Economic Geology

Vol. 97, 2002, pp. 221–239

Clay Mineralogy of Phyllic and Intermediate Argillic Alteration at Bingham, Utah

W. T. PARRY,† MARK JASUMBACK,
Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112

AND PAULA N. WILSON

Department of Geology and Geophysics, and Utah Museum of Natural History, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112

Abstract
The earliest alteration mineral zones in the porphyry Cu-Mo-Au ore deposit at Bingham, Utah, include the
outermost propylitic and inner potassic alteration of igneous rocks. Innermost phyllic and intermediate argillic
alteration is superimposed on propylitic and potassic alteration. Petrographic, X-ray diffraction, and electron
microprobe analyses are used to characterize the clay mineralogy of phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration.
Phyllic alteration affects monzonite near the contact with the quartz monzonite porphyry in the southwest and
northeast portions of the deposit and consists primarily of veins and vein selvages of illite interstratified with
an average of 7 percent smectite (R ≥3 ordering). The veins and selvages also contain small amounts of smec-
tite and kaolinite. The illite/smectite interstratification is a mixture of 1M and 2M polytypes. Structural for-
mulas for the illite show less K and Al and more Si than muscovite, octahedral Mg, and both a tetrahhedral and
an octahedral layer charge. The Kubler crystallinity index and smectite content increase systematically as par-
ticle size decreases, consistent with an increase in smectite in the interstratification in the smaller size fractions.
Intermediate argillic alteration consists of smectite, illite, and kaolinite that occur primarily as a replacement
of plagioclase phenocrysts. A few veins of intermediate argillic minerals are present in the quartz monzonite
porphyry. Illite is interstratified with an average of 6 percent smectite (R ≥3 ordering), but a few samples con-
tain a regular interstratification of illite with 40 to 50 percent smectite (R1 ordering). The smectite replacing
plagioclase is montmorillonite, and smectite that occurs in one vein is beidellite.
Statistical trends in intermediate argillic alteration mineralogy within the quartz monzonite porphyry show
that illite and kaolinite abundances increase generally upward and toward the northeast. Smectite abundance
increases generally downward and toward the southwest. In a cross section near the center of the deposit,
abundances of kaolinite and illite decrease as abundance of smectite increases with increasing depth.
The occurrence of interstratified illite/smectite averaging 6 to 7 percent smectite together with discreet
smectite suggest formation near 200°C. A temperature difference between phyllic and intermediate argillic
alteration could not be resolved from the mineralogy. Temperature estimates from fluid inclusions for phyllic
alteration at other porphyry copper deposits generally range from 200° to 350°C. The activity ratio of Na+/K+
for the fluid calculated from Na+/K+ in illite averages 5.0 for a phyllic vein that crosscuts propylitic alteration,
1.4 for a phyllic vein that crosscuts potassic alteration, and 2.8 for intermediate argillic alteration superimposed
on potassic alteration. Log fH2O/fHF of the hydrothermal fluid computed from the fluorine content of illite
averages 6.1 for a phyllic vein that crosscuts propylitic alteration, 5.8 for a phyllic vein that crosscuts potassic
alteration, and 5.7 for intermediate argillic alteration. Log fH2O/fHF of fluids forming late-stage biotite is about
5.0. Intermediate argillic alteration could not be correlated with sulfides in the quartz monzonite porphyry. An
increase in illite upward and toward the northeast may correlate with massive sulfides in sediments recently
discovered in that region.

Introduction Premining reserves in the Bingham porphyry deposit were

THE PORPHYRY-TYPE Cu-Mo-Au ore deposit at Bingham,
Utah, is located in the central Oquirrh Mountains 32 km
southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah (Fig. 1A). The ore deposit
is largely within and related to the Bingham stock, a hy-
drothermally altered and mineralized, composite pluton (Fig.
1B; Bray, 1969; Lanier et al., 1978a, b). The Bingham stock is
an equigranular monzonite that has been intruded by a quartz
monzonite porphyry in its northwestern part (Fig. 2). Latite
porphyry dikes and later quartz latite porphyry dikes cut both
equigranular monzonite and quartz monzonite porphyry
(Figs. 1B and 2). The disseminated Cu, Mo, and Au mineral-
ization is associated with zoned hydrothermal alteration that
is approximately centered on the quartz monzonite porphyry
(Fig. 2).
† Corresponding author: e-mail, bparry@mines.utah.edu
3.1 billion tons averaging 0.73 percent Cu, 0.043 percent
MoS2, and 0.013 oz/t Au (Krahulec, 1998). The district was
discovered in the mid 19th century and porphyry copper ores
have been mined since the early 20th century. Open-pit min-
ing began in 1906, and 2.1 billion tons averaging 0.8 percent
Cu, 0.14 oz/t Au, and 0.05 percent MoS2 have been mined up
to 1997 (Krahulec, 1998).
Alteration in porphyry systems is generally shown as a
series of shells around a porphyry intrusion (Lowell and Guil-
bert, 1970). However, telescoping and repetition of alteration,
multiple episodes of magmatism, superposition of younger
events, and other complications occur. Even in simple systems
early potassic and propylitic alteration are overprinted by late
phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration (McMillan and
Panteleyev, 1995). Intermediate argillic alteration is thought
to form during the transition from deeper level potassic alter-
ation to shallow epithermal and hot spring environments (Beane

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222
Great Salt Lake
I-8 0
Salt Lake Cit y
Wasatch Mountains
Bingham
I-1 5
Oquirrh Mount ains
0 .3 5 % Cu=Outer limit of
hydrothermal biotite
N Salt Lake Cit y
1 0 km
A Utah
Quart z
Area of Figure 2 Monzonit e
Porphyry
Monzonit e
Bingham Intrusive
Rocks
Nort h
2 Km
B
FIG. 1. A. Index map showing the location of Bingham in the Oquirrh
Mountains of northern Utah. B. Simplified map of the Bingham intrusive
complex showing secondary biotite and copper ore zones and the area of Fig-
ure 2. Secondary biotite and copper isopleth are taken from Phillips et al.
(1998).
and Titley, 1981). The intermediate argillic minerals may also
form during sulfide oxidation in a supergene environment.
Alteration mineral zones at Bingham include outermost
and earliest propylitic alteration of monzonite which grades
inward into a younger, crosscutting zone of potassic alteration
of monzonite and quartz monzonite porphyry. Latest inter-
mediate argillic alteration of plagioclase, shown together with
phyllic alteration as phyllic and intermediate argillic in Figure
2, forms an elongate northeast-southwest–trending zone su-
perimposed on potassically altered quartz monzonite por-
phyry and extending a short distance into the monzonite (Fig.
2). A phyllic alteration zone of veins and vein selvages occurs
at the periphery of the intermediate argillic zone within the
monzonite (Phillips et al., 1998).
Geochemical and thermal models of Bingham and similar
deposits are based on mineral zoning, mineral compositions,
fluid inclusions, stable isotope, and other studies (e.g., Bow-
man et al., 1987). Variations in ore minerals and alteration
minerals suggest variations in the properties of hydrothermal
fluids in space and time. Fluid inclusion studies (Roedder,
1971; Moore and Nash, 1974; Bowman et al., 1987) have es-
tablished the general high-temperature, high-salinity charac-
ter of potassic alteration fluids and the lower temperature,
lower salinity character of later phyllic and intermediate
argillic alteration fluids at Bingham.
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PARRY ET AL.
Stable isotope studies by Sheppard et al (1969, 1971) and
Bowman et al. (1987) demonstrated that isotopically distinct
fluids produced the types of alteration at Bingham. Hy-
drothermal fluids evolved from formation water formed the
peripheral propylitic alteration, magmatic water formed cen-
tral potassic alteration, and meteoric water formed phyllic al-
teration (Bowman et al., 1987).
Phyllic alteration consisting of quartz, sericite (fine-grained
white mica), and pyrite ± chlorite, and intermediate argillic
alteration consisting of montmorillonite and kaolinite ± chlo-
rite ± sericite are common alteration mineral associations in
porphyry copper deposits (Lowell and Gilbert, 1970; Beane
and Titley, 1981; Beane, 1982). In phyllic alteration, plagio-
clase, K feldspar, biotite, and other rock-forming silicates are
converted to fine-grained white mica (sericite) and quartz
(Meyer and Hemley, 1967; Lowell and Guilbert, 1970; Rose,
1970; Rose and Burt, 1979; Guilbert and Park, 1986). In in-
termediate argillic alteration, smectite, kaolinite, and fine-
grained white mica replace plagioclase feldspars, but K
feldspar is unaffected (Hemley and Jones, 1964; Meyer and
Hemley, 1967; Lowell and Guilbert, 1970; Rose and Burt,
1979; Guilbert and Park, 1986). Alteration of K feldspar, bi-
otite, and other rock-forming silicates in addition to plagio-
clase is the main feature that differentiates phyllic alteration
from intermediate argillic alteration in which dominantly pla-
gioclase is altered.
Alteration of feldspars and mafic minerals to various mix-
tures of mica, kaolinite, and smectite at Bingham has been
studied by Stringham (1953), Babcock et al. (1995), Bray
(1969), Moore and Nash (1974), Lanier et al. (1978b), Moore
(1978), and Phillips et al. (1998). These authors have used a
variety of terms to describe such zones of hydrolysis, includ-
ing sericitic, phyllic, etc. Phillips et al. (1998) recognized that
at least two varieties of hydrolytic alteration are present, one
related to pyrite veins with quartz-sericite halos, and a second
that involved sericitic alteration of plagioclase, but these two
types are not distinguished on their published maps and no
mineralogical data are presented. In the present paper, based
on mineralogical data presented below, we classify the first
type as phyllic alteration and the second as intermediate
argillic alteration, following the usage outlined by Meyer and
Hemley (1967).
The minerals and textures that define phyllic and interme-
diate argillic alteration were defined and described before X-
ray diffraction and electron microprobe techniques were used
to characterize sericite, one of the principal minerals in each
alteration type. The results of our X-ray diffraction and elec-
tron microprobe analyses have shown that the sericite has the
characteristics of illite and interstratified illite/smectite. How-
ever, few attempts have been made to adequately character-
ize clay minerals in phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration
at Bingham or elsewhere using X-ray diffraction and electron
microprobe techniques.
The purposes of this paper are (1) to determine the min-
eralogy, mineral abundance, and spatial distribution of min-
erals in intermediate argillic and phyllic alteration, using X-
ray diffraction and electron microprobe analyses; (2) to
determine the characteristics of sericite and other clay min-
erals and to refine the description of mineralogy of phyllic
and intermediate argillic alteration at Bingham, and (3) to
222
 CLAY MINERALOGY OF PHYLLIC & INTERMEDIATE ARGILLIC ALTERATION, BINGHAM, UTAH
Phyllic an
Phoenix Dike
Last Chance Stock
FIG. 2. Generalized and simplified geology of the Bingham mine showing propylitic, potassic, and combined phyllic and
intermediate argillic alteration mineral zones. Geology modified from Phillips et al. (1998). Alteration zones from Phillips et
al. (1998), Lanier et al. (1978a, b), and Bowman et al. (1987).
use mineral characteristics and compositions to estimate tem-
perature and fluid chemistry for phyllic and intermediate
argillic alteration at Bingham.
Summary of Hydrothermal Alteration of Igneous Rocks
Four major types of hydrothermal alteration of the igneous
rocks at Bingham are from earliest to latest based on cross-
cutting relationships: propylitic, potassic, phyllic, and inter-
mediate argillic. The alteration forms an irregular, elongate,
northeast- to southwest-trending zone that extends 1,700 m
from the northwest margin of the intrusive complex south-
eastward into the monzonite. Generalized distribution of al-
teration zoning in the Bingham deposit is shown in Figure 2.
The following descriptions are summarized from Moore and
Nash (1974), Lanier et al. (1978a, b), Moore (1978), Bowman
et al. (1987), Babcock et al. (1995), Parry et al. (1998), and
Phillips et al. (1998).
Propylitic alteration, the earliest alteration to form, extends
southeastward from a zone of overlap with younger potassic
alteration to approximately 860 to 1,660 m from the mine
center (Fig. 2). Alteration minerals include actinolite, chlo-
rite, and epidote that comprise 10 to 15 vol percent of the
rock as veins and disseminations.
Potassic alteration in the Bingham mine consists of hy-
drothermal quartz, K feldspar, biotite, and sulfides, which ex-
tend approximately 860 m from the mine center southeast to
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223
ic
gill
Ar
ate
di
e
nte rm
dI
the transition with propylitic alteration in map view (Fig. 2).
Hydrothermal biotite and K feldspar extend an additional 200
to 400 m along fractures into a transition zone with propylitic
alteration. Hydrothermal biotite occurs in veins, as dissemi-
nations throughout the rock matrix, and as a replacement of
actinolite, igneous hornblende, pyroxene, and biotite. Hy-
drothermal biotite comprises 25 to 30 vol percent of the al-
tered monzonite and 10 percent or less of altered quartz
monzonite porphyry because of the lesser amount of mafic
minerals in the quartz monzonite porphyry. Hydrothermal K
feldspar is pervasive in the rock matrix, rims and replaces pla-
gioclase phenocrysts and forms vein selvages. Plagioclase is
also albitized (Lanier et al., 1978b).
A zone of phyllic alteration consisting of veins and vein sel-
vages on quartz + pyrite + galena + sphalerite + sulfosalt
veins occurs at the periphery of the intermediate argillic
zone within the monzonite. Selvages of phyllic alteration on
these veins are 2 mm to 10 cm thick but most are 5 mm to
3.5 cm in thickness and some veins can be traced for up to
100 m along strike (Stringham, 1953). The phyllic veins have
random orientations and form intricate networks. Phyllic
veins are most strongly developed in the northeast and
southwest sides of the deposit where the vein selvages coa-
lesce to form a more pervasive phyllic alteration (Bray, 1969;
Moore and Nash, 1974; Lanier et al. 1978b; Moore, 1978;
Babcock et al., 1995; Phillips et al., 1998). Phyllic alteration
224 PARRY ET AL.

appears to crosscut the copper orebody (Moore, 1978) and

crosscuts and postdates potassic and propylitic alteration of
the monzonite.
Intermediate argillic alteration forms an elongate north-
east-southwest–trending zone, 1,800 by 500 m in area. It is
superimposed on the potassic zone, includes the quartz mon-
zonite porphyry in the center of the deposit, and extends into
the surrounding monzonite. Past work has shown that in this
zone, plagioclase is partially to completely replaced by fine-
grained white mica (sericite), smectite, and lesser kaolinite,
but that K feldspar and biotite are only slightly affected
(Moore and Nash, 1974; Atkinson and Einaudi, 1978; Moore,
1978).
Ore mineral zones include a deep central low-grade core
below the present pit of chalcopyrite, bornite, and molybden-
ite and a molybdenite zone, a bornite-chalcopyrite zone
which is the innermost, high-grade portion of the orebody, a
pyrite-chalcopyrite zone, and an outermost pyrite zone, al-
though no paragenetic relationship is implied among these
minerals (John, 1978; Phillips et al., 1998).
Methods
Sample collection
Samples for this study were collected in pit benches in 1978
to 1979 by Bowman et al. (1987) and in 1996 by Parry et al.
(1998). Drill core was sampled in DH-50 and DH-160. Sam-
ple locations are plotted on the simplified geologic map out-
line of the quartz monzonite porphyry in Figure 3 and in cross
section in Figure 4. FIG. 4. Cross section A-A' looking southwest. Geology modified from Bal-
lantyne et al. (1998). Sample locations in pit benches and drill holes shown in
Clay mineralogy Figure 3 have been projected into the cross section to display the vertical ex-
tent of the entire sample collection. Sample numbers are keyed to Figure 3
Investigations of clay mineralogy were conducted on inter- and Table 2. Note: Upper terminations of quartz latite porphyry and latite
mediate argillic alteration of plagioclase phenocrysts, phyllic porphyry dikes are not real but represent the top of systematic mapping. The
dikes may have reached the premining surface or possibly vented.

A'
veins, and phyllic vein selvages. Samples of phenocryst clay
DH-50 were gouged from the rock by hand with a knife, further
60-82 59 ground in a mortar, peptized using ultrasound, and cen-
58
56 57
trifuged to extract the –2-µm-size fraction. The –2-µm-size
47 55 45
48 52
53 fraction was centrifuged to a thick slurry and smeared on glass
DH-160
49 46
44
54 microscope slides.
14-36 39
41 43 Samples of vein clay were prepared for X-ray diffraction
50
40
42 analyses by mild hand grinding with a mortar and pestle to
51 37
pass a 30-mesh sieve, peptizing in water using ultrasound and
13 38 1 to 2 ml of 5 percent Calgon solution. The peptized suspen-
3 7
4
12
11
A sion was then centrifuged to separate the desired particle
8
10 size. Each particle size separate was dried at 70°C and a
9
5
N weighed portion was repeptized in a small quantity of water
6 0 500 m
and smeared on a glass slide to achieve a sample density of 10
2 mg/cm2.
Generalized outline of
The oriented smears on glass slides were X-rayed using a
quartz monzonite porphyry Rigaku Dmax 2200 V X-ray diffractometer and a graphite
1 crystal monochromator, following equilibration with labora-
1978 tory atmosphere and following overnight exposure to ethyl-
1995
ene glycol vapor at 60°C. Step size in the X-ray diffraction
scans was 0.02° 2θ with a counting time of 1.2 s per step.
Regression center
X-ray diffraction peak positions illustrated in Figure 5 were
FIG. 3. Simplified outline of the quartz monzonite porphyry showing sam- used to identify illite, interstratified illite/smectite, smectite,
ple locations. Sample numbers are keyed to Table 3. kaolinite, and chlorite. Illite was identified by a rational series

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 CLAY MINERALOGY OF PHYLLIC & INTERMEDIATE ARGILLIC ALTERATION, BINGHAM, UTAH
FIG. 5. Representative X-ray diffraction patterns of clay minerals from
Bingham. Each X-ray diffraction pattern is accompanied by a vertical bar in-
dicating the intensity scale in counts per second. Key X-ray diffraction peaks
are listed at the top of the figure with indices and mineral of each diffraction.
I = illite, I/S = illite/smectite, K = kaolinite, S = smectite. A. Sample 54. B.
Sample 7. C. Sample 48. D. Sample 71. E. Sample 79.
of diffraction peaks at 10, 5.01, 3.34, 2.50, and 2.00 Å. Earlier
studies at Bingham used the term sericite to refer to a fine-
grained white mica observed in thin section or hand speci-
men. X-ray diffraction and microprobe data confirm that the
fine-grained white mica in altered igneous rocks at Bingham
is illite. Illite is often interstratified with smectite to form an
interstratified clay mineral (I/S). In this paper, the term illite
is used to refer to a white dioctahedral mica with less than 10
percent expandable layers.
Interstratified illite/smectite consists of various combina-
tions of illite layers (I) and smectite layers (S) stacked parallel
to the c axis. R0 ordering occurs when the smectite layers are
numerous (>50%) and the stacking sequence is in random
order. R1 ordering occurs when the smectite content is 25 to
50 percent and the stacking sequence has statistical ordering,
based on repetition of units consisting of I/S. When the smec-
tite content is <25 percent, the illite material is highly or-
dered and based on repetition of units consisting of ISII, the
illite is referred to as R3 or R ≥3.
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225
Smectite is used to describe clay with mica-like layers and
a basal spacing of ~17 Å on treatment with ethylene glycol.
Expansion with ethylene glycol indicates a structure with in-
terlayer cations that correspond to a positive charge of about
0.2 to 0.5 per 4 tetrahedral sites that balance charges pro-
duced by lattice substitutions. In montmorillonite, the charge
results from substitution of Mg2+ for Al3+ in octahedral sites,
and beidellite results from substitution of Al3+ for Si4+ in
tetrahedral sites. Smectite is identified by a rational series of
X-ray diffraction peaks at 17, 8.5, 5.63, 4.23, 3.38, and 2.82 Å
in glycol solvated preparations. We observed no shift of the
003 peak (5.63 Å) to lower d, indicating no detectable mixed
layering with illite.
Identification of kaolinite is based on peaks at 7, 3.5, and
2.34 Å. The 002 peak (3.58 Å) occurs at 24.9o 2θ, which to-
gether with the absence of a peak at 14 ≈ distinguished it from
chlorite. Interference from feldspar and quartz precludes
identification of the kaolinite polymorph. Chlorite, present in
only one vein, was identified from 14 and 3.55 Å (peak at
25.1o)
Bingham illites were characterized using the methods of
Srodon (1984). Kubler index measurements were made on
various size fractions of vein material and the <2-µm-size
fraction of most other samples. This index, the width of the
(001) peak at one-half the peak height, was measured on gly-
colated samples containing more than 5 vol percent illite to
avoid the overlap of smectite 001. A Kubler index of 0.25 cor-
responds to minimal smectite in the illite, values between
0.25 and 0.42 correspond to the highest grade of low-grade
metamorphism and are also typical of hydrothermal illites,
and values from 0.42 to 0.60 correspond to a higher smectite
content typical of the highest grade of diagenesis (Kisch,
1991). Thus, the Kubler index is inversely proportional to
temperature.
The intensity ratio (Ir) for illites was calculated from the in-
tensities (I) of (001) and (003) X-ray diffraction peaks in air-
dried and glycolated samples:
l(001)
⁄l(003) air dried
Ir = —————————— . (1)
l(001)
⁄l(003) glycolated
The Ir value will be 1.0 if no expanding component is present
and >1 if a smectite component is present. Smectite (005)
and quartz (101) peaks interfere with illite (003). Thus Ir was
measured on samples where mineral interferences were min-
imum. Kubler index and Ir values were used to calculate the
percent expandable (smectite) layers in illite, using the equa-
tions given by Eberl et al. (1987).
Montmorillonite was distinguished from beidellite by the
Greene-Kelly test (Greene-Kelly, 1953). The clay was Li sat-
urated in a 1m LiCl solution, and excess Li salt was removed
by repeated washing with water. The Li-saturated samples,
mounted on silver filters, were heated to 300°C for 12 h, ex-
posed to ethylene glycol vapor at 60°C for 12 h, and then an-
alyzed immediately by XRD of silver filters mounted on glass
slides. Montmorillonite was recognized by the first-order dif-
fraction at about 9.6 Å and beidellite by its expanded 17.7 Å
and higher order diffractions.
225
226 PARRY ET AL.

Relative abundance of illite, smectite, and kaolinite in the
clay-size fraction on the glass slide X-ray mounts was esti-
mated from integrated peak intensities on diffraction patterns
of oriented clays. The method used, described by Moore and
Reynolds (1997), gives the relative proportions of the clay
minerals normalized to 100 percent. Mineral intensity factors
required in the method are calibration constants for the in-
tensities of diffraction peaks that allow quantitative estima-
tion of relative proportions of each mineral in the mixture.
Diffraction peaks, mineral intensity factors calculated for
these diffraction peaks using NEWMOD© (Reynolds, 1985),
and an example calculation are illustrated in Table 1.
The volumetric clay abundance in each sample was mea-
sured petrographically by point counting a minimum of 1,000
points on each microscope thin section. Individual clay species
were not differentiated petrographically during point count-
ing. The volumetric percent abundances of illite, smectite, and
kaolinite were then computed by multiplying the total clay
mineral content estimated from point counting by the relative
proportions of clay in the X-ray diffraction measurements.
Electron microprobe analyses were done on either polished
thin sections (intermediate argillic alteration sample 44) or
polished grain epoxy mounts (phyllic alteration vein samples
2 and 53). Microprobe analyses were performed on a Cameca
SX-50 electron microprobe with 4 multicrystal spectrometers.
Instrumental conditions were 15 kV accelerating voltage, 20
nA beam current, and a 5- to 20-µm beam diameter. A suite
of natural minerals was used as standards. Concentrations
were calculated from intensities using the phi (roz) method of
Pouchou and Pichoir (1991).
Clay Mineralogy
Petrographic and analytical data on phyllic alteration
Phyllic alteration was studied in three veins (Table 2) and
three vein selvage samples of altered monzonite (Table 3).
The veins crosscut earlier alteration in the monzonite. Sam-
ple 2 crosscuts earlier propylitic alteration and samples 53
and 54 crosscut potassic alteration in the monzonite 1,600 m
northeast and 473 m below sample 2. The three altered

TABLE 1. Mineral Intensity Factors (MIF) and Example Calculation of Clay Abundance in Sample 37

Mineral Reflection MIF Intensity (cps) Intensity/MIF Relative % Vol %1

Illite 001 1.33 390

Illite 002 0.410 223 544 16 3.2
Illite 003 1.00 2,6442
Kaolinite 001 3.12 446 143 4.2 0.8
Kaolinite 002 2.14 340
Smectite 001 8.74 1,429
Smectite 003 0.58 1,572 2,710 79.8 16.
Smectite 005 0.86
Sum 3,397

1 Relative % multiplied by 20 vol % estimated from point counting sample 37

2 Sum of overlapping illite 003 and smectite 005

TABLE 2. X-ray Diffraction Analyses of Phyllic Alteration in Monzonite in Samples from Pit Benches in the Bingham Cu-Mo-Au Deposit
(values in parentheses beside Kubler Index and Ir are % expandable (smectite) layers in illite)

Collection Size Kubler Relative vol %

No. Fraction (µm) Index Ir Illite Smectite Kaolinite

Sample 2 10–20 0.36(5 97.4 2.6 0.0

1,963-m elev 5–10 0.41(5) 97.3 2.7 0.01
1996 collection 2–5 0.46(6) 97.0 3.0 0.01
0.5–2 0.50(6) 97.5 2.5 0.01
0.05–0.5 0.58(7) 1.42(5) 92.8 7.2 0.0
<0.05 0.56(7) 1.24(3) 96.0 4.0 0.0

10–20 0.50(6) 1.15(2) 98.8 0.7 0.5

Sample 53 5–10 0.57(7) 1.58(6) 98.6 1.2 0.2
1,490-m elev 2–5 0.57(7) 1.75(7) 99.0 0.7 0.3
1996 collection 0.5–2.0 0.58(7) 1.81(7) 98.9 0.8 0.3
0.05–0.5 0.72(9) 2.05(8) 98.6 1.4 0.0
<0.05 0.84(10) 1.83(7) 92.0 8.0 0.0
<2 0.66(8) 97.9 1.0 0.0

Sample 54 <2 0.43(6) 99.0 1.0 0.0

1,490-m elev
1996 collection

1 Contains chlorite

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 CLAY MINERALOGY OF PHYLLIC & INTERMEDIATE ARGILLIC ALTERATION, BINGHAM, UTAH 227

TABLE 3. X-ray Diffraction and Petrographic Analyses of Clay Alteration in Outcrop Samples from Pit Benches and from
Drill Holes in the Bingham Cu-Mo-Au Deposit (values in parentheses beside Kubler Index and Ir are % expandable
(smectite) layers in the illite; all X-ray clay speciation performed on <2µm-size fraction)

Vol %

Sample no. Yr/DH Elevation (m) Kubler Index Ir Total clay1 Illite Smectite Kaolinite

Argillic alteration in quartz monzonite porphyry

3 78 1,996 0.30(4) 36 19.0 13.9 3.1
4 78 1,996 0.41(5) 13 10.0 1.4 1.6
10 78 1,887 0.28(4) 16 6.5 8.4 1.0
11 78 1,887 0.32(5) 24 15.5 6.4 2.1
12 78 1,887 0.28(4) 1(0) 18 9.5 6.8 1.6
13 78 1,887 0.34(5) 16 6.1 8.9 1.0
7 96 1,826 20 0.0 20.0 0.0
8 96 1,826 22 1.1 20.9 0.0
37 78 1,765 0.38(5) 20 3.2 16.0 0.8
38 78 1,765 0.44(6) 17 5.4 11.6 0.0
39 78 1,689 15 4.5 9.9 0.6
40 78 1,658 0.54(7) 13 9.3 3.3 0.3
41 78 1,658 0.46(6) 19 9.6 9.1 0.3
43 78 1,612 11 3.6 6.4 1.0
44 78 1,612 13 6.4 6.4 0.1
46 78 1,658 0.53(7) 13 5.0 6.8 1.2
47 96 1,612 0.46(6) 14 10.8 3.2 0.0
48 96 1,612 0.46(6) 18 8.8 8.5 0.7
49 96 1,612 2 1.2 0.8 0.0
50 96 1,612 12 3.4 8.5 0.1
51 96 1,612 22 2.2 19.7 0.1
52 96 1,506 13 4.4 8.4 0.2
55 96 1,490 0.33(5) 15 7.9 6.2 0.9
56 96 1,490 0.33(5) 18 7.5 9.5 1.1
57 96 1,490 0.35(5) 12 5.1 6.5 0.3
58 96 1,490 9 3.9 4.6 0.5
59 96 1,490 0.38(5) 19 5.5 13.2 0.3
Drill Hole 50
60 1,747 0.65(8) 2.25(9) 20 10.8 4.1 5.1
61 1,713 0.75(9) 2.27(9) 19 16.3 2.4 0.3
62 1,700 0.86(10) 2.93(10) 24 21.7 1.7 0.6
63 1,699 0.52(7) 3.58(9) 13 11.1 0.9 1.0
64 1,539 0.51(6) 9 5.6 2.8 0.6
65 1,504 8 4.4 3.1 0.6
66 1,474 0.47(6) 19 10.6 8.1 0.3
69 1,429 13 3.5 9.3 0.2
70 1,383 0.46(6) 18 10.9 6.8 0.3
71 1,354 0.41(5) 26 13.3 11.5 1.2
72 1,323 0.42(5) 18 8.5 8.3 1.2
73 1,296 0.40(5) 20 10.4 9.5 0.2
74 1,275 0.42(5) 15 9.9 5.1 0.0
75 1,266 8 4.0 4.0 0.0
76 1,228 0.34(5) 16 9.4 6.4 0.2
782 1,122 0.39(5) 15 8.7 5.6 0.6
792 1,079 12 4.5 6.7 0.8
80 1,053 0.45(6) 10 5.2 4.4 0.4
Drill Hole 160
14 1,949 0.34(5) 39 17.9 19.2 1.9
15 1,927 25 2.7 20.8 1.5
16 1,897 25 1.5 23.1 0.4
17 1,835 16 1.4 13.9 0.7
18 1,801 14 1.5 12.4 0.1
19 1,770 16 1.0 15.0 0.0
20 1,740 23 1.0 21.9 0.1
21 1,717 14 1.3 12.7 0.1
22 1,685 17 1.2 15.8 0.1
24 1,654 17 1.9 14.8 0.3
25 1,623 15 1.4 13.6 0.0
26 1,589 13 0.8 12.2 0.0
29 1,521 21 1.7 18.9 0.5
30 1,465 16 1.2 14.6 0.1
31 1,435 8 0.1 7.9 0.0
32 1,405 21 1.1 19.9 0.0
33 1,376 13 0.2 12.8 0.1

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228 PARRY ET AL.

TABLE 3. (Cont.)

Vol %

Sample no. Yr/DH Elevation (m) Kubler Index Ir Total clay1 Illite Smectite Kaolinite

35 1,310 18 0.2 17.7 0.1

Phyllic alteration in monzonite
53 78 1,996 26 17 8.7 0.4
6 78 1,996 0.32(5) 14 11.5 2.5 0.0
9 78 1,887 0.37(5) 1.07(1) 42 42.0 0.0 0.0

Intermediate argillic alteration in monzonite

1 96 2,176 0.45(6) 1.25(3) 18 13.7 1.4 2.9
5 78 1,996 26 17.0 8.7 0.4
42 78 1,612 10 4.2 4.1 1.7
81 DH50 1,050 10 5.2 4.4 0.4
82 DH50 995 3 0.8 2.2 0.0
36 DH160 1,245 13 0.0 13.0 0.0
Intermediate argillic alteration in quartz latite porphyry
23 DH160 1,673 8 0.4 7.6 0.0
27 DH160 1,575 15 0.0 15.0 0.0
28 DH160 1,557 20 4.6 15.4 0.0
77 DH50 1,203 17 0.7 16.1 0.2
45 78 1,612 7 0.3 4.9 1.8
Intermediate argillic alteration in latite porphyry
34 DH160 1,339 1 0.0 1.0 0.0
67 DH50 1,463 4 1.0 2.6 0.3

1 From point counting of thin sections

2 Alsocontains regularly interstratified I/S, R = 1, 50 to 60% illite
3 Mixed phyllic and intermediate argillic

monzonite samples (samples 5, 6, and 9) are near the contact
with quartz monzonite porphyry where phyllic alteration in
vein selvages is superimposed on potassic alteration.
Petrography: Phyllic alteration occurs in sulfide and sulfos-
alt veins and vein selvages that crosscut and postdate potassic
or propylitic alteration in the monzonite. The veins contain
pyrite, tetrahedrite, enargite, sphalerite, galena, and bournon-
ite disseminated in the clay. Within the selvages, felted mats
of illite replace all of the rock-forming minerals in the mon-
zonite, including secondary K feldspar and biotite.
X-ray diffraction analyses: Typical X-ray diffraction pat-
terns for phyllic alteration (Fig. 5A) show low intensity dif-
fraction peaks corresponding to smectite and high-intensity
peaks corresponding to illite 001 through 005. Illite was char-
acterized in six particle-size separates of two phyllic alteration
vein samples (samples 2 and 53; Table 2). In these samples,
size fractions –0.05, 0.05 to 0.5, 0.5 to 2, 2 to 5, 5 to 10, and
10 to 20 µm were X-rayed, and peak intensities, widths, and
positions were measured. Vein illites contain from 2 to 8 per-
cent smectite interstratified with illite (I/S; Table 2). In addi-
tion to I/S, the veins also contain smectite and kaolinite. Chlo-
rite is present in 5- to 10-, 2- to 5-, and 0.5- to 2-µm-size
fractions of sample 2, which crosscuts propylitic alteration.
Values of Ir calculated from peak intensities vary systemati-
cally with particle size in sample 53 from 1.15 in the 10- to 20-
µm-size fraction to 2.05 in the 0.05- to 0.5-µm-size fraction.
Ir in the –0.05-µm-size fraction is 1.83 (Table 2). The Kubler
index also varies with size from 0.5 in the 10- to 20-µm-size
fraction to 0.84 in the less than 0.05-µm-size fraction in sam-
ple 53 and from 0.36 to 0.56 in sample 2. Both Ir and Kubler
index variations are consistent with an increasing smectite
component in I/S with decreasing particle size. Illite in the
veins averages 7 percent smectite.
Vein sample 53 was most suitable for illite polytype deter-
mination. Sample size was adequate in the 0.5- to 2-µm and
the 5- to 10-µm-size fractions and the randomly oriented
mounts were free of interferences from other minerals. Both
1M and 2M polytypes were found in this vein. The 0.5- to
2-µm fraction displayed 2M polytype peaks at 3.49, 2.99, 2.85,
2.79, and 2.12 Å. 1M polytype peaks near 3.08 and 3.62 ≈
were not present. The coarser size fraction 5 to 10 µm dis-
played 2M polytype peaks at 4.10, 3.88, 3.73, 3.52, 2.98, 2.86,
2.79, and 2.13 Å. The 5- to 10-µm fraction displayed 1M poly-
type peaks at 4.36, 4.10, 3.65, 3.07, 2.92, and 2.68 Å and is a
mixture of 2M and 1M polytypes.
Electron microprobe analyses: Compositions of vein illites
related to phyllic alteration are shown in Table 4. All of the il-
lites analyzed contain less K, more Si, less Al, and more Mg
than stoichiometric muscovite. They are phengitic, that is Mg
replaces some octahedral Al so that some of the layer charge
balanced by interlayer K is due to Al replacing tetrahedral Si
and some is due to Mg replacing octahedral Al. All of the il-
lites contain a small amount of F, Na, and Ca.
The compositions of the two phyllic veins (samples 2 and
53 in Table 4) overlap in interlayer site occupancy and Si
content but differ in Na2O and F. The shallowest vein (sam-
ple 2) crosscuts propylitic alteration and contains 0.47 to 0.20
wt percent Na2O. The deeper vein sample 53 crosscuts
potassic alteration and contains 0.05 to 0.09 wt percent
Na2O, with the exception of one analysis at 0.47 percent. The
two veins also differ in F content with the deeper vein con-
taining more F.

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TABLE 4. Electron Microprobe Analyses and Structural Formulas of Hydrothermal Illite from the Bingham Porphyry Copper Deposit

Intermediate
argillic Phyllic

Sample 44 Sample 2 sample 53

SiO2 51.17 51.47 48.65 45.76 50.61 44.90 44.90 49.22 49.46 50.63 52.18 52.18 52.84 50.83 50.25 46.01 50.89 50.76
TiO2 0.00 1.22 0.05 0.07 0.18 0.18 0.07 0.12 0.05 0.03 0.13 0.10 0.13 0.13 0.62 0.18 0.10
Al2O3 29.20 29.63 31.55 32.42 31.25 30.82 30.82 33.16 32.22 31.72 32.12 33.94 31.95 31.82 31.38 35.33 32.05 32.39
Fe2O3 0.30 0.39 1.33 2.75 1.24 3.19 3.19 1.26 1.23 0.09 2.86 0.06 0.07 0.11 0.07 1.80 0.04 0.26
MgO 2.39 2.54 1.82 2.45 2.19 3.63 3.63 1.81 2.59 1.67 1.89 0.98 1.46 1.87 2.06 1.03 1.46 1.97
CaO 0.31 0.38 0.07 0.03 0.03 0.10 0.10 0.03 0.06 0.17 0.06 0.14 0.21 0.18 0.24 0.06 0.17 0.15
K2O 9.33 9.54 10.08 10.62 9.97 10.09 10.09 10.73 10.50 9.24 9.64 8.54 8.44 8.99 9.47 10.67 9.06 9.61
Na2O 0.15 0.18 0.20 0.32 0.23 0.47 0.47 0.20 0.31 0.07 0.04 0.05 0.08 0.08 0.05 0.47 0.09 0.07
Cl 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03
F 0.70 0.70 0.29 0.30 0.21 0.27 0.27 0.20 0.34 0.54 0.52 0.21 0.52 0.42 0.44 0.22 0.24 0.65

229
H2O 4.25 4.27 4.39 4.32 4.47 4.31 4.31 4.45 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.55 4.40 4.39 4.39 4.39 4.51 4.29
Total 98.71 99.91 100.51 99.05 100.30 97.99 97.99 101.16 101.20 98.57 103.72 100.80 100.10 98.85 98.51 100.63 98.72 100.28

Number of ions based on 12 oxygens

Si 3.42 3.4 3.23 3.11 3.33 3.1 3.22 3.24 3.35 3.35 3.37 3.34 3.41 3.35 3.34 3.06 3.35 3.31
Ti 0 0 0.06 0 0 0.01 0 0.01 0 0 0 0.01 0 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.01 0
Al IV 0.58 0.59 0.7 0.89 0.67 0.89 0.77 0.76 0.64 0.64 0.63 0.65 0.58 0.65 0.66 0.91 0.64 0.68
Al VI 1.72 1.71 1.77 1.7 1.75 1.61 1.79 1.73 1.83 1.83 1.82 1.91 1.85 1.82 1.8 1.85 1.85 1.81
Fe3+ 0.02 0.02 0.07 0.14 0.06 0.17 0.06 0.06 0 0 0 0 0 0.01 0 0.09 0 0.01
Mg 0.24 0.25 0.18 0.25 0.21 0.37 0.18 0.25 0.17 0.17 0.18 0.09 0.14 0.18 0.2 0.1 0.14 0.19
Ca 0.02 0.03 0 0 0 0.01 0 0 0.01 0.01 0 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0 0.01 0.01
K 0.8 0.8 0.85 0.92 0.84 0.89 0.9 0.88 0.78 0.78 0.79 0.7 0.7 0.75 0.8 0.9 0.76 0.8
Na 0.02 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.03 0.06 0.02 0.04 0.01 0.01 0 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.06 0.01 0.01
F 0.15 0.14 0.06 0.06 0.04 0.06 0.04 0.07 0.11 0.11 0.11 0.04 0.11 0.09 0.09 0.05 0.05 0.13
OH 1.85 1.86 1.94 1.94 1.96 1.94 1.96 1.93 1.89 1.89 1.89 1.96 1.89 1.91 1.91 1.95 1.95 1.87
Na + K 0.82 0.82 0.88 0.96 0.87 0.95 0.92 0.92 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.71 0.71 0.76 0.81 0.96 0.77 0.81
CLAY MINERALOGY OF PHYLLIC & INTERMEDIATE ARGILLIC ALTERATION, BINGHAM, UTAH
229
230 PARRY ET AL.
Petrographic and analytical data on
intermediate argillic alteration
Intermediate argillic alteration was studied in 63 samples of
quartz monzonite porphyry, six samples of monzonite, five
samples of quartz latite porphyry, and two samples of latite
porphyry.
Petrography: In intermediate argillic alteration at Bingham,
illite, smectite, and kaolinite replace plagioclase. Primary and
secondary K feldspar seldom contain more than a few scat-
tered grains of illite, and replacement of hydrothermal biotite
by illite is rare. Kaolinite and smectite were not observed re-
placing K feldspar or biotite. In most thin sections, some pla-
gioclase remains unaltered. Illite microveinlets crosscut K
feldspar veinlets and K feldspar overgrowths on plagioclase
phenocrysts. Therefore intermediate argillic alteration post-
dates potassic alteration of the quartz monzonite porphyry.
Variations in abundance of clay minerals may be inversely re-
lated to abundance of magmatic alkali feldspar and hydrother-
mal K feldspar, which are not susceptible to clay alteration.
Illite grain size ranges from greater than 20 to less than 0.05
µm, beyond which it cannot be microscopically resolved. Il-
lite occurs in plagioclase along cleavage traces, in patches, in
veinlets, or as a pervasive replacement. Kaolinite occurs as
patches within the altered plagioclase phenocrysts without
obvious crosscutting relationships with the illite. Smectite,
recognized as very fine grained, brown to green aggregates,
also occurs in patches in altered plagioclase. Crosscutting re-
lationships of smectite with illite are seldom seen, but in one
sample in DH-50 at 1,010-m elevation, vein smectite cross-
cuts intermediate argillic alteration of monzonite.
X-ray diffraction analyses: X-ray diffraction studies have
identified the minerals in intermediate argillic alteration at
Bingham as illite, smectite, kaolinite, and interstratified il-
lite/smectite. These clay minerals were identified in samples
of altered phenocrysts in monzonite, quartz monzonite por-
phyry, hybrid monzonite-quartz monzonite porphyry, quartz
latite porphyry dikes, and latite porphyry dikes (Table 3). X-
ray diffraction patterns for typical samples are shown in Fig-
ure 5B-E. The X-ray diffraction patterns show variation in
mineralogy from mostly smectite (Fig. 5B), various propor-
tions of smectite, illite, and kaolinite (Fig. 5C and D), to rare
R ≥3 I/S with discreet smectite, illite, and kaolinite (Fig. 5E).
The spacing of (060) planes in samples that are dominantly
smectite is near 1.50 Å, indicating the smectite is dioctahedral
and is either montmorillonite or beidellite. Results of the
Greene-Kelly test show that most smectite in altered phe-
nocrysts is montmorillonite, but smectite in one vein that
crosscuts intermediate argillic alteration in monzonite in DH-
50 at 1,010-m elevation is beidellite (Fig. 5E). X-ray diffrac-
tion patterns of illitic materials from Bingham usually lack
discrete illite/smectite reflections and resemble patterns of
pure illite. In two samples from DH-50, samples 78 and 79 in
Table 3, an I/S mineral is present containing approximately 50
to 60 percent illite that is highly ordered (R1 ordering).
In altered plagioclase phenocrysts, smectite and illite are
abundant and kaolinite is a minor constituent. When illite in-
tensities permitted and no interference was present from
overlapping smectite, chlorite, or quartz peaks, values of Ir
were calculated from measured peak intensities. Ir was usually
between 1 and 4, indicating 10 percent or less interstratified
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00
smectite. The Kubler index for illites in altered phenocrysts is
0.27 to 0.86, consistent with small (<10%) but variable
amounts of interstratified smectite. The mean smectite con-
tent in the illite is 6 percent.
Electron microprobe analyses: Compositions of illite re-
placing plagioclase in intermediate argillic alteration in sam-
ple 44 are shown in Table 4. Illite from this sample is similar
in composition to illite in the phyllic veins. The illite is phen-
gitic and contains less K, more Si, less Al, and more Mg than
muscovite. The intermediate argillic alteration illite appears
to contain more Si and F and less Al, Na, and K than most,
but not all, of the illites from phyllic veins. The intermediate
argillic alteration illite contains 0.7 wt percent F, which is
more than the phyllic vein illites, and 0.17 wt percent Na2O.
Clay mineral distribution in intermediate argillic alter-
ation: Distribution of clay minerals was evaluated in two drill
holes. The top of DH-50 is at an elevation of 1,751 m, 400 m
below the premining surface (Fig. 4). The leached capping at
Bingham was 8 to 107 m thick and the enriched chalcocite
zone was 60 to 244 m thick (Peters et al., 1966). The top of
DH-50 was in primary sulfides, but a small amount of chal-
cocite was observed in the top 30 m of the drill hole. Phyllic
alteration was not penetrated in DH-50. Clay mineralogy for
DH-50, located in Figures 3 and 4, is shown in Table 3 and
Figure 6. Illite in the quartz monzonite porphyry increases
from 10.8 to 21.7 vol percent in the top 50 m of the drill hole
then declines to 3.5 percent at 1,429-m elevation. Below
1,429 m illite fluctuates from 4.0 to 13.3 percent. Illite in the
monzonite at the bottom of the hole is very low in abundance
because of replacement of the plagioclase by K feldspar that
is not affected by intermediate argillic alteration. Smectite
abundance in the quartz monzonite porphyry in DH-50 de-
creases from 4.1 to 0.9 percent in the top 50 m of the drill
hole. Smectite then increases to a maximum of 11.5 percent
at 1,354 m and then decreases to 4.4 percent at the bottom.
Kaolinite is highest in abundance at the top of the drill hole
(5.1 vol %) and is generally 1 percent or less for the remain-
der of the hole. The presence of chalcocite in the upper 30 m
of this drill hole suggests the possibility that some of the clay
is supergene. Copper in DH-50 (Fig. 6) decreases from 0.9
percent at the top to 0.03 percent at the bottom. The highest
copper grades correspond to lowest smectite abundances and
copper declines as smectite increases while kaolinite and illite
decline in abundance (Fig. 6).
The younger latite porphyry and quartz latite porphyry
dikes intercepted by DH-50 are also altered. An intermediate
argillically altered latite porphyry dike in DH-50 at 1,463-m
elevation contains 1 percent illite, 2.6 percent smectite, and
0.3 percent kaolinite. Intermediate argillically altered quartz
latite porphyry at 1,203-m elevation contains 0.7 percent il-
lite, 16.1 percent smectite, and 0.2 percent kaolinite.
The top of DH-160 is located 850 m southwest of DH-50
at 1,957-m elevation entirely within primary sulfides (Figs. 3
and 4). The cross section shown in James et al. (1961) places
the top of DH-160 approximately 430 m below the enriched
chalcocite blanket. No chalcocite was observed, but some
iron staining was present in the interval 6 to 18 m. Phyllic
alteration was not penetrated by DH-160. Clay mineralogy
of altered quartz monzonite porphyry for DH-160 is shown
in Figure 7 and Table 3. In samples from DH-160, 42 to 98
230
 CLAY MINERALOGY OF PHYLLIC & INTERMEDIATE ARGILLIC ALTERATION, BINGHAM, UTAH 231

Illite (vol. %) Smectite (vol. %) Kaolinite (vol. %) Cu ( wt. %)

0 10 20 30 0 4 8 12 0 2 4 6 0 1
1800

1600
Elevation (m)

1400

1200

QMP
Mz
1000
FIG. 6. Illite, smectite, and kaolinite abundances in vol % in quartz monzonite porphyry in DH-50. Copper in wt % in
DH 50 is also shown. The dashed lines represent the trend in vol % illite, smectite, and kaolinite calculated from regression
of data from all drill hole and mine bench samples.

Illite (vol. %) Smectite (vol. %) Kaolinite (vol. %) Cu ( wt. %)

0 10 20 0 10 20 30 0 1 2 0 1

2000

1800
Elevation (m)

1600

1400

QMP
Mz

1200

FIG. 7. Illite, kaolinite, and smectite abundance in quartz monzonite porphyry from DH-160. Dashed lines represent the
trend in vol % illite, smectite, and kaolinite calculated from regression of data from all drill hole and mine bench samples.

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232 PARRY ET AL.

percent (avg 63%) of the plagioclase is altered to clay and the Volume % Smectite
average clay content of the rock is 18 vol percent (Table 3). Il- 6
lite is generally less abundant and smectite is more abundant
in DH-160 than in DH-50. From a maximum of 18 percent 8
illite at the top of the hole, illite declines abruptly to a 1 to 2
10 3.2
percent range and bottoms at less than 1 percent illite. Illite N
abundance at the top of DH-160 could be related to super- 8.5 6.4
gene effects. Smectite in DH-160 varies from 7.9 to 23.1 per-
12 0.8 6.4
cent. Kaolinite declines from 1.9 percent to a barely de-
tectable 0.1 percent at the bottom of the drill hole. Clay in the 13
8.5
monzonite at the bottom of the hole (sample 36) is 13 percent 19.7
13.6
smectite with little illite and no kaolinite.
Statistical treatment of clay mineral distribution in inter-
mediate argillic alteration of quartz monzonite porphyry:
Multiple linear regression was used to test for trends in clay
mineral spatial abundance patterns. Sample positions were
defined using a spherical coordinate system. First, a common 5290 Level (1612 m)
reference point (the coordinate system origin) was chosen for
all sample locations and is shown in Figures 3 and 4. This ref- Volume % Illite
erence point is near the center of sulfide mineralization and
alteration identified by Lanier et al. (1978b). The elevation
was chosen at 1,370 m, just beneath the central bornite zone 10
and within quartz monzonite porphyry. For each sample, a
vector was defined as a ray from this center to each sample lo- 8
cation. Using the position of the reference point and the co- N 10.8
ordinates of each sample point, the length of the vector was 6
8.8
calculated and the angles that the vector makes with the west, 6.4
north, and vertical axes were calculated. The multiple linear Illite 1.2 4
regression was then calculated for the vol percent of illite,
3.4 2 3.6
kaolinite, and smectite in altered quartz monzonite porphyry
1.4 2.2
versus the vector length and direction.
To test the sensitivity of the correlation to the coordinate
system origin, regression coefficients were calculated for al- 4
ternate choices. No major improvement in correlation coeffi- 5290 Level (1612 m)
cients resulted from regression computations for origin posi-
tions near sample 59 in the northeast, near sample 3 in the
southwest, or near sample 37 near the center of the quartz
monzonite porphyry. Also there were no major improvements Volume % Kaolinite
in correlation coefficients from regression computations for 1
center elevations from 600 to 1,500 m, but 1,370 m was the
elevation that returned a slightly better coefficient for illite 0.5
distribution. Regression using this vector procedure returned N
0.0
significantly better correlation coefficients than regression
using simple horizontal and vertical coordinates. Note that 0.7
1.0
use of horizontal and vertical coordinates in the regression 0.5 0.0
produces planar surfaces, while regression using the vector
0.1 0 1.7
treatment produces curved surfaces which are shown as con-
0.0 0.1
tours in Figures 8 and 9. Regression coefficients and correla-
tion coefficients are shown in Table 5. The correlation coeffi-
cients for illite, smectite, and kaolinite are 0.525, 0.556, and 0 500 m
0.564, respectively, and, using the F statistic with 4/58 de-
grees of freedom, they are statistically significant at greater 5290 Level (1612 m)
than the 95 percent confidence level. The regression equa-
tion then permits an estimate of mineral abundance trends.
Calculated mineral abundance trends are compared to
measured abundances in DH-50 and DH-160 shown in Fig-
ures 6 and 7. Mineral abundance trends were computed FIG. 8. Contours of trends in vol % illite, smectite, and kaolinite in quartz
monzonite porphyry calculated from the regression equation for the 5290
within the quartz monzonite porphyry on the 5290 (1,612-m) level. The outline of the quartz monzonite porphyry is shown. Sample loca-
level and in cross section A-A'. These abundance trends are tions and observed values of vol % clay mineral for samples near the 5290
shown as contours in Figures 8 and 9, respectively. Also level are shown for comparison to the statistical trends.

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 CLAY MINERALOGY OF PHYLLIC & INTERMEDIATE ARGILLIC ALTERATION, BINGHAM, UTAH 233

A A' A A'
SE NW SE NW

2
Volume % Kaolinite
2.0 2.0
Volume % Smectite

4.1
7 5.1
2.4 0.3
1.7,0.9 0.6, 1.0
6.4
1.5 1.0 0.1
Elevation ( km)

6.4

Elevation ( km)
8.4 2.8 8
0.2 0.6
1.5 6.2
3.1 1.5 0.6
8.1 9 0.9
9.5, 6.5 4.6 0.3
13.2 2.7
9.3
1 1.1 0.5 0.3
0.4
10 0.3
0.2
6.8
6 11.5 0.3
1.2
8.3 1.2
9.5 0.2
4.0
5.1 0.5 0.0
0.0
0 300 6.4 0.2 <0.5
0 300
5.6
meters 0.6
6.7 meters 0.8
4.4
0.4
1.0 1.0
11

A A'
SE NW

14 12 Volume % Illite

2.0
10

8
10.8

16.3
21.7, 11.1
6
Elevation ( km)

6.4
3.6
4
5.6
4.4 3.9 2
1.5 7.9
4.4
10.6
5.5 0.9
7.5, 5.1
3.5

10.9 13.3

8.5 10.4
9.9
4.0
9.4
<2
8.7 FIG. 9. Contours of trends in vol % illite, smectite, and kaolinite in quartz
4.5
5.2 monzonite porphyry calculated from the regression equation for cross section
1.0 A-A'. The outline of the quartz monzonite porphyry is shown. Sample loca-
tions and observed values of vol % clay mineral for samples near the 5290
level are shown for comparison to the statistical model.

shown in the figures are the measured abundances in sam- southwest in the quartz monzonite porphyry (Fig. 8). In cross
ples near the 5290 level and near cross section A-A'. Spatial section A-A' (Fig. 9), kaolinite decreases from 2 vol percent at
clay distribution trends are statistically recognizable in the 2,000-m elevation to 0.5 percent and less below 1,500 m
three-dimensional sample coverage of the quartz monzonite northwestward. Illite shows a maximum of 14 percent at
porphyry that is not apparent in individual traverses along 2,000-m elevation in the southeast portion of the cross section
mine benches or in drill holes. On the 5290 level, illite and and decreases northwestward to less than 2 percent below
kaolinite decrease and smectite increases from northeast to 1,500 m. Smectite is below 6 percent in the southeast, higher

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234 PARRY ET AL.

Table 5. Results of Multiple Linear Regression Analysis of 65 Samples

Multiple
Regression equation coefficients
correlation
Mineral coefficient Intercept R1 ΘW2 ΘS ΘV F3

Illite 0.525 –6.243 0.00215 3.290 4.737 –3.871 5.70

Smectite 0.556 16.256 –8.982×10–5 –3.864 –1.775 –1.294 6.71
Kaolinite 0.564 –1.257 0.000585 0.608 0.389 –0.578 6.99

1 Vector length in feet from mine center at 1320 west, 400 south, 1,372-m elevation
2 Angle with the west, south, and vertical axes, respectively, in radians
3 Values of the F statistic, degrees of freedom (4/58)

elevation portion of the cross section and increases to 11 per-
cent northwestward at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 m.
Apparent lack of a good fit of the statistical model trends
with observed mineral abundances in individual samples
shown in Figures 6 to 9 is due to natural erratic variation in
mineral abundances and to sparse data points in the drill
holes, map, and cross sections when the trend was computed
from the three-dimensional array of data.
The variation in clay mineral abundance in intermediate
argillic alteration may be related to several characteristics of
the hydrothermal system and to variations in host-rock prop-
erties. First, plagioclase phenocrysts may be variably altered
to clay due to variations in water/rock ratio, rock permeabil-
ity, fluid chemistry, or temperature. Second, the abundance
of reactive plagioclase may vary due to variations in original
igneous rock composition and variations in abundance of pla-
gioclase remaining after replacement by K feldspar or quartz
that are resistant to clay alteration. Third, the composition of
the plagioclase may vary due to albitization during earlier
potassic alteration. We have limited our analysis of mineral
abundance patterns to the quartz monzonite porphyry to
minimize some of the effects of host-rock variations.
Interpretation and Discussion
Phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration at Bingham is
the latest alteration stage in which minerals may be used to
document the thermal and chemical evolution of the lower
temperature, lower salinity character of the hydrothermal sys-
tem. X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analyses show
that illite and interstratified illite/smectite are characteristic
of phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration. In the following
discussion, the composition of Bingham illite is compared to
fine-grained white mica (sericite) from other porphyry cop-
per deposits. The age of phyllic and intermediate argillic al-
teration at Bingham is estimated from 40Ar-39Ar age measure-
ments. The mineral association smectite, kaolinite, and I/S
averaging 6 percent smectite is used to constrain the temper-
ature of the fluids, then the Na, K, and F contents of illite are
used to estimate Na+/K+ activity ratio and log fH2O/fHF in the
hydrothermal fluid forming phyllic and intermediate argillic
alteration. Intermediate argillic alteration forms almost exclu-
sively from alteration of plagiocalse phenocrysts permitting
formulation of chemical reactions and evaluation of mass
transfer in the reaction.
Comparison of Bingham illite compositions to
other porphyry copper deposits
Electron microprobe analyses are available for Chuquica-
mata, Chile; Kalamazoo, Arizona (Guilbert and Schafer,
1979); Santa Rita, New Mexico; southwest Tintic, Utah (Parry
et al., 1984); and Sibert, France (Beaufort and Meunier,
1983a). The analyses are summarized in Table 6. Interlayer K
+ Na and tetrahedral Si of Bingham illite is compared to these
other porphyry copper deposits in Figure 10. Illite composi-
tions for all porphyry copper deposits form a trend from near-
stoichiometric muscovite trending toward lower K + Na and
higher Si, corresponding with ideal illite and beyond ideal il-
lite to higher Si and lower K + Na. At Santa Rita, phyllic veins
are superimposed on potassic alteration in the central zone
(Nielsen, 1968). K + Na is > 0.9, Na varies from 0 to 0.1, F
ranges from 0.01 to 0.14, and Mg ranges from 0.1 to 0.15 per
formula unit (pfu). In southwest Tintic white micas, Na + K
varies from 0.6 to 1.1, Na varies from 0.04 to 0.1, F ranges up
to 0.14, and Mg varies from 0.23 to 0.25 pfu. At Sibert,
France, phyllic veins crosscut earlier potassic alteration, and
X-ray diffraction analyses identified the mica in veins and

TABLE 6. Structural Formulas Based on 12 Oxygens of Hydrothermal Illite from Kalamazoo, Arizona; Chuquicamata, Chile (Guilbert and Schafer, 1979);
Santa Rita, New Mexico, and Southwest Tintic, Utah (Parry et al., 1984); and Sibert, France (Beufort and Meunier, 1983a)

Location Si Ti AlIV AlVI Fe3+ Mg Ca K Na F n

Kalamazoo 3.11 0.01 0.94 1.63 0.16 0.18 0 0.87 0.06 nd 4

Chuquicamata 3.02 0.03 0.98 1.55 0.16 0.17 0 0.90 0.04 nd 3
Santa Rita 3.09 0.05 0.90 1.69 0.14 0.13 0 0.90 0.05 0.03 25
Southwest Tintic 3.11 0.01 0.89 1.73 0.08 0.24 0 0.84 0.06 0.07 47
Sibert
Phyllic vein 3.16 0.03 0.84 1.89 0.03 0 0 0.97 0 nd 3
Wall rock 3.20 0.01 0.80 1.78 0.06 0.17 0 0.89 0 nd 35

nd = not determined; n = number of analyses

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 CLAY MINERALOGY OF PHYLLIC & INTERMEDIATE ARGILLIC ALTERATION, BINGHAM, UTAH
M
K+Na
Si
FIG. 10. Bingham illite compositions compared to illites from other porphyry copper deposits. Compositions of micas are
from: Chuquicamata and Kalamazoo, Guilbert and Schafer (1978); Santa Rita and southwest Tintic, Parry et al. (1984); and
Sibert, Beaufort and Meunier (1983a).
selvages as illite (Beaufort and Meunier, 1983a). Vein illite
and nearest selvages contain more Si and less K and Na than
ideal muscovite. Mg and Fe increase and K decreases from
vein to selvage. White micas at Chuquicamata and Kalamazoo
appear nearer to ideal muscovite in composition than the
other porphyry copper deposits but contain less Na and K in
interlayer sites and more Fe and Mg in octahedral sites than
muscovite (Guilbert and Schafer, 1979). Thus, with few ex-
ceptions, compositions of phyllic and intermediate argillic al-
teration white micas in other porphyry copper deposits are il-
litic and overlap the compositions of Bingham illite.
Age of alteration
Parry et al. (1998) have shown that the 40Ar-39Ar age of an
illite-sulfosalt vein that crosscuts potassic alteration of the
monzonite is 38.16 ± 0.26 Ma. A highly interpreted age of il-
lite in altered plagioclase in quartz monzonite porphyry is
37.21 ± 0.56 Ma (Parry et al., 1998). The age of potassic al-
teration ranges from 37.57 ± 0.11 Ma in monzonite to 37.07
± 0.21 Ma in quartz monzonite porphyry (Parry et al., 2001).
The dates of potassic alteration of monzonite and the phyllic
vein nearly overlap, and the dates of potassic alteration and
intermediate argillic alteration in the quartz monzonite por-
phyry are not distinguishable. The dating methods cannot re-
solve these closely spaced events. However, petrographic re-
lationships have established that intermediate argillic
alteration postdates potassic alteration of the quartz mon-
zonite porphyry, and phyllic veins crosscut potassic alteration
in the monzonite.
Temperature
Fluid inclusion measurements for phyllic and intermediate
argillic alteration are not available so clay mineral character-
istics were used to constrain temperature. X-ray diffraction
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235
Bingham Phyllic
Sample 53
Bingham Phyllic
Sample 2
Bingham Argillic
Kalamazoo
Chuquicamata
Santa Rita
South West Tintic
I
Sibert
I Illite
M Muscovite
studies of I/S in diagenesis of sedimentary rocks, in contact
metamorphism, in geothermal systems, and laboratory syn-
thesis indicate a transition from smectite through increasingly
illitic mixed layer I/S to illite and finally to muscovite as tem-
perature increases given a sufficient supply of K, Al, and re-
action time. The clay mineralogy of phyllic and intermediate
argillic alteration may therefore be used to constrain the
temperature.
The thermal stability of interstratified I/S has been deter-
mined from studies of diagenesis of sedimentary rocks (Perry
and Hower, 1970; Hoffman and Hower, 1979), studies of con-
tact metamorphism (Pytte and Reynolds, 1989), studies of ge-
othermal and hydrothermal systems (Yau et al., 1987; Reyes,
1990), studies of porphyry copper systems (Beaufort and Me-
unier, 1983a, b), and from laboratory synthesis (Eberl and
Hower, 1976; Eberl, 1978; Aja et al., 1991a, b). Temperature
calibration in these studies was achieved using measured tem-
peratures in boreholes and experiments, fluid inclusion mea-
surements, and vitrinite reflectance. The degree of ordering
and percentage of illite layers in interstratified I/S in diagen-
esis, low-grade metamorphism, and hydrothermal systems is
dependent on temperature and reaction time (Perry and
Hower, 1970; Hower and Altaner, 1983). For example, R = 1
I/S is formed at 130° to 150°C with reaction times <106 yr,
and 90° to 100°C for reaction times >107 yr. R ≥3 I/S is pro-
duced at ~175°C, illite appears at ~260°C, and muscovite at
~310°C in pelitic sedimentary rocks where reaction times are
5 to 300 m.y. and in geothermal areas with reaction times <3
m.y. (Hower and Altaner, 1983; Pollastro, 1993). In the Salton
Sea system, I/S contains 40 percent S at 115°C, 20 percent S
at 150°C, 10 percent S at 200°C, and 0 percent S at 220°C
(Yau et al., 1987). Smectite is generally not present in rocks at
temperatures above about 200°C (Reyes, 1990; Essene and
Peacor, 1995).
235
236
Experimental data of Hemley et al. (1980) establishes the
maximum temperature for the equilibrium stability of kaolin-
ite relative to pyrophyllite in quartz-rich rocks at about
260°C. However, equilibrium relationships have not been
demonstrated for most clay minerals nor have thermody-
namic calculations or laboratory experiments demonstrated
equilibrium among clay minerals in rocks (Essene and Pea-
cor, 1995). Essene and Peacor (1995) also suggest that the
progression of smectite to I/S to illite may represent reaction
progress rather than increasing temperature. Smectite clays
react rapidly to temperature in geothermal areas where tem-
perature is the most important variable for the progression of
smectite to I/S with reaction times of 104 to 105 yr (Velde and
Lanson, 1993).
Smectite is present in the two phyllic veins studied (up to 8
vol %), and the illite in these veins is R≥3 I/S with an average
of 7 percent smectite. Intermediate argillic alteration con-
tains up to 21 percent smectite and the illite (I/S) averages 6
percent smectite. Comparison of the smectite content and or-
dering of I/S at Bingham to the models described above yields
an estimated formation temperature of about 200° to 220°C.
This temperature is at the upper limit of smectite stability.
Moderate-salinity fluid inclusions commonly associated with
phyllic alteration in porphyry copper deposits homogenize in
the range of 180° to 400°C (Nash, 1976). Fluid inclusion es-
timates for formation of phyllic veins range from 200° to
350°C at Santa Rita, New Mexico (Reynolds and Beane,
1985), and are 300°C in phyllic veins in the Mineral Park por-
phyry deposit, and 300°C at Sierrita (Bean and Titley, 1981).
The temperature estimate for Bingham clays is at the lower
end of the fluid inclusion measurements at other porphyry
copper deposits and similar to the temperature of formation
of phyllic veins at the Sibert porphyry copper deposit esti-
mated at 200°C based on stability of illite + calcite (Beaufort
and Meunier, 1983b).
Both phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration postdate
high-temperature potassic alteration. The smectite and I/S
compositions of the two alteration types are similar and do
not permit determination of a temperature difference. How-
ever, the younger intermediate argillic alteration may have
produced retrograde alteration of phyllic alteration clays. Two
samples in DH-50, 78 and 79, contain R = 1 I/S with 50 to 60
percent illite that represents a lower temperature of 130° to
150°C. No textural data are present that indicate the relative
age with respect to the higher temperature R ≥3 I/S. A single
vein of beidellite in the monzonite (DH-50 1,010-m elev)
represents the last stage of intermediate argillic alteration
observed.
Solution chemistry
Na/K ratio: The Na and K content of the illite will be deter-
mined by solution composition represented by the following:
NaAl3Si3O10(OH)2 + K+ = KAl3Si3O10(OH)2 + Na+.
(1)
Paragonite in illite Muscovite in illite
Log K (equilibrium constant) computed for this reaction
using SUPCRT92 (Johnson et al., 1992) is 2.044, 1.785, 1.580,
and 1.418 at 200, 250, 300, and 350, respectively. Log Na+/K+
(solution) = log K – log amuscovite/aparagonite. Studies of the Salton
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PARRY ET AL.
Sea geothermal system by Bird and Norton (1981) and the
Roosevelt Hot Springs geothermal system by Parry et al.
(1984) show that this relationship adequately characterizes
the observed fluid composition. Use of K+/Na+ from electron
microprobe analyses of illite as an approximation of amus-
covite/aparagonite and the log K values at 200°C returns values of
Na+/K+ activity ratio in solution varying from 7.41 for the
highest Na illite in Table 4 to 1.38 for lowest Na illite. Illite
from sample 53 that crosscuts potassic alteration contains an
average of 0.01 Na atoms pfu, one-fourth as much as the av-
erage of 0.04 atoms for sample 2 that crosscuts propylitic al-
teration. The average Na+/K+ activity ratio in solution for the
deeper vein is 1.4 compared to the average Na+/K+ value of
5.0 for the shallower vein. Calculated Na+/K+ activity ratio in
solution for illite from intermediate argillic alteration in sam-
ple 44 is 2.8.
Using mineral compositions from Parry et al. (1984) and
equilibrium constants from SUPCRT92 (Johnson et al.,
1992), the estimate of Na+/K+ activity ratio in solution at
Santa Rita is 1.4 at 350°C and 5.8 at 200°C. At southwest Tin-
tic Na+/K+ activity ratio in solution is 1.8 at 350°C and 7.4 at
200°C. X-ray diffraction data for the minerals are not avail-
able and temperature is poorly constrained by fluid inclusion
measurements. Kalamazoo and Chuquicamata micas contain
0.06 and 0.04 atoms of Na pfu and yield Na+/K+ activity ratios
similar to Santa Rita and southwest Tintic. Na was not de-
tected at the Sibert deposit (<0.01).
The ratio of Na+/K+ has not been measured in fluid inclu-
sions from phyllic veins nor intermediate argillic alteration,
but a comparison can be made to Na/K ratios measured in
fluid inclusions associated with earlier alteration. The KCl
concentration in fluid inclusions from potassic alteration at
Bingham was estimated from the microthermometric data of
Moore and Nash (1974) recalculated using the computer pro-
gram SALTY (Bodnar et al., 1989). KCl averages 17.3 wt per-
cent, and the mean NaCl concentration of these inclusions is
35.3 wt percent, yielding molalities of 4.9 for KCl and 12.7 for
NaCl. If the simple approximation that the ratio of activity co-
efficients γNa /γK ~1, where g activity coefficient, then the ac-
tivity ratio Na/K = 2.6 for these Bingham fluids. Solutions
forming phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration are less
saline than those involved in potassic alteration (Nash, 1976;
Beane and Titley, 1981). We infer that fluid inclusions in
quartz veins measured by Roedder (1971) that homogenize in
the 200°C temperature range with salinities of 3 to 20 wt per-
cent NaCl represent the fluids forming the phyllic and inter-
mediate argillic alteration at Bingham. While the solutions
forming phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration are less
saline, they evidently maintain a relatively high concentration
of K relative to Na. Na/K ratios of fluids in inclusions at Santa
Rita reported by Ahmed and Rose (1980) and Reynolds and
Beane (1985) decrease from 2.8 to 1.0 in later veins, but Na/K
in fluid inclusions in phyllic veins could not be measured.
Eastoe (1982) also observed that the Na/K ratio in fluid in-
clusions decreases as salinity decreases in the Panguna por-
phyry copper deposit.
Fluorine: We have applied the experimentally calibrated
fluorine-hydroxyl exchange relationships for muscovite of
Munoz and Ludington (1977) and computational techniques
of Gunow et al. (1980) to evaluate the F content of fluids with
236
 CLAY MINERALOGY OF PHYLLIC & INTERMEDIATE ARGILLIC ALTERATION, BINGHAM, UTAH
which the illites have equilibrated at Bingham. The general-
ized reaction for fluorine-hydroxyl exchange of illite with fluid
can be written (OH)mica + HFfluid = Fmica + H2Ofluid for which
log K = log(XF/XOH)mica + log (fH2O/fHF) fluid where X de-
notes mole fraction and f is fugacity. The experimentally de-
termined equilibrium constant applicable to natural micas is
log Ksericite = 2,100/T + 1.523(XMg) + 0.416(XFe) – 0.11(XAl).
Mole fractions are calculated from data in Table 4 as follows:
XAl = octahedral Al/octahedral cation total, XMg = Mg/octahe-
dral cation total, and XFe = 1 – (XAl + XMg). Utilization of F,
Mg, and Al data from Table 4 and 200°C returns values for
log (fH2O/fHF) fluid of 5.7 for intermediate argillic alteration
sample 44, 6.1 for phyllic vein sample 2, and 5.8 for phyllic
vein sample 53.
Log fH2O/fHF is about 5 for late-stage hydrothermal biotite
containing 2.1 to 3.7 wt percent F in vesicular quartz latite
dike (Parry et al., 1978). Log fH2O/fHF has increased by 0.7 to
1.1 log units from late potassic to phyllic and intermediate
argillic alteration. Log fH2O/fHF calculated for the porphyry
copper deposit at Santa Rita is 5.2 to 6.1, and for southwest
Tintic, log fH2O/fHF is 4.84 to 5.64, depending on temperature
and mineral association (Parry et al., 1984). F analyses are not
available for the Kalamazoo, Chuquicamata, or Sibert deposits.
Mass transfer
Illite, smectite, and kaolinite form almost exclusively from
replacement of plagioclase phenocrysts in the intermediate
argillic alteration of quartz monzonite porphyry. Plagioclase
has the mean composition of An35 (Lanier et al., 1978b). Mass
and charge balanced reactions for these replacements are as
follows:
Plagioclase → Smectite
1.24[0.35CaAl2Si2O8 + 0.65NaAlSi3O8] + 0.33Mg2+ +
1.24[0.35 anorthite + 0.65 albite]
0.71SiO2(aq) + 0.68H+ + 0.66H2O →
Na0.33Al1.67Mg0.33Si4O10(OH)2 + 0.43 Ca2+ + 0.48Na+
smectite. (2)
Plagioclase → Illite
1.70[0.35CaAl2Si2O8 + 0.65NaAlSi3O8] + 0.25Mg2+ +
1.70[0.35 anorthite + 0.65 albite]
0.85K+ + 0.96H+0.52H2O →
K0.85Mg0.25Al1.70Al0.60Si3.40O10(OH)2 + 0.60Ca2+ +
illite
1.11Na+ + 1.11SiO2. (3)
Illite is highest in concentration in the northeast portion of
the quartz monzonite porphyry and decreases southwestward
and downward as smectite increases. Formation of illite con-
sumes more reactant H+ and also consumes K+ from solution,
whereas smectite consumes less H+ and no K+. The fluid
source supplying the reactant H+ and K+ is likely toward the
northeast and the clay abundance pattern could be explained
as the result of consumption of reactants as the solutions
moved southwestward. The smectite content of I/S shows no
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237
significant variation from northeast to southwest and thus
there is no evidence in the clay mineralogy for a temperature
gradient.
Correlation with sulfide mineralization
Phyllic alteration is restricted to quartz-illite-sulfide veins
and vein selvages that may extend as much as10 cm from the
vein where illite replaces K feldspar, biotite, and other sili-
cates, completely obscuring the original rock texture. The
structural control is obvious. Phyllic veins are most abundant
on the southwest side of the deposit where selvages coalesce
and on the northeast side of the deposit. Smectite is most
abundant in intermediate argillic alteration to the southwest
and illite is most abundant to the northeast, suggesting the
two alteration types may not be related.
Intermediate argillic alteration is pervasively distributed
and not related to any structure. Formation of the intermedi-
ate argillic alteration cannot be correlated with specific sul-
fide mineralization, because the alteration does not occur in
veins with sulfides and because the alteration overprints ear-
lier potassic alteration and sulfide mineralization of the quartz
monzonite porphyry. The highest illite occurs in the northeast
portion of the quartz monzonite porphyry where the highest
gold and copper values occur. However, gold with bornite is
associated with quartz-K feldspar veins, and copper in this
area of the mine is in zones of strong biotite alteration
(Phillips et al., 1998). Both gold and high-grade copper are
most likely formed during earlier mineralization and potassic
alteration.
The increase in illite and kaolinite and decrease in smectite
northeastward and upward may correlate with newly discov-
ered replacement ore in sediments near the northeastern
margin of the Bingham stock (Harrison and Reid, 1998; Inan
and Einaudi, 2000). This mineralization developed in two
stages; the early stage is linked to potassic alteration of the ig-
neous rocks, and the late stage is linked to sericitization and
replaced limestone with massive sulfide. Quartzite overlying
this zone contains bornite, pyrite-chalcocite-enargite veins
with locally coalescing sericitic-kaolinite halos. The sulfide as-
semblage is indicative of a high-sulfidation state and a transi-
tion to advanced argillic alteration in quartzite. This zone of
high sulfidation occupies the uppermost 0.5 km of the ex-
posed 2-km vertical column of ore-bearing rock (Inan and
Einaudi, 2000).
Supergene or hypogene clay
Evidence that intermediate argillic alteration is not super-
gene is found in the clay mineral distribution, the illite com-
positions, and the age measurements. First, illite, smectite,
and kaolinite are distributed over a depth range greater than
1 km within the primary sulfide zone, well below the enriched
zone. Second, the F content of illite shows equilibration with
fluorine-bearing fluids, and the Na/K content is consistent
with elevated K in the hydrothermal solutions. Third, there is
no evidence in Ar-Ar age data that the illite significantly post-
dates hydrothermal biotite.
Summary and Conclusions
Fine-grained, white micas in phyllic and intermediate argillic
alteration of igneous rocks at Bingham, Utah, are illites with
238
a small percent of interstratified smectite. Quartz-sulfide-sul-
fosalt veins in phyllically altered monzonite at Bingham,
Utah, contain illite with 2 to 8 percent (Ir) or 5 to 10 percent
(Kubler) interstratified smectite with small amounts of dis-
creet smectite, kaolinite, and chlorite. The illite is a mixture
of 1M and 2M polytypes. Plagioclase in intermediate argilli-
cally altered monzonite, quartz monzonite porphyry, hybrid
quartz monzonite porphyry, latite porphyry dikes, and quartz
latite porphyry dikes have been pervasively altered to varying
proportions of smectite, illite, and kaolinite. In most samples,
illite and smectite are the most abundant clay minerals and
kaolinite is a minor constituent. Two samples in DH-50 con-
tain a regularly interstratified illite/smectite containing 50 to
60 percent illite and 40 to 50 percent smectite in addition to
illite with 5 to 10 percent smectite and discreet smectite.
Multiple linear regression of clay content in intermediate
argillic alteration was used to compute vertical and horizontal
trends in mineral abundances within the quartz monzonite
porphyry. On the 5290 (1,612-m) level, illite and kaolinite in-
crease generally toward the northeast, and smectite increases
generally toward the northwest, suggesting a broad zonation
with illite and kaolinite grading toward smectite from north-
east to southwest in the quartz monzonite porphyry. In cross
section A-A', near the center of the deposit, kaolinite and illite
decrease with increasing depth and smectite increases. The
presence of illite with <10 percent interstratified smectite,
smectite, and kaolinite in quartz-rich rocks suggests a temper-
ature of about 200°C during their formation at the lower end
of temperatures estimated for phyllic alteration from fluid in-
clusion measurements at other porphyry copper deposits. Il-
lite compositions are used to estimate Na+/K+ activity ratio
and F composition of hydrothermal fluids. The Na+/K+ activ-
ity ratio is 1.4 for a phyllic vein crosscutting potassic alter-
ation, 5 for a vein crosscutting propylitic alteration, and 2.8
for intermediate argillic alteration. Log fH2O/fHf is 6.1 for a
phyllic vein that crosscuts propylitic alteration, 5.8 for a phyl-
lic vein that crosscuts potassic alteration, and 5.7 for interme-
diate argillic alteration compared to 5.0 for late-stage biotite.
Phyllic veins are obviously related to fractures and sulfides
that occur within the veins, but no structural control of inter-
mediate argillic alteration is apparent. Sulfide mineralization
in the area affected by intermediate argillic alteration is re-
lated to earlier hydrothermal activity.
Acknowledgments
Kennecott Utah Copper provided access to the mine and fi-
nancial support for this project. Funding was also received
from the University of Utah Mineral Leasing Fund. We espe-
cially thank Charlie Phillips and Tracy Smith for their patient
guidance during sample collecting and rock classification and
Geoff Ballantyne for stimulating and critical discussions. We
thank Jamie Conrad, Ricardo Presnell, and three Economic
Geology reviewers for careful review of the manuscript.
January 11, 1999; September 26, 2001
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