Final Report for InterRidge Workshop on Hydrothermal Ore-forming Processes and the Fate of Seafloor Massive Sulfides Deposits along Slow and Ultraslow Spreading Mid-Ocean Ridges

Final Report for InterRidge Workshop on Hydrothermal Ore-forming Processes and the Fate of Seafloor Massive Sulfides Deposits along Slow and Ultraslow Spreading Mid-Ocean Ridges

Recent surveys suggest that slow and ultraslow spreading ridges have an excess of high temperature venting relative to their predicted magmatic and mid-ocean ridge (MOR) spreading heat budgets. Despite these recent discoveries, the occurrence, distribution pattern, formation mechanism, and resource potential of hydrothermal systems on a global scale remains poorly documented and defined. In this context, the InterRidge Working Group (WG) on Seafloor Massive Sulfide (SMS) deposits along MOR convened this workshop aiming to capture the known/unknown BIG questions on SMS formation, distribution and preservation in the geologic record and to identify future ways to address the questions. The workshop was organized by WG Chair Prof. Chunhui Tao (Second Institute of Oceanography – Hangzhou, China) and Co-Chairs Prof. Georgy Cherkashov (Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ocean – VNIIO, Russia) and Prof. Maurice Tivey (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, WHOI, USA). Chair of InterRidge, Prof. Jerome Dyment, Director of SIO, Academician Jiabiao Li, and Director of COMRA, Mr. Feng Liu served as Honorary Chairs for this workshop.

The workshop was held over three days at Hangzhou, China. More than 150 SMS related scientists and students from worldwide participated in this workshop. For the 1^st day, eleven SMS related experts shared their results through the Primary Session after which all attendees were divided into three breakout groups to brainstorm the BIG questions existing in the SMS formation, distribution and preservation. For the 2^nd day, eight young scientists presented their work at the Early Career Scientist Session, followed by a poster session. In the afternoon, all attendees were divided into three groups again to discuss the way forward to address the BIG questions and these discussions were summarized in a plenary session at the end.

Please read here the full text of the final report from the workshop.