Porphyry Cu-Au Mineral

System Analysis

Jerry Dunga and Tashi Tenzin

The University of Western Australia
 Outline
• Background
• Geodynamic settings of Porphyry Cu-Au
• Source of Cu-Au
• Critical geological processes for Cu-Au enrichment of Pluton
• Fluid pathway
• Precipitation mechanisms
• Take home message
 What are Porphyry Cu-Au deposits?

Large (tens of millions to billions

􀀁
•of Main
tonnes) ore minerals:
, low- to medium-grade
deposits (0.2% to more than 1%
Hosted in and around felsic-intermediate
igneous intrusions (diorite-granodiorite-
Cu; 0.2 to 2 g/t Au) high silica granite)

Archean-Recent
Hydrothermal Alteration: Intense
(most fertile are and extensive of host rocks
Jurassic or younger)

Accounts for 50-60% of

Mineralization style:
Disseminated; stock
work (quartz veinlets);
breccia
world’s Cu production.
Major source of Au.
Main Ore minerals:
Chalcopyrite, bornite, Au
Chuquicamata, open pit ~4.3km long,
3.0km wide, and 0.8km deep, 2007

Sinclair, 2007
Distribution of Porphyry Cu-Au deposits in 2008
• Majority of deposits
located along west of
Americas and central Asia

• What controls the

formation of giant ore
deposits?

• Understanding geodynamic
setting and geological
processes in formation of http://pratclif.com/mines/Cuivre/porphry/porphry-world.jpg
these giant ore deposits –
possibly could explain it
 Lithospheric Crustal Thickening- A favourable
geodynamic setting for Porphyry Cu-Au deposits
 At the continental scale – Plate tectonics
driven by heat convection -asthenosphere
upwelling

 Buoyancy- Oceanic lithosphere subduction

under continental –> crustal thickening

 Typically form in oceanic or continental arc

above subduction zones (Wilkinson, 2013)

 Large porphyry Cu deposits – good

relationship with convergent plate margins
marked by crustal thickening and rapid http://www.indicoresources.com/s/CopperPorphyryDeposits.asp
exhumation (e.g. province of southwestern
North America, central Andes) (Sillitoe, 2010)
 Where does the Cu-Au come from?
 Porphyry deposits – associated
with magmatic intrusion.

 Dehydration of Basaltic crust

– Partial melting of the
asthenosphere (mantle wedge) -
magma generation

 Magma – source for magmatic -

hydrothermal fluids

(Wilkinson, 2013).
 But why some plutons are
fertile and others barren?
1. The role of differentiation magma
(Hot zone differentiation)

Generation of fertile magma:

 Melting and assimilation of crustal rocks by

mafic magma underplating

 Magma differentiation by fractional

crystallization (Indicator- Sr enrichment).

 Cyclic replenishment of mafic magma and

fractionation  enrichment of volatiles
and metals at deep crustal level
Wilkinson, 2013
But why some plutons are fertile and others
barren?

Belvin, 2004
 Chalcophile (e.g. Cu, Pb, Zn) and Siderophile (e.g. Au,
Mn) elements – compitable elements

 Fractionation can deplete these elements

 Less fractionated pluton at shallower crustal depth 

Hall, 1987 High potential of Cu-Au

 Rb/Sr – good indicator of fractionation

But why some plutons are
fertile and others barren?

2. The role of magmatic

sulfide saturation

 Sulphide saturation of intermediate-

to-felsic magmas  phase separation
of siderophile and chalcophile metals
into a sulphide-melt phase 
enrichment and depletion silicate melt
at higher temperature (Problematic).

 Re-melting by mafic intrusions or

dissolving by exsolving volatiles 
generate highly enriched melt or
volatile phase Emplacement of
fertile pluton
Wilkinson, 2013
But why some plutons are fertile and others barren?

3. The role of melt reduction and enhanced metal partitioning

 Magnetite crystallization or assimilation of reducing crustal rocks  Melt reduction

 Melt reduction  enhance the partitioning of sulfur into volatiles

 Exsolution of volatiles can extract S complexed metals (e.g. Cu and Au)  Fertile pluton
Wilkinson, 2013
 Fluid Pathway
intrusion emplacement

exsolution of volatiles (liquids/gases)

fluid pressure build-up at cupola

hydraulic fracturing

ejection of metal and S-rich fluid

Burnham, 1997

Mapable Evidence: Sheeted and stockwork veins and fractures, dykes and breccia zones
Metal Complexes
• Cu
Transported: chloride complexes
Solid phase: Chalcopyrite
• Au
Transported: Sulphide/chloride complexes
Solid phase: Native Gold
• Mo
Transported: Oxyhydroxide anions (Na K)
Solid phase: Molybdenite
• Base Metals
Transported: chloride complexes

(NB: How far they get transported depend on total S and

acidity; Meinert, 1993)

Mappable Evidence: Metal zonation gives idea

After Sillitoe, 2010 of proximity to intrusions/ore zones
 Metal zonation vs fluid types

Aqueous
Aqueous

Volatile-rich

Hypersaline

Single Phase

Kouzmanov & Pokrovski (2012)

Mappable Evidence: Hydrothermal alteration from potassic, propyllitic, argillic and phyllic
 Precipitation Mechanisms
Metal precipitation 1. Decompression
Boiling of the
2. Fluid-rock
Hydrothermal and Mineralization Processes

aqueous liquid

Condensation of
Reaction
hypersaline liquid

Cooling below 400°C of a

3. Cooling
Phase Interaction with surrounding
Separation rocks single-phase fluid

4. Fluid Mixing
Decompression Cooling

5. Phase
Pressure decrease, temperature
Gradual decline
Rapid Separation
Ascending single-phase magma
fluid mixed with external fluid
Developed from Kouzmanov & Pokrovski (2012)
 Key Mechanism: Cooling

(Chang, JCU, 2014) Kouzmanov & Pokrovski (2012)

 Key and most efficient precipitation trigger in the ore formation (Wilkinson, 2013). Chalcopyrite solubility
decreases rapidly from 400–250 °C during cooling (Crerar, 1976; Wilkinson, 2013)

 Changes in sulfur speciation, which affect H2S concentration and acidity.

4 SO2 + 4 H2O = H2S + 3 HSO4– + 3 H+
Mappable Evidence: Identify key equilibrium assemblages associated with cpy
 Too much cooling!

Kouzmanov & Pokrovski (2012)

Too much of a good thing is not too good!

Take home message
1. Geodynamic processes and tectonics – provides energy and generate source for
porphyry Cu-Au.

2. Geological processes (cyclic differentiation and fractionation, magmatic sulfur

saturation and re-melting of sulphide enriched zones by mafic magma, melt reduction and
S partitioning)  Key for enrichment of Cu and Au.

3. Conduit: Hydraulic fracturing triggers metal deposition

4. Precipitation mechanism: Cooling is the most efficient precipitation mechanism