ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

AI•TD THE

BULLETIN OF THE SOCIETY OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGISTS

VOL. 68 JANUARY--FEBRUARY,
1973 No. 1

Geologyof the Los PelambresPorphyryCopper

Deposit, Chile
RICHARD H. SILLITOE

Abstract

The Los ?elambresporphyry copperdeposit,locatedin the Andean Cordillera of

CoquimboProvince, Chile, is related to an Upper Miocene tonalite stock which was
passively emplaced into Upper Jurassic-Middle Cretaceous andesitic volcanic and
sedimentarystrata which constitutea north-south-trendingmonocline.
A zonal pattern of hydrothermal alteration and mineralization is centered on the
stock, and is representedby a core of potassiumsilicate alteration, surroundedby a
roughly annular zone of feldspar-destructivealteration, which grades outward to
propylitic alteration. The potassiumsilicate zone is characterizedby hydrothermal
biotite, K-feldspar, quartz, anhydrite and sulfides; these sulfides, dominantly chal-
copyrite,bornire, pyrite and lesser quantitiesof molybdenite,comprisethe potentially
economicmineralization. A nucleuswithin the potassiumsilicate zone carries abundant
bornite,and magnetiteis widespreadin two areas,one of which possesses large vuglike
masseslined with coarse quartz, anhydrite, magnetite, tourmaline and sulfides. The
feldspar-destructivealteration is largely of the sericitic and argillic types in the
marginal parts of the stock, and mainly silicification in the adjoining volcanic-sedi-
mentary formations. Pyrite is the most common sulfide in rocks which have under-
gonefeldspar-destructive alteration.
Two varieties of hydrothermal breccia, largely confinedto the zone of feldspar-
destructivealteration, have been distinguished. The more commonvariety is a hydro-
thermal intrusion breccia which is characterizedby the presenceof rounded fragments
and interstitial rock flour, and which gradeslaterally into in situ shatter breccia. The
secondvariety is a hydrothermalreplacementbreccia, in xvhicha jigsaw-like array
of unmovedfragments is cementedby tourmaline, sulfidesand somequartz.
Supergenealteration is little developedat the Los Pelambresdeposit,becauseof its
relatively recent age of emplacementand the effect of intenseglacial erosion. A shal-
low zone of partial leachingis developed,in which oxidized copperminerals are un-
common. Minor supergeneenrichmentis presentfrom surfaceto the base of anhydrite
leaching;belowthis anhydritefront supergeneeffectsare absent.
In the light of recent studies, Los Pelambres would seem to be a typical and
relativelysimpleexampleof a porphyrycopperdeposit,with a genesisthat is reasonably
explicablein terms of an orthomagmaticmodel. The large area occupiedby potassium
silicate alteration, the paucity of hydrothermal brecciation and the dominantly
phaneritictexture of the host intrusive suggestthat erosionhas exposeda fairly deep
level of an upright columnof porphyrycopper-typemineralization.

Introduction Los Pelambres is located in the Andean Cordillera

IN view of the scarcityof publishedinformationon of CoquimboProvince,adjoiningthe frontier with

South Americanporphyrycopperdeposits,a pre- Argentinaat lat 31ø42.5'Sand long 70ø30'W (Fig.
liminaryaccountis presentedhere of the geological 1). Accessfrom the Panamericanhighway via
and hydrothermal alteration characteristicsof the Salamanca(Fig. 1) is largelyon a dirt road, except
recentlyinvestigated
Los Pelambres depositin Chile. for thefinal22 km whichare completed on muleback.
2 RICHARD H. SILLITOE

Significant
mineralization
in thisimmediate region Juan Province,Argentina(United Nations,1970)
of the Andesis not widespread,and is restrictedto (Fig. 1).
the Cu-W-bearingbreccia pipes worked at the The zone of alteration and mineralization at Los
Llamucomine (Sillitoeand Sawkins,1971) and the Pelambresoccupiesan area of 6 x 2.5 kin, and
Cerro 3Aercedario
porphyrycopperprospectin San ranges in altitude from 2,900 to 4,450 m above sea

PERU(.."

[ fI J..J J J)• SALAMANCA

• •CERRO
MERCEDARIO
• EL SALVADOR

I 'OTR[ROS -- / LOSANDES

> I '

FIG.1. Location
of theLosPelambres
deposit
withrespect
to: A. othermajorporphyry
copper
deposits
in Chile,B,
,the
principal
towns,
roads
andcopper
deposits
ofcentral
Chileandadjoining
Arger•t.
ina:
 THE LOS PEL•tMBRES PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT 3

level. 'Vegetation is essentiallyabsent from the to SSW-trendingstructures,the mostimportantof

precipitous cliffs and steeptalus slopeswhichchar- which is shownin Figure 2.
acterize the area, and is restricted to the floor of the Two K-Ar ages of 9.74-----0.16and 9.96-----0.18
Los Pelambresvalley (Fig. 2). Los Pelambresex- m.y. (Quirt et al., 1971; Sillitoe, Quirt, Clark,
periencesa cold, semi-aridclimate,with plentiful Farrar, and Neumann,in prep.) obtainedfor hydro-
sunshineand strongwinds; summersare dry but thermal biotite from two localities within the Los
snowstorms in winter render the area inaccessible Pelambresstockdemonstrate an Upper Mioceneage
from May throughAugust. for alterationand mineralization,and probablyalso
From 1914, when the strikingcolorationzoneat for associatedstock-emplacement.Uplift of the
Los Pelambreswas investigated by William Braden Permo-Triassic core of the anticlinorinm is also
(the initial operator of both the E1 Teniente and thoughtto have occurredat aboutthis time (Vi-
Potrerillosporphyrycopperdeposits in Chile), little cente,1972).
development was undertaken until 1969, when In the Pleistocene,the Los Pelambresarea under-
drillingwas commenced by a United Nationsmin- went severeglacial erosionresultingin the excava-
eral explorationprogram. tion of the U-shapedLos Pelambresvalley which
This description of the geologyand alterationat transectsthe mineralizedstock(Fig. 2). The north-
LosPelambres is basedon surface
mapping at a scale easttributarystreamat the headof the Los Pelam-
of 1: 10,000and the examinationof over 4,000 m of bres valley is incisedinto a glaciallystriatedroche
drill core,aidedby the studyof thin and polished mouton•e, which is the site of some of the highest
sections,and X-ray analysis,of representativegradeore encountered to date. Pleistocene andmore
samples. recenttalus,includingrock glaciers,and alluviumon
the valleyfloorcoversome70 percentof the mapped
GeologicalSetting area ('Fig. 2). The presence
of "stonestripes"on
The host rocks of the mineralized Los Pelambres the higherslopesdemonstrates
the continuingopera-
tion of freeze-thaw action.
stockare chieflysubaerialandesiticlavas, tuffs and
agglomerates. They are assignable,on the basisof
Intrusive Rocks
their stratigraphic positionimmediatelyoverlyinga
regionally prominent horizonof gypsumof Oxfordian The roughly oval Los Pelambresstockpossesses
age (Vicente, 1972), to the Upper Jurassic maximum dimensions of 4.5 x 2.4 km and is oriented
(Kimmeridgian) Rio Damas Formationof Klohn in a north-southdirection (Fig. 2). Where ob-
(1960). In theextremesouthwest of thearearepre- servable,the contactsof the stock are sharp and
sentedin Figure 2, well-bedded,continentallutites, steep,althoughon a large scalethey are rendered
arenitesand andesiticvolcanics conformably overlie irregularby dikesand sills protrudinginto the ad-
the Rio Damas'Formation,and probablybelongto joining wall rocks. No structuraldisturbanceseems
the ColimapuFormation(Klohn, 1960) of Middle to have been inducedby intrusion, which may be
Cretaceousage. considered to havebeena passiveprocess.Evidence
The volcanic-sedimentary formationsin the Los for the operationof assimilationis locallypresent,
Pelambresarea strike approximatelynorth-north- but this processwas obviouslynot an important
westand dip westward;dips steepenfrom 20ø near mechanismof stockintrusionat the presentlevel of
to the frontierwith Argentinato 50-80ø immediately exposure.
west and southof the stock(Figs. 2 and 3) to 20- Extensive hydrothermalalteration of the stock
30ø farther west, indicatinga monoclinalstructure. makes recognitionof the original rock type some-
This interpretation is confirmedby morecomplete ex- what difficult.Nevertheless,microscopicexamination
posures a few km north of Los Pelambres. The of numeroussamples,especiallythose from the
monoclinemay be considered as a subsidiaryflexure southwestsector of the stock, shows the original
on the westernflank of a north-south-trending anti- stockto be a tonalite,with local transitionstoward
clinorium,thecoreof whichis represented by Permo- a tonaliteporphyry. Only one phaseof intrusion
Triassic rhyolites in Argentina, a few km east of has been recognizedwith certaintyto date. The
Los Pelambres(J. C. Vicente,pers.commun.,1971). tonaliteis a phaneritic,hypidiomorphic-granular rock,
Foldingis probablyMiddle to Upper Cretaceous in consistingof approximately40-50% plagioclase
age (Vicente, 1972). The monoclinemay per- (andesine),commonlyzoned,and 15-20% quartz,
hapsbe a surfacereflectionof a major fault in depth, accompanied by lesseramountsof biotiteand horn-
and seems to have controlled the location of the Los blende,and accessory apatite,zirconand sphene.As
Pelambresstock. Faulting in the immediateLos far as canbe determined,magmaticK-feldsparrepre-
Pelambres area is limited to a series of minor SW- sentsconsiderably
lessthan 10% of the rock.
4 RICHARD H. SILLITOE

SECT/ON
LINE
AI

L __ J J
o 0,5 1 KM.

LEGEND

UPPER
MIOCENE HYDROTHERMAL
ALTERATION
J,.•."?.
Aj•p.rox.
o.
ute.
r,timit..
otaounaant bornire
•. Hydrothermal
breccias
(outcrop
on[y]
:•
Potassium
Silicate
•'• Fault observed/inferred
•.I•"•
--]TonaLitc
porphyry
• Sericitic,
Ar9iJLic
/"• Rock contact observed/inferred

•UPPER TonaLitc
JURASSIC-
• SiUcification
/"•, ALteration
•_ observed contact
/ inferred

MIDDLE CRETACEOUS J• Propytitic • Strike,dip

vJ•-•1 VoLcanic
--sedimentary
formations •:'"•' ktaõnetite-Hch
area G) Siteofdrill-hoLe
1 ROCK
OUtCROP
D TALUS,
ALLUVIUM

FIG. 2. Geologyand hydrothermalalterationat Los Pelambres. The inset showsthe distributionof rock outcropsand
talus and alluvium.The approximateouter limit of the area with abundantbornite is basedon data taken from drill cores,
The positions
of 13 adits,mainlyin the eastandsoutheast
of thearea,arenotshown,
 THE LOS PEL.4MBRES PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT 5

.%5oo

&oOO0, •
•.•r-•l
I IW
i i•1
I I I]-.I I •1 l..•l
i i •.•,-T•
I I I I I L•TI
I I I I • • •
•
•'• I• I• • I I•l II L• I I•1 I

•i, IA i i i il[ i- ' '

A •l ,•;r•r•', i•:;t,
2500

3,o00-
• • '4•••
'•4'• iowe•
timit •s ß.ltuvium

metre;
%5
•rizontol stole
Dip %5OO

Fro. 3. A generalizedsectionthroughthe Los Pelambresdeposit,alongline A-A' in Figure 2. Legendand symbolsare

the sameas thosein Figure 2. The positionof the bornite-richnucleusis basedon data taken from the drill holesmarked
and from holes both north and south of the line of section.

An irregulardikeof pale-colored
tonaliteporphyry alterationtypesis presentat Los Pelambres(Figs. 2
outcropssoutheastof the principal stock in the
and 3). A core of potassiumsilicatealteration is
vicinity of the Argentinian frontier (Fig. 2).
surroundedby a roughly annular zone of feldspar-
Porphyry copper-typemineralization at the E1
destructive alteration, comprising sericitic and
Pach6nprospect,on the Argentinianside of the
argillicalterationand silicification,and averaging500
frontier, seems to be associatedwith the south- m in width, which passesoutward into propylitic
eastward continuation of this dike. The dike is alteration. The concentric alteration pattern is
consideredas an upward- and outward-projecting clearlycenteredon the tonalitestock(Figs. 2 and 3).
apophysisof the main stock, to which it is believed Ignoring the dike and its associatedalteration,it can
to be connectedat no great depth. Evidencesup- be appreciatedthat the potassiumsilicatealteration
portingthis suggestion is providedby the elongate is confinedto the stockand its enclosedroof pend-
area of potassiumsilicate-alteredandesiticvolcanics ants. The propyliticfaciesis essentiallyconfinedto
enclosing a restrictedareaof tonaliteporphyryand the surrounding volcanic-sedimentaryformations,
associated igneousintrusionbrecciawhichlies along and the feldspar-destructive alteration occursin an
the projectedstrikeof the dike (Fig. 2). The ton- intermediatezone comprisingthe outermostparts of
alite porphyry possesses phenocrystsof andesine, the stock and its immediately adjacent wall rocks.
quartz and biotite in an aplitic groundmassdom- The southeastwardextension of potassiumsilicate
inatedby plagioclase and quartz. alterationassociatedwith the tonalite porphyry dike
Andesiticroof pendantsand xenolith swarmsare and its postulated underground continuationto the
relativelycommonin the stock,evenin depth. The northwest grades outward into propylitic alteration
partial assimilationof andesiticvolcanicsoccurring without an interveningzone of feldspar-destructive
as roof pendantsor on the contactsof the stockhas alteration (Fig. 2).
resultedin areas of dark, porphyriticrock which The salientfeaturesof eachof the alterationtypes
may be recognized by an abundance of biotitein the will now be brieflyconsidered:
groundmass
and by a great variabilityin composi-
Potassium silicate alteration
tion and texture; all gradationsfrom tonalite to
andesiteare present. The economicallymost importanttype of altera-
tion at Los Pelambresis the potassiumsilicatetype
Hydrothermal Alteration and Mineralization with whichvirtually all the significantcopper-molyb-
denurn mineralization encountered to date is as-
Potassiumsilicate,sericitic,argillicand propylitic
alterationtypes and silicificationhave been recog- sociated. Four hundredand thirty million tons of
nized at Los Pelambres;the definitionof the altera- ore assaying0.8% Cu and0.035% Mo havebeenout-
tion types follows current practice (Meyer and lined largely in the northwesternsectorof the po-
Hemley, 1967; Lowell and Guilbert, 1970). An tassiumsilicate-alteredcore,the only area which has
exceptionallywell-developed
zonaldistributionof the been systematically drilled up to the presenttime
6 RICHARD H. SILLITOE

(Fig. 2) (United Nations, 1971). The delimita- Sulfidesin the potassiumsilicatezone are dom-
tion of the area of potassiumsilicatealteration at inantly chalcopyriteand bornitc,with lesserquanti-
Los Pelambresprovided an effectivemeansof pre- ties of pyrite and subordinatemolybdenite. Pyrite
dictingthe distributionof copper-molybdenum min- is uncommonin the inner part of the potassium
eralization. The zoneof potassiumsilicatealteration silicatecore,exceptas a component of superimposed
was subsequently foundto be closelycoincidentwith sericiticalteration(seelater), but increases
in amount
the area which yieldedanomalouscopperand molyb- toward the contactwith feldspar-destructive altera-
denurn values in both rock and the fine fraction of tion. Sulfides occur in veinlets and on short hair-
talus (Maranzana,1972). line partings,and in additionas disseminations, a
The potassiumsilicate-alteredtonalitc, easilyntis- modeof occurrencewhichpredominates in the center
taken as unaltered on casualexamination,is chiefly of the potassiumsilicatecore. Informationderived
characterizedby the presenceof K-feldspar,locally from drill core indicatesthe presenceof a nucleus
microperthitic,whichmay compriseup to 30% of the characterizedby abundantbornitc within the potas-
altered rock. Hornblende grains are altered to siumsilicate-altered tonalite(Figs. 2 and 3). Bornitc
aggregatesof pale brown biotite flakes. Irregular is essentially absentnearthe bordersof the potassium
patches(on the scaleof a thin section)of an aplitic silicate zone. This bornitc-rich nucleus does not
groundmass,dominatedby quartz and K-feldspar, outcropin its northernpart ('Fig. 3) but extendsto
with subordinate biotite, anhydrite and sulfides, a depthof at least435 m. Bornitclocallycomprises
developedin placesat the expenseof the hypidio- up to 60% of the sulfidein this inner core,and ore
morphic-granularmagmatictexture. This ground- gradesrange from 1.0 to 1.5% Cu. Patchesof
mass has eaten into plagioclasegrains, and when bornite occur within grains of chalcopyrite,and
well developedgivesa porphyriticaspectto the rock. minoramountsof hypogene chalcocite (or djurleite)
Locally, the potassiumsilicate-alteredtonalitc is so and a digenite-type phaseare intergrownwith the
enriched in postmagmaticquartz that it may be bornite.
classifiedas silicificationwithin the feldspar-stable An elongatearea in the northeastof the potassium
environment. Scarce tourmaline, as veinlets and silicatezoneandthe areaof potassium silicate-altered
rosettes,as well as minor sericite,calcite,apatite and andesitc marginal,and to the northwestof, the tona-
chlorite (intergrown with biotite) are also com- litc porphyrydike bothcarry notablequantities of
ponentsof this alterationtype. magnetite(Fig. 2), accompanied by minor specu-
Roof pendantsof andesitcwithin the potassium laritc, as clots, veinlets and disseminations.
silicatezonehave had their originaltexture destroyed Within the northwesternmagnetite-richarea ir-
and are now composedof fine-grainedmosaicsof regular, vuglike bodies,severalmeters across,are
quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase(albite-oligoclase), linedwith crustsof prismaticquartzcrystals,smoky
biotite,anhydrite,sulfides,and minor serfcite,rutile, or amethystincin parts, overlain by anhydrite,
magnetiteand apatite. Original, magmaticplagio- largely hydratedto gypsum (Fig. 4), with some
clasephenocrysts seemto be alteredto plagioclase of pyrite, chalcopyrite,molybdenite,magnetiteand
a more sodiccomposition(commonlyalbite), often tourmaline.
as outgrowthsin optical continuitywith the pheno-
crysts,and K-feldspar. Biotite is especiallyabund- Sericiticandar#illic alteration
ant in theseandesiticroof pendants. As a generalization,feldspar-destructive altera-
A stockworkof short,irregular veinletscontaining tion of tonalitc has resulted in sericitic or argillic
one or more of quartz,chalcopyrite, bornitc,pyrite, alteration,whereasthe productsof feldspar-destruc-
molybdenite, biotite,anhydrite,magnetite,K-feldspar tive alteration of volcanic-sedimentary formations
and tourmaline pervades the potassium silicate- are best classifiedas silicification,despitethe local
altered tonalRe and its enclosed roof pendants. presence of sericite. Sericiticand argillicalteration
Alteration envelopesare absentfrom theseveinlets. havenot beenseparatedon Figure 2 sincethey are
Quartz veinlets,with or withoutK-feldspar,biotite, transitional and intimately associated.
anhydrite or magnetite commonlycarry sulfides. In partsof the haloof feldspar-destructive altera-
Crystallineanhydriteas a filling to veinletspossessestion where sericiticalterationis pervasive,as for
a characteristiclavendercolor. Quartz-biotite vein- instancein the northwest sector of the area, the tona-
lets are generally earlier than veinlets carrying litc is transformed to a mosaicof quartzand sericite
quartz alone. Uncommon bornite-chalcopyrite-grainsaveraging0.05 mm in diameter;magmatic
quartz-anhydriteveinlets with selvagesof sericite, quartz grains remain and some have undergone
chlorite,calcite,epidoteand anhydriteare tentatively marginalcorrosion.Patches,
veinletsandrosettesof
ascribedto a late stageof potassiumsilicatealtera- tourmalineare widespread and chloriteand epidote
tion. were observedlocally. The abundance of gypsum
 THE LOS PELAMBRES PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT 7

in andesiticrocks, and are tentativelyattributedto

at surface in the sericitic alteration zone in the north-
west of the area suggeststhe existenceof anhydrite pre-alterationthermaleffectsof a regionaltype.
in depth. The sericitic-alteredtonalite carrieslarge
amounts of disseminatedand veinlet pyrite, ac- Hydrothermal Breccias
companiedby subordinatechalcopyrite. The chalco- Hydrothermal brecciasare quantitativelyunim-
pyrite contentis too low to. attain ore grade, except portant at Los Pelambresand are mainly locatedin
perhapslocallyin a very narrow fringe at the con- the southernpart of the area (Fig. 2). Two
tact with the potassiumsilicatealteration. Molyb- varietiesof brecciawere distinguished.
deniteoccursin the sericiticzone,usuallyin veinlets, The more widespreadvariety of breccia,and for
and specularitewas observedparticularly in the reasonsof scalethe only one markedon Figure 2,
northeast and northwest of the area.
may be classifiedas hydrothermalintrusionbreccia,
Argillic alterationis characterized
by the partial or utilizing the terminologyof Bryner (1968). The
completereplacementof plagioclasegrains by fine bodies of breccia do not exceed 200 m in maximum
aggregatesof kaolinitc and sericite,and by the re- diameter,appearto be nearlyvertical,and consistof
tention of the magmatic texture. Argillic-altered angular to completelyroundedfragmentsof the host
areas are criss-crossed by quartz-sericiteveinlets, rock, either tonalite or andesitic volcanics; exotic
which increase in number as sericitic alteration is
fragmentshave not beenrecognized. All gradations
approached.As in the sericiticalteration,pyrite is seem to exist in these breccia bodies between the
abundant.
in situ shatteredrock (sometimestermed shatteror
In the potassiumsilicatezone,veinletsand patches cracklebreccia) so commonin the zone of feldspar-
of sericitic alteration are superimposedon earlier destructivealteration,and pebblebrecciasand dikes
(at any one place) feldspar-stable alteration,and composedof rounded fragments cementedby a
are notably more abundantas the sericiticzone is matrix of powdered rock. The fragments in the
neared. Quartz-sericite-anhydrite-pyrite veinlets breccia bodies are generally silicified or sericitic
boundedby quartz-sericite envelopes are widespread; altered,althoughin the two northernmost('Fig. 2)
someveinletscarry apatite,and one occurrence of many of the larger fragmentsstill retain potassium
sphalerite was noted. The occurrenceof these silicatealteration. Limonite,probablyderivedfrom
veinletsconfirmsanhydriteas a component of serici- pyrite, and tourmalineare presentbetweenfragments
tic alteration(Meyer andHemley,1967). in somebodies. A spatial associationof severalof
Silicification the hydrothermal intrusion breccias in andesitic
volcanics with small dikes of tonalite has been ob-
Silicificationwas producedat Los Pelambresby served.
the feldspar-destructive alteration of volcanic-sedi- The secondvariety of brecciarecognizedat Los
mentaryformationsandmaybe gradational to serici- Pelambresis conjecturedto be a product of in situ
tic, argillicor propyliticalterationtypes.Microscopic replacementof rock, and is perhaps akin to the
examination of silicified rock typically reveals a chemical breccias recently describedby Sawkins
mosaic of fine-grained quartz, with subordinate (1969). It is commonestin the northwestof the
amounts of sericite, kaolinite, chlorite and plagio- area in sericitic and silicified zones but also occurs in
clase (albite, at least in parts). The occasional the eastern sector of the potassiumsilicate-altered
presenceof biotitepresumablyindicatesa transition tonalitc. Hydrothermalreplacement brecciatypically
to potassiumsilicatealteration. iVyriteis the only consistsof a jigsaw-likeassemblage of angularfrag-
significantsulfide. ments tightly cementedby tourmaline,pyrite and
Propylitic alteration
some quartz. The breccia generally exists as ir-
regular, veinlike masses,and less intense replace-
A broadhaloof propyliticalterationrepresentsthe ment is representedby a network of tourmaline
outermosteffectsof hydrothermalalteration at Los veinlets in the rock.
iVelambres. Chlorite is the diagnosticmineral, as-
sociatedwith epidote,calcite and pyrite. In re- SupergeneAlteration
strictedparts of the propyliticzone,magnetite(Fig. The process of supergenealteration has been
2) and speculariteabound. At a locality in the relativelyunimportantat Los iVelambres
compared
northeastof the area, propylitic-altered
andesitesare with manyporphyrycopperdepositsin the western
cut by a 10-cm-wideveinletof freshpyrite, gypsum Americas.
and crystallinenative sulfur,apparentlyof hypogene Oxidation,represented
by partial leachingof sul-
origin. In the marginalpartsof the area represented fides, normally extendsdownward to 40-70 m, al-
in Figure 2, nodulesof epidoteincreasein abundance thoughdepthsof as little as 6 m on the floor of the
8 RICH,4RD H. S1LL1TOE

still remains. In someof the large massesof gypsum

found in the magnetite-rich tonalite (see above),
remanent cores of unaltered, lavender-coloredanhy-
drite have beenpreservedbecauseof the insulating
effectof the enclosing
gypsum(Fig. 4). At a depth
belowsurfacerangingfrom 140 to 250 m a remark-
ablyabruptcontactoccursbetween"tight" anhydrite-
bearingrockandthe porousrockfree from anhydrite
which extendsto surface;this anhydritefront is the
downwardlimit of phreaticcirculation.
Minor supergenesulfideenrichmentis observable
from surfaceto the anhydrite front, beneathwhich
supergeneeffectsare apparentlyentirely absent.En-
richmenttakes the form of thin films of coppersul-
fides,mainly chalcociteor djurleite, on chalcopyrite
and bornite grains; it is nearly absentfrom pyrite
grains. The superimposition of oxidation on the
coppersulfidefilmsof enrichmentorigin hasresulted
in the formationof flamesand patchesof normaland
blaubleibender covellite (Sillitoe and Clark, 1969).
The paucity of supergeneenrichment at Los
Pelambresmay be attributedto two causes:First,
the deposit was emplacedin the Upper Miocene,
when the major zones of enrichmentin Chile had
alreadybeenformed (Sillitoe et al., 1968). Second
much of the probablyminor amountsof enriched
ore of post-Mioceneage was eroded during the
Pleistoceneglaciation.
Leaching of sulfidesand anhydrite from the ore
body in post-Pleistocene times has producedthe
Fro. 4. Lavender-coloredanhydrite partially hydrated to
•vhite gypsum, from vuglike masses in the northeast sector limonite and gypsumwhich locally cementgravels
of the potassium silicate-altered tonalite. Note the in- and alluvium in the Los Pelambresvalley. A re-
heritanceof anhydrite cleavageby the replacive gypsum. strictedoutcropof talus in the southeastof the area
is cementedby chrysocolla,presumablyprecipitated
Los Pelambresvalley and as great as 100 m have from solutionsderived from the oxidation of nearby
been recorded. Completeleachingmay locally ex- potassiumsilicate-alteredandesites.
tend downward from surface for a few meters, but
Discussion
sulfidesare normallyvisiblein outcrop. Only minor
amountsof oxidizedcoppermineralsare presentin In the light of recent compilationsof patterns of
the zone of partial oxidation;malachiteis the most alteration-mineralization zoningin porphyryore de-
commonmineral, althoughazurite, chrysocolla,chal- posits (Lowell and Guilbert, 1970; Rose, 1970), it
canthite,brochantiteand pseudomalachite have been canbe concludedthat Los Pelambresis botha typical
identified,mainly in the easternsectorof the potas- and a very simpleporphyrycopperdeposit.
sium silicate zone. Limonite is common at surface, The extreme relief in the region of Los Pelambres
a jarosite componentbeing widespreadover pyrite- gives rise to the exposureof alteration and min-
rich, feldspar-destructive alterationtypes. Leaching eralization over a vertical interval of 1,450 m, and
has not usually been sufficientlyintenseto remove sulfide mineralizationin the main stock, excluding
all molybdenitefrom outcrop,althoughpartial oxida- the lateral dike, is known over a vertical distanceof
tion has resulted in the formation of coatings of 1,100 m. It can also be appreciatedthat the zone
ferrimolybdite. Partial martitization of magnetite of feldspar-destructive alteration is situatednot only
may also be attributed to the effects of supergene peripheralto but also in part at a higher level than
oxidation. the potassiumsilicate-altered core. The exhumingof
An almostcompleteleachingof anhydritehas oc- this core was probablylargely due to incisionof the
curred in the surfacezone (Fig. 3), exceptfor iso- U-shaped Los Pelambresvalley in the Pleistocene.
lated areas where gypsum producedby hydration These relations are in accord with the considerable
 THE LOS PEL.4MBRES PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT 9

verticalextension,perhapsof the order of 3,000 m, posurein thisarea,sominimizing

lateralmixingwith
of porphyry copper deposits,as determinedfrom ground waters.
studiesat San Manuel-Kalamazoo, Arizona (Lowell The abundanceof quartz in both feldspar-stable
and Guilbert, 1970). and -destructivealteration types suggeststhat the
At Los Pelambres,the large area occupiedby the activityof silicain solutionwashigh, and its precipi-
tation, most marked in the zone of silicification,was
zoneof potassiumsilicatealteration,the dominantly
phaneritic texture of the intrusive rocks, and the
probablydue to cooling.
subordinater61e of hydrothermal brecciasall sug- Expulsionof hydrothermalfluidsthroughthe zone
gest that erosionhas exposeda relatively deep level
of feldspar-destructive
alteration,and their probable
of a vertical,columnarporphyrycoppersystem,oœ mixing with meteoricwaters,gave rise to a shatter
thekindenvisaged
by LowellandGuilbert(1970). (crackle) brecciationof the rock, and to bodiesof
The orthomagmaticmodel of porphyry copper hydrothermalintrusion breccia marking points of
genesissupportedby Lowell and Guilbert (1970) more forcefulreleaseof fluidsin the southernpart of
seemsto offer a plausibleexplanationfor the origin the area.
of the Los Pelambresdeposit. According to this
type of model, a body of magma of tonalitic com- Acknowledgments
position becamesaturatedwith aqueousfluids as it
Initial reconnaissancemappingat Los Pelambres
intrudedtowardthe surfacezone,ascentceasingwith
the commencement of crystallizationof an outer shell. was undertakenunder the auspicesof the Instituto
de Investigaciones
GeolGgicasof Chilein the company
Continuedaccumulation of fluidsnear the top of the
of Sr. I•I. NeumannJ., whoseassistance is gratefully
partially liquid core of the stockeventuallyresulted
acknowledged. Most of the work was completed
in their expulsion,and the concomitantsolidification
whilethe writer wasengagedby the United Nations,
of all remainingmagma,apparentlyrelativelyslowly New York as a technical consultant with the Chile-28
judging by the dominantlyphaneritictexture of the
tonalite. Project (United Nations-ENAMI).
The ruglike bodiesof coarsequartz,anhydriteand Thanks are due to Mr. J. Carman, Technical
other minerals in the magnetite-richpart of the Adviserof United Nations,New York for permission
potassium silicate-altered tonalite are apparently to publishthis paper; to Mr. D. P. Robertson,Pro-
similar to the pegmatitemasses,also in areas en- ject Manager, and Sr. L. Kaiser, 'Mr. F. Maranzana,
richedin magnetite,at Ajo, Arizona (Gilluly, 1946). Mr. J. R. Mowat, Mr. D. G. W. Norris, Project
They may representincipientpegmatiticcrystalliza- personnel,for their assistanceand support;to Mr.
tion from aqueousfluids which accumulatednear the J. C. Vicente for discussions; and to Norris for
roof of the Los Pelambresstockprior to their re- readingthe manuscript.
lease,in agreementwith the abovepostulatethat the The paper was completedwith the supportof a
expulsionof fluidswas slow. Shell postdoctoralresearchfellowshipat the Royal
The formationof potassiumsilicatealterationwas, Schoolof Mines, Imperial College,London.
with the exceptionof that associatedwith the tonalite DEPARTMENT OF MINING GEOLOGY
porphyry dike, confinedto the core of the Los ROYALSCHOOLOFMINES, IMPERIAL COLLEGE
Pelambres stock, and probably commencedonce PRXNCE CONSORT ROAD
aqueousfluids had cooledbelow the solidustempera- LONDON,S.W.7, ENGLAND
ture of the magma. Toward the margins of the June18, July 25,.1972
stock,potassiumsilicatealterationgaveway abruptly
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10 RICH.4RD H. SILLITOE

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