Magmatic Ore deposits-
Magmatic ore deposits, also known as orthomagmatic ore deposits, are deposits
within igneous rocks or along their contacts in which ore minerals crystallised
from a melt or were transported in a melt. Ore deposits that form in and around
igneous rock units as a result of mineral precipitation from aqueous solutions or
hydrothermal fluids are hydrothermal ore deposits. Magmatic-hydrothermal ore
deposits are hydrothermal ore deposits in which the aqueous solutions were
derived from magma. These deposits are genetically linked with the evolution of
magmas emplaced into the crust (either continental or oceanic). These deposits are
formed during different stages of magma crystallization. Certain metallic oxides,
Sulphides and native mineral were formed during the early stages of magma
crystallization and become segregated by crystal separation to form early
magmatic mineral deposit.
Magmatic process such as partial melting, crystal fractionation, or crystal settling
in a magma chamber can concentrate ore minerals containing valuable substances
by taking elements that were once widely dispersed in low concentrations in the
magma and concentrating them in minerals that separate from the magma. The
most important magmatic deposits are restricted to mafic and ultramafic rocks
which represent the crystallization products of basaltic or ultramafic magma.
Petrological and geochemical background to magmatic ore formation-
Magmas evolve in magmatic systems. A magmatic system is the site of melting,
the pathway of magma migration and the site of crystallisation within a specific
geological and tectonic environment. A magmatic system will extend from the
mantle to the upper crust . The processes that control magma compositions and
compositions of igneous rock that crystallise from the magmas include: partial
melting at the source and interaction between the melt and unmelted, restite
minerals; interaction with wall-rocks the magma comes in contact with;
assimilation of partial melts of wallrocks; mixing of magmas from different
sources; separation of a magma into two or more immiscible melts; fractional
crystallisation of minerals; and mineral accumulation.
Most geological melts are partial melts of a source rock. Rocks melt progressively
as temperature is increased above the respective solidus. The processes of melt
collection and more rapid upward migration to form magma that reaches the upper
crust are complex, and for melts that are progressively formed with increasing
temperature, probably involve variable degrees of separation of melt from restite as
well as variable rates of transport. Typical magmas are likely mixtures of multiple
aliquots of melt that may have variably interacted with rocks after their formation
as they rise through the mantle and crust. The relative degrees of partial melting
are expressed through a simplified ‘batch melting and extraction’ model
Figure-
Sites and mechanisms
of compositional
evolution of magmas
and the development
of magmatic chemical
variability within a
schematic of magmatic
systems extending
from
mantle lithosphere or
asthenosphere into the
upper crust.
Genetic classification of ore genetic processes
Magmatic ore
deposits
Early Late
Magmatic Magmatic
Deposits Deposits
1. Early Magmatic deposits –
Ore mineral crystallize earlier than that of rock silicate. Also known as
orthotectic and orthomagmatic. Form simulataneously with the host rock. The
early formed ore mineral in the deposit may occur as below-
Disseminated in the enclosing rock. The diamond might have
crystallized early and were transported with the enclosing magma and
even continued to grow before final consolidation took place in the
present pipes. Eg- Diamond in kimberlite of Madhya Pradesh and
Andhra Pradesh.
Segregated due to gravitative crystallization differentiation. This may be
due to sinking of early formed crystal to the lower part of the magma
chamber or by marginal accumulation. Eg- Stratiform and banded
graded graded deposit of chromite, Orissa.
Injected into the host rock or the surrounding rocks. It occur as veins and
lenses within ultrabasics and gabbro. Eg- Vanadiferous Magnetite
deposit, Bihar
2. Late Magmatic deposits –
Ore mineral crystallize later than that of rock silicates. Formed towards the
close of magmatic period. Always associated with mafic igneous rock. The late
L a t e m a g m a ti c d e p o s it
magmatic deposit may be accounted for-
Residual liquid
segregation
Immiscible liquid
segregation
Immiscible liquid
injection
Residual liquid
injection
Residual liquid segregation wherein the residual magma with
crystallization become progressively richer in silica, alkali and water. In
certain mafic magmas residual liquid gets enriched in Fe,Ti and volatiles
and settle at the bottom of the magma chamber or crystallize in the
interstices of the early formed crystal. Eg- Titaniferous Magnetite of
Hasan district, Karnataka.
Residual Liquid Injection which take place due to earths disturbance like
igneous intrusion. The residual liquid rich in iron when injected
crystallized to form magnetite deposit. The iron-rich residual liquid
accumulated in the above manner may be subjected to movement because
of:
a. Gentle tilting (causing lateral movement).
b. Pressure and be squirted out to places of lesser pressure.
In both cases it may be injected into adjacent rocks and even in the earlier
consolidated parent silicate mass.Eg- Magnetite dyke rock of
Kasipatanam, Andhra Pradesh.
Immiscible liquid segregation in which certain salts in magma under
certain conditions separate out an unmixed solutions. Sometimes magma
of an ore-and-silicate composition breaks down during cooling into two
immiscible fractions which accumulate to form liquid segregation
deposits. Eg- Lead-zinc-copper-sulphide deposit of Bihar.
Immiscible liquid injection when the unmixed sulphide rich fraction
accumulated in the magma chamber. They intrude the older rocks and
enclose brecciated fragments of host and foreign rocks. This kind of
deposit show transition to hydrothermal types with enrichment of volatile
matters. The immiscible liquid accumulations before consolidation when
subjected to disturbances, get injected into the surrounding rocks,
forming immiscible liquid injection. Ex- Singhbhum copper belt.
