The geochemical features of terrigenous host rocks at massive sulfide deposits in the eastern Caucasus

Based on a great body of factual data, geochemical peculiarities in the distribution of rare, noble, radioactive, and other trace components in the Lower-Middle Jurassic terrigenous ore-enclosing (hereafter, host) rocks at massive sulfide deposits in the Vostochnyi (eastern) segment of the Greater Caucasus are high-lighted. Study of the Filizchai base metal massive sulfide deposit made it possible to define general regularities of element distribution in the ore body and altered wall rocks that reflect the general geochemical zonality. Concentrations of most components depend on the lithology and wall-rock alteration, distribution of rocks in the section, proximity of the contacting ore, and its mineral composition. Contents of typical elements in host rocks are closely associated with their concentrations in the ore bodies.