El Salvador Chile Porphyry Copper Deposi

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El Salvador, Chile Porphyry Copper Deposit Revisited: Geologic and

Geochronologic Framework
Paula Cornejoa; Richard M. Tosdalb; Constantino Mpodozisc; Andrew J. Tomlinsonc; Orlando Riverac;
C. Mark Fanningd
a
Servicio National de Geologoia y Mineria, Santiago, Chile b U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park,
California c Servicio National de Geologia y Mineria, Santiago, Chile d Australian National University,
Canberra, Australia
Online publication date: 06 July 2010
To cite this Article Cornejo, Paula , Tosdal, Richard M. , Mpodozis, Constantino , Tomlinson, Andrew J. , Rivera, Orlando
and Fanning, C. Mark(1997) 'El Salvador, Chile Porphyry Copper Deposit Revisited: Geologic and Geochronologic
Framework', International Geology Review, 39: 1, 22 — 54
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El Salvador, Chile Porphyry Copper Deposit Revisited:

Geologic and Geochronologic Framework1
PAULA CORNEJO,
Servicio National de Geologoía y Minería, Avenida Santa María 0104, Santiago, Chile
RICHARD M. TOSDAL,
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025
CONSTANTINO MPODOZIS, ANDREW J. TOMLINSON, ORLANDO RIVERA,2

Servicio National de Geología y Minería, Avenida Santa María 0104, Santiago, Chile
AND C. MARK FANNING

Downloaded By: [Canadian Research Knowledge Network] At: 21:38 28 May 2011
Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Abstract
The Eocene (42 to 41 Ma) El Salvador porphyry copper deposit in the Indio Muerto district,
northern Chile (26° 15' S Lat.), formerly thought to have formed at the culmination of a 9-m.y.
period of episodic magmatism, is shown by new mapping, U-Pb and K-Ar geochronology, and
petrologic data to have formed during the younger of two distinct but superposed magmatic
events—a Paleocene (~63 to 58 Ma) and an Eocene (44 to 41 Ma) event. In the district, high-K
Paleocene volcano-plutonic activity was characterized by a variety of eruptive styles and
magmatic compositions, including a collapse caldera associated with explosive rhyolitic magma-
tism (El Salvador trap-door caldera), a post-collapse rhyolite dome field (Cerro Indio Muerto),
and andesitic-trachyandesitic stratovolcanos (Kilometro Catorce-Los Amarillos sequence). Pre-
caldera basement faults were reactivated during Paleocene volcanism as part of the collapse
margin of the caldera. Beneath Cerro Indio Muerto, where the porphyry Cu deposit subsequently
formed, the intersection of two major basement faults and the NNE-striking rotational axis of
tilted ignimbrites of the Paleocene El Salvador caldera localized emplacement of post-collapse
rhyolite domes and peripheral dikes and sills. Subsequent Eocene rhyolitic and granodioritic-
dacitic porphyries intruded ~ 1 4 m.y. after cessation of Paleocene magmatism along the same
NNE-striking structural belt through Cerro Indio Muerto as did the post-collapse Paleocene
rhyolite domes. Eocene plutonism over a 3-m.y. period was contemporaneous with NW-
SE-directed shortening associated with regional sinistral transpression along the Sierra Castillo
fault, lying ~10 km to the east. Older Eocene rhyolitic porphyries in the Indio Muerto district
were emplaced between 44 and 43 Ma, and have a small uneconomic Cu center associated with a
porphyry at Old Camp. The oldest granodioritic-dacitic porphyries also were emplaced at ~44 to
43 Ma, but their petrogenetic relation to the rhyolitic porphyries and younger granodioritic-
dacitic porphyries in the district is unclear. The main porphyry Cu-Mo-related granodioritic-
dacitic stocks in Quebrada Turquesa on Cerro Indio Muerto intruded, cooled, and were
mineralized within ~ 1 m.y. between 42 and 41 Ma. Volumetrically minor late- to post-mineral
porphyries are slightly more mafic than earlier granodioritic-dacitic porphyries, a compositional
trend possibly repeated on several scales and more than once over the 3-million-year Eocene
magmatic history of the Indio Muerto district. This compositional trend requires either addition
of basaltic material into an open-system silicic magma chamber or tapping of progres-
sively deeper levels of a vertically zoned magma chamber. Eocene porphyry magmas were more
hydrous and their residual source mineralogy richer in garnet than the relatively anhy-
drous Paleocene rocks, whose source was rich in pyroxene. The presence of inherited
1
This paper is one of a series of contributions (Marcos Zentilli, compiler) to Project No. 342, Ages and Isotopes of South
American Ores, of the International Geological Correlation Program.
2
Present address: Pasaje Volcán San Francisco 3851, Peñalolén, Santiago, Chile.
0020-6814/97/240/22-33 $10.00 22
EL SALVADOR COPPER DEPOSIT REVISITEDzyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWV
23
zircons in Paleocene and Eocene rocks requires interaction with crustal rocks of Paleozoic and/
or Proterozoic age.
Paleocene and Eocene igneous rocks in the Indio Muerto district were emplaced during
distinct magmatic-tectonic events that are unrelated, although spatially associated. The district-
scale Paleocene and Eocene eruptive styles and geochemical and mineralogic characteristics
mimic characteristics of similar-aged igneous rocks throughout northern Chile (20°30' S Lat. to
27° S Lat.), attesting to the regional nature of the Paleocene and Eocene events. Porphyry Cu
mineralization in the district furthermore is associated not only with an Eocene granodioritic-
dacitic (42 to 41 Ma) complex, but also with one of an older Eocene (44 to 43 Ma) rhyolitic
porphyry, implying that a long period of precursor magmatism is not required for generation of
the El Salvador porphyry Cu-Mo deposit. Rather, the episodic magmatism preceding porphyry
Cu mineralization reflects repeated structural localization through time of superimposed high-
level volcano-plutonic complexes in an active magmatic arc.
Introduction
PORPHYRY COPPER SYSTEMS are frequently
emplaced late in the magmatic history of vol-
cano-plutonic terranes, and many are believed
to have formed in the roots of a coeval volcano
(Titley and Beane, 1981; Sillitoe, 1973, 1988;
Hedenquist and Lowenstern, 1994). This mag-
mato-hydrothermal association has led to the
obvious question of whether protracted precur-
sor magmatism, including volcanism, might
play some role in the formation of porphyry
copper systems (Titley, 1982; McCandless and
Ruiz, 1993). The El Salvador copper deposit in
the Indio Muerto district of northern Chile
(Fig. 1), described in the seminal paper by
Gustafson and Hunt (1975), is cited as one
example where protracted magmatism preceded
porphyry copper deposition (e.g., Titley and
Beane, 1981; Sillitoe, 1988). Gustafson and
Hunt (1975) concluded, on the basis of Rb-Sr
and K-Ar geochronology, that the porphyry Cu-
Mo deposit formed as the "culmination" of a
~9-m.y. period of episodic volcanic and sub-
volcanic activity (Fig. 2), which began in the
early Eocene at ~ 4 9 to 50 Ma with eruption of
rhyolitic domes, was succeeded by the emplace- FIG. 1. Distribution of porphyry Cu-Mo deposits and
ment at ~ 4 5 Ma of subvolcanic quartz-feldspar prospects along the Domeyko fault system in the Andean
phyric stocks accompanied by minor porphyry Precordillera, northern Chile. Ages of deposits and pros-
Cu-Mo mineralization, and peaked with pects are shown parenthetically.
emplacement of granodioritic stocks and the
main porphyry Cu-Mo deposit between 42 and on a regional scale between 26° and 27° S Lat.
41 Ma (Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages from Gustafson (area of Fig. 3), at least two separate magmatic
and Hunt [1975] quoted herein are recalculated episodes having no genetic relation are present:
to modern decay constants and quoted to 2a (1) Paleocene (63 to 55 Ma) high-K calcalkaline
uncertainties). magmatism represented by extensive volcano-
S u b s e q u e n t g e o l o g i c a n d K-Ar geo- genie products including collapse calderas and
chronologic studies in the vicinity of El Sal- their ignimbrites, rhyolitic dome fields, tra-
vador (Cornejo et al., 1993a) demonstrated that chybasalts, and trachyandesites;and (2) middle
2 4zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
CORNEJO ET AL.
FIG. 2. Diagram comparing the stratigraphy of Gustafson and Hunt (1975) with that concluded herein. At the time
of Gustafson and Hunt's (1975) study, geochronologic data for the rhyolitic ignimbrites and older rocks were
unavailable; instead their age assignments were based on correlations with formations in the Copiapó area. The
position of the Indio Muerto unconformity in the left column follows that proposed by Clark et al. (1985). See text
for discussion. Our quartz rhyolite porphyry unit corresponds to the "quartz porphyries" and Cerro Pelado "quartz
rhyolite" stock of Gustafson and Hunt (1975).
Eocene to early Oligocene (49 to 31 Ma) moder- The conflicting stratigraphic and chrono-
ate- to high-K, calcalkaline, intermediate to logic conclusions from the regional studies of
silicic magmatism represented by small to mod- Cornejo et al. (1993a) and the district study of
erately sized, shallow-level stocks and plutons, Gustafson and Hunt (1975) raise questions
and only scarce volcanogenic products. This regarding the magmatic history preceding for-
division was based upon three principal lines of mation of the El Salvador porphyry Cu-Mo
evidence: (1) K-Ar geochronology indicating deposit. Was there early Eocene (~45 and ~ 5 0
that the two episodes are discrete in time and Ma) volcanic activity in the Indio Muerto dis-
separated by a 5- to 6-m.y. gap in magmatism; trict? Or could the ~45- and ~50-Ma magmatic
(2) petrologic data indicating that they are events be the result of superposition of a
different magmatic suites; and (3) different younger (~43- to 41-Ma) magmato-hydrother-
volcano-magmatogenic and regional structural mal event upon an older early Tertiary (>55
settings of the two suites. The rhyolitic domes Ma) volcanic event? To address this question
(and their related volcanic rocks) hosting the El and to provide better constraints on geologic
Salvador deposit in the Indio Muerto district conditions conducive for a porphyry Cu-Mo
were included in the Paleocene regional vol- deposit, the Indio Muerto district was
canic unit because of their petrologic similarity remapped and critical units were dated using
to Paleocene rhyolitic rocks elsewhere in the the K-Ar and U-Pb methods (Tables 1 and 3,
region (Fig. 2). Cornejo et al. (1993a) viewed respectively), including U-Pb spot analyses of
the previously reported 49- to 50-Ma Rb-Sr ages individual zircon grains using the sensitive
for the rhyolitic rocks (Gustafson and Hunt, high-resolution ion-microprobe (SHRIMP)
1975) as minimum ages resulting from the (Table 4). All K-Ar ages reported herein are
thermal effects during emplacement of the listed in Table 1 unless otherwise noted.
younger Eocene porphyry complex and associ- Recalculated K-Ar ages of Gustafson and Hunt
ated hydrothermal alteration system, suggest- (1975) are listed in Table 2. Previously pub-
ing, based on the regional data, that within the lished K-Ar ages (Tobar, 1977; Quirt, 1972;
Indio Muerto district a magmatic gap spanning Zentilli, 1974) and unpublished 4 0 A r / 3 9 A r geo-
a minimum of 12 m.y. separated the rhyolitic chronology (M. McWilliams, pers. commun. to
volcanismzyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
(≥ 55 Ma) from the 43- to 41-Ma CODELCO [Corporatión Nacional del
porphyry copper complex (Cornejo et al., Cobre-Chile], 1994, 1996) provide additional
1993a; Mpodozis et al., 1994). chronologic constraints.
EL SALVADOR COPPER DEPOSIT REVISITEDzyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSR
25
FIG. 3. Regional geologic map of the El Salvador-Potrerillos area, northern Chile. Modified from Comejo et al.
(1993a), Tomlinson et al. (1993), and Cornejo and Mpodozis (1996). Abbreviations: SCB = Sierra Castillo
Batholith.
26zyxwvutsrqponm
CORNEJO ET AL.
TABLE 1. K-Ar Ages from Volcanic and Intrusive Rocks in the El Salvador Area, Northern Chile1
Sample UTM Coordinates(N/E) Ar rad, nl/g %Ar, atm. Age, Ma
number Location Lithology Material dated zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
%K (2a error)
Llanta Formation (Upper Cretaceous)

2
SB-472 Cerro El Pingo 7043,425/440,825 Andesitic breccia Hornblende 0.556 1.600 46 73 ± 4
SR-3722 Pampa del Carrizo 7123,450/434,650 Dacitic lava Biotite 6.866 19.315 15 71 ± 2
EC-3262 Qda. Inés Chica 7111,625/443,800 Pyroxene andesitic lava Whole rock 0.592 1.622 28 69 ± 3
Post-Llanta Formation intrus ions (lower Paleocene)

SR-4562 Quebrada del Salado 7026,000/486,800 Monzodiorite Biotite 7.504 18.875 23 64±2
SR-245 2 Sierra Miranda 7105,900/440,225 Quartz diorite Whole rock 1.641 4.156 38 64±2
10-139 Cuesta San Juan 7093,350/447,530 Pyroxene-hornblende Whole rock 1.282 3.178 75 63 ± 4
diorite
IP-68 Portal del Inca 7094,460/441,340 Dioritic porphyry Whole rock 0.499 1.178 82 59.7 ± 5.7
El Salvador caldera ignimbrites (Paleocene)

Cerros Contreras-La Antena sequence, intracatdera facies ignimbrites
10-142 North base of Cerro 7090,860/446,330 Sanidine-biotite rhyolitic Biotite 5.815 15.257 14 66±2
Contreras tuff
IO-81 East of Cerro Contreras 7089,660/447,130 Sanidine-biotite rhyolitic Biotite 6.224 15.416 17 63 ± 2
tuff
SR-51 NE of Cerro Contreras 7091,900/447,525 Biotite welded tuff Biotite 6.443 15.413 44 61 ± 2
Cerro Indio Muerto ignimbrites

IP-19 NE flank of Cerro Indio 7096,710/445,560 Rhyolite welded tuff Biotite 6.537 15.351 23 59.4 ± 1.5
Muerto
Cerro El Buitre, Potrerillos area, outflow facies ignimbrites

ST-77 East flank of Cerro El 7070,600/466,250 Sanidine-biotite rhyolitic Biotite 7.101 17.016 11 61 ± 2
Buitre tuff
ST-101 North flank of Cerro El 7073,500/463,050 Sanidine-biotite rhyolitic Biotite 7.055 17.311 11 62 ± 2
Buitre tuff
Rhyodacilic domes and lavas of Cerros Contreras-La Antena

IO-140 Cerro San Juan 7092,200/448,180 Sanidine-biotite Biotite 6.297 15.154 17 61 ± 2
rhyodacitic lava
IO-90 Cerro San Juan 7092,350/448,480 Biotite rhyodacitic dome Biotite 5.668 13.030 17 58.2 ± 1.5
IO-89 Cerro San Juan 7092,470/449,000 Sanidine-biotite Biotite 7.181 16.309 25 57.5 ± 1 . 5
rhyodacitic dome
SR-59 East of Cerro Contreras 7089,625/448,550 Potassic rhyolitic dome Whole rock 4.007 8.768 16 55.4 ± 1.83
Los Amarillos-Kilómetro Catorce volcanic sequence

RKM-123 Kilómetro Catorce area 7188,140/436,560 Altered (alunite) rhyo- Whole rock 1.772 4.330 37 62 ± 3
litic tuff related to a
dome
SR-75-22 Cos. Los Amarillos 7101,375/428,400 Biotite rhyolite welded Biotite 6.475 15.375 14 60±2
tuff
IP-91 2 Cos. Los Amarillos 7106,350/433,925 Sanidine rhyolite welded Whole rock 3.025 6.669 19 55.8 ± 1.83
tuff
SR-24-12 W of El Salvador town 7098,150/435,600 Trachyandesitic lava Whole rock 2.060 4.369 16 53.7 ± 1.83
IP-922 W of El Salvador town 7102,450/430,550 Pyroxene microdiorite Whole rock 0.942 2.079 44 55.9 ± 2 . 1
El Salvador porphyry complex (middle Eocene)

Quartz -sanidine and quartz-plagioclase rhyolite porphyries EL SALVADOR COPP
IP-11 Cerro Pelado 7099,180/445,900 Quartz-sanidine por- Whole rock 6.712 11.119 41 42.1 ± 1.2
phyry (sericitically
altered)
ES-7458 Cerro Pelado 7099,339/446,129 Quartz-sanidine rhyolite Sanidine plus 4.503 8.032 56 45.3 ± 2.0
porphyry altered plagioclase
IP-10 Saddle between Cerros 7098,580/446,300 Old Camp quartz-plagio- Whole rock 1.892 3.266 30 43.9 ± 1.5
Riolita and Pelado clase porphyry dike
Granodiorite and dacite porphyry

IT-9 Level 2445, El Salvador 7096, 410/444, 240
Granodioritic porphyry Biotite 7.718 12.512 21 41.2 ± 1.1
Mine (L type)
IT-10 Level 2445, El Salvador7096,350/444,250 Granodioritic porphyry Biotite 7.212 11.809 25 41.6 ± 1 . 2
Mine (X type)
IP-45 Quebrada " M " 7097,470/444,950 Biotite dacitic porphyry Biotite 7.617 13.144 21 43.8 ± 1.2
(A type porphyry)
ES-12337 Quebrada " M " 7097,144/444,882 Biotite dacitic porphyry Biotite 5.165 8.352 38 41.1 ± 1.3
(fine grained A- or
L-type porphyry)
ES-12338 Quebrada " M " 7097,355/444,956 Biotite dacitic porphyry Biotite 5.566 9.029 41 41.2 ± 1.3
(coarse grained A- or
L-type porphyry)
ES- 12339 Quebrada " M " zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
7097,464/444,766 Granodioritic porphyry Biotite 5.739 8.629 36 38.3 ± 1 . 2 3
1
Analyses completed in the K-Ar Geochronology Laboratory of SERNAGEOMIN by Carlos Pérez de Arce. Samples with prefixes SR, ST, and SB are from Cornejo et at.
(1993a) and EC from Cornejo and Mpodozis (1996). Samples with prefixes IO, IP, and IT represent new ages determined during the course of this study. Samples with
ES prefix were collected by Osman Olivares, El Salvador Division, CODELCO. Sample RKM-123 was collected by Orlando Rivera as reported in Rivera (1995).
2
Denotes samples located in Figure 3; all others are located in Figure 4.
3
Denotes ages interpreted as minimum ages; see text for discussion.
28 CORNEJO ET AL. zy
TABLE 2. Recalculated K-Ar Ages Reported by Gustafson and Hunt (1975) 1
Sample no. Location UTM coordinates Rock unit or Material %K Ar rad, nl/g %Ar, atm. Previous age Recalculated age
(N/E) lithology dated and error, Ma2 and error, Ma3
ES-6025B Old Camp 7098,545.7/446,057.8 Quartz-plagioclase Sericite 2.33 3.86 82 45.6 ± 1 . 3 42.1 ± 2 . 6
porphyry
ES-6136 Colina de Cobre 7097,448.4/445,056.5 Granodioritic Biotite 7.68 12.56 ± 0 . 1 0 29.3 40.5 ± 0.9 41.6 ± 1 . 8
(Cu Hill) porphyry
ES-3256 Level 2933, El 7096,196.0/444,818.9 K porphyry Sericite 7.30 12.02 ± 0.13 38.4 40.8 ± 0.5 41.9 ± 1.0
Salvador Mine
ES-3442A Level 2400, El 7096,213.4/444,908.8 L porphyry Amphibole 0.364 0.618 ± 0 . 0 1 0 54.2 42.1 ± 2 . 8 43.2 ± 5.6
Salvador Mine
ES-3853 Quebrada Granito 7094,600.6/443,498.2 L porphyry Amphibole 0.503 0.854 ± 0 . 0 1 4 58.6 42.1 ± 1.3 43.2 ± 2.6
ES-3853A Quebrada Granito 7094,600.6/443,498.2 L porphyry Biotite 7.29 12.36 ± 0 . 1 7 26.1 42.0 ± 0.6 43.1 ± 1.2
ES-1910 Level 2400, El 7096,161.3/444,482.7 Biotitized andesite Biotite 40.8 ± 1 . 3 41.8 ± 2 . 6 4
Salvador Mine
ES-4269 Level 2400, El 7095,837.0/443,999.7 "Latite" dike Biotite 6.58 10.86 ± 0.12 13.4 40.9 ± 0.5 42.0 ± 1 . 0
Salvador Mine
1
Reported ages represent the average of duplicate analyses for most of the samples; completed by C. Brooks (Univ. de Montréal), except ES-1910, which was completed
by Geochron. Sample coordinates converted to UTM by Osman Olivares from mine records.
2
Uncertainties reported by Gustafson and Hunt (1975) are 1 sigma (a) uncertainties; recalculated ages are reported tozyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFED
2σ uncertainties.
3
Ages recalculated using the decay constants of Steiger and Jäger (1977) and the original analytical data provided courtesy of L.B. Gustafson (pers. commun., 1992).
4
Original analytical data were unavailable, so new age determined using the conversion table of Harland et al. (1990).
EL SALVADOR COPPER DEPOSIT REVISITEDzyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTS
29
Regional Framework and Pre-Tertiary overlain by Lower Cretaceous continental-

Geology of El Salvador Area facies epiclastic rocks.
West of the Sierra Castillo-Agua Amarga
The El Salvador deposit (26° 15' S) is located
fault, the oldest rocks are Jurassic basaltic
in the southern segment of the Domeyko fault
andesitic and andesitic amygdaloidal lavas and
system (Fig. 1), a trench-linked strike-slip fault
intercalated fossiliferous limestones of the
system having activity contemporaneous with
Sierra Fraga Formation. These rocks are over-
emplacement of numerous middle Eocene to
early Oligocene porphyry Cu-Mo deposits in the lain by Lower Cretaceous andesitic lavas, vol-
Andean Precordillera of northern Chile (Mak- canic breccias, and intercalated continental-
saev and Zentilli, 1988; Sillitoe, 1988; Lindsay facies sedimentary rocks of the Mantos Gruesos
et al., 1995; Reutter et al., 1996). In the north- sequence (Fig. 4). Both units were deposited in
ern and central part of the system, fault control a back-arc to intra-arc basin formed during the
on the emplacement of porphyry Cu-Mo-related early stages of the Andean orogeny (Mpodozis
intrusive complexes is evident where the por- and Ramos, 1989) and contrast with the age-
phyry Cu complexes are either localized along equivalent sequences deposited east of the
master strands of the fault system (e.g., La Sierra Castillo fault. As Tertiary sinistral slip on
Escondida and Chuquicamata) or lie within a the Sierra Castillo fault is no more than several
short distance of the master fault along tens of km (Tomlinson et al., 1993, unpubl.
peripheral subsidiary faults (e.g., Quebrada data), juxtaposition of different volcanic and
Blanca and Collaguasi) (Boric et al., 1990; sedimentary facies suggests that the Sierra Cas-
Tomlinson et al., unpubl. mapping, 1993- tillo fault reactivated a long-lived fault system
1996). The southern Domeyko fault system that separated the carbonate platform margin of
consists of the Sierra Castillo fault, which the Jurassic and Cretaceous basin from the
passes southward into the Agua Amarga oblique volcanic-filled rift basin to the west.
reverse fault (Figs. 1 and 3). The Potrerillos Cu Shortening in the Cretaceous (95 to ~ 8 5 Ma)
deposit lies east of the Sierra Castillo-Agua deformed large areas of northern Chile and
Amarga fault system, within a contempora- marked the transition from the dominance of
neous fold-and-thrust belt (Olson, 1989; intra-arc extension to that of shortening punc-
Tomlinson et al., 1993; Tomlinson, 1994). The tuated by periods of extension that has since
El Salvador deposit, the oldest deposit of the characterized the Central Andes (Coira et al.,
Eocene and Oligocene porphyry Cu belt (Sil- 1982; Boric et al., 1990; Mpodozis and Ramos,
litoe, 1988), lies ~ 1 0 km west of the Sierra 1989). During a period of quiescence and
Castillo fault. Structural control on the forma- extension in the Late Cretaceous, the Llanta
tion of this porphyry Cu deposit by the Formation was deposited unconformably over
Domeyko system is not obvious (Fig. 3). the Sierra Fraga Formation in an extensional
East of the Sierra Castillo-Agua Amarga basin limited on the east by the Mantos Gruesos
fault, the oldest rocks consist of a basement of and Kilómetro Catorce faults (Fig. 4). It con-
upper Paleozoic granitic and volcanic rocks sists of andesitic sandstones, red conglomer-
unconformably overlain by Upper Triassic to ates, coarse-grained volcaniclastic rocks, sparse
Lower Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic ignimbrites, and high in the formation, ande-
rocks (Fig. 3, Quebrada del Salitre, Montandón, sitic and basaltic lavas and breccias. Between
and Asientos formations; Quebrada Vicuñita 26° and 27° S (Fig. 3) this unit has yielded
sequence in Fig. 4). The granitic rocks—the K-Ar mineral and whole-rock ages between 73
Carboniferous and Permian Pedernales and ± 4 Ma and 69 ± 3 Ma (SB-472, SR-372,
Sierra Castillo batholiths—represent the mag- EC-326). In the El Salvador area, it is intruded
matic arc of western Gondwana (Brook et al., by various Paleocene dioritic stocks with K-Ar
1986; Cornejo et al., 1993a; Mpodozis and biotite and whole-rock ages of 64 + 2 Ma to 59.7
Cornejo, 1994). The Mesozoic sedimentary ± 5.7 Ma (SR-456, SR-245, IO-139, IP-68). The
rocks are Lower Jurassic to Neocomian shallow- Mantos Gruesos fault had syn-depositional
marine carbonate sequences deposited in a extensional slip prior to post-depositional
W-facing platform environment. They contain shortening in the latest Cretaceous to earliest
only sparse interbedded volcanic rocks, and are Paleocene, when the basin collapsed and the
CORNEJO ET AL.
FIG. 4. Geologic map of the El Salvador area showing K-Ar and U-Pb ages determined during this study. Those ages
outside the area of the figure are located in Figure 3. Abbreviations: CC = Colina de Cobre. Legend on facing page.
EL SALVADOR COPPER DEPOSIT REVISITED 31 zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXW
Legend, Figure 4
El Salvador Porphyry Complex (middle Eocene) zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGF
Granodiorite, granodiorite porphyry and dacite Quaternary alluvium
porphyry intrusions (43-41 Ma)
Atacama Gravels (middle Miocene)
Quartz-plagioclase and quartz-sanidine rhyolile
porphyry dikes, stocks and laccoliths (44-43 Ma)
Paleocene Volcanic Event

El Salvador Caldera and Indio Muerto Domes Los Amarillos-Kilometro Catorce Volcanic Sequence
Rhyolitic domes, dikes, sills, and associate
pyroclastic and epiclastic rocks (58 Ma) Andesitic and trachyandesitic lavas
Monzonitic intrusions (59 Ma) Ignimbrites (~60 Ma)

Cerros Contreras-La Antena ignimbrites Rhyolitic domes (62 Ma)
and basal ignimbrite sequence at Cerro
Indio Muerto (63-60 Ma)
Dioritic intrusions (64-56? Ma)
Paleozoic-Mesozoic Basement
west zone East Zone

Llanta Formation (Upper Cretaceous) Quebrada del Salitre, Montandon and Asientos
a) Sandstone, conglomerates and volcaniclastic Formations, and Quebrada Vicuriita sequence
breccias (Upper Triassic to Lower Cretaceous)
b) Volcanic breccias and andesitic lavas Marine carbonate sequences, siliciclastic rocks, and
scarce interbedded andesitic and basaltic lavas
Sierra Fraga Formation and Mantos Gruesos
sequence (Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous) Sierra Castillo Batholith
Andesitic and basaltic lavas with interbedded (Carboniferous-Permian)
marine limestone and continental-facies
epiclastic rocks
Structures K-Ar ages (in Ma)
Normal faults and scissors faults Biotite
Whole rock
Eocene reverse faults
Eocene strike-slip fault (Sierra Castillo System)
Drainage
Caldera ring fracture (Paleocene) Mine collapse zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTS
Upper Cretaceous to lower Paleocene reverse fault
Upper Cretaceous to lower Paleocene folds
Cretaceous normal fault reactivated as reverse fault
Paleocene scissors fault reactivated as reverse fault
fault was reactivated as a W-vergent reverse (Cornejo et al., 1993a). In the El Salvador area,
fault (Cornejo and Mpodozis, 1996). Shorten- silicic eruptive centers are associated with nor-
ing is particularly evident north of Cerro Indio mal faults that post-date latest Cretaceous to
Muerto, where the Llanta Formation is earliest Paleocene shortening (Fig. 4). The
deformed into a series of upright folds and cut oldest center is the El Salvador caldera and
by the E-vergent Sierra Miranda thrust (Fig. 4). zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIH
associated ignimbrite sequence (Cornejo et al.,
1993a, 1993b, 1994). On Cerro Indio Muerto, a
second eruptive center of coalescing rhyolitic
Paleocene Volcanism domes overlies outflow-facies tuffs derived
Paleocene high-K calcalkaline volcanic rocks from the adjoining El Salvador caldera. To the
include large volumes of clinopyroxene ± west lies a sequence of principally andesitic
olivine ± biotite trachybasalt and trachy- rocks intercalated with outflow-facies rhyolitic
andesite lava, and of sanidine rhyolitic lava, ignimbrites (Los Amarillos-Kilometro Catorce
domes, and tuff (Cornejo et al., 1993a, 1993b, volcanic sequence). The intermediate volcanic
1994). The volcanic rocks unconformably over- rocks are thought to have been derived from
lie the folded and faulted Cretaceous Llanta coalesced stratovolcanos located west of the
Formation and older rocks; the unconformity district, but which now are deeply eroded.
corresponds to the Hornitos unconformity of
Gustafson and Hunt (1975) (Fig. 2). Silicic El Salvador caldera
calderas and rhyolitic dome complexes are rec- Cerros Contreras and La Antena, lying south
ognized, but eruptive centers for the mafic and of El Salvador, are composed of densely welded
intermediate volcanic rocks are not well defined rhyolitic ignimbrites, dipping 10 to 25° east
32zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
CORNEJO ET AL.
FIG. 5. Generalized cross-sections for Paleocene sequences within the El Salvador area. Section A-A' is through
the El Salvador caldera, B-B' through Cerro Indio Muerto, and C-C' through the Los Amarillos volcanic sequence.
Sections A-A' and B-B' are located in Figure 4, andC-C'is in Figure 3. Geochronologic symbols are the same as those
used in Figure 4. Abbreviations: min = age considered to be minimum; * = age considered to be anomalously old.
Sections are without vertical exaggeration.
and southeast, with a minimum exposed thick- from 300 m to >600 m toward the southwest. It
ness of 1300 m; the base of the sequence is not is inferred to be a single cooling unit. Pumice
exposed (Fig. 5A). The Cerros define a semicir- has flattening ratios (length:height) between
cular ridge, open to the northwest, which out- 10:1 and 20:1 in the thinner sections, ranging
up to 80:1 in the thicker sections. This lower
lines the form of the El Salvador caldera (Fig.
tuff is overlain by brecciated and vesicular
4). Sparse andesitic lavas are interbedded andesitic lavas, including pyroxene trachyan-
within the tuff sequence, indicating multiple desites (Fig. 5A). Overlying the andesitic lavas,
explosive eruptions. The lower stratigraphic rocks are principally eutaxitic sanidine rhyo-
levels on the north flank of the ridge consist of litic tuffs with traces of biotite, lithic tuffs with
welded rhyolitic tuff (with eutaxitic and rheo- cognate fragments, and sparse andesitic lava
morphic textures) that increases in thickness and breccia. Lithic tuffs are lithologically simi-
33
lar pyroclastic dikes that probably represent that the rotational axis (hinge) to the caldera lid
eruptive conduits. The highest stratigraphic lies to the northwest and has a northeast-to-
levels consist of welded sanidine-biotite rhyo- north strike. Steep NE-striking faults, located
litic and dacitic tuffs, with large sanidine crys- southeast of Cerro Indio Muerto (Fig. 4), lie
tals. Fine-grained porphyritic monzonite to subparallel to the inferred orientation of the
quartz monzonite intrudes to high stratigraphic trap-door hinge and may be related to that
levels in the tuff sequence near La Cantera structure. They also are subparallel to the
(Fig. 4). southernmost segment of the Mantos Gruesos
On the southeastern flank of Cerros Con- fault, possibly indicating a control by older pre-
treras and La Antena, the ignimbrite sequence caldera faults on the hinge orientation. The
is limited by a semicircular normal fault that Mantos Gruesos and Kilometro Catorce faults
downdrops the northwestern hanging-wall form the principal structural boundary
block of welded, intracaldera-facies tuff against between the Llanta Formation on the west and
a footwall of the Sierra Fraga Formation (Fig. the Lower Cretaceous and Jurassic volcanic
4). Near the fault are massive megabreccia, sequences on the east, suggesting that the two
representing intracaldera landslide deposits, faults probably are contiguous and continue
interbedded with welded tuff. Megabreccia beneath Cerro Indio Muerto and across the
clasts are principally Jurassic lavas and Paleo- northwestern margin of the El Salvador caldera
cene welded tuffs. The distribution of mega- in the approximate location of the inferred trap-
breccia, coupled with an annular structural door hinge. The El Salvador caldera is smaller
margin and intracaldera tuff facies on Cerros than the 15-km-diameter subcircular structure
Contreras and La Antena, represent the princi- originally proposed by Frances et al. (1983)
pal evidence for the El Salvador caldera. from topographic features on LANDSAT
imagery.
The Cerros Contreras and La Antena intra-
caldera block also is limited on the northeast by Outflow-facies ignimbrites are recognized 3
a system of subvertical WNW-striking faults km southeast of the caldera margin, where they
that place the intracaldera block against the pre- unconformably overlie Jurassic volcanic rocks
caldera Mesozoic units, and on the southwest (Fig. 4), and ~ 2 0 to 25 km southeast on Cerro
by the N-striking Kilómetro Catorce reverse El Buitre near Potrerillos (Fig. 3), where they
fault that places Mesozoic rocks and intra- overlie Jurassic limestones on the east side of
caldera facies against extracaldera Paleocene the Sierra Castillo fault system. They also are
andesitic lavas and ignimbrites of the Los present to the west and northwest in the
Amarillos-Kilómetro Catorce sequence (Fig. Los Amarillos-Kilómetro Catorce volcanic
4). The WNW-striking faults in the Cuesta San sequence (Fig. 4) and 10 to 15 km southwest in
Juan area, although accommodating large dis- the Pampa del Inca area (Fig. 3).
placements on the caldera fill, fade toward the K-Ar geochronology indicates that explosive
WNW into the Cerro Indio Muerto area and volcanism in the El Salvador caldera occurred
toward the ESE into the footwall of the caldera- in the Paleocene (Figs. 4 and 5A). Suitable
margin normal fault. This suggests that the material to date is unavailable for the lower
fault system is a scissors fault system related to tuffs, so inception of explosive volcanism is not
collapse during caldera formation. The Kilo- constrained. Tuff above the andesitic member
metro Catorce fault is interpreted to be a latest has a biotite K-Ar age of 66 ± 2 Ma (IO-142),
Cretaceous to earliest Paleocene reverse fault whereas the stratigraphically highest tuffs have
reactivated in the Eocene, but the contrasting K-Ar ages on biotite of 63 ± 2 Ma (10-81) and
ignimbritic facies on either side of the fault 61 ± 2 Ma (SR-51). The thin outflow facies tuff
suggest that it also was a caldera-related scissors on Cerro El Buitre has identical K-Ar ages on
fault in the Paleocene. The structure and vol- biotite of 6 1 ± 2 and 62±2Ma(ST-77-ST-101).
canic facies suggest that the caldera complex A diorite intruding into intracaldera tuff on
developed as a trap-door caldera. Cuesta San Juan has a whole-rock K-Ar age of
The open-to-the-northwest semicircular 63 ± 4 Ma (IO-139). The range of ages suggests
form of the Cerros Contreras and La Antena, that explosive volcanism and the last stages of
the bounding normal fault, and the east-to- caldera formation may have continued for as
southeast dips in the intracaldera block suggest much as 5 million years between ~66 Ma and 61
CORNEJO ET AL.
206
Ma. However, the 66 + 2 Ma age (IO-142) is Pb*/ 238 U and 207
Pb*/ 235 U ageg of 59.5 Ma
207 206
considered to be too old for two reasons: (1) and a Pb*/ Pb* age of 58 Ma. The last
other Paleocene units regionally correlative to zircon fraction has normal discordance as a
the El Salvador area sequence, both east of the result of recent Pb loss, perhaps during deep
Sierra Castillo fault (Cerro Valiente sequence) Cenozoic weathering (Mortimer, 1973). The
and north of El Salvador in the Exploradora pattern of normal discordance also suggests
area, yield K-Ar ages no older than 63 + 2 Ma at that minor quantities of inherited zircon also
the base of those sequences (Cornejo et al, may be present. Based upon the overall distribu-
1993a; Cornejo and Mpodozis, 1996); and (2) tion of U-Pb ages together with the one concor-
the low-K content for biotite in IO-142 suggests dant fraction, an age of 59 ± 2 Ma is assigned to
some K-loss and potential overestimation of the the quartz monzonite. Evidently, volcanic and
age. Therefore, we consider it more likely that plutonic activity in the El Salvador caldera
caldera formation occurred over a much shorter ceased by 58 to 59 Ma.
period of time, most likely around 63 to 61 Ma

in the early Paleocene. Cerro Indio Muerto
Post-collapse stocks and domes intrude intra- At Cerro Indio Muerto, the Cretaceous
caldera tuff (Figs. 4 and 5A). A dome-derived Llanta Formation is unconformably overlain by
sanidine-biotite rhyodacitic lava flow overlying a 100- to 200-m-thick rhyolitic tuff sequence
the tuff sequence on Cerro San Juan has a K-Ar correlated by Gustafson and Hunt (1975) to the
biotite age of 61 ± 2 Ma (10-140). Along the Hornitos Formation of the Copiapó area (Fig.
annular margin of the caldera, the lava flow is 2). These tuffs are unconformably overlain by
intruded and overlain by a biotite rhyodacitic alkali-feldspar rhyolite domes and a sequence
dome having K-Ar biotite ages of 58.2 ± 1 . 5 Ma of pyroclastic and epiclastic rocks and minor
(10-90) and 57.5 ± 1.5 Ma (10-89). East of andesitic lava into which microdiorite sills were
Cerro Contreras, a rhyolitic dome also intrud- emplaced (Figs. 4 and 5B). This second uncon-
ing the caldera margin has a K-Ar whole-rock
formity is the Indio Muerto unconformity of
age of 55.4 ± 1.8 Ma (SR-59). This age is
Gustafson and Hunt (1975), and the overlying
interpreted to be a minimum because of
domes and volcanic rocks constitute their
groundmass devitrification, which has been
"Indio Muerto rhyolite domes" and "Indio
shown in the region to result in K-Ar whole-
Muerto series volcanics," respectively (Fig. 2).
rock ages that are consistently 4 to 8 m.y. too
Rb-Sr whole-rock and mineral isochron ages of
young (Cornejo et al., 1993a).
49.3 + 5.6 Ma and 49.2 + 6.4 Ma were reported
To the southwest, a biotite-amphibole por- for these rocks, albeit with some uncertainty as
phyritic quartz monzonite intruding the tuff to their validity (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975,
sequence at La Cantera has a minimum 51.8 + p. 879).
1.7 Ma K-Ar whole-rock age (Cornejo et al.,
1993a). Four fractions of zircons from this The base of the rhyolitic tuff sequence con-
quartz monzonite have discordant U-Pb ages sists of laterally discontinuous, unwelded to
ranging between 59 and 61 Ma (Table 3; Fig. slightly welded, air-fall and plinian tuffs con-
6A), although their uncertainties overlap containing small pumice lapilli; fragmental quartz,
cordia. Two fractions are slightly reversely dis- plagioclase, and biotite phenocrysts (with diam-
cordant, perhaps either because of analytical eters measured in mm); and slightly larger
problems or because of internal Pb redistribu- alkali-feldspar phenocrysts. These are overlain
tion or selective uranium loss during younger by 50 to 200 meters of rhyolitic and dacitic
alteration by hydrothermal or metamorphic welded ignimbrites containing sanidine and
fluids or during chemical weathering (Mattin- locally biotite. The tuff sequence is cut by NE-
son et al., 1996). One of these reversely discor- and NW-striking faults and was tilted gently
dant fractions also underwent hydrothermal (5° - 1 0 ° ) southwest and south during caldera
leaching experiments (Mattinson, 1994), a pro- collapse (Fig. 5B). On the southeastern side of
cedure that may remove damaged parts of zir- Cerro Indio Muerto, zircons were recovered
cons resulting in either concordant or normally from a slightly welded rhyolitic tuff (IT-6, Fig.
discordant U-Pb ages (Mattinson et al., 1996). 6B) conformably overlying red sandstone
One zircon fraction is concordant with immediately above the unconformity with the
35
FIG. 6. A portion of the concordia diagram showing

U-Pb geochronologic data for zircons from Paleocene
volcanic and plutonic rocks. A. Biotite-amphibole
quartz monzonite (IT-17) intruding intracaldera tuff
near La Cantera. B. Slightly welded tuff (IT-6) at the
base of the Paleocene volcanic sequence, southern flank
of Cerro Indio Muerto. All data except for one fraction
are shown. Uncertainty ellipses are shown only for
those fractions (filled squares) that were hydrother-
mally leached. Uncertainties for the other zircon frac-
tions (filled diamonds) are large because of large
common Pb content, and extend over significant parts
of the diagram. Line passes only through fractions with
negligible common Pb. C. Rhyolite dome (IT-8) on
Cerro Indio Muerto. D. Sanidine rhyolite dike (IT-4) on
the northeast flank of Cerro Indio Muerto. E. Composite
diagram for zircons from Paleocene volcanic and plutonic rocks. Only normally discordant data are shown; reversely
discordant data are not plotted. Inheritance discordia for the basal tuff (IT-6) on Cerro Indio Muerto is shown.
Stippled symbols are zircons that have undergone step-wise hydrothermal leaching.
underlying Cretaceous Llanta Formation (Figs. ness of the analyses. Three other zircon frac-
4 and 5B). The clear, euhedral zircons contain tions underwent hydrothermal leaching experi-
considerable common Pb (measured 206Pb/204 ments to remove common Pb and to minimize
Pb < 54), which limits the chronologic useful- effects of Pb loss (Mattinson, 1994). Experi-
CORNEJO ET AL.
mental hydrothermal leaching of one fraction northeastern flank of Cerro Indio Muerto, and
for three days failed to remove common Pb, but strike northeast, parallel to the alignment of the
shifted the 206 Pb*/ 238 U and 207 Pb*/ 235 U ages to larger domes (Fig. 4), as well as parallel to
slightly older ages (60 to 61 Ma) than those in basement faults (such as the Mantos Gruesos
conventionally analyzed fractions (59 to 60 fault) and the inferred orientation of the cal-
Ma). Leaching of the same fraction and a sec- dera trap-door hinge. This suggests that these
ond size fraction for a longer period of time structures probably controlled magma emplace-
effectively removed the common Pb, as evi- ment. As Cerro Indio Muerto is located on the
denced by their high measured 2 0 6 Pb/ 2 0 4 Pb. margin of the El Salvador caldera, collapse-
U-Pb ages of leached fractions are discordant related faulting also may explain the gentle
because of small amounts of inherited zircons. southwest and south dips on the basement
A line through these two fractions intersects unconformity and rhyolitic tuff sequence,
concordia at 60 Ma and 783 Ma, with a large and despite an apparent structural conflict between
meaningless uncertainty on the upper inter- dip directions and inferred NE-strike orienta-
cept. As the rock can be no older than the tion of the caldera hinge. Within the intra-
youngest U-Pb age used to define the inherited caldera block at Cerros Contreras and La
discordia array, the base of the tuff sequence on Antena, the caldera lid is dissected by
Cerro Indio Muerto is interpreted to be 60 ± 1 numerous faults that bound coherent blocks
Ma. Within the same section on the eastern having contrasting dip direction and magni-
flank of Cerro Indio Muerto, biotite from the tude, and it is likely that a similar structural
stratigraphically highest welded rhyolitic tuff architecture characterized the caldera margin.
has an essentially identical age of 59.4 ± 1.5 Ma Conversely, Eocene shortening might also have
(IP-19). Ages from the tuff sequence agree with produced or accentuated dips on Paleocene
those of the adjoining El Salvador caldera, rocks. The facts that Eocene porphyry contacts
which is interpreted to have been their source. and sulfide veins in the mine are vertical or dip
steeply north (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975; L.B.
The core of Cerro Indio Muerto is formed by
Gustafson, pers. commun., 1997) and that NW-
several coalescing rhyolite domes aligned in a
striking faults in the mine cut Paleocene
northeast direction (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975;
pyroclastic rocks and all units of the Eocene
P. Cornejo, unpubl. mapping, 1994), with a
porphyry complex (G. Müller, pers. commun.,
rhyolitic stock located in the headwaters of
1996) suggest that at least some component of
Quebrada Aglomerado possibly representing
the faulting and tilting is a result of younger,
the feeder to a peripheral extrusive center. The
probably Eocene, deformation. Thus, the gentle
dome rocks consist of massive rhyolite with
southwesterly dips in the Cerro Indio Muerto
abundant phenocrysts of sanidine, lesser
area are inferred to be local phenomena that
plagioclase, and trace amounts of biotite in a
formed in the hinge area of a fragmented cal-
flow-banded groundmass with spherulitic
dera lid, which later was modified by Eocene or
devitrification textures. Quartz phenocrysts are
younger deformation.
absent or sparse. Flank breccias, block-and-ash
flow deposits, small-volume debris flow Geochronologic data for the rhyolitic dome
deposits, ash tuff, and fine-grained epiclastic and associated rocks on Cerro Indio Muerto are
rocks are preserved on the southeastern flank of limited, but are compatible with their emplace-
Cerro Indio Muerto, where the rocks filled ment following collapse of the El Salvador cal-
depressions in an irregular topography result- dera. A slightly altered flow-banded aphyric
ing from synvolcanic faulting during caldera rhyolite (IT-8) from the dome on the south-
collapse (Fig. 5B). Epiclastic rocks containing western flank of Cerro Indio Muerto contains
fossil plant material and freshwater gastropods euhedral, clear, prismatic zircons. Four zircon
were deposited between pyroclastic eruptions in fractions have slightly discordant 206 Pb*/ 238 U
restricted lakes that filled depressions. Sparse and 2 0 7 Pb*/ 2 3 5 U ages between 55 and 58 Ma,
andesitic lava and microdiorite sills also are although, as is the case for most of the Paleo-
interlayered with the pyroclastic and epiclastic cene rocks, the uncertainties on the individual
rocks. analyses intersect concordia. The range of U-Pb
Rhyolitic dikes and sills, peripheral to the ages clearly indicates a Paleocene age for the
main domes, intrude basement rocks on the dome (Fig. 6C). 2 0 7 Pb*/ 2 0 6 Pb* ages are > 5 8 Ma
37
and range up to 92 Ma, implying a small amount + 3 Ma (RKM-123) (Rivera, 1995). On the
of inherited zircons. U-Pb ages of these zircons south, in the Rìo de la Sal valley, discontinuous
are similar to those in the welded tuff (see rhyolite ignimbrite lies along the unconformity
above), but are slightly younger (Fig. 6E), con- at the base of the sequence. In the area of Los
sistent with their stratigraphic relations. Dis- Amarillos, north and west of the town of El
tribution of zircon U-Pb ages in an array Salvador (Figs. 3 and 4), the sequence, which
parallel to concordia implies some Pb loss dur- also contains a basal ignimbrite, is folded into a
ing a younger event, most likely during intense broad syncline with a wavelength of ~11 km;
hydrothermal alteration at ~ 4 1 Ma (Zentilli,
andesitic lavas occupy the core of the fold (Fig.
1974; Gustafson and Hunt, 1975). Eocene Pb
5C). Cornejo et al. (1993a) speculated that this
loss is confirmed by SHRIMP 206 Pb*/ 238 U a g e s
area might also be a caldera, but this is not
of 43.6 + 2.1 Ma and 40.3 ± 1 . 4 M a , determined
on the tips of two separate grains (grains 8.1 supported by additional mapping. On the west-
ern flank of the syncline, a more complex
and 9.1) (Table 4). SHRIMP 206 Pb*/ 238 U ages of

spots on the other 15 zircon tips are between 56 sequence has several sanidine-biotite welded
and 62 Ma, similar to 206 Pb*/ 238 U ages of multi- rhyolitic tuffs interbedded with andesite and
grain zircon fractions (Tables 3 and 4). These trachyandesite lavas. One of the higher welded
spot analyses have a mean 206 Pb*/ 238 U age of rhyolitic tuffs has a K-Ar biotite age of 60 ± 2
59.1 Ma. Taking the range of ages determined Ma (SR-75-2). Another rhyolite welded tuff,
during multigrain and SHRIMP U-Pb analyses, from near the base of the sequence, has a whole-
a 58 + 2 Ma age is assigned to the rhyolite dome. rock K-Ar age of 55.8 ± 1.8 Ma (IP.91), and a
This age is as much as 8 million years older than trachyandesitic lava from within the core of the
previously determined by Rb-Sr (Gustafson and syncline has a whole-rock K-Ar age of 53.7 ±1.8
Hunt, 1975), and is similar to the K-Ar ages for are considered to be minimum ages, as the rocks
biotite from the post-collapse rhyodacitic dome are devitrified and one tuff (IP-91) lies strati-
of Cerro San Juan that was emplaced along the graphically below another tuff (SR-75-2) that
El Salvador caldera ring fracture. has an older K-Ar mineral age. The sequence is
Zircons from a sanidine rhyolite (IT-4), one intruded by a swarm of N-trending sericitized
of the thickest peripheral dikes, have discordant rhyolite dikes and by numerous subvolcanic
U-Pb ages (Table 3; Fig. 6D) that are distributed dioritic stocks, one of which has a K-Ar whole-
in an array subparallel to concordia. Experi- rock age of 55.9 ± 2.1 Ma (IP-92).
mentally hydrothermally leached zircons have
older U-Pb ages, thereby implying some slight
The predominance of intermediate lavas over
Pb loss from the zircon. 206 Pb*/ 238 U and
207 silicic rocks distinguishes the Los Amarillos-
Pb*/ 235 U ages are between 56 and 62 Ma.
Like zircons from other Paleocene volcanic and Kilometro Catorce volcanic sequence from
plutonic rocks, these zircons apparently also equivalent-age volcanic sequences on Cerro
contain small amounts of inherited zircons. Indio Muerto and in the El Salvador caldera to
From these data alone, an age cannot be the east. However, it is inferred that ignimbrite
assigned to the dike. However, in view of the within the Los Amarillos-Kilometro Catorce
similarity of the U-Pb data to the other Paleo- sequence was derived from the El Salvador
cene rocks (Fig. 6E), it is likely that it is about caldera, in view of their lithologic and age
the same age, i.e., in the 58- to 60-Ma range. similarities and proximity. zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZY
Los Amarillos-Kilómetro Catorce
volcanic sequence
Eocene Cupriferous Porphyry Intrusions
West of the Kilómetro Catorce fault are
pyroxene trachyandesite and andesite lavas The Eocene porphyritic intrusive complex,
intercalated with rhyolitic outflow ignimbrites hosting the El Salvador porphyry Cu-Mo
and epiclastic rocks (Fig. 4). These rocks deposit, consists of stocks, dikes, and sills
unconformably overlie the Llanta Formation emplaced along a 6-km NNE-trending belt
and contain an altered rhyolite dome and flows extending from Quebrada Granito on the SSW
that have a whole-rock (alunite) K-Ar age of 62 to Cerro Pelado on the north (Fig. 4). Individual
38 CORNEJO ET A
TABLE 3. U-Pb Geochronologic Data for Zircons from Volcanic and Plutonic Rocks in the Indio Muerto Area1
Observed ratios 4 Atomic ratios 5.6 Ages, Ma

Fraction 2
Weight, 206Pb, 3
238U 206Pb 207Pb 208pb 3
206Pb 207Pb3 207Pb3 206Pb3 207Pb3 207Pb3
mg ppm ppm 204Pb 206Pb 206Pb 238U zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA

235U 206Pb 238U3
235U 2 0 6 P b
3
Paleocene volcanic an plutonic rocks

Basal tuff: IT-6; UTM 7095,200N/445,920E
N>100(3) 10.1 1.80 220 46.8 0.36074 1.0217 0.00945(0.1) 0.06221 (2.3) 0.04775(2.3) 60.6 61.3 87
N>100(14) 9.9 1.84 226 1742 0.05587 0.3480 0.00945(0.1) 0.06188(0.7) 0.04752(0.7) 60.6 61.0 75
M<63(14) 12.7 3.93 484 7813 0.04925 0.3076 0.00940(0.1) 0.06148(0.4) 0.04743(0.4) 60.3 60.6 71
M>163 10.4 1.52 188 27.6 0.57844 1.5273 0.00932(0.4) 0.06110(7.7) 0.04753(7.4) 59.8 60.2 75
N>163 8.2 1.24 154 26.4 0.60080 1.5611 0.00932(1.5) 0.05341(9.6) 0.04157(9.3) 59.8 33.8 -
N<63 10.0 3.98 501 46.7 0.36121 1.0147 0.00918(0.1) 0.05999(1.6) 0.04742(1.6) 58.9 59.2 70
M<63 14.8 3.36 424 53.6 0.31954 0.9016 0.00915(0.1) 0.05744(2.2) 0.04548(2.1) 58.8 56.7 -
Rhyolite dome: IT-8; UTM 7094,930N/443,790E
M<63 1.8 3.51 455 122 0.16821 0.5945 0.00891(0.1) 0.05848(2.0) 0.04756(1.8) 57.2 57.7 77
N>100 2.4 2.03 268 162 0.13822 0.5804 0.00877(0.2) 0.05785(1.1) 0.04786(1.0) 56.3 57.1 92
M>100 2.7 2.89 385 160 0.13891 0.5798 0.00875(0.1) 0.05690(0.9) 0.04717(0.8) 56.2 56.2 58
N<63 5.2 4.11 552 105 0.18665 0.6356 0.00859(0.1) 0.05653(1.0) 0.04770(0.9) 55.2 55.9 85
Sanidine rhyolite dike: IT-4; UT M 7097,160N/447,510E

N>80(R2) 10.2 2.72 333 2141 0.05469 0.4065 0.00945(0.1) 0.06242(1.1) 0.04791(1.0) 60.6 61.5 95
M<100(R3) 7.4 2.87 355 2160 0.05456 0.4438 0.00933(0.1) 0.06153(0.6) 0.04784(0.6) 59.9 60.6 91
M<63 6.6 3.84 506 139 0.15299 0.7156 0.00879(0.1) 0.05794(0.8) 0.04783(0.8) 56.4 57.2 91
Quartz monzonite: IT-17; UTM 7087,610N/442,425E

M>163(R2) 5.0 1.34 162 694 0.06813 0.3748 0.00957(0.1) 0.06213(0.9) 0.04707(0.8) 61.4 61.1 53
M>100 6.8 1.70 206 4% 0.07650 0.4018 0.00952(0.1) 0.06166(1.3) 0.04695(1.3) 61.1 60.8 47
N<63 11.2 2.04 255 862 0.06413 0.3546 0.00927(0.1) 0.06031(0.5) 0.04718(0.5) 59.5 59.5 58
M<63 6.7 3.60 277 955 0.06288 0.3617 0.00924(0.1) 0.06063(2.3) 0.04759(2.2) 59.3 59.8 79
Eocene porphyry intusions

Cerro Pelado altered quartz-sanidine rhyolite porphyry: IT-3; UTM 7099,190N/445,920E
N>100(R2) 5.5 0.74 124 585 0.07278 0.3391 0.00690(0.1) 0.04546(1.1) 0.04777(1.0) 44.3 45.1 88
N>80 5.0 0.95 162 171 0.13308 0.4902 0.00678(0.1) 0.04406(1.4) 0.04714(1.3) 43.5 43.8 56
N>63 6.7 0.98 202 235 0.10967 0.4366 0.00563(0.1) 0.03661(1.5) 0.04719(1.4) 36.2 36.5 59
Cerro Pelade altered quartz-sanidine rhyolite porphyry: ES-7458; UTM 7099,339N/446,129E

N>130(R2) 5.1 0.66 117 240 0.10908 0.4244 0.00646(0.3) 0.04274(3.8) 0.04800(3.6) 41.5 42.5 99
N<100(R2) 5.9 1.08 190 613 0.07090 0.3372 0.00654(0.1) 0.04235(0.8) 0.04699(0.8) 42.0 42.1 49
Old Camp quartz-plagioclase porphyry dike: IT-5; UTM 7098,730N/446,730E

N>163 13.9 1.63 271 152 0.14403 0.3954 0.00694(0.1) 0.04555(2.3) 0.04762(2.1) 44.6 45.2 81
N<63(14) 7.8 2.76 465 2702 0.05194 0.1872 0.00687(0.2) 0.04409(2.5) 0.04656(2.4) 44.1 43.8 27
M<100(]14) 10.3 2.52 428 160 0.13884 0.3873 0.00681(0.1) 0.04435(0.7) 0.04721(0.7) 43.8 44.1 60
M>163 5.4 2.15 365 101 0.19179 0.5042 0.00680(0.1) 0.04375(2.0) 0.04667(2.0) 43.7 43.5 32
M<63 3.7 3.00 520 193 0.12300 0.3716 0.00669(0.2) 0.04314(3.9) 0.04682(3.7) 43.0 42.9 40
X porphyry: IT-10; UTM 7096,350N/444,250E

EL SALVADOR CO
N<63(R2) 5.7 1.06 177 568 0.07326 0.3020 0.00690(0.1) 0.04519(0.7) 0.04753(0.7) 44.3 44.9 76
M<63(R3> 6.7 1.08 187 568 0.06608 0.3094 0.00668(0.1) 0.04354(0.6) 0.04730(0.6) 42.9 43.3 64
L porphyry: IT-9; UTM 7096,4I0N/444,240E

M»00(R3) 9.0 0.74 131 749 0.06662 0.2438 0.00652(0.1) 0.04231(1.1) 0.04709(1.1) 41.9 42.1 54
N>163(R2) 9.8 0.73 130 569 0.07278 0.2267 0.00652(0.1) 0.04233(0.6) 0.04707(0.6) 41.9 42.1 53
N<100 9.3 1.23 219 807 0.06481 0.2653 0.00651(0.1) 0.04191(1.1) 0.04669(1.1) 41.8 41.7 34
M<100F 8.6 1.61 298 559 0.07335 0.4648 0.00624(0.1) 0.04060(0.6) 0.04718(0.5) 40.1 40.4 58
1
Including the El Salvador porphyry copper deposit, north-central Chile. See Figure 4 for location of samples.
2
N = nonmagnetic and M = magnetic at 1.8° and 1° side slope on a Franz Isodynamic separator. Zircon sizes 63, 100, and 163 are in microns. Hydrothermal leaching
experiments modified from Mattinson (1994); only residues from leaching experiments were analyzed. Initial experiments in Savilex beakers were performed on a hot
plate for three days followed by 11 days at 80°C; these experiments are indicated by (3) and (14) to denote total days of leaching. Other experiments were performed in
successive steps with a 24-hour leach at 80° C followed by 24 hours at 160°Con hot plates; these experiments are denoted by (R2), which signifies the residue after two
leach steps. A third leach step for two hours at 200°C in an oven was performed on several fractions, and these are denoted by (R3), signifying the residue after three
leach steps.
3
Denotes radiogenic Pb.
4
Observed ratios collected on Faraday cups were corrected for 0.125% per unit mass fractionation, based on replicate analyses of NBS 981 and 983. Uncertainties in the
208
Pb/ 206 Pb and 207 Pb/ 206 Pb ratios are less than 0.1%; the uncertainty in the 206 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios are generally less than 5% (2σ ). Isotopicdata measured on Finnigan-Mat
MAT 262 multiple collector mass spectrometer at the U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California.
5
Atomic ratios were calculated using the following constants: 238 U/ 235 U = 137.88; 235U = 0.98485zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
× 10-9yr-1; 238U = 0.155125 × 10 -9 yr -1 . The ratios were corrected for
common Pb ratios based upon Pb-isotopic compositions—208:207:206:204—measured in feldspars. Isotopic compositions have uncertainties of less than 0.1% (2a).
ES-7458 = 38.440:15.607:18.524:1; IT-4 = 38.578:15.587:18.521:1; IT-5 = 38.454:15.599,18.492:1; IT-6 = 38.521:15.592:18.521:1; IT-9 = 38.421:15.590:18.519:1;
IT-10 - 38.504:15.592:18.548:1; IT-17 = 38.382:15.589:18.439:1. No feldspars were recovered from IT-8; atomic ratios were corrected assuming average common Pb
values of IT-4 and IT-6. For IT-3, the atomic ratios were corrected assuming common Pb values of ES-7458 collected from same unit. Corrected for a conservative
laboratory procedural blank of 100 picograms of Pb; actual laboratory blanks range from 30 to 90 picograms.
6
Uncertainties (2σ ) (percent) in atomic ratios are shown in parentheses.
CORNEJO ET AL.
TABLE 4. U-Pb-Isotopic Data Determined on the SHRIMP 1
204
Pb/206Pb
206
Jrain.spot U, ppm Th,ppm Th/U Pb*, ppm
206
Pb*/238U Uncert. Pb*/239U, Ma
Cerro Indio Muerto rhyolite dome (IT-8)

1.1 176 156 0.89 2 0.000001 0.0093 0.0003 59.4 ± 1 . 8
2.1 282 314 1.11 3 0.002330 0.0094 0.0003 60.5 ± 1.6
3.1 234 249 1.06 3 0.001754 0.0091 0.0002 58.1 ± 1.6
4.1 283 409 1.44 3 0.000113 0.0088 0.0002 56.2 ± 1.5
5.1 117 143 1.22 1 0.002776 0.0088 0.0003 56.4 ± 1.7
6.1 156 227 1.46 2 0.000067 0.0091 0.0003 58.4 ± 2.2
7.1 527 5% 1.13 6 0.000672 0.0092 0.0002 59.2 ± 1.5
8.1* 118 93 0.79 1 0.000001 0.0068 0.0003 43.6 ± 2 . 1
9.1* 124 82 0.66 1 0.000001 0.0063 0.0002 40.3 ± 1.4
10.1 127 124 0.98 1 0.005942 0.0088 0.0003 56.2 ± 2 . 1

11.1 319 584 1.83 4 0.000001 0.0094 0.0003 60.3 ± 1.6
12.1 517 507 0.98 6 0.001066 0.0099 0.0002 63.4 ± 1.6
13.1 829 2354 2.84 13 0.001004 0.0094 0.0003 60.0 ± 1.7
14.1 113 164 1.45 1 0.009329 0.0089 0.0004 57.2 ± 2.6
15.1 307 651 2.12 4 0.000560 0.0095 0.0005 60.7 ± 2.9
16.1 234 421 1.80 3 0.002987 0.0092 0.0003 59.0 ± 1 . 7
17.1 151 248 1.65 2 0.000001 0.0096 0.0004 1.7 ± 2 . 2
Mean of 15 spots 59.1 ± 1.9
Old Camp porphyry (IT-5)

1.1 141 113 0.80 1 0.002584 0.0065 0.0002 41.4 ± 1.4
2.1 504 914 1.81 5 0.000001 0.0069 0.0002 44.6 ± 1 . 1
3.1 832 387 0.47 6 0.000972 0.0064 0.0002 41.3 ± 1 . 1
4.1* 81 29 0.36 1 0.000001 0.0057 0.0003 36.6 ± 1.7
5.1* 226 224 0.99 2 0.000001 0.0062 0.0002 39.5 ± 1.2
6.1 233 81 0.35 2 0.002745 0.0064 0.0002 41.0 ± 1 . 1
7.1 456 460 1.01 4 0.001127 0.0067 0.0002 43.0 ± 1 . 0
8.1 400 198 0.49 3 0.001930 0.0065 0.0004 42.1 ± 2 . 5
9.1 1216 615 0.51 9 0.000405 0.0067 0.0002 43.0 ± 1.1
Mean of 7 spots 42.3 ± 1 . 3
X porphyry (IT-10)
1.1 37 23 0.64 <1 0.0167% 0.0061 0.0003 39.1 ± 2 . 2
2.1 27 11 0.39 <1 0.005398 0.0063 0.0004 40.7 ± 2.4
3.1 47 21 0.45 <1 0.000001 0.0066 0.0003 42.6 ± 1.7
4.1 25 13 0.51 <1 0.000001 0.0065 0.0004 41.7 ± 2 . 2
5.1 37 21 0.56 <1 0.015542 0.0066 0.0005 42.6 ± 3 . 1
6.1* 25 12 0.49 <1 0.005128 0.0055 0.0005 35.2 ± 3.3
7.1* 31 15 0.47 <1 0.000001 0.0059 0.0003 38.0 ± 1.9
8.1 75 42 0.56 1 0.001473 0.0066 0.0003 42.3 ± 2.0
9.1 40 14 0.37 <1 0.003950 0.0068 0.0004 43.9 ± 2.3
Mean of 7 spots 41.8 ± 2 . 3
1
SeeTable3 for location of samples. Mean values of spots exclude individual analyses, denoted by *, which are considered to
be too young on the basis of geologic and chronologic data presented herein. Uncertainties are given at the one sigma level.
Correction for common Pb made on the basis of extrapolation to concordia along a mixing line with common Pb, following
Tera and Wasserburg (1972).
intrusions, from northeast to southwest, crop (1975), post-rhyolite dome magmatism in the
out at Cerro Pelado, Old Camp, Quebrada " M , " Eocene began with porphyritic quartz rhyolite
Quebrada Turquesa, and Quebrada Granito. subvolcanic intrusions and possibly extrusive
Country rocks are the Llanta Formation and rocks at Cerros Pelado and Riolita and related
Paleocene rhyolitic pyroclastic rocks and quartz-plagioclase porphyry intrusions forming
domes. According to Gustafson and Hunt an annular dike at Old Camp, an irregular
41
N-trending dike in Quebrada "M," and lac- sericitized plagioclase, quartz, and traces of
colithic bodies in Quebrada Turquesa (Fig. 2). biotite in a fine-grained quartzofeldspathic
These intrusive rocks, which are characterized groundmass. Feldspar phenocrysts from other
by conspicuous quartz phenocrysts, were inter- Eocene rocks in the district, in contrast, always
preted to have been emplaced at 44 to 45 Ma consist of plagioclase. Sanidine phenocrysts are
based upon whole-rock and model mineral Rb- typical of Paleocene rocks in the region, but
Sr isochrons of altered rocks from Cerros quartz phenocrysts are not.
Pelado and Riolita (ages recalculated by Cor- Altered quartz-sanidine rhyolite from Cerro
nejo et al., 1993a), and a sericite K-Ar age on Pelado has a K-Ar alteration age on a phyllically
phyllically altered quartz porphyry at Old
altered whole-rock sample of 42.1 ± 1.2 Ma
Camp. Minor Cu-Mo mineralization is asso-
(IP-11) and a slightly older sericite 40Ar/39Ar
ciated with the quartz porphyry center at Old
isochron age of 43.9 ± 1.5 Ma (McWilliams,
Camp (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975).
1994, quoting 2a uncertainties). An older K-Ar
On Cerro Indio Muerto, several granodiorite age of 45.3 ± 2.0 Ma (ES-7458) was obtained on
and granodiorite-dacite porphyry stocks a sanidine concentrate containing partially
intruded the quartz porphyries and older coun- sericitized plagioclase. Five zircon fractions
try rocks between 43 and 41 Ma. Granodioritic from the Cerro Pelado stock also were analyzed
intrusions crop out in Quebradas "M," Tur- by U-Pb methods; three fractions are from an
quesa, and Granito. In Quebrada Turquesa, intensely altered sample (IT-3) and two addi-
Gustafson and Hunt (1975) described five suc- tional fractions are from a less altered part of
cessive intrusive phases of decreasing age, on the porphyry (ES-7458) that also was dated
the basis of cross-cutting relations, as " X , " using K-Ar methods (see above). Three zircon
"K," "L," and "A" porphyries, and post-min- fractions were experimentally hydrothermally
eral latite or dacite porphyry dikes in most leached to remove the abundant common Pb.
chemical classifications (Cox et al., 1979; Le All zircon fractions have discordant U-Pb ages
Bas et al., 1986). The main porphyry Cu-Mo (Table 3; Fig. 7A), although four analyses over-
hypogene mineralization event in the Indio lap concordia within the limits of their analyti-
Muerto district is associated with the X and K cal uncertainty. U-Pb ages for zircons from
porphyries (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975), sample IT-3 increase with increasing grain size
whereas the younger L and A porphyries are and decreasing uranium content, a pattern typi-
intra-mineral, with less alteration and contain-
cal of younger Pb loss and the presence of
ing less sulfide. Closely associated with the
inherited zircons. It is likely that Pb also has
post-mineral dacite dikes are pebble dikes.
been lost from zircons from sample ES-7458,
Granodiorite porphyry in Quebrada " M "
although the evidence is weaker, since these
includes rocks lithologically similar to the L
fractions were experimentally leached in order
and A porphyries of Quebrada Turquesa. Like-
to minimize the effect of the young Pb loss
wise, the granodiorite porphyry in Quebrada
(Mattinson, 1994). The >100-micron zircons
Granito is similar to the L porphyry.
from sample IT-3 have discordant U-Pb ages
Quartz-sanidine rhyolite porphyries displaced away from concordia, confirming the
presence of small amounts of inherited zircons.
Quartz-sanidine rhyolite porphyry—the
A line through this fraction and the >80-
"quartz rhyolite" of Gustafson and Hunt
micron fraction suggests an age of 43 ± 1 Ma for
(1975)—underlies Cerros Pelado and Riolita.
the Cerro Pelado stock, which agrees with other
On Cerro Pelado, it is a subvolcanic stock with
ages for the stock within the limits of their
sparse concentric and radial dikes and breccias.
The Cerro Riolita body has a subhorizontal analytical uncertainties. The inherited compo-
base, which Gustafson and Hunt (1975) suggest nent is poorly constrained to be Proterozoic or
might be the paleosurface over which the rock Paleozoic (1335 ± 9 8 1 Ma).
was extruded, or the base of a sill. The lack of a The chronologic data confirm an Eocene age
basal breccia suggests that the sill hypothesis is for the Cerro Pelado stock. No new chronologic
more probable. Both porphyries are crystal poor data are available for the rhyolite on Cerro
with scarce small phenocrysts of sanidine, Riolita, as no zircons were recovered from the
CORNEJO ET AL.
FIG. 7. A portion of the concordia diagram showing U-Pb geochronologic data for zircons from Eocene rhyolite
and granodiorite porphyries. A. Phyllically altered quartz-sanidine rhyolite porphyry on Cerro Pelado (IT-3;
ES-7458). As Pb toss is evident from these zircons, the chord is drawn only through the zircon fractions with the
oldest U-Pb ages. B. Biotite-bearing quartz-plagioclase porphyry (IT-5) that forms the Old Camp dike. Chord is
regressed only through the U-Pb data for normally discordant zircons (filled squares). Reversely discordant zircons
(stippled diamonds) overlap the chord within their analytical uncertainties. C. X porphyry (IT-10) collected from
the 2445-m level in the El Salvador mine. D. L porphyry (IT-9) collected from the 2445-m level in the El Salvador
mine.
rock, but, based upon petrologic and chemical Quartz-plagioclase rhyolite porphyries
criteria (see below), it is assigned a Paleo- Quartz-plagioclase rhyolite porphyries—the
cene(?) age. Early crystallization of K-feldspar "quartz porphyry" of Gustafson and Hunt
as sanidine indicates high-temperature crystal- (1975)—are crystal-rich, characterized by
lization of a K 2 O-rich, H 2 O-poor magma, whose abundant large phenocrysts of quartz, sodic
anhydrous bulk composition impeded the early plagioclase, and conspicuous biotite in a fine-
crystallization of amphibole and biotite (Naney, grained siliceous groundmass. Fresh rocks are
1983). The dominance of K-feldspar pheno- not present, but the mineralogy and two whole-
crysts in the Cerro Pelado porphyry, therefore, rock chemical analyses of altered rock (Gus-
suggests that some Eocene silicic magmas in the tafson and Hunt, 1975; P. Cornejo, unpubl.
district were more anhydrous than the hydrated data, 1994) suggest they are rhyolitic or
granodiorite porphyry magmas on Cerro rhyodacitic in composition (67 to 71 wt%
Indio Muerto, where both of the hydrous min- SiO 2 ). The quartz-plagioclase porphyry at Old
erals, biotite and amphibole (biotitized), are Camp forms a semicircular dike centered on the
ubiquitous. Cerro Pelado stock (Gustafson and Hunt,
43
1975), suggesting that the Old Camp body was emplaced first, the water content of the
intruded along a ring fracture after emplace- parent magma must have increased subse-
ment of the Cerro Pelado stock had strained and quently, most likely in response to fractional
fractured the wall rock. Gustafson and Hunt crystallization of anhydrous phases, thereby
(1975) also stressed the irregular dike and sill stabilizing biotite over K-feldspar as the
shapes of the quartz-plagioclase porphyry on crystallizing K-rich phase (Naney, 1983; Dilles,
Cerro Indio Muerto as linking it more to the 1987). Following fractional crystallization and
quartz-sanidine rhyolite porphyry than to the evolution toward a more hydrous magma,
younger steep-walled granodioritic intrusions. renewed upward intrusion emplaced the plagio-
The Old Camp dike has K-Ar ages of 43.9 ± clase- and biotite-rich Old Camp dike along the
1.5 Ma on whole-rock (IP-10) and 42.1 ± 2.6 concentric fracture system produced by its
Ma on sericite (ES-6025B; Table 2), and a predecessor, the Cerro Pelado stock.
40
Ar/ 39 Ar isochron age of 43.9 ± 0.5 Ma on Of the other quartz-plagioclase porphyries in
biotite (McWilliams, 1994); these ages are con- the district, only the porphyry in Quebrada
sistent with ages for Cerro Pelado. Five frac- " M " has been dated. Here, biotite has a
40
tions of zircons from the Old Camp dike (IT-5) Ar/ 39 Ar isochron age of 42.6 ± 0.3 Ma
were dated using U-Pb methods; three fractions (McWilliams, 1994). Ages of quartz-plagioclase
were analyzed conventionally and two fractions laccolithic bodies in Quebrada Turquesa are
underwent hydrothermal leaching experiments unknown, except that they are older than the X
(Table 3; Fig. 7B). One fraction is concordant porphyry (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975).
with U-Pb ages of 42.9 Ma. Two other fractions
are normally discordant, whereas the other two Granodiorite, granodioritic-dacitic porphyry
are slightly reversely discordant. Based upon stocks, and dacitic porphyry dikes
the concordant fraction, an age of 43 ± 1 Ma Rocks of this suite have a similar mineralogi-
age is assigned to the sample. SHRIMP U-Pb cal association dominated by phenocrysts of
ages from tips of zircons have a mean plagioclase, hornblende, biotite, and occasion-
206
Pb*/ 238 U age of 42.3 ± 1.3 Ma (Table 4). ally quartz. The presence, amount, grain size,
Discordance in the bulk zircon fractions is the texture, and, to a lesser extent, composition of
result of varying amounts of inherited zircon the groundmass vary considerably between and
cores, which were avoided during the SHRIMP within individual intrusions (Gustafson and
analyses. Regressing the normally discordant Hunt, 1975). The X porphyry is a weakly por-
fractions along with the concordant fraction phyritic to equigranular granodiorite, on the
indicates that the inherited component has an basis of which Gustafson and Hunt (1975)
average age of 819 Ma with an unrealistic uncer- distinguished it from the younger, more
tainty caused principally by the distribution of strongly porphyritic intrusions, which they
data points at the lower end of the chord. The referred to as the "feldspar porphyries" (K, L,
two reversely discordant zircon fractions over- and A). The K and L porphyries have a ground-
lap the discordia array within their analytical mass dominated by aplitic quartz, alkali-feld-
uncertainties, and are viewed as having been spar, and biotite, whereas the later A porphyry
displaced from the chord as a result of some and post-mineral dacite porphyry dikes have
analytical problems. groundmass dominated by sodic plagioclase
The quartz-bearing porphyries on Cerro laths and abundant mafic minerals, suggesting a
Pelado and at Old Camp are essentially of the more mafic composition. The X, K, and L all
same age. Their age similarities, the annular have a similar mineralogy, suggesting similar
dike form of Old Camp about Cerro Pelado, and compositions, although the X and K are too
their bulk compositional similarities support altered to yield reliable chemical data. The L
the interpretation that they may be related and porphyry has a granodioritic-dacitic chemical
composition (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975; P.
possibly cogenetic bodies. If so, their miner-
Cornejo, unpubl. data, 1994), whereas the A
alogical differences (sanidine dominant versus
porphyry and post-mineral dacite dikes appear
plagioclase-biotite dominant) require some
to have more mafic dacitic or andesitic chemical
chemical evolution within the parent magma.
composition (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975), con-
Since magmato-structural relations suggest
sistent with their petrography.
that the Cerro Pelado quartz-sanidine rhyolite
CORNEJO ET AL.
Because of the intense alteration in the X and d i s c o r d a n t 2 0 6 Pb*/ 2 3 8 U, 2 0 7 Pb*/ 2 3 5 U, and

207
K porphyries, primary crystallization ages for Pb*/ 2 0 6 Pb* ages of 41.9 Ma, 42.1 Ma, and 53
these rocks have not been realized until this to 54 Ma, respectively. One conventional frac-
study. K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar ages only date alteration gave slightly reversely discordant U-Pb
tion associated with the porphyry deposit. In ages of 41.8 Ma and 41.7 Ma. The other fraction
order to date the onset of granodioritic magma- has younger U-Pb ages of 40.1 Ma and 40.4 Ma,
tism in the mine, a sample of X porphyry but the 207 Pb */ 206 Pb* age of 58 Ma is close to
collected on the 2445-m level within the mine the age of the leached zircons. There is insuffi-
was dated using U-Pb methods. Two hydrother- cient spread in the analytical data to define or to
mally leached zircon fractions ( < 6 3 micron) model a discordia array, but several interpreta-
(IT-10) have discordant U-Pb ages (Table 3; Fig. tions can be made. One is that at least the
7C). A line through the two points intersects youngest zircon fraction seems to have lost
concordia at 41 ± 2 Ma and 389 + 348 Ma. The some Pb, and Pb loss may affect the U-Pb ages
upper intercept indicates the presence of an of the other fractions. The consistent
207
inherited zircon component of Paleozoic or Pb*/ 2 0 6 Pb* ages (between 53 and 58 Ma) of
older age. The lower intercept age is inferred to three fractions imply that part of the discordia
be the age of the rock. SHRIMP U-Pb isotopic pattern must also result from the presence of
data from tips of seven of nine zircon grains inherited zircons. A K-Ar age of 41.2 ± 1.1 Ma
have a similar mean 206 Pb*/ 238 U age of 41.8 ± has been determined on igneous biotite
2.3 (Table 4). Fine-grained hydrothermal biotite recovered from the same sample as the zircons
from the same sample has a K-Ar age of 41.6 ± (IT-9), and Gustafson and Hunt (1975)
1.2 Ma (IT-10). A K-Ar age on sericite of 41.9 + reported an older but imprecise K-Ar horn-
1.0 Ma (ES-3256; Table 2) was obtained from blende age of 43.2 ± 5.6 Ma (ES-3442A, Table
the younger K porphyry (Gustafson and Hunt, 2) for the L porphyry in the El Salvador mine.
1975). McWilliams (1996) reported 40Ar/39Ar Collectively, the U-Pb and K-Ar data are inter-
isochron ages from hydrothermal biotite and preted to indicate an age of 41 ± 2 Ma for the L
sericite in the X and K porphyries ranging from porphyry.
41.4 ± 1.2 Ma to 40.4 ± 1.3 Ma. K-Ar alteration
ages from country rocks include a 41.8 ± 2.6 The post-mineral dacite dikes are indis-
Ma age (ES-1910; Table 2) from biotitized ande- tinguishable in age from the granodiorite por-
site of the Llanta Formation (Gustafson and phyries. Gustafson and Hunt (1975) reported
Hunt, 1975) and a 40.2 ± 1.2 Ma whole-rock an age of 42.0 ± 1.0 Ma (ES-4269, Table 2) from
age from sericitized Paleocene dome rock one dike, and biotite from another dike in the
(recalculated from Quirt [1972] and Zentilli Quebrada Turquesa area has a 40Ar/39Ar iso-
[1974]). The U-Pb zircon age, inferred to be the chron age of 41.2 ± 0.5 Ma (McWilliams,
1994). Collectively, the geochronologic data for
crystallization age of the X porphyry, and the
40 the granodioritic complex at Quebrada Tur-
Ar/ 39 Ar and K-Ar ages on alteration minerals
quesa indicate emplacement and mineralization
are essentially identical, thereby confirming a
between 42 and 41 Ma, probably over a period
close temporal connection between the intru-
< 1 m.y.
sion of early granodiorite stocks and the follow-
Geochronologic data from Quebradas " M "
ing hydrothermal alteration associated with the
and Granito (Fig. 4) suggest that granodioritic
porphyry Cu-Mo deposit (Gustafson and Hunt,
porphyries have ages similar to both the older
1975).
44- to 43-Ma quartz rhyolites and the 42- to 41-
The L porphyry, the largest granodiorite- Ma Quebrada Turquesa granodioritic complex.
dacite porphyry stock, is younger than most of In Quebrada Granito, a granodiorite porphyry
the alteration and mineralization in the deposit, stock, petrologically similar to the L porphyry
based on cross-cutting relations (Gustafson and of Quebrada Turquesa, has K-Ar ages of ~ 4 3 Ma
Hunt, 1975). Two zircon fractions from the L (ES-3853 and 3853A, Table 2) (Gustafson and
porphyry (IT-9), where it intrudes the X por- Hunt, 1975). 40Ar/39Ar analyses of hornblende
phyry (IT-10), were analyzed conventionally, and biotite, also from ES-3853, have isochron
whereas two other samples underwent experi- ages of 42.3 ± 0.5 Ma and 42.9 ± 0.3 Ma,
mental hydrothermal leaching (Fig. 7D). respectively (McWilliams, 1994). At a deep
Leached fractions yielded identical but slightly level within the Quebrada " M " open pit, a dark-
45
colored dacite porphyry texturally similar to A main-stage Cu-Mo mineralization is associated

porphyries in Quebrada Turquesa, but having with the early intrusions and that petrological
large biotite phenocrysts, has a biotite K-Ar age variations and limited chemical data suggest a
of 43.8 ± 1.2 Ma (IP-45). Nearby, two different trend toward more intermediate compositions
textural varieties of porphyry, also similar to L over time. This trend runs counter to the trend
and A porphyries, crop out. The fine-grained in many multiple-intrusion porphyry copper
variety has a K-Ar age on biotite of 41.1 ± 1.3 complexes (Titley and Beane, 1981), where a
Ma (ES-12337), and a coarse-grained variety mafic or intermediate to silicic compositional
has an identical K-Ar age on biotite of 41.2 ± trend is most commonly observed and main-
1.3 Ma (ES-12338). From Colina de Cobre, just stage mineralization is associated with the later
to the northeast of Quebrada " M " (Fig. 4), Gus- silicic magmas (Dilles, 1987; Casselman et al.,
tafson and Hunt (1975) reported a biotite K-Ar 1995). These compositional trends are inter-
age of 41.6 ± 1.8 Ma (ES-6136; Table 2) from preted to reflect differentiation in a closed
another granodiorite porphyry, and between system, with the volatiles necessary for extract-
Quebradas "M" and Turquesa, McWilliams ing and transporting metals being concentrated
(1996) reported a biotite 40Ar/39Ar isochron age in the later silicic magma. Given the available
of 40.9 ± 0.2 Ma on a granodiorite porphyry. data, the main El Salvador porphyry system
Biotite from still another granodiorite porphyry does not easily fit these models. Instead the El
in Quebrada "M" has a K-Ar age of 38.3 ± 1.2 Salvador history suggests derivation either
Ma (ES-12339), which is considered too young from a zoned magma chamber or more likely
in view of the chronologic data for petro- from an open-system magma chamber, as sug-
logically similar rocks. gested by mineralogic data cited by Clark
(1993), where the silicic magma chamber was
Most of the granodioritic porphyries dated at
periodically injected by mafic magmas at its
Quebrada " M " have ages concordant with their
base. As the mafic magma cooled and crystal-
equivalents in Quebrada Turquesa, suggesting
lized, water, sulfur, and chlorine were exsolved
that they are comagmatic. However, the biotite-
and concentrated in the overlying silicic magma
phyric A porphyry in Quebrada " M " and the L
(Andres et al., 1991; Matthews et al., 1994a,
porphyry in Quebrada Granito have slightly
1994b, 1995). Successive upward intrusion of
older, 44- to 43-Ma ages that are similar to ages
granodioritic porphyry magmas, perhaps trig-
of quartz rhyolite intrusions, although the ages
gered by mafic magma injection into the magma
are within the analytical uncertainties of much
chamber (Sparks et al., 1977), provided a focus
of the age data from the younger granodioritic-
for the flow of exsolved hydrothermal fluids
dacitic porphyries. If the porphyries in
(Lowenstern, 1994). In this hypothesis, exsolu-
Quebradas " M " and Granito are indeed 44 to 43
tion of the ore-forming fluid from the silicic
Ma, it suggests that high-level stocks of a variety
magma could occur at any stage of the magma
of compositions were emplaced approximately
chamber history, which in Quebrada Turquesa
contemporaneously and were derived either
was early. The younger, more mafic porphyry
from different parent magmas or as a comag-
magmas in Quebrada Turquesa reflect either
matic suite that tapped different parts of an
the tapping of deeper, less evolved parts of the
evolving magma chamber.
silicic magma chamber or more efficient mixing
Potential significance of compositional trends for of the end-member magmas (e.g., Matthews et
porphyry copper formation at El Salvador al., 1994a).
The close temporal and compositional sim- If the A porphyry in Quebrada " M " and the L
ilarity of the various granodioritic intrusions in porphyry in Quebrada Granito bridge the age
Quebrada Turquesa supports the argument that gap between the older (44 to 43 Ma) quartz
they form a cogenetic suite. The quartz rhyo- rhyolite intrusions and the younger (42 to 41
litic intrusive rocks are 1 to 3 m.y. older than Ma) granodiorite porphyries, the entire Eocene
the Quebrada Turquesa granodioritic complex, suite could be comagmatic, in which case the
a temporal difference suggesting that they main El Salvador copper deposit formed rela-
could be separate magmatic systems. It is inter- tively late in the magmatic history. Considering
esting to note that in the history of the the ~3-m.y. time period involved, it seems
Quebrada Turquesa granodioritic complex, the unlikely that the entire suite is related via a
CORNEJO ET AL.
shallow-level, closed-system magma chamber. If contradicts many models of Andean orogenesis

the suite is comagmatic, then the older quartz that argue for short periods of intense shorten-
rhyolitic and granodioritic-dacite intrusions ing deformation along the arc (e.g., Megard et
and younger granodiorite porphyries must be al., 1984; Sebrier et al., 1988; McKee and
related by a large, deep magma chamber or by a Noble, 1990).
shallow magma chamber that was recharged Eocene shortening also is evident west of the
continually by injection of mafic magma, Sierra Castillo fault. The large-amplitude syn-
thereby adding the necessary thermal energy cline in the Cerros Los Amarillos area (Fig. 5C)
required to sustain an epizonal magma chamber formed at this time, as well as reverse-slip
over as much as 3 million years. In this hypothe- reactivation of the steeply dipping Kilometro
sis, formation of more-mafic A-type porphyry Catorce fault.
magmas could have been repeated at various Within the Indio Muerto district, an appar-
times in the history of the long-lived parent ent structural conflict is present between the
magma chamber through mixing of fractionat- prominent NNE alignment of the Eocene por-
ing silicic magma with periodic injections of phyry centers and the dominance of a NW-
mafic magma, thus accounting for the —44- to striking structural grain in the El Salvador mine
43-Ma A porphyry in Quebrada " M " and the 42-
at Quebrada Turquesa. Inside the mine, the
to 41-Ma A porphyry in Quebrada Turquesa. A
steep-walled granodiorite porphyry complex
return to more-silicic compositions would have
has a distinct northwest elongate form with an
followed periods of stasis (diminished mafic
aspect ratio of ~2.5:1 (Gustafson and Hunt,
magma injection and/or inefficient mixing)
1975; CODELCO, unpubl. mapping, 1977).
and differentiation in the parent silicic magma
Likewise, the ~41-Ma post-mineral dacite por-
chamber (Matthews et al., 1994a).
phyry dikes and pebble dikes at deep levels in
Regional and local structural setting of Eocene the mine are predominantly NW striking, with
El Salvador magmatism a mean direction of ~ 3 1 0 ° . The parallelism of
these elements to the Eocene shortening direc-
The principal structural element in the El
tion inferred from the Potrerillos geology is
Salvador-Potrerillos region is the Sierra Cas-
tillo fault (Fig. 3). This fault, originally a Juras- compatible with their emplacement during
sic normal fault, was active as a sinistral strike- NW-SW-directed shortening and indicates a
slip fault in the Eocene (Tomlinson et al., 1993; control on the mine-scale magmatism by
Mpodozis et al., 1994). East of the fault, a fold- regional transpressive strain. In contrast, the
and-thrust belt formed during sinistral trans- NNE alignment of Eocene porphyry centers
pression in response to NW-SE (~305° to subparallel to basement faults and the inferred
125°)-directed shortening (Fig. 3) (Tomlinson hinge orientation of the Paleocene trap-door
et al., 1993). Deformation had begun by 42 Ma caldera suggests that preexisting structures
south of Potrerillos, where hypabyssal intru- c o n t r o l l e d d i s t r i c t - s c a l e d i s t r i b u t i o n of
sions and rhyolitic domes were emplaced in part magmatism. zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQ
along NW-striking (330° to 335°) sinistral
strike-slip faults striking at high angles to the
NNE-striking (010°) Sierra Castillo fault.
These sinistral strike-slip faults represent Petrologic and Geochemical Distinctions
Riedel shears formed during regional transpres- Several features distinguish Paleocene from
sion (Sanderson and Marchini, 1981; Tomlin- Eocene rocks in the El Salvador region. Paleo-
son et al., 1993). Transpressive deformation cene rocks are high-K, calcalkaline rocks typ-
continued at least until ~36 Ma when the ified by sanidine and pyroxene phenocrysts, but
syntectonic Potrerillos Cobre porphyry was only scarce quartz, biotite, and rarely horn-
emplaced (Tomlinson, 1994; Marsh et al., blende phenocrysts. They are inferred to have
1995). Deformation ended by 32 Ma when the been derived from relatively anhydrous
post-tectonic El Hueso stock was intruded into magmas. In contrast, Eocene rocks are moder-
the Potrerillos fold-and-thrust belt (Fig. 3; ate to high-K, calcalkaline rocks commonly
Tomlinson et al., 1993). Contractile deforma- containing significant hornblende and biotite,
tion over 6 to 10 m.y. in the Potrerillos area and only rarely containing alkali feldspar as a
EL SALVADOR COPPER DEPOSIT REVISITEDzyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSR
47
have equilibrated with a source containing

garnet, typical of a higher-pressure residual
mineralogy and a thicker crustal column
(Mpodozis et al., 1995; Lopez-Escobar, 1982).
The intermediate La/Yb of the Paleocene rocks
suggest an intermediate crustal thickness at
that time. The Cretaceous to Eocene trend is
similar to that observed for the late Tertiary
volcanic evolution of the Maricunga belt,
southeast of El Salvador, which is interpreted to
reflect magma generation and eruption through
crustal thickening over time (Kay et al., 1994;
Mpodozis et al., 1995). Smooth REE patterns
for Eocene intrusions at El Salvador lack a Eu

anomaly (Gustafson, 1979; Lopez-Escobar,
1982). In contrast, REE patterns for Paleocene
rhyolites have a negative Eu anomaly, indicative
of plagioclase fractionation during the history
FIG. 8. La/Yb versus SiO 2 for Upper Cretaceous and of the magma (Gustafson, 1979; Lopez-Escobar,
Paleocene volcanic and plutonic sequences (after Cornejo
1982). Gustafson (1979) also reported an REE
et al., 1994) and for Eocene granodiorite porphyries at El
pattern with a negative Eu anomaly and low La/
Salvador. Paleocene volcanic rocks at El Salvador are part of
the Cerro Valiente sequence. Chemical data from Gustafson
Yb for a quartz-sanidine rhyolite on Cerro
(1979), Lopez-Escobar (1982), and Cornejo et al. (1994). Riolita (L.B. Gustafson, pers. commun., 1997),
The Cerro Valiente point with anomalously high La/Yb suggesting that this porphyry is Paleocene.
corresponds to the quartz monzonite at La Cantera, which
Despite chemical differences, limited radio-
also has an anomalously low feldspar 2 0 6 Pb/ 2 0 4 Pb value
compared to the feldspar Pb isotopic composition of other
genic isotopic data show no or at best only
Paleocene rocks in the area. suggestive differences. Feldspar Pb-isotopic
compositions for Paleocene volcanic rocks on
phenocryst phase. These melts were more Cerro Indio Muerto are indistinguishable from
hydrous, containing sufficient water to form those of Eocene granodiorite porphyries at El
porphyry copper systems. Another difference Salvador (see Table 3 footnotes). An exception
between the two suites is the slightly broader is the feldspar Pb-isotopic compositions from
compositional range represented by the Paleo- the Paleocene quartz monzonite intrusion,
cene rocks (53 to 78% SiO2) compared to the which has lower 206 Pb/ 204 Pb values, suggesting
Eocene rocks (57 to 75% SiO2) (Cornejo et al., a much greater range in Pb-isotopic composi-
1993a). tions of Paleocene rocks than of Eocene rocks,
Trace elements also vary between suites. For a difference also noted in the porphyry Cu belt
example, La/Yb ratios, indicative of the farther north (Williams, 1995). Initial Sr iso-
residual mineralogy within the magmas' source topic values of Paleocene and Eocene rocks also
region (Kay and Kay, 1989; Kay and Abbruzzi, have been inferred to be indistinguishable at
1996), show distinctions with age in the El ~0.7042 (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975; Gus-
Salvador region. Upper Cretaceous bimodal, tafson, 1979). However, we question the initial
high-K, calcalkaline rocks have La/Yb of 6 to Sr values for Paleocene rhyolitic rocks. As Rb-
11, Paleocene rocks have La/Yb of 11 to 19, and Sr ages for these rhyolitic rocks are incorrect,
La/Yb in the Eocene porphyries at El Salvador initial Sr-isotopic values derived from iso-
range from 20 to 25 (Fig. 8). These trace- chrons must also be suspected until initial Sr
element compositions are inferred to indicate values are determined for unaltered rocks.
that Late Cretaceous magmas equilibrated with Slightly contaminated or enriched mantle Nd-
a residual mineralogy characterized by pyrox- isotopic values ( ε Nd = +3 to +1) are known for a
ene beneath a thinned continental crust (Corn- couple of Eocene stocks at El Salvador (Mak-
ejo et al., 1994; Mpodozis et al., 1995). On the saev, 1990; Zentilli et al., 1994), but equivalent
other hand, Eocene porphyries are inferred to data is unavailable for any Paleocene rocks.
CORNEJO ET AL.
Felsic rocks in both Paleocene and Eocene m.y., from the emplacement of the Paleocene
suites are characterized by small quantities of Indio Muerto rhyolitic dome at ~ 5 8 Ma to the
inherited older zircons. As no xenocrystic zir- Eocene quartz rhyolite porphyries at 44 to 43
cons were noted, these older zircons must be Ma. On the regional scale in the El Salvador
present as core with new magmatic over- area, the magmatic gap is less pronounced,
growths. This requires magma interaction with spanning only 5-6 m.y. for units between 26°
crustal rocks whose ages are only loosely con- and 2 7 ° S (Fig. 9). Farther north, the regional
strained to be Paleozoic or Proterozoic(?). In temporal gap of magmatism varies from a max-
this context, Eocene porphyries at El Salvador imum o f ~ 1 1 m.y. between Quebrada Blanca
are similar to Eocene and Oligocene porphyries and Chuquicamata (20° 30' to 2 2 ° 30' S) (Fig.
associated with Cu-Mo deposits at La Escon- 1) to a minimum in the Exploradora area (25°
dida, Chuquicamata, and Potrerillos, which to 2 6 ° S) where a magmatic gap is not apparent.
have inherited Paleozoic zircons (Zentilli et al., Despite the lack of a magmatic gap in the
1994; R.M. Tosdal, unpubl. data, 1995). Crustal Exploradora area, the petrology of pre- and
Pb also is evident within rocks associated with post-48-Ma igneous rocks are distinct, and simi-
these porphyry Cu-Mo deposits, as well as lar to differences observed in El Salvador and
within sulfide minerals contained therein (Zen- elsewhere between Paleocene and Eocene rocks
tilli et al., 1988; Williams, 1995; Tosdal, 1995). (Cornejo and Mpodozis, 1996). The temporal
Re-Os-isotopic data for sulfides from the late breaks also are accompanied by changes in the
Miocene to Pliocene El Teniente and Andina regional distribution of magmatism, with the
(La Disputada) porphyry Cu deposits in central magmatic front jumping to the east in the
Chile indicate crustal involvement during gen- Eocene, although there is considerable overlap
esis of those deposits (Ruiz et al., 1996, 1997), in the magmatic belts as shown by the superim-
and it is likely that similar results will be position of Paleocene and Eocene magmatism
obtained at El Salvador in view of the remark- in the Indio Muerto district. The migration of
able isotopic homogeneity of Cenozoic Andean
the magmatic front is not gradual but sudden,
porphyry Cu deposits (Zentilli et al., 1988).
with the Paleocene and Eocene magmatism
Crustal involvement in porphyry Cu deposits,
being relatively static before and after, a feature
indicated by U-Pb-, Pb-, and Re-Os-isotopic
that is characteristic of the entire Mesozoic and
data, complicates models that derive Eocene
Cenozoic magmatic history of the Andes (Coira
and Miocene to Pliocene porphyry magmas and
et al., 1982; Sillitoe, 1988; Mpodozis and
metals in Cu-Mo deposits from mantle sources
Ramos, 1989).
without any or only limited crustal interaction,
as suggested by enriched mantle-like Sr- and
Nd-isotopic data (Zentilli et al., 1988, 1994;
Clark, 1993; Skewes and Stern, 1995). Resolu- Discussion and Conclusions
tion of this paradox lies beyond the scope of this Revisions to the stratigraphy of the Indio Muerto
paper. zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
district
The revised stratigraphic and chronologic
framework in the Indio Muerto district docu-
Regional Temporal Gaps in Paleocene mented herein is shown in Figure 2. Gustafson
and Eocene Magmatism and Hunt (1975) presumed that the oldest units
Stratigraphic and geochronologic data in the district, outcropping north and east of
throughout northern Chile indicate that Paleo- Cerro Indio Muerto (Fig. 4), were Upper Creta-
cene to lower Eocene and middle Eocene to ceous. These rocks now are known to include
lower Oligocene magmatic episodes are region- Jurassic, Lower Cretaceous, and Upper Creta-
ally discrete in time and space, and in many ceous rocks (Fig. 4). The supra-adjacent "Hor-
places are separated by a significant temporal nitos" unconformity of Gustafson and Hunt
gap in magmatism, further attesting to their (1975) is confirmed to be of latest Cretaceous
distinction as unrelated events. In the Indio and earliest Paleocene age, but it is not correla-
Muerto district, the geochronological data indi- tive with the Hornitos unconformity proper of
cate a temporal gap spanning approximately 14 the Copiapó area, which is of Late Cretaceous
49
age (>78 Ma) (Arévalo et al., 1994; Arévalo, of andesite and trachyandesite flows and
1995). pyroclastic rocks. Within the El Salvador area,
For the Tertiary stratigraphy, the most signifi- explosive rhyolitic magmatism at the El Sal-
cant revision involves demonstrating that the vador trap-door caldera and post-collapse high-
Indio Muerto rhyolite domes and, by associa- K rhyolitic domes were contemporaneous with
tion, the "Indio Muerto series" volcanics, are trachyandesitic volcanism from inferred strato-
~8 to 10 m.y. older than indicated by the Rb-Sr volcanos. The post-collapse rhyolitic domes of
ages of Gustafson and Hunt (1975) and only Cerro Indio Muerto were emplaced near the
slightly younger than the rhyolitic ignimbrite intersection of two latest Cretaceous and/or
sequence that they unconformably overlie (Fig. earliest Paleocene faults and the trap-door
2). Clark et al. (1985) suggested that the "Indio hinge of the El Salvador caldera. Pyroclastic
Muerto" unconformity at the base of the and epiclastic rocks derived from the domes
"Indio Muerto series" volcanics and rhyolite were deposited in an irregular topography
domes was correlative with the "Cumbre" ero- resulting from synvolcanic faulting during cal-
sional surface of the Copiapó area, and there- dera collapse. Andesitic and trachyandesitic
fore was of regional extent related to regional lavas and sills derived from volcanic activity to
uplift and erosion. Our data, however, argue the west may once have accounted for the
that the unconformity is of local extent and kilometer or so of stratigraphic cover that is
related to block faulting and tilting during col- inferred to have been eroded from the Indio
lapse of the El Salvador caldera. Muerto area since emplacement of the Eocene
The chronology of the Eocene "quartz porphyry complex.
rhyolite" and porphyry units of Gustafson and After a period of magmatic and tectonic
Hunt (1975) is not substantially changed (Fig. quiescence of ~ 1 4 m.y., magmatic activity
2), except that the quartz rhyolite unit is con- resumed in the Indio Muerto district at ~44
sidered to be a composite unit with the Cerro Ma, approximately contemporaneous with
Riolita sill assigned a Paleocene(?) age and the onset of regional transpression along the sin-
Cerro Pelado stock being of Eocene age. The istral Sierra Castillo fault. Various rhyolitic and
new chronologic data reported herein support granodioritic-dacitic porphyry stocks and dikes
Gustafson and Hunt's (1975) original inter- intruded over a period of ~ 3 m.y. along a NNE
pretation of a close relationship between the trend that intersects the core of the Paleocene
Cerro Pelado quartz-sanidine rhyolite stock and rhyolitic dome complex, apparently using the
quartz-plagioclase rhyolite porphyries. In addi- same channel of magma ascent followed by the
tion, the chronologic data confirm the original older dome magmas. Initial magmatism consists
K-Ar age determinations of Gustafson and Hunt of quartz-sanidine and quartz-plagioclase rhyo-
(1975) concerning the age of the younger litic porphyry stocks, dikes, and laccoliths
granodioritic and dacitic porphyries. emplaced at 44 to 43 Ma. The first Cu-Mo
Geologic framework of the El Salvador area mineralization in the district, at Old Camp,
although minor, is associated with this early
The Indio Muerto district and El Salvador
porphyry Cu-Mo deposit have two parts that are magmatism. The first granodioritic-dacitic por-
related only spatially. The older magmatic epi- phyries seemingly also were emplaced contem-
sode (~63 to 58 Ma) in the Indio Muerto poraneously in Quebradas Granito and " M , "
district consists of volcanic and subvolcanic but their petrogenetic relation with the quartz
rocks that formed during a period of high-K porphyries and younger granodioritic magma-
Paleocene magmatism (Cornejo et al., 1993b, tism is unclear. The youngest magmatism in the
1994). Regionally, this period is characterized district, the Quebrada Turquesa granodioritic-
by numerous volcanic centers possessing dif- dacitic porphyry complex and granodioritic-
ferent eruptive styles and magmatic composi- dacitic stocks in the Quebrada " M " area,
tions, including collapse calderas associated intruded over less than 1 m.y., between 42 and
with explosive rhyolitic magmatism, rhyolitic 41 Ma. The main porphyry Cu-Mo mineraliza-
dome fields with associated outflows and tion in the district is associated with early
pyroclastic rocks, and stratovolcanos composed intrusions of the Quebrada Turquesa complex.
CORNEJO ET AL.
FIG. 9. Chart showing, by region, the duration of magmatic events for the latest Cretaceous-early Oligocene, and
age of individual Eocene-Oligocene porphyry copper deposits. Diagonally ruled area is the period of porphyry
copper deposition. Based on original data and compilations of prior work summarized in Cornejo et al. (1993a),
Mpodozis et al. (1993),Marinovic et al. (1995,1996), Marsh et al. (1995), Cornejo and Mpodozis (1996),Tomlinson
et al. (unpubl. data), and the present study. Time scale after Gradstein and Ogg (1996).
The various stocks of the Quebrada Turquesa Protracted precursor magmatism and porphyry
granodioritic complex probably are comagmatic copper formation
and were derived successively from a deeper, yet For the El Salvador copper deposit, precursor
unexposed, magma chamber, a feature common magmatism lasted no more than 2 to 3 m.y.,
to many porphyry copper systems. However, which may or may not have been important in
unlike many other multiple-intrusion porphyry the formation of the main deposit. As the first
copper complexes, at El Salvador there is a Cu-Mo mineralization in the district is associ-
trend toward more silica-poor units during the ated with one of oldest Eocene intrusions (the
waning stages of plutonism. This trend may 43- to 44-Ma Old Camp quartz porphyry), pro-
reflect the tapping of deeper, more mafic parts tracted magmatism seemingly is not required
of a vertically zoned magma chamber or intru- for generation of a porphyry Cu-Mo deposit.
sion following magma mixing in an open-system Thus a conclusion is consistent with observa-
silicic magma chamber with mafic magmas tions in districts where porphyry copper sys-
injected into the base. tems are associated with single, isolated,
The petrological distinctions, together with compositionally homogenous intrusions (Titley
the temporal gap and spatial reorganization in and Beane, 1981). Another observation is the
magmatism and the differences in regional and regional synchronism of mineralization despite
volcano-magmatogenic structural setting, dem- variations between districts in duration, magni-
onstrate that the Paleocene and Eocene mag- tude, and timing of magmatism. This argues for
matic episodes are different and not genetically the greater importance of a regional control on
related. These differences are regional in scale the timing of porphyry copper formation,
and thus reflect regional fundamental pro- rather than on local processes (Fig. 9)
cesses, most likely related to different tectonic (McCandless and Ruiz, 1993; this study).
conditions and lithospheric architectures (e.g., In the Indio Muerto district, the question of
crustal thicknesses) at the time of magma pro- whether preceding magmatism was important
duction and evolution (Mpodozis et al., 1995). in the formation of the main deposit at 41 to 42
51
Ma may depend on whether the 43- to 44-Ma report. We also express our thanks to Ricardo
quartz porphyries and granodioritic intrusions Rojas, Otilio Chang, Gonzalo Rojas, Osman
form a comagmatic suite with the younger Olivares, and Marcelo Mendez (El Salvador
granodiorite porphyries or represent separate Division, CODELCO) for their unselfish will-
systems. In any case, the preceding district- ingness to share their geologic knowledge of the
scale magmatism is considerably less than pre- Indio Muerto district and the El Salvador
viously concluded and less than that docu- deposit, and to M. McWilliams, Stanford Uni-
mented in many porphyry copper districts versity, for allowing the use of his unpublished
believed to contain precursor magmatism (Sil- 4 0 A r / 3 9 A r ages. We also are grateful to Lew
litoe, 1988; McCandless and Ruiz, 1993). In the Gustafson for use of the geochronologic analyti-
latter districts, the question remains as to how cal data of Gustafson and Hunt (1975) and for
much of the chronologic proximity of the pre- providing the original impetus for this work. We
ceding magmatism to the age of the porphyry thank Robert Fleck and L.B. Gustafson for their
copper system might result from thermal helpful reviews. This paper is a contribution to
effects during emplacement of a younger por- IGCP Projects Nos. 342 and 345.
phyry complex. Moreover, are precursor
igneous rocks truly cogenetic to the porphyry
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El Salvador, Chile Porphyry Copper Deposit Revisited: Geologic and

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El Salvador, Chile Porphyry Copper Deposit Revisited:

CONSTANTINO MPODOZIS, ANDREW J. TOMLINSON, ORLANDO RIVERA,2

AND C. MARK FANNING

Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Llanta Formation (Upper Cretaceous)

Post-Llanta Formation intrus ions (lower Paleocene)

El Salvador caldera ignimbrites (Paleocene)

Cerro Indio Muerto ignimbrites

Cerro El Buitre, Potrerillos area, outflow facies ignimbrites

Rhyodacilic domes and lavas of Cerros Contreras-La Antena

Los Amarillos-Kilómetro Catorce volcanic sequence

El Salvador porphyry complex (middle Eocene)

Granodiorite and dacite porphyry

TABLE 2. Recalculated K-Ar Ages Reported by Gustafson and Hunt (1975) 1

Regional Framework and Pre-Tertiary overlain by Lower Cretaceous continental-

Paleocene Volcanic Event

Monzonitic intrusions (59 Ma) Ignimbrites (~60 Ma)

west zone East Zone

period of time, most likely around 63 to 61 Ma

FIG. 6. A portion of the concordia diagram showing

and 9.1) (Table 4). SHRIMP 206 Pb*/ 238 U ages of

Observed ratios 4 Atomic ratios 5.6 Ages, Ma

mg ppm ppm 204Pb 206Pb 206Pb 238U zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA

Paleocene volcanic an plutonic rocks

Sanidine rhyolite dike: IT-4; UT M 7097,160N/447,510E

Quartz monzonite: IT-17; UTM 7087,610N/442,425E

Eocene porphyry intusions

Cerro Pelade altered quartz-sanidine rhyolite porphyry: ES-7458; UTM 7099,339N/446,129E

Old Camp quartz-plagioclase porphyry dike: IT-5; UTM 7098,730N/446,730E

X porphyry: IT-10; UTM 7096,350N/444,250E

L porphyry: IT-9; UTM 7096,4I0N/444,240E

TABLE 4. U-Pb-Isotopic Data Determined on the SHRIMP 1

Cerro Indio Muerto rhyolite dome (IT-8)

10.1 127 124 0.98 1 0.005942 0.0088 0.0003 56.2 ± 2 . 1

Old Camp porphyry (IT-5)

Because of the intense alteration in the X and d i s c o r d a n t 2 0 6 Pb*/ 2 3 8 U, 2 0 7 Pb*/ 2 3 5 U, and

colored dacite porphyry texturally similar to A main-stage Cu-Mo mineralization is associated

shallow-level, closed-system magma chamber. If contradicts many models of Andean orogenesis

have equilibrated with a source containing

for Eocene intrusions at El Salvador lack a Eu

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Because of the intense alteration in the X and d i s c o r d a n t 2 0 6 Pb/ 2 3 8 U, 2 0 7 Pb/ 2 3 5 U, and