Skarn
“Where magma meets limestone”
Skarn forms when hot magma intrudes into carbonate rocks like limestone, triggering intense chemical reactions at the contact zone. This process, called contact metasomatism, produces a colorful rock rich in calcium and magnesium silicate minerals and often concentrates valuable ore deposits.
garnet, pyroxene, wollastonite, epidote, magnetite, calcite
Bingham Canyon (Utah, USA), Ertsberg (Indonesia), Chihuahua (Mexico), Cornwall (England), Japan
5-7
Some of the world's largest copper, tungsten, and tin deposits are found in skarn zones, making these rocks incredibly valuable to the mining industry.
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Why are skarn deposits among the most economically important targets for mining companies?
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