The Geologic Features of the Occurrence of Copper in North America

Abstract

Copper is of such widespread natural occurrence in North America and there are so few metal-mining districts that have not contributed to its production that it is obviously necessary in any brief general treatment of the geology of the copper deposits of the continent to restrict the discussion to the districts in which copper is the dominant metallic product. Otherwise the summary would be unreasonably long. The copper deposits of North America may be classified in various ways--with respect to form, genesis, geologic age, distribution, and distinctive features of character or occurrence. On the whole, an areal grouping will probably be most satisfactory. To some extent this will coincide with a classification based on the form or character of the deposits, but there will be notable exceptions. Classification, after all, is merely a human-expedient for systematizing description and for facilitating studies of origin. It is essentially artificial and sets up class distinctions, the legality of which, at least so far as ore deposits are concerned, Nature does not recognize.