Resource Geology Flashcards
Deposits provide more than 50% of the worlds copper from over 100 producing mines.
Porphyry copper
Closest relative of porphyry copper deposits
Porphyry molybdenum deposit
Sulphide minerals in the porphyry copper system are associated with _____________.
hydrothermal alteration of the hostrock intrusion and wallrocks
Stockworks of quartz veinlets, quartz veins, closely spaced fractures and breccias contain ________
pyrite and chalcopyrite
________, ________, and _______ occur in large zones of economically bulk mineable mineralization.
Molybdenite, bornite, and magnetite
T or F. Most porphyry copper deposits are commonly related to subduction-related magmatism.
T
The age of most porphyry copper deposits are of _________ to _________ age
Mesozoic and Cenozoic
Porphyry copper deposits have a commonly depositional environment of _______ and ________.
oceanic volcanic island and continent-margin arcs
The typical form of porphyry copper deposit are commonly ______ or _______.
cylindrical or stock-like
Always present. Characterized by secondary K-spar, biotite and/or chlorite replacing primary K-spar, plagioclase and mafics. Minor sericite may be present.
Potassic Zone
Not always present. Characterized by vein quartz, sericite and pyrite and minor chlorite, illite and rutile replacing K-spar and biotite.
Phyllic zone
Not always present. Characterized by the clay minerals kaolinite and montmorillonite with minor disseminated pyrite. Plagioclase is strongly altered, K-spar unaffected and biotite chloritized.
Argillic zone
Always present. Characterized by chlorite, calcite and minor epidote. Mafic minerals highly altered and plagioclase less so.
Porpylitic zone
Coincident with the potassic alteration zone. Generally, several hundred meters in diameter. Relatively LOW SULFIDE CONTENT, but molybdenum is higher than anywhere else in the deposit. Pyrite 2-5% and pyrite/chalcopyrite ratio about 3:1. Mineralization is disseminated rather than stockwork.
Inner zone
Lies roughly at the POTASSIC-PHYLLIC BOUNDARY. Pyrite 5-10% and pyrite/chalcopyrite ratio about 2.5:1. Main ore mineral chalcopyrite occurring as stockwork veinlets. Other ore minerals include bornite, enargite and chalcocite.
Ore zone
Includes much of the phyllic and argillic (if present) zones. Pyrite quite high (10-15%) and pyrite/chalcopyrite ratio about 15:1. Mineralization both as veins and disseminations. Many additional exotic sulfide phases begin to show up.
Pyrite Zone
Coincides with the propylitic zone. Pyrite minor, and copper mineralization rare. Sphalerite and galena common, but usually sub-ore grade. Mineralization approaches true veins.
Outer zone
Often major ore carriers in the porphyry system. Have very high grades (2-5% Cu) and can occur both in the porphyry or the country rock. May be formed by hydrothermal activity, gravitational collapse or later explosive volcanism
Breccia zone
Predominant sulfide mineral; in some deposits the Fe oxide minerals magnetite, and rarely hematite, are abundant.
Pyrite
Chalcopyrite; molybdenite, lesser bornite and rare (primary) chalcocite.
Ore minerals
Tetrahedrite/tennantite, enargite and minor gold, electrum and arsenopyrite. In many deposits late veins commonly contain galena and sphalerite in a gangue of quartz, calcite and barite.
Subordinate minerals