Relationship of Sulfide Mineralization to Ophiolite Complexes in North America

North American ophiolite complexes are known to contain significant volcanogenic sulfide only in the following five areas: Newfoundland; Quebec; Applegate, Oregon; Rogue, Oregon; and Orca, Alaska. Most North American ophiolites, including the Baltimore, Kings-Sierra Nevada, and Del Puerto complexes, and those associated with the Franciscan, Trinity, eastern Oregon, and Cache Creek groups lack significant volcanogenic sulfide. The characteristics of sulfide-bearing ophiolites are: (1) manganozls cherts, and (2) fine, carbonaceous clastics inter- calated with pillow basalt and chert. It is suggested that sulfide- bearing ophiolite complexes developed in a restricted basin environment, such as is now present in the Gulf of California; whereas sulfide-poor ophiolites, formed in midocean, rises distant from land masses. Sea floor oxidation makes the typical midocean ridge configuration not conducive to sulfde preservation, whereas spreading centers bounded by land masses are more likely to produce anoxic physiographic lows favorable to sulfide accumulation.