Mineral. Deposita (Berl.

) 9, 261--269 (1974)
© by Springer-Verlag 1974

The Michiquillay Porphyry Copper Deposit

V. F. HOLLISTER and E. B. SIRVAS
Vancouver 1, British Columbia, Canada

Michiquillay is a mineralized intrusive quartz monzonite porphyry displaying

typical porphyry copper alteration zones as found in metallized intrusives of
that composition. From the interior outward these are the phyllic, argillic
and propylitic zones. The potassic zone is not exposed at the surface. The
intrusion and the center of mineralization coincide with the intersection of a
major transverse fault and a cross fault. Mineralization appears dominantly
to occur in fractures which may be related to each of these major structures,
and is ascribed in origin to simultaneous movement on each fault during the
period of hydrothermal activity. The stockwork developed at the fault inter-
section, and which is the locus of the ore body, fades as distance is gained away
from its center. Coincidentally, intensity of mineralization also weakens.

Introduction Geologic Setting

The Michiquillay porphyry copper of Caja-
marca Department, northern Peru (see Fig. 1
for location) well fits the model for such
deposits, as described by LOWELL and GUlL-
BERT (1970). However, Michiquillay contains
features not adequately explained in the older
literature in other descriptions of such deposits,
and for this reason a published technical
summary of it is not a redundancy.
The Michiquillay porphyry is young, having
been dated at only 20.6 m.y. (LAUGHLIN et aL
1968). Thus time has permitted only minimal
erosion to have taken place, but alteration and
mineralization mark Michiquillay as a typical
porphyry copper. The description given here
is based on geological and geophysical surveys
completed in 1958--59,including the preliminary
ten-hole pilot drilling program, plus general
results of the more extensive drilling completed
by 1969. Eventually exploration drilling de-
veloped a reserve of 575 M.T. of .72% Cu
(AxON. 1970). SIRvAs and HOSLISTEe, (in
press) summarized the geology of the deposit
on the basis of exploration to 1959, but this
paper will include data based on the more
complete exploration to 1969.
Regional Geology
Michiquillay is located east of the continental
divide, in an area of thick, widespread and
varied Cretaceous shelf marine sediments. As
can be inferred from the geologic outline
shown in Fig. 1, pre-Mesozoic continental
crust outcrops west, northwest and southwest
of the Cretaceous, and it therefore seems likely
that the Cretaceous was deposited on pre-
Mesozoic crystalline crust. The thick combined
Mesozoic plus the pre-Mesozoic sections
penetrated by the Michiqnillay stock conceiv-
ably appear to have simulated a cratonic en-
vironment for the intrusion. A section drawn
normal to the Peru trench would reveal the
speculative possibility that in the area of min-
eralized intrusion the Benioff zone may have
been 150 to 200 km below the surface. Petrol-
ogy and mineralization of the Michiquillay
porphyry copper deposit are similar to many
porphyry copper deposits in the southern
Cordilleran orogen of N o r t h America, and in
many of these a grossly similar cratonic crustal
setting may be inferred (Low-ELL and GUIL-
BERT, 1970). N o r can these southern Cordil-
262 V.F. HOLLIS~r~Rand E, B. SIRVAS

80* 70"
!

C 0 L 0 M B ,l A
E C U A D0 R
/
/
1..[..
.,.,,..t"
c,.

r ./
(
M .)
B R A S I

T
\ \,
PA C I F I C
I
OCEAN

~ h __ , ~ ~0 •

?0"
80"

Legend

Tertiary VMcQnics.

Tertiary (Undivided).
Scale
0 100 200 400
Coastal Bathollth.
I~ ~ ~ o m e l e*,s

[~ Mesozoic (Undivided).

Pre Mesozoic (Undivided)

Fig. 1

leran porphyries of North America he demon-
strated to have formed at a dissimilar distance
above the Benioff zone. The presence of
quartz monzonite porphyry associated with a
Cu--Mo ore in many southern Cordilleran
orogen porphyry copper deposits (LoweLL
and GUILBF~V,T, 1970) matches the petrology
and mineralization at Michiquillay.
As can be seen in Fig. 2, the Michiquillay
porphyry copper consists of a quartz monzonite
porphyry stock intruding Lower (?) Cretaceous
quartzite and Middle Cretaceous limestone,
approximately at the intersection of the
Hualgayoc and Encanada faults. Neither of the
intruded sedimentary rocks appears to have
an extensive development of skarn, though
sulfide occurs in both to some extent. Lack of
thermal metamorphism suggests the intrusives
present were relatively lacking in heat and were
"dry" during injection. Bedding near the Miehi-
Michiquillay Porphyry Copper Deposit
78"30'
Tv / Km
;4 Tv
Ti 0
/
/10
¢
Tv
0 t5 30
Kilometers "-/<.
Fig. 2
quillay stock strikes nearly east-west and dips
very steeply south. South of this stock this
strike persists but the dips flatten as distance
is gained away from it. Northeast of the
Michiquillay stock the dips become contorted
in a faulted anticlinal axis, and strong field
evidence exists for the igneous intrusions being
a genetically causative factor of doming, as in
a diapir. The Punre stock is on the anticlinal
axis itself, and it consists of a megascopically
determined fresh porphyritic granodiorite.
Pleistocene glacial debris masks much of
the northern and eastern margins of both
stocks. These lateral and terminal moraines
effectively hide the relationship Michiquillay
has with the Punre granodiorite stock, but
Michiquillay is believed to be younger. The
geology shown in Fig. 2 is modified and ex-
panded from BENEWDAS (1956) tO provide the
detail necessary to show the regional geology
near the ore deposit.
263
Legend
[-~ Tertiory Intrus~ves .
~--~ Tertiary Volcanlcs.
Upper Cretaceous.
6"45' ~-~ Middle Cretaceous.
KJ~ Lower Cretaceous.
K. /'
/.
":/~--~--'"~'7-~T'4~ K'~-~.~J------z" o o'
~ ~Punfe
--, f
The intersection of the Hualgayoc and the
Encanada faults is the locus of not only the
Michiquillay stock but of the alteration halo
associated with the ore deposit and the stock-
work of veinlets that makes up its core. The
Hualgayoc fault is a dextral transcurrent fault
having an unknown but significant Tertiary
movement. It appears to offset Pliocene (?)
volcanics between Hualgayoc and Michiquil-
lay, and combined epizonal magmatism and
pervasive hydrothermal activity occur along
it at both places. This fault roughly parallels
the leading edge of the South American plate,
and its sense of movement agrees with HER-
RON'S (1972) northward migration of the
Nasca plate. Mineralization occurred while the
Nasca plate was moving north (20.6 m.y.).
The conclusion appears justified that the Hual-
gayoc fault is a structure developed as a
consequence of stress release near the junction
of the Nasca and South American plates,
264 V.F. HOLLISTERand E. B. SIRvas

The lZncanada fault is a transverse strike-slip Petrography

fault apparently having only local significance.
Movement on it is inconclusively suggested The hornblende biotite quartz monzonite
to be left lateral. Significant mineralization has porphyry exposed at Michiquillay has under-
not been found on it outside of Michiquillay. gone sufficient post-magmatic alteration that
nowhere are fresh specimens available from
outcrop. Megascopic examination of drill
Local Geology core indicates a probable magmatic orthoclase
Fig. 3 shows the detailed surface geologic to plagioclase ratio of about one to have
setting of the Michiquillay porphyry. The existed, however.
texture and composition of the quartz monzon- The petrogenesis of the intrusive is note-
ire porphyry appears to be typical of this type worthy. As indicated above, the Michiquillay
of rock in other South American commercial and Punre stocks intrude Cretaceous sediments
porphyry copper deposits. When intruded it as relatively cool and dry injections. No
had well defined euhedral to subhedral crystals volcanic field is now identifiable as providing
of quartz, hornblende, feldspar and biotite extrusives which are contemporaneous with
set in a fine grained matrix. Alteration through- the stocks. Volcanics to the northwest appear
out the intrusive has been strong enough to to be younger andesites which are related to a
destroy the original magmatic silicates in source midway between Michiquillay and
varying degrees; and including the compound- Hualgayoc. The close chemical and petro-
ing effect of supergene alteration, now only graphic similarity between the Punre and
presence of quartz phenocrysts can be con- Michiquillay stocks suggest that they have a
sistently used as a field mapping guide to common calc-alkaline parentage. However,
identify the intrusive in outcrop. with the lack of extrusives associated with

N Glacial o/"
~,~ De b r i s ob~
• %,o . .. - . o ' . " " ! ~'5 ,~ ". c °¢" \"

6 ~.~. " ~
N 5:' ~ ~ "

L egend
Stockwork Veinlets Area
Glociol Till. showing trend of Ve~nlet$.

Quartz Monzonlte A'7~

Porphyry. M~chiq~illay Stock.

Middle ~ Outline ~fone.

Cretaceous, Phylllc

Lower Outline of
1,0
I
[ ~ Cretaceous. Argillic Zone. Stole
Fig. 3
Michiquillay Porphyry Copper Deposit
either stocks, absence of intrusives other than
the stocks, and mAnimal side effects of dif-
ferentiation discemabte (i. e., lack of heat from
a differentiating parent, or paucity of fluids
derived from the intruding magma extensively
skamifying the intruded sediments), the ques-
tion remains if the intrusives are indeed derived
from differentiation. Nearly all the copper
mineralization also occurs in fractures cutting
the Michiquillay stock or the intruded Creta-
ceous sediments to the south so that this in-
trusive is essentially pre-mineral, and the hydro-
thermal fluids are even farther removed in time
from any hypothetical model which derives
the mineralization as the end product of a
differentiated magma. Yet the appearance of the
stock, the mineralization, and the alteration
all centered about the major regional fault
intersection suggest that all these phenomena
may have a common deap-seated source.
Alteration
An areal distribution of the bypogene aiteration
zones is shown in Fig. 3. These fit the classical
porphyry alteration picture of HE~ILEY and
JoN~s (i964) quite wet1. The potassic zone
appears to be missing in outcrop at the surface.
Because minerals developed in the phyllic,
argillic, and prophylitie zones appear to be
typical of the mineralized quartz monzonite
porphyry model summarized by LOWELL and
GUILBERT (1970) and others, a detailed min-
eralogic description wilt not be presented here.
Within the phyllic zone, sericite, quartz, and
pyrite are the dominant alteration products.
Minerals which have the megascopic appear-
ance of sericite (pyrophyllite, etc.) have not
been identified but cotfld be present, masked by
the sericite. Kaolin occurs as a minor con-
stituent. Orthoclase and biotite have been
identified only as rare minerals in the veinlets
and this only from drill holes. Within the
phyllic zone, therefore, the wall rock is largely
converted to a mass of sericite (possibly in-
cluding sericite appearing minerals), quartz,
kaolin and pyrite, and with the stockwork
veintets cutting it. The silicate alteration
minerals are arranged zonally about individual
veins and veinlets in the manner described by
SALJas and MEYER (t948) for Butte. The
cumulative or aggregate effect of many d o s d v
t7 /Vlineralium Deposita 9/3
265
spaced veinlets, each with its own alteration
halo, provides the basis for the broader
development of the phyllic zone. Alteration
mineral distribution in the phyllic zone is
therefore governed by individual alteration
zones around each veintet in detail, and the
phyltie zone as used here refers to the general
limit of quartz sericite dominated alteration.
The phyllic zone encompasses the heart of the
intersection of the Hualgayoc and Enca~qada
faults. It also would extend into the Cre-
taceous quartzites to the south if the chemistry
of these rocks would permit the growth of a
quartz-sericite-pyrite mat. It also contains the
most important copper and molybdenum
mineralization.
The argillic zone contains minor sericite in rock
dominantly composed of clay minerals, chlorite
and pyrite. Other hydrated silicates probably
occur in the hypogene argillic zone as well,
but surface exposures are masked by the
supergene effects of oxidized pyrite. As in
the phyllic zone, alteration minerals tend to be
zoned about each veinlet in the manner SALES
and MEYERS (1948) describe for Butte. The
mass effect of having the walls of the veinlets
so altered gives rise to the argillic zone.
What has been described as the potassic zone
in other, older porphyries, was not identified
at the surface at Michiqufllay. The quartz-
serieite, or phyllic zone, is surrounded by an
argillic zone, and both contain a visually
estimated 7 % average pyrite by volume. This
estimate may be in error because it is based on
interpretation of the leached capping and
relatively few drill holes, but it is significant
that an estimated 60 ~{~ of this pyrite occurs in
fracture filling while 40 °/o appears as a replace-
ment of the ferromagnesiums in the wM1
rocks, or as simple dissemination. In spite of
the strength of the sulfide within the phyllic
zone, the pyrite zone covers only about four
square kilometers.
A prophylitic zone also exists but is too poorly
exposed at the surface to permit a precise de-
scription at this time. Tourmaline rarely and
erratically also occurs as a dissemination in the
southern part of the phyllic zone. It occurs as
occasional rosettes. Fracture filling by tour-
maline is believed to be very rare, and therefore
the Michiquillay deposit is set apart from the
major tourmaline breccias of the Andean
266
orogen (e.g., Toquepala, Braden). Neither
topaz nor fluorite were identified.
Supergene alteration of the sulfide bearing,
mineralized igneous and sedimentary rocks
provided a widespread superficial argillization
which has masked some of the hypogene
alteration products. The 7 ~o estimated total
pyrite found in the ore zone provided sufficient
acid, upon weathering, to have destroyed the
more reactive silicates. No orthoclase, mont-
morillonite, biotite or other more easily
weathered silicates survived in the capping
now exposed on the surface. In contrast,
sericite was emphasized as a megascopically
visible, pervasive alteration product in the
phyllic zone because of its resistance to
weathering. Fig. 3 shows the alteration zones
as interpreted from the capping visible on the
surface.
Mineralization
Copper, and to a much lesser extent, molyb-
denum and zinc sulfides occur in Michiquillay,
but largely as integral components of a well
developed stockwork. It is estimated that less
than 10% of the hypogene copper occurs as
dissemination in the walls. The principal
copper sulfide is chalcopyrite, but bornite and
chalcocite were also noted. Molybdenite and
sphalerite also occur sparingly. Where copper
minerals occur in the stockwork veinlets, the
bulk of the vein filling material is quartz and
pyrite. The stockwork is therefore important
in localizing metallic mineralization. Ore does
not exist outside of the stockwork areas, nor
are stockworks of quartz-sulfide veinlets
visible outside of ore. In the phyllie zone the
stockwork is almost entirely of quartz-sulfide
veinlets. In the argillic zone sulfide veinlets
begin appearing without accompanying
quartz, and the change to sulfide from quartz
sulfide veinlets becomes more marked as
distance is gained away from the phyllic zone.
The sulfide-only veinlets are largely pyrite
in hypogene mineralization, lacking significant
copper metallization.
Where vein quartz appears, regardless of the
alteration zone hosting the veinlet, sericite
may accompany it, though it need not neces-
sarily do so. Orthoclase has been identified
in drill holes only in those veinlets occurring
V.F. HOLLISTeRand E. B. SIRVAS
in the phyllic zone, and no biotite or chlorite
veinlets have been noted which are free of
sulfide. The quartz sulfide veinlets are dom-
inantly of that composition, however, and
veinlets entirely or largely of silicates were
not seen.
Zoning of the metallic sulfides is only poorly
developed at Michiquillay. Copper and molyb-
denum tend to remain within the confines of
the phyllic zone and an area richer in molyb-
denum has been developed within this zone,
being characterized by greater accompanying
quartz. However, both zinc and molybdenum
sulfides may occur erratically within the copper
zone. Minor, non-commercial concentrations of
sphalerite occur outside of the argillic zone, in
the intruded sediments, but the volume of such
mineral now known is insignificant. Separation
of the metallic sulfides laterally in a typical
Pb--Zn--Cu--Mo pattern appears to be crude
and incipient when compared with such districts
as Cerro de Pasco, Morococha and Quiruvilca.
The conclusion reached from the lack of strong
zoning is that the pressure-temperature gradient
away from the center of mineralization rapidly
dropped to background, a conclusion support-
ed by the weakness of exposed metamorphism.
Paragenesis
Paragenesis of metallic sulfide minerals based
only on megascopic studies appears to be:
molybdenite, copper sulfides appearing simul-
taneously with either molybdenite or sphalerite;
sphalerite and finally rare galena. Pyrite appears
to have been deposited early, but its deposition
continued through the period where sphalerite
and galena appeared. Interpretation of the
structure of the deposit indicates that fractures
open and filled with molybdenite bearing
veinlets were also simultaneously open and filled
with other metallic sulfides, including sphal-
erite in other parts of the deposit. The paragene-
sis indicated above would therefore be for any
specific locale in the area mineralized. The
recognition of the cognate nature of the two
principal faults and the simultaneous opening
of fractures in the molybdenum section and in
the other zones suggests that paragenesis may
be primarily a function of spatial pressure-
Michiquillay Porphyry Copper Deposit
temperature conditions as well as a time
sequence of introduction of the elements. The
somewhat confused paragenesis of Mo--Cu--
Zn indicates some dumping or telescoping
in mineralization. It also suggests that the
center of heat dispersion was close to the
assumed intersection of the two major faults.
Supergene
A leached capping has been found to exist
over much of the ore body at IVlichiquillay.
Where it is missing, it is believed to have
been removed by valley glaciation. Subjacent
to the capping in the area of phyllic alteration
is an erratic development of supergene copper
sulfides, dominantly chalcodte with covellite.
The capping contains on the order of .04%
Cu, so that leaching was fairly complete.
Hypogene grade under the .04% Cu capping
will average 0.5 % Cu for very large volumes of
rock.
The supergene blanket below the capping is
of a variable thickness and grade. Chalcopyrite
tends to be more prone to attack by supergene
copper bearing waters than is pyrite, so that
replacement and coatings by chalcocite and
covdlite are most noticeable on the chalco-
pyrite.
Structure
Mineralization and alteration are spatially
arranged about the intersection of the strike-
slip Hualgayoc and Encanada faults, and
mineralization itsdf consists of fracture fillings
in the stockwork de eeloped at the intersection.
The veinlets are fillings of tectonically caused
voids rather than replacements of host rock.
The extensional conditions are restricted
largely to veinlet filling since brecda pipes
and dikes are largely absent from the ore zone.
The veinlet trend in the stockwork is most
importantly the trend of the Encanada fault,
and secondarily the trend of the Hualgayoc.
Other minor trends exist which appear to be
the result of fractures conjugate to these two.
G e n e s i s of t h e S t o c k w o r k
The stockwork dearly demonstrates that
repeated small strike-slip movements took
place, opening and reopening the host rock
along the planes of the directions of the t w o
17"
267
major faults. Mineralization occurred during
the movements of the faults, and the hydro-
thermal fluids used the openings created as
access to the surface, dropping vein-material
into the openings as they passed through. The
average veinlet is tess than one cm wide and
very few show effects of more than two stages
of mineralization. Most have only one stage
megascopicalIy inferred, with a simple filling
of the opening provided. Strike-slipping on
the principal faults provided new openings as
vein material closed and healed the old frac-
tures created by earlier movements.
In the vicinity of MichiquilIay both the
Hualgayoc and the Encanada faults split into
a number of strands. Where right lateral
movement on one or more strands of the
Hualgayoc fault offset the Encanada fault, the
fault planes in the Encanada fault were dilated
or opened to permit hydrothermal fluids to
enter.
Similarly, when left latemal movement took
place on the Encanada fault, the Hualgayoc
fault zone was offset and the strands of Hual-
gayoc fault were opened, allowing vein filling
to take place. Repeated simultaneous move-
ment occurred on both structures, forming
repeated openings on the two fault zones, with
the mineralizing process continuing for most
of the time -when cognate movement t o o k
place.
Field evidence suggests that movement on
the Hualgayoc fault preceded, occurred
during, and also post dated activity on the
Encanada fault, and the greater development
of veinlets with the Encanada trend supports
this interpretation.
The development of the stockwork is dia-
gramadcally shown in Fig. 4.
Conclusion
The MichiquilIay porphyry copper deposit
fits well into the model for this type of deposit
where the quartz monzonite porphyry is
the host. Moreover, this porphyry deposit
may be shown to occur on a regional fault that
may owe its origins to plate tectonics.
The intersection of the Hualgayoc and En-
canada faults provided access from deep in the
crust for a quartz monzonite magma to rise to
or close to the surface. Simultaneous m o v e -
268 V.F. HOLLISTERand E. B. SIRVAS

S °*o~o" o"
ooY/. \ /
"~o, / /

STEP 01'4/: - Movement an a strand
of the Hualgayoc Fault d i s p l a c e s
a n d d i l a t e s a strand of the Enca'~ada
Fault. The opening farmed i s t h e n
filled with mineral, resulting in o
veinlet,
STEP TWO - Movement an a strand
of the Enca~ada Fault offsets and
dilates t'ne H u a l g a y a c F a u l t . The
openings formed are filled ~vith
mineral.
Fig. 4
STEP THREE- Repeated movement
an a s t r a n d of the Hualgayoc
Fault offsets the E n c a ' ~ a d a Fault.
Openings formed are filled w i t h
mineral.

ments on the faults appear to have continued
during intrusion, allowing rapid release of
magmatic fluids which would have meta-
morphosed wall rocks in the continually
reopening channelways, and leaving minimal
skarn development typical of "dry" magmas.
Hydrothermal fluids closely followed the
• intrusion, using the same fault intersection as
the central core from which metallization
and alteration effects migrated laterally. Traces
of sulfide copper in the quartz monzonite
suggests a separate though possibly close
relationship between the intrusion and sulfide
mineralization, which is very largely veinlet
filling. Alteration appears to be genetically
related to veinlet filling, with progressively
weaker zones of alteration mineral suites
occurring concentrically outward from the
fault intersection. The ore deposit is localized
by the intersection of two major strike slip
faults, the transverse Encanada cutting the
transcurrent Hualgayoc, with both moving
simultaneously during intrusion, metallization
and alteration. All of these phenomena are
thus part of an interdependent continuing
series of events. This intersection is the locus
not only for the porphyry stock, but for the
fracturing that permitted its alteration and for
the ore body that resulted from vein filling
of the fractures.
Within the current problems of genesis for this
t y p e of deposit the advocate of derivation of
the ore from differentiation of a cooling magma
receives little encouragement from Michi-
quillay's setting. Nor does the deposit appear
to he a result of autobrecciation of a water
rich magma. On the other hand, no conflict
now seems apparent between the origin of
Michiquillay and that found in convection
cycle hypothesis. The structural setting ef-
fectively argues for a tectonic control of in-
trusion and mineralization.
Acknowledgments
Prof. CHARLES MEYER at the University of Cali-
fornia at Berkeley reviewed this paper and made
many helpful comments. It is hoped that his
thoughts are adequately expressed in this text.
PEDRO SANCHEZMEJORADAalso provided thought-
ful criticism of the ideas brought forth, as did
Dr. THOMASWALTHIER.
Bibliography
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BENAVlDeS,V. : Geologia de Cajamarca: Sac. Geol.
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HEMLEY, J. J., JoN~s, W. R.: Chemical aspects of
hydrothermaI alteration with emphasis on
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(1964)
H~RRO-~, E. M.: Seafloor spreading and the
Cenozoic history of the east central Pacific:
Bull. Geol. Sac. America, v 83 (1972)
Michiquillay Porphyry Copper Deposit
HOLLISTER, V. F.: Regional Characteristics of
porphyry copper deposits of South America:
A I M E TP 73, 1--2 (1973)
LAUGHLIN, A. W., DAMAN, P. E., WATSON,B. N. :
Potassium-Argon dates from Toquepala and
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269
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Received: March 19, 1974
SIRVAS, E., HOLLISTeR, g . F. : (in press) E1 porfido
de cobre Michiquillay: Soc. Geol. Peru
VICTOR F. HOLLISTER
Manager, Canadian Exploration Duval Corpora-
tion, 355 Burrard Street, Vancouver 1, British
Columbia, Canada