Bondar-e-Honza: An oldest and special porphyry
copper (molybdenum) deposit in the Kerman porphyry
copper belt, Iran
Mehraj Aghazadeh, Zahra Badrzadeh
Department of geology, University of Payame Noor, PO BOX 19395-3697, Tehran, Iran
Zangqian Hou
Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, People’s Republic of China
Abstract. Iran is part of Alpine-Himalayan orogenic and
metallogenic belt and Kerman porphyry copper belt is
main porphyry copper district in Iran, hosting Sar
Cheshmeh world-class deposit. Intrusive bodies in the
Kerman belt can be divided into old Jebal-e-Barez and
young Kuh-e-Panj intrusions. It has been suggested that
jebal-e-Barez type intrusions are barren and younger
Kuh-e- Panj intrusive are productive. Bondar-e-Honza is
a porphyry copper deposit belongs to Jebal-e-Barez type
intrusive. The deposit has 50 Mt ore with ~0.3% copper.
Porphyry copper mineralization mainly developed as
hypogene zone in a dioritic stock and potassic andesitic
rocks and subordinately in a porphyry granodiorite.
Alteration haloes mainly are potassic and propylitic.
Potassic alteration developed mainly in the porphyry
diorite, Eocene andesitic rocks and in the granodiorite
porphyry stock. Actinolitic amphibole is main alteration
mineral in the zone. U-Pb age dating on separated
zircon grains from granodiorite porphyry yielded a 27.88
± 0.48 Ma age at 95% conf. and MSWD = 3.3. This
study results showed that Jebal-e-Barez type granitoids
also have porphyry copper mineralization capability and
Bondar-e-Honza is a typical and special porphyry copper
mineralization belongs to these older intrusive in the
Kerman belt.
Keywords.
Bondar-e-Honza, Porphyry copper deposit, Kerman, Iran
1 Introduction
Iran is part of the collisional Alpine–Himalayan
orogenic belt which extends from Western Europe to
Turkey, across Iran into Pakistan and China.
Disappearance of the Neo-Tethys Ocean during
Mesozoic and early Tertiary time and collision between
Arabia and Eurasia caused formation of Zagros Orogen
in Iran. The Zagros Orogen comprises the following
sub-parallel tectonostratigraphic domains, from SW to
NE: Zagros folded and thrusted belt, Sanandaj-Sirjan
magmatic-metamorphic zone (SSZ) and Urumieh–
Dokhtar magmatic arc (UDMA). The UDMA hosts
abundant Tertiary magmatic rocks, dominantly with arc
(Berberian & Berberian, 1981) or island-arc affinity
(Shahabpour, 2005). Volumetrically, volcanic rocks
were mostly produced during Eocene and the oldest one
date back to Early Eocene. Eocene pervasive volcanism
followed by Oligo-Miocene plutonism in the belt
(Berberian and King 1981). Porphyry copper
mineralization in the Zagros Orogen formed in deferent
periods and belts (Aghazadeh et al., 2012). The UDMA
in Iran is one of the main Cu-bearing regions in the
world. There are several porphyry copper deposits in
the southeastern, middle and northwestern parts of the
UDMA (Aghazadeh et al., 2012). Kerman porphyry
copper district (southeastern part of the UDMA)
includes more than 20 porphyry copper deposits e.g.
Sarcheshmeh a world-class deposit.
Kerman district is a NNW-SSE elongated mountain
belt, 400 km long and 50 km wide. It is principally
composed of a folded and faulted early Tertiary
volcano-sedimentary complex (Fig. 1). Early Eocene
onset of volcanic activity (Bahr Aseman complex)
followed by mid-late Eocene basaltic–rhyolitic
volcaniclastic sequences (Razak complex) and intrusion
of Jebal-e-Barez type granitoids (Dimitrijevic 1973).
Both the volcanic and intrusive suites show calc-
alkaline and locally tholeiitic affinity (Ahmad and
Posht Kuhi 1993) consistent with a subduction-related
island arc setting (Shahabpour 2007). Subsequent
magmatic activity generated the Oligocene Hezar
volcanic complex and associated plutonic rocks with
dominantly high-K calc-alkaline and shoshonitic rocks
(Hassanzadeh, 1993; McInnes et al. 2003). Magmatism
ceased between mid-late Oligocene and mid-Miocene
times, and Eocene–Oligocene volcaniclastics and
associated intrusive rocks are unconformably overlain
by Late Oligocene-Miocene red beds and limestones
(Dimitrijevic 1973). Magmatism resumed during the
mid-late Miocene with a second episode of intrusive
activity as Kuh-e-Panj granitoids (McInnes et al. 2005)
and continued into the Pliocene represented by sub-
volcanic intrusions, two isolated stratovolcanoes, and
few dacitic to rhyolitic domes and locally andesite,
without mafic units in a post-collisional tectonic setting
(Shafiei et al., 2009). Pliocene–Quaternary small
volume alkali basalts and foidites represent the
youngest magmatic activity (Dimitrijevic 1973;
Hassanzadeh, 1993).
It has been suggested porphyry copper
mineralization in the Kerman district associated with
younger Kuh-e-Panj type intrusives and earlier Jebal-e-
Barez type granitoids are barren (e.g. McInnes et al.,
2003; Shafiei et al., 2009). Shafiei et al., 2009 reported
petrological and geochemical differences between
Jebal-e-Barez and Kuh-e-Panj type intrusives. Age
dated results from older Jebal-e-Barez type intrusives
vary from 16.9±0.2 to 29.7±0.3 Ma (Conrad et al.,
1977; Ghorashizadeh, 1978; Hassanzadeh, 1993;
McInnes et al., 2003) and reported ages for younger
Kuh-e-Panj type intrusives vary from 4.9±0.4 to
13.3±1.1 Ma (Ghorashizadeh 1978; Hassanzadeh,
1993; McInnes et al. 2003; McInnes et al., 2005;
Shahabpour and Kramers, 1987) (Table 1). Here we
will report preliminarily results of our work on Bondar-
e-Honza deposit that can be consider the oldest and
special porphyry copper deposit in the Kerman district.
Figure 1. Simplified geological map of the Kerman porphyry
copper belt and location of Bondar-e-Honza deposit and other
porphyry copper deposits and prospects (Base map after
Shafiei et al., 2009).
Table 1. Reported ages from different deposit in the Kerman
porphyry copper belt include Bondar-e-Honza deposit.
2 Geology
The Bondar-e-Honza porphyry copper (molybdenum)
deposit Located in the Kerman porphyry belt, SE Iran.
This deposit can be consider as porphyry copper
(molybdenum) deposit with small size. Tonnage of ore
is ~ 50 million Mt ore with 0.3% copper and 80 ppm
molybdenum in average. Outcrops in the Bondar-e-
Honza porphyry deposits can be divided in to intrusive
and volcanic series. Volcanic rocks belong to Eocene
period and mainly outcrop in the western and southern
parts of the deposit. Volcanic rocks host the intrusive
bodies and in the western parts of the deposit are
affected by mineralization and alteration. Volcanic
rocks include porphyry andesite and andesy basalt as
well as andeistic and dacitic volcaniclastic and
pyroclastic rocks. Intrusive bodies have different ages
and show intermediate to felsic composition. They
outcropped in the central, eastern and northern parts of
the deposit. Intrusive rocks can be classified into
different bodies according to age relations, mineralogy
and textures. Main intrusive body represents granular
texture with granodioritic, tonalitic to quartz dioritic
composition and granodiotite is main facies. The
granodiorite hosts MME type enclaves that their sizes
vary from a few centimeters up to 10 meters.
Composition of these enclaves mainly is diorite to
quartz diorite. Granodiorite include plagioclase, quartz,
potassium feldspar and subordinate biotite and green
amphiboles. Porphyry diorite to microdiorite stock
emplaced in the marginal part of granodiorite and cut
by porphyry granodiorite stock. Porphyry diorite
represents porphyry texture and microgranular texture.
Porphyry diorite with potassic alteration host main
mineralization stage. The porphyry diorite can be
distinguished with abundant quartz-magnetite and
quartz-magnetite-amphibole±sulfide veinlets in the
outcrops as well as drill holes. Dioritic stock includes
plagioclase as main mineral and subordinate
amphibole, quartz and clinopyroxene. Porphyry
granodiorite stock has similar mineralogy with granular
granodiorite pluton and cut both dioritic stock and
granodioritic pluton. Granodiorite stock represents
porphyry texture with plagioclase, quartz and biotite
phenocrysts in the matrix of the similar mineral,
potassium feldspar and green amphibole. The intrusive
bodies have been cut by granite porphyry stock and
andesitic, diabasic and trachyandesitic late dykes.
Granitic stock represents porphyry texture with
granular matrix. Granite includes plagioclase, quartz,
biotite and potassium feldspar phenocrysts that located
in the quartz-feldspar matrix. Main mafic minerals in
the granite are biotite and amphiboles that partially was
replaced by chlorite and other secondary minerals.
Granitic stock is fresh and didn’t experience any
alterations.
3 Alteration and mineralization
Potassic and propylitic are main alterations in the
Bondar-e-Honza deposit. Phyllic alteration is locally
developed in the granodiorite porphyry. According to
alteration halos Bondar-e-Honza deposit can be
compare with dioritic model of porphyry copper
deposits. Potassic alteration is mainly developed in the
diorite porphyry and andesitic volcanic rocks and
subordinately in the porphyry granodioritic stock.
Actinolite, magnetite and alkali feldspar (albite) mainly
develop during potassic alteration in the diorite
porphyry. Secondary potassium feldspar and biotite are
rare in the diorite porphyry. These last two minerals are
more or less developed in the granodiorite porphyry.
During potassic alteration different veinlet and vein
formed the diorite porphyry and volcanic rocks and also show capability of porphyry copper mineralization
subordinately in the porphyry granodiorite. Phyllic and Bondar-e-Honza is a typical porphyry copper
alteration are locally develops in the porphyry mineralization belongs to Jebal-e-Barez type intrusives.
granodiorite and primary minerals partially or totally Although Jebal-e-Barez type intrusives include small
replaced by sericite, silica and pyrite. Propylitic and less abundant porphyry copper deposits but
alteration develops in the host volcanic rocks and late originally they have potential for porphyry type
dikes. Mineralization in the Bondar-e-Honza deposit mineralization. Addition to differences in ages of both
mainly occurred as hypogene and supergene intrusives, porphyry copper deposits in the Jebal-e-
enrichment blanket and oxide zones are rare and limited Barez type intrusive represent potassic and propylitic
to surface. In the hypogene zone chalcopyrite, pyrite alterations while porphyry deposits in Kuh-e-Panj type
and molybdenite occurs as disseminated phase and in represent typical Lowell and Gilbert model alteration
veinlets. In the potassic zone quartz-magnetite- halos include potassic, phyllic, argillic and propylitic
amphibole, quartz-amphibole, quartz-magnetite, quartz- alterations. Potassic alteration of porphyry deposits in
magnetite-amphibole-sulfide, quartz-amphibole-sulfide, the Kuh-e-Panj type intrusives include abundant
quartz-molybdenite, quartz-sulfide and quartz veins and secondary biotite and potassium feldspar while in the
veilets can be identified. Development of quartz- potassic alteration of the Bondar-e-Honza deposit
magnetite-amphibole -sulfide veins is dominant. actinolitic amphibole is the main mineral. Host
intrusive in the Kuh-e-Panj type porphyry deposits
4 Age dating mainly have felsitic (granodioritic) composition but in
the Bondar-e-Honza deposit mineralization mainly
The zircons analyzed in this study were separated, associated with dioritic stock.
using standard heavy liquid and hand picking method,
from 2-kg sample, collected from granodiorite
porphyry outcrop. Zircon separates were sorted under
binoculars with a purity of >95% and then mounted in
epoxy resin and polished to expose their internal
textures. All zircons were examined using a
combination of cathodoluminescence and optical
microscopy prior to analysis. The areas selected for
analyses were free of visible inclusions and free of
visible cores. SHRIMP U–Pb dating was carried out at
the Chinese Academy of Geosciences. Pb/U ratios were
corrected for instrumental inter-element fractionation
using standard zircon TEM (age=417 Ma). U, Th and
Pb contents were calibrated using the standard zircon
SL13 (age=572 Ma and U=238 ppm). The two zircon
standards were all provided by the Australian National
University. Common Pb was corrected using
determined 208Pb by assuming concordance between
206Pb/238U and 208Pb/232Th. Data were handled
using the Ludwig SQUID 1.0 and ISOPLOT programs.
The results are presented in U–Pb Concordia diagrams
in Fig. 2. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating showed that
among 21 spots from 21 zircons of the granodiorite
porphyry yielded 27.88 ± 0.48 Ma age at 95% conf. and
MSWD = 3.3. The 206Pb/238U age results of different
grains vary from 26.6 ± 0.8 to 30.2 ± 0.6 Ma.

6. Discussion and conclusion

According to previous studies intrusive bodies in the

Kerman district divided in to Jebal-e-Barez and Kuh-e-
Panj types (Dimitrijevic 1973). Jebal-e-Barez type
intrusive is older than Middle-Late Miocene Kuh-e-
Panj type intrusives. According to geochemical
characteristics and age dating results it is stated that
Jebal-e-Barez type intrusive have not susceptibility of
porphyry copper mineralization while Kuh-e-Panj type
intrusives have porphyry copper mineralization
capability (Shafiei et al., 2009; McInnes et al. 2003;
Dimitrijevic 1973). According to our new age dating
results it is confirmed that Jebal-e-Barez type granitoids
Figure 2. Concordia plot of SHRIMP U-Pb zircon results for
granodiorite stock of Bondar-e-Honza deposit.
Acknowledgement
This study is financially supported by the IGCP/SIDA
600 project. Special thanks go to the exploration
department of National Iranian Copper Industries
Company (NICICO).
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