The variety of information obtained during scientific research and exploration of seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits include significant data on the morphology of orebodies formed in various geological settings. On the example of hydrothermal vent fields in the Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, different hydrothermal ore structures are described, from the most common mound-shaped to rarely encountered “smoking craters.” The processes that govern the morphology of orebodies are analyzed, including alterations during the evolution of hydrothermal ore-forming systems. In contrast to the study of SMS deposits outcropping on the seafloor, the internal structure and formation models are mostly hypothetical. In particular, this concerns assumptions on the presence of massive sulfides and their formation mechanism below the paleo/subseafloor surface. Obviously, the results of drilling planned in the near future will make it possible to confirm or refute existing models and change the resource assessments, which are currently based on surface sampling of SMS deposits.

在科学研究和勘探海底块状硫化物（SMS）沉积过程中获得的各种信息包括有关在各种地质环境中形成的矿体形态的重要数据。以北大西洋中脊的热液喷口为例，描述了不同的热液矿石结构，从最常见的丘状到很少见的“烟坑”。分析了控制矿体形态的过程，包括在热液成矿系统演化过程中的变化。与研究海底SMS露头的研究相反，内部结构和形成模型大多是假设性的。特别是，这涉及对在古/海底表面以下是否存在块状硫化物及其形成机理的假设。