On January 8th, a groundbreaking study co-authored by Professor Liu Yongsheng, President of Yangtze University, has been published in international top academic journal Nature. The research titled “Sulfide-rich continental roots at cratonic margins formed by carbonated melts”, provides novel insights into mineral genesis and holds significant implications for critical metal exploration.

 Cratons, ancient and stable continental blocks rich in mineral resources, require deeper investigation into how and where they are distributed in the cratonic lithosphere mantle and their role in the initial enrichment of metals. Through high-temperature and high-pressure experiments simulating deep magma evolution at cratonic margins, the research team discovered that when carbonate-rich magmas ascend to the margins, silicate precipitation forms igneous carbonatites, while metals and sulfur precipitate to create sulfide-rich continental roots. Notably, sulfide-rich and copper-rich continental roots at depths of 160–190 km at cratonic margins. The spatiotemporal analysis of global data demonstrates that sulfide-rich continental roots govern the formation and distribution of carbonatite and sulfide mineral deposits, with craton margins exhibiting abundant carbonatites emerging as potential enrichment zones for critical metals.

Full paper can be accessed at the following link:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08316-w