Acta Geodynamica et Geomaterialia

Title: DISTRIBUTION OF METALLOGENIC ZONES OF THE CAUCASUS REGION ORIGINATED AS A RESULT OF THE SUBDUCTION OF THE LITHOSPHERE OF THE TETHYS PALEO-OCEANIC PLATE UNDER THE EAST-EUROPEAN PALEO-CONTINENTAL PLATE
Authors: Kharitonov Andrey Leonidovich and Gavrilov Sergey Vladilenovich
DOI: 10.13168/AGG.2021.0014
Journal: Acta Geodynamica et Geomaterialia, Vol. 18, No. 2 (202), Prague 2021
Full Text: PDF file (5.5 MB)
Keywords: Subduction velocity of Tethys paleo-oceanic lithospheric plate, Karig-Richter convective flows, mantle wedge thermal convection, mantle rheology, calc-alkali magmas, metallogenic zones
Abstract: On the assumption that the 2D heat flux anomaly in the territory of Caucasus is provided by the convective heat transfer from the mantle wedge, the angle and velocity of subduction of the paleo-lithospheric plate Tethys (Mediterranean and East Black Sea paleo-lithospheric plates) under the East-European paleo-lithospheric plate (Caucasus region) are estimated numerically. Within the framework of the geodynamical model constructed the horizontal extent of the 2D heat flux anomaly observed in the rear of the Caucasus mountain belt corresponds to subduction velocity of ~ 40 mm per year which is close to that observed with the help of geodetic means. The upwelling convective mantle flows can transport the mantle calc-alkali magmas (containing metals) to the subsurface Earth’s crust layers, thus making the ore deposits to be attached to the upper lithospheric locations above the ascending flows of the Karig-Richter vortices.