The tectonics, magmatic evolution and metallogenic characteristics in Mexican Sierra Madre Occidental during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic period

The Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico was formed by Cretaceous-Cenozoic magmatic and tectonic evolution. Five main magmatic stages for the Mesozoic-Cenozoic could be recognized in Mexico, i.e., Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous to Paleocene, Eocene to Oligocene, Early Miocene, and Middle Miocene to the present. The magmatic and tectonic history in the Sierra Madre Occidental was related to the opening of the Gulf of California and the subduction of the Farallon plate to the North American continent. The Mesozoic-Cenozoic metallogeny in Mexico probably resulted from the continuous subduction process at the edge of the eastern Pacific plate. The types of deposits formed in this metallogenic epoch include VMS, porphyry, IOCG, skarn and other types.