SMCV Clark Hawkes Porphyry

©2005 Society of Economic Geologists, Inc.
Economic Geology, v. 100, pp. 87–114
Response of Supergene Processes to Episodic Cenozoic Uplift, Pediment Erosion,

and Ignimbrite Eruption in the Porphyry Copper Province of Southern Perú
CHAN X. QUANG, ALAN H. CLARK,† JAMES K. W. LEE,
Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
AND NICHOLAS HAWKES

Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Limited, Manco Cápac 551 - Lima 18, Perú
Abstract
The Jurassic to middle Eocene porphyry copper deposits and prospects exposed on the Pacific slopes of the
central Andean Cordillera Occidental of southern Perú between latitudes 16°30' and 18° S record a protracted,
ca. 30-m.y. history of supergene processes that were fundamentally controlled by the evolving local geomor-
phologic environment, itself a response to successive regional tectonic events, including the late Eocene Incaic,
the late Oligocene to earliest Miocene Aymará, and the middle to late Miocene Quechuan events. Weathering
of the porphyry centers also overlapped temporally with the local resumption of arc volcanism in southern Perú
at 25.5 Ma following a 27-m.y. amagmatic interval, and supergene processes were variously interrupted or ter-
minated by ignimbrite blanketing, although in several locations supergene profiles were preserved by such cover.
The landform chronology for the area surrounding the Cuajone, Quellaveco, and Toquepala deposits (ca. 17°
S) is revised and extended northwestward through field mapping to the Cerro Verde-Santa Rosa district (ca.
16° 30' S). The 40Ar-39Ar incremental-heating dates of supergene alunite group minerals from the Angostura
(38.1 and 38.8 Ma) and Posco (38.8 Ma) prospects and the Cerro Verde deposit (36.1–38.8 Ma) demonstrate
that supergene processes were underway in the late Eocene beneath a subplanar topography resulting from
uplift and erosion during the Incaic orogeny, now represented by a regional unconformity in the Cenozoic vol-
canic-sedimentary rock succession. Broadly contemporaneous supergene processes were probably active in the
Cuajone-Quellaveco-Toquepala district. Slow erosion and the accumulation of clastic sediments through the
tectonically quiescent early to mid-Oligocene are envisaged to have caused a rise in the water table and the
widespread preservation of the Incaic supergene profiles. Aymará uplift subsequently led to the incision of the
23.8 to 24 Ma Altos de Camilaca and the 18.8 to 19.1 Ma Pampa Lagunas pediplains and their regional cor-
relatives. The ensuing water-table lowering was associated with intense leaching and sulfide enrichment from
the late Oligocene (24.4–28 Ma natroalunite at Cerro Verde, 26–27 Ma natroalunite at Santa Rosa, and 28.6
Ma jarosite at La Llave) to the early Miocene (23 Ma alunite and 21 Ma natroalunite at Cerro Verde, and 19.2
Ma jarosite at La Llave) and was plausibly responsible for much of the upgrading of the Cuajone and Toquepala
deposits and thr Quellaveco prospect, which are intersected by both the Altos de Camilaca pediplain and ero-
sional features representing upslope extensions of the Pampa Lagunas pediplain. The younger supergene pro-
files were widely superimposed on the remnants of those generated during the Incaic orogeny. Middle
Miocene (≤14.2 Ma biotite age) Chuntacala Formation flows protected the Cuajone supergene profile from
destruction by erosion, but at 13.0 Ma interrupted supergene processes at Quellaveco. Revision of volcano-
stratigraphic relationships in the latter area reveals that subsequent erosion of the Chuntacala Formation ign-
imbrites and part of the supergene profile took place prior to the deposition of a 10.1 Ma ash-flow tuff of the
Asana Formation. Elsewhere, supergene activity persisted at the Cachuyito prospect through 11.4 Ma, and
minor jarosite development occurred at least until 4.9 Ma both there and at Cerro Verde during and following
the Multiple Pediment landform stage (ca. 7.9–15.0 Ma).
The occurrence of relics of late Eocene alunite group minerals within considerably younger late Oligocene
to late Miocene supergene alteration profiles suggests that the overall physiographic configuration of the Pa-
cific piedmont of southern Perú remained remarkably consistent from the late Eocene to the middle
Miocene. Moreover, the new age data confirm that, as in northern Chile, semiarid climatic conditions pre-
vailed along much of the plate boundary from the mid-Eocene until the late Miocene or early Pliocene onset
of hyperaridity.
The local geomorphologic and volcanic conditions in southern Perú, however, conspired to generate more
complex supergene profiles with lower aggregate enrichment factors relative to the strongly enriched profiles
in the late Eocene to early Oligocene porphyry copper belt of northern Chile, which underwent supergene up-
grading over relatively brief periods.
Introduction the product of orogenic contraction, crustal thickening, uplift,

THE PACIFIC SLOPE of the central Andean Cordillera Occi- and erosion initiated in the late Paleocene (ca. 58 Ma) in re-
dental (western cordillera) in southern Perú and contiguous sponse to a change in the convergence direction of the South
northern Chile is, in broad terms, an enormous monocline, American and Farallón plates from north and/or north-north-
east to northeast (Pardo-Casas and Molnar, 1987). Contrac-
† Corresponding author: e-mail, [email protected] tional tectonism intensified in this region in the late-middle
0361-0128/01/3487/87-28 $6.00 87
88 QUANG ET AL.
Eocene (ca. 41 Ma; Farrar et al., 1988; Horton et al., 2001; Arequipa PERU
McQuarrie and DeCelles, 2001) and, particularly, in the late Cerro Verde-Santa Rosa (61-62 Ma)
1
Oligocene to Miocene (Isacks, 1988; Roeder, 1988) during

Cuajone (52.4 Ma)2,3
the development of the Bolivian orocline. Since Steinmann’s Quellaveco (54.5 Ma)
4
(1929) classic studies, the late Eocene to early Oligocene tec- Toquepala (55-55.5 Ma)
3,5
tonism has generally been assigned to the Incaic orogeny and

the later Cenozoic events to the Quechuan. In a recent Ataspaca
overview, Jaillard et al. (2000, p. 545) grouped all tectonic ac- BOLIVIA
tivity from 58 to 26 Ma as the “Incaic contraction tectonic Arica
phase,” but we retain the original scheme, including the use
of the term Aymará or, in Chile, Pehuenchean (Hartley et al.,
2000) to describe the late Oligocene uplift at the outset of the Mocha (58 Ma)6
Quechuan orogeny (Sandeman et al., 1995). 20°S 7
Cerro Colorado (51.8 Ma)
From the standpoint of mineral deposits geology, the tec- Iquique
tonic and concomitant physiographic evolution of the ocean-
ward flank of the cordillera since ca. 58 Ma assumes impor-
tance through its influence on the supergene modification of
the major upper Paleocene to middle Eocene and upper
8,9
Eocene to lower Oligocene porphyry copper deposits of the Chuquicamata (31.1-34.6 Ma)
region. The former constitute a narrow metallogenic sub-
province (Fig. 1) extending in southern Perú from the 61 to 10
62 Ma (Quang et al., 2003) Cerro Verde-Santa Rosa cluster in Spence (56.6-57.0 Ma)
the north (lat. 16°33’ S) to the Cuajone (52.4 Ma; Clark et al., Antofagasta
1990a; Clark, 2003)-Quellaveco (54.5 Ma; Minera Quellaveco 11
S.A., unpub. data)-Toquepala (55.0–55.5 Ma; Zweng and Escondida (34.7-35.0 Ma)
Clark, 1995; Clark, 2003) district at ca. 17° S. An almost un-
interrupted Neogene ignimbrite cover mantles the southern 25°S
extension of this belt in northernmost Chile, but its probable CHILE ARGENTINA
continuity is emphasized by the 58 Ma (Quirt et al., 1971)
Mocha prospect (19°49’ S) and the 51.8 Ma Cerro Colorado
deposit (20°03’ S), the latter exhibiting a thick and complex El Salvador (42.3 Ma)12 mine
supergene profile (Bouzari and Clark, 2002). In southern
prospect
Perú, Clark et al. (1990a), Quang (2003), and Quang et al. (in
prep.) further record the emplacement in the Cordillera de la Copiapó
Costa of both Middle Jurassic and Upper Cretaceous por-
phyry copper and associated Cu-Au vein systems, similarly af- 0 100 200 km
fected by middle to late Cenozoic supergene modification.
The integrated geomorphologic and geochronologic re- 70°W 66°W
search summarized herein highlights the major distinctions in FIG. 1. Locations of the Cerro Verde-Santa Rosa, Cuajone, and Toquepala
the supergene evolution of the Paleocene to middle Eocene mines and other porphyry copper deposits and prospects of southern Perú
and upper Eocene to lower Oligocene porphyry copper de- and northern Chile cited in the text. Geochronologic data for hypogene min-
posits of the central Andes. Whereas the older deposits expe- eralization: 1 = Quang et al. (2003); 2 = Clark et al. (1990b), 3 = Clark (2003);
rienced an exceptionally protracted history of leaching and 4 = Minera Quellaveco, S.A. (unpub. data), 5 = Zweng and Clark (1995) and
Clark (2003); 6 = Quirt et al. (1971), 7 = Bouzari and Clark (2002), 8 =
enrichment, copper accumulation was hindered by repeated Reynolds et al. (1998); 9 = Ballard et al. (2001), 10 = Rowland and Clark
uplift, erosion, and ignimbrite blanketing, resulting in excep- (2001), 11. A.H. Clark, unpublished report to Minera Escondida Ltda.
tionally complex supergene profiles and modest enrichment (2001), and 12 = Gustafson et al. (2001).
factors (Bouzari and Clark, 2002). In strong contrast, many of
the porphyry centers associated with the Incaic Domeyko
fault system in northern Chile underwent supergene modifi- climatic conditions now prevailing below ca. 3,000 m a.s.l. in
cation for relatively brief periods, but under ideal conditions this segment of the Atacama-Peruvian coastal desert. The
of relative tectonic stability, slow uplift, and exhumation (ca. Neogene landforms are particularly well represented in the
50 m/m.y.; Maksaev and Zentilli, 1999), through the middle areas surrounding the valleys of the Ríos Moquegua and
and late Oligocene, permitting uninterrupted cumulative Locumba (Tosdal, 1978; Tosdal et al., 1984), where they con-
thickening and upgrading of the chalcocitic enrichment zones stitute the llanuras costaneras, or coastal slopes. In this area,
(Sillitoe and McKee, 1996; Alpers and Brimhall, 1988). In this moreover, the ages of formation of many of the pediments,
area, moreover, the main volcanic arc had migrated consider- and hence the wider landform chronology, may be estab-
ably to the east, precluding the frequent interruption of su- lished through geochronologic study of numerous superin-
pergene activity so evident in much of southern Perú. cumbent and broadly coeval ash-flow tuff units (Tosdal et al.,
A faceted, multiphase, Neogene landscape, dominated by 1981). These relationships provide a temporal framework for
pediments, is extensively preserved under the hyperarid interpretation of the supergene profiles in the Mesozoic and
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CENOZOIC UPLIFT & SUPERGENE PROCESSES IN PORPHYRY Cu DEPOSITS OF S. PERU 89
Paleogene porphyry copper centers, although the strictly geo-

morphologic record extends back only to the latest Oligocene Copiapó area, Moquegua-Locumba
(ca. 23–24 Ma), and the earlier Incaic events must therefore northern Chile area, southern Peru
be deduced from tectonostratigraphic relationships and Lats. 26° - 29° S Lats. 16° - 17° S
geochronology. The model relating supergene processes and
landforms (Tosdal, 1978; Clark et al., 1990b) followed that “Cumbre” or “Summit”
originally proposed for the Copiapó mining district of the Surface - lower Eocene
southern Atacama Desert (Fig. 1) by Clark et al. (1967a-b), caldera floors that
Sillitoe et al. (1968), and Mortimer (1973), who inferred that controlled local
episodes of leaching, oxidation, and enrichment of Jurassic to enrichment during
Paleogene copper deposits occurred prior to the late Incaic orogeny
Miocene, under semiarid climatic conditions beneath region- Stage 1
ally extensive pediments, and were stimulated by drastic and Checo del Cobre or Altos de Camilaca
abrupt descents in the water table caused by uplift and resul- Intermediate Surface - Surface ( 18 Ma) -
tant pediment erosion (Fig. 2). apparently lower Miocene strong supergene
pediplain that controlled enrichment was initiated
Scope of study
regional supergene early in erosion
In the present contribution, we first refine the Oligocene to enrichment
Miocene landform history of the Moquegua-Locumba area Stage 2
(after Tosdal et al., 1984) through 40Ar-39Ar dating of selected Multiple Pediment Stage
ignimbrite units and a reinterpretation of the geomorphologic Atacama Pediplain -
relationships of several key flows. This modified chronology is (9.2-15.3 Ma)
Pampa Lagunas Pediment
then extended for over 200 km northwestward to the Are- pediplain that incised
(ca. 11-14 Ma)
quipa area (Fig. 1), where the age of supergene activity in the pre-existing supergene
- episode of strong
Cerro Verde and Santa Rosa porphyry Cu-Mo deposits has profiles and did not
supergene enrichment
been established through direct 40Ar-39Ar dating of supergene generate significant
alunite group minerals (Quang et al., 2003). This geochrono- additional supergene
logic approach was pioneered by Gustafson and Hunt (1975) enrichment Cerro de las Chulpas
in their K-Ar studies at El Salvador, Chile, and its efficacy has Pediment (ca. 11 Ma)
been demonstrated in the central Andes by Alpers and
Brimhall (1988), Sillitoe and McKee (1996), and, employing Pampa Sitana Pediment
40
Ar-39Ar analysis, by Mote et al. (2001) and Bouzari and Canyon incision and (ca. 10 Ma)
Clark (2002). A new model integrating landscape evolution
terrace development
and supergene development is developed for this wider tran-
initiated at ca.9 to 9.5 Ma Cerro Sagollo Pediment
sect, incorporating alunite and jarosite dates for leached as-
semblages from several mineralized prospects. (ca. 9 Ma)
Previous Model for Landform Chronology and Stage 3

Supergene Profile Evolution in Southern Perú
Valley and Terrace Stage
Tosdal (1978) and Tosdal et al. (1984) defined a three- (< 8.5 Ma) - no significant
stage Oligocene to Miocene landform chronology (Figs. 2–3) supergene enrichment
for the areas surrounding the Moquegua and Locumba val- during this period
leys on the basis of geomorphologic mapping and K-Ar dat-
ing of ignimbrites. The oldest (stage 1) planar landform ele-
FIG. 2. Summary of previously proposed landform and supergene
ment, the Altos de Camilaca surface, was the product of chronologies in northern Chile and southern Perú. References for northern
protracted erosion (Fig. 2) coinciding with major uplift asso- Chile: A.H. Clark, unpub. short course notes for Rio Tinto Mining and Ex-
ciated with the Aymará event and the resumption of arc vol- ploration Ltd.: Mendoza (1999), Nishiizumi et al. (1998), Mortimer (1973),
canism following a ca. 25-m.y. amagmatic period (Clark et Sillitoe et al. (1968), and Clark et al. (1967a-b), and for southern Peru: Tos-
al., 1990a). It comprises a regionally preserved, southwest- dal (1978), Tosdal et al. (1981, 1984), and Clark et al. (1990b)
dipping degradational surface in the precordillera and an
aggradational facies represented by the upper member of the
Moquegua Formation (Fig. 4), locally preserved in the lla- Ma (Tosdal, 1978; Tosdal et al., 1981), but R.J. Langridge (in
nuras costaneras and Cordillera de la Costa. The pediplain Clark et al., 1990a) recorded 40Ar-39Ar total-fusion mineral
truncated Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene rocks and struc- dates as old as 29 Ma, which were subsequently interpreted
tures, including the Toquepala, Quellaveco, and Cuajone as evidence for a late Oligocene onset of rapid uplift and ero-
porphyry deposits, and is represented by beveled, subplanar sion (Sandeman et al., 1995). K-Ar ages for Huaylillas For-
ridgelines or an undulating surface buried by earliest Miocene mation ignimbrites covering the erosional surface have a nar-
Huaylillas Formation ignimbrites (Fig. 4). Ignimbrites inter- row range from 18.3 to 18.4 Ma (Tosdal, 1978; Tosdal et al.,
calated with coarse clastic units in the upper Moquegua For- 1981), inferred to provide a minimum age for stage 1 erosion
mation (aggradational facies) yield K-Ar biotite ages of ca. 23 (Fig. 2).
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90 QUANG ET AL.
14.2 Ma, bi
71°W SP-73 70°W
18.9 Ma, bi COR
a mbo SP-85 DIL
Río T Cuajone LER
Quellaveco AO 17°S
CCI
Altos de 14.8 Ma, bi DEN
Camilaca SP-65 TAL
Moquegua 24.0 Ma, bi
Desierto de SPT-127f 19.1 Ma, bi
Clemesí SPT-305
Pampa
(9.6 Ma), bi Lagunas
Toquepala
SPT-308
(15.7 Ma), bi
N SPT-211 18.8 Ma, bi
PRE
COR
a
gu
10.3 Ma, bi
SPT-124 DILL
ERA
ue
a
oq
mb
SPT-323
ocu
oM
10.1 Ma, bi L
(13.6 Ma), bi
Río
Rí
SPT-324
SPT-330
C Locumba
Ilo
DE ORD
LA ILL Ataspaca
CO ER
ST A
A
Ite 23.1 Ma, pl 25.5 Ma, pl
PA 23.8 Ma, hb SPAM-141
C a SPAM-151
IF m
IC Sa LL
AN
o
OC Rí UR
AS
EA CO 18°S
N Tacna STA
NE
RA
S
PERU
0 10 20 30 40 50 km CHILE
Altos de Camilaca “Basement” Physiographic 40

Ar-39Ar plateau
Surface
boundary age for ash-flow
Pampa Lagunas town, village
Pediment (integrated ages
mine Limit of in brackets)
Cerro de las Chulpas geomorphologic
Pediment and younger prospect mapping
landforms
FIG. 3. Major physiographic units of the Cordillera Occidental, southern Perú, showing the locations of dated tuffs doc-
umented in earlier studies and the distribution of Tertiary landform elements within the limits of geomorphologic mapping
by Tosdal (1978; simplified after Tosdal et al., 1984). Dated minerals: bi = biotite, hb = hornblende, pl = plagioclase.
An ensuing sequence of four pediments (Fig. 2), predomi- response to episodic uplift. These younger surfaces, generally
nantly incised into the aggradational plain of the Altos de restricted in areal extent, show progressively greater influ-
Camilaca surface in the llanuras costaneras but narrowing ence by throughgoing river valleys and are now largely repre-
northeastward into open valleys in the precordillera, was as- sented by discontinuous benches and ridge spurs. Landforms
signed to a Multiple Pediment stage (stage 2) by Tosdal developed during stage 2 were considered to have formed be-
(1978) and Tosdal et al. (1984). In the Moquegua-Locumba tween approximately 15 and 9 Ma (Tosdal et al., 1984). The
area, the oldest of these surfaces, the Pampa Lagunas, is an ongoing Valley and Terrace stage (3) has been active since the
apron pediment extending from the southwestern foot of the late Miocene (Tosdal et al., 1984). Landforms generated dur-
precordillera to the Cordillera de la Costa (Fig. 3). Three pro- ing this stage include littoral and valley terraces and bedrock
gressively lower terrace pediments, not distinguished in Fig- benches in the Cordillera de la Costa and alpine glacial
ure 3, were incised into the Pampa Lagunas pediment in cirques and moraines and lacustrine terraces in the high
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Fluvial-glacial 0.7 (bi: K-Ar)

Barroso deposits
Group 1.7 (bi: K-Ar)
v v v v v v
4.9-5.0 (bi)
La Joya Formation v v v v v
v
5.3 (pl: K-Ar)
Capillune Formation
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
Sencca Formation v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v 6.5-7.9 (bi)
? ? CS ?
Maure Formation
Asana ?
? ? v v v v v 10.1-10.5 (bi)
? ?
PS Formation v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
Chuntacala Formation
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v 13.0-14.8 (bi)
v v v v v v v v v v v v v
v v v vv v v v
v v v v v 18.8-19.1 (bi)
CdlC v v v v v v v v v
v v v
v v v v v
v v v v v v
v v v v v v v v v
v v v vv v v
v v v v v
v v v
Huaylillas Formation v v v v v v
v v
v v v 23.8-24.0 (bi)
PL v v v v
v v
AdC v v
v v v v v 25.5 (bi)
v v
v v v
v
Upper Moquegua Formation
Lower Moquegua Formation
pre-upper Eocene Rocks
FIG. 4. Late Tertiary stratigraphy of southern Perú (Tosdal et al., 1981). Solid circles indicate the approximate loca-
tions of dated volcanic rocks, the ages of which are shown on the right (in Ma). Minerals dated: bi = biotite and pl = pla-
gioclase. The K-Ar dates are from Tosdal et al. (1981). Relative positions of Moquegua landforms are indicated in the left-
hand column. AdC = Altos de Camilaca, CdlC = Cerro de las Chulpas, CS = Cerro Sagollo, PL = Pampa Lagunas, PS =
Pampa Sitana.
cordillera, as well as narrow but deeply incised valleys and Chuntacala Formation (Fig. 4) ignimbrites and lahars at 13.1
canyons. Ma. At Toquepala, a vertically extensive, multilevel enrich-
Tosdal (1978) and, in more detail, Clark et al. (1990b) ap- ment profile was developed (Anderson, 1982; Clark et al.,
plied the landform relationships described by Tosdal et al. 1990b), but Neogene ignimbrites are not preserved in the
(1984) in developing models for the evolution of supergene mine area, precluding assignment of direct age constraints for
profiles in the neighboring variably enriched Cuajone, the different supergene episodes. However, the highest alti-
Quellaveco, and Toquepala porphyry copper deposits (Fig. 3). tude chalcocite zones were inferred to have formed during
Chalcocite development at Cuajone was inferred to have oc- the late Oligocene or early Miocene below the Altos de Cami-
curred during stage 1 uplift and pediplanation in the latest laca surface, whereas the deepest and most important chal-
Oligocene and to have been terminated at 22.8 Ma when cocite horizon was tentatively correlated with the earliest part
blanketed by a thick Huaylillas Formation ignimbrite flow. of the Multiple Pediment stage.
Supergene enrichment at Quellaveco, which is more exten- Two major episodes of supergene enrichment were there-
sive than at Cuajone, is considered to have commenced before proposed by Clark et al. (1990b) for the Toquepala-Cua-
neath the developing Altos de Camilaca surface in the earli- jone district, one in the late Oligocene to early Miocene, as-
est Miocene but to have been interrupted by the deposition sociated with the Altos de Camilaca surface, and the second
of an 18.1 Ma Huaylillas Formation ignimbrite. Following the in the middle Miocene, associated mainly with the Pampa La-
incision of an open valley at the onset of the Multiple Pedi- gunas pediment and hence with the earlier erosional events of
ment stage, the chalcocite horizon was deepened in the mid- the Multiple Pediment stage (Fig. 2). No geochronologic data
dle Miocene (Clark et al., 1990b), before accumulation of are available for supergene minerals in these deposits.
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92 QUANG ET AL.
Geochronology of Ignimbrite Flows laser-induced, incremental-heating 40Ar-39Ar techniques at

In order to provide a reliable template for geomorphologic the Geochronological Laboratory of the Department of Geo-
and supergene relationships farther north, refinement of the logical Sciences and Geological Engineering at Queen’s Uni-
Moquegua-Locumba landform chronology was required versity, Kingston, Ontario. The analytical data are presented
through evaluation of the existing geochronologic database in the Appendix and all ages are reported with uncertainties
for ash-flow tuff eruption. This comprises: conventional K-Ar of ±2σ. Most of the new age determinations are concordant,
biotite dates determined by Tosdal (1978) and Tosdal et al. within 2σ error, with the previous dates, but some are signifi-
(1981), prefixed herein as SP and SPT; and 40Ar-39Ar total-fu- cantly older or younger, with implications for the ages of
sion and step-heating dates for phenocrystic biotite, plagio- eruption and, hence, of erosional events.
clase, and hornblende, carried out by R.J. Langridge (in Clark In addition, nine biotite ages (Table 2; Figs. 6–8) from newly
et al., 1990a), prefixed SPAM. Fourteen previously studied sampled ash-flow tuffs further clarify the landscape evolution,
mineral samples (Table 1; Figs. 3, 5) were reanalyzed by particularly in areas northwest of the Moquegua transect.
TABLE 1. New 40Ar-39Ar Age Determinations for Reanalyzed Ash-Flow Tuff Samples from the Moquegua-Ataspaca Transect1
New 40Ar-39Ar Surface

Sample Latitude (°S) dates (Ma) with Stratigraphic Dates and settings of volcanic flows constrained
no. Longitude (°W) uncertainties ( ±2s) unit2 recorded in earlier studies by samples
SPAM 141 17.77 25.5 ± 2.5 (pl) Upper-Moquegua 31.6 ± 8.1 Ma (pl; Ar-Ar)3 tuff intercalated with Altos de
69.84 plateau age Formation coarse upper Moquegua Formation sediments Camilaca
Surface
SPAM 151 17.79 23.1 ± 1.1 (pl) Upper-Moquegua 32.0 ± 1.0 Ma (pl; Ar-Ar)3 and 26.9 ± 3.1 Ma (bi)3 ages Altos de
70.21 23.8 ± 1.3 (hb) Formation for a tuff intercalated with coarse upper Moquegua Camilaca
plateau ages Formation sediments Surface
SPT 127f 17.08 24.0 ± 0.8 (bi) Upper-Moquegua 22.8 ± 0.7 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff disconformably overlying Altos de
70.73 plateau age Formation Cretaceous-Paleogene rocks in the vicinity of the Camilaca
Cuajone mine Surface
SP 85 17.03 18.9 ± 0.3 (bi) Huaylillas 17.6 ± 0.6 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff representing an upper Pampa
70.68 plateau age Formation flow at the Cuajone mine (above SPT 127f) Lagunas
surface
SPT 305 17.15 19.1 ± 0.3 (bi) Huaylillas 18.4 ± 0.6 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff on intercanyon ridge Pampa
70.65 plateau age Formation ca. 5 km southeast of the Quellaveco prospect Lagunas
surface
SPT 124 17.42 18.8 ± 0.3 (bi) Huaylillas 18.3 ± 0.6 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff representing the Pampa
70.60 plateau age Formation youngest of three flows blanketing the Altos de Lagunas
Camilaca surface in the vicinity of Río Locumba
SPT 211 17.28 15.7 ± 1.1 (bi) Huaylillas 11.2 ± 1.3 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff in a channel in the Pampa
70.73 integrated age Formation upper part of the Moquegua Formation ca. 15 km Lagunas
west of Toquepala
SPT 330 17.60 13.6 ± 0.2 (bi) Chuntacala 14.2 ± 0.4 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuffs intercalated with Pampa
71.20 integrated age Formation unconsolidated sediments on Pampa Mesa Chica Lagunas
SP 65 17.12 14.8 ± 0.5 (bi) Chuntacala 13.1 ± 0.7 Ma (bi; K-Ar)3 tuff in a valley cut into the Cerro de
70.63 plateau age Formation Altos de Camilaca surface (east of Quellaveco) las Chulpas
SP 73 17.03 14.2 ± 0.2 (bi) Chuntacala 13.1 ± 0.4 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff, which represents the Cerro de
70.72 plateau age Formation lowermost flow in Quebrada Chuntacala, Cuajone mine las Chulpas
SPT 323 17.45 10.3 ± 0.2 (bi) Asana 10.4 ± 0.9 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff preserved as an isolated Pampa
71.00 plateau age Formation outcrop in a dry valley cut into Moquegua Formation Sitana
at the inland foot of the Cordillera de la Costa
SPT 324 17.60 10.1 ± 0.2 (bi) Asana 10.2 ± 0.6 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff intercalated with alluvial Pampa
70.88 plateau age Formation gravels at the inland base of the Cordillera de la Costa Sitana
SPT 308 17.40 9.6 ± 0.5 (bi) Asana 8.9 ± 0.6 Ma (bi; K-Ar)4 tuff in canyon incised into the Cerro
71.05 integrated age Formation Pampa Sitana pediment; intercalated with coarse- Sagollo
grained continental sediments along steep slopes of
the Río Moquegua valley
Notes: Minerals dated: bi = biotite, hb = hornblende, pl = plagioclase

1 Cf. Figures 3 and 5
2 Moquegua, Huaylillas, and Chuntacala Formations as defined by Tosdal et al. (1981); the Asana Formation is defined herein
3 Unpublished 40Ar-39Ar total fusion data from R.J.Langridge, pers. commun. (1986-1988)
4 K-Ar data from Tosdal et al. (1981)
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 92
SPAM-141, plagioclase SPAM-151, plagioclase SPAM-151, hornblende

(a) 50 (b) 50 (c) 50
40 PA = 25.5±2.5 40 40 PA = 23.8±1.3
Age (Ma) PA = 23.1±1.1
30 30 30
20 20 20
10 10 10
Integrated Age: 24.3±2.5 Ma Integrated Age: 22.6±1.2 Ma Integrated Age: 22.0±1.5 Ma
0 0 0
0.0 Fraction Ar
39 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
SPT-127f, biotite SP-85, biotite SPT-305, biotite

(d) 50 (e) 50 (f) 50
40 PA = 24.0±0.8 40 40
30 30 PA = 18.9±0.3 30 PA = 19.1±0.3
20 20 20
10 10 10
0 0 0
0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
SPT-124, biotite SPT-211, biotite SPT-211, biotite

(g) 50 (h) 50 (i)100
40 40 10 % atmospheric Ar
40
30 PA = 18.8±0.3 30 1
20 20 0.1
10 10 0.01
Integrated Age: 18.7±0.4 Ma Integrated Age: 15.7±1.1 Ma Ca/K ratio
0 0 0.001
0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 39
Fraction Ar 1.0
SPT-330, biotite SP-65, biotite SP-73, biotite

(j) 50 (k) 50 (l) 50
40 40 40
30 30 PA = 14.8±0.5 30
PA = 14.2±0.2
20 20 20
10 10 10
0 0 0
0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
SPT-323, biotite SPT-324, biotite

(m) 50 (n) 50
40 40
30 30
PA = 10.3±0.2 PA = 10.1±0.2
20 20
10 10
Integrated Age: 10.2±0.2 Ma Integrated Age: 10.2±0.2 Ma
0 0
0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
SPT-308, biotite SPT-308, biotite

(o) 50 (p) 100
40 10 % atmospheric 40Ar
30 1
Integrated Age: 9.6±0.5 Ma
20 0.1
10 0.01
Ca/K ratio
0 0.001
0.0 1.0 0.0 Fraction Ar
39 1.0
40 39
FIG. 5. Ar- Ar step-heating spectra for ignimbrite samples from the Moquegua-Ataspaca transect dated in earlier stud-
ies (Table 1). Min = minimum age, PA = plateau age.
Revised 40Ar-39Ar dates for reanalyzed samples (Fig. 3) gave, respectively, a plagioclase plateau age of 25.5 ±
2.5 Ma (Fig. 5a) and concordant plagioclase and hornblende
SPAM samples: Two tuffs (SPAM-141 and SPAM-151) in- plateau ages of 23.1 ± 1.1 and 23.8 ± 1.1 Ma (Fig. 5b-c).
tercalated with coarse clastics of the upper member of the These provide minimum age constraints for deposition of the
Moquegua Formation and cropping out in the Ataspaca area upper member of the Moquegua Formation (Fig. 4).
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 93
94 QUANG ET AL.
TABLE 2. 40Ar-39Ar Ages of Magmatic Biotite from Newly Studied Ash-Flow Tuffs, Moquegua-La Joya Transect1
Surface
Sample Latitude (°S) Plateau age (Ma)2 Stratigraphic constrained
no. Longitude (°W) and error (±2s) unit3 Setting and location of volcanic flows by samples
S-16b 17.21 23.8 ± 0.5 Upper Moquegua Intercalated with coarse upper Moquegua Formation Altos de
70.88 Formation sedimentary rocks on Cerro Gordo, Moquegua area Camilaca
S-40 17.09 13.0 ± 0.4 Chuntacala Overlying the Quellaveco deposit and cropping out at Cerro de
70.63 Formation an elevation ca. 40 m higher than the white tuff (S-38) las Chulpas
on the north slope of Río Asana
S-38 17.10 10.1 ± 0.3 Asana Formation Unconsolidated white tuff locally exposed on a terrace Pampa
70.62 incised into the volcanic sequence mantling the Sitana
Quellaveco deposit
S-37 17.09 7.9 ± 0.3 Sencca Formation At the rim of the north flank of Río Asana, Cerro
70.62 overlooking Quellaveco Sagollo
S-41 17.09 7.9 ± 0.2 Sencca Formation At the rim of the north flank of Río Asana, Cerro
70.63 overlooking Quellaveco Sagollo
S-30 17.31 10.5 ± 0.2 Asana Formation Intercalated with sediments exposed in a dry gully Pampa
71.13 Sitana
S-2 16.53 5.0 ± 0.2 La Joya Formation Deposited in a channel that opens onto the Pampa Pampa
71.75 La Joya surface La Joya
S-59 16.95 5.0 ± 0.3 La Joya Formation Disconformably overlying a preserved landform surface Pampa
71.68 north of the Río Tambo valley (at Cuesta Gloria) La Joya
S-60 16.94 4.9 ± 0.3 La Joya Formation Disconformably overlying a preserved landform surface Pampa
71.69 north of the Río Tambo valley (at Alto la Gloria) La Joya
1 Locationsshown in Figures 6 and 8

2 Agespectra shown in Figure 7
3 Moquegua, Chuntacala, and Sencca Formations, as defined by Tosdal et al. (1981); Asana and La Joya Formations, as defined by Quang (2003) and
herein
SP and SPT samples: Biotite separates previously prepared Formation (Fig. 3), gave a disturbed age spectrum (Fig. 5h)
by Tosdal (1978) were examined using a binocular micro- that shows partial resetting. The high atmospheric argon to
scope, which revealed the presence of impurities such as radiogenic argon ratio (Fig. 5i) reflects the chloritization ap-
glass, feldspars, quartz, and hornblende and inclusions of ap- parent in some of the biotite grains. Elsewhere, an unconsol-
atite and zircon in some biotite grains. For 40Ar-39Ar dating, idated tuff (SPT-330, Fig. 3) intercalated with alluvial gravels
30 to 40 of the freshest biotite grains were selected from each yielded a disturbed age spectrum showing recoil effects (Fig.
separate. Eight of 11 new 40Ar-39Ar analyses of biotites previ- 5j) for biotite with interlaminated chlorite.
ously dated by K-Ar methods yielded plateau ages (Table 1, Four middle Miocene tuffs intercalated with coarse gravels
Fig. 5), whereas three gave disturbed spectra. deposited in channels incised into the Moquegua and
Four ash-flow tuffs in the precordillera gave ages slightly Huaylillas Formations (Tosdal et al., 1981) also gave 40Ar-39Ar
older than the reported K-Ar dates (Table 1). A welded tuff ages that are slightly older than the previously reported K-Ar
(SPT-127f) that lies unconformably on the eroded Upper dates (Table 1). Sample SP-65, a semiwelded porphyritic tuff
Cretaceous-Paleogene arc terrane gave a plateau age of 24.0 exposed ca. 5 km east of Quellaveco, gave a plateau age of
± 0.8 Ma (Fig. 5d). This flow is assigned to the Moquegua 14.8 ± 0.5 Ma (Fig. 5k), whereas a slightly welded,
Formation because it falls in the age range of 23.1 to 25.5 Ma pumiceous, porphyritic tuff (SP-73) in Quebrada Chuntacala
determined for ignimbrite flows intercalated with coarse clas- gave a plateau age of 14.2 ± 0.2 Ma (Fig. 5l). These areally re-
tics near the top of the upper member of that formation. stricted Chuntacala Formation ignimbrites (Fig. 4) from the
Three semiwelded porphyritic tuffs (SP-85, SPT-124, SPT- type locality define a narrow age range of 14.2 to 14.8 Ma.
305, Fig. 5) from a higher stratigraphic position relative to Two unconsolidated, porphyritic tuffs (SPT-323 and SPT 324)
SPT-127f gave plateau ages of 18.8 to 19.1 Ma (Table 1). located, respectively, in a valley incised into Moquegua For-
These three lower Miocene flows are assigned to the Huaylil- mation sediments and intercalated with alluvial gravels on
las Formation (Fig. 4), which comprises regionally extensive Pampa Sitana (Fig. 3), yielded identical ca. 10 Ma plateau
ignimbrite sheets that blanket the eroded Upper Cretaceous ages (Fig. 5m-n). An unconsolidated tuff (SPT 308) yielded
to Paleogene strata in the precordillera (Tosdal et al., 1981) an integrated age of 9.6 ± 0.5 Ma from a disturbed age spec-
and overlie a sequence of conglomerates in the llanuras trum (Fig. 5o) for a biotite separate with inclusions of apatite
costaneras mapped as the Moquegua Formation by Bellido and zircon and fragments of hornblende, plausibly responsi-
and Landa (1965). ble for the increased Ca/K ratios in the highest temperature
Sample SPT-211, a semiwelded, pumiceous, porphyritic steps (Fig. 5p). In addition, the ratio of atmospheric argon to
tuff deposited in a channel incised into the tilted Moquegua radiogenic argon is significantly higher than for other
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 94
V V V V V V V V
72°S Arequipa 71°S
V V V V V V V V
V V V V V V V V
V V V V V V V
H’ 5.0 Ma V V V V V V V
S-2
V V V V
Cerro Verde- V V
V V V V V V
Santa Rosa
V V V V V
Pampa
V V V V V
La Joya
V V V
V V
La Joya S-37 to
V 41
Figure 8
V(A - A’) V
4.9 Ma V
S-60 Cuajone
5.0 Ma E’ B
G S-59 mb o
17°S H
G’ R ío Ta
F F’
Cocachacra
Desierto Quellaveco
r os
de Clemesí Moquegua
ane
Cordillera
a
egu
de la Costa D D’
rada Gu
Río Moqu
Clemesí 23.8 Ma
Llanuras S-16b Toquepala
Costaneras E
PAC
ueb
10.5 Ma
Precordillera IFIC S-30 Q B’
OC
EA
V
N
V
Cordillera C
Occidental
town, village
C’
Physiographic
boundary mine ba
m
Ilo
u
oc
40
Ar- Ar
39
prospect
oL
plateau
Rí
date for 0 10 20 30 km
ash-flow
FIG. 6. Major physiographic units of the Cordillera Occidental, southern Perú, showing the locations of the newly stud-
ied ash-flow tuffs and the landform profiles in Figure 10.
samples. Thus, the 8.9 Ma K-Ar date reported by Tosdal et al. pumiceous, porphyritic tuff (S-40) from near the base of the
(1981) for this sample is considered to be unreliable. thick volcanic sequence that overlies the northern half of the
40Ar-39Ar
deposit (Fig. 8b) yielded a seven-step plateau age of 13.0 ±
data for previously undated ignimbrite units 0.4 Ma (Fig. 7b). A five-step plateau age of 10.1 ± 0.3 Ma
Nine new biotite samples from previously undocumented (Fig. 7c) was obtained from an unconsolidated ash-flow tuff
ash-flow tuffs have been dated (Table 2; Figs. 6–7). Five sam- (S-38: the “white tuff” of Clark et al., 1990b), exposed ca. 40
ples are from the Moquegua area and four from the Clemesí m lower than S-40 (Fig. 8b) and discontinuously overlying the
and La Joya areas to the northwest, where Tertiary ignimbrite Quellaveco Conglomerate, a local accumulation dominated
flows are only sparsely preserved. by hematitic, leached cobbles.
A semiwelded porphyritic tuff (S-16b) ca. 6 km east of Mo- Two unwelded, pumiceous, porphyritic tuffs (S-37 and S-
quegua gave a four-step plateau age of 23.8 ± 0.5 Ma (Fig. 41), probably representing a single flow that is discontinu-
7a). The other four samples from this area are from a se- ously exposed (Fig. 8), gave identical plateau ages of 7.9 Ma
quence of ignimbrites and conglomerates overlying the leached (Fig. 7d-e). This volcanic flow is assigned to the Sencca For-
zone of the Quellaveco prospect (Fig. 8). An unwelded, mation of Tosdal et al. (1981; Fig. 4).
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96 QUANG ET AL.
S-16b, biotite S-40, biotite S-38, biotite

(a) 50 (b)50 (c) 50
40 PA = 23.8±0.5 40 40
Age (Ma)
30 30 30 PA = 10.1±0.3
PA = 13.0±0.4
20 20 20
10 10 10
0 0 0
0.0 Fraction Ar
39 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
S-37, biotite S-41, biotite S-30, biotite

(d)50 (e) 50 (f) 50
40 40 40
30 30 30
PA = 7.9±0.3 PA = 10.5±0.2
20 20 PA = 7.9±0.2 20
10 10 10
0 0 0
0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
S-2, biotite S-59, biotite S-60, biotite

(g)50 (h)50 (i) 50
40 40 40
30 30 30
20 PA = 5.0±0.2 20 20 PA = 4.9±0.3
PA = 5.0±0.3
10 10 10
0 0 0
0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
40 39
FIG. 7. Ar- Ar step-heating spectra for newly studied ash-flow tuffs (Table 2). Min = minimum age, PA = plateau age.
(a) 548 000 E A S-37 549 000 E 3900 m 550 000 E Farther to the northwest, an unwelded, unconsolidated tuff
S-41 (S-30) exposed in an arroyo between the Desierto de Clemesí
0m
80 000 N
S-40 380 and Quebrada Guaneros (Fig. 6) yielded a four-step plateau
S-38 370
0m age of 10.5 ± 0.2 Ma (Fig. 7f) and is thus assigned to the
3600 m
Asana Formation (Fig. 4).
Three tuffs (S-2, S-59, S-60) from the wider La Joya area
a (Fig. 6) gave identical ca. 5 Ma plateau ages (Fig. 7g-i) and
san
Quellaveco are assigned to the La Joya Formation (Fig. 4).
A
o
Rí 3500m
3600
m
A revised stratigraphic column for the Oligocene to
79 000 N 3700 m
0 500 m Pliocene volcanic and sedimentary units in littoral southern
A’ 3800 m Perú is summarized in Figure 4 (cf. fig. 2 of Tosdal et al.,
3700 m
(b) 1981).
0m
Looking NE
A A’ 3900
3 60
NW
7.9 Ma (S-37 & 41) SE
m
380 0
13.0 Ma (S-40) Revised Landform Model
10.1 Ma (S-38)
CC
Leached Capping
CC Moquegua-Locumba area
CC
CC 3700
CC
CC
CC
CC
The new 40Ar-39Ar data indicate that, following a protracted
Dated ash-flow tuffCC CC Río Asana CC
CC
middle Tertiary period of quiescence, ignimbrite eruption
CC
CC
CC
Sulfide enrichment zone CC CC was initiated along the arc front of southern Perú at ca. 25.5
CC
CC
CC 3500 Ma (cf. Clark et al., 1990a; Sandeman et al., 1995). These up-
Terrace correlated with 0 500 m m a.s.l.
Pampa Sitana pediment permost Oligocene tuffs are generally intercalated with
Approximate limit of Quellaveco deposit coarse clastic sediments of the upper member of the Mo-
quegua Formation (Fig. 4; Tosdal et al., 1981). Resumption of
arc magmatism, therefore, closely followed an episode of tec-
FIG. 8. (a). Simplified topographic map of the Quellaveco prospect area, tonic uplift that produced the slight angular unconformity be-
showing locations of dated ignimbrite flows on the northern flank of the Río tween the uniformly bedded, fine- to medium-grained silt-
Asana valley. The northwest-southeast (A-A') line indicates the approximate stones and sandstones of the lower member of the Moquegua
location of the cross section. (b). Schematic northwest-southeast cross sec- Formation and the conglomeratic sandstones of the upper
tion along the axis of the Quellaveco orebody, illustrating the interrelation-
ships of present topography, dated Miocene ash-flow tuffs, inferred Pampa member (Fig. 4).
Sitana terrace pediment, and the Quellaveco sulfide enrichment zone (mod- The landform chronology for littoral southern Perú re-
ified after Clark et al., 1990b). Vertical scale is exaggerated. quires revision in the light of these data and the improved
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 96
understanding of the stratigraphic relationships. The pro- (III), preserved as discontinuous benches incised into the
posed modifications mainly concern the earlier erosional Pampa Lagunas surface (II), was almost entirely destroyed by
events and are shown in Figure 9. Whereas Tosdal (1978) in- the lower elevation Pampa Sitana surface (IV; Fig. 11a). The
terpreted the Huaylillas Formation ignimbrites (i.e., SPT-124 Cerro de las Chulpas surface is, however, more extensively
and SPT-305) as providing a minimum age of 18.3 to 18.4 Ma developed around the Río Locumba (cf. fig. 1 of Tosdal et al.,
(K-Ar dates; Table 1) for development of the Altos de Cami- 1984). Three Chuntacala Formation ignimbrites (S-40, SP-65
laca surface (I), the age of this major erosional feature is now and SP-73; Fig. 4) provide age constraints of +13.0 to –14.8
temporally constrained by coeval dates of 23.8 Ma (S-16b) Ma for the development of the Cerro de las Chulpas surface
and 24.0 Ma (SPT-127f) for tuffs assigned to the Moquegua (III; Fig. 10a). Identical plateau ages for biotite of 10.3 ± 0.2
Formation (Table 1). The relationships between the Altos de and 10.1± 0.2 Ma from two Asana Formation ash-flow tuffs
Camilaca surface (I) and the Pampa Lagunas (II) and younger (SPT-324 and SPT-323; Fig. 4), respectively, intercalated with
surfaces are shown in Figure 10a, in which ignimbrites (SP- the alluvial gravels of the aggradational facies and overlying
85, SPT-124, and SPT-305) of the Huaylillas Formation (Fig. the erosional facies of the subsequent Pampa Sitana surface
4) dated at 18.8 to 19.1 Ma are correlated with erosion re- (IV), provide direct age constraints for its formation (Figs.
sulting in the development of the Pampa Lagunas surface (II; 10a, 11a). However, the minimum age of the Cerro Sagollo
Fig. 10a). In contrast, Tosdal et al. (1984) inferred an age surface (V), the lowest and youngest planate landform in the
range of 11.2 to 14.2 Ma for the Pampa Lagunas erosional region (Figs. 10a, 11a), is undefined.
event on the basis of two K-Ar dates (SPT-211 and SPT-308, Our field observations and new 40Ar-39Ar dates for four tuffs
Table 1). Our analyses of biotite from these tuffs revealed dis- from the north flank of the Río Asana valley at the Quellaveco
turbed age spectra (Fig. 5h, i, o, p) which indicate that neither prospect (Fig. 8) refine the local landform chronology and
date is reliable. support the model proposed by Clark et al. (1990b) for the re-
The relationships to the Pampa Lagunas pediment (II) of lationships of the volcanic units. A Chuntacala Formation ig-
the three younger landforms (Fig. 2) assigned to the Multiple nimbrite (S-40) at the base of the volcanic sequence (Figs. 4,
Pediment stage by Tosdal et al. (1984) are illustrated in Fig- 8) gave a plateau age for biotite of 13.0 Ma (Table 2). A locally
ure 11a. At its type locality, the Cerro de las Chulpas surface preserved bench incised into the older volcanic and clastic
succession is interpreted as corresponding to the upper
reaches of the Pampa Sitana surface (IV; Fig. 8). The uncon-
solidated 10.1 Ma white tuff of the Asana Formation (Fig. 4),
35 deposited on this bench (Fig. 8), provides a direct age con-
Revised landform chronology straint for the Pampa Sitana surface (IV). A 7.9 Ma Sencca
based on results of this study Formation ignimbrite (S-37 and S-41; Figs. 4, 8; Table 2) is
interpreted as providing a minimum age for development of
30 Landform chronology of the Cerro Sagollo surface (V; Fig. 10a). The exceptional
Tosdal et al. (1984) preservation of this unwelded tuff at an altitude of ca. 3,800
m (Fig. 8) is evidence that the semiarid climatic conditions re-
23.8-24 Ma quired for widespread pedimentation had changed by the
25
early-late Miocene to those favoring the local incision of
canyons.
The revised landform chronology for the wider Moquegua
AGE (Ma)
20 19-20 Ma region shown in Figures 9 and 10a emphasizes the elimina-

tion of an extended early Miocene hiatus between the Altos
de Camilaca surface (I) and the Multiple Pediment stage (cf.
> 18 Ma
13-15 Ma Tosdal et al., 1984).
15
Ilo, Clemesí, Tambo, and La Joya areas
The erosional landforms of the Moquegua area have been
10.1 Ma
traced continuously through field mapping southwest to the
10 11-14 Ma 11 Ma 9 Ma Ilo area, and northwestward across the Desierto de Clemesí
10 Ma and the Río Tambo valley to the La Joya area (Fig. 6). Geo-
morphologic relationships in this region are based on the rel-
ca. 7.9 Ma ative positions of local landforms with respect to the mapped
5
continuous surfaces and are illustrated in a series of cross sec-
tions (Fig. 10), the locations of which are shown in Figure 6.
In each area, planar landforms are given local geographic
0 names, which can be correlated with corresponding features
Altos de Pampa Cerro de Pampa Cerro in the Moquegua area (Table 3; Figs. 10a, 11a). The ca. 4500-
Camilaca Lagunas las Chulpas Sitana Sagollo km2 region covered by Figure 12 experienced a consistent
(Stage I) (Stage II) (Stage III) (Stage IV) (Stage V) history of erosional events. For ease of comparison, the ero-
FIG. 9. Comparison of the revised landform chronology with that pro- sional features are assigned to stages I through V, corre-
posed by Tosdal et al. (1984). sponding to the Altos de Camilaca, Pampa Lagunas, Cerro de
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 97
98 QUANG ET AL.
B Cross section looking NW Cerro de B’

(a) Altos de Camilaca
23.8 -24.0 Ma las Chulpas 5000 m
13.0-14.8 Ma
4000 m
I Pampa Lagunas Cerro
18.8-20.1 Ma Pampa Sitana Sagollo 3000 m
II 10.1-10.3 Ma
Cuajone ca. 7.9 Ma 2000 m
III IV
0 2 4 km V 1000 m
Figure 11a
0 m a.s.l.
Cross section looking NNE

(b) C Cerro Zapatero Cerro Chololo C’
Grande Cerro de 3000 m
las Chulpas Río Moquegua
Altos de Camilaca Quebrada
Pampa Lagunas 2000 m
I I Guaneros I
II II II II II Pampa Sitana
III IV IV IV
1000 m
0 1 2 km
Yaral
0 m a.s.l.
(c) D Cross section looking SW D’

Cerros Homo 3000 m
Desierto Pampa
de Clemesí de Congas Pampa
II 10.5 Ma Guaneros I I 2000 m
IV IV IV
V V
Figure 11b 1000 m
0 1 2 km
0 m a.s.l.
(d) E Cross section looking NW Altos de E’

Quebrada Camilaca 3000 m
Desierto Chayanto I
II
de Clemesí III
2000 m
I I II
II
1000 m
Terrace 0 1 2 km
0 m a.s.l.
(e) F Cross section looking N F’

Cerro Buena Vista 3000 m
Río Tambo Desierto

Cachuyito Pampa de Clemesí 2000 m
Pampa
Pampa Pampa Colorada Colorada II
II IV Yamayo Pacheco III IV
IV III III III IV 1000 m
V V 0 1 2 km
Angostura
0 m a.s.l.
(f) G Cross section looking NNE G’

Cerro Buena Vista 3000 m
Cerro Bronce
Quebrada Río Tambo
Cachuyo 2000 m
Pampa de La Joya
Pampa
II I Yamayo
II II 1000 m
III IV V
0 1 2 km
Cachuyo
0 m a.s.l.
(g) H Cross section looking E H’

La Caldera 3000 m
I I II I Pampa de La Joya
II I
II 2000 m
II
I
La Llave Angostura II
1000 m
0 1 2 km
Figure 11c Mine (projected) Cu prospect Cu prospect (projected)
0 m a.s.l.
FIG. 10. Schematic cross sections, showing the landform profiles for the selected areas of the Pacific slope between
Moquegua and La Joya (see Fig. 6). (a). Moquegua valley. (b). Yaral prospect area. (c). Pampa Guaneros. (d). Desierto de
Clemesí. (e). Pampa Colorada. (f). Cocachacra. (g). Pampa de La Joya. Pediments are assigned to stages I through V on the
basis of the chronology established for the Moquegua area (Fig. 9). Actual or projected locations of mines and prospects are
shown.
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 98
E W
(a)
AdC AdC
PL PL
CdlC PS
PS
CS
CS
y
Río Moquegua valle
NE SW
(b) Cerros Homo AdC
AdC
PL PL AdC PL
PdC CdlC CdlC
PdC
PG
SW NE
(c)
LC
LC
PLJ
La Llave
FIG. 11. (a). Panorama looking south from Cerro Baúl. The Pampa Lagunas pediplain (PL) forms the prominent surface
stretching across the llanuras costaneras, whereas the precordillera (on the extreme left and beyond the photo) is dominated
by the Altos de Camilaca (AdC) pediplain. A discontinuous, residual bench just below the Pampa Lagunas pediplan
represents the Cerro de las Chulpas (DdlC) pediment, which is better preserved in the lower llanuras costaneras. The
younger Pampa Sitana (PS) pediment forms dissected ridge spurs below the Pampa Lagunas pediplain, and benches just
above the Moquegua valley are remnants of the Cerro Sagollo (CS) pediment. The summits of the Cordillera de la Costa,
scarcely visible in the far-right background, are remnants of the Altos de Camilaca (AdC) surface incised by the Pampa
Lagunas pediplain. (b). Panorama looking southeast across Quebrada Guaneros (Fig. 6). (Pampa de Congas pediment = PdC;
Pampa Guaneros pediment = PG) (c). Panorama looking northwest across the La Llave prospect. (La Caldera surface = LC;
Pampa de La Joya = PLJ).
las Chulpas, Pampa Sitana, and Cerro Sagollo surfaces in the all widely preserved along the lower Río Moquegua valley
Moquegua area. (Fig. 10a-b) and persist southwest to the Ilo area, where rem-
The Pampa Lagunas surface extends continuously from the nants of the Altos de Camilaca and Pampa Lagunas surfaces
precordillera southwest across the llanuras costaneras (Fig. are preserved in the Cordillera de la Costa (Fig. 10b). The
10a). The Cerro de las Chulpas, Pampa Sitana, and Cerro landforms documented in the vicinity of the Yaral porphyry
Sagollo surfaces, incised into the Pampa Lagunas surface, are copper prospect in the Ilo area are shown in an east-west
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 99
100 QUANG ET AL.
TABLE 3. Summary of Erosional Surfaces Defined in the Moquegua Area and Their Correlatives in the Ilo, Clemesí, Tambo, and La Joya Areas
Correlatives in Correlatives in Correlatives in Correlatives in

Stage Moquegua surfaces the Ilo area the Clemesí area the Tambo area the La Joya area
I Altos de Camilaca Cerro Chololo Cerros Homo Cerro Bronce La Caldera

Cerro Zapatero Grande
II Pampa Lagunas Desierto de Clemesí Cerro Buena Vista Santa Rosa
Pampa de La Joya Pampa de La Joya
III Cerro de las Chulpas Quebrada Chayanto Lomillas del Toro
IV Pampa Sitana Pampa de Congas Pampa Colorada
V Cerro Sagollo Pampa Guaneros Pampa Yamayo
Pampa Pacheco
Cerro Verde-
Santa Rosa 0
of mapping 1
Cachuyito
limit
Cachuyo 0
La Joya Angostura
queg ua
1
o
mb
Mo
limit of mapping
ío
0
Río T
La Llave
R
0 2 4 km 1
0 2 4 km
Cachuyito
Cachuyo
o
amb 17° S
1
1
limit of mapping
T
ío Cuajone
R
Cocachacra Quellaveco
3
Toquepala
3
3
Moquegua
3
Posco Clemesí
Pediments 0
Altos de Camilaca (I)

and correlatives 0
Pampa Lagunas (II) 0
and correlatives
Cerro de las Chulpas (III)
ping
and correlatives
Pa
Pampa Sitana (IV)

a
map
u
cif
eg
and correlatives
N
qu
t of
ic
Cerro Sagollo (V)

Mo
limi
Oc
and correlatives
o
Rí
Landforms of the Valley

ea
Yaral
and Terrace stage (VI)
n
town, village Ilo 0 10 20 30 km

mine
prospect 71° W
FIG. 12. Geomorphologic map, showing the distribution of Tertiary landforms in the study area. The precordillera and
llanuras constaneras are dominated by, respectively, the Altos de Camilaca (dark gray) and Pampa Lagunas (light gray)
pediplains and their correlatives (numbers in brackets refer to stages in Fig. 9). In contrast, the areally restricted landforms
of the Multiple Pediment stage (Fig. 2), comprising the Cerro de las Chulpas, Pampa Sitana, and Cerro Sagollo pediments
and their correlatives, are concentrated along throughgoing rivers. The relationships between the landforms of the Multiple
Pediment stage and remnants of the Altos de Camilaca and Pampa Lagunas pediplains in the Moquegua-Pampa Guanero
transect are shown in greater detail in an inset at the top right of the figure, whereas those in the area around the Cachuyo
and Cachuyito prospects, north-northeast of Cocachacra, are shown in an inset at the top center.
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 100

cross section in Figure 10b. The planate summits in the therefore recommend the restriction of the Multiple Pedi-
Cordillera de la Costa (e.g., Cerro Chololo at 1,250 m a.s.l. ment stage (Tosdal et al., 1984) to the Cerro de las Chulpas
and Cerro Zapatero Grande at 1,450 m a.s.l., Fig. 10b) are (III), Pampa Sitana (IV), and Cerro Sagollo (V) pediments
correlated with the Altos de Camilaca surface (Table 3). and their correlatives to the northwest (Table 3). The revised
The Cerro Sagollo surface extends west from the Mo- landform chronology (Fig. 9) and new geomorphologic map
quegua valley to the base of Cerros Homo, the accordant (Fig. 12) provide a context in which to examine the age and
summits of which are remnants of the Altos de Camilaca sur- evolution of supergene processes in littoral southern Perú.
face (Figs. 10c, 11b; Table 3). A prominent bench below the
summit of Cerros Homo, immediately above the Cerro Supergene Profiles of Porphyry Copper Deposits
Sagollo surface, corresponds to the Pampa Sitana surface and Prospects
(Figs. 10c, 11b). The Pampa Guaneros and Pampa de Congas Supergene profiles in the Paleogene Cerro Verde-Santa
surfaces (Fig. 10c) are correlated, respectively, with the Cerro Rosa and Cuajone-Quellaveco-Toquepala porphyry districts,
Sagollo and Pampa Sitana surfaces (Fig. 10a). A 10.5 ± 0.2 Ma as well as in the various Mesozoic copper prospects, were ex-
ash flow (S-30) intercalated with clastic sediments in the amined in order to document the age and extent of leaching
aggradational facies of the Pampa de Congas surface demon- and chalcocite development and to determine the local geo-
strates that erosion was active at that time (Fig. 10c). morphologic settings of supergene activity (Figs. 13–15). The
A southwest-northeast cross section (Fig. 10d) of the results of the age determinations are summarized in Table 4
Clemesí area is dominated by the well-preserved Desierto de and Figure 13; full analytical data are listed in the Appendix.
Clemesí surface which, in agreement with Laharie (1976), we Descriptions of the supergene profiles along with 40Ar-39Ar
correlate with the Pampa Lagunas surface (Fig. 10a; cf. Tos- age constraints are summarized here from northwest to
dal et al., 1984). Remnants of the older Altos de Camilaca sur- southeast in Figure 15.
face occur in the northeastern sector of the region and in the
Cordillera de la Costa (Fig. 10d). The younger Quebrada Cerro Verde-Santa Rosa district
Chayanto surface (Fig. 10d) is correlated with the Cerro de Supergene processes reached depths of over 300 m within
las Chulpas surface (Fig. 10a). the main body of tourmaline breccia at Cerro Verde, whereas
An east-west cross section (Fig. 10e) illustrates the land- the supergene profile in the contiguous Santa Rosa deposit is
form relationships farther to the northwest, between the significantly thinner (see fig. 11 in Quang et al., 2003). Oxide
Clemesí area and the Río Tambo valley. The Pampa Colorada ore overlies the chalcocite blankets at both Cerro Verde and
surface (Fig. 10e) is correlated with the Pampa Sitana surface Santa Rosa (Fig. 15). The overlying leached zone is domi-
(Fig. 10a). The Cerro de las Chulpas surface is here repre- nated by hematite(-goethite), which, along with textural and
sented by eroded remnants (Fig. 10e). The Pampa Pacheco geochemical evidence, indicates the oxidation and leaching of
and Pampa Yamayo surfaces (Fig. 10e) are both correlated a preexisting chalcocite blanket (Anderson, 1982). This older
with the Cerro Sagollo surface (Fig. 10a). The summit of enriched blanket and its associated higher elevation leached
Cerro Buena Vista (Fig. 10e-f) is interpreted as a remnant of zone were eroded by the Santa Rosa pediment and are there-
the Pampa Lagunas surface and is incised by benches that are fore inferred to have developed beneath the La Caldera sur-
correlated with the Pampa Sitana surface (Fig. 10a). face.
A west-northwest–east-southeast cross section (Fig. 10f)
shows the landform relationships in the area between the Prospects from the La Joya to the Ilo area
western bank of the Río Tambo valley and the La Joya area. Six porphyry-style centers that exhibit leached and oxidized
The rounded summit of Cerro Bronce (Fig. 10f) is correlated profiles have recently been assessed in the La Joya, Río
with the Altos de Camilaca surface and the areally extensive Tambo, and Ilo areas (Fig. 15).
Pampa de La Joya surface (Fig. 10f) with the Pampa Lagunas Leached assemblages rich in hematite and with minor
surface (Fig. 10a). A minimum age for the Pampa de La Joya copper oxide and jarosite at the 68 Ma Angostura prospect
surface is delimited by three 4.9 to 5.0 Ma ash-flow tuffs (S- are truncated by the Pampa de La Joya surface (Figs. 13, 15).
2, S-59, and S-60, Table 2). The La Caldera surface (Figs. Supergene jarosite (S-96) and natroalunite (S-98) from An-
10g, 11c), represented by accordant summits in the pre- gostura gave disturbed age spectra interpreted as evidence
cordillera (e.g., Cerro Verde, Cerro Negro, Cerro San for leaching at 38.1 to 38.9 Ma (Fig. 14a-b).
Martín), as well as eroded remnants (e.g., Cerro Nieves) At the 155 Ma La Llave prospect, 20 km southest of An-
standing above the Pampa de La Joya surface, is correlated gostura (Figs. 11c, 15), yellowish-brown jarosite veins (S-107b)
with the Altos de Camilaca surface (Fig. 10a). and crosscutting dark-brown jarosite veinlets (S-107a) crop-
Geomorphologic mapping therefore reveals that, as in the ping out below the Pampa de La Joya surface gave signifi-
Moquegua-Locumba transect, upper Oligocene and lower cantly differing plateau ages of 28.6 and 19.2 Ma (Fig. 14d-e),
Miocene surfaces are the dominant landform elements in the in agreement with the observed paragenetic relationships.
Ilo, Clemesí, Tambo, and La Joya areas (Fig. 12). The two The 28.6 Ma jarosite veins are interpreted to have formed be-
older, regionally extensive, planar landforms, assigned to neath the late Oligocene La Caldera surface (I), whereas the
stages I and II, may thus be classified as pediplains, and it is 19.2 Ma jarosite veinlets are associated with oxidation and
evident that the most intense erosional dissection of the Pa- leaching during the development of the Pampa de La Joya
cific slope of the Cordillera Occidental was initiated at 25 to surface.
26 Ma and completed by 18 Ma. Subsequently, erosion was Supergene mineralization in the pyrite-poor, 166 Ma,
focused around the exorheic river systems (Fig. 12). We Cachuyo porphyry copper prospect (Fig. 13) comprises cop-
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 101

102 QUANG ET AL.
V V V V
72°S Arequipa 71V°S V V V V
V V V V V V V V
V V V V V V V V
V V V V V V V
V V V V V V V
V V V V
Cerro Verde- V V
V V V V V V
Santa Rosa
V V V V V
Pampa de
Angostura V V V V V
La Joya
38.1Ma V V V
S-96 V V
La Llave
La Joya
38.8 Ma V
19.2 Ma Cachuyito S-98 V V
S-107a
11.4 Ma V
28.6 Ma S-12
S-107b
4.9 Ma
S-13 o
b
17°S Cachuyo Tam
Río Cuajone
Cocachacra
Quellaveco
s
ero
Posco Desierto Moquegua
ua
Cordillera
a Guan
ueg
38.8 Ma de Clemesí
de la Costa S-89
Río Moq
Llanuras Clemesí
PAC rad Toquepala
Costaneras IFIC
ueb
Precordillera OC Q
EA
N
V Cordillera
V
Occidental Yaral
town, village
Physiographic mine
boundary ba
m
Ilo
u
oc
40 39
Ar- Ar prospect
oL
plateau
Rí
date for 0 10 20 30 km
alunite-group minerals
FIG. 13. Map showing the locations of dated supergene alunite group samples from Cu deposits and prospects in south-
ern Perú (Table 4).
per and iron oxides that extend vertically for over 100 m and las Chulpas surface in Figure 10e (e.g., Lomillas del Toro sur-
overlie a weak chalcocite horizon (Fig. 15; Andrews et al., face, Fig. 15). The 4.9 Ma jarosite veinlets are interpreted as
2000). The oxide zone underlies a goethite-hematite leached recording local oxidation during the Valley and Terrace stage (VI).
zone preserved below a remnant of the Altos de Camilaca The hematite-goethite leached zone of the undated Posco
surface (Cerro Bronce, Fig. 10f). The Pampa de La Joya sur- prospect (Fig. 13), exposed below the Pampa Colorada sur-
face truncates both the mineralized oxide and leached zones face, exhibits abundant hematite-coated fractures and quartz
(Fig. 15). stockwork with an alteration assemblage of quartz-sericite-
Five kilometers east-northeast of Cachuyo, copper oxides as- clay and relict disseminated pyrite. Supergene alunite veins
sociated with a weakly mineralized stockwork in biotitized an- from the leached capping at Posco gave a plateau age of 38.8
desite (Liassic Chocolate Formation) crop out on the Pampa Ma (Fig. 14c).
Colorada surface at the 160 Ma Cachuyito prospect (Fig. 13). Supergene copper oxide mineralization in the 106 Ma Yaral
Supergene natrojarosite (S-12) and jarosite (S-13) from a stockwork of the Ilo area is incised by the Pampa Sitana
leached outcrop ca. 500 m to the southeast gave 11.4 and 4.9 surface, whereas a higher elevation, hematite-dominated,
Ma dates (Fig. 14f-g). The 11.4 Ma natrojarosite veins are in- leached zone associated with minor copper oxides occurs
terpreted to have formed beneath a correlative of the Cerro de below the Pampa Lagunas surface (Figs. 13, 15).
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 102

S-96, jarosite S-98, natroalunite S-89, alunite

(a) 100 Integrated Age: 40.6±7.4 Ma
(b) 150 (c) 100
150 120 80
Age (Ma)
90 60 PA = 38.8±0.6
100 PA = 38.1±6.5 TPA = 38.8±1.0
60 40
50 30 20
Integrated Age: 64.5±1.6 Ma Integrated Age: 39.7±0.6 Ma
0 0 0
0.0 39
Fraction Ar 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
S-107b, jarosite S-107a, jarosite S-12, jarosite

(d) 100 (e) 50 (f) 50
80 40 40
60 30 PA = 19.2±0.3 30
PA = 28.6±0.4 PA = 11.4±0.5
40 20 20
20 10 10
0 0 0
0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0
S-13, natrojarosite
(g) 50
Integrated Age: 5.2±0.3 Ma
40
30
20
PA = 4.9±0.3
10
0
0.0 1.0
40 39
FIG. 14. Ar- Ar step-heating spectra for supergene alunite group minerals (Table 4). Min = minimum age, PA = plateau
age, TPA = “technical plateau” age (comprising 3 or more steps but less than 50% of total 39Ar released).
Cuajone-Quellaveco-Toquepala district Supergene sulfide enrichment at Quellaveco reaches depths

of 250 to 300 m below the present surface (Clark et al., 1990b).
The models proposed by Clark et al. (1990b) relating super- An irregular chalcocite blanket with a troughlike cross section
gene profile evolution in the Cuajone-Quellaveco-Toquepala and a thickness of 50 to 60 m comprises a thicker, upper zone
district to local landform development and the extent of Neo- of moderate to strong enrichment overlying a thinner, lower
gene ignimbrite cover are reproduced in Figure 15, but with grade zone representing a downward transition to unaltered
age revisions resulting from the new 40Ar-39Ar ignimbrite dates. hypogene assemblages (cf. fig. 12 in Clark et al., 1990b). The
Sulfide enrichment at Cuajone was apparently confined to enrichment blanket is overlain by a hematite-bearing leached-
a single gently southwest-dipping blanket with an average oxidized zone, extending from the surface to depths of up to 80
thickness of ca. 20 m and an average grade of 1.5 percent Cu, m. Middle Miocene Chuntacala Formation ignimbrites were
underlain by a transitional zone characterized by coatings of deposited on a correlative of the Cerro de las Chulpas surface
sooty chalcocite on hypogene sulfides (Manrique and Pla- that had incised the leached zone (Figs. 8, 15), effectively ter-
zolles, 1975; Clark et al., 1990b; A.H. Clark, unpub. report for minating supergene activity. This sequence is beveled by a val-
Southern Perú Copper Corporation, 2001). The chalcocite ley bench (Fig. 8), correlated with the Pampa Sitana surface,
zone passes upward into an oxide zone, which is itself overlain and overlain by an upper Miocene unwelded white tuff (S-40;
by a hematitic leached zone. Widespread remnants of super- Fig. 15). Incision of the supergene profile during the develop-
gene sulfides in the oxide and leached zones are evidence for ment of the presently active Asana valley, correlated with the
the oxidation and leaching of preexisting chalcocite. The 23.8 Valley and Terrace stage, is inferred to have taken place after
to 24.0 Ma Altos de Camilaca surface truncates the leached the deposition of a 7.9 Ma ignimbrite (Fig. 15).
zone on the southern benches of the Cuajone open pit (Fig. The Toquepala deposit exhibits the most extensive record
15). Subsequently, renewed erosion incised the Altos de of supergene sulfide enrichment in the region, with well-de-
Camilaca surface, removing ignimbrites, the leached zone, fined hematitic and minor jarositic leached zones separating
and the upper part of the oxide zone. This episode of uplift chalcocite horizons (Fig. 15; Clark et al., 1990b). The absence
and erosion was associated with the 18.8 to 19.1 Ma Pampa of ignimbrites in the vicinity of Toquepala probably con-
Lagunas pediment (Fig. 15). Development of a broad valley, tributed to the development of a thicker supergene profile
correlated with the Cerro de las Chulpas surface, eroded the but precluded direct age constraints for the landforms that
overlying ignimbrites and truncated the leached, oxide, and controlled subjacent supergene activity. The highest occur-
chalcocite enrichment zones in the northern part of the de- rence of relict supergene chalcocite, however, is documented
posit. Deposition in this valley of the middle Miocene at the 3,535-m level, 40 to 70 m below the accordant summits
Chuntacala Formation ignimbrite prevented further erosion of the precordillera, correlated with the Altos de Camilaca
of the supergene profile (Fig. 15). surface (I).
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 103

104 QUANG ET AL.
Deposit/Prospect Relationships of Landforms and Supergene and Ignimbrite Geochronology References

(Hypogene age) Supergene Mineralization (40Ar-39Ar dates)
SE NW (1) 38.1-38.8 Ma alunite and 24.4-28.0 Ma natroalunite Quang et al. (2003)
Cerro Verde- (2) 26.9-27.4 Ma natroalunite
Santa Rosa Cerro Verde La Caldera surface (I)
Santa Rosa deposit deposit (3) 26.2-26.8 Ma natroalunite
(4) 23.3 Ma jarosite and 20.6 Ma natrojarosite
Santa Rosa surface (II)
(61-62 Ma) h 1 h co 4 co 5 (5) 10.9-12.6 Ma jarosite
lt
cv o
Fau
2 co 3 cv 6 h/g
cp co (6) 4.9-6.7 Ma jarosite
cv
NE La Caldera surface (I) SW Quang et al.
Angostura (1) 38.8 Ma alunite
(2) 38.1 Ma jarosite (in prep.),
Pampa de La Joya surface (II) This study
(68 Ma) j 2 1 h
W La Caldera surface (I) E (1) 28.6 Ma jarosite and 19.2 Ma jarosite Quang et al.
La Llave
Pampa de La Joya surface (II) (in prep.),
(155 Ma) j h/g 1 j This study
NW La Caldera surface (I) SE
Cachuyo No radiometric dates for supergene minerals but the age Quang et al.
Pampa de La Joy
a surface (II) of leaching and enrichment is inferred through (in prep.),
h/g This study
(166 Ma) cp
o correlations with erosional landforms.
S Lomillas del Toro surface (III) N (1) 11.2 Ma jarosite Quang et al.
Cachuyito
Pampa Colorada surface (IV) 1
o 111
j (2) 4.9 Ma natrojarosite (in prep.),
2
(160 Ma)
cp This study
N S
Posco Pampa Colorada surface (IV) Incaic unconformity (1) 38.8 Ma alunite This study
Tertiary sediments
Chocolate Volcanics Pampa Pacheco surface (V)
(mid-Jurassic) 1
h/g
WNW Altos de Camilaca surface (I) ESE
Yaral Cerro de las Chulpas Pampa Lagunas No radiometric dates for supergene minerals but the age Quang et al.
surface (III) surface (II) Pampa Colorada
h/o surface (IV) of leaching and enrichment is inferred from correlations (in prep.),
IV IV
(106 Ma) o with erosional landforms. This study
SW Cerro de las Chulpas NE Tosdal (1978),
Cuajone 1
6
2 Altos de Camilaca surface (I) surface (III) No radiometric dates for supergene minerals but the
h
Tosdal et al. (1981),
Pampa 2
2
3 chronolgy of leaching and enrichment at Cuajone, Anderson (1982),
(52.4 Ma) Lagunas o
co co Quellaveco and Toquepala is inferred from correlations Tosdal et al. (1984),
surface (II) cp with erosional landforms, the ages of which Clark et al. (1990b),
NW 6
6
2 SE are constrained by superincumbent ignimbrite flows. This study
4
26
Quellaveco ? ? 6 Pampa Sitana surface (IV)
5
2
h/o
Cerro de h/o (1) 24.0 Ma biotite from Moquegua Formation tuff
(54.5 Ma) las Chulpas
surface (III) cp cp (2) 18.9 Ma biotite from Huaylillas Formation tuff
co
(3) 14.2 Ma biotite from Chuntacala Formation tuff
SW Altos de Camilaca surface (I) NE
Toquepala h j (4) 13.0 Ma biotite from Chuntacala Formation tuff
co h/o co (5) 10.1 Ma biotite from Asana Formation tuff
j (6) 7.9 Ma biotite from Sencca Formation tuff
(55.0-55.5Ma) co
cp
Notes and abbreviations: vertical and horizontal scales in the sections are variable.; numbered solid circle = supergene date;
numbered solid rectangle = ignimbrite date; j = leached/jarositic; g = leached/goethitic; h = leached/hematitic; o = oxide zone; co = chalcocite zone;
cv = covellite-chalcopyrite (transition zone); cp = chalcopyrite (hypogene zone). I - V : regional landform stages (see text).
FIG. 15. Simplified schematic cross sections, showing the geomorphologic setting and age of supergene mineralization in
selected profiles from the porphyry copper belt of southern Perú. Toquepala and Cerro Verde exhibit complex profiles with
multiple chalcocite horizons, reflecting polystage histories of leaching, oxidation, and enrichment. Alunite group mineral
dates in the Cerro Verde deposit and Angostura and Posco prospects indicate that supergene activity began in the late
Eocene beneath a regional, subplanar topography. Late Oligocene supergene activity is recorded in the Cerro Verde-Santa
Rosa district and the La Llave prospect beneath the La Caldera surface, a correlative of the 24 Ma Altos de Camilaca sur-
face, which is considered to have controlled late Oligocene leaching and enrichment in the Cuajone-Toquepala district.
Deepening of supergene profiles during the early Miocene is considered to have been controlled by the Pampa Lagunas
pediplain and its correlatives. The development of the Multiple Pediment stage eroded preexisting profiles over wide areas
but was responsible for continued supergene activity at the Cerro Verde and Toquepala deposits, prior to the onset of hy-
peraridity in the late Miocene.
Integrated Model of Landscape Evolution and uplift, folding, and erosion in the (proto-) Cordillera Occi-
Supergene Development dental (Clark et al., 1990a-b). This orogenic event, temporally
constrained in south-central Perú (41–45 Ma; Noble et al.,
Late Eocene to earliest Oligocene 1979; McKee and Noble, 1982) and northern Chile (38.5 Ma;
Our new 40Ar-39Ar age data for supergene alunite group Hammerschmidt et al., 1992), affected the entire central
minerals demonstrate that weak supergene alteration at some Andes (Jaillard et al., 2000). In the study area, Tosdal et al.
of the Mesozoic and Paleogene mineralized hydrothermal (1984) inferred a late Eocene age for the sub-Moquegua For-
systems in littoral southern Perú took place prior to or during mation unconformity (Fig. 4) exposed in the Moquegua val-
the late Eocene Incaic event, which resulted in widespread ley. 40Ar-39Ar dates for supergene minerals from the Cerro
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 104

TABLE 4. 40Ar-39Ar Ages of Supergene Alunite Group Minerals from Porphyry Copper Prospects, Clemesí-La Joya Transect1
Event or surface
Sample Latitude (°S) Material Age (Ma) and constrained by
no. Longitude (°W) analyzed error (±2σ)2 Setting and location of supergene samples samples
S-96 16.72 Jarosite 38.1 ± 6.5 Yellow-brown, fine-grained jarosite veinlets in Incaic orogeny
71.62 plateau age the leached capping of the Angostura prospect
S-98 16.73 Natroalunite 38.8 ± 1.0 White, fine-grained natroalunite veins in clay-rich Incaic orogeny
71.63 minimum age leached andesite at the Angostura prospect
S-89 17.22 Alunite 38.8 ± 0.5 Pale-brown, porcelaneous alunite along fractures Incaic orogeny
71.50 plateau age and occurring in clots in the leached capping of the
Posco prospect
S-107b 16.89 Jarosite 28.6 ± 0.4 Yellow-brown jarosite veins with yellowish platy Altos de
71.71 plateau age jarosite crystals developed in some cavities in the Camilaca
leached capping of the La Llave prospect surface
S-107a 16.89 Jarosite 19.2 ± 0.3 Dark-brown, thin (<1 mm wide), fine-grained Pampa
71.71 plateau age jarosite veinlets that cut the wider and coarser Lagunas
grained veins (S-107b) in the leached capping of surface
the La Llave prospect
S-12 17.01 Natrojarosite 11.4 ± 0.5 Dark-brown, massive natrojarosite ± jarosite in a Correlative of
71.71 plateau age leached capping near the Cachuyito prospect Cerro de las
Chulpas surface
S-13 17.00 Jarosite 4.9 ± 0.3 Dark-brown jarosite veinlets (in millimeter-scale Valley and
71.71 plateau age fractures) from an outcrop of leached porphyritic Terrace stage
rock with 1 to 2 percent remanent disseminated
pyrite near the Cachuyito prospect
1 Locations shown in Figure 13

2 Age spectra shown in Figure 14
Verde porphyry copper deposit (36.1–38.8 Ma for alunite Late Eocene to earliest Oligocene ages of supergene min-
from 2,648 m a.s.l.; Quang et al., 2003) and from the Angos- erals are also recorded in northern Chile. Alunite from the
tura (38.1 Ma for jarosite and 38.8 Ma for alunite from 1,780 lower Eocene Cerro Colorado deposit (Fig. 1) gave dates as
m a.s.l.) and Posco (38.8 Ma for alunite from 773 m a.s.l.) old as 35.3 ± 0.7 Ma (40Ar-39Ar; Bouzari and Clark, 2002) and
prospects, now confirm that supergene processes had com- 34.3 ± 1.1 Ma (K-Ar; Sillitoe and McKee, 1996), whereas
menced by the late Eocene, almost certainly in response to Rowland and Clark (2001) recorded thirteen 40Ar-39Ar dates
the Incaic uplift (Fig. 16). Late Eocene ages for alunite and ranging from 44.4 ± 0.5 to 27.7 ± 5.4 Ma, as well as a K-Ar
jarosite veins from Cerro Verde and Angostura exposed more date of 20.9 ± 2.2 Ma for alunite and natroalunite from the
than 250 m below the oldest preserved upper Oligocene supergene profile of the upper Paleocene Spence deposit
pediplain, the La Caldera surface, record deep oxidation, pre- (Fig. 1). Late Eocene supergene dates have also been docu-
sumably controlled by permeable structures (Figs. 15–16). In mented in the middle Eocene El Salvador district (Fig. 1), in-
contrast, the upper Eocene alunite zone at the lower eleva- cluding alunite K-Ar ages of 36.0 ± 2.5 and 36.1 ± 0.6 Ma
tion Posco prospect (Fig. 16) is preserved below an uncon- (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975), a jarosite 40Ar-39Ar age of 35.9 ±
formity between Mesozoic volcanic and intrusive rocks and 1.6 Ma (Gustafson et al., 2001), and a birnessite 40Ar-39Ar age
Tertiary sedimentary cover, correlated with the sub-Mo- of 35.4 ± 1.6 Ma (Mote et al., 2001, but see Bouzari and
quegua Formation unconformity, and is itself truncated by Clark, 2002).
the Pampa Pacheco surface (V; Fig. 15). The occurrence of The above geochronologic database establishes a late
these similar ages over a vertical interval of more than 1,800 Eocene to early Oligocene episode of leaching and enrich-
m may indicate that a highly irregular topography controlled ment that affected Mesozoic to middle Eocene deposits
late Eocene supergene processes or, more probably, results throughout the central-central Andes. The Incaic landscape
from monoclinal tilting of the Pacific piedmont of southern and, presumably, much of its associated enrichment have
Perú since the formation of the alunite group minerals. How- been destroyed by subsequent uplift and erosion, as in the
ever, the preservation of these Eocene alunite group minerals Cerro Verde-Santa Rosa and the Cuajone-Toquepala districts
at essentially the same elevations as considerably younger su- (Figs. 15–16). As argued by Bouzari and Clark (2002), semi-
pergene alteration profiles suggests that the overall configu- arid conditions and deep water tables must have been im-
ration of the piedmont has changed a little since the Eocene, posed by 40 to 45 Ma, at least between 16° and 27° S. Such a
despite a protracted history of later Tertiary uplift and arc de- climate would also have favored pediment erosion in an up-
formation. lifting terrane. An even earlier episode of supergene activity
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106 QUANG ET AL.
Schematic cross-section looking SE
I: ca. 24 Ma
II: 19-20 Ma
III: 13-15 Ma
IV: 10.1 Ma
V: ca. 7.9 Ma
? ?
?
A ?
C Q
? > 13 Ma
38-39 Ma
L CA ?
19-27 Ma 4.9-11.4 Ma P
39 Ma
T CV-SR
Eocene 5-39 Ma T = Toquepala mine
to C = Cuajone mine
Miocene (?) Q = Quellaveco prospect
CV-SR = Cerro Verde-Santa Rosa mine
A = Angostura prospect
L = La Llave prospect
Fig. 11
CA = Cachuyito prospect
P = Posco prospect
FIG. 16. Schematic northeast-southwest profile of the Pacific slope in the porphyry copper belt of southern Perú, show-
ing the relative positions of the documented landform surfaces: the Altos de Camilaca (I) and Pampa Lagunas (II) pediplains
and equivalents, the Cerro de las Chulpas (III), Pampa Sitana (IV), and Cerro Sagollo (V) pediments and equivalents. The
landform chronology is constrained by 40Ar-39Ar dates for Tertiary ignimbrite ash flows, and the age of supergene mineral-
ization is summarized by 40Ar-39Ar dates for alunite group minerals for mines (solid black square) or deposits and prospects
(light gray square).
was proposed by Clark et al. (1967a) and Sillitoe et al. (1968), responsible for crustal thickening, uplift, and erosion across
who argued that enrichment of Mesozoic and Paleocene cop- broad areas of southern Perú. In the study area, this is corre-
per deposits in the Copiapó area (Fig. 1) took place beneath lated (Fig. 4) with the unconformity between fine shales and
a postulated “Cumbre” (summit) surface. Sillitoe (1969) sandstones of the lower member of the Moquegua Formation
noted that thick enrichment zones are developed only in de- and the upper member comprising polymictic conglomerates
posits now located 1 km or more from erosional remnants of interbedded with coarse sandstone (Bellido, 1979; Marocco
the 53 Ma ignimbrites (Cerro La Peineta Formation) and in- and Noblet, 1990; this study) and coincided precisely with re-
ferred that their eruption terminated the enrichment. How- sumption of arc activity at 25.5 Ma after a hiatus of more than
ever, remapping by Arévalo et al. (1994) demonstrated that 20 m.y. These events overlap in age with, and may have been
the Eocene ash flows were deposited on downdropped related to, oblique subduction of the north-northeast–trend-
caldera floors (Hornitos hemigraben) and that the landforms ing segment of the aseismic Juan Fernández Ridge beneath
below the ignimbrite do not therefore represent remnants of southernmost Perú during the latest Oligocene or earliest
a regional erosion surface. Miocene. Yáñez et al. (2001) infer a rate of southward migra-
tion of the ridge-continental margin intersection of ca. 200
Late Oligocene km/m.y., a model supported by the only slightly younger, early
The tectonically quiescent post-Incaic interval (ca. 28–38 Miocene ages (≤25.5 Ma K-Ar age of García et al, 1999; ≤21
Ma; Sandeman et al., 1995) was presumably dominated by Ma Ar-Ar age of Mortimer and Sarič, 1975; and ≤23 Ma Ar-
slow relief reduction as the Cretaceous-Paleogene arcs were Ar ages of C.X. Quang, A.H. Clark, and J.K.W. Lee, unpub.
further eroded to generate the forearc molassic sediments of data) determined for ignimbrites that are intercalated with
the lower member of the Moquegua Formation in southern coarse gravels overlying beveled Cretaceous-Paleogene rocks
Perú (Marocco and Noblet, 1990). The mid-late Oligocene in northernmost Chile (18°–19°35' S). However, the resump-
Aymará (ca. 25–28 Ma) tectonic event, widely recognized tion of volcanism at the arc front in southern Perú at 25.5 Ma
throughout the central Andes (Tosdal et al., 1984; Sébrier et also coincided precisely with a major expansion of the arc to
al., 1988; Sébrier and Soler, 1991; Sandeman et al., 1995), was embrace both the entire Cordillera Occidental and the
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 106

Cordillera Oriental (Sandeman et al., 1995), an event unlikely eroded preexisting supergene profiles but also controlled sig-
to have been caused by the initial subduction of the ridge. nificant subjacent enrichment (Figs. 15–16). An early
Sandeman et al. (1995) ascribe this abrupt areal expansion of Miocene age is proposed herein (cf. Tosdal et al., 1984) for
magmatism to the opening of a window in a subhorizontally the Pampa Lagunas surface on the basis of 18.8 to 19.1 Ma
40
subducting slab, but it should be emphasized that James and Ar-39Ar dates for ignimbrites from the Moquegua area (Figs.
Sacks (1999) appeal to a gradual steepening of the slab 9, 16). The 21 Ma natrojarosite veins associated with hematite
through the early Miocene. after chalcocite in the Cerro Verde deposit were intersected
Aymará uplift, pedimentation (stage I), and attendant low- by the Santa Rosa surface (II), providing a maximum age for
ering of the water table promoted further leaching and down- the surface, which broadly overlaps with ignimbrite age con-
ward migration of enrichment, confirmed by the ages of su- straints (Figs. 15–16).
pergene minerals in the study area. Supergene dates from Pedimentation and supergene processes persisted into the
Cerro Verde-Santa Rosa and La Llave provide minimum age middle to late Miocene Multiple Pediment stage (Figs. 9, 16).
constraints of 24.4 to 28.6 Ma for the development of the La Supergene activity in the Cerro Verde deposit and at the La
Caldera surface (Fig. 15), which is correlated with the 23.8 to Llave prospect during the early to middle Miocene was con-
24 Ma Altos de Camilaca surface in the Moquegua area (Fig. trolled by correlatives of the Pampa Lagunas surface (II; i.e.,
10a). Based on the above 40Ar-39Ar data and landform corre- Santa Rosa and Pampa de La Joya surfaces, Fig. 15). Super-
lations, we recognize a late Oligocene episode of strong leach- gene oxidation in the sulfide-poor Cachuyo porphyry copper
ing and enrichment in a semiarid climate beneath a regional prospect similarly took place beneath the La Caldera surface
subplanar landform, the Altos de Camilaca-La Caldera sur- (I) and, subsequently, the Pampa de La Joya surface (II; Fig.
face (I), in response to Aymará uplift in southern Perú. 15), presumably in the late Oligocene and early Miocene, but
Similar late Oligocene supergene dates are recorded for no supergene minerals suitable for 40Ar-39Ar analysis were
alunite group minerals from the Cerro Colorado (24.2–26.5 identified. Weak copper oxide mineralization at the Cachuy-
Ma 40Ar-39Ar; Bouzari and Clark, 2002) and Spence (27.7 Ma ito prospect, probably generated during the early to middle
40
Ar-39Ar; Rowland and Clark, 2001) deposits (Fig. 1), as well Miocene Multiple Pediment stage, is truncated by the Pampa
as from El Salvador (23.1 Ma K-Ar) and several of the other Colorada surface (IV; Fig. 15).
porphyry deposits of the upper Eocene to lower Oligocene Farther south in the Cuajone-Quellaveco-Toquepala dis-
belt (Sillitoe and McKee, 1996) in northern Chile, where late trict, the strongest chalcocite zone developed beneath the
Oligocene-early Miocene tectonism (Pehuenchean), correlate Oligocene Altos de Camilaca surface (I) and beneath the
sponding to the Aymará event in southern Perú, stimulated early Miocene Pampa Lagunas surface (II; Figs. 15–16).
downward propagation of enrichment profiles. Geomorpho-
logic relationships and semiarid climatic conditions similar to Conclusions
those occurring in southern Perú may have existed in north- As recognized by Tosdal (1978) and Clark et al. (1990b), the
ern Chile at this time. A regionally extensive planar erosion exceptionally well preserved assemblage of Neogene land-
surface, the Choja pediplain, inferred to be late Oligocene in forms in the Moquegua-Locumba area (Tosdal et al., 1984)
age (Galli-Oliver, 1967; Mortimer and Sarič, 1975), eroded and the abundance of datable ignimbrite flows (Tosdal et al.,
the early leached cap and sulfide enrichment blanket of the 1981) permit an unusually detailed analysis of the chronology
Cerro Colorado deposit (Bouzari and Clark, 2002) but was of supergene processes in a major porphyry copper province.
also responsible for controlling the development of the extant The chronology is now supplemented by 40Ar-39Ar dating of
supergene orebody. This pediplain is tentatively correlated alunite group minerals from several profiles. However, the
with the Altos de Camilaca surface (I) exposed in southern complex history of uplift, erosion, and ignimbrite eruption
Perú. Farther south, no direct age constraints are available for also precluded the long-term, uninterrupted supergene
the Checo del Cobre pediplain of the wider Copiapó-El Sal- leaching and intense enrichment which generated the excep-
vador area (Mortimer, 1973). As demonstrated by Clark et al. tionally large and high-grade chalcocite blankets developed in
(1967a) and Sillitoe et al. (1968), this surface lies at an eleva- several of the younger, upper Eocene to lower Oligocene,
tion slightly higher than the lower, more important chalcocite porphyry deposits of northern Chile.
40
blankets developed in numerous small- to medium-sized cop- Ar-39Ar dating of alunite group minerals in the Jurassic
per deposits. A late Oligocene to earliest Miocene age, and through Paleocene porphyry copper centers of southern Perú
hence correlation with stage I erosion in southern Perú, are demonstrates that a protracted supergene history began dur-
plausible, but a younger, mid-early Miocene age cannot be ing the Incaic orogeny in the late Eocene beneath an uplift-
ruled out. ing and eroding topography (Fig. 16). The Incaic landforms
are preserved only as unconformities and the extent of early
Miocene leaching and enrichment is difficult to assess, but coherent,
The Miocene in southern Perú was punctuated by subhorizontal, chalcocite blankets may have developed and
Quechuan tectonic events (McKee and Noble, 1982; Ellison, supergene solutions may have locally penetrated deeply along
1990; Sébrier and Soler, 1991), resulting in major crustal active faults and unusually permeable units, such as the tour-
thickening and uplift. Ignimbrite eruption continued through maline breccias at Cerro Verde. We propose that the Incaic
the Miocene, providing temporal constraints on the progres- supergene profiles were widely preserved through water-
sively more restricted landforms generated in response to table rise attending slow clastic sediment accumulation across
episodic uplift. The Pampa Lagunas surface (II) and its cor- the Pacific slope during the early through middle Oligocene
relatives, representing a regionally extensive pediplain, interval of relative tectonic quiescence. The fine sandstones
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108 QUANG ET AL.
of the lower member of the Moquegua Formation are in- supergene activity. It is also implicit that semiarid climatic
ferred to represent remnants of such a cover, which was almost conditions, and hence deep water tables, persisted in this
entirely eroded in areas northwest of Quebrada Guaneros. transect of the Pacific slope, as in northernmost (Bouzari and
Subsequently, the development of the Altos de Camilaca- Clark, 2002) and northern (Rowland and Clark, 2001) Chile,
La Caldera and early Miocene Pampa Lagunas-Desierto de at least from the middle Eocene to the middle Miocene. At
Clemesí-Pampa de La Joya-Santa Rosa pediplains in response least, this implies the generation and preservation of a
to the late Oligocene Aymará tectonic event was associated cordilleran upland of sufficient altitude to create rain-shadow
with intense leaching and enrichment, largely of hypogene as- conditions throughout the middle Tertiary. The existence of
semblages which had survived the Incaic weathering. It is also such a climatic barrier is supported by both the tectonic evo-
probable that extensive erosion of Incaic supergene ores took lution of the Pacific slope and the sedimentary history of the
place at this time, with resulting dispersal and depletion of altiplano basin (Horton et al., 2001). There is no evidence at
the copper budget. At least at Cuajone and Quellaveco, this the latitude of southern Perú that supergene activity was un-
stage generated laterally extensive supergene sulfide blan- derway prior to the late Eocene, but it should be emphasized
kets, probably reflecting the uniformly subplanar configura- that Kohn et al. (2004) documented climatic stability across
tion of the Altos de Camilaca surface. However, blanket deep- the Eocene-Oligocene boundary (ca. 33.5 Ma) in southern
ening and thickening were persistently interrupted by South America.
ignimbrite eruption. In southern Perú, the late Oligocene to
early Miocene arc was essentially superimposed on the older Acknowledgments
mineralized igneous provinces (Clark et al., 1990a), and major This study, a component of the senior author’s M.Sc. thesis,
ignimbrite eruption occurred throughout the interval of most was funded by Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Ltd., Lima,
intense supergene activity. This upper Oligocene to middle Perú, who also provided a graduate bursary to C.X.Q., and by
Miocene ignimbrite cover is almost unbroken in northern- grants to A.H.C. and J.K.W.L. from the Natural Sciences and
most Chile but, farther south, ignimbrite blanketing appar- Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Doug
ently did not occur until late in the supergene evolution of the Archibald and Alan Grant assisted with Ar-Ar and X-ray dif-
Cerro Colorado porphyry system, at 19.1 Ma. This largely ter- fraction analyses, respectively. Joan Charbonneau expertly
minated normal supergene activity but stimulated lateral me- typed the final version of the text.
teoric water flow and hence the formation of exotic chryso- Permission to publish this contribution to the Queen’s Uni-
colla mineralization (Bouzari and Clark, 2002). At Cerro versity Central Andean Metallogenetic Project (QCAMP),
Colorado, moreover, the erosion of Incaic leached assem- has been given by Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Ltd. We
blages, themselves formed through oxidation of chalcocite thank Dave Andrews, Bob Harrington, and Tim Moody at Rio
horizons, is confirmed by the occurrence of 35.3 Ma alunite Tinto for their generous support throughout this research.
in hematitic clasts in gravels overlying the lower Miocene ig- Economic Geology reviewers Richard Tosdal and William
nimbrite (Bouzari and Clark, 2002). Chávez, Jr., provided unusually detailed and constructive re-
Clark et al. (1990b) proposed that the enrichment blanket views of the original manuscript, while Pepe Perelló promptly
at Quellaveco was extensively eroded in the late Miocene fol- coordinated the review process and contributed his own in-
lowing the cessation of middle Miocene Chuntacala volcanic sightful observations. Editor Mark Hannington proposed nu-
activity. This is now confirmed by our 40Ar-39Ar dating and ge- merous key amendments.
omorphologic mapping, which demonstrates that a 10.1 Ma It will be evident that this research builds upon the seminal
unwelded ash flow on the north slope of the Río Asana is not 1978 study of Richard Tosdal, but the authors are alone re-
part of the sequence of Chuntacala Formation ignimbrites sponsible for their observations and interpretations.
overlying the Quellaveco profile, as had been inferred on the
basis of drilling to assess the western extent of the orebody (J. July 21, 2003; October 29, 2004
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anomaly interpretation across the southern Central Andes (32 degrees – 34
APPENDIX
40Ar-39Ar Incremental-Heating Age Data
40Ar-39Ar incremental-heating age data for ignimbrites documented in earlier studies
Laser1 Isotope ratios

Power
(watts) 40Ar/39Ar 38Ar/39Ar 37Ar/39Ar 36Ar/39Ar Ca/K Cl/K % 40Ar % 39Ar 40Ar*/39Ar
K Age±2σ
SPAM-141, plagioclase, J = 0.002225±0.000022; volume 39ArK = 1.74 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 24.28±2.45 Ma (2σ)
2.25> 47.109±0.011 0.105±0.081 4.913±0.016 0.161±0.035 23.853 0.011 90.31 20.75 4.881±1.770 19.49±7.03
<4.50> 7.568±0.010 0.034±0.117 6.106±0.015 0.017±0.165 29.289 0.001 13.48 30.88 6.575±0.886 26.20±3.51
<6.50> 8.040±0.019 0.064±0.208 5.320±0.022 0.033±0.252 27.988 0.002 21.63 9.81 6.217±2.911 24.79±11.52
<7.00> 8.934±0.008 0.054±0.085 6.300±0.014 0.020±0.121 29.859 0.006 30.06 38.56 6.324±0.766 25.21±3.03
SPAM-151, plagioclase, J = 0.002218±0.000024; volume 39ArK = 3.58 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 22.59±1.24 Ma (2σ)
1.25> 61.828±0.033 1.096±0.053 0.836±0.042 0.248±0.079 4.584 0.289 99.75 2.28 0.161±6.827 0.64±27.31
<3.50> 8.812±0.009 0.101±0.053 1.751±0.015 0.020±0.149 8.199 0.018 37.68 17.10 5.500±0.923 21.88±3.65
<5.50> 7.389±0.007 0.035±0.087 2.290±0.014 0.012±0.159 10.624 0.003 21.45 25.43 5.797±0.582 23.05±2.30
<7.00> 7.378±0.005 0.038±0.049 2.730±0.013 0.009±0.098 12.495 0.005 20.13 55.19 5.913±0.279 23.51±1.10
SPAM-151, hornblende, J = 0.002221±0.000022; volume 39ArK = 3.13 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 22.01±1.50 Ma (2σ)
0.75> 123.821±0.037 0.341±0.125 0.310±0.086 0.490±0.062 1.471 0.053 104.27 1.93 –6.297±8.784 –25.41±35.70
1.75> 17.033±0.029 0.179±0.168 0.254±0.070 0.093±0.143 1.161 0.030 103.48 3.18 –0.663±4.591 –2.66±18.42
<2.75> 16.031±0.028 0.210±0.125 0.486±0.050 0.080±0.182 2.393 0.037 65.87 2.82 5.902±5.207 23.50±20.59
<4.25> 12.106±0.010 0.918±0.023 3.212±0.016 0.033±0.101 15.071 0.212 50.14 13.84 6.111±1.043 24.32±4.12
<6.50> 9.399±0.005 1.073±0.014 3.805±0.013 0.017±0.049 17.355 0.244 36.96 63.74 5.968±0.251 23.75±0.99
<7.00> 9.649±0.009 1.124±0.021 3.863±0.015 0.025±0.129 18.090 0.261 38.87 14.49 5.906±0.997 23.51±3.94
SPT-127f, biotite, J = 0.002425±0.000078; volume 39ArK = 33.28 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 23.83±0.82 Ma (2σ)
1.50 17.905±0.008 0.107±0.051 0.014±0.277 0.054±0.087 0.048 0.019 84.49 1.65 2.791±1.420 12.17±6.17
<3.00> 8.858±0.005 0.127±0.021 0.005±0.482 0.012±0.192 0.010 0.025 34.66 3.15 5.806±0.676 25.22±2.92
<5.00> 7.733±0.003 0.120±0.012 0.002±0.518 0.007±0.155 0.006 0.024 25.41 7.61 5.778±0.335 25.10±1.44
<6.50> 6.962±0.003 0.116±0.009 0.001±0.716 0.005±0.139 0.002 0.023 20.05 11.32 5.571±0.216 24.21±0.93
<8.00> 6.593±0.003 0.114±0.008 0.001±0.564 0.004±0.092 0.002 0.023 15.84 22.96 5.553±0.107 24.13±0.46
<9.00> 6.433±0.003 0.113±0.008 0.001±0.623 0.003±0.094 0.002 0.023 15.20 38.92 5.459±0.099 23.73±0.43
<10.00> 6.268±0.003 0.115±0.008 0.001±0.590 0.003±0.150 0.002 0.023 13.03 14.41 5.455±0.139 23.71±0.60
SP-85, biotite, J = 0.001983±0.000022; volume 39ArK = 23.53 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 18.93±0.34 Ma (2σ)
0.75> 80.920±0.028 0.132±0.139 0.062±0.123 0.284±0.041 0.146 0.012 94.54 0.76 4.961±2.917 17.66±10.33
1.50> 14.399±0.021 0.129±0.110 0.032±0.140 0.043±0.090 0.062 0.023 61.86 1.15 5.866±1.224 20.87±4.33
<2.50> 9.972±0.009 0.155±0.043 0.019±0.097 0.020±0.073 0.045 0.031 45.47 3.43 5.554±0.447 19.76±1.58
<4.00> 8.403±0.006 0.155±0.027 0.025±0.039 0.012±0.050 0.069 0.032 36.50 9.29 5.382±0.187 19.15±0.66
<6.00> 7.953±0.006 0.157±0.024 0.047±0.024 0.010±0.041 0.138 0.032 33.49 31.50 5.313±0.124 18.91±0.44
<7.00> 7.427±0.005 0.150±0.027 0.015±0.040 0.008±0.041 0.044 0.031 29.03 53.87 5.289±0.100 18.82±0.35
SPT-305, biotite, J = 0.001989±0.000018; volume 39ArK = 28.98 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 19.04±0.33 Ma (2σ)
1.00 15.386±0.014 0.073±0.101 0.051±0.137 0.049±0.130 0.115 0.006 72.92 1.22 4.721±2.170 16.86±7.72
<2.50> 9.180±0.008 0.119±0.036 0.031±0.094 0.017±0.147 0.075 0.022 40.27 3.28 5.722±0.787 20.42±2.79
<4.00> 7.793±0.006 0.156±0.024 0.023±0.068 0.010±0.122 0.059 0.031 29.80 6.63 5.587±0.386 19.94±1.37
<5.50> 7.089±0.005 0.153±0.018 0.016±0.041 0.007±0.073 0.045 0.031 25.18 16.30 5.354±0.160 19.11±0.57
<7.00> 6.678±0.005 0.150±0.023 0.014±0.052 0.006±0.101 0.039 0.031 20.62 26.19 5.349±0.171 19.09±0.61
<7.10> 6.674±0.004 0.148±0.014 0.010±0.037 0.005±0.052 0.028 0.030 21.35 46.39 5.274±0.086 18.82±0.31
1.00 83.026±0.014 0.118±0.130 0.133±0.056 0.282±0.032 0.348 0.010 93.43 1.60 5.662±2.531 20.26±9.01
2.00 8.685±0.010 0.085±0.099 0.096±0.038 0.017±0.111 0.252 0.015 38.30 3.47 5.393±0.572 19.31±2.04
3.00 7.111±0.009 0.131±0.040 0.050±0.041 0.009±0.145 0.128 0.026 23.06 5.93 5.486±0.394 19.64±1.40
4.00> 6.691±0.006 0.150±0.035 0.030±0.042 0.007±0.116 0.077 0.030 18.52 8.96 5.462±0.232 19.55±0.83
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APPENDIX (Cont.)

Power
K Age±2σ
<5.00> 6.458±0.006 0.157±0.026 0.035±0.034 0.006±0.094 0.092 0.032 17.93 13.28 5.310±0.159 19.01±0.57
<6.00> 6.770±0.005 0.159±0.020 0.043±0.021 0.006±0.047 0.115 0.033 22.90 29.65 5.231±0.089 18.73±0.32
<7.00> 6.784±0.005 0.154±0.022 0.026±0.025 0.006±0.056 0.069 0.032 22.65 28.88 5.259±0.106 18.83±0.38
7.10 5.639±0.112 0.155±0.047 0.027±0.052 0.007±0.124 0.069 0.032 22.54 8.22 4.364±0.688 15.64±2.45
0.20 103.487±0.021 0.253±0.079 0.054±0.139 0.375±0.038 0.108 0.037 99.18 0.68 0.916±3.989 3.33±14.47
0.30 81.672±0.012 0.215±0.057 0.034±0.100 0.286±0.027 0.077 0.033 98.11 1.91 1.580±2.175 5.73±7.88
0.50 55.545±0.009 0.202±0.055 0.029±0.088 0.190±0.029 0.072 0.035 96.62 5.32 1.890±1.581 6.86±5.72
1.00 30.542±0.101 0.201±0.069 0.035±0.146 0.129±0.047 0.070 0.036 111.09 1.19 –3.547±3.674 –12.94±13.45
2.00 30.134±0.007 0.194±0.047 0.025±0.050 0.092±0.022 0.067 0.037 86.73 28.95 4.006±0.585 14.50±2.11
3.00 30.378±0.007 0.203±0.038 0.028±0.058 0.091±0.027 0.075 0.039 84.66 15.05 4.682±0.707 16.94±2.55
4.00 31.429±0.007 0.201±0.044 0.030±0.055 0.094±0.025 0.080 0.039 84.55 14.66 4.879±0.681 17.65±2.45
5.00 31.700±0.008 0.206±0.042 0.037±0.048 0.095±0.025 0.097 0.040 84.33 12.80 4.993±0.698 18.06±2.51
6.00 31.057±0.008 0.216±0.039 0.059±0.044 0.093±0.028 0.158 0.042 84.35 9.35 4.892±0.769 17.70±2.77
7.00 30.501±0.009 0.228±0.043 0.096±0.034 0.091±0.029 0.257 0.045 82.63 4.34 5.360±0.755 19.38±2.72
7.10 30.966±0.007 0.247±0.036 0.122±0.024 0.091±0.026 0.331 0.049 82.20 5.74 5.566±0.689 20.12±2.48
1.00 59.011±0.011 0.306±0.048 0.068±0.062 0.204±0.028 0.173 0.058 95.99 1.11 2.414±1.626 8.69±5.84
2.00 40.758±0.010 0.258±0.048 0.039±0.080 0.131±0.032 0.093 0.050 88.56 1.28 4.776±1.214 17.15±4.34
3.00 16.331±0.007 0.192±0.033 0.110±0.023 0.040±0.034 0.294 0.039 66.03 3.45 5.595±0.409 20.08±1.46
4.00 9.711±0.005 0.173±0.022 0.045±0.025 0.017±0.033 0.120 0.035 47.31 7.79 5.134±0.171 18.43±0.61
6.00 5.856±0.005 0.177±0.025 0.075±0.021 0.007±0.052 0.200 0.037 30.86 21.00 4.048±0.106 14.55±0.38
7.00 4.681±0.005 0.164±0.017 0.023±0.022 0.003±0.053 0.061 0.034 18.81 18.56 3.798±0.058 13.65±0.21
7.10 3.885±0.005 0.160±0.017 0.017±0.027 0.002±0.060 0.044 0.033 14.49 46.81 3.316±0.042 11.93±0.15
SP-65, biotite J = 0.002010±0.000016; volume 39ArK = 21.17 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 13.02±0.45 Ma (2σ)
0.40 46.007±0.009 0.200±0.043 0.026±0.089 0.161±0.026 0.057 0.035 97.34 2.84 1.221±1.221 4.42±4.42
0.80 19.237±0.006 0.178±0.031 0.017±0.054 0.064±0.025 0.041 0.034 92.83 8.62 1.365±0.463 4.94±1.67
2.00 13.473±0.006 0.172±0.034 0.016±0.055 0.037±0.029 0.040 0.034 77.83 16.67 2.985±0.321 10.79±1.16
<2.75> 12.142±0.007 0.180±0.036 0.015±0.064 0.030±0.039 0.036 0.037 68.42 13.46 3.840±0.344 13.87±1.24
<3.50> 12.255±0.008 0.184±0.039 0.014±0.069 0.030±0.040 0.034 0.037 67.70 11.63 3.967±0.362 14.33±1.30
<4.00> 13.268±0.005 0.185±0.029 0.014±0.052 0.032±0.026 0.035 0.038 67.73 12.17 4.295±0.257 15.51±0.92
<4.50> 13.663±0.006 0.185±0.036 0.016±0.055 0.034±0.031 0.038 0.037 68.82 8.33 4.276±0.316 15.44±1.14
<5.00> 13.575±0.006 0.184±0.030 0.024±0.047 0.034±0.033 0.058 0.037 68.30 7.12 4.323±0.340 15.61±1.22
<6.00> 12.538±0.006 0.199±0.028 0.093±0.024 0.031±0.036 0.241 0.041 66.47 7.93 4.219±0.330 15.24±1.19
<7.00> 10.365±0.008 0.177±0.040 0.023±0.065 0.025±0.057 0.055 0.036 61.22 5.00 4.034±0.421 14.57±1.52
<7.10> 9.009±0.007 0.178±0.044 0.024±0.053 0.019±0.054 0.057 0.036 55.10 6.23 4.054±0.313 14.64±1.13
SP-73, biotite, J = 0.002005±0.000014; volume 39ArK = 39.90 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 13.10±0.20 Ma (2σ)
0.20 69.066±0.024 0.195±0.135 0.038±0.245 0.258±0.053 0.044 0.027 98.02 0.27 1.460±3.964 5.27±14.30
0.40 33.884±0.011 0.173±0.073 0.018±0.159 0.121±0.035 0.030 0.030 96.56 1.04 1.167±1.225 4.22±4.42
1.00 16.844±0.009 0.157±0.045 0.014±0.130 0.058±0.041 0.026 0.030 91.86 1.75 1.363±0.703 4.92±2.54
1.50 12.487±0.007 0.155±0.035 0.012±0.095 0.039±0.036 0.025 0.030 84.17 2.88 1.970±0.416 7.11±1.50
2.25 9.588±0.006 0.156±0.031 0.010±0.065 0.025±0.032 0.022 0.031 71.69 5.88 2.710±0.240 9.77±0.86
3.00 7.725±0.006 0.158±0.029 0.009±0.072 0.016±0.036 0.020 0.032 55.57 14.62 3.429±0.166 12.36±0.60
<3.75> 6.032±0.005 0.159±0.017 0.007±0.044 0.008±0.033 0.017 0.033 35.50 15.99 3.891±0.081 14.02±0.29
<4.50> 5.839±0.005 0.161±0.017 0.008±0.044 0.007±0.034 0.019 0.033 32.36 15.03 3.950±0.074 14.23±0.27
<5.50> 6.056±0.005 0.163±0.020 0.012±0.038 0.008±0.037 0.029 0.034 34.92 12.36 3.942±0.091 14.20±0.33
<6.50> 6.341±0.005 0.168±0.021 0.016±0.029 0.009±0.041 0.040 0.035 37.38 10.68 3.972±0.112 14.31±0.40
<7.00> 6.208±0.006 0.171±0.034 0.025±0.035 0.009±0.057 0.062 0.035 36.13 5.41 3.965±0.161 14.28±0.58
7.25 5.407±0.007 0.175±0.033 0.045±0.025 0.006±0.055 0.115 0.036 29.38 14.09 3.813±0.107 13.74±0.39
0.75> 33.670±0.017 0.178±0.106 0.094±0.086 0.126±0.060 0.231 0.030 96.42 0.69 1.264±2.386 4.60±8.67
<1.50> 16.692±0.016 0.189±0.101 0.051±0.115 0.061±0.089 0.107 0.036 84.24 0.80 2.734±1.730 9.93±6.27
<2.50> 8.191±0.010 0.178±0.044 0.027±0.082 0.022±0.087 0.061 0.036 63.93 2.55 2.949±0.593 10.71±2.15
<3.50> 5.036±0.008 0.174±0.048 0.017±0.063 0.009±0.087 0.042 0.036 42.29 4.78 2.890±0.247 10.50±0.90
<4.50> 3.770±0.006 0.172±0.025 0.015±0.055 0.004±0.116 0.038 0.036 24.16 7.72 2.840±0.155 10.32±0.56
<6.00> 3.256±0.005 0.172±0.018 0.012±0.032 0.002±0.099 0.032 0.036 12.88 22.88 2.824±0.059 10.26±0.21
<7.00> 3.136±0.005 0.166±0.019 0.009±0.035 0.001±0.089 0.023 0.035 10.14 60.58 2.807±0.038 10.20±0.14
1.00> 97.168±0.020 0.465±0.049 0.075±0.124 0.349±0.038 0.181 0.092 99.40 0.52 0.622±3.897 2.27±14.20
<2.00> 18.867±0.012 0.271±0.041 0.036±0.132 0.065±0.084 0.073 0.055 86.15 0.93 2.751±1.719 10.01±6.24
<3.00> 6.256±0.007 0.192±0.031 0.010±0.169 0.014±0.138 0.019 0.040 53.12 3.72 2.957±0.588 10.76±2.13
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112 QUANG ET AL.
APPENDIX (Cont.)

Power
K Age±2σ
<4.50> 3.863±0.005 0.171±0.018 0.006±0.098 0.004±0.152 0.014 0.035 26.47 10.87 2.836±0.202 10.32±0.73
<6.00> 3.260±0.004 0.168±0.013 0.007±0.056 0.002±0.182 0.017 0.035 13.78 19.11 2.803±0.112 10.20±0.41
<7.00> 3.065±0.004 0.165±0.013 0.012±0.022 0.001±0.138 0.035 0.034 8.93 64.85 2.783±0.047 10.13±0.17
0.25 62.344±0.015 0.723±0.038 0.026±0.146 0.226±0.033 0.058 0.155 101.33 2.32 –0.885±2.147 –3.24±7.86
0.50 22.590±0.007 0.510±0.026 0.022±0.063 0.079±0.026 0.056 0.110 96.79 5.82 0.706±0.595 2.58±2.17
1.00 14.863±0.007 0.353±0.023 0.019±0.048 0.048±0.026 0.051 0.075 90.38 9.62 1.415±0.363 5.16±1.32
2.00 13.323±0.007 0.261±0.032 0.018±0.060 0.040±0.034 0.046 0.055 84.21 12.58 2.094±0.402 7.64±1.46
2.75 13.399±0.007 0.241±0.036 0.017±0.059 0.038±0.030 0.045 0.050 78.70 17.02 2.850±0.338 10.39±1.23
3.75 13.496±0.007 0.233±0.029 0.017±0.057 0.037±0.030 0.046 0.048 77.19 20.06 3.077±0.332 11.21±1.21
4.50 12.699±0.008 0.227±0.044 0.021±0.052 0.035±0.035 0.057 0.047 76.36 13.03 3.002±0.367 10.94±1.33
5.00 11.684±0.006 0.221±0.029 0.049±0.033 0.031±0.040 0.135 0.046 70.55 7.58 3.449±0.366 12.56±1.33
5.75 10.857±0.007 0.255±0.032 0.182±0.023 0.029±0.053 0.517 0.054 68.50 4.86 3.431±0.457 12.50±1.66
7.00 9.299±0.009 0.310±0.031 0.281±0.021 0.024±0.060 0.834 0.067 61.42 4.50 3.628±0.430 13.21±1.56
7.10 7.602±0.013 0.274±0.038 0.241±0.028 0.018±0.109 0.717 0.059 43.39 2.61 4.373±0.594 15.91±2.15
40Ar-39Ar incremental-heating age data for newly studied ignimbrites
S-16b, biotite, J = 0.002235±0.000020; volume 39ArK = 13.74 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 23.33±0.51 Ma (2σ)
1.75> 31.995±0.014 0.152±0.070 0.194±0.033 0.119±0.046 1.007 0.024 94.81 2.94 1.766±1.702 7.11±6.84
<3.00> 10.958±0.009 0.127±0.049 0.056±0.053 0.027±0.096 0.246 0.023 45.20 5.57 6.206±0.822 24.85±3.27
<5.50> 7.589±0.005 0.120±0.021 0.024±0.031 0.008±0.074 0.112 0.024 21.61 25.38 5.986±0.178 23.98±0.71
<8.00> 6.806±0.007 0.116±0.033 0.015±0.057 0.005±0.145 0.064 0.023 13.31 30.73 5.919±0.229 23.71±0.91
<8.50> 6.744±0.005 0.114±0.021 0.007±0.062 0.004±0.092 0.026 0.022 12.86 35.38 5.901±0.127 23.64±0.51
S-40, biotite, J = 0.002248±0.000018; volume 39ArK = 27.69 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 12.59±0.45 Ma (2σ)
0.15 102.649±0.025 0.240±0.096 0.033±0.388 0.379±0.047 0.033 0.035 99.46 0.33 0.671±5.932 2.72±24.02
0.30 136.732±0.021 0.257±0.095 0.029±0.380 0.494±0.037 0.021 0.033 99.45 0.39 0.908±5.617 3.68±22.73
0.50 104.802±0.038 0.237±0.152 0.047±0.476 0.401±0.067 0.023 0.031 100.13 0.17 –0.242±10.187 –0.98±41.34
0.60 92.745±0.042 0.225±0.148 0.055±0.431 0.359±0.078 0.080 0.029 98.12 0.15 2.773±11.778 11.21±47.47
0.75 74.225±0.021 0.201±0.092 0.030±0.381 0.275±0.053 0.032 0.029 98.88 0.43 0.973±4.862 3.94±19.68
1.00 65.434±0.029 0.199±0.118 0.041±0.370 0.255±0.079 0.033 0.027 99.77 0.25 0.174±7.806 0.71±31.65
2.25 30.348±0.011 0.174±0.048 0.010±0.280 0.104±0.036 0.027 0.032 95.26 3.25 1.474±1.161 5.97±4.69
<3.50> 12.512±0.005 0.166±0.022 0.004±0.119 0.034±0.026 0.018 0.033 75.85 21.52 3.022±0.265 12.21±1.07
<4.25> 9.849±0.006 0.165±0.023 0.004±0.148 0.024±0.032 0.015 0.033 67.16 18.04 3.233±0.227 13.06±0.91
<5.00> 8.883±0.005 0.165±0.020 0.005±0.107 0.021±0.035 0.019 0.034 62.95 10.82 3.290±0.215 13.29±0.87
<5.75> 8.635±0.005 0.166±0.024 0.007±0.108 0.020±0.040 0.028 0.034 62.64 7.67 3.224±0.245 13.03±0.99
<7.50> 6.920±0.005 0.168±0.019 0.012±0.053 0.014±0.045 0.051 0.034 52.36 10.91 3.287±0.185 13.28±0.75
<8.50> 5.941±0.006 0.163±0.029 0.010±0.089 0.011±0.098 0.038 0.033 42.58 6.13 3.372±0.317 13.63±1.27
<10.00> 5.160±0.005 0.163±0.014 0.008±0.049 0.007±0.049 0.033 0.034 36.34 19.96 3.267±0.106 13.20±0.42
0.50> 134.937±0.055 0.268±0.168 0.083±0.370 0.523±0.086 0.101 0.027 99.39 0.15 1.062±13.959 4.30±56.40
<1.50> 17.527±0.015 0.148±0.072 0.026±0.241 0.065±0.104 0.056 0.026 86.60 0.92 2.371±2.116 9.58±8.53
<3.00> 5.563±0.007 0.149±0.030 0.012±0.110 0.014±0.132 0.042 0.030 54.33 3.96 2.481±0.538 10.02±2.17
<5.00> 3.517±0.005 0.147±0.019 0.011±0.064 0.005±0.130 0.047 0.030 27.16 10.62 2.515±0.177 10.16±0.71
<7.00> 3.002±0.005 0.164±0.013 0.011±0.031 0.002±0.118 0.048 0.034 15.85 27.14 2.499±0.078 10.09±0.31
<9.00> 2.882±0.004 0.164±0.013 0.005±0.050 0.002±0.120 0.021 0.034 12.93 32.10 2.483±0.063 10.03±0.25
10.00 3.462±0.223 0.190±0.224 0.006±0.228 0.002±0.250 0.026 0.040 15.88 25.10 2.887±0.669 11.65±2.69
1.00> 60.954±0.025 0.177±0.122 0.072±0.171 0.236±0.063 0.251 0.023 100.48 0.64 –0.348±4.468 –1.41±18.17
<2.50> 7.184±0.009 0.105±0.059 0.029±0.097 0.023±0.115 0.112 0.019 68.95 3.04 2.178±0.818 8.83±3.31
<4.00> 4.290±0.007 0.137±0.032 0.013±0.108 0.011±0.132 0.049 0.027 49.24 6.00 2.112±0.419 8.56±1.69
<7.00> 3.289±0.005 0.136±0.015 0.007±0.044 0.005±0.051 0.030 0.028 40.16 33.50 1.941±0.079 7.87±0.32
<7.10> 2.863±0.004 0.134±0.016 0.010±0.025 0.003±0.044 0.045 0.027 31.50 56.81 1.938±0.047 7.86±0.19
0.50> 44.169±0.030 0.142±0.164 0.065±0.242 0.183±0.100 0.183 0.016 102.27 0.47 –1.155±5.981 –4.67±24.24
<1.50> 9.206±0.016 0.095±0.128 0.053±0.134 0.038±0.204 0.190 0.014 76.96 1.11 2.059±2.447 8.31±9.85
<3.00> 4.297±0.009 0.125±0.048 0.024±0.112 0.012±0.201 0.086 0.024 47.52 3.25 2.143±0.723 8.64±2.91
<5.00> 3.157±0.006 0.140±0.023 0.013±0.066 0.005±0.162 0.056 0.028 35.02 9.76 1.990±0.265 8.03±1.07
<7.00> 2.597±0.004 0.134±0.016 0.008±0.033 0.003±0.074 0.037 0.027 23.97 41.21 1.946±0.058 7.85±0.23
<8.00> 2.421±0.005 0.132±0.014 0.007±0.062 0.002±0.174 0.029 0.027 17.68 20.84 1.948±0.122 7.86±0.49
<9.00> 2.469±0.005 0.135±0.016 0.011±0.039 0.002±0.147 0.049 0.027 19.47 23.37 1.948±0.107 7.86±0.43
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APPENDIX (Cont.)

Power
K Age±2σ
1.00 75.404±0.028 0.174±0.140 0.063±0.278 0.283±0.063 0.187 0.018 98.77 0.41 1.097±5.875 4.43±23.66
<2.50> 9.285±0.010 0.150±0.054 0.017±0.257 0.030±0.113 0.047 0.028 73.42 1.97 2.458±1.050 9.90±4.22
<4.00> 5.105±0.007 0.166±0.031 0.012±0.131 0.011±0.138 0.040 0.034 47.12 4.97 2.646±0.476 10.65±1.91
<6.00> 3.757±0.005 0.173±0.021 0.008±0.082 0.005±0.105 0.031 0.036 30.29 14.70 2.583±0.157 10.40±0.63
<8.00> 3.494±0.005 0.171±0.014 0.006±0.055 0.004±0.072 0.026 0.036 25.48 30.14 2.579±0.078 10.38±0.31
<9.00> 3.186±0.004 0.170±0.012 0.008±0.029 0.002±0.075 0.039 0.035 16.38 47.81 2.644±0.050 10.64±0.20
2.00> 14.740±0.017 0.150±0.079 0.039±0.153 0.070±0.108 0.105 0.024 92.84 1.06 1.105±2.520 4.44±10.12
<3.50> 4.647±0.009 0.143±0.039 0.020±0.135 0.021±0.150 0.060 0.027 69.12 2.89 1.394±0.955 5.60±3.83
<6.00> 2.860±0.005 0.145±0.024 0.011±0.060 0.008±0.079 0.045 0.029 54.87 13.88 1.256±0.180 5.05±0.72
<8.00> 1.920±0.005 0.145±0.017 0.008±0.050 0.003±0.101 0.034 0.030 33.07 26.83 1.251±0.101 5.03±0.41
<8.50> 1.629±0.005 0.142±0.013 0.006±0.035 0.002±0.089 0.029 0.029 22.67 55.34 1.231±0.049 4.95±0.20
0.25> 168.311±0.100 0.333±0.212 0.110±0.538 0.673±0.127 0.000 0.036 98.87 0.09 3.396±29.680 13.76±119.77
1.25> 19.253±0.015 0.141±0.074 0.018±0.317 0.073±0.096 0.027 0.024 93.28 1.39 1.294±2.186 5.25±8.86
<3.00> 5.208±0.007 0.141±0.034 0.008±0.232 0.017±0.105 0.019 0.028 76.28 5.18 1.182±0.536 4.80±2.18
<5.00> 2.705±0.006 0.139±0.019 0.006±0.138 0.006±0.128 0.021 0.028 53.28 13.10 1.211±0.242 4.92±0.98
<7.50> 2.026±0.005 0.139±0.016 0.003±0.118 0.003±0.092 0.010 0.028 38.65 31.27 1.203±0.090 4.89±0.37
<8.00> 1.937±0.005 0.131±0.014 0.003±0.080 0.003±0.079 0.011 0.026 33.42 48.96 1.256±0.063 5.10±0.25
0.25> 235.554±0.112 0.434±0.204 0.120±0.526 0.920±0.131 0.000 0.061 101.83 0.09 –9.078±39.745 –37.37±165.30
1.25> 23.051±0.016 0.148±0.097 0.022±0.396 0.088±0.082 0.032 0.025 92.94 1.29 1.657±2.274 6.74±9.23
<3.00> 6.797±0.008 0.136±0.036 0.008±0.256 0.023±0.096 0.016 0.026 81.01 5.18 1.247±0.658 5.07±2.67
<5.00> 3.280±0.006 0.131±0.032 0.005±0.170 0.009±0.103 0.017 0.026 60.39 11.40 1.245±0.267 5.07±1.09
<7.00> 2.001±0.005 0.130±0.021 0.005±0.101 0.003±0.126 0.019 0.026 37.19 24.44 1.209±0.129 4.92±0.52
<8.00> 1.838±0.005 0.130±0.019 0.003±0.160 0.003±0.165 0.011 0.026 31.60 21.58 1.203±0.147 4.89±0.60
<9.00> 2.024±0.005 0.138±0.017 0.007±0.058 0.003±0.097 0.029 0.028 38.65 36.02 1.202±0.096 4.89±0.39
40Ar-39Ar age data for supergene alunite group minerals from porphyry prospects in southern Peru
S-96, jarosite, J = 0.002426±0.000046; volume 39ArK = 7.20 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 40.57±7.39 Ma (2σ)
0.50 2972.138±0.247 2.094±0.269 0.078±1.990 10.222±0.248 0.394 0.042 98.87 0.75 41.322±77.566 172.35±308.55
0.75 1078.122±0.068 0.787±0.147 0.024±3.156 3.721±0.070 0.096 0.018 99.28 3.24 8.155±21.729 35.34±93.26
1.00 507.375±0.040 0.379±0.118 0.020±1.475 1.721±0.043 0.099 0.009 97.40 3.64 13.474±8.064 58.03±34.17
<1.25> 137.471±0.010 0.117±0.077 0.004±1.276 0.453±0.021 0.017 0.004 94.59 23.18 7.482±2.566 32.45±11.03
<1.50> 136.841±0.009 0.118±0.081 0.004±3.499 0.446±0.019 0.020 0.005 93.71 26.27 8.658±2.339 37.50±10.02
<1.75> 203.051±0.013 0.157±0.163 0.006±2.877 0.679±0.021 0.011 0.003 96.03 8.78 8.143±3.399 35.29±14.59
<2.25> 248.662±0.014 0.189±0.065 0.009±0.593 0.829±0.026 0.038 0.004 95.70 6.40 10.860±5.493 46.92±23.43
<3.00> 255.221±0.022 0.188±0.077 0.008±0.690 0.847±0.028 0.027 0.003 95.24 7.53 12.316±4.614 53.11±19.61
4.00 125.450±0.013 0.103±0.066 0.006±0.520 0.419±0.024 0.025 0.002 95.85 13.22 5.231±2.536 22.75±10.96
5.00 524.743±0.032 0.371±0.119 0.019±0.907 1.756±0.038 0.070 0.005 95.99 3.01 21.701±11.319 92.56±47.06
6.00 376.421±0.018 0.278±0.137 0.023±0.763 1.260±0.026 0.138 0.005 95.97 3.97 15.549±7.389 66.80±31.16
S-98, natroalunite, J = 0.002426±0.000058; volume 39ArK = 19.00 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 64.45±1.59 Ma (2σ)
0.50 14.318±0.022 0.899±0.036 0.073±0.223 0.063±0.207 0.222 0.242 87.58 0.59 2.100±5.083 9.17±22.13
<1.00> 14.735±0.005 0.342±0.014 0.038±0.050 0.023±0.039 0.208 0.074 41.25 8.73 8.794±0.279 38.09±1.20
<1.25> 11.656±0.003 0.179±0.016 0.033±0.032 0.010±0.045 0.184 0.037 22.29 15.39 9.146±0.144 39.59±0.62
<1.50> 10.540±0.004 0.127±0.018 0.030±0.035 0.007±0.052 0.166 0.025 16.63 16.84 8.859±0.116 38.36±0.50
1.75 13.484±0.004 0.106±0.031 0.030±0.046 0.009±0.105 0.162 0.020 15.72 12.36 11.511±0.279 49.69±1.19
2.00 19.042±0.005 0.080±0.037 0.024±0.061 0.012±0.077 0.132 0.014 16.19 12.78 16.199±0.288 69.54±1.21
2.50 27.577±0.006 0.047±0.071 0.020±0.119 0.016±0.071 0.099 0.006 14.76 9.45 24.000±0.377 102.10±1.56
7.00 26.539±0.005 0.028±0.080 0.017±0.066 0.013±0.088 0.093 0.002 13.29 23.87 23.267±0.366 99.06±1.51
S-89, alunite, J = 0.002426±0.000036; volume 39ArK = 76.81 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 39.70±0.64 Ma (2σ)
0.75 123.107±0.019 0.250±0.069 0.030±0.393 0.411±0.037 0.104 0.035 93.80 0.20 8.436±4.297 36.55±18.43
1.00 21.233±0.006 0.054±0.072 0.011±0.262 0.044±0.062 0.045 0.006 56.17 0.94 9.484±0.835 41.04±3.57
1.25 10.902±0.003 0.029±0.033 0.006±0.107 0.005±0.117 0.029 0.003 11.13 8.65 9.727±0.163 42.08±0.70
1.50 9.662±0.003 0.061±0.019 0.006±0.078 0.002±0.246 0.035 0.011 4.84 23.61 9.223±0.131 39.92±0.56
<1.70> 9.343±0.003 0.075±0.015 0.008±0.061 0.002±0.243 0.041 0.014 4.65 28.69 8.935±0.120 38.69±0.52
<1.90> 9.482±0.003 0.073±0.017 0.009±0.058 0.002±0.180 0.047 0.013 6.16 18.91 8.926±0.121 38.65±0.52
<2.50> 9.608±0.003 0.077±0.018 0.008±0.056 0.002±0.151 0.043 0.014 6.83 17.50 8.979±0.114 38.88±0.49
4.00 18.239±0.005 0.060±0.044 0.011±0.173 0.014±0.144 0.050 0.009 19.33 1.50 14.916±0.615 64.13±2.60
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114 QUANG ET AL.
APPENDIX (Cont.)

Power
K Age±2σ
S-107b, jarosite, J = 0.002393±0.000020; volume 39ArK = 34.88 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 28.52±0.76 Ma (2σ)
0.50 105.945±0.008 0.204±0.034 0.005±1.105 0.345±0.022 0.022 0.029 93.53 6.80 6.891±2.136 29.51±9.07
0.75 47.777±0.006 0.106±0.027 0.004±0.646 0.145±0.024 0.013 0.015 86.38 4.00 6.547±1.001 28.05±4.26
1.00 14.751±0.004 0.070±0.022 0.002±0.594 0.031±0.043 0.004 0.011 58.85 4.68 6.093±0.401 26.11±1.71
<1.25> 9.881±0.003 0.047±0.015 0.001±0.580 0.012±0.048 0.003 0.007 33.21 24.51 6.612±0.166 28.32±0.71
<1.50> 9.436±0.003 0.037±0.018 0.001±0.629 0.010±0.051 0.003 0.005 28.81 21.50 6.730±0.150 28.83±0.64
<1.75> 8.616±0.003 0.028±0.032 0.001±0.630 0.007±0.113 0.002 0.003 22.49 7.78 6.694±0.246 28.67±1.04
<2.50> 7.709±0.003 0.024±0.033 0.002±0.316 0.004±0.150 0.007 0.002 14.54 10.86 6.601±0.189 28.27±0.80
<3.50> 8.907±0.003 0.031±0.020 0.003±0.258 0.008±0.073 0.011 0.004 25.16 10.26 6.679±0.179 28.61±0.76
<5.00> 8.517±0.003 0.033±0.022 0.001±0.507 0.007±0.093 0.004 0.004 21.21 8.89 6.725±0.187 28.80±0.79
7.00 15.061±0.013 0.062±0.127 0.020±0.451 0.033±0.235 0.071 0.009 50.44 0.73 7.562±2.338 32.36±9.91
S-107a, jarosite, J = 0.002389±0.000024; volume 39ArK = 40.63 × 10–10cm3, integrated age = 19.06±0.27 Ma (2σ)
1.00 516.304±0.071 1.069±0.110 0.075±0.575 1.838±0.073 0.000 0.268 99.65 0.07 3.305±18.487 14.19±79.05
1.50 16.853±0.005 0.164±0.025 0.002±0.419 0.047±0.030 0.001 0.032 76.81 4.77 3.912±0.414 16.78±1.77
<1.75> 6.283±0.003 0.103±0.015 0.001±0.312 0.007±0.034 0.003 0.020 29.15 32.86 4.440±0.068 19.03±0.29
<2.00> 5.264±0.003 0.055±0.021 0.001±0.273 0.003±0.096 0.003 0.009 15.46 26.96 4.433±0.092 19.00±0.39
<2.25> 5.598±0.003 0.079±0.017 0.001±0.323 0.004±0.064 0.002 0.015 19.62 12.48 4.469±0.085 19.16±0.36
<4.00> 5.482±0.003 0.064±0.020 0.001±0.305 0.004±0.062 0.004 0.011 16.38 22.87 4.567±0.067 19.58±0.29
0.50 66.998±0.008 0.077±0.066 0.009±0.314 0.225±0.024 0.041 0.005 95.69 17.84 2.894±1.522 12.40±6.50
<0.75> 8.354±0.005 0.024±0.064 0.002±0.234 0.021±0.031 0.004 0.001 68.65 26.20 2.610±0.190 11.19±0.81
<1.00> 5.540±0.007 0.020±0.059 0.002±0.291 0.011±0.050 0.001 0.001 52.50 21.43 2.612±0.168 11.19±0.72
<1.25> 8.747±0.008 0.023±0.079 0.002±0.328 0.023±0.047 0.000 0.000 70.38 12.51 2.583±0.331 11.07±1.42
<1.50> 15.285±0.006 0.032±0.081 0.005±0.255 0.047±0.036 0.006 0.001 81.92 5.12 2.787±0.514 11.94±2.19
<1.75> 20.635±0.007 0.038±0.085 0.007±0.238 0.067±0.033 0.008 0.001 87.11 3.40 2.708±0.676 11.61±2.89
<2.25> 12.749±0.006 0.028±0.066 0.004±0.257 0.037±0.036 0.004 0.001 78.10 6.29 2.804±0.408 12.02±1.74
<2.75> 10.262±0.006 0.026±0.082 0.004±0.328 0.028±0.039 0.004 0.001 72.12 7.21 2.867±0.335 12.28±1.43
<0.50> 6.827±0.005 0.066±0.027 0.001±0.165 0.020±0.024 0.006 0.011 84.46 38.72 1.039±0.145 4.46±0.62
<0.75> 3.033±0.005 0.044±0.025 0.001±0.213 0.007±0.040 0.002 0.006 61.12 13.92 1.154±0.083 4.96±0.36
<1.00> 3.474±0.006 0.040±0.052 0.004±0.230 0.010±0.102 0.009 0.005 62.66 3.05 1.261±0.306 5.41±1.31
<1.75> 2.808±0.007 0.043±0.051 0.005±0.187 0.008±0.116 0.012 0.006 55.18 3.33 1.217±0.270 5.23±1.16
<3.50> 2.870±0.005 0.034±0.022 0.001±0.164 0.006±0.041 0.003 0.004 57.07 16.67 1.207±0.076 5.19±0.32
<5.00> 6.460±0.006 0.064±0.032 0.001±0.227 0.018±0.029 0.004 0.011 79.27 15.89 1.318±0.157 5.66±0.67
6.00 7.395±0.005 0.070±0.021 0.003±0.229 0.022±0.032 0.005 0.011 80.20 5.82 1.446±0.211 6.21±0.91
7.00 20.576±0.006 0.064±0.045 0.005±0.222 0.066±0.028 0.010 0.008 87.59 2.60 2.570±0.560 11.02±2.39
1 "<"indicates step used in plateau age calculations, ">" indicates step used in inverse correlation calculations
Notes: Neutron flux monitor: 24.36 ± 0.17 Ma MAC-83 biotite (Sandeman et al., 1999)
Isotope production ratios: (40Ar/39Ar)K = 0.0302, (37Ar/39Ar)Ca = 1416.4306, (36Ar/39Ar)Ca = 0.3952, Ca/K = 1.83(37ArCa/39ArK)
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SMCV Clark Hawkes Porphyry

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©2005 Society of Economic Geologists, Inc.

Economic Geology, v. 100, pp. 87–114

Response of Supergene Processes to Episodic Cenozoic Uplift, Pediment Erosion,

AND NICHOLAS HAWKES

Introduction the product of orogenic contraction, crustal thickening, uplift,

Oligocene to Miocene (Isacks, 1988; Roeder, 1988) during

tonism has generally been assigned to the Incaic orogeny and

Paleogene porphyry copper centers, although the strictly geo-

Previous Model for Landform Chronology and Stage 3

Altos de Camilaca “Basement” Physiographic 40

Fluvial-glacial 0.7 (bi: K-Ar)

Upper Moquegua Formation

Lower Moquegua Formation

pre-upper Eocene Rocks

Geochronology of Ignimbrite Flows laser-induced, incremental-heating 40Ar-39Ar techniques at

New 40Ar-39Ar Surface

Notes: Minerals dated: bi = biotite, hb = hornblende, pl = plagioclase

SPAM-141, plagioclase SPAM-151, plagioclase SPAM-151, hornblende

SPT-127f, biotite SP-85, biotite SPT-305, biotite

SPT-124, biotite SPT-211, biotite SPT-211, biotite

SPT-330, biotite SP-65, biotite SP-73, biotite

SPT-323, biotite SPT-324, biotite

SPT-308, biotite SPT-308, biotite

1 Locationsshown in Figures 6 and 8

S-16b, biotite S-40, biotite S-38, biotite

S-37, biotite S-41, biotite S-30, biotite

S-2, biotite S-59, biotite S-60, biotite

20 19-20 Ma region shown in Figures 9 and 10a emphasizes the elimina-

B Cross section looking NW Cerro de B’

Cross section looking NNE

(c) D Cross section looking SW D’

(d) E Cross section looking NW Altos de E’

(e) F Cross section looking N F’

Río Tambo Desierto

(f) G Cross section looking NNE G’

(g) H Cross section looking E H’

Correlatives in Correlatives in Correlatives in Correlatives in

I Altos de Camilaca Cerro Chololo Cerros Homo Cerro Bronce La Caldera

Altos de Camilaca (I)

Pampa Lagunas (II) 0

Pampa Sitana (IV)

Cerro Sagollo (V)

Landforms of the Valley

town, village Ilo 0 10 20 30 km

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S-96, jarosite S-98, natroalunite S-89, alunite

S-107b, jarosite S-107a, jarosite S-12, jarosite

Cuajone-Quellaveco-Toquepala district Supergene sulfide enrichment at Quellaveco reaches depths

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Deposit/Prospect Relationships of Landforms and Supergene and Ignimbrite Geochronology References

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1 Locations shown in Figure 13

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Schematic cross-section looking SE

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