supergene enrichment
Weathering metal accumulation
Supergene enrichment is a geological process where descending groundwater concentrates valuable metals—especially copper—in ore deposits near the water table.
As surface water percolates through oxidized rock, it dissolves metals and redeposits them at depth, creating zones significantly richer than the original ore.
Mining operations target these enriched zones: The supergene enrichment at Morenci made extraction economically viable.
- malachiteGreen copper carbonate stone
- leachingDissolving out by liquid
- oxidationLosing electrons chemically
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
- water tableTop of groundwater zone
secondary · chemical weathering · azurite · precipitation · redox reactions · hematite · acidification · hydrolysis · native · bonanza · galena · groundwater · ore · deposit · sulfide · porphyry · vein · mining
- mineralizationcalcification, crystallization, fossilization, petrification, precipitation
- Oresiron ore, copper ore, silver ore, tin ore, lead ore
- ore depositslode, mineral deposits, vein, motherlode, gold deposits
- rock processesmineralization, albitization, contact metamorphism, metamorphism, recrystallization