Geologic controls of mineral deposits can be classified into stratigraphic, magmatic, and structural and each control may be divided into several kinds. Generally the three controls are so closely related to one another in time and space that most of mineral deposits are usually associated with two or three of them.

The economically workable mineral deposits of Taiwan include bedded cupriferous iron sulfide deposits, gold-silver-copper deposits, carbonate deposits, sulfur deposits, and geotherms. The bedded cupriferous iron sulfide deposits were related to stratigraphic (primary-geosynclinal to basinal), magmatic (volcanic-basic), and structural (secondary-macroscopic to microscopic) controls; the gold-silver-copper deposits to stratigraphic (secondary-local), magmatic (volcanic-intermediate), and structural (primary-mesoscopic) controls; the carbonate deposits to stratigraphic (primary-geosynclinal to basinal) and structural (secondary-macroscopic to microscopic) controls; the sulfur deposits and geotherms to magmatic (volcanic-intermediate) and structural (primary-mesoscopic) controls.

The geologic controls of mineral deposits which have been studied in Taiwan may be applicable for locating and prospecting for mineral deposits in other regions of the northwestern Pacific island arcs where geologic features are similar.

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