Economic Geology

Vol. 97, 2002, pp. 1865–1888

Reprinted with corrections:
First printed, Vol. 96, 2001, pp. 1719–1742

Geology and Alteration Geochemistry of the Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit

at Bajo de la Alumbrera, Argentina
THOMAS ULRICH,†,*
ETH Zürich, Isotope Geochemistry and Mineral Resources, ETH Zentrum NO, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland

AND CHRISTOPH A. HEINRICH

ETH Zürich, Isotope Geochemistry and Mineral Resources, ETH Zentrum NO, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland, and
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

Abstract
This paper describes the igneous geology, alteration mineralogy, and geochemistry, as well as the ore miner-
alization history of Bajo de la Alumbrera, a world-class porphyry copper-gold deposit in northwestern Ar-
gentina. The deposit occurs in the K-rich calc-alkaline Farallón Negro Volcanic Complex, located 200 km east
of the main Andean porphyry copper belt of Chile. The deposit consists of a composite stock of dacitic por-
phyry intrusions and extends into the surrounding andesitic volcanic rocks. Two of the earliest intrusions, now
occupying the center of the intrusive complex, show intense hydrothermal alteration and mineralization. These
two porphyries host the highest ore grades and were subsequently intruded by several weakly mineralized or
barren porphyries.
Intense quartz-magnetite (±K feldspar) alteration pervades the first mineralized porphyry, whereas similar,
but lower intensity alteration affected the second. Laterally, this alteration grades into potassic alteration (sec-
ondary K feldspar and biotite), which affects all porphyries except the latest dikes. Andesitic wall rocks within a
hundred meters of the intrusions are dominated by dark hydrothermal biotite. An outer halo of propylitic
alteration (epidote-chlorite-albite-calcite) extends up to 1 km into the andesites. Feldspar-destructive alteration
(sericite + pyrite ± clay minerals ± gypsum) overprints the potassic and propylitic alteration in the volcanic rocks
and all porphyries. The alteration is locally controlled by faults and late fractures and developed most pervasively
upon the outer part of the potassic zone and toward the transition to propylitic alteration in the upper part of
the deposit. Mass-balance calculations show small positive changes in net volume for the potassic alteration and
minor volume decreases for the chlorite-epidote and feldspar-destructive alteration. The intensely quartz-mag-
netite veined sample of quartz-magnetite alteration indicates a total volume increase of 350 percent.
Copper and gold are intimately associated at all scales. They occur as composite gold sulfide grains (chal-
copyrite, rarely bornite), show a close correlation of ore grades in sample assays, and have a closely overlapping
distribution on the mine scale. A well-developed ore shell coincides with potassic alteration and partly with the
distribution of intense quartz ± magnetite veins, even though the bulk of the ore minerals now occupy textu-
rally late positions in vugs and fractures. A barren zone with intense quartz-magnetite ± potassic alteration and
veins, but little or no sulfides, is interpreted as the focus of upflow of high-temperature ore fluids, prior to ore
mineral saturation and coprecipitation of copper sulfides and gold in the ore shell.

Introduction June 2000 from www.mim.com.au and 0.64 g/t/0.54 wt per-

DESPITE their general association with hydrous intermediate
to felsic, shallow intrusions and a characteristic dense net-
work of veinlets, porphyry-related hydrothermal systems show
a wide range in terms of the geochemistry and mineralogy of
the igneous rocks with which they are associated. Classic
examples, among many others, include the porphyry copper
deposits of El Salvador, Chile (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975),
Ann Mason, Nevada (Dilles and Einaudi, 1992), and San
Manuel-Kalamazoo, Arizona (Lowell and Guilbert, 1970). Be-
cause of its regular alteration zonation, Bajo de la Alumbrera
in northwestern Argentina has been regarded as a textbook
example, as is illustrated on the cover of The Geology of Ore
Deposits by Guilbert and Park (1986). It is representative of
the gold-rich porphyry copper deposits (over 0.4 g Au/t). Its
Au/Cu ratio 0.65 g/t/0.51 wt percent = 1.3 × 10–4, (Méndez,
1997; Wall, 1997), updated 0.66 g/t/0.55 wt percent, as at
† Corresponding
author: e-mail, thomas.ulrich@.anu.edu.au
*Present address: Geology Department, The National University of Aus-
tralia, 0200 Canberra, Australia.
cent = 1.2 × 10–4 (D. Keough, writ. commun., 2001) is com-
parable to Grasberg (Meinert et al., 1997; Rubin and Kyle,
1997), Panguna (Eastoe, 1982), Far South East (Hedenquist
et al., 1998), and Bingham (John, 1978, and papers therein).
Like all of these (except for Bingham), Bajo de la Alumbrera
is characterized by abundant hydrothermal magnetite (Clark
and Arancibia, 1995).
Earlier descriptions of Alumbrera included the petrogra-
phy of the porphyry intrusions, alteration, and mineralization,
and limited geochemical work (Gonzalez, 1975; Godeas and
Segal de Svetliza, 1980; Stults, 1985; Dawson, 1994; Guilbert,
1995; Méndez, 1997; Wall, 1997). However, no comprehen-
sive geologic description has been published since the last
phase of exploration, which in 1997 led to the development of
Bajo de la Alumbrera as Argentina’s first major metal mine
(Guilbert, 1995; Wall, 1997; Ulrich, 1998). Recently, a de-
tailed map and paper have been completed by J.M. Proffett
(writ. commun.), to which we will refer in this text. The lithol-
ogy and alteration maps in this paper are compiled from ear-
lier versions of the maps by J.M. Proffett (writ. commun.).

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1866 ULRICH AND HEINRICH

In this paper we describe the geology of the deposit, with

particular focus on the rock geochemistry, timing relation-
ships and petrology of the different intrusions, the vein
relationships, alteration mineralogy, and the mineralization
characteristics. Most constraints on the relationships and em-
placement of multiple intrusions were obtained from drill
core logging and from investigations of the petrography and
mineralogy of the porphyry intrusions. Interpretations re-
garding the role and nature of hydrothermal fluids were made
from the study of the vein paragenesis and the hydrothermal
alteration mineral and sulfide assemblages. Mass-balance cal-
culations were used to calculate gains and losses of elements
associated with hydrothermal alteration and for the quantifi-
cation of bulk alteration reactions.
Regional Geologic Setting
The Bajo de la Alumbrera porphyry Cu-Au deposit is cur-
rently among the ten largest copper producers and is the
fourteenth largest gold producer in the world. Total reserves
in the current mine plan are 402 million tons (Mt) with an av-
erage ore grade of 0.54 percent Cu and 0.64g/t Au. The de-
posit occupies an area of about 1.5 km2 and is situated in the
northwestern part of Argentina at latitude 27°30'S, longitude
66°60'W, and at an average altitude of 2,600 m above sea level
(asl; Fig. 1).
Dacite porphyry stocks and dikes hosting the deposit are
emplaced into volcanic rocks of the Farallón Negro Volcanic
Complex. This isolated igneous complex lies eastward of the
Au-rich porphyries of the Maricunga belt in Chile (Vila et al.,
1991) and more than 200 km to the east of the present vol-
canic arc. On a regional scale, the Farallón Negro Volcanic
Complex lies at the northern end of the geomorphostructural
province of the Sierras Pampeanas, which is bordered to the FIG. 1. Map of the Andean geomorphostructural provinces. The Farallón
north by the Puna and the Eastern Cordillera, and to the west Negro Volcanic Complex is the easternmost volcanic complex, emplaced in
the Sierras Pampeanas and host to several porphyry and epithermal Cu-Au
by the Precordillera and the Sierras Transpampeanas (Fig. 1). deposits. After Jordan et al. (1983).
The Sierras Pampeanas exhibits a large-scale basin and range
topography with north-northwest–trending faults that devel-
where the other main Cu-Au-Mo deposit of the complex has
oped during the late Miocene and early Pliocene (Jordan et
been explored (Rojas et al., 1998; Landtwing et al., 2002).
al., 1983) and were compared to the Rocky Mountains fore-
The volcanic rocks overlie Miocene continental red beds
land in terms of deformation characteristics (Jordan and All-
(the Calchaquense or El Morterito Formations) that are lo-
mendinger, 1986).
cally developed above the Paleozoic basement. Rocks of the
During the late Miocene the most eastward volcanism of
Calchaquense Formation and basement are exposed within 5
the Andes started in the Sierras Pampeanas, and the Faral-
km of Alumbrera and indicate that the basal unconformity of
lón Negro Volcanic Complex was emplaced by the interac-
the volcanic rocks lies about 0.5 km below the natural expo-
tion of the Tucumán transfer zone and major, northeast- and
sure level of the deposit. The basement consists of Lower
northwest-oriented district-scale structural trends (Clark et
Cambrian metapelitic schists and arenites of the Suncho For-
al., 1970; Caelles et al., 1971; Figueroa, 1971; Llambias,
mation (Mirré and Aceñolaza, 1972; Durand, 1982), which
1972; Allison, 1986; Sasso and Clark, 1998). Eruptions from
are intruded by Upper Ordovician to Lower Silurian grani-
several volcanic centers formed the Farallón Negro Volcanic
toids (McBride et al., 1976). These are commonly muscovite
Complex, which extends over 700 km2 and is divided into dif-
± cordierite bearing (Caelles, 1979), with variable textures
ferent blocks by high-angle reverse faults (Fig. 2). The de-
and composition (coarse porphyritic to equigranular syeno-
velopment of the large volcanic complex occurred around 9
granites to monzogranites: Indri, 1979; Durand, 1982; Toselli
to 7.5 Ma, with minor early igneous activity starting at 12.6
et al., 1987).
Ma and some late intrusive units extending to 6.7 Ma (Ar/Ar
data of Sasso, 1997, and unpub. Ar/Ar data). Cogenetic por- Geology and Igneous Petrology
phyry intrusions including Bajo de la Alumbrera, Agua
Andesitic volcanic rocks
Tapada, Bajo El Durazno, Alto de la Blenda, and Cerro Atajo
were emplaced into the andesites of the Farallón Negro Extrusive rocks of the Farallón Negro Volcanic Complex con-
Volcanic Complex (Llambias, 1972; Sasso, 1997). Outlying sist dominantly of pyroclastic breccias with minor interlayered
stocks intruded the Paleozoic basement, notably at Agua Rica, massive or autobrecciated lava flows, heterolithic mud-flow

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 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA 1867

FIG. 2. Geologic map of the Farallón Negro Volcanic Complex. After Sasso (1997). The locations of different mineraliza-
tion centers associated with porphyry intrusions are indicated.

breccias, and epiclastic sandstones (Llambias, 1972; Sasso,
1997; Sasso and Clark, 1998). Amphibole-plagioclase an-
desites prevail, but the total compositional range extends
from basalts (± clinopyroxene phenocrysts; generally at the
base of the sequence) to rhyolite (biotite ± sanidine phe-
nocrysts) in the form of late domes and ignimbritic diatremes
(e.g., Hug, 1999). Compositional and phenocrystic variations
within the intrusions indicate one or several cycles of mag-
matic differentiation by crystal fractionation (Breitenmoser,
1999), but magma commingling between andesitic magmas of
similar composition, or between basaltic magmas and dacitic
melts, is indicated by enclaves in some of the intrusions (A. H.
Clark, writ. commun., 1999).
The volcanic wall rocks in the immediate vicinity of the Bajo
de la Alumbrera porphyry, although locally highly altered,
can be subdivided into four distinct units. The lowermost unit
is a sequence of coarse pyroxene andesite breccias, tuffs, and
flows that are overlain by amphibole-plagioclase andesites
followed by plagioclase andesites and the uppermost unit of
pyroxene andesite breccia and hornblende andesite breccia
(J.M. Proffett, writ. commun.). Microscopic features indicate
Fe-, Ti-rich compositions for pyroxene and amphibole (ti-
tanaugite/oxyhornblende). A black margin of unidentified
opaques around green hornblende indicates pressure release
and disequilibrium between melt and hornblende phe-
nocrysts and high temperatures during the conversion from
green hornblende to oxyhornblende (opacification; Pichler
and Schmitt-Riegraf, 1993).
Geochemical data of extrusive and intrusive rocks of the
Farallón Negro Volcanic Complex and Alumbrera exist from
earlier studies (e.g., Dostal et al., 1977; Stults, 1985; Suchomel,
1985; Allison, 1986; Sasso, 1997; Müller and Forrestal, 1998;
Breitenmoser, 1999). Whole-rock data from a wide variety of
units in the Farallón Negro Complex display a trend between
normal calc-alkaline and high K affinity (Sasso and Clark, 1998).
This trend was also documented by Breitenmoser (1999) in a
continuous volcanic section in the Capillitas area east of
Alumbrera, which has slightly elevated K concentrations

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1868 ULRICH AND HEINRICH
compared to the data for the rest of the volcanic complex and
includes some shoshonitic members, especially at the basic
end of the trend (Fig. 3).
Intrusive rocks
The ore deposit is hosted by high K calc-alkaline porphyry
stocks and dikes with Ar/Ar cooling ages of magmatic biotite
from P2 Porphyry and a late porphyry between 7.10 ± 0.13 to
6.83 ± 0.07 Ma (Sasso and Clark, 1998). The complex intru-
sion pattern is shown in Figure 4A and B. Although, hydro-
thermal alteration is intense and widespread, several porphyry
intrusions with individually related veins and alteration
phases can be recognized. The different porphyry intrusions
are often difficult to separate, but they have been distin-
guished by texture and abundance of phenocrysts in outcrops
and drill core samples (Fig. 5), and the relative intrusion se-
quence for some of the porphyries can be defined by sharp
contacts between previously altered and veined porphyries
and an earlier phase. Steep contacts commonly were mea-
sured in outcrop. At some contacts where porphyries intrude
each other, a narrow quench zone (millimeter scale) of de-
creased grain size in the matrix can be seen. Contacts to an-
desitic wall rock are sharp, but in some drill holes a transition
zone with abundant andesite xenoliths occurs before massive
andesite is reached.
The magmatic mineral assemblages in the least altered por-
tions of the intrusions are characterized by variable phe-
nocryst contents of plagioclase, hornblende, biotite, and
quartz, with ubiquitous minor apatite, zircon, titanite, and
magnetite, set in a fine-grained matrix of quartz + plagioclase
± primary K feldspar (Fig. 5 and Table 1).
Geochemical data for different intrusions of Bajo de la
Alumbrera are given in Stults (1985) and Müller and Forre-
stal (1998). New data presented in our study for least altered
Early P3 Porphyry, unaltered Late P3 Porphyry, and North-
west Porphyry show very similar dacitic composition without
Andesites
andesites
Dacites +
Rhyolites
Basaltic
Basalts
high-K
K2O (wt%)
medium-K
low-K
SiO2 (wt%)
FIG. 3. SiO2 vs. K2O diagram with whole-rock data from a wide variety of
units in the Farallón Negro Complex displaying a trend from normal calc-al-
kaline to high K affinity (diamonds; Sasso and Clark, 1998). This trend was
also documented by Breitenmoser (1999) in a continuous volcanic section in
the Capillitas area (squares) east of Alumbrera, which has slightly elevated K
concentrations compared to the data for the rest of the volcanic complex and
includes some shoshonitic members, especially at the basic end of the trend.
The data for porphyry intrusions and a postmineralization dike of Alumbrera
(filled triangles) plot in the high K field between 58 to 66 wt percent SiO2.
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evidence of progressive differentiation (Fig. 3). They can be
termed trachydacite (Early P3, Late P3 Porphyries) and tra-
chyandesite (Northwest Porphyry). A Post-Mineralization
dike is andesitic, with a lower K2O and SiO2 content, a slightly
lower FeO/FeO + MgO ratio, but elevated TiO2 and MnO
values and a high Sr/Rb ratio compared to the other intru-
sions. The dike may be derived from a different magma
batch. From earlier whole-rock data a quartz-monzonitic
composition has been inferred (Stults, 1985). Müller and For-
restal (1998) interpreted some K-rich samples from the por-
phyry intrusions at Alumbrera as dacites derived from
shoshonitic magmas, but their high K enrichment is probably
an effect of potassic alteration (Clark and Sasso, 2000). Con-
sequently, due to the scarcity of geochemical data of unal-
tered porphyry intrusions, the informal nomenclature devel-
oped by the mine staff and used in J.M. Proffett (writ.
commun.) is used instead of geochemically based names.
The sequence from the oldest to the youngest intrusion
could not be completely established from drill hole observa-
tion or outcrop mapping and has been subject to change dur-
ing the development of the mine. Here we present our ob-
servations of the sequence in line with complementary data
by J.M. Proffett (writ. commun.). The petrographic descrip-
tion of the intrusions is given in Table 1 and photographs of
least altered samples of different porphyry intrusions are
shown in Figure 5.
NE Porphyry dike: This dike could be the oldest intrusion,
however, it shows no clear relationships to other porphyries.
It is a west-dipping dike and intrudes andesites in the north-
east of the deposit. The mineralogy is similar but with fewer
quartz phenocrysts than Early P3 Porphyry (Table 1) by
which it is intruded (J.M. Proffett, writ. commun.). The dike
is partly mineralized and completely propylitically altered.
P2 Porphyry: This porphyry (Fig. 5A) is a stocklike body in
the center of the deposit, characterized by rarely preserved
plagioclase, biotite, and a few quartz phenocrysts. It under-
lied much of the Colorado Norte hill and the western hillside
of Colorado Sur, as well as several small, western outcrops
(Fig. 4A). Most of the P2 Porphyry is strongly veined and al-
tered to a quartz-magnetite ± K feldspar rock, and it is gen-
erally well mineralized. It is intruded by Early P3 Porphyry
and Quartz-Eye Porphyry.
Los Amarillos Porphyry: This porphyry, formerly the “pre-
Main-Stage Porphyry” (Stults, 1985), is exposed in the north-
western and western part of the deposit as light-colored,
strongly altered hills. The timing is not clear, but it is cut by
Early P3 Porphyry and younger porphyries. In many parts it
resembles more an igneous breccia than a porphyry contain-
ing vein fragments of an older intrusion, possibly P2 Porphyry
(J.M. Proffett, writ. commun.).
Early P3 Porphyry: This porphyry (Fig. 5B) is the largest
intrusion and is itself probably composed of several phases. It
contains comparable phenocryst proportions of amphibole,
plagioclase, and conspicuous book-shaped biotite, with minor
quartz. It clearly crosscuts already mineralized P2 Porphyry,
but itself shows all types of alteration and mineralization in
greatly variable intensity. Vein and textural relationships have,
therefore, been derived mainly from this porphyry.
Quartz-Eye Porphyry: This porphyry (Fig. 5C) is exposed
in the southeastern and southwestern part of the deposit and
1868
 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA 1869

FIG. 4. A. Geologic map of the deposit with major faults and the line of section 47 (compiled from J.M. Proffett’s earlier
map of 1995). B. Cross section along section 47 with lithologies and faults. The section is oriented east-northeast to west-
southwest through the center of the deposit and based on data from drill cores of section 47 and from projected neighbor-
ing holes 50 m north and south from section 47. Contacts are generally steep and sharply defined between the different in-
trusions and the andesitic wall rock.

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TABLE 1. Petrographic Characteristics and Relationships of the Different Porphyry Intrusions at Bajo de la Alumbrera

Crosscutting Mineral content Quartz vein Alteration of

relationships (%) Matrix density (%) outcrops Au-Cu

Wall-rock andesites Intruded by all Plagioclase: 10 No unaltered samples at 1–5 Intensely potassic, Weak to
porphyries Pyroxene: 2–5 mine site; coarse-grained chlorite-epidote and moderate
Quartz: <1 sec. biotite (<0.5 mm) or in parts feldspar
Biotite: 5–10 sericite and/or clay destructive
Hornblende: 5–10
Matrix 50–65

Los Amarillos Cut by Early P3 Plagioclase: 5–20 Fine-grained, pale, clay 1–2 Intensely feldspar Barren
Porphyry and Northwest Quartz: 2–3 and/or sericite, quartz destructive to weak
Porphyries Biotite: 5–10
Hornblende: 5–10
Matrix 40–70

NE Porphyry Cut by Early P3; Plagioclase: 10–20 Coarse-grained (100– 1–2 Moderate potassic, Weak to
no other timing Quartz: <<1 200 µm) chloritized, chlorite ± epidote moderate
relationships Biotite: 2–4 green
Hornblende: 2–5
Matrix 60–70

P2 Porphyry Cut by Early P3 Plagioclase: 10–25 Fine-grained (10–50 µm), 20–>50 Quartz-magnetite, Strong
Porphyry and all Quartz: <1 dark gray or pink, sec. strong potassic
younger porphyries; Biotite: 1–4 Kfsp, bio, mag
associated with Hornblende: 1–3
purple quartz veins Matrix 50–70

Early P3 Cuts veins of P2 Plagioclase: 20–40 Coarser grained than 10–20 Partly quartz- Moderate
Porphyry Porphyry; is cut by Quartz: <1 P2 (100–200 µm), sec. magnetite, strong to strong
Late P3 and Biotite: 3–6 Kfsp, bio, mag potassic
younger porphyries Hornblende: 2–5
Matrix 35–60

Quartz-Eye Porphyry Contains purple Plagioclase: 20–30 Strongly sericitized, pale, 10–20 Intensely feldspar Weak to
quartz veins; Quartz: 2–5 grain size 80–120 µm destructive moderate
cut by Late P3 Biotite: 5
Hornblende: 2–5
Matrix 40–60

Late P3 Porphyry Cuts Early P3 Plagioclase: 25–35 Light gray, minor Kfsp, qtz, 1 Weak-moderate Weak
(Campamiento Porphyry; is intruded Quartz: <1 plag; grain size commonly potassic, weak
Porphyry) by later porphyries Biotite: 2–5 very small feldspar destructive
Hornblende: 1–4
Matrix 40–60

Late P3 Porphyry Cuts Early P3 Plagioclase: 20–30 Very fine grained, in cases 1–2 Weak-moderate Weak
(North Porphyry) Porphyry Quartz: 1 brown, gray, green; potassic, weak
Biotite: 2–5 minor Kfsp feldspar destructive
Hornblende: 3–5
Matrix 40–60

Northwest Intrudes P2 Plagioclase: 10–20 Pale to dark gray, green; <1 Weak potassic Barren
Porphyry dikes Porphyry and Early Quartz: <1 in places coarser grained
P3 Porphyry Biotite: 5–7 than the other porphyries;
Hornblende: 2–5 qtz, plag
Matrix 60–75

Post-Mineral Cuts late Plagioclase: 10–15 Fine-grained, gray to <<1 Commonly unaltered, Barren
Porphyry porphyries Quartz: 1–2 dark gray slightly feldspar
Biotite: 2–5 destructive
Hornblende: 10
Matrix 50–70

Notes: Mineral content is estimated from least altered samples; their matrix is generally aphanitic and consists of quartz-plagioclase ± K feldspar and al-
teration minerals such as biotite and/or magnetite (potassic alteration), as well as sericite and clay (feldspar-destructive alteration); the percentage of phe-
nocrysts is based on estimates from cut core slabs and thin sections with comparison charts; hornblende is estimated from biotitized laths, since only in the
Northwest and Post-Mineral Porphyries some unaltered hornblende is preserved; biotite estimates refer to magmatic biotite; a similar table is shown in J.M.
Proffett (in prep.), including mineral shapes and sizes

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 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA
contains phenocrysts or xenocrysts of quartz (up to 8 mm) and
altered plagioclase, biotite, and hornblende. In outcrops it is
highly quartz veined with a characteristic style of purple
vuggy quartz veins. It is pervasively altered to quartz-sericite
and moderately mineralized. Quartz-Eye Porphyry cuts P2
Porphyry (J.M. Proffett, writ. commun.), whereas its timing
relationship to Early P3 Porphyry is not clear.
Late P3 Porphyries: These porphyries (Fig. 5D) include a se-
ries of intrusions into the Early P3 and Quartz-Eye Porphyries.
At least two phases can be distinguished—the Campamiento
Porphyry and the North Porphyry. They consist of north-
south elongated dikes that vary in width from 40 to 160 m.
They are characterized by a greater abundance of phe-
nocrysts of hornblende and biotite and large quartz crystals,
but they contain fewer quartz phenocrysts than the Quartz-
Eye Porphyry. The mineral assemblages are somewhat vari-
able from south to north, but this may be largely due to the
different styles of alteration. The texture is commonly well
preserved, although they are slightly altered to quartz-sericite
and propylitic assemblages. These porphyries are barren or
weakly mineralized.
Younger and essentially unmineralized porphyry dikes
(Northwest Porphyry dikes and the Post-Mineral Porphyries)
cut most of the other intrusions with an approximate north-
northwest to south-southeast trend and commonly extend be-
yond the outer edge of the deposit (Fig. 4A). Irregular bodies
in the center and dikes in the northwest of the deposit can be
correlated. A dike of late porphyry can be followed northwest-
ward through the feldspar-destructive alteration zone and the
Los Amarillos Porphyry, where it splits into two dikes (Fig. 4A).
Northwest Porphyry dikes: These dikes consist of biotite,
plagioclase, partly fresh hornblende, minor magnetite, and
scarce quartz phenocrysts in a gray matrix of plagioclase and
quartz (Fig. 5E).
Post-Mineral Porphyries: These porphyries (Fig. 5F)
occur as small discontinuous north-northwest–trending
dikes. Near the surface, these dark dikes cut all other rocks,
are largely unaffected by alteration, and usually contain no
veins or sulfide mineralization. In new drill holes to 700 m
below the deposit, Post-Mineral Porphyry shows irregular
contacts with more felsic porphyries, possibly indicating
magma commingling or partial remelting (A.H. Clark, pers.
commun., 1999).
Alteration Mineralogy, Mineralization, and Vein Types
Figure 6 shows the observed vein types and alteration fea-
tures and Figure 7A is the alteration map compiled from an
earlier version as given in J.M. Proffett (writ. commun.). The
vein chronology is deduced from crosscutting relationships
and mineralogy (Table 2) at the scale of drill hole and limited
outcrop samples (Fig. 6). However, intrusive contacts of Early
P3 Porphyry cutting already mineralized and veined P2 Por-
phyry demonstrates that the earlier hydrothermal stages have
occurred at least twice, separated by recurrent magmatic in-
trusion. The relationship between the sequence of intrusions,
alteration-mineralization, and veining stages is shown in a
time-space diagram (Fig. 8).
Hypogene alteration at Bajo de la Alumbrera is character-
ized by a concentrically arranged alteration pattern (Stults,
1985; Guilbert, 1995). However, the intensity and distribution
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of alteration, vein density, and mineralization is centered on
individual porphyry intrusions. In this study we distinguish
four petrographic alteration mineral assemblages, compared
to three in other studies. The innermost alteration zone, in-
cluding the prominent Colorado Norte peak (Fig. 7A), is
characterized by intense quartz-magnetite ± K feldspar alter-
ation, which replaced the magmatic mineralogy and largely
obliterated the igneous texture. This zone is closely related to
and surrounded by low-lying dark-weathered porphyries
with potassic alteration (biotite-K feldspar-quartz ± magnetite
± anhydrite). J.M. Proffett (writ. commun.) therefore in-
cludes quartz-magnetite alteration as part of the potassic al-
teration, which in total extends over ~1 km2. Around the
potassic zone, propylitic alteration (chlorite-epidote-albite ±
calcite ± magnetite) affects the andesitic country rocks up to
~1 km from the intrusive stock, including and locally extend-
ing beyond a high ring of dark peaks rising up to 300 m above
the “Bajo” (Fig. 7A). The last hydrothermal event, the
feldspar-destructive alteration (sericite + quartz + pyrite ±
kaolinite ± illite) has overprinted parts of the potassic and
propylitic zones and was exposed as a low ring of white hills
at the base of the steep andesite peaks.
The density of quartz veins (± magnetite ± K feldspar ± sul-
fides) varies systematically between different porphyries. The
largest number of veins are hosted by P2 Porphyry (20–>50%
by vol) and Early P3 Porphyry (5–20% by vol) as well as the
andesites (1–5% by vol) in contact with these two porphyries.
Later intrusions have a much lower density of mineralogically
different veins (<2%).
Quartz-magnetite ± K feldspar alteration
We distinguish this assemblage petrographically from the
potassic alteration in terms of its distinct mineralogy and its
association with the earliest veins at Alumbrera, but there are
no clear time relationships to the potassic alteration. The
quartz-magnetite alteration is characterized by fracture
fillings and replacement textures. Thoroughly altered rocks
that are composed dominantly of hydrothermal quartz and
magnetite (Fig. 6C) are restricted to small intervals of a few
meters within drill cores and represent patches in the center
of the deposit (Fig. 7B). This assemblage is common in the P2
Porphyry and parts of the Early P3 Porphyry. In these zones
no distinct veins, but strong silicification and secondary mag-
netite in the matrix can be observed, in contrast to the less in-
tensely altered rocks where individual quartz-magnetite vein-
lets with narrow and diffuse K feldspar halos can be observed
(Fig. 6A-B). From petrographic studies and vein crosscutting
relationships, hairline magnetite veinlets, cutting plagioclase
phenocrysts, are the earliest vein type (Table 2). These vein-
lets are crossed by barren quartz veins and quartz-magnetite
veins of irregular shape, length, and thickness, indicating vein
formation in a ductile rock for some of these veins. Several
generations of mutually crosscutting barren quartz veins (1–4
mm wide) and quartz-magnetite veins (2–15 mm wide) occur.
The barren quartz veins are in places coarse grained and
some have a small white centerline of calcite, feldspar, and
sericite. Quartz-magnetite veins are commonly more fine
grained. The quartz-magnetite veins show variable internal
structures, with magnetite in the center of the vein, as vein
wall coatings, or in more complex banded or irregular textures
1872 ULRICH AND HEINRICH

FIG. 5. Photographs of least altered porphyry intrusions of Bajo de la Alumbrera. A. P2 Porphyry. B. Early P3 Porphyry.
C. Quartz-Eye Porphyry. D. Late P3 Porphyry. E. Northwest Porphyry dike. F. Post-Mineral Porphyry. Abbreviations: bio =
biotite, hbl = hornblende, plag = plagioclase, qtz = quartz.

FIG. 6. Photographs of sawed surfaces showing different vein stages. A. Potassically altered P2 Porphyry with a slight
feldspar-destructive overprint (altered plagioclase, hematite). At least four different vein types and crosscutting relationships
(arrows) can be seen. The earliest veinlets at Alumbrera consist of magnetite fracture fillings (a); they are cut by quartz-mag-
netite (b) and quartz-only veins that are highlighted by stippled lines (c), which are cut by later quartz-magnetite veinlets. A
late pyrite veinlet can be seen in the left corner of the photo (d). B. Early P3 Porphyry with a barren quartz vein that is cut
and offset by a later barren quartz vein (lower left) and by a late quartz-pyrite vein (upper right). The quartz vein itself cuts
a quartz-magnetite veinlet in the center of the photo. C. Intense quartz-magnetite alteration replaces the rock matrix and
obliterates the texture. Pyrite and chalcopyrite in veinlets and disseminated in this P2 Porphyry sample are most likely asso-
ciated with the potassic alteration. D. Late pyrite veinlets parallel to the contact between P2 and Early P3 Porphyry. The
veinlet cutting the contact is difficult to see, therefore, its direction is indicated by the two arrows. E. Massive quartz-chal-
copyrite-pyrite vein in Early P3 Porphyry, which is related to potassic alteration. F. Potassically altered andesite with late-
stage vein types of pyrite with feldspar-destructive selvages and different generations of gypsum veinlets. Abbreviations: cpy
= chalcopyrite, gyp = gypsum, mag = magnetite, py = pyrite.

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FIG. 7. A. Alteration map with the main alteration types. Feldspar-destructive alteration overprints different intensities of
potassic alteration and chlorite-epidote alteration. It coincides with the outer parts of secondary biotite alteration, but some
secondary biotite extends outside the feldspar-destructive zone toward the chlorite-epidote alteration. The map is compiled
from J.M. Proffett`s work of 1995. For the latest version of the geologic and alteration map contact J.M. Proffett. B. Section
of alteration distribution. The general alteration pattern is modified and projected from section 49 (J.M. Proffett, writ. com-
mun., 1997). Quartz-magnetite alteration is inferred from drill hole logging along section 47.

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1874 ULRICH AND HEINRICH

TABLE 2. Vein Types of Bajo de la Alumbrera

Vein type Alteration mineralogy Shape and size Crosscutting relationships and occurrences

Magnetite veinlets K feldspar Irregular thin (<1–2 mm) Cuts plagioclase phenocrysts, associated with
qtz-mag alteration in P2 and Early P3

Quartz-magnetite veins K feldspar, magnetite Irregular, 2 to 15 mm wide; qtz Cut mag veinlets but are cut by later qtz-mag
grains (up to ~0.2 mm) show and qtz veins; main vein of qtz-mag alteration
anhedral to euhedral shape in P2 and Early P3

Barren quartz veins, partly K feldspar, minor biotite Irregular to planar, 1 to 4 mm wide, Possibly multiple generations; in P2, Early and
with white center lines variable grain size (up to 1 mm) in Late P3 and NW Porphyries; cut earlier veins
of cc, ser, fsp later generations but can be cut by later qtz and qtz-mag veins;
associated with quartz mag and potassic alteration

Qtz-cpy-mag ± bn veinlets1 K feldspar, magnetite, Thin planar veinlets Rare occurrence in P2 and Early P3
quartz ± biotite,

Qtz-cpy ± py veins Secondary biotite and Thin commonly planar veinlets, No clear crosscutting observed; occur in
K feldspar, quartz 3 to 10 mm wide, py and P2 and Early P3
cpy intergrown

Purple qtz ± py(± cpy/bn) Biotite, minor K feldspar, Continuous, planar, in places Main occurrence in Quartz-Eye Porphyry,
veins sericite irregular, medium to coarse grained some in P2; pyrite infill with late fsp-destructive
(up to cm-sized qtz), 0.3 to 5 cm wide alteration

Anhy ± qtz ± moly ± hem ± Vein mineralogy very Planar veins up to 4 cm wide Found in andesites, Early P3, and Late P3;
cpy ± py veins variable; alteration halos crossed by later veinlets
contain biotite or Kfsp

Epi ± gal ± sph ± cc veins2 Chlorite Thin (1–2 mm) irregular to planar Only found in andesites that are overprinted by
chl-epi alteration

Chalcopyrite-pyrite Sericite? Thin (<1–1 mm) continuous veinlets, Truncate older veins and contacts between
occasionally up to 7 mm thick intrusions; possibly associated with feldspar-
destructive alteration (remobilization?)

Pyrite ± quartz veins Sericite and/or clay Continuous planar veinlets of Associated with fsp-destructive alteration;
1 to 3 mm thickness cutting older vein types; found in all intrusions

Gypsum-pyrite and Sericite and/or clay Planar veinlets, 1 to 10 mm Commonly in andesite but found in all porphyries;
gypsum veins associated with fsp-destructive alteration; some
gyp might be related to supergene processes

Notes: The different vein types are listed from old to young from top to bottom; however, multiple generations of similar vein types and reopening of older
veins complicate the relationships, and absence of crosscutting between some of the veins inhibits a complete and conclusive paragenesis, for example, bar-
ren quartz veins may be associated with different intrusions, whereas the purple quartz veins are predominant in Quartz-Eye Porphyry
1
Not observed in this study
2
Galena and sphalerite are also found in fsp-destructive alteration (J.M. Proffett, writ. commun.) Abbreviations: anhy = anhydrite, bn = bornite, cc = cal-
cite, chl = chlorite, cpy = chalcopyrite, epi = epidote, fsp = feldspar, gal = galena, gyp = gypsum, hem = hematite, mag = magnetite, moly = molybdenite, qtz
= quartz, py = pyrite, ser = sericite, sph = sphalerite

with mutual inclusions. These textures clearly indicate open-
space filling and repeated opening. Crosscutting relationships
indicate multiple generations of intense quartz and quartz-
magnetite veins. In less intensely altered relicts of the rock,
original plagioclase and amphibole phenocrysts are partially
altered to K feldspar, magnetite, and biotite, consistent with a
gradual transition from quartz-magnetite alteration to potas-
sic alteration.
The quartz-magnetite altered P2 Porphyry is commonly
truncated by intrusive contacts of the Early P3 Porphyry,
which is later veined again and altered by another event of
quartz-magnetite ± K feldspar ± biotite alteration that may
locally be equally pervasive.
Potassic alteration
To distinguish different intensities of the potassic alteration
we followed the approach of J.M. Proffett (writ. commun.)
who mapped different potassic alteration zones according to
mineral assemblages (Fig. 7A-B). Consequently, weakly al-
tered rocks are characterized by relict plagioclase with sec-
ondary biotite occurring in the matrix and replacing horn-
blende and less commonly magmatic biotite. For example,
Northwest Porphyry dikes in the center of the deposit only
show weak potassic alteration (biotitized hornblende). Strong
potassic alteration contains secondary K feldspar in the matrix
and in plagioclase sites, giving the rocks a pinkish appearance,

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FIG. 8. Generalized time (vertical bottom to top) versus space (intrusive units) diagram, synthesizing observed over-
printing relationships of intrusive, veining, and alteration events. Chlorite-epidote alteration could have largely overlapped
in time with quartz-magnetite and potassic alteration but is only exposed at the periphery of the system. Intense feldspar-de-
structive alteration could have started early but is mostly crosscutting all intrusive contacts except for the Post-Mineral Por-
phyry. Abbreviations: anhy = anhydrite, bio = biotite, bn = bornite, cc = calcite, cpy = chalcopyrite, epi = epidote, gal =
galena, hem = hematite, py = pyrite, Kfsp = K feldspar, mag = magnetite, moly = molybdenite, qtz = quartz, ser = sericite,
sph = sphalerite.

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1876 ULRICH AND HEINRICH

and shreddy biotite completely replaces mafic minerals. Mag-

netite in the potassic alteration is common with K feldspar +
quartz + biotite + chalcopyrite, occurring in veinlets, dissem-
inated in the matrix, and at sites of former hornblende due to
breakdown to secondary biotite and magnetite.
The total area with secondary biotite (strong and weak
potassic alteration) is about 1.7 × 1 km in size at the surface.
Strong K feldspar alteration and quartz-magnetite alteration
are restricted to the central part of the P2 and the Early P3
Porphyries, whereas moderate to weak secondary biotite al-
teration affects all porphyries, including the late intrusive
phases except for the Post-Mineral Porphyry.
Contact and vein crosscutting relationships show that the
two fluid pulses associated with the P2 and Early P3 por-
phyries both caused distinct events of potassic alteration.
However, the alteration assemblages are indistinguishable,
and alteration intensity in both lithologies varies from strong
to weak, although the P2 Porphyry is generally most strongly
veined and altered. In the lower center of the deposit, strong
potassic alteration and patches of quartz-magnetite ± K
feldspar alteration are developed, grading into weak potassic
alteration in depth (Fig. 7B).
In the andesitic wall rock, potassic alteration is dominated
by biotite, which obliterates the texture, leaving only plagio-
clase phenocrysts unaltered, macroscopically recognized as
white laths in the dark brown rocks. FIG. 9. Reflected light photomicrographs of ore samples. A. Gold is com-
monly found as discrete grains in chalcopyrite. B. Chalcopyrite is intergrown
Copper and gold mineralization at Alumbrera is closely as- with magnetite in a sample from the high-grade ore zone. C. Chalcopyrite in-
sociated with potassic alteration. An early Cu mineralization clusions in pyrite from a late chalcopyrite-pyrite vein. D. Magnetite inclu-
stage of quartz-magnetite-chalcopyrite ± bornite veins re- sions in chalcopyrite indicate that Cu mineralization was later than quartz-
lated to the alteration assemblage of K feldspar-quartz-mag- magnetite alteration in P2 Porphyry. Abbreviations: cpy = chalcopyrite, g =
gold, py = pyrite, mag = magnetite.
netite ± biotite is inferred by J.M. Proffett (writ. commun.).
This pyrite-absent, rare bornite mineralization only occurs in
rocks with a minimal later alteration overprint. The main Cu
mineral in the deposit is chalcopyrite, which occurs as cen- Planar, up to 4 cm wide anhydrite ± quartz veins with vari-
terline filling in quartz veins or patches between the quartz able amounts of pyrite, commonly platy molybdenite,
and magnetite grains of the veins, i.e., petrographically late hematite, and minor chalcopyrite disseminated in the quartz
compared to most of the vein quartz (Fig. 6E). These veins and anhydrite mainly occur in the andesites. They are related
are more commonly associated with biotite-K feldspar-quartz to the biotite-K feldspar-quartz alteration. Less frequently
alteration, with very narrow alteration halos of K feldspar. they also have been observed in the lower parts of the Early
Both vein types are irregular in shape, fine to coarse grained, P3 Porphyry and in a sample of a late porphyry intrusion.
and range from 3 to 10 mm in width. No crosscutting rela- Their timing relationship is ambiguous, but the occurrence in
tionship between these two vein types has been observed. unmineralized, late intrusions indicates that the veins are
Chalcopyrite is found also disseminated in the potassic al- later than the copper-mineralizing event. From this observa-
teration and in parts of the quartz-magnetite alteration where tion and the Mo grade distribution in the whole deposit (see
it is intergrown with magnetite or lies along grain boundaries Fig. 10), a slightly later Mo mineralization stage than the
between magnetite and quartz grains (Fig. 9B). Limited pet- main Cu mineralization can be inferred.
rographic observations of gold in polished section showed No clear timing relationships to other veins have been ob-
small grains within or attached to chalcopyrite (Fig. 9A). served for epidote and calcite veinlets with minor pyrite,
Dawson (1994) described gold concentrations in magnetite, galena, and sphalerite. These veins are rare and occur in the
pyrite, and K feldspar. propylitic alteration zone, mainly in the andesites, and they
Additional vein types, which are probably associated with may well be roughly contemporaneous with quartz-chalcopy-
potassic alteration, lack clear crosscutting relationships and rite veining and potassic alteration in the inner part of the
their relative timing is not fully constrained. Thus, purple stock. However, galena and sphalerite deposition is transi-
quartz veins were occasionally observed in drill cores but are tional in time through to the later stages of feldspar-destruc-
a common characteristic for surface and mine outcrops of the tive alteration (J.M. Proffett, writ. commun.).
P2 Porphyry, and particularly the Quartz-Eye Porphyry. Their
vein density in the latter is variably high, and meter-sized Chlorite-epidote alteration (propylitic alteration)
pockets of massive to vuggy purple quartz have been encoun- Andesitic wall rocks and porphyries of all types except for
tered during mining. They occasionally contain bornite and the dark Post-Mineral Porphyry dikes are altered to propylitic
chalcopyrite but little or no magnetite. assemblages dominated by chlorite + epidote + albite ± calcite.

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 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA
FIG. 10. Plots of Au vs. Cu and Mo vs. Cu from whole-rock data along sec-
tion 47. A. A positive correlation and an overlap as well as the highest ore
grades can be seen in the earliest two intrusions (diamonds = P2 Porphyry,
squares = Early P3 Porphyry). Late P3 and Northwest Porphyries, as well as
Postmineral Porphyry (triangles), have the lowest ore grades. B. There is no
obvious correlation between Mo and Cu. Slightly higher Mo values are seen
in the andesites.
Mafic minerals are replaced by chlorite ± magnetite, and pla-
gioclase is altered to albite + epidote ± calcite ± sericite. Sul-
fide content is low and consists of pyrite with traces of molyb-
denite, sphalerite, and galena. The only minerals precipitated
in open space during propylitic alteration are small epidote ±
calcite ± minor quartz crystals in vesicles of some of the vol-
canic rocks. Propylitic alteration is irregular in intensity and
generally diffuse, except for some rare small epidote veinlets.
The zone of propylitic alteration surrounds the area of
potassic alteration (Fig. 7). It is on average ~300 m wide but
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locally extends up to 1 km beyond the outer contact of the
central intrusions. The most intense propylitic alteration is
characterized by mineral assemblages with abundant epidote.
Epidote and calcite were only rarely observed in the same
sample, whereas calcite and chlorite occur together. The
inner edge of the propylitic alteration coincides approxi-
mately (and is probably transitional) with the outer edge of
weak potassic alteration, which is dominated by secondary bi-
otite. Chlorite-epidote alteration may have formed more or
less simultaneously with potassic alteration but partly over-
prints weak potassic alteration (shreddy chlorite after shreddy
biotite) at the inner edge of the chlorite-epidote zone. More-
over, strong chlorite-epidote alteration is locally developed in
the Late P3 and Northwest Porphyries, which show only weak
potassic alteration (biotitized hornblende). These observa-
tions indicate that propylitic alteration was probably partly
contemporaneous with potassic alteration but outlasted it be-
yond the time of postore porphyries.
Feldspar-destructive alteration
Feldspar-destructive (phyllic ± argillic) alteration over-
printed fresh rocks and earlier alteration types at all scales. An
Ar/Ar age of 6.75 ± 0.09 Ma for the feldspar-destructive al-
teration on hydrothermal sericite was determined by Sasso
(1997), which would indicate that the maximum time period
between the intrusion of P2 Porphyry and the latest hy-
drothermal event at Alumbrera lasted about 300,000 yr.
Sericite, pyrite, quartz, and rutile, locally with clay minerals
or chlorite ± calcite, are the main alteration minerals. Macro-
scopic inspection and strong water absorption by altered drill
core samples indicate a greater abundance of clay minerals in
the outer parts of the deposits; however, minor amounts of
clay minerals are also found in partly replaced plagioclase
phenocrysts near the center of the deposit. Limited X-ray dif-
fractometry analyses show that sericite and clay minerals (il-
lite) are both present in some samples.
The intensity of feldspar-destructive alteration varies from
incipient replacement of mafic minerals to almost complete
obliteration of the igneous texture. With weak alteration,
secondary biotite pseudomorphs after hornblende are first
converted to chlorite, whereas primary biotite remains unal-
tered and becomes chloritized only with increasing alteration
intensity. Under the microscope, large plagioclase phe-
nocrysts show some sericite along hairline cracks, but poly-
synthetic twinning and zoning are still visible. The matrix be-
comes brownish, and a mixture of sericite and clay minerals
replaces smaller phenocrysts of plagioclase.
Strong feldspar-destructive alteration replaces all plagio-
clase and K feldspar by sericite ± calcite or a mixture of clay
minerals. Chlorite and finally sericite with minor rutile and
quartz replace the biotite and hornblende. Some quartz in the
matrix is probably secondary and was formed during the
breakdown of K feldspar to muscovite and quartz. Pyrite
(2–10%) as disseminated grains and in veinlets is a ubiquitous
part of the feldspar-destructive alteration assemblages.
At the mine scale, feldspar-destructive alteration clearly
overprints parts of the weak potassic alteration and chlorite-
epidote alteration (Fig. 7). It affects all porphyry types, in-
cluding all postore dikes, even the Post-Mineral Porphyry.
The onset of alteration relative to the sequence of porphyry
1878 ULRICH AND HEINRICH

intrusions cannot be determined, but large-scale geometry in- deposit shows no significant supergene alteration or metal re-
dicates that it is mostly postdating the intrusions of all major distribution.
porphyries. Strong white sericite alteration is most extensive
in the upper part of the deposit, but it extends downward Ore Distribution and Metal Correlation
along narrower, fault-controlled zones (1–10 m) to more than At the scale of the entire deposit the distributions of gold
350 m below the premine surface. Intense feldspar-destruc- and copper are positively correlated, and both correlate very
tive alteration also occurs as 2- to 3-cm-wide alteration halos closely with the intense potassic alteration in the P2 and Early
along veins filled with pyrite ± quartz and may affect larger P3 Porphyries (Figs. 10 and 11). Within the scatter of all assay
volumes where the veins are closely spaced. This pervasive al- samples from the representative section 47 passing through
teration style is best exposed west of the Gypsum fault and in the center of the deposit, this correlation is linear with a con-
the Los Amarillos Porphyry. Intermediate alteration intensity stant average Au/Cu ratio of 1.23 × 10–4 ± 0.78 × 10–4 (1σ),
is exposed, for example, in the Quartz-Eye Porphyry near matching very closely the bulk metal ratio of the entire de-
Colorado Sur and occurs between the intensely altered en- posit (1.2 × 10–4) The correlation and metal ratio is indepen-
velopes of more widely spaced pyrite veinlets. Weak sericite- dent of host rock, although the absolute Cu and Au grades are
chlorite overprint is widespread throughout the deposit and highest on average in the P2 Porphyry (Fig. 10A). Compiling
difficult to relate to distinct veins. assays from the entire deposit, Wall (1997) observed a small
The main veins associated with the feldspar-destructive al- number of very high ore grades with higher Au/Cu, but these
teration are pyrite and gypsum with minor or no quartz (Fig. do not seem to contribute considerably to the overall metal
6F). These planar veins are 2 to 10 mm wide and may extend budget of the deposit.
over several meters. They show a radial pattern around the The ore grades are evenly distributed within the P2 Por-
deposit trending toward the center of the deposit (J.M. Prof- phyry, but a large ore shell is developed mainly in the outer
fett, writ. commun.). Sericitic alteration halos can be easily and upper parts of the Early P3 Porphyry. This ore shell
recognized in andesites but is less obvious in the gray por- broadly crosscuts the interfingering contacts between the two
phyries. Some barren, white quartz veins and hairline quartz
veinlets may also be associated with the feldspar-destructive
overprint, but most quartz veins occurring in sericitized rocks A
are the products of the earlier potassic stage. This is particu-
larly evident in the vuggy, purple quartz veins of the thor-
oughly overprinted Quartz-Eye Porphyry, where sericite in-
clusions are restricted to the outermost (<1 mm) overgrowth
rim of larger crystals, which in their core contain potassic al-
teration minerals and high-temperature fluid inclusions (Ul-
rich et al., 2001). Rocks overprinted by feldspar-destructive
alteration may also contain minor calcite as small veinlets or
as late vug fillings in quartz veins.
Massive chalcopyrite-pyrite ± quartz veins (up to 7 mm
thick) and planar thin veinlets and joints coated with pyrite
and chalcopyrite are generally associated with halos of chlo-
rite ± sericite alteration. They consist of pyrite overgrowing
chalcopyrite to a variable degree, with occasionally earlier
magnetite and later hematite. These veinlets cut through B
older veins and intrusive contacts (Fig. 6D) and extend into
later, largely unmineralized porphyries of the Late P3 group
and the Northwest Porphyries. Even though they clearly
postdate the main copper deposition represented by the
quartz-chalcopyrite veins, they may, nevertheless, host an
economically significant fraction of the copper in the deposit.
This indicates late redistribution on a local scale (<10 m),
rather than significant introduction of copper during the for-
mation of the late sulfide veins (e.g., Brimhall, 1980).
Gypsum veins with or without pyrite are the latest veins.
They are 1 to 10 mm in width, commonly straight with vari-
ous orientations, and some are associated with late faults. Hy-
dration of anhydrite, previously deposited during the miner-
alization stage, formed some of the gypsum, particularly in
veins that show quartz crystals along their wall. However, FIG. 11. Ore-grade distribution along section 47. A. Cu distribution. B. Au
many gypsum veins cut all other vein types and, therefore, distribution. The Cu and Au ore-grade distributions show a similar pattern
and define a high-grade ore zone around a central barren core. Further, the
cannot be replaced anhydrite veins of the potassic stage. The ore grades correlate with the different lithologies, as revealed by the low
deposition of coarse-grained gypsum in these late veins oc- grades of the late intrusions and sharp boundaries between different grades
curred probably during surface weathering, however, the (A).

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 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA
porphyries, but at the scale of individual apophyses or dikes
there are sharp variations in ore grade. This is demonstrated
by the small-scale, west-northwest–dipping heterogeneity in
Cu and Au grades near “A” in Figure 11 (cf. Fig. 4B). Partic-
ularly in the phases of the Late P3 Porphyries and all later
porphyries the ore grades drop off markedly and locally dilute
the large-scale mine grades significantly. The vein types and
their density in the different porphyries indicate that deposi-
tion of most of the copper and gold was completed before the
Late P3 Porphyries intruded, even though these locally con-
tain postmineralization (probably remobilized) chalcopyrite
joints. As P2 and Early P3 Porphyry intrusions were each fol-
lowed by their individual events of potassic alteration and
subsequent to copper precipitation, the Early P3 event may
have locally upgraded the already mineralized P2 Porphyry.
Evidence at all scales, from mine scale, ore-grade distribution
(Fig. 11), through sample assays, petrographic observations
(Fig. 9), down to fluid inclusion results (Ulrich et al., 2001) in-
dicate coprecipitation of copper and gold from the same ore
fluids. We have not found any evidence for significant early
gold-only precipitation with the quartz-magnetite alteration,
as suggested by Guilbert (1995).
In three dimensions, the ore shell has the shape of an asym-
metric inverted cone, with the main economic ore grades in
the northeastern and southwestern parts of the deposit (Fig.
11). The ore shell surrounds a low-grade core (<0.3 wt % Cu),
which cropped out southwest of Colorado Norte and was first
recognized by Bassi and Rochefort (writ. commun., 1980).
This core consists mostly of Early P3 Porphyry, late, barren
intrusions, and small parts of P2 Porphyry, generally with very
high vein density and intense quartz ± magnetite alteration
but little or no sulfides. This part of the low-grade core is in-
terpreted as a high-temperature zone due to multiple intru-
sions and a focus of high fluid flux, through which the ore flu-
ids of the main mineralization stages passed without reaching
saturation in sulfides.
Molybdenum is an economically minor component at Alum-
brera, and the concentration of Mo is not generally correlated
with Cu or Au grades (Fig. 10B). Molybdenum distribution is
poorly defined, and concentrations are similar in the Cu-Au-
mineralized porphyries and in the later members of intru-
sions. The highest values occur in the andesites, where a cor-
respondence with Cu at overall low Cu grades is observed
(Fig. 10B). Combining the observation of the vein paragene-
sis and the ore grade distribution, it is tentatively suggested
that molybdenite deposition is peripheral to and slightly later
than the precipitation of Cu and Au.
Bulk-Rock Geochemistry and Alteration Mass Balance
In this section we aim at quantifying elemental mass trans-
fer associated with the main alteration processes. The selec-
tion of appropriate sample pairs for these calculations was dif-
ficult due to ubiquitous alteration in almost all intrusions and
overprinting of potassic alteration by feldspar-destructive al-
teration. We are aware of problems like late dissolution of sul-
fates, some ambiguity in identifying immobile elements, and
the assessment of replacement of rocks versus fracture filling
(i.e., quartz-magnetite). To overcome these problems to some
extent we performed the calculation on samples that were
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 1879
1879
representative for a specific alteration assemblage, and giving
the variability of alteration intensity, also representative for a
large part of this alteration zone in the deposit. The mass-bal-
ance calculations were based on samples from the second
mineralized intrusion (Early P3), except for the chlorite-epi-
dote alteration (NE Porphyry). A description of the samples
used for the geochemical analyses is given in the Appendix.
Sample selection: Analytical and calculation procedure
To estimate the bulk gains and losses of elements associated
with the four main alteration assemblages, representative
samples of altered rocks and equivalent, least altered pro-
toliths were analyzed by XRF (major elements, including S),
colorimetric titration (FeO/Fe2O3), and laser ablation ICP
mass spectrometry of lithium tetraborate tablets (Günther et
al., 2001). The amount of H2O was calculated by subtraction
of S and CO2 from the loss of ignition.
Geochemical data of several porphyries are listed in Table
3 and all show similar trends. Mass-balance calculations are
performed on the Early P3 Porphyry, because it is a strongly
mineralized intrusion that has representative mineral assem-
blages of almost all alteration types. Samples showing strong
alteration to quartz-magnetite (1), K feldspar-biotite (3), and
feldspar-destructive (3) of Early P3 Porphyry, and an epidote-
chlorite altered sample of NE Porphyry (because of the lack
of epidote-chlorite altered Early P3 Porphyry), were com-
pared to the igneous composition of the corresponding least
altered Early P3 Porphyry sample (protolith) in Figure 12 A-
D. Gains and losses during feldspar-destructive overprint
could be most clearly quantified by comparison of a strongly
sericitic sample to its precursor of potassic alteration (Fig.
12D). The gains and losses of major and trace elements for
the selected sample pairs are shown graphically in Figure 13
A-H.
In a first step, the mass exchange between fluid and rock,
without the mass added by open-space vein filling, has been
measured. Altered rocks were analyzed by avoiding or re-
moving veins, except for quartz-magnetite alteration where
this was not possible. To estimate bulk-mass gains and losses
at the scale of ore blocks, the average Cu and SiO2 concen-
trations from the veins were added numerically. The Cu and
additional SiO2 contributions were estimated from quartz
vein density and copper grade was measured from averaged
core assays and logs. Consequently, 10 percent SiO2 and 0.6
wt percent Cu was added for the potassic alteration, and 5
percent SiO2 was added to the analyzed SiO2 composition of
phyllic-altered samples in order to estimate bulk-mass
changes attending the alteration and copper mineralization
processes. In some samples, the breakdown of hornblende
into biotite has released Ca, which is commonly fixed as an-
hydrite. In places, anhydrite may be hydrated to gypsum, and
in some zones later fluids have dissolved the sulfates. This re-
sults in a possible CaO deficit in some samples.
Element concentrations in corresponding sample pairs of
altered Early P3 versus unaltered Early P3 Porphyry and a
pair of potassically altered versus feldspar-destructively over-
printed samples were plotted in isocon diagrams (Grant,
1986). This allows identification of possible reference sets of
immobile elements whose concentration ratios remained
unchanged during alteration. Figure 12 shows reasonably
 TABLE 3. Whole-Rock Data of the Analyzed Samples of Alumbrera (for sample description, see Appendix)
1880
Northwest Post mineral-
Early P3 Porphyry Late P3 Porphyry (Campamiento) Porphyry ization dike
Least Chlorite- Feldspar-
Alteration altered Qtz-mag1 Potassic Feldspar-destructive epidote Fresh Potassic destructive Chlorite-epidote Fresh Potassic
43-47.1/ 47-55/ 49.2-46.3/ 51-52.2/ 49-51/ 51-52.2/ 57.5-60/ 43-47.1/ 51-61.1/
Sample 580m 215m 451m 319m 210m 351m 50m 555m BLA 55 BLA 48 BLA 82 BLA 81 BLA 79 BLA 80 BLA 44 548m BLA 67
SiO2 65.91 74.70 58.52 65.51 2 64.85 63.53 2 68.10 64.79 63.60 64.04 64.22 73.62 61.75 62.07 64.18 65.15 58.70
TiO2 0.56 0.12 0.89 0.51 0.54 0.52 0.56 0.43 0.63 0.61 0.62 0.67 0.63 0.63 0.66 0.48 0.92

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Al2O3 15.80 1.77 16.04 14.98 15.11 14.82 15.91 14.49 16.01 16.15 16.02 15.31 15.40 15.42 15.51 14.26 16.07
FeO 2.19 n.a 1.35 2.12 2.38 2.06 0.26 1.03 1.99 2.25 2.25 0.26 2.25 2.44 2.54 2.77 3.22
FeOtotal 3.98 22.47 6.41 4.49 5.55 4.31 3.67 3.00 4.66 4.38 4.37 1.15 4.64 4.63 5.98 7.25 6.62
MnO 0.06 0.07 0.16 0.05 0.06 0.17 0.01 1.97 0.18 0.13 0.05 0.01 0.13 0.13 0.12 0.07 0.17
MgO 1.50 0.21 2.77 1.49 1.43 1.16 1.11 0.57 1.63 1.52 1.57 0.61 1.80 1.76 1.72 1.04 2.77
CaO 3.40 0.01 5.14 2.11 1.57 2.51 0.12 1.85 3.73 4.37 3.11 0.11 4.85 4.46 2.60 2.02 5.20
Na2O 3.22 <0.21 3.63 2.55 2.50 0.56 0.15 0.34 2.72 3.40 3.29 0.17 2.86 2.84 3.32 2.57 3.71
K2O 4.05 1.30 2.82 5.74 6.10 6.52 3.76 7.94 3.23 3.55 3.88 4.48 3.31 3.45 3.98 5.63 2.80
P2O5 0.25 <0.006 0.34 0.23 0.23 0.22 0.14 0.18 0.28 0.26 0.26 0.03 0.27 0.26 0.26 0.10 0.34
CO2 0.27 n.a. 0.01 0.36 0.02 2.37 0.02 2.33 0.64 0.37 0.40 0.01 2.09 2.04 0.01 0.06 0.29
H2O* 0.61 n.a. 0.88 1.15 0.87 1.38 3.29 0.25 2.62 1.20 1.54 3.07 2.04 2.16 1.45 0.49 1.00
S 0.08 0.30 2.03 0.37 0.70 0.74 2.86 1.17 0.04 0.05 0.18 0.16 0.02 0.02 0.04 0.02 0.08
Au 9.00 n.a. 457.00 243.00 593.00 135.00 52.00 96.00 <5 <5 14.00 14.00 <5 <5 7.00 8.00 7.00
V 140.85 <10 192.35 118.78 123.88 119.83 131.63 129.95 139.61 140.54 139.54 130.59 151.54 152.13 144.98 116.94 193.25
Cr 208.47 <6 297.66 228.40 180.24 226.30 216.27 208.81 188.83 281.05 245.91 263.82 204.29 193.25 167.71 233.86 207.12
Sc 8.42 <2 14.99 8.23 7.92 8.33 6.31 8.19 10.22 9.65 9.27 10.74 12.44 12.40 9.27 6.68 17.77
Co 17.74 <4 19.25 24.15 20.71 16.10 21.40 21.36 8.09 13.34 10.99 4.98 12.09 14.24 12.74 25.16 16.41
Ni 55.80 <3 181.31 72.74 90.14 95.81 56.82 54.74 69.28 174.27 122.34 41.28 127.42 80.59 64.65 53.21 57.97
Cu 30.43 1302.00 96.52 272.81 3 1007.31 704.30 42.65 95.20 29.79 28.01 35.07 12.37 20.59 38.27 24.96 50.70 18.26

1880
Zn 56.45 112.00 382.75 56.55 75.47 106.95 10.02 240.58 103.59 85.12 83.68 14.24 49.55 77.44 59.10 90.46 383.79
As 4.59 n.a. 2.22 0.02 15.51 12.74 7.34 9.68 <1.76 1.31 2.18 <6.1 <0.12 3.09 1.29 6.84 5.11
Rb 119.00 21.00 62.00 131.00 114.93 208.00 112.00 265.00 99.00 108.00 115.00 178.00 130.00 126.00 74.71 90.65 45.40
Sr 536.00 <12 670.00 397.00 424.03 141.00 88.00 136.00 509.00 649.00 515.00 9.00 498.00 510.00 491.53 424.77 747.75
ULRICH AND HEINRICH

Y 19.00 <3 19.00 16.00 17.20 19.00 16.00 14.00 25.00 20.00 26.00 28.00 22.00 22.00 17.85 4.75 23.24
Zr 149.00 29.00 147.00 150.00 153.88 134.00 181.00 131.00 173.00 163.00 164.00 197.00 151.00 154.00 137.11 142.56 152.63
Nb 27.00 <20 10.00 24.00 19.65 21.00 16.00 20.00 28.00 24.00 29.00 37.00 26.00 24.00 20.48 13.18 20.05
Ba 600.00 85.00 776.00 549.00 597.14 478.00 563.00 671.00 671.00 631.00 586.00 649.00 532.00 579.00 587.46 669.92 842.32
Mo 7.59 n.a. 8.90 8.36 12.47 6.35 14.37 40.72 7.17 8.42 5.34 6.78 7.44 8.43 10.49 9.83 11.58
Ag <0.97 n.a. <0.22 <0.67 0.94 0.66 <0.37 0.08 <0.24 <0.24 0.63 0.61 <0.23 0.67 1.07 0.33 0.03
Sn 108.68 n.a. 98.46 126.17 71.05 110.35 250.47 104.76 162.40 115.69 110.07 113.57 184.11 103.75 83.18 105.13 77.38
La 27.31 <20 31.53 16.72 26.12 21.80 38.85 23.28 33.50 32.78 33.22 40.99 34.73 32.11 22.30 6.77 30.53
Ce 52.67 <15 58.91 32.00 43.96 41.26 73.94 40.20 65.62 59.56 61.81 76.82 64.41 61.55 43.92 11.28 58.01
Tb 0.59 n.a. 0.70 0.37 0.49 0.49 0.42 0.44 0.58 0.78 0.64 0.65 0.58 0.68 0.49 0.12 0.56
Ho 0.66 n.a. 0.88 0.52 0.45 0.61 0.57 0.43 0.63 0.64 0.64 0.83 0.65 0.65 0.83 0.24 0.79
Lu 0.37 n.a. 0.41 0.23 0.21 0.23 0.25 0.27 0.36 0.31 0.26 0.43 0.34 0.34 0.30 0.09 0.34
Ta 1.81 n.a. 1.30 1.63 1.41 1.68 1.68 1.66 1.38 1.61 1.50 2.17 1.44 1.63 1.56 1.41 1.29
W 156.08 n.a. 74.44 263.62 210.90 135.05 71.44 256.48 58.12 133.49 93.59 113.41 41.32 77.18 143.50 238.87 77.30
Pb 12.12 81.00 28.37 15.34 21.11 36.58 10.93 100.63 23.80 25.26 20.35 7.26 16.12 14.72 13.12 17.98 25.48
Bi 0.02 n.a. 0.07 0.10 0.13 0.28 0.29 0.32 0.70 0.14 0.26 0.01 0.20 0.09 0.08 0.11 0.15
Th 11.44 <5 7.94 10.35 9.65 9.79 11.33 11.26 9.36 9.42 9.91 11.01 10.25 10.07 9.31 8.90 7.94
U 2.36 <10 2.18 1.50 1.24 1.13 3.18 1.44 2.29 2.92 2.21 2.86 2.54 2.75 1.31 1.23 2.06
Notes: Major elements (oxides) and S are given in wt percent, trace elements in ppm, and Au in ppb; n.a. = not analyzed, < = below detection limit; the values below detection limit were used as
upper limits for the calculation of the gains and losses
*H2O is calculated from loss of ignition by the subtraction of S and CO2
1 This sample was chosen as representative for strong quartz-magnetite alteration and consists of quartz, magnetite, and minor K feldspar, thus, it was not possible to distinguish whether it is a P2

Porphyry or Early P3 Porphyry (see App.)

2,3 To these numbers 10 percent SiO (potassic), 5 percent SiO (feldspar-destructive), and 0.6 wt percent Cu were added for the calculation of the gains and losses (see Table 3)
2 2
 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA 1881

FIG. 12. Isocon diagrams with selected and weighted elements in which the protolith (least altered Early P3 and, in the
case of feldspar-destructive alteration, potassically altered Early P3) versus the altered samples are plotted. Various elements
are multiplied or divided by a constant to fit a common scale of the diagram. Black lines (isocons) are defined by the con-
stant ratios of immobile elements (Al2O3, TiO2, Zr), which were used for the calculation of the gains and losses. Elements
above these lines are enriched in the altered rock, whereas elements below the lines are depleted during alteration. Oxides
and S in wt percent, elements in ppm, Au in ppb.

clearcut sample pairs, in which TiO2, Zr, P2O5, and also Al2O3
maintain constant ratios and, therefore, can be interpreted as
immobile. In a first step, element gains and losses on a weight
basis have been calculated following Grant’s approach (Grant,
1986) and using Al2O3 as the immobile element, except for
the quartz-magnetite alteration for which TiO2 and Zr were
chosen as the immobile elements:
∆C = (C immobile
F A
/C immobile ) · CA – CF,
where CF and CA are the concentrations in the fresh (F) and
altered (A) sample, respectively, and ∆C denotes the gain or
loss in grams per 100 g of rock for major elements or in parts
per million for trace elements and parts per billion for Au
(Table 4). In a second step, the mass balances for selected
sample pairs were recast in terms of gains and losses of stoi-
chiometric species that illustrate more closely the changes in
mineralogy of the rocks and the compositions of the hy-
drothermal fluids (Böhlke, 1989; Heinrich et al., 1995). A
spreadsheet using matrix inversions was used to convert the
rock compositions from weight units of oxides into moles/
kilograms of rock of simplified mineral species, which corre-
spond to the observed mineralogy of the rocks and exchange
components (e.g., MgFe–1). For the calculation of the moles
of minerals, compositions of iron end member were used, i.e.,
biotite KFe3AlSi3O10(OH)2 (annite), chlorite Fe5Al2Si3O10(OH)8
(chamosite), and amphibole Ca2Fe4Al2Si7O22(OH)2 (ferro-
hornblende). Mineral volume changes associated with the
(1) bulk reactions are expressed in volume per cent of protolith,
using molar volumes of the minerals from Robie et al. (1979).
Masses of components transferred to and from the hy-
drothermal fluid were similarly converted to a new compo-
nent basis of aqueous ions or chloride complexes, HCl for the
expression of acid/base balance, and H2S plus SO2 to describe
redox changes.
Quartz-magnetite ± K feldspar assemblage
Sample 47-55/215m—strongly quartz-magnetite veined
and altered porphyry with completely obliterated igneous tex-
ture—is compared to least altered Early P3 Porphyry (sample

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1882 ULRICH AND HEINRICH

FIG. 13. Gains and losses of major and trace elements for the main alteration assemblages (see also Table 4). Note the
different scales of the diagrams. The quartz-magnetite sample has not been analyzed for the same range of elements as the
other samples. Losses in Sr, Ba, Na2O, and CaO most likely indicate feldspar destruction, whereas gains in K2O, Fetotal, and
SiO2 are characteristic for the quartz-magnetite and potassic alteration. However, secondary minerals, such as calcite and
gypsum in small veinlets or disseminated, can increase, e.g., Ca concentrations (i.e., feldspar-destructive alteration).

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 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA 1883

TABLE 4. Gains and Losses of Early P3 Porphyry 43-47.1/580m), assuming Ti and Zr as immobile (Fig. 12A;
Table 4). Figure 12A indicates large gains of about 300 per-
Quartz- Feldspar- Chlorite-
Alteration magnetite Potassic destructive epidote cent of SiO2 and 110 percent of Fetotal with a modest gain of
K. Pb and Zn were added in considerable amounts, whereas
43-47.1/ 43-47.1/ 51-52.2/ 43-47.1/ most other elements including Na, Al, Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, and Rb
Sample 580m / 580m/ 319m/ 580m/ are depleted, reflecting the breakdown of plagioclase and
pair 47-55/215m 51-52.2/319m 51-52.2/351m BLA 55
mafic minerals (Fig. 13A, B). An estimated bulk fluid/rock
SiO2 307.9 9.7 1 –2.8 1 –7.9 reaction for the quartz-magnetite alteration, based on the
TiO2 2 0.0 –0.03 0.03 0.01 sample pair 43-47.1/580m → 47-55/215m, can be written as
Al2O3 2 –6.7 –0.1 0.4 –1.2 follows:
FeO 0.0 0.0 –0.4
FeOtotal 111.5 0.7 0.0 0.3 0.38 anorthite + 0.7 albite 1.7K feldspar + 0.5CaCl2
MnO 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.1 +1.6KCl + 0.7NaCl
MgO –0.4 0.1 –0.3 0.0 + 0.06 ferrohornblende + 52.5 quartz + 4.2 magnetite
CaO –3.3 –1.2 0.5 0.0 + 0.1 annite → + 23.9HCl
Na2O –2.2 –0.5 –2.0 –0.7 + 12FeCl2 + 12.8H2O + H2S
K2O 2.6 2.0 1.0 –1.1 + 54SiO2(aq)
P2O5 –0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 + SO2 + 0.37MgFe–1. (2)
CO2 0.1 2.1 0.3
H2O 0.6 0.3 1.8 From the comparison of the molar volumes of the unal-
tered and the quartz-magnetite altered rock an increase in
S 0.0 0.3 0.4 0.0 total volume of ~350 percent is inferred, including veins and
Au 245.8 –103.0 –4.4 matrix. This increase refers to mainly the addition of quartz ±
V –16.3 5.5 –13.5 magnetite as fracture filling, thus increasing the bulk volume
Cr 31.1 6.3 –36.2 of the rock.
Sc 0.2 0.4 0.9
Co 7.6 –7.5 –10.4
Ni 20.5 26.6 7.4 Potassic alteration
Cu 6547.8 3 457.5 –3.3 Pairs of least altered Early P3 Porphyry (samples 43-
Zn 519.4 2.9 54.4 38.1
47.1/580m and 51-52.2/319m) and K feldspar-biotite alter-
As –4.6 13.2
ation (Fig. 13C, D, Table 4) indicate strong gains in K, Si, S,
Rb –11.1 18.4 84.7 –28.7
Au, and Cu, and losses of Na, Ca, Sr, and Ba during potassic
Sr –597.7 –119.7 –250.8 –71.6
alteration. During the consumption of hornblende and pla-
Y –2.2 3.7 3.8
gioclase, Ca and probably Sr and Ba are removed. Mg is es-
Zr 2 0.0 8.3 –11.0 8.8
sentially conserved in the replacement of chain silicates to bi-
Nb –1.8 –2.2 –1.5
Ba –163.3 –24.3 –53.3 12.2
otite. Total Fe and also Rb, Pb, Zn, Cr, Co, Ni, Sn, and W are
Mo 1.2 –1.8 –1.0
enriched in the Early P3 Porphyry. The following bulk reac-
Sn 23.6 –11.7 39.5
tion (based on the sample pair 43-47.1/580m → 51-52.2/319m)
La –9.8 5.9 3.3 indicates that K addition is associated with hydration (rather
Ce –19.1 10.8 7.2 than hydrolysis) of the porphyry and an overall oxidation as
Tb –0.2 0.1 –0.1 well as sulfidation of iron by addition of comparable quanti-
Ho –0.1 0.1 –0.1 ties of H2S and SO2:
Lu –0.1 0.0 0.0
Ta –0.1 0.1 –0.6 0.17 albite + 0.18 muscovite
W 120.4 –123.6 –103.1 + 0.8KCl 1.18 K feldspar + 0.17NaCl
Pb 404.2 4.0 22.6 9.6 + 0.06 anorthite + 1.87SiO2(aq) + 0.7 quartz
Bi 0.1 0.2 0.6 + 0.15 ferrohornblende 0.14 chamosite
Th –0.6 –0.2 –2.9 + 0.2 annite + 0.22CaCl2
U –0.8 –0.3 –0.3 + 0.12FeCl2 + 0.42H2O → + 0.19 magnetite
+ 0.2CuCl + 0.05H2S + 0.2 chalcopyrite
Notes: Calculated gains and losses for the different alteration zones in dif- + 0.05SO2 + 0.14 calcite + 0.78HCl
ferent rock types; values for major elements and S are given in grams/100 g + 0.15 pyrite + 0.14CO2 + 0.02MgFe–1. (3)
rock, trace elements in ppm, and Au in ppb
1 These numbers are calculated with modified SiO values for the potassic
2
(10% SiO2) and for the feldspar-destructive (5%) alteration according to the This leads to a slight increase of ~12 percent in the volume
vein density of the altered rock. The weak carbonation and the liberation
2 These elements were assumed to be immobile and their ratio between
of some acidity are probably due to the faint chlorite-calcite
the fresh and altered rock was used to calculate the gains and losses (Grant, overprint of some plagioclase and biotite phenocrysts in this
1986); for the quartz-magnetite alteration TiO2 and Zr were used and for the
other alteration types Al2O3 particular sample. The large amount of Ca that was probably
3 The Cu gain is modified by addition of an average Cu grade in the ore removed from the potassic zone may well contribute to the
zone of 0.6 wt percent Cu; see text for explanation addition of calcite and epidote in the surrounding propylitic

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1884 ULRICH AND HEINRICH
zone. Ti is assumed to be immobile and occurs as titanite in
the unaltered as well as the altered samples.
Chlorite-epidote alteration zone
In general, the propylitic alteration at the fringe of the de-
posit is characterized by enrichment in CO2 and Ca (unpub.
data from Late P3 Porphyry), some of which may have been
directly transferred from the Ca-depleted potassic zone.
However, the chlorite-epidote altered NE Porphyry (sample
BLA 55) only shows a minor increase in Ca but is enriched in
many other elements (Fig. 13E, F; Table 4), particularly Zn,
Pb, Mn, Sn, and Ba, whereas Si, Sr, and Rb are commonly
depleted. The depletion in Na, K, and Sr is due to the break-
down of plagioclase. An overall reaction for the chlorite-
epidote-calcite alteration (based on the sample pair 43-
47.1/580m → BLA 55) can be written as follows:
1.4 anorthite + 1H2O 0.7 epidote + 0.87 quartz
+ 0.08HCl + 0.17 calcite + 0.23NaCl
+ 0.23 albite + 0.17CO2 + 0.09 chamosite
+ 0.05CaCl2 + 0.5 muscovite
+ 0.06 ferrohornblende → + 0.9SiO2(aq) + 0.14KCl
+ 0.1 annite + 0.54K feldspar + 0.05 magnetite + 0.02H2S
+ 0.007 pyrite + 0.04FeCl2
+ 0.008SO2
+ 1.4MgFe–1. (4)
This alteration reaction indicates some carbonation and
strong hydration (H2O addition) as well as hydrolysis (HCl
addition), which leads to an overall volume decrease of ~4
percent. Propylitic alteration essentially involves an exchange
of Ca2+ for K+ and Na+ and is associated with significant de-
silicification. Both effects are consistent with alteration by
fluids moving through similar rocks along a path of prograde
heating (e.g., Heinrich et al., 1995), which may indicate a
contribution of external fluids convecting toward the fringe
of the porphyry stock (see also Dilles and Einaudi, 1992)
Feldspar-destructive overprint
Feldspar-destructive alteration overprints the earlier alter-
ation stages, and the samples analyzed were overprinted by
earlier potassic alteration. All mass balances with feldspar-
destructive alteration were, therefore, calculated relative to
an Early P3 Porphyry sample with potassic alteration (Table
3; Fig. 13G, H). Feldspar-destructive alteration generally
leads to a loss of Mg, Na, Ba, and Sr and an addition of H
with some Zn, Pb, Rb, and S. Ca and K are gained for this
sample pair and like variations in Cu concentration are
probably dominated by variable degrees of preceding
potassic alteration. However, the same elements also de-
pend on the amount of clay minerals, calcite, and gypsum
in the sample, respectively. The following bulk reaction
describes the measured mass balance consistent with the
observed mineralogical changes between sample pair 51-
52.2/319m → 51-52.2/351m:
0.56 anorthite + 0.64 albite 0.82 muscovite + 1.54 quartz
+ 0.66 HCl + 0.64 NaCl + 0.55 calcite
+ 0.17 KCl + 0.74 K feldspar + 0.77 SiO2(aq) + 0.09 annite
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+ 0.06CaCl2 + 0.08 ferrohornblende
+ 0.55CO2 + 0.14 chamosite → + 0.08FeCl2
+ 0.08 MgFe–1 + 0.07H2O + 0.22 pyrite
+ 0.009 magnetite + 0.16CuCl.
+ 0.16 chalcopyrite
+ 0.09 H2S + 0.03 SO2 (5)
As expected, this alteration reaction is dominated by the hy-
drolysis (HCl consumption) of feldspars to sericite. It is asso-
ciated with a 5 percent molar volume loss, as alkalis and alka-
line earths (and in this case also SiO2) are removed, which is
probably reflected in the commonly pervasive nature of this
alteration overprint.
Interpretation and Genesis of the Deposit
Origin and evolution of the magmatic system
The porphyry deposit at Alumbrera is composed of at least
two distinct synmineralization porphyries (P2 and Early P3)
and several postore porphyries. The timing of the possibly
early but weakly mineralized porphyries (NE and Los Amar-
illos Porphyries) is not well constrained. All porphyries of the
complex are in a narrow compositional range of high K calc-
alkaline dacites, except for the Post-Mineralization dike,
which is distinctly more mafic and possibly indicates a differ-
ent magma batch. The stratigraphic record of the volcanic
rocks, occasional evidence for felsic-mafic magma commin-
gling, and limited Pb and Sr isotope data (R. M. Tosdal and A.
H. Clark, pers. commun., 1999) indicate a complex evolution
of fractionation, assimilation, and perhaps multiply recharge
of a subjacent magma chamber.
Magmatic fluid stage:
Two pulses of Fe-K-Cu-Au introduction
Fluids rose from the magma chamber in at least two sepa-
rate pulses, bracketed in time by intrusive contacts, and
which closely followed the intrusion of the P2 and the Early
P3 Porphyries. During the formation of early irregular
quartz-magnetite veins the host rocks were still hot and partly
ductile. Each of these pulses caused quartz-magnetite alter-
ation, potassic alteration, and probably also Cu-Au introduc-
tion, as well as some of the propylitic alteration. The intensely
altered P2 Porphyry is cut by the Early P3 Porphyry that
shows similar (although somewhat weaker) veins and alter-
ation. Systematic differences in ore grade between the two
porphyries indicate that each alteration pulse was also associ-
ated with a distinct pulse of Cu-Au introduction, although
clear truncation of copper-mineralized veins by Early P3 Por-
phyry has not been observed. Cu and Au are closely corre-
lated at all scales and are almost exclusively present as chal-
copyrite with attached or enclosed gold grains, but original
metal precipitation included some bornite as indicated by
rare remnants of early bornite. A well-developed ore shell and
a close correlation of Cu and Au grades indicate coprecipita-
tion of both metals during potassic alteration. A barren but
highly veined and quartz-magnetite ± K feldspar altered core
in the lower center of the deposit is interpreted as the focus
of upwelling fluids. These fluids flowed upward and outward
 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA
to cause potassic alteration and Cu-Au mineralization, proba-
bly by interaction with the less altered and/or cooler environ-
ment surrounding the central fluid plume. The close tempo-
ral and spatial association of Fe alteration with subsequent K
alteration and Cu-Au deposition contrasts with observations
at Island Copper (British Columbia), where Fe metasoma-
tism seems to be a separate, early event (Arancibia and Clark,
1996). Geology and mass-balance data from Alumbrera sug-
gest that the quartz-magnetite core is a zone where magmatic
fluids were still sulfide undersaturated and capable of dis-
solving most rock-forming components but had already pre-
cipitated abundant silica and magnetite. This probably in-
volved a reaction of dissolved Fe2+ with cotransported SO2
acting as an oxidant. The dominance of SO2 in the early stages
of the fluid exsolution has been proposed as a key factor to
generate the barren quartz-magnetite alteration in the cores
of porphyry copper deposits (Clark and Arancibia, 1995).
These authors suggest that magma mixing between dacitic
and mafic melt and the concomitant release of SO2-rich fluid
is responsible for high fO2 in many of the porphyry systems
that are magnetite rich but sulfide poor in the first stages.
The mass-balance data indicate that potassic alteration in-
volves an exchange of K for Na and Ca plus strong hydration
of the rocks, which is consistent with a temperature decrease
as the main cause for this alteration and, by inference, also for
chalcopyrite deposition. Potassic alteration is increasingly bi-
otitic toward the andesite-hosted fringe of the orebody and
probably grades into an outer halo of propylitic alteration. Epi-
dote-chlorite-calcite alteration temporally overlaps but out-
lasted the main magmatic-hydrothermal phase, affecting also
some of the postore porphyries. Epidote-chlorite alteration
may involve a magmatic fluid component (notably CO2) but
was probably at least in part driven by external fluids flowing
on a prograde heating path toward the porphyry stock, thereby
causing the addition of Ca and the removal of SiO2.
The amount and distribution of Mo in the deposit and par-
ticularly in andesites and late intrusions only allow speculative
interpretations about molybdenum mineralization; either it
indicates a separate, later Mo mineralization event or later
precipitation of Mo from the same fluid pulse that coprecipi-
tated Cu and Au.
Late magmatic postore fluid stage
The waning stages of magmatic fluid input caused remobi-
lization (and possibly minor addition) of chalcopyrite + pyrite
into late fractures associated with halos of chlorite ± sericite.
These mineralized joints also locally crosscut later intrusions
in the neighborhood of the main mineralized porphyries and
may host a significant fraction of the total Cu in the latter. This
late mobilization of copper by oxidized fluids has been de-
scribed for other porphyries, e.g., Sungun, Iran (Hezarkhani
and Williams-Jones, 1998).
Feldspar-destructive alteration with pyrite + sericite ± clay
minerals overprints all porphyries including some of the
postore intrusive phases. It crosscuts all igneous contacts and
the earlier magmatic-hydrothermal alteration zones at all
scales. It is most widely developed near the top of the system
and near the transition zone of earlier weak potassic to propy-
litic alteration, extending locally along fractures and faults
downward into the potassic and propylitic zones. Although
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phyllic alteration could have started earlier (especially in the
higher, now eroded parts of the system?), an Ar/Ar date on
sericite indicates that feldspar-destructive alteration oc-
curred some 300,000 yr after the intrusion and the tempo-
rally associated mineralization and potassic alteration of the
P2 Porphyry (Sasso and Clark, 1998). Phyllic alteration in-
volved acid leaching during the waning stage of the hy-
drothermal system, with some sulfidation but little or no ad-
dition of Cu or Au.
Acknowledgments
We are most grateful to MIM Exploration and Minera
Alumbrera for generous financial, logistic, and scientific sup-
port of this project. In particular, we would like to thank Juan
Angera, Steve Brown, Peter Forrestal, David Keough, Rick
Valenta, and Vic Wall for their help and for interesting dis-
cussions at various stages from the initiation to the comple-
tion of this project. John M. Proffett is thanked for his great
effort of editing an earlier version of this manuscript. We also
acknowledge helpful scientific comments from Alan Clark
and Viktor Koeppel. Constructive reviews by J. Cline, M. Ein-
audi, C. Osterman, and E. Seedorff helped to improve the
manuscript. This work is part of the senior author’s Ph.D.
study, supported by ETH project grant 0-20-041-95.
July 28, 2000; July 31, 2001
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 GEOLOGY & ALTERATION GEOCHEMISTRY OF PORPHYRY Cu-Au DEPOSIT, BAJO DE LA ALUMBRERA, ARGENTINA
APPENDIX
Descriptions of Cited Samples Used for Geochemical Analyses
43-47.1/22 depth: 580.0–580.2 m
Least altered Early P3 Porphyry sample, with unaltered
plagioclase and biotite. It contains hornblende, some of which
is altered to biotite, and subordinate quartz phenocrysts. Ma-
trix fine grained (~100–200 µm) with quartz and plagioclase.
This sample has a slight potassic overprint but contains no
secondary K feldspar.
47-55/9 depth: 215.1–215.2 m
Sample from strong quartz-magnetite altered rock, with
many quartz veins. It could be P2 Porphyry or Early P3 Por-
phyry. Secondary magnetite occurs in veins but basically re-
places the matrix and no phenocrystals are preserved. This re-
sults in a massive quartz-magnetite rock with about equal
amounts of magnetite and quartz. The grain size of quartz is
variable (100–400 µm). Minor secondary K feldspar. Thin
(<1-mm) late pyrite-chalcopyrite veinlets.
49.2-46.3/12 depth: 451.8–452.0 m
Early P3 Porphyry with secondary biotite replacing the
hornblende. Plagioclase phenocrysts partly altered to sec-
ondary K feldspar. Matrix is pale, fine grained (80–150 µm),
quartz rich, with plagioclase and secondary K feldspar and
minor secondary biotite.
51-52.2/18 depth: 319.2–319.4 m
Early P3 Porphyry with moderate potassic alteration and
very weak feldspar-destructive overprint. Hornblende is com-
pletely replaced by secondary biotite. Some plagioclase phe-
nocrysts are partly altered by sericite-calcite along fractures.
Subordinate biotite crystals are partly altered to chlorite. Ma-
trix contains plagioclase, secondary K feldspar, and quartz,
some of which is of hydrothermal origin (slightly smaller grain
size).
49-51/10 depth: 210.6–211.0 m
Early P3 Porphyry with potassic alteration. Biotite and pla-
gioclase commonly unaltered. Hornblende replaced by sec-
ondary biotite. Minor quartz phenocrysts. Matrix contains sec-
ondary K feldspar and magmatic as well as hydrothermal quartz.
51-52.2/21 depth: 351.0–351.25 m
Early P3 Porphyry with feldspar-destructive alteration. Pla-
gioclase replaced by fine-grained sericite; mafic minerals al-
tered to chlorite. The matrix contains more quartz than potas-
sically altered samples. The groundmass is fine grained and
altered to sericite and/or clay.
57.5-60/7 depth: 50–51 m
Due to the strong feldspar-destructive overprint no clear
characterization of the porphyry type is possible. It could be
a sample of Late P3 Porphyry. The phenocrystal shapes are
ragged but not completely obliterated. They are strongly al-
tered to sericite and/or clay, as well as the matrix. Quartz in
matrix very fine grained (~50 µm).
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43-47.1/16 depth: 555.7–556.0 m
Early P3 Porphyry with fine-grained altered matrix of
sericite and/or clay and quartz. Phenocrysts are altered to
sericite (plagioclase) and chlorite (hornblende and biotite),
minor calcite in former plagioclase grains.
BLA 55 NE Porphyry dike, north of the Bajo
Propylitically altered porphyry with plagioclase phenocrysts
partly altered to calcite ± epidote. Mafic minerals are altered
to chlorite. Pale green matrix contains plagioclase and minor
chlorite.
BLA 48 Late P3: Campamiento Porphyry dike
(southern part of Bajo)
Unaltered porphyry with fresh, green hornblende, biotite,
and unaltered plagioclase with growth zoning and twinning.
Pale matrix of plagioclase and quartz.
BLA 82 Late P3: Campamiento Porphyry,
close to drill hole 48.4-54
Potassically altered porphyry, all hornblende replaced by
secondary biotite, partly chloritized (minor feldspar-destruc-
tive alteration). Plagioclase altered to sericite along fractures.
Matrix (200–300 µm) with quartz, plagioclase, and minor sec-
ondary K feldspar.
BLA 81 Late P3: Campamiento Porphyry dike
(southern part of Bajo)
Sample with a strong feldspar-destructive overprint of
sericite and/or clay, gypsum, and minor calcite. Phenocrysts
with very ragged shapes and the texture is partly obliterated.
BLA 79 Late P3: Campamiento Porphyry dike
extending into the volcanic rocks south of the Bajo
Propylitically altered porphyry with chlorite, replacing bi-
otite and hornblende, and calcite, partly replacing plagio-
clase. Matrix is fine grained (~100 µm) and contains next to
minor quartz some plagioclase that is slightly altered to calcite
and/or sericite.
BLA 80 Late P3: Campamiento Porphyry dike
(see BLA 79)
Macroscopic slightly fresher than BLA 79. Plagioclase less
altered, all mafic minerals are altered to chlorite. The matrix
is medium to fine grained with quartz and some plagioclase
(less altered).
BLA 44 Late porphyry in the center of the Bajo
close to drill hole 48.4-54
Unaltered, twinned plagioclase and fresh biotite. Some un-
altered hornblende as well as some partly altered hornblende
(chlorite) due to a very weak later feldspar-destructive over-
print.
1888 ULRICH AND HEINRICH

51-61.1/12 depth: 548.5–548.9 m BLA 67 Postmineralization dike cutting through

Northwest Porphyry or very weakly altered
Late P3 Porphyry
Very weak potassic overprint where plagioclase and mag-
matic biotite remained fresh, only hornblende is altered to
secondary biotite. Some secondary biotite and K feldspar in
the matrix. No hydrothermal quartz in matrix.
the volcanic rocks in the north part of the Bajo,
close to the Gypsum fault
Unaltered plagioclase phenocrysts, mafic minerals are al-
tered to biotite and partly chlorite.

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