Cornish Mine Terms

Copper Ores

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The ore originally intruded into the lodes in Cornwall was  chalcopyrite. This has been broken down by the  presence of water to form other minerals. The water is slightly acidic and this reacts with the copper sulphide to form copper sulphate which being soluble dissolves and percolates downwards. The nature of the new minerals formed lower down depends on the location of the water table and this will result in a vertical zoning in the upper part of a load. These zones will form areas where the copper content is far richer then in the original primary ore.  Gozzan (iron Hat)  Area nearest the surface where the copper has been leached out leaving just iron oxides, and possibly some tin. Limonite Oxidation Zone  Copper Sulphate is carried through this region in solution, the ores often get richer with depth  Oxides:  Cuprite  Carbonates  Azurite  Malachite Reduction Zone  Stagnant water allows enriched sulphides to form. This zone of enrichment is often the richest in a mine Copper Sulphides  Chalcocite  Bornite    Primary Copper Zone  The unaltered mineral. Chalcopyrite

 
 
 
 
 
 

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