Deep underground, magma (molten rock) heats water, which is less dense than cold water, so it tends to rise toward the surface. The hot water can carry dissolved minerals into fissures and cracks in the Earth's crust. When minerals are dissolved in a liquid, scientists say that the minerals are in solution. Eventually, the water cools and the materials in the water crystallize out of solution in their new location, and the resulting minerals look different from the surrounding rocks. Hydrothermal comes from the Greek words for water and heat; these structures are called hydrothermal veins because they resemble the blood vessels in the bodies of animals. Many ores of economically important metals, such as lead, zinc, copper, and gold, are found in these veins.
Carbonate Mineral Rhodochrosite
Carbonate Mineral Rhodochrosite