Relation between High Tectonic Stresses and Endogenous Ring Structures

Abstract

Horizontal compression stresses are anomalously high at mineral deposits in the continental areas of the Earth. Many mineral deposits occur within subsurface ring-shaped structures. The authors reconstruct stress in a ring structure at a representative stage of its evolution. It is shown that lateral compression in the ring structure, in particular, at mineable depths, is very heterogeneous, unstable and can considerably exceed stresses due to overburden. The calculation results are compared with the laboratory and field data.