kuroko deposit

mineralogy

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June 30, 2026

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The term "kuroko deposit" refers to a specific type of volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) mineral deposit. These deposits form in ancient seafloor rocks where volcanism occurs beneath the sea. Seawater penetrates volcanic rocks, gets heated by magma, and reacts with the surrounding rocks, concentrating scarce metals into a hydrothermal solution. When this solution forms a hot spring on the seafloor, it cools rapidly, depositing its dissolved minerals.

Kuroko deposits, found in Japan, are known for yielding rich ores containing significant amounts of copper, lead, and zinc, along with gold and silver. These are among the most valuable VMS deposits globally.1

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mineral deposit
Volcanogenic massive sulfides
…found in Japan and called kuroko deposits, yield ores that contain as much as 20 percent combined copper, lead, and zinc by weight, plus important amounts of gold and silver. Other famous VMS deposits are the historic copper deposits of Cyprus and, in Canada, the Kidd Creek deposit in Ontario…
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…found in Japan and called kuroko deposits, yield ores that contain as much as 20 percent combined copper, lead, and zinc by weight, plus important amounts of gold and silver. Other famous VMS deposits are the historic copper deposits of Cyprus and, in Canada, the Kidd Creek deposit in Ontario…
Read More