"Exploring the interrelationships between subvolcanic and volcanic architecture, magmatism, tectonics and VMS deposit genesis"

火山成因块状硫化物（VMS）矿体是稀有且极具价值的硫化物矿物聚集体，从中可生产锌、铜、银和金等重要工业金属和贵金属。它们是在海底火山活动期间形成的，在那里，热的（>300 C），演化的，含金属和硫的海水，可能有一种来自岩浆（岩浆流体）的成分，被排放到古代和现代火山内的海底，由于快速冷却，在海底和海底下沉积了硫化物矿物。 本研究的主要目的是：1）通过考察大尺度特征，如地球动力学背景的差异、火山和侵入体的结构和历史、岩浆的来源、下伏洋壳的类型和厚度以及沉积环境，确定为什么某些海底火山岩序列中含有VMS沉积物，而大多数海底火山岩序列中不含有VMS沉积物; 2）通过了解次火山侵入体结构、历史、成分-温度和寿命的作用，确定岩浆和岩浆热在产生和驱动热VMS热液系统中的重要性; 3）确定火山岩岩相对解释VMS盆地形态的有用性，以便确定对海底VMS沉积物的位置和形成的控制;（4）教育和培训高素质的人才，以取代老化的勘探劳动力，和/或继续进行研究。 这项研究的结果将有利于那些探索VMS矿床的人，因此，加拿大采矿业将是这项研究的直接受益者，间接地，非城市，北方加拿大，采矿社区的生存，增长和繁荣与成功的勘探和负责任的采矿密切相关。这项研究还将有利于那些通过分析古代和/或现代海底火山及其所含VMS沉积物来研究我们星球演变的人。

Volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) ore bodies are rare and incredibly valuable accumulations of sulphide minerals from which important industrial and precious metals such as zinc, copper, silver and gold are produced. They form during submarine volcanism where hot (>300 C), evolved, metal- and sulphur-bearing seawater, perhaps with a component derived from magmas (magmatic fluid), is discharged onto the seafloor within ancient and modern volcanoes and, due to rapid cooling, deposited sulphide minerals at, and immediately below the seafloor. The objectives of this research are to: 1) determine why some submarine volcanic successions contain VMS deposits, whereas most do not, by examining large scale features such as differences in geodynamic setting, volcanic and intrusion architecture and history, the origin of the magmas, the type and thickness of underlying ocean crust, and the depositional environment; 2) determine the importance of magmas and magmatic heat in generating and driving hot VMS hydrothermal systems by understanding the role of subvolcanic intrusion architecture, history, composition-temperature, and longevity; 3) determine the usefulness of volcaniclastic lithofacies to decipher VMS basin morphology in order to determine controls on the location and formation of the VMS deposits on the seafloor; and 4) to educate and train highly qualified personnel to replace those in an aging exploration work force, and/or to continue in research. Results of this research will benefit those who explore for VMS deposits and, as such, the Canadian mining industry will be a direct beneficiary of this research and, indirectly, so will the non-urban, northern Canadian, mining communities whose survival, growth, and prosperity are closely linked to successful exploration and responsible mining. The research will also benefit those who study the evolution of our planet through analysis of ancient and/or modern seafloor volcanoes and their contained VMS deposits.