Монография охватывает большой круг вопросов, относящихся к формированию месторождений бора, золота, серебра, меди, полиметаллов, молибдена и вольфрама, олова и редких металлов, а также части редкоземельных и радиоактивных элементов, заключенных в особой формации скарнов — формации магнезиальных скарнов.

В монографии дается краткий обзор условий образования, метасоматической зональности, минерального состава и химического состава магнезиальных скарнов магматического этапа и продуктов их послемагматического преобразования в ранней щелочной стадии и стадии кислотного выщелачивания.

Геологическая история формирования рудных месторождений в формации магнезиальных скарнов начинается с внедрения интрузии в доломиты, на месте которых образуются магнезиальные скарны магматического этапа. С последними синхронна лишь часть промышленного магнетитового оруденения (Шабынин, 19691). Остальные рудные концентрации возникают в послемагматическом этапе, им предшествуют или они сопровождаются различными преобразованиями исходных магнезиальных скарнов. В гипабиссальных условиях эти скарны в различной мере нередко почти полностью замещаются известковыми разностями, которые также несут промышленное орудене-ние различного состава.

Erdenetiin Ovoo, the largest porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit in Mongolia (1.78 Gt @ 0.62% Cu, 0.025% Mo), is exploited by the Erdenet mine. It is located within the Orkhon-Selenge volcano-sedimentary trough which was developed on an active continental margin. The geodynamic evolution of the trough involves an early intra-continental stage, comprising rifting of a shallow continental shelf, accompanied by the emplacement of sub-aerial Permian mafic and felsic, and Triassic mafic volcanics. The Permian volcanics are predominantly alkali-rich trachyandesites, occurring as interlay ered flows and pyroclastics of the Khanui Group, overlying a Vendian (late Neoproterozoic) to early Cambrian basement with Palaeozoic (Devonian) granitoid intrusions, and Carboniferous sediments. Plutons, ranging in composition from diorite to granodiorite, quartz syenite and leucogranite intrude the Permian volcanic succession and exhibit similar compositional trends as the host volcanics. This suggests the intrusions are related to, and possibly coeval with, the volcanic rocks. The Triassic Mogod Formation volcanics, which are largely composed of trachyte flows, trachyandesite and basaltiotrachyandesite, directly overlie the Permian sequence. Early Mesozoic porphyritic subvolcanic and hypabyssal intrusions, which are genetically associated with the trachyandesite volcanics, are related to a continental collisional setting. These include syn-mineral granodiorite-porphyry intrusions which form shallow bodies, occurring as elongated dykes or small, shallow stocks. These porphyries vary from quartz diorite through granodiorite to granite in composition. They are characterised by porphyritic textures (up to 40% phenocrysts) with plagioclase phenocrysts set in a fine-grained groundmass of K feldspar, and are found in the core of the hydrothermal systems, where they are associated with high-grade ore.

The Dexing porphyry copper field in Jiangxi, China, is defined by three porphyry copper deposits which are, from southeast to northwest, Fujiawu, Tongchang and Zhushahong respectively, and by the Guanmaoshan gold deposit which lies between Fujiawu and Tongchang. Technically, the field lies on the southeastern edge of the Jiangnan Anteclise, and is controlled by the NE-trending, deep-seated, Gandongbei fracture zone. The emplacement of the ore-bearing Fujiawu, Tongchang and Zhushahong granodiorite porphyry intrusions, dated at 184-172 Ma (Zhu et ah, 1983; Zhu et al9 1990), was also controlled by NW-trending structures. Mineralisation and alteration continued from 172 Ma to 100 Ma, and are characterised by symmetric zoning centred on the contacts between granodiorite porphyries and the enclosing country rocks of the Mesoproterozoic Shuangqiaoshan Group jrfryllites.

The Collahuasi district is located in northeastern Chile, approximately 200 km southeast of the port of Iquique. It defines an area of 1200 km2 in the Western Cordillera of the Andes Mountains, between altitudes of 4000 and 5000 m above sea level. The district hosts a cluster of mineralised centres that currently comprise three porphyry copper, associated high level epithermal vein, and palaeogravel-hosted exotic copper deposits. The Quebrada Blanca, Ujina and Rosario porphyry copper deposits are currently in production, as are the Huinquintipa exotic copper accumulations. The Collahuasi porphyry deposits are spatially associated with the West Fissure/Domeyko Fault System and appear to have been emplaced during a period of dextral transpression between 35-34 Ma.

The copper and molybdenum mineralisation of the Chuquicamata deposit has been known since the 19' century. The deposit is located within the Codelco Norte District in the Andes Ranges of northern Chile, 200 km northeast of the city of Antofagasta. Small miners initially worked the exposed oxidised outcrops and high grade oxide veins that were the surface expression of the deposit, although industrial scale mining did not commence until 1915 with open pit exploitation of the main disseminated oxides. Mining has continued to the present day, currently removing approximately 170 000 tonnes of ore and 400 000 tonnes of waste per day.

The formation of porphyry Cu deposits in calc-alkaline magmatic arcs is considered to be the cumulative product of a wide range of processes beginning with dehydration of the subducting oceanic slab. No single process is key to the formation of large deposits, but the absence or inefficient operation of any contributory process, or the action of a deleterious process, can stunt or prevent deposit formation.

Within Peru, Fe oxide-Cu-Au deposits are found mainly in the Western Andes range and on the coast, associated with the Jurassic-Cretaceous alkaline to calc-alkaline volcanism of the aborted ensialic Canete-Huarmey Marginal Basin. They also exist in the calc-alkaline plutons of the Coastal Batholith and theTholeiite Patap Super-unit, associated with continental margin processes. The exception is Cobriza (100 million tonnes' @ 1.5% Cu, Fe oxide-Cu-Au type; Cu calcic distal skarn) existing in the eastern range associated with Permian Tardihercynian distensive tectonics and alkaline granites.

Porphyry-style Cu-Au/Mo deposits are among the most sought after targets for both base and precious metal exploration in the world today. Of particular interest are the "super porphyry" copper and or gold deposits, because of their size, grade and ability to support large scale, long life, profitable operations.

The term "super porphyry" is interpreted loosely in this publication, relating in general to the largest deposits in any established porphyry province. For a discussion of the accepted terminology and size classification of large porphyry-style deposits, see the introduction section of Richards, (2005) in this publication.

Porphyry-style Cu-Au/Mo deposits are among the most sought after targets for both base and precious metal exploration in the world today. Of particular interest are the "super porphyry" copper and/or gold deposits, because of their size, grade and ability to support large scale, long life, profitable operations.

The term "super porphyry" is interpreted loosely in this publication, relating in general to the largest deposits in any established porphyry province. For a discussion of the accepted terminology and size classification of large porphyry-style deposits, see the introduction section of Richards, (2005) in this publication.

This preface presents the background to this book, the second volume of the "Hydrothermal Iron Oxide Copper-Gold & Related Deposits - A Global Perspective" series, and briefly discusses the rationale for inviting the papers it contains, their format and what it is hoped the volume will achieve. It also offers some observations on the unifying characteristics of the iron oxide copper-gold family of deposits and what they may represent in a broader context.

The "hydrothermal iron-oxide copper-gold" (IOCG) family and related deposits continue to attract keen interest, both as the subject of academic research and as arguably the most sought after mineral exploration target in the world today.