Silver Deposits

Abstract

Silver is mainly recovered as a by- and coproduct along with Au, Pb, Zn, and Cu from polymetallic mines in Mongolia. Silver mineralization in Mongolia can be classified by age and host rocks. In terms of ages, the silver mineralization may have taken place during the period from Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic magmatism. Silver occurrences are hosted by terrigeneous sedimentary rocks (Asgat Ag-Sb-Cu-Bi, Mungun-Undur Pb-Zn-Ag deposits), volcanic-plutonic rocks (Ulaan Ag-Pb-Zn, Tsav Ag-Pb-Zn, Bayan-Uul Zn-Pb-Cu-Ag-Cd, Salkhit Ag-Au deposits), and carbonate rocks (Khartolgoi Pb-Ag-Sb-As deposit). The tectonic settings, geological features, and temporal and spatial distribution of these different types of silver occurrences likely indicate that silver mineralization took place during the Late Paleozoic period of accretion and the Mesozoic period of post-orogenic crustal extension events.