Sillitoe - Porphyry Copper
Sillitoe - Porphyry Copper
Sillitoe - Porphyry Copper
Abstract
799
800 RiCH/IRD H. SILLiTOE
PORPHYRY
STOCK
PHANERITIC
Votc6n ORANODIORITE
,hlJCOi'lq,ui[chlJ.
$KH.(INRLATION
TO
SEA-LEVEL) HYDROTHER14AL.
INTRUSION BRECCIA
Et Queva& LIMESTONE:
HORIZON
CerroMarct ROCK TYPES
Mocna
Los
Pel.
err.
$J-. - tg4SEMENT
Los Loros
ALTERATIO_N
Fortuna Grano- SlLICIFICATION
&
ADVANCED ARGILLIC
diorite,Chua.
uicamata
PRO
PYt.
ITIC
SE:RICITIC
L-3
HORIZONTAL
SCALE (sameas vertical)=
0
,
2
, Kilometers .ot^su.s.c^te:/....'
Fro.1. Idealized
cross
section
of a typical,
simple
porphyry
copper
deposit
showing
itsposition
at theboundary
between
plutonie
andvolcanic
environments.
Vertical
andhorizontal
dimensions
aremeant
tobeonlyapproximate.
TOPS AND BOTTOMS OF PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS 801
l 'AUCQULCA
'LVOLCAN
The proposedmodel acceptsthe premisethat
economic concentrations
of copperand molybdenum
in a typicalporphyrycoppersystemoccurin a sub- L.'
volcanicenvironmentassociated with small, high-
J&
CHU(U
/
i
level stocks,and emphasizesthe closeassociation
with subaerial
calc-alkaline
volcanism.It is pro- ./"''CERRO
q.
UEVA
posedthat commonlya porphyrycopper-bearing EL',
stock gradesdownwardinto a pluton of larger LueS,L.V,OOR
dimensions
that may possess
stockworkmineraliza- / FARALLON
NEGRO
";
tion in its upperparts,but that is essentially
un- J CERRO
RICO
mineralized, exceptperhapsfor veinsor pegmatite
bodies,at deeperlevels. It is furtherproposed
that
a porphyrycopperdepositis overlainby a columnof /.OROS
-- > --
pyritic alteration which transectsa calc-alkalinevol-
canicpile, commonlysurmounted by an andesitic LOSPEL,4MBRES 0I I00
I I
500
I
stratovolcanowith native sulfur deposits. This
modelis schematized
in Figure 1.
A surveyof the literatureon porphyrycopperde- !
positsin thecircum-Pacific
andAlpideorogenic belts EL TENIENTE
/C>
oi
I' LOCALITIES DESCRIBED
revealsthat most of the depositswere emplaced IN THE TEXT
withinmucholderand genetically unrelatedforma- 0 LOCALI TIES MENTIONED
IN THE TEXT
tions. In Chile,for example, deposits
are normally
muchyoungerthan their hostrocks(exceptper- i
copperdepositpossesses a central economicsection data, someof which are includedin the succeeding
characterizedby concentricshellsof potassiumsili- section. The columnof potentiallyeconomicpor-
cate, sericitic,argillic, and propylitic alteration,as phyry-typeCu-Mo mineralizationmay extenddown-
noted previously(Fig. 1). In the deeperparts of ward from its apex for some3 km if the situation
depositspotassiumsilicatealterationtendsto be the at San Manuel-Kalamazoo,Arizona (Lowell and
preponderantalterationtype, and in the basalparts Gullbert, 1970), is typical. Further supportfor a
of depositsmay gradeinto a modifieddeeppotassium vertical extent of this magnitudecomesfrom obser-
silicatealterationtype in whichbiotiteis lesscommon vations at Los Pelambres(Sillitoe, 1973) and E1
and which consists of the assemblagequartz-K- Teniente (Howell and Molloy, 1960) (Fig. 2)
feldspar-sericite-chlorite (LowellandGuilbert,1970). which show that alteration and mineralization have
In an upwarddirectionin a typicaldepositsericitic vertical extents of at least 1.45 and 1.3 km, re-
and argillic alteration take on an increasingim- spectively. At Santa Rita, New Mexico, Nielsen
portanceat the expenseof potassiumsilicatealtera- (1968) suggestedthat the porphyrycopperdeposit
tion. At this point, near to the upper limit of was emplacedbeneatha cover of not greater than
economichypogenemineralization,intrusive bodies 0.5 km of older rocks. It is here contended,how-
are likely to be smaller and less regular, and large ever, that this figure merely representsthe depth
areas are likely to be occupiedby hydrothermal beneaththe top of the subvolcanicbasement,and in
breccias('Fig. 1). this context it has been used in the construction of
Upward in manysystems, but perhapsnot in all, a Figure 1.2 Since stratovolcanoes in the Andes have
comagrnaticvolcanicsuperstructureis encountered, heightsof 1,000-2,500m abovethe underlyingbase-
in which alteration tends to possessa less regular ment,the apicesof the columnsof Cu-Mo mineraliza-
distributionand to consistof propyliticand argillic tion, commonlyassociatedwith sericiticalteration,
alteration, with areas of intense silicificationand were most probablyformed at approximately1.5-3
advancedargillic alteration; these two alteration km beneath the summits of stratovolcanoes. This
typesperhapsreflectareaspreferredby ascending figure might be somewhatreducedif a depositwas
hydrothermalfluids. This proposalconformswith eraplacedeccentricallywith respectto the principal
that of Hemley et al. (1969) who showedthat volcaniccone,or if the magma from which the cone
sericiticalteration is likely to pass upward into was constructed was less viscous than the andesire
advancedargillic alteration. Pyrite is ubiquitous consideredhere, so reducingthe height of the cone.
and other sulfides,with the possibleexceptionof This estimate is in accord with evidence derived
mamasite,are uncommon. Intrusive rocks are rare from studiesof fluid inclusionsthat is interpreted to
in these overlying volcanicsand are restricted to showthat potassiumsilicatealterationat Bingham,
dikelike bodies,althoughhydrothermalbrecciasmay Utah, took place beneath a cover 4.3 km thick
still be widespread. (Roedder, 1971). Therefore, from the available
"Epithermal"copper,lead,zinc,andprecious metal evidence, it would seem reasonableto estimate that
veins and replacements are considerednot only to a complete,unerodedporphyrycoppersystemcould
represent thefringeproducts of mineralizationin the have a vertical extent of 4-6 km, and perhapsnearer
propylitic-alteredparts of an economicdeposit 8 km if the upper part of the underlyingphaneritic
(LowellandGullbert,1970), but alsoto accomvany intrusiveis included(Fig. 1).
advanced argillicalteration,silicification,
or propylitic
Evidence Bearing on the Tops and Bottoms
alteration in the supradjacentvolcanic ediface
of Porphyry CopperDeposits
(Fig. 1).
It is inferred that the tops of porphyry copper Regionalgeneralizations
systemsare characterized by depositsof native sul- In Chile and adjacentArgentina,longitudinalbelts
fur, perhapsaccompanied by pyriteor marcasite, and of post-Paleozoicbatholiths, stocks,and porphyry
while the systemis still active,by high-temperature copper depositsyoung eastward from the Pacific
fumaroles;thesemay be consideredas the effluent coastand are geometricallycomparable with beltsof
productsof porphyrycopperformationin depth. Pliocene and more recent andesitic volcanoes in the
The stratovolcano abovea pomhyry copperdeposit high Andes (Sillitoe, 1972a). Porphyrycopperde-
need not be a simplecone (Fig. 1), but may be positsand prospects are uncommon in the batholithic
multiplein characterand includethe development
of
domesand collapsecalderas,perhapsresurgent. 2 Failure to recognize that many porphyry devositswere
originally overlain by penecontemporaneous volcanic piles
In Figure 1 an attempthasbeenmadeto quantify may provide an explanation for the very shallow depths of
the vertical dimensionsof a porphyry copper sys- formation that have been proposed for some porphyry
copver depositslocated in regions, such as the southwestern
tem, althoughthe depthsgiven shouldbe treated United States, where the volcanicshave been largely lost
onlyas approximations
basedon currentlyavailable by erosion.
TOPS .,'IND BOTTOMS OF PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS 803
+ + + + + + + + + .................
+ + + + + + + + +,+ + + + +KEE '::':':::::' .... 9-.. + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + ' + + +,,w-f-H- . .............. ::.': ', .,t"et +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + /. : ::::: ......... I ''.-'T-L,,J++
+ + + + ++ ++ + + + + + + + + +/+ + + +7.Egg:[::l;
/ + + + -i---
/' ...........
t'::
::::'::::1:
::: ............
I. +
+ + + + + + + + +,+ + + + t ........ ::::::::::::f
+ + + + + + + + -J + + + 'if-F/a;',q.'l : ::::::: ......... I 'h T
+ + + + + + + + +'+ + + +,=,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,'fl
t............ :::::::::, I++++
+ + + + + + + + ! + + +,'l-jtt+ t : :::: ........... [ - - +
+ + + + + + + + +l.+,.r_,,&. - fit': .......... :::::::::::. -ff * '
+ + + + + + + + -.,s-;:.. :::: ............ I K[i-
+ + +
+ + + + + + + + +l"J-ldffdd-t-' :: .......... :::::::: : ;, l + + ++
++++++++
........
+ + + + + + + +
+ + + + + + + +
........ J[JjJ !i,
i ;'.:.:
:...':.:::
,..,...'..' : ':::::'":-...-
- ...............
z*' ...................
,
.........................
q : ...................
i i !::::::::::.: --
'.++++++
++ '::.: t
#+
+ + +
+ + + + + + + + t. .................. :.:'t + + ++
+ + + + + + + + .... :::::::::::::::::::::: +++++
+ + + + + + + t: 2............. t ,- + + + +
+ + + + + + + + ............ :;':::;::::::t + + + + +
+ + + + 4- 4- 4- 4- ;':::::::'::: ::::.'::'/ ,Y + + + + +
+ + + +-+-+-+- : ................... :1 + + + + + +
++++
+
+ + +
+++.
+ +
+ + + + +
i... ::2: ...............
:::::::::::::::::::::::::: I
t ...... ..............
:t
J+ + + + + +
,[o +. + + + ++ ++ +
++++++++++++[
+
:::.::'.::i::::
...
t.:::: ......................... l
! ./g++++++++ ++
+ + + + + + +
+
+ + ++ +,
+ + + ,,+
+I , :::::::::::::::::::::::
: ...................
........ ,, .tf? ....
,_
+ +
++ ++ ++ * + .+ {%.+lt......... ::. ..............
t................... :::::: ::::::t + + + + + + + +
rr+++++++++
+ + +-+-+-+ .:: :
...........
......................
:: ...........
+ + + + + ++ + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + + + ......... .......... + + + + + +
............. ....... + + + + + + +
++++++++++C++
:::::::::: ....... :':::::' ,{++++ + + + ++ ++ +
+ + + + +
.... ..............
+:I.."':::
............... :::::: ",;
+ .......... : : : .......
. ...... . + + + + +
;++++..... +
+ + + q- +-,. + ............. ',; a- q- + q- q- +. + +
+ + + + -+ + .............
....................
: :...-t
r+ + + + + + + + + + + +
++ +
=============================
+ + + + + + ......................
:::::: :?
.
+ + + + + + ++ ++ +
+ + + + + +
+
++ ++ ++ ++ (O+
+ +
: ++ ++ ++.++ ++ + ++ ++ +
+ + + + + + + +
++
++++++++
+++ ' iiiiiii!iiiiiii!iiiii:
+++++++++++++. ..................... f -- + ++
+ ++
+ ++
+ ++
+ ++
+ ++
+ ++ ++
+ ++++
+++ + + + + + + + + + + +
++++ + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + .................. + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + ..................... + + + -+ + + + + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + +
+++++++ +
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+++++++(+ ..........
: : : ............
++ O
+ +
meters500 i i i
++++++++++
++++
LEGEND-
+++++++++, .
++++++++
+ + + +
!.......
++++++++
Fresh
granodiorite
+J-'
+++++ ..................
...........::? Propylitic
alteration
J
Probable
argil[ic
alteration
Sericitic alteration
.........
2::::::::
+
+++++
+ + + + siticification
i
:.'
.-"
--+++++++++++++
+ +++++++++++++
++++++++
++++++++
+++++++
+++++++++++
autt,
showing
ownthrow sid
/",11ii,
,.. I Fresh
granodiorite
I+'+1
;; I I ',11',.
/
ff';;lll',J,
' '.<..<'.':':-Z'.
.. Propylitic
atterabon
!-H-t+H
,/'.'.'-':':':':':':':':':J
Argittc
alteration
_/ ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
.t :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sericiticatteration
_hl
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
andsiticJfication
fiii!i!ii!:.iJ
i,'Z'Z.X.:.X-Z.Z.:.
:ii:':':-:-:':.:-:.:.:-:.:-:-
1 PotassiumSiLicate
:t
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
atteration
I;
r:.;.:.2.x.:.2.;-x.2-2-2.
::::::::::?;1-
r:.:-:-:-:.:
KK L. -
:I:I:[
rt
1:':':'.7+
K +El..,.,
[-2:/ < < :':':':'.,
i +
i \i; + I':':':':':'X
i' +.. +li:i:i:!:i:!:i:::
+
H./K
_qi"+K r+ K[::::::::::::::::h
:"'"'"'"'""'
-
w,. ':
.:.:.:.:.:-:.:.:.:.!,
+
++ ;
K r.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.-.-.
[.....................
/ -!'- _ 4-'.'.'.'-'.'-'.'.'.'-'-'
- -E:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:i:il -F
"'
--I-
SURFACE
-+- .,:':':.:.:.:.:-:.:.]
FORTUNA ' MINERALISED
xELENA
GRANODIORITE PORPHYRIES GRANODIORITE
TOPS AND BOTTOMS OF PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS 805
survivingportionof the originalporphyrycopper the ore body,Perry (1952) noteda zoneof argillic
deposit. Despitethe fact that only a part of the alteration separatingthe sericitic and propylitic
original ore bodynow remains,Chuquicamatais one alterationtypes,and at surfacethe day contentof the
of thelargestof the world'sporphyrycopperdeposits. rock increasesas the propyliticzoneis approached.
An elongatestock consistingof several distinct, The West Fissure is a major fault, marked by
but closelyrelated, porphyriesof probablegrano- crushand gougezones,which attains a width of 150
dioriticcomposition is hostto the Chuquicamata
ore m, is near-vertical,but dips 80 to the west at the
body, which occupiesan area some 3 x 1.5 km southernend of the ore body and dips steeplyeast-
(Perry, 1952). To the east,the porphyriesappear ward at its northernend (Perry, 1952). The fault
to grade into an equigranulargranodiorite(Elena and its extensions can be traced for tens of kilometers
granodiorite),althoughthe precisesignificance
of the both north and southof the ore body.
contact relations is uncertain. To the west, the ore It has been repeatedly but erroneouslystated
body is abruptly terminatedby a major fault, the (Taylor, 1935; L6pez, 1939; Jarrell, 1944) that the
West Fissure, beyondwhich outcropsthe Fortuna mineralizing fluids ascendedthe West Fissure and
granodiorite,in whichporphyrycopper-type min- subsequently spreadout eastwardalonga stockwork
eralizationis absent(Taylor, 1935; 'Figs.3 and 4). of fractures to give rise to the observedzonation
Recent K-Ar dating (Quirt et al., 1971)a has of alteration. However, drag sulfidesin the West
resulted in apparent ages of 36.9--+0.6 m.y. for Fissuretestifyto importantmovementalongit sub-
the Fortuna granodioriteand 29.2-----0.5m.y. for sequentto the emplacementof the Chuquicamataore
hydrothermalsericitefrom the ore body. Ruiz et al. body (Perry, 1952). Althoughthe fault was prob-
(1965) gavea slightlyyoungerK-Ar age of 35 m.y. ably active prior to mineralization,and may even
for the Fortuna granodiorite. A much older age is have helped to control the general location of the
indicatedby geologiccharacteristics for the Elena ore body in the upper crust, it is most unlikely that
granodiorite. it acted as a conduit for hydrothermalfluids at the
In the Chuquicamataore bodythere is evidenceof presently observed level, an interpretation that
an early phaseof potassiumsilicatealterationrepre- would be at oddswith current ideason the genesis
sentedby veinlets of quartz and K-feldspar with of porphyryore deposits.
minor chalcopyrite(Jarrell, 1944; Perry, 1952). To the west of the West Fissure the 'Fortuna
This alterationtype has beenlargely obliteratedby granodioriteis part of a normal epizonalpluton
the superimpositionof later feldspar-destructivewhich extends at least 8 km south and 12 km north
alteration. Adjoining and roughly parallel to the of Chuquicamata.Pegmatiticpatches,severalmeters
West 'Fissurepervasivesericiticalterationand in- across,composed of quartz,K-feldspar,biotite,and
cludedpatchesof silicification,in which sericiteis pyrite, were observedlocallyin the Fortuna grano-
presentin smallamounts,occupya belt some3.5 km diorite near the ore body. In addition to these
long and averaging0.5 km in width (Taylor, 1935; pegmatiticpatches,there are a few copper-bearing
L6pez, 1939) (Figs. 3 and 4). Abundantpyrite quartz-tourmalineveins and veinlets and a small
accompanied by enargite,lesserchalcopyrite, chalco- stockworkof oxidizedcoppermineralsand limonite
cite, and molybdeniteare hypogenecomponents of whichcontainsa little postmagmatic biotite.
the sericiticalterationand providethe highestgrade It is apparentfrom Figure 3 that a complete,bi-
hypogeneore, althougha bandof lower gradealtered laterallysymmetrical patternof hydrothermalaltera-
rock is in contact with the West Fissure. The serici-
tion doesnot exist at Chuquicamata,the normal se-
tic alterationgradeseastwardinto propylitic altera- quenceof alterationtypes occurringonly as N10
tion (Taylor, 1935; L6pez, 1939; Perry, 1952) E-trendingbeltsto the eastof the West Fissureand
(Figs. 3 and4), characterized by albite,chlorite,and terminating against it. This clearly demonstrates
specularire, whichgivesway further eastwardin the that the ore body has beenbisectedby displacement
Elena granodioriteto a zone carrying abundant alongthe West Fissureand that the westernportion
epidote(L6pez,1939). In a drainage tunnelbeneath of the ore body was moved either laterally or
a Radiometricdating of samplescollectedby the writer, vertically and subsequently erodedaway.
with the assistanceof H. Neumann, from Chilean porphyry The available evidence favors essentiallyvertical
copperdepositswas carried out by S. Quirt and E. Farrar
of Queen's University, Canada. displacement on the West Fissure duringthe Ceno-
Fro. 4. A generalizedeast-westsectionacrossthe middle of the Chuquicamatadepositto show
the geologicrelationsand alteration pattern. A hypotheticalreconstructionof the ore body is at-
temptedabovethe presentground sur.face to show the characteristicsat the point in time when
faulting had terminatedbut erosionhad not yet commenced. (This makes the assumptionthat
faulting occurredas a singledisplacement, which was almostcertainlynot the case). It is assumed
that the superimpositionof sericiticon potassiumsilicate
alterationat Chuquicamata has resultedin
a predominanceof the former.
806 RICHARD H. SILLITOE
spar, quartz, and magnetite,commonlyoccur as some 16 km in diameter, which cuts and overlies a
irregular, somewhatpegmatitic,massesin the rock. pre-Mesozoicbasementcan still be recognized. Six
A limited amountof drilling has shownthat potas- small porphyry copper-typedevelopmentsare ex-
sium silicate alteration and mineralization extend to posedin the central,mostdeeplyeroded,parts of the
a depthof at least250 m below surface,and, at the volcanicedifice,and two other developments cut the
site of drilling, the molybdenumgrade of hypogene basementfurther south (Fig. 5). The basement
ore averages0.058% Mo, althoughcopperassaysare consistsof granites, gneisses,slates,and phyllites,
consistentlylow (0.02% Cu) (United Nations, covered in parts by Miocene or older continental
1971). Such a molybdenumgrade is higher than sediments(Garcia, 1969; Llambias, 1970). Fault-
those in most productiveporphyry copper deposits ing prior to, during and subsequentto Cenozoic
and, taken in conjunctionwith the fact that the host magmatismdelimitedthe southernand easternmar-
intrusive is a granite, might indicatethat Los Loros gins of the Faral16nNegro volcaniccomplex,which
belongsto the classof molybdenum-rich porphyry occupiesa tectonicdepression(Fig. 5). The late
deposits. It shouldbe remembered,however, that Tertiary age of the complex (Gonz/dez Bonorino,
molybdenummineralizationis known to persistto 1950) has been continnedrecentlyby K-Ar dating
greater depths than copper mineralizationat the (Caelleset al., 1971).
Bingham, Utah, porphyry copper deposit (James, An extensivestudyof the Faral16nNegro volcanic
1971). complexhas recentlybeen undertakenby Llambias
Two smallareasof pyrite-richsericiticalteration, (1970, 1972), whose conclusionsare summarized
one of which is partially brecciated,are superim- here. Magmatism in the Faral16n Negro district
posedon the potassiumsilicatealteration. As sug- commencedin the late Tertiary with productionof
gestedabove, a predominanceof potassiumsilicate extrusive, and some intrusive, igneousbrecciasand
alterationis expectedin the lower partsof a porphyry tuffs of largely andesiticcomposition. These were
deposit. followedby or are contemporaneous with the em-
The above characteristics are considered to be placementof andesitedomesaround the periphery
consistentwith the interpretation of Los Loros as of the complex,perhapson the margin of a caldera,
the root zone of an upright cylinder of porphyry- along with dikes, sills, and flows of andesiteand
type mineralization. The column of mineralization basalt. The next eventwas the passiveemplacement
which is believedto have occupiedhigher levels in of a monzonite intrusive. Subsequentporphyry
the intrusive, perhapsa cupola-likestock, has been copper-typemineralization('Fig. 5) accompanied a
removedby the extensiveerosion sufferedby the stockof granodioriteporphyryassociated with ring
coastalzonesinceearly Upper Cretaceous times. dikes and a radial dike swarm of andesitic to dacitic
Other areas: In British Columbia, the Brenda composition in the Bajo del Duraznoarea (Fig. 5),
porphyry copperand the Endako porphyry molyb- and a NW-SE-trending belt of small stocksand
denum both are depositsrelated to phaneritic in- dikesrangingin composition from quartz andesiteto
trusivesand they have beeninterpretedas deep-level dacite and rhyodacite. The final stages in the
depositsby Brown (1969). The possibilityexists development of the complexincludethe intrusionof
that they were at one time overlainby more typical scarcedomesand dikesof rhyolite and the emplace-
porphyry-typemineralizationand coevalvolcanics. ment of rhodochrosite-Au-Ag veinsin which a little
Cu, Pb, and Zn are presentlocally. Within the
Porphyry copperdepositsspatiallyrelated to coeval complexa strong northwestregionaltrend is em-
volcanic rocks
phasizedby the alignmentof dikes,fractures,veins,
Faralldn Ne#ro, northwestArgentina: Although intrusive bodies and alteration zones.
a generalcontemporaneity of porphyryore deposits Someof the zonesof porphyrycopper-type min-
and calc-alkaline volcanism seems to be indicated eralizationexhibit characteristicand well-developed
(Sillitoe, 1972a), the detailedinter-relationships be- zonalpatternsof hydrothermalalteration-mineraliza-
tween the two phenomenaare rarely conduciveto tion, eventhoughtheyoccupyareasof lessthan 1.5
preservation. However, since the porphyry copper km2 (Garcia, 1969,1971; Sillitoe,unpub.). A potas-
depositsat Faral16n Negro in CatamarcaProvince, sium silicate-alteredcore centered on a porphyry
northwestArgentina ('Fig. 2), wereemplacedwithin stock,surrounded by a halo of sericiticand argillic
the comagmaticvolcanicpile, insteadof in the sub- alteration,andpassingoutwardinto propyliticaltera-
volcanicbasementas normally seemsto be the case, tion in the enclosingvolcanicrocksis well shownat
their position in spaceand time with respect to Bajo de la A!umbreraand Bajo del Durazno (Fig.
volcanic events can be elucidated. 5). Evidencefrom drill coreshowsthat mostof the
In the Faral16nNegro district, the basalwreck of copperoccursin thepotassium silicatecoreaschalco-
a lateTertiary,calc-alkaline, composite stratovolcano,pyriteandis accompanied by pyrite,magnetite, and
808 RICHIRD H. SILLITOE
minor molybdeniteand bornite. A pyrite halo coin- 7.1 m.y. for mineralized stocks in the Bajo del
cideswith feldspar-destructivealterationtypes. Else- Duraznoand Bejo de San Lucasareas (Fig. 5).
where,as at Bajo de Agua Tapada (Fig. 5), potas- It canbe appreciatedthat the older,marginalparts
siumsilicatealterationis poorlydeveloped in the core of the complex are composedof outward-dipping
of the stockand is accompanied by only weak min- agglomerates,tuffs, and flows that represent the
eralizafion. lower slopesof the volcaffo.The generallyyounger,
inner parts possessa greater number of intrusive
The resultsof radiometricdatingby Caelleset al. bodies together with the altered and mineralized
(1971) further emphasizethat the porphyrycopper- areas and were formed in the root zone of the
type mineralizationat Faral16n Negro is intimately volcano.
relatedto late intrusivestagesin the developmentof In Figure 6 an attempt has beenmade to recon-
a complexstratovolcano.They determinedan ageof struct the volcanicedifice. The distributionof dips
10.7 m.y. for an andesireflow from the volcanic within the complexand the locationsof the stocks
superstructure, and clearlyyoungeragesof 7.9 and suggestthat its easternand southernmargins have
0 5
I
KILOMETERS
Bajo
de(
Durazno
+*+?+*jo
elas
Bajo
dot
Espanto
Bai
d tos
ALLUVIUM
&GRAVEL
rARALLO"
,.RUS,VE .EGRO
CO..LEX VO'CA.,C-
.O.O.TE ,.RUS,
VE MIOCENE
ZO.Sor .DROT.ERMAL
ALTERAT,
O.
CONTINENTAL
SEDIMENTS MIOCENE
GRANITE.
GNEISS,
SLATE
&PHYLLITEPRE- MESOZOIC
FAULTSHOWING
DOWNTHROWN
SIDE A-A I LINEOF SECT!ON
Fro. 5. Zones of hydrothermalalteration at Faral16n Negro, Argentina. Geologymainly after Llambias (1970). The
Bajo de las Juntas zone is located beyond the limits of the figure, some8 km southeastof Bajo de San Lucas.
TOPS WINDBOTTOMS OF PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS 809
N.W
S.E
Alluvium,gravel O.
IJATERNARY
Faral16n
Negro
volcanic-intrusive
complex
}
?-**Monzonite
intrusive
::"'Stock
andhydrothermal
PRE-MESOZOIC
alteration
UPPER
MIOCENE /j / -0o0'
Fro.6. A generalized
section
across
theFaral16n
Negro
volcanic-intrusive
complex
along
lineA-A in Figure
5,
takenfromLlamb;as
(1970).Thereconstruction
ofthevolcanic
cone
islargely
hypothetical.
beeneroded awayasa resultof faulting(Fig. 5). severalunderlyingporphyrystockswith whichthe
If this simplified
reconstruction
approximates the potassiumsilicate alteration and mineralization are
truth, thenthe unerodedstratovolcano
had an altitude intimately
associated
(Gustafson
and Hunt, 1971).
of about6,000m, thusimplying theremoval of more Although morphological
evidencehasbeendestroyed,
than3,000m ofvolcanic rocksbysubsequent erosion. it is here considered
that thesevolcanicrocks,in
It can be appreciatedthat the dimensions of the particularthe upperrhyolites,representthe basal
reconstructed
edificeare closelysimilarto thoseof portionof a comagmatic volcanicpilethatoverlaythe
theQuaternary andesiticconesin thehighAndesof orebodyat its timeof formation about41 m.y.ago.
Chile and Argentina. 'Fromthis reconstruction it The mineralized stockswere eraplacedcloseto the
canbe inferredthat the apexof the Bajo de la contact between basement and volcanic cover.
Alumbrera
porphyry
copper
deposit
waseraplaced
at The occurrencein the upper parts of the E1
a maximumdepth of about 3,000 m beneaththe Salvadoralterationzoneof advanced argillicaltera-
summit ofthevolcano,ignoringtheeffects
ofpossibletion, characterizedby pyrophyllite,
diaspore,and
calderadevelopment. If thevolcanicsuperstructure
alunite(Gustafson and Hunt, 1971), supports the
consistedof several
mutually interfering
cones,
and contention that the overlyingvolcanicenvironment
notof a singleconeasdepicted, likemanyQuater- is beingapproached.Availableevidence doesnot,
nary Andeanvolcanoes,
then the coverover the de- however,permit an estimationof the thicknessof
positcouldhavebeensomewhatless. (Thedipsin volcanic covers that has been eroded since the ore
the volcanic
complexcouldalsobe interpreted
in bodywaseraplaced.
termsoftwoorperhapsmorecones.)Figure6 also Otherareas:At Faral16nNegroandE1 Salvador
indicates
thatthemonzonite
intrusivewaseraplacedthe contemporaneous volcanicrockspossess an inti-
beneathonly some2,000 m of cover. Columnsof mateandfairlyclearspatialrelationship to intrusives,
silicification
andadvanced
argillicalteration
thatare alteration, and mineralization. At some other locali-
inferred
to haveonceoverlain
theporphyry
copperties, however,contemporaneous volcanicrockshave
orebodieshavebeeneroded
awayalongwiththetop been recognizedbut are not in such direct contact
3 km of the edifice. with the ore bodies.
El Salvador,
Chile:At E1Salvador (Fig.2), some At Bingham, Utah,stockintrusion andporphyry
ofthehighestpartsofthealterationzonearecappedcopper-type mineralizationoverlapin time with the
by rhyolites
thatseem,at leastin part,to havehad nearbyextrusion
of a seriesof coma#matic
latiticand
an extrusiveorigin,and rhyoliticand andesiticwall quartzlatiticvolcanic
rocks(Mooreet al., 1968).
rocksarealsopresentat lowerelevations (Swayne There,as at Faral16nNegro,magmatic andhydro-
andTrask,1960). Theresults of radiometric
dating thermaleventswereterminated
by theintrusion
of a
have shownthat rhyolitic and andesiticvolcanism rhyolite
plug. The Sar Cheshmeh porphyrycopper
pre-datedby some4-9 m.y. the eraplacement of depositin Iranislocated
3 kmsouthofanoutcrop of
810 RICHARD H. SILLITOE
dacitic volcanic rocks thought to be the extrusive exampleswere constructedon a platform of Middle
equivalentof the mineralizedgranodioriteporphyry to Upper Tertiary ignimbrite flows (Katsui and
stock(Bazin and Hfibner, 1969). To the southand Gonzalez, 1968; Guest, 1969). Cerro Marquez in
west of the Mount Fubilan (Ok Tedi) porphyry Tarapac/t Province, northern Chile (Fig. 2), has
copperdeposit,Territory of Papuaand New Guinea, been selectedas an example.
pyrodasticrocks, perhapscogemetic with the min- The erodedCerro Marqu6z stratovolcano of prob-
eralized quartz latite porphyry stock and other able Quaternary age (Salas et al., 1966) has a
nearbystocks,havebeenidentified(Barnford,1972). presentmaximumheight of 4,960 m abovesealevel
At Stafford,Arizona, a pyrodastic-filledpipe, inter- about 1,000 m above the surroundingignimbrite
pretedby Robinsonand Cook (1966) as a volcanic plateau. The flanksof the edifice,extendingupward
vent, formed pemecontemporaneously with the ore to its highest point, are composedof unaltered
body. andesiticlavas, tuffs and agglomerateswhich in the
central, eroded portion of the structure (4,350-
Alteration and mineralixationoverlying porphyry 4,700 m) are conspicuously altered (Fig. 7). The
copperdeposits edificeoccupies an area of 12 x 9 km and the altera-
Cerro Marqux, Chile: In the high Andes of Chile tion coversan inner area approximating8 x 6 km.
and northwestArgentina many Pliocemeand more Reconstruction of the probableinitial form of the
recentandesiticstratovolcanoes have undergonedis- volcano,based on the observedoutward dip of the
sectionto reveal extensive zones of hydrothermal andesiticvolcanicsof 20-25 , suggeststhat some
alteration. Much of the erosion can be attributed 1,250-1,500m have been removedby erosionfrom
to the effectsof the Pleistoceneglaciation.Like most above the alteration zone.
of the volcanic conesin northern Chile, these eroded The hydrothermal alteration is largely of the
Fro. 7. The zone of propyliticand ar.gillic alterationand silicificationin the central part of Cerro Marquez, Chile, a
deeply eroded andesiticstratovolcano. The white alteration zone boundedby the unerodedlower slopesof the volcano is
dearly visible on the horizon. The volcanooverlies a plateau constructedof mid-to-late Tertiary ignimbriteswhich is seen
in the foreground.
TOPS AND BOTTOMS OF PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS 811
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