Evolution of sulfide mineralization on Mars

Abstract

It has been previously suggested, on the basis of compositional and petrographic similarities noted between komatites, SNC meteorites, and the silicate portion of the Martian regolith fines, that iron-sulfide ore deposites may exist on Mars. This paper examines the possible locations of Archean-type sulfide and related ore deposits on Mars, their evolution, and the emplacement mechanisms for the ore deposit. The clues to these questions are deduced by applying to Mars the temporal patterns of ore distribution on earth and the experimental observations on sulfur solubility in basaltic melts.