The
geologic settings, geochemistry of host rocks, mineralogy and metal values in
modern back-arc volcanic-hosted massive sulphide (VHMS) mineralisation are very
similar to those in many ancient polymetallic VHMS deposits. The geology,
distribution and styles of seafloor mineralisation in modem back-arc basins,
especially the eastern Manus and
Lau
Basins,
southwest Pacific, are compared to VHMS deposits in the
Mount
Read
and
Mount
Windsor districts of
Australia
. Based
on exploration and research in modem back-arc settings, geologists are now
observing the direct analogues of the polymetallic VHMS deposits currently being
exploited in ancient back-arc volcanic belts throughout
Australia
and
the world.