Ore genesis accumulation of hematite gravels called "pisolites" which form channel-iron deposits. These are preferred because they are cheap to mine. Lead-zinc deposits are generally accompanied by silver, hosted within the lead sulfide mineral galena or within the zinc sulfide mineral sphalerite. Lead and zinc deposits are formed by discharge of deep sedimentary brine onto the sea floor (termed "sedimentary exhalative" or SEDEX), or by replacement of limestone, in skarn deposits, some associated with submarine volcanoes (called volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposits or VMS), or in the aureole of subvolcanic intrusions of granite. The vast majority of SEDEX lead and zinc deposits
National Mineral Development Corporation National Mineral Development Corporation </nowiki> NMDC Limited, previously known as National Mineral Development Corporation, is an Indian state-controlled mineral producer. It is 72.43% owned by the Government of India, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel. It is involved in the exploration of iron ore, copper, rock phosphate, limestone, dolomite, gypsum, bentonite, magnesite, diamond, tin, tungsten, graphite etc. It is India's largest iron ore producer and exporter producing more than 35 million tons of iron ore from 3 fully mechanized mines in Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. It also operates the only mechanized diamond mine in the country at Panna