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Supergene enrichment identification and geology

A process by which the metal content of an ore deposit is increased by the downward migration and reprecipitation of metals dissolved from the oxidation zone near the surface. Oxidizing groundwater dissolves copper and other metals from sulfide minerals in the upper part of a deposit and carries them downward to the water table, where reducing conditions cause precipitation of higher-grade secondary sulfide minerals such as chalcocite and covellite. Field: economic geology. Example: The supergene-enriched blanket at the Morenci copper deposit in Arizona converted primary 0.4% Cu sulfide ore to secondary chalcocite ore grading over 1% Cu, making it one of the world's largest copper mines.. Related terms: Gossan, Oxidation zone, Chalcocite, Leaching.

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.127987+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Supergene enrichment mean in geology?
A process by which the metal content of an ore deposit is increased by the downward migration and reprecipitation of metals dissolved from the oxidation zone near the surface. Oxidizing groundwater dissolves copper and other metals from sulfide minerals in the upper part of a deposit and carries them downward to the water table, where reducing conditions cause precipitation of higher-grade secondary sulfide minerals such as chalcocite and covellite.
What is an example of Supergene enrichment?
The supergene-enriched blanket at the Morenci copper deposit in Arizona converted primary 0.4% Cu sulfide ore to secondary chalcocite ore grading over 1% Cu, making it one of the world's largest copper mines.
Which earth-science field uses the term Supergene enrichment?
Supergene enrichment is used in economic geology.
Which terms are related to Supergene enrichment?
Related terms in this reference are Gossan, Oxidation zone, Chalcocite, Leaching.

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