ladder vein
Quick Summary
In geology, a vein is an ore body found within specific boundaries in surrounding rock or minerals, known as gangue. There are two main types: fissure veins and ladder veins.1
Ladder veins are characterized by short, parallel fractures that cross igneous rock dikes from one side to the other. While their width is limited by the dike's width, they can extend significantly along its length. Ladder veins are less common and generally less significant than fissure veins.1
Fissure veins, on the other hand, occupy one or more fissures and are tabular in shape. They form in two stages: first, a fissure is created, and then it is filled with ore. These veins can be simple, chambered, dilation, sheeted, or composite, depending on the fissure's characteristics. A fissure vein can also be described as a crack in the Earth's crust filled with minerals deposited from water solutions.12
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