Mining 101: Ep 21. What is a Massive Sulfide?

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Louis Lepry, President & CEO of Tintina Resources (TSX.V : TAU) explains what a massive sulfide is.

From Wiki:Volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposits (VMS ) are a type of metal sulfide ore deposit, mainly Cu-Zn-Pb which are associated with and created by volcanic-associated hydrothermal events in submarine environments.

These deposits are also sometimes called volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits. They are predominantly layered accumulations of sulfide minerals that precipitate from hydrothermal fluids on or below the seafloor in a wide range of ancient and modern geological settings. In modern oceans they are synonymous with sulfurous plumes called black smokers.

They occur within environments dominated by volcanic or volcanic-derived (e.g., volcano-sedimentary) rocks, and the deposits are contemporary and coincident with the formation of associated volcanic rocks. As a class, they represent a significant source of the world's Cu, Zn, Pb, Au, and Ag ores, with Co, Sn, Ba, S, Se, Mn, Cd, In, Bi, Te, Ga and Ge as mining by-products.