Variations on a theme of porphyry deposits:

Advanced argillic tops, roots to high-sulfidation systems

Jeffrey W. Hedenquist

Ottawa, Canada

Newmont: 2005

Porphyry Cu-Au deposits:

Intrusion centered
K-silicate, later sericite alteration, zoning
Qtz-vein stockwork,
stockwork, zoned Cu sulfides
Timing of metals?
Many (most?) related to a volcanic edifice
Some associated with epithermal Au deposits

- insight from active volcanoes?

- zoning of alteration and sulfide minerals
- porphyry Cu ± Au deposits
- relation to HS Cu-Au deposits
- Au-rich porphyries

1
Mt. Pinatubo, Philippines: 1991
Cataclysmic eruption: 9 hrs, 4 km3 d.r.e.

Sakurajima,
Sakurajima, Japan
Quiescent eruption

2
Satsuma Iwojima,
Iwojima, Japan
Passive degassing

Werner Giggenbach,
Giggenbach,
geochemist, 1937-1997

Condensation of magmatic
vapor with HCl and SO2
generates acidic (pH ~1)
waters, causes leaching of
rocks to leave residual silica:
re-xstal to vuggy quartz or
silicic rock

View: “rhyolite”
rhyolite”, 99.9% SiO2,
i.e. lithocap now forming

3
Satsuma White Pinatubo?
Iwojima Island

(metals?)

4
 ORE

Cooling

Critical type

Redmond
et al., 2003

Metals Ullrich et al., 1999

Grasberg
porphyry
Concentration in vapor, ppm

Cu-Au

laser ablation
ICP-MS analysis

Concentration in hypersaline liquid, ppm

5
 Ullrich et al., 1999

Grasberg
porphyry
Concentration in vapor, ppm

Cu-Au

Concentration in hypersaline liquid, ppm

Deposition
Bingham Canyon porphyry: detailed mapping/petrography

Redmond et al., 2004

Quartz veins Expanded view B-S electron Cathodoluminescence

6
 Bingham Canyon porphyry: detailed mapping/petrography
P and/or T cycling:
cycling: Redmond et al., 2004
sulfide deposition by T decrease

B-S electron
Lithostatic to hydrostatic P,
ductile - brittle, qtz precip.
Cooling (or P increase),
qtz dissolution

Cathodoluminescence

S (and metals) Miyakejima,

Miyakejima, Japan:
Basaltic eruption, 2000-
S from a magma source 2003, 18 Mt S

Kazahaya et al., 2004

modified from Hattori & Keith, 2001

7
Sources
Mt. Pinatubo: incursion of oxidized mafic magmas, S, metals?

dacite melt intruded by mafic magma, dacite has late sulfide added
S source (mafic >20x felsic S solubility) from oxidized mafic magma
basaltic
fragments

Hattori &
Keith, 2001
de Hoog et
al., 2004

“Typical”
Typical” porphyry stages

Early:
Early: High T magmatic
• Hypersaline liquid + vapor
• Potassic + adv. arg.
arg. lithocap
• Wavy qtz veins (ductile)
• Metal sulfides (?)

8
“Typical”
Typical” porphyry stages

Early: High T magmatic

• Hypersaline liquid + vapor
• Potassic + adv. arg. lithocap
• Wavy qtz veins (ductile)
• Metal sulfides (?)
Intermediate:
Intermediate: Lower T magmatic
• Moderate to low salinity
• Phyllic (chl.,
chl., musc.,
musc., “sericite”
sericite”)
• Straight qtz veins (brittle)
• Metal sulfides (remobilized?)

“Typical”
Typical” porphyry stages

Early: High T magmatic

• Hypersaline liquid + vapor
• Potassic + adv. arg. lithocap
• Wavy qtz veins (ductile)
• Metal sulfides (?)
Intermediate: Lower T magmatic
• Moderate to low salinity
• Phyllic (musc., chl, “sericite”)
• Straight qtz veins (brittle)
• Metal sulfides (remobilized?)

Late: Meteoric water collapse

• Dilute salinity
• Argillic overprint

9
 (early lithocap, barren)

structural root to lithocap

(metals during sericite stage)

10
 Two origins of adv
argillic assemblages:
(Watanabe and Hedenquist,
2001)

• 1) Vapor condensation
(“lithocap”
lithocap” environ
and roots, alunite-rich)
• 2) Simple cooling
(particularly of sericite 2
stable fluid)
• Deep K/H (magma?) 1
determines abundance
of andalusite (± topaz)
• Cooling also drives fluid
to higher sulfidation
state

Einaudi, Hedenquist and Inan, 2003

Porphyry to
epithermal continua:
sulfide zoning in
porphyry systems

fer
buf
ck
Ro

11
 pyroph
kaol-dick
ser-
kaol
ser-
kaol
Main
Stage
QSP

Butte: 1890-1960
326 Mt ore, 7.3 Mt Cu, av 2.25% Cu, 0.24 g Au
- to 1972, 452 Mt, 2.02%
Horsetails: 3 yrs, 2.6 Mt, 3.11% Cu, 10-60 x
100s m, 600-1000 m deep

R. Sales, C. Meyer, J. Proffett,

compiled by M. Einaudi

El Salvador, to SE, c. late 1950s

pyrophyllite

sericite

Damiana exotic

12
Watanabe and
Hedenquist, 2001

13
 Watanabe and
Hedenquist, 2001

N S

pyrophyllite

muscovite
and.

M. Einaudi, unpub, after

Gustafson and Hunt, 1975

14
El Salvador, looking ~SE

pyrophyllite alunite “lithocap” (late)

Watanabe and
Hedenquist, 2001

15
 Watanabe and
Hedenquist, 2001

Temporal and spatial

zoning of alteration and
sulfide minerals

Two origins of adv

argillic assemblages at
El Salvador:
• Sericite ± andalusite to
pyrophyllite ± dick (kaol
(kaol))
• Simple cooling of
sericite stable fluid
• Cooling also drives fluid
to higher sulfidation state
• “Pebble dikes”
dikes” - hyd bx
• Late vapor condensation
(“lithocap”
lithocap” environ and
roots, alunite-rich, also
w/ pyrophyllite)

Watanabe and
Hedenquist, 2001

16
 ikes
ebble d
P

(andal)
ition
transoph, Sericite
r
py ck
di overprint

Watanabe and Hedenquist, 2001

paleosurface?
early qtz-alun
lithocap??

late Q-A
retrograde
pyroph

2M1
Damiana exotic

17
 MOST REACTIVE
py-cp-sl
tn-sl py + bn Butte,
cv py Main Stage,
cp tn en (Proffett, 1979)
py-bn- dg +
cp-tn
cv bn sl
sl py + bn cp
cp py-cp-bn
WALL-ROCK
en cp py-cp

py
mt-

py
cp
BUFFER

py
mt-rt
rt-(hm)

mt
-(hm)
tn

mt
+rt
mt
hmpy-mt mt-bn
El Salvador t + -(hm) mt
-cp il mt-il

Early & m
Late Stages + bn mt-il
(Gustafson and Hunt, 1975)

WALL-ROCK BUFFER

Einaudi, Hedenquist and Inan, 2003

Porphyry to
epithermal continua

fer
buf
ck
Ro

18
Porphyry Assemblages I
"Early", higher temp "Late", lower temp
no pyrite pyrite
Batu Hijau bn-cp, cp- py-cp-hm
mt mt-dg-bn
py, cp-hm py-bn
Panguna mt-dg-bn cp-py py-(cp)-hm
mt
py
Endeavour 26N mt mt-dg-bn bn-cp cp-py
cp-mt,
Yerington Mine mt-dg-bn cp-bn, cp py-cp-(hm)
cp-py
Island Copper mt mt-bn-cp py-cp-(hm)

Bajo Alumbrera mt mt-bn-cp py-cp-hm py-cp

Christmas mt-bn-cp (mt)-cp-py

Dos Pobres mt-bn-cp bn-cp cp-py

py, en, tn,

Rosario mt-bn-cp py-cp-(bn)
cv, bn
Los Pelambres mt-bn-cp bn-cp py-cp

mg + bnss, mg + bn + cp
dominant ore
assemblage Einaudi et al., 2003

Porphyry Assemblages II
‘Early’, higher temp ‘Late’, lower temp
no pyrite pyrite
py-en,
Bingham (bn-cp) dg-bn-cp bn-cp py-cp-(tn)
py-bn
py, cv, dg,
Chuquicamata dg-bn-(cp) (dg-bn)-cp mt-cp
en, cp
Potrerillos (mt)-bn-cp bn-cp cp-py py-cp-tn
mt-bn-cp py-cp-bn,
El Salvador bn-cp py, tn, en
mt-cp-py py-bn
(bn)-cp
Gibraltar (mt-bn-cp) cp-py py-cp
cp-py
(bn)-cp cp-py
Sungun
cp-py
bn-cp, py-hm-(cp)
Ann Mason cp bn-cp
cp-py (SC)

Silver Bell cp cp-py py

Sierrita-Esperanza cp-py cp-py (C) py-cp

Butte mt-cp-py mt-cp-py (SC) py, cv, dg,

(EDM) py-cp (S) bn, cp, en

bnss + cp, cp + py
dominant ore assemblage

19
 Porphyry-related Base Metal Veins:
central or deep distal or shallow
Butte py, cc, en, py, bn, cc py, cp, tn,
P sl, py, gl Cu
Main Stage cv en, sl rel (bn), sl rel
py, cp, bn, (en) py-cp-bn-(en) early tn
Chuqui P py, dg, cv, en py, dg, cv, (en) late
Cu
py-cp-(tn), py-bn-(en), cp, cp-py py
Rosario P cc-dg-cv Cu

HS Epithermal Gold:
Early paragenetic sequence Late
py-en-lz py-cp-tn-
Lepanto P Au-sl-gl
late (cv) Cu, Au
py-sl-gn- Au,
El Indio py-en-tn
(tn-cp-Au) AuCuTell
Au
La py-tn-cp- py-tn-en, fm, py, en, fm, Au
Mexicana P Au-(sl) Au, (sl, cp) AuTe, Au, cv
cp-tn- cv-lz-en,
Summitville P Au, sl, py
barite-Au Au
(py, sl)
over
porphyry

dominant ore assemblage

Quiruvilca,
Quiruvilca, Peru:
Zoned IS bms vein system
Prod. 1987, 8 Mt: Reserves 5.8%
inner stib Calipuy Fm
Zn, 2.0% Pb, 2.8% Cu, 230 g/t Ag

1 km

outer tn-td

outer en

Alto Chicama
Bartos (1987) ~5 km east

20
 A multitude of evolutionary paths:
Fluid vs. wallrock control,
cooling, boiling, other processes
determines deposit style?

Einaudi, Hedenquist,
Inan, 2003

Schematic relations: HS and IS epithermal deposits, with affiliation

to porphyry systems (obviously too simple!)

Sillitoe and Hedenquist, 2003

21
 Surface projections:
Lepanto,
Far Southeast
and Victoria

From Palidan slide

22
23
Arribas et al., 1995; Sajona et al., 2001, Claveria, 2001, Hedenquist et al., 2001

Lepanto cross section:

Note syn-hydrothermal fault

offset, creating enargite-
cemented breccia body

Fresh Qtz-alun Vuggy

dacite halo qtz ore

24
 Lepanto, lithocap outcrop, to NNW

To SE

Spanish workings:
outcrop of Lepanto
vein, adv arg halo

inset: massive silicic with

luzonite-enargite

25
Low T

Inter. T

High T

26
Early convecting magma,
rapid crystallization =

high rate of fluid advection,

fluid intersects its solvus

High-temperature, ductile
conditions at shallow depth

Brine forms deep potassic zone,

vapor separates from brine and
discharges through ductile
zone: portion condenses to acid
fluid, creating lithocap

Shinohara & Hedenquist, 1997

Later stagnant magma,

slow crystallization =

low rate of fluid advection, and

fluid does not intersect solvus

Lower temperature, brittle

conditions at shallow depth

Creation of the sericite stage

Shinohara & Hedenquist, 1997

27
Early magmatic fluid =
rapid ascent, hot

Late magmatic fluid =

slower ascent, cooler,

so late fluid does not

intersect solvus,
solvus,
i.e., no brine and vapor

This process should be the

normal progression of
exsolving magma chambers

But note evidence for high

metal content (Cu, Au, As) in
“vapors”
vapors” (cf
(cf.. Heinrich et al.)

Hedenquist et al., 1998

Sericite stage still

magmatic
dominant, and can
be related to ore

Hedenquist &
Richards, 1998

28
Porphyries, zoned base-metal veins, HS epithermal: Continua
o
2 100 T (C) 300 500 800
on
en sati
d
-2 ur con
Sulf +p
o
q z
- Cu t+ ali t e

s
v ein
-6 ph yr y m
P or

al
f ay

erm

etal
epith
cv

e-m

po
-10 dg

n
HS

ir o
+b
n ba s
-14
py cp
y
+ p py
o

t
+p

-18
hm m po
lo

3.0 2.0 1000/T (K) 1.0

Active and extinct systems: confidence in analogues

oo
2 2 100
100 TT(C)
(C) 300
300 500500 800 800
arcarc
ti on
ti on magmas
magmas
n a
sn sa
e
dd e
-2 -2 f ur
u r cnon
co
l
SSuul f
s

tntn r y - Cu oF U M ARO LES LES

v ein

-6 -6 r ph y + p + poF U M ARO
al

PAo
L z
q zt e e
v
erm

ccv g OT H E RM t + t +aqli li t
etal

m ma y a
dd gD R
epith

f ay f
ir p o

HY
-10-10
e-m

oo
p

C
i n

ATI
n
HS

GM
ro

A
ba s

M
n
-14 +bnb
-14 +
py p
py cpc
y o
+pyp p
po
oo

-18 +
+p+p

t
-18 hm mt
l ol o

hm m
3.0 2.0 1000/T (K) 1.0
3.0 2.0 1000/T (K) 1.0

29
Schematic relations: HS and IS epithermal deposits,
with roots to porphyry systems, exception, or the rule?
Sillitoe and Hedenquist, 2003

Gold-rich porphyry and HS deposits, Maricunga district, Chile

30
 69 o
MARICUNGA
BELT
Geology

La Coipa
0 30 Km
27 o
N

Marte
Lobo

La Pepa
Quaternary
Deposits
Pliocene
Refugio Volcanics
Late Oligocene-
Miocene Volcanics
Mesozoic-
Aldebaran Early Tertiary
Paleozoic-
Triassic Basem ent
Alteration Zone Muntean and
28 o
Normal Fault Reverse Fault Einaudi,
Einaudi, 2001

Marte Au-rich porphyry,

Maricunga, Chile

Sillitoe, 1994

31
 10

Porphyry Copper-G old Deposits

Casale Hil l

Lobo
0.1
Pancho
Porphyry Gold Deposits Marte

of the Maricunga Belt

Verde

0.01
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10
Gold (ppm) Muntean and
Einaudi,
Einaudi, 2001

Co. Catedral

Co. Casale

32
J. Muntean, 1997

Alun, 13.5
± 0.5 Ma

5100 m, atop lithocap,

lithocap, looking east to top of porphyry at 4400 m

33
 Schematic section of
“typical”
typical” porphyry Cu
system

Link porphyry to
epithermal environment

Ubiquitous advanced argillic

“lithocap”
lithocap” (acid-altered lithologic
unit due to vapor condensate):
may host HS epithermal ores

However, cooling of ascending

liquid also forms advanced
argillic minerals (pyrophyllite +
dickite overprint)

Control(s) on Cu/Au ratio? J. Muntean, 1997

• Depth of intrusion
emplacement
• Crystallization path
• Tectonic setting
• Nature of basement

34
 Muntean and
Einaudi, 2001

Phase
Relationships
in the NaCl-
H2O System
• ~0.2-1.5 km depth
for banded veinlets
(hydrostatic pressure)
• Banded veinlets
form by “flashing” of
A veinlet-forming fluid
during pressure drop
• Sulfur lost to vapor
phase, inhibiting
formation of Cu-
sulfides
Muntean and Einaudi, 2001

35
Phase
Relationships
in the NaCl-
H2O System
• D veins and ore-
bearing quartz-alunite
ledges form after
collapse of isotherms
and change to brittle,
hydrostatic conditions
• Supercritical fluid
needs to cool below
its critical
temperature without
entering the G+L field
Muntean and Einaudi, 2001

Time-Space Diagram – Typical Maricunga System

Early Mineralization Late Mineralization
Early Barr en Quartz-Alunite Ledges Sector Collapse?
0 Ore-B earing
Magmatic Q uartz -Alunite
Vapor Le dg es

Met eoric Banded

Water Quartz
Veinlets

1 ?

Magmatic
Brin e

2
D V eins

F aulting
3
? ? ? ?

Supercritical
Magma Magmatic
Flui d

4
0 Approximate Time Range (m.y.) 1
Muntean and Einaudi,
Einaudi, 2001

36