Deep Crust
Hydrothermal also refers to the transport and circulation of water within the deep crust, generally from areas of hot rocks to areas of cooler rocks. The causes for this convection can be:
- Intrusion of magma into the crust
- Radioactive heat generated by cooled masses of granite
- Heat from the mantle
- Hydraulic head from mountain ranges, for example, the Great Artesian Basin
- Dewatering of metamorphic rocks which liberates water
- Dewatering of deeply buried sediments
Hydrothermal circulation, particularly in the deep crust, is a primary cause of mineral deposit formation and a cornerstone of most theories on ore genesis.
Read more about this topic: Hydrothermal Circulation
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