Английская Википедия:Chilean Iron Belt

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Шаблон:Infobox rockunit The Chilean Iron Belt is a geological province rich in iron ore deposits in northern Chile. It extends as a north-south beld along the western part of the Chilean regions of Coquimbo and Atacama, chiefly between the cities of La Serena and Taltal.[1][2] The belt follows much of the Atacama Fault System and is about 600 km long and 25 km broad.[2][3]

Iron oxide-apatite, iron oxide copper gold ore deposits (IOCG) and manto-type copper and silver are the main types of deposits.[1][2] Iron-apatite and IOCG are considered to have different origins.[4] Manto-type deposits are concentrated in the northern part of the belt and are chiefly emplaced on rocks of La Negra Formation.[1]

The ores of the Chilean Iron Belt formed in separate pulses in the Cretaceous period as result of magmatic and hydrothermal processes.[1] At least part of the iron oxide-apatite rock originated from molten iron in the form of lava, tephra.[3] and intrusions.[4] Thus iron oxide apatite magma cooled into rock variously from surface volcanoes to depths of 10 km over even more.[4]

Some geologists have speculated that a large meteorite impact in the Pacific during the Cretaceous period may have set in motion a series of tectonic changes that led to the formation the ores.[5]

Iron mines along the Chilean Iron Belt

References

Шаблон:Reflist

Шаблон:Major South American geological formations