Genetic Implications Description

TCL/FRG Code BRECCIA NAME S. Meldrum Code S. Meldrum Desc.

Photo Example 1 Photo Example 2 Photo Example 3 Photo Example 4
Tectonic Breccia A fractured rock…but the space can be important for
mineralization
Polymict with gouge
of clay and ground
XBO/xbo Fault "BX1" BXt
rock; 10-100%
matrix

Tectonic Breccia A fractured rock…but the space can be important for BXc
BXj
mineralization

xbk Crackle BXc

Tectonic Breccia A fractured rock…but the space can be important for

mineralization

xbj Jigsaw BXj Jigsaw Breccia

Matrix is derived directly from the hydrothermal fluid. Hydrothermal fluids Angular-rounded clasts polymict; 10-80% clasts; possibly with
are hot and energetic so in most instances the clasts are altered by the reaction rims + hydrothermal cement such as quartz-alunite-
fluids, worked (rounded) and mixed (polymict). Qtz and sulfides are the sulfide etc.
xbh/XBH Hydrothermal "BX6"; BXh most common matrix components, but others may include iron oxides,
coarse xlline alunite or other mineral aggregates.

Phreatic Breccia (Facies 4); Use the term "phreatic breccia" as a bucket Phreatic breccias are large and complex steam driven breccia
term for large and complex steam driven breccia bodies, within which we bodies driven by hydrothermal gasses and fluids. General term
can recognise a series of phreatic breccia facies. for body within which we can recognise a series of phreatic
Mono or Polymict;
XBW/xbw Phreatic "BX3", BXrc, BXp, "BX5" breccia facies. Rock flour clastic; finely ground rock/mineral
rounded or angular
grains +/- hydrothermal cement; cuts siliceous pseudo
breccia (barren silica shoulder material)

Phreatic Breccia (Facies 3); Explosive bx related to explosive – ‘dacitic’ BX4 - silica-alunite cement; BX14 - silica-pyrite cement; BXn4 -
magmas; typically qtz dior unlike more ‘mafic’ style porphyries that are clay cement' well sorted matrix-dominant breccia with small
Mono or Polymict;
more likely to produce Cu; Baba Dagi – Mo+/- Cu porph. Breccia - grey silica clasts, rock flour matrix
well-sorted rounded
xbp Phreatomagmatic "BX4" BXg phreatomagmatic. A range of clast shapes / sizes in a single outcrop
to angular; 20-80%
might relate to a phreatic breccia body.
matrix

Phreatic Breccia (Facies 1) Late stage, fg breccias, typically narrow Rock flour matrix breccias; late fluidised (degassing) dyke-like
Almost no clasts; fg dyke-like bodies with irregular margins; often relate spatially to features (and sometimes used for broad alunitized veins.
rock/mineral grains reactivated structures cutting larger (phreatic) breccia bodies. Developed Comprised of uniform small qtz or qtz alunite grains (BXr)
xbm Rock Flour "BX2", BXr, with hydrothermal quite deep in system and may grade into friable and often leached perhaps with grade bedding or soft sediment deformation
cement; 90-100% granular silica altered structures at higher levels. looking textures, sharp boundaries; can have a significant
matrix percentage of lithic clasts (in which case I typically label BXrf).

Formed by highly acidic fluids draining back through the

system as it cools. The percolating fluids leach the alunite out
of qz-al-clay facies altered zones, resulting in a significant
Leached Breccia;
xbc Collapse "BX7" volume reduction and developed ‘chaotic collapse’ breccias. in
Collapsed Breccia
some cases and broad zones of silica. Matrix may stratified.

Large masses of intense silica alt'n with apparent bx textures in some

instances. Flat-lying tabular bodies; develop as caps to altered porphyry
Barren Silica bodies. The appearance relates to alteration rather than real brecciation.
xbs Pseudo "BX8" Shoulder – BSL The BX8 textures are developed when the rock is altered to clays.
pseudo breccias

It can be assumed that the silica predates the epithermal (i.e

phreatic events). Most outcrops in the field relate to these BSL
Barren Silica lithologies.
bsl Barren Silica Shoulder "BX9" Shoulder – BSL
pseudo breccias

Silicic domes and dykes, common around the margins of domes, Breccias with an igneous matrix; at Agi Dagi
crystalline magmatic matrix, a crowding of quartz eyes can be an the igneous matrix is often characterized by a
indicator of a rock composition contrast between dykes and wall conspicuous quartz eyes (but not always).
Intrusion/Igneous
XBI/xbi Intrusion BXi rocks, often in the case of dykes these coincide with BXh & BXf etc.
Breccias

Breccia - undifferentiated May be siliceous pseudobreccia clasts in a hydrothermal

breccia matrix, such as "Barren Silica Shoulder" rock.

XBX/xbx Undifferentiated BX

A STAND-ALONE
MONOLITHIC OR
CLAST SHAPE

POLYLITHIC?

LITHOLOGY?
INTERCLAST

INTERCLAST

COMMENTS
MATRIX OR

MATERIAL

MATERIAL
CEMENT?

% RANGE
TYPICAL

AD and KD BRECCIA
CLASSIFICATION

A type of hydrothermal breccia

CRACKLE BRECCIA C silica, alunite, dickite/pyrophyllite 2-10% an ML NO

xbk pyrite/Fe oxide

A type of hydrothermal breccia
JIGSAW BRECCIA C silica, alunite, dickite/pyrophyllite 10-20% an ML NO

xbj pyrite/Fe oxide

These breccias are often later and can carry mineralization. It can be
HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIA C silica, alunite, dickite/pyrophyllite 10-80% low-energy an low-energy ML NO/YES
considered a lithology if polymictic and/or matrix is abundant.
xbh (XBH) pyrite/Fe oxide high-energy ro high-energy PL
The rockflour matrix may not be recognizable due to an alteration
PHREATIC BRECCIA M rockflour, rock chips, 20-80% an to ro PL YES
overprint eg. of silica-alunite
xbw (XBW) broken crystals
The rockflour matrix may not be recognizable due to an alteration
HREATOMAGMATIC BRECCIA M rockflour, magmatic material 20-80% an to ro PL YES
overprint eg. of silica-alunite
xbp (XBW)
Often occur as narrow dyke-like structures within larger phreatic bodies
ROCKFLOUR BRECCIA M rockflour! 90-100% an to ro PL YES
Often have an alteration overprint, eg. alunite
xbm (XBW)
The matrix (alunite?) has been leached out leaving granular silica
COLLAPSE BRECCIA none none none an ML/PL NO
or clay-silica which often collapses to form rubble
xbs
Patchy quartz-alunite alteration; silica after alunite?
PSEUDO-BRECCIA alteration alunite 10-80% ir ML/PL NO
Protolith typically obliterated
xbc minerals

BARREN SILICA SHOULDER ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

bsl
A quartz-porphyry can have a concentration of quartz eyes between
NEOUS/INTRUSIVE BRECCIA M magmatic material 10-80% an ML/PL YES
clasts if it is the matrix material
xbi (XBI)
A tectonic breccia
FAULT BRECCIA M rock chips, clay gouge 10-80% an ML/(PL) YES

xbo (XBO)

Look for bedding, fiamme, to distinguish it from a true breccia

(VOLCANIC BRECCIA TUFF) M V: ash, glass (altered), 30-80% an to ro ML/(PL) YES
(it is coded as a lithology, not as a breccia)
min. grains, fine rock particles