The Chemistry and Textures of Magnetite

from the Candelaria IOCG Deposit and

the Quince IOA Prospect in the Chilean
Iron Belt
María Alejandra Rodríguez Mustafa,
AC Simon, I del Real, JFH Thompson, M Reich, F Barra

September 2018
Background: IOA and IOCG

Shared
Characteristics
 Background: IOA and IOCG
Extensive Na-Ca alteration Sources of strategic metals
Shared
Characteristics
 Background: IOA and IOCG
Extensive Na-Ca alteration Sources of strategic metals
Shared
Structurally controlled Characteristics Abundant Fe-oxides
 Background: IOA and IOCG
Extensive Na-Ca alteration Sources of strategic metals
Shared
Structurally controlled Characteristics Abundant Fe-oxides

Iron oxide – apatite (IOA) Iron oxide – copper – gold (IOCG)

● Sulphide-poor, REE enriched ● Sulphide-rich
● Magnetite-Apatite dike and sill ● Magnetite/Hematite breccias and/or
assemblages mantos
 Background: IOA and IOCG
Extensive Na-Ca alteration Sources of strategic metals
Shared
Structurally controlled Characteristics Abundant Fe-oxides

Iron oxide – apatite (IOA) Iron oxide – copper – gold (IOCG)

● Sulphide-poor, REE enriched ● Sulphide-rich
● Magnetite-Apatite dike and sill ● Magnetite/Hematite breccias and/or
assemblages mantos
Proposed models: Proposed models:
Crystallization from immiscible Fe- Purely magmatic
rich melt Hydrothermal, amagmatic, brine-
Hydrothermal replacement related
Magmatic-hydrothermal flotation of Magmatic-hydrothermal, fluids from
magnetite different sources
Chilean Iron Belt (CIB)


~800 km long


Lower Cretaceous


Structurally controlled by the
Brine
Atacama Fault System
(AFS)


Spatial and temporal
association between IOA
and IOCG deposits

Modified from Knipping et al. (2015)

 Quince Geophysical survey

IOA prospect


Estimated resources from geophysical
surveys:

3100 million tonnes of 24.8% Fe

28000 m diamond drilling

Vanadium rich

Magnetite as massive bodies or as veins
in stockworks

Chlorite-Actinolite alteration

https://www.quinceironchile.com/
 Candelaria
IOCG deposit

Mineral Reserves (2017):


408.2 million tonnes

0.49 % Cu, 0.12 g/t Au, and 1.67 g/t Ag

Mineralization hosted in the pre-Valanginian,

predominantly volcanic Punta del Cobre
Formation.

Extensive early magnetite-actinolite-chlorite

alteration followed by potassic alteration.
Samples and methods
N
Quince


Single drill core

496 m long

EPMA + BSE imaging

Scale
1:1000
Samples and methods
Candelaria

6 drill cores from the Punta del
Cobre district.

Including Candelaria’s deepest
exploration hole: ~1km
beneath the surface

EPMA + BSE imaging

Results – Textures in Quince
3 types of magnetite textures:

A. Pristine magnetite without

C detectable inclusions or ilmenite
exsolution lamellae.
C B. Magnetite rich in mineral
B A inclusions.
C. Magnetite that contains
abundant ilmenite exsolution
lamellae.

 A
Results – Textures in Quince
3 types of magnetite textures:

A. Pristine magnetite without

detectable inclusions or ilmenite
C exsolution lamellae.
B. Magnetite rich in mineral
C inclusions.
B A C. Magnetite that contains
abundant ilmenite exsolution
lamellae.


Fe-Ti oxides along grain
 A boundaries, and filling
interstices.

Magnetite grains meeting at
triple junctions.
 Results – Textures in Candelaria

B
A

3 types of magnetite textures:

A. Fairly pristine magnetite without detectable lamellae, and few inclusions.

B. Magnetite rich in mineral inclusions.
D. Zoned magnetite.
From Nadoll et al. (2014)
Results – Discriminant diagram
Results
ilm

Skarn
mag
Fe-Ti, V

mag

Deep
Mid ilm
Shallow
Results – Deep

Skarn
mag

Fe-Ti, V
ilm

ilm

mag
Results – Deep

Skarn
mag

Fe-Ti, V
ilm

ilm

mag
Results – Mid

Skarn

Fe-Ti, V
Results – Mid

Skarn

Fe-Ti, V
Results – Shallow

Skarn

Fe-Ti, V
Results – Shallow

Skarn

Fe-Ti, V
Results – Summary

Skarn 
Big chemical variability
with depth.
Fe-Ti, V 
Textures show such
variations.

Quince and deep
Candelaria samples
are Ti enriched.

Moving “up” in the
system, trace

Depth
elements in the
magnetite get
depleted.
Results – Summary

Big chemical variability
Skarn with depth.

Textures show such
Fe-Ti, V variations.

Quince and deep
Candelaria samples
are Ti enriched.

Moving “up” in the
system, trace
elements in the

Depth
magnetite get
depleted.

Data follow cooling
trend (gray arrow).
From Simon et al. (2018) Results – Isotopes
Results – Isotopes
 Discussion
~300 °C
Magnetite +
Sulfides
precipitate
IOCGs
>500 °C

IOAs
Modified from
Simon et al.
(2018)
 Conclusions
Textures: consistent with syn- or post-mineralization dissolution-
reprecipitation, re-equilibration processes.
 Conclusions
Textures: consistent with syn- or post-mineralization dissolution-
reprecipitation, re-equilibration processes.

Data in diagrams: Show cooling trend.

Deeper samples = higher temperatures of formation for the magnetite.
 Conclusions
Textures: consistent with syn- or post-mineralization dissolution-
reprecipitation, re-equilibration processes.

Data in diagrams: Show cooling trend.

Deeper samples = higher temperatures of formation for the magnetite.

Chemistry + textures: cooling hypogene magmatic-hydrothermal fluid for

the origin of both deposits.
 Conclusions
Textures: consistent with syn- or post-mineralization dissolution-
reprecipitation, re-equilibration processes.

Data in diagrams: Show cooling trend.

Deeper samples = higher temperatures of formation for the magnetite.

Chemistry + textures: cooling hypogene magmatic-hydrothermal fluid for

the origin of both deposits.

Isotopic data support a magmatic (high-temperature) origin for the

magnetite.
 Conclusions
Textures: consistent with syn- or post-mineralization dissolution-
reprecipitation, re-equilibration processes.

Data in diagrams: Show cooling trend.

Deeper samples = higher temperatures of formation for the magnetite.

Chemistry + textures: cooling hypogene magmatic-hydrothermal fluid for

the origin of both deposits.

Isotopic data support a magmatic (high-temperature) origin for the

magnetite.

“Flotation model” as single genetic process for the formation of IOA and
IOCG deposits.
 Selected References
1) Knipping et al. (2015). Trace elements in magnetite from massive iron
oxide-apatite deposits indicate a combined formation by igneous and
magmatic-hydrothermal processes. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.
2) Nadoll et al. (2014). The Chemistry of hydrothermal magnetite: A review.
Ore Geology Reviews.
3) Simon et al. (2018). Kiruna-type iron oxide – apatite (IOA) and iron oxide –
copper – gold (IOCG) deposits form by a combination of igneous and
magmatic-hydrothermal processes: Evidence from the Chilean Iron belt.
Society of Economic Geologists Special Volume, Keystone.
4) SRK Consulting. (2017). Technical Report for the Candelaria Copper Mining
Complex, Atacama Region, Region III, Chile.
5) https://www.quinceironchile.com/