THE CHARACTERISTICS OF MINERAL DEPOSITS RELATED TO GEOTHERMAL ACTIVITY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF EXISTENCE OF FOSSIL GEOTHERMAL ZONES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN COASTAL AREA OF CHINA

There are great similarities between epithermal mineral deposits and geothermal systems.The contrasts of similar geotectonic settings,alteration mineralogy,formation temperaturesand compositions of ore fluids and geochemical assocation and especially evidence of fossilgeothermal activity in many districts of epithermal deposits demonstrate that many epithermaldeposits are in essence fossil geothermal systems. In China,some metal and nonmetal de-posits related to geothermal activity,e.g. Kangjiawan,have been confirmed. It is inferred thatthe Lishui-Longyan fault zone and the Zhenhai-Zhangzhou fault zone are possibly two fossilgeothermal zones in the coastal area of southeastern China.