic rocks. Seawater with a starting temperature of around 2°C seeps through the lavas above a magmachamber and are heated to around 400°C. The hot water dissolves minerals (like copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold) in from the surrounding rocks. We now have what is called a hydrothermal fluid. When the hydrothermal fluids exit the chimney and mix with the cold seawater sulphide and sulphate precipitates.Cyprus was famous in antiquity for its copper resources. In fact the very word copper is derived from the Greek name for the island, Kupros. The Cyprus copper deposits are ancient massive sulphide deposits once formed on the ocean floor.
Obviously extraction of seafloor massive sulphide deposits would be of economic interest. The biggest complication is the extreme water depths at which these deposits are forming. Anyway exploration for such deposits is going on, and Nautilus Minerals Inc. is one of the players - See its News Release of 20 September 2007.
The Company's main focus for 2007 is a project located in the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea between the island chains of New Britain and New Ireland in the western Pacific Ocean.The Company acquires electromagnetic data from a Remotely Operated Vehicle operating in 1,500m water depth. In the electromagnetic profile the sulphide body shows up as a large electromagnetic anomaly (see Nautilus image).
PS: Maybe a map of major tectonic boundaries in the area would be relevant. Here it comes:
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