1. Oxidised zones of ore deposits. The region above the water-table in an ore deposit is known as the oxidised zone as it is the zone of oxidation of the primary ore minerals.
1.1. The most common minerals found in oxidised zones are copper, iron, lead, silver, zinc, and many others.
2. Supergene Zone. This is where metals are deposited by fluids percolating downwrds from the oxidised zone.
2.1. The most common minerals found in the supergene zone are copper, lead, nickel, silver, and zinc.
3. Clasifiction and types of mineral deposits. Geologits classify mineral deposits according to the commodity being mined, tectonic setting in which the deposit occurs, geological setting of the mineral deposit, and the genetic model for the origin of the ore deposit.
3.1. Some of these deposits include the orthomagmatic, Pneumatolytic and pegmatitic deposits, hydrothermal, archaean gold and epithermal gold deposits, and sedementary deposits. There are also organic deposits such as coal, oil, and residual deposits.
4. What is an ore? An ore is a rock that contains minerals and important elements including metals.
4.1. There are many types of geological deposits and they can be divided into metallic, non-metallic, and fossil fuel deposits.
5. Economic viability of ore deposits. The main factors that controls the economic viability are grade, size of the deposits, easy access to infrastructure, current price for the commodity, and demand.
