Skarn Deposits

摘要: Lawrence D. Meinert Department of Geology Washington State University Pullman, Washington 99164-2812 USA aaGGGGGS Skarn deposits occur throughout the world and have been mined for a variety of elements. This paper describes the basic stages of skarn formation and the main causes of variation from the general evolutionary model. Seven major classes of skarn deposits (Fe, W, Au, Cu, Zn, Mo and Sn) are briefly described, and relevant geological and geochemical features of important ex-amples are summarized in a comprehensive table. The important geochemical and geophysical parameters of skarn deposits are discussed, followed by a summary of important petrologic and tectonic constraints on skarn formation. Finally, exploration models are presented for several major skarn types, with a plea for field mapping as a fundamen-tal basis for future studies.