K IX CONGRESO GEOLOGICO CHILENO by Vy 31 Julio - 4 Agosto, 2000 Puerto Varas # Chile K-Ar AGE CONSTRAINTS ON THE EMPLACEMENT OF SIERRA CHINCHILLA PLUTON AND ASSOCIATED Cu-Au - BEARING BRECCIA PIPES, SAN PEDRO DE CACHIYUYO, COPIAPO REGION Matthews, $.J.' and Cornejo, P." INTRODUCTION We present new biotite and sericite K-Ar data for the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo - Inca de Oro area, which define four plutonic events (70-64 Ma, 59 Ma, 57-56 Ma and 54-52 Ma) and the latest stage of the Lower Paleocene San Pedro de Cachiyuyo Caldera (59-58 Ma). The data are used to constrain the timing of the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo district Cu-Au - bearing tourmaline-sericite-quartz breccia pipes with respect to their host pluton, and to the Lowest Paleocene to Lowest Eocene magmatic activity in the area. The studied area is Confined to the east of the Inca de Oro district. Local "basement’ consists of Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous andesite lavas (Sierra Fraga and Punta del Cobre formations) and Neocomian limestones (Chafarcillo Group), overlain by volcanic and clastic sequences (Cerrillos formation to the west and Lianta formation to the east). A series of Late Cretaceous to lowest Paleocene plutons is aligned N-S- through the area (Certo la Tuna complex, Nano and La Finca plutons). The Cerro la Tuna Complex (1) is deformed by, and probably at least in part syntectonic to, a c. 65-64 Ma compressive event, marked by NW - striking sinistral strike-slip faults and later N-S - trending normal faults. Lower Paleocene dioritic and dacitic porphyry bodies are emplaced along these fault systems. The Lower Paleocene San Pedro de Cachiyuyo Caldera (1, 2), with at least 600 metres of welded intracaldera ignimbrites in the Sierra La Peineta, is bounded on its northwestern and southwestern sides by a ring fault; this fault has been partially reactivated on the northern side as a high-angle reverse fault. About 100 metres of unwelded to welded extracaldera ignimbrite is now recognized to the south of the caldera. We interpret this structure as a trapdoor caldera whose floor and intracaldera ignimbrites were tilted westwards, controlled by the ring fault. Late dacite domes (Sierra El Hurnito) and small rhyolite intrusions to the south and southwest of the caldera mark the waning stages of this centre. An important NNE-trending thyolitic dyke swarm (La Polola rhyolite complex), with associated small sills, cone sheets and extrusive domes, cuts the Cerro la Tuna plutonic compiex and cross-cuts the faults which affect this pluton. These dykes are considered to be lower Paleocene and probably related to the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo caldera. Three postcaldera plutonic complexes have been defined in the area; the Cerro La Campana complex consists of isolated monzonite and monzodiorite outcrops in hills rising above the Pliocene-Recent gravels, to the south of Inca de Oro. The Quebrada Chafiaral Alto complex intrudes an Upper Cretaceous volcanic sequence on the northern margin of San Pedro de Cachiyuyo caldera, and has a well-developed contact metamorphic aureole in the intracaldera ignimbrites, and a quartz-sericite alteration zone in the Cretaceous wallrocks. The Sierra Chinchilla pluton consists predominantly of pyroxene-quartz monzonites and monzodiorites, with smaller diorite bodies, which intrude Neocomian limestones and later volcanics and, on the easter side, the intracaldera ignimbrites of the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo caldera. This pluton hosts numerous quartz-tourmaline-sericite breccias with copper-moly-gold mineralization. SIERRA CHINCHILLA PLUTON The Sierra Chinchilla pluton has been the subject of numerous geological, petrological, geochemical and fluid inclusions studies, principally focusing on the mineralised breccia pipes of Tucumana, San Pedro and Manto Cuba (3-9). These studies concluded that the pipes were produced by late magmatic fluids derived " Senicio Nacanal de Geologiay Minera, Chil, Avda, Sania Mara 0104, Casila 10466, Santiago. Chie, 288S. Matthews y P. Comejo from the deeper zones of the pluton. However, large differences in ages were implied from Rb-Sr dating of the pluton (96 + 10 Ma; 10) and a sericite K-Ar age from San Pedro mine (64.7 + 2 Ma; 11). A biotite K-Ar age from the Puntila mine ( 53.8 = 1.5 Ma; 8) further complicated the geochronological relationships in the area. During recent remapping of the area, several dyke-like and irregular andesite porphyry intrusions were found to be directly related to the formation of the Tucurnana breccia pipe. An andesite porphyry intrusion in the ‘entrance to the mine pit is seen to merge into the breccia, via intermediate pebble-dyke and tufficeous breccia facies. This porphyry has a strong potassic alteration with almost complete biotitzation in places. Other dykes, spatially associated with the breccia pipes in a semi-radial arrangement, but not actually in contact with the breccias. were found to have similar mineralogies, with early pyroxene and later biotite phenocrysts. It was therefore considered possible that the breccia pipes formed AS A CONSEQUENCE of these porphyry intrusions, and may have been unrelated to the host pluton. Well-defined geochronology of the breccia pipes, associated porphyry intrusions, and the host pluton, were thus necessary. ‘TABLE 1: DESCRIPTIONS AND LOCATIONS OF DATED SAMPLES. ‘Sample Lithology, Location UTM North UTM East ‘Sierra Chinchilla luton Flo-334 PyxBIt-Qtz Monzonite 1 kam NW of Delirio Mine 7043325 16971 Pipes and assoc. dykes FI0-103 Soricite-Quartz Rock Manto Cuba Mine 041713, ost7274 10-327 Sericte-Quartz Rock N.of Deliro Mina 7043110 0418020 F1O-279-1 Dyke with potassic ater, Tucumana Mino 7042538 0418036 10-328 Pye Bit Porphyry dyke NE of Tucumana Nino 7043659 0417850 ‘Quebrada Chafiaral Alto Rio297 ‘Quartz Soricite Rock (Ga. Chafaral Alto 048804 o42ss08 Rio-208 H-BIL-Otz Diorite ‘Gda. Chafaral Alto 7049180 0428377 R10 299 PyxcBtt Monzonite ‘Qda. Chafaral Alto 7049180 0428977 10-302 PyxcBtt Monzodioite ‘Qda, Chafaral Alto 7049176 0428313 Gerro la Campana area Rio-122 Pyx-Qtz Monzodiorto ‘km $.of Co. LaCampana 7036025 0418296 Rio278 yx Bit-Qyz Monzonte {km N.of Co. LaGampana 7039058 0812828 ‘San Pedro de Cachiyuyo Caldera io-109 PyxBtt Dacite dome TkmE. of Sierra EIHumito 7020120 oszo9a4 RIO-134 Py Dacite dome BkmE. of Sierra EIHumito 7026086. osa2ata RI0-268 HOI(Btt Fhyolite intrusion 4k N. of Siera El Humito 7090375 416604 Lower Paleocene plutons FI0-353 PyxBUt Diorte da. La Eniqueta 7053920 sear Cretaceous-Paleocene plutons Rio.2t4 Pye Bt-Hbl Monzogranite da, Pique Seco ‘7052083 0418880 RIo-351 Pye BttHbl Monzogranite da, Pique Seco 7052381 419825 R0.352 Pye Btt-Qtz Doone da, La Enriqueta 7053365 (0820517 R10-346 HO}-Btt Monzogranite Near Mina La Abundancia, 7081066 e212 RrO.347 H-Btt Monzogranite Sof Mina La Abundancia 17058790 0421639 SAR.O H-Btt Monzogranite da. Caballo Muerto 7084706 0416479 Roo Pye Bit Microdioite Ma da. Caballo Muerto 7084738 ost6a07 Ri0-340 Pye Bit Diorte Gda, Caballo Muerto 7065112 0418093 RO-213 Pyx-Bt-Qtz Diorte "Near Nano Mina 7057408 0419487 10-350 Pyx-Bit Monzodionte ‘km $ of Nano Mine 7058944 oatsant Rioat4 PyxcBit Microdiarte M. Finca Chaaal Alto 7054132 0414820 RIO-315 PyrcBtt Microdiorte ML Finca Chanaral Ato 7054132 0414820 289LEGEND ames gant sa eee eros prowess” EEE Se ce SS pens Rese. BB oetecss, Som roe HD paces Seiayen eee ED Ati atraton pe eon ioieers. Seeees Raves ES en eneeet anes Ean come oO andesite porphyry. cegeose aie S. Matthews y P. Comejo 415 km 420 425 7.065 waa 7.060 ae NC ana Pton Jose) y 7.048 San" L 7040 os 7.035 aie\ [Basses E 7.030 km Figure 1. Simplified geological map of Inca de Oro area showing new K-Ar ages. Data from Comejo et al. (1997) and recent re- mapping.S. Matthews y P. Cornejo K-AR GEOCHRONOLOGY KAr analyses were performed on biotite in a fresh monzonite sample from the Sierra Chinchilla pluton, sericite from the Manto Cuba mine, and hydrothermal biotite in a syn-mineralization andesite dyke in the ‘Tucumana breccia pipe. Additional K-Ar analyses of biotite and sericte in a plutonic complex in Quebrada Chajfaral Alto, biotite from other plutons in the surrounding area, and late domes and a rhyolitic intrusion of the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo Caldera, were also obtained. ‘TABLE 2: K-AR AGES FROM SAN PEDRO DE CACHIYUYO AND SURROUNDING AREA ‘Sample Material eK ‘Arrad(nlig) __% Ar atmos. Edad s Error Sierra Chinchilla luton RIO-334 Biotite 7.374 15.673 7 53.9219 Pipes and assoc. dykes RIO-103 Sericite (+ Qtz) 5.747 12.118 “4 534214 RI0-327 Sericite 5.815 12.442 19 42a 14 RIO.2790-1 Botte 7.193 15.490, at 54.6214 10-328 Biotte 7.143 15.188 18 53.9213 Quebrada Chajiaral Alto RIO-297 Sericite 7.962 15.789 25 522213 RIO.298 Biotite 6572 13.799 18 53221.4 RIO-209 Biotite 7.281 15.122 a 526214 RIO-302 Biotite 6.939 14.467 23. 528214 Cerro La Campana area Ri0-122 Whole Rock 2.191 4.842 67 5623 RI0-278 Biotite 6.41 15.359 9 568214 San Pedro de Cachiyuyo Caldera RIO-109 Biotite 5.904 12.162 26 58.0215 RI0-134 Biotite 6.137 14.238 18 587215 RI0-268 Hombiende 0.722 1.691 36 59.3223 Lower Paleocene plutons Biotite 7017 16.426 " 502214 Cretaceous-Paleocene plutons RIO-214 Biotite 6.544 17.138 21 6622 RiO-351 Biotte 7.426 18.756 12 6722 RIO-352 Biotite 6.258 16.474 10 e722 RIO-346 Biotite 7.360 18.573 12 6422 RIO-347 Biotito 6.543 16.651 24 6422 ‘SAR-O Biotite 7.150 18.062 15 6422 RIO-339 Biotite 7.151 19.091 a7 6722 RIO-340 Biotte 6.756 17.438 6 6522 Ri0-213 Biotite 6.885 17.471 19 6422 FIO-350 Biotte 7.292 19527 53 6822 RIO-314 Biotte 6.887 18.976 7 7022 FIO.315 Biotite 4.855 12.948 9 6722 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The one available biotite K-Ar age obtained for the Sierra Chinchilla pluton is concordant with the three biotite ages for Quebrada Chafaral Alto plutonic complex. Together, these two bodies represent the youngest known plutonic event in the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo area. The tourmaline and quartz-sericite breccias, and associated intrusions, which were emplaced into the Sierra Chinchilla pluton, have ages which are indistinguishable from that of the pluton, by the K-Ar method. Since the biotite in sample RIO-334 is very fresh, with a high potassium content, and shows a typical magmatic texture (large, randomly oriented, undeformed crystals), we are certain that this one age represents that of the pluton, and not late hydrothermal biotite or thermal resetting related to the emplacement of the breccia pipes These data confirm the biotite K: Ar age from Punitilla mine (53.6 2 1.5 Ma; 8), which was previously at odds with older unreliable Rb-Sr and K- 291S. Matthews y P. Comejo ‘Ar data available at that time. In addition, a quartz-sericite alteration zone adjacent to the Quebrada Chafaral ‘Ato plutonic complex gives an age which is concordant with that of the pluton, confirming a genetic relationship between the intrusive body and the alteration. The ages listed in Table 2 indicate almost continuous magmatism in the area betweem 68 and 52 Ma, apart from a gap between 64 and 59 Ma. This apparent temporal gap is filed by the ignimbrites of the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo Caldera which, although not yet dated, are constrained by older plutons (64 2 Ma) and younger domes (59 Ma). This age range is typical (of Lower Paleocene calderas in the area e.g. El Salvador Caldera; 63-59 Ma (12). The transition from plutonic activity from the Late Cretaceous to the Lowest Paleocene, to the formation of large collapse calderas (and associated rhyolitic dyke swarms) in the early Paleocene, immediately follows a compressive tectonic event at approximately 65-63 Ma (1 y 12). The resumption of smaller-scale plutonic intrusive activity in the Cerro la Tuna area at 59 Ma is coincident with postcaldera dome extrusion and associated intrusion of small rhyoitic bodies to the south of the caldera. This plutonic activity continued until 52 Ma. The Sierra Chinchilla and Quebrada Chafiaral Alto plutons are intruded along the old ring fault of the San Pedro de Cachiyuyo Caldera. Owing to lack of exposure it is impossible to determine whether these two bodies represent a single annular intrusion, but their concordant ages and similar petrology indicate that they represent a single event. The data support previos models that the breccia pipes formed by release of fiuids derived from deeper levels of the same pluton. We propose that these fiuids ascended together with small volumes of andesitic magmas, during the late stages of cooling of the pluton, Publication sponsored by the Subdireccién Nacional de Geologia, SERNAGEOMIN. REFERENCES 1. 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