Ore deposit models – the porphyry copper Talk Outline

example

• Ore deposit models

• Exploration models
• Sources of fluids and volatiles
David R Cooke and • Implications
Chorolque,
Chorolque, Bolivia:
Bolivia: 17
17 -12
-12 Ma
Ma Sn-W-Bi-
Sn-W-Bi-
Noel White Pb-Zn
Pb-Zn –bearing
–bearing tourmaline
tourmaline breccia
breccia pipe
pipe Morococha district, Peru

Why are ore deposit

What is an ore deposit model?
models important?
• A synthesis of available information on the deposit Ore deposits are complex and involve
type many different characteristics
¾ It includes the most informative and reliable characteristics ƒ Tectonic setting, host rocks, structure
that can be recognized on a variety of scales
ƒ Ore textures and mineralogy
• Ore deposit models change as knowledge advances ƒ Chemical, sulfide and alteration zoning
DESCRIPTIVE GENETIC ƒ Shape and form of orebody
ƒ Age of host rocks and ore
ƒ Source and composition of fluids
ƒ Post-depositional modification (deformation,
metamorphism, weathering)
ƒ Geophysical character of ore and host rocks
(density, magnetism, chargeability, conductivity)

Ore deposit models bring key characteristics

together in a brief and understandable way
Big Cadia skarn
Zinc ore – carbonate replacement Zinc ore – skarn
Huanzalá, Peru Uchucchacua, Peru

Zinc ore – Mississippi Valley type Zinc ore – seafloor massive sulfide
Cadjebut, Australia

Reproduced from http://www.visions05.washington.edu/documents/VISION/sully2004.jpg

Zinc ore – volcanic-hosted massive sulfide Zinc ore – sedex
Rosebery, Australia MacArthur River, Australia

Zinc ore – sedex Zinc ore – sedex

Mt Isa, Australia Lady Loretta, Australia
 Zinc ore – Broken Hill type Different textures, different models
Broken Hill, Australia

VHMS Sedex MVT

Why models can be

Some important models – Gold
dangerous
• Deciding on a model for a deposit
should follow, not lead, the study of
that deposit
• It is too easy for a few superficial
characteristics to be used to force a
deposit into a preconceived model • Witwatersrand type deposits
• Porphyry gold deposits
¾ fairly evaluate a deposit’s characteristics
• Epithermal gold deposits (high and low sulfidation)
¾ Don’t force observations to fit a
preferred model • Orogenic gold deposits
• Carlin-type gold deposits
• Not every deposit is adequately
• Intrusion-related gold deposits
described by known models
• Skarn gold deposits
¾ But don’t casually set up new models
without adequate justification • Placer gold deposits

McPhillamy’s Au deposit
 Critical elements for a genetic model The Role of Models in Exploration

Trap • Ore deposit models allow us to convert commodities to geology

•• e.g.,
e.g., change
change ““looking
looking for
for gold
gold”” to
to ““looking
looking for
for an
an epithermal
epithermal gold
gold deposit
deposit””
(maximum disequilibrium)
• chemistry • They allow us to select favorable geology to maximize our
• structure chances of success
•• Because
Because we
we know
know the
the geological
geological setting
setting and
and controls
controls on
on ore
ore localization
localization

Transport • They help us to design effective exploration strategies using the

(water, gas or magma) most suitable techniques
•• Because
Because we
we know
know the
the character
character of
of the
the ore
ore and
and host
host rocks
rocks

Metal endowment controlled by:

• Temperature and pressure

Source • Salinity, redox, pH

• Sulfur speciation and
concentrations
metals & • Flow path controlled by structure
fluids and/or rock type

Slide
Slide courtesy
courtesy of
of Ross
Ross Large
Large

The porphyry Cu model History of the porphyry Cu model

(Lowell and Guilbert, 1970)
(Lowell and Guilbert, 1970)

• This hugely influential model Mapping showed that

developed from studies of the alteration zones at
Kalamazoo porphyry copper mine, Kalamazoo were
Arizona truncated by the San
Manuel fault

It was inferred
that part of the
deposit was
faulted off
 History of the porphyry Cu model Applying ore deposit models
(Lowell and Guilbert, 1970) in exploration
(Their usefulness varies widely)
Porphyry copper model
• Well-developed model (but still developing)
• Characteristic setting
• Large scale characteristic alteration
• Large-scale characteristic mineralization
• Model provides good guides for exploration

Mapping and drilling

subsequently located
the missing part,
which became the
San Manuel mine

Applying ore deposit models Deciding WHAT

in exploration
Iron oxide copper-gold deposits
• Model too broad and all-encompassing,
probably includes diverse deposits
• Broad characteristics reasonably defined
and recognizable
• Settings not well characterised
• Genesis remains contentious
• Model does not provide clear guides for
exploration at any scale apart from
empirical use of geophysics
to explore for
Is there a particular commodity
that we must find?
YES:
• What kinds of deposits does it form?
• What geology do those occur in?
• Do we have suitable geology?
NO:
• What commodities would we like to
find?
• What kinds of deposits do they form?
• What geology do those occur in?
• Do we have suitable geology?

Olympic Dam,
South Australia
 Deciding WHERE Deciding HOW to explore
to explore
• What are the characteristics of our target deposits?
• What is our exploration territory? • Geological? Geochemical? Geophysical?
• The world? • What is the most effective way to explore?
• A country? GEODYNAMICS •• Fastest?
Fastest? Cheapest?
Cheapest? Best
Best ??
• A province? – target selection
• What about local conditions?
• A district?
•• Modify
Modify approach
approach
• What geology occurs in that territory?
• Choose OPTIMUM
• What types of deposits are known there?
exploration strategy
• What types of deposits should occur in
that geology? • Go and do it!
• What types do we want to find?
• What controls where they occur?
• Identify those places
• Explore them

‘Source’ – a fluids perspective

• Considerable research effort is invested
into determining the source(s) of
hydrothermal fluids
¾ Magmatic water
¾ Meteoric water
¾ Metamorphic water
¾ Sea water
¾ Basinal brines

• From an exploration perspective, are the

sources of fluids vitally important?
• Or is it the potential for fluids to transport
and precipitate significant concentrations
of metals?

Image source: http://www.soundgroup.com/upload//

200861911379%E6%97%A0%E6%A0%87%E9%A2%98.bmp
 Volatiles: sulfur and chlorine Sources of volatiles
• Cl and S are key ligands that affect metal • If volatile species are fundamental to
solubilities in many types of hydrothermal ore magmatic-hydrothermal ore formation, how
deposits can we concentrate them?
• The total abundance of sulfur typically exceeds
that of the metals of economic interest ¾ Crystal fractionation in a mid- to upper-
crustal magma chamber? (e.g., Cl, S)
• Understanding the sources, speciation
behaviour and fate of sulfur is therefore ¾ Sediment subduction and partial melting in
fundamental to interpreting ore-forming a metasomatised mantle wedge? (e.g., P, B)
processes in many hydrothermal environments ¾ Underplating of felsic magma chambers by
mantle-derived mafic magmas? (e.g., S, Cl,
also potentially Au, Cu, etc...)
¾ Mixing with externally derived waters?
• Are volatiles transported and concentrated
by magmatic or hydrothermal processes (or
some combination thereof?)
Native
Native sulfur
sulfur deposition
deposition
from
from volcanic
volcanic fumarole,
fumarole, Epi-cp-py veins with hematitic alteration selvage, Ridgeway, NSW
White
White Island
Island Tourmaline
Tourmaline orbicules,
orbicules, Heemskirk
Heemskirk Granite,
Granite, W
W Tasmania
Tasmania