Volcanology,

 
Igneous  Petrology  &  
Economic  Research  

Footprints  of  porphyry  copper  deposits:    Using  

lithogeochemistry  and  hydrothermal  mineralogy  to  track  
the  magma7c-­‐hydrothermal  plume  at  Yerington,  Nevada
Dilles,  John  H.1,*;  Cohen,  Julia  F.1,2;  Tosdal,  Richard  M.3;  Halley,  ScoK4  
1-­‐Oregon  State  University,  Corvallis,  OR  USA;    2-­‐Anchorage,  AK  USA;    3-­‐PicachoEx  LLC,  
North  Potomac,  MD  USA;    4-­‐Mineral  Mapping  Pty  Ltd.,  Perth  Australia  

Valley  Porphyry  Cu-­‐

Mo  deposit,  BC  
 Outline  of  Footprints  
•  What  are  Footprints?  
•  Review  of  porphyry  copper  geology  
•  Geology  of  Yerington  district  
•  Trace  elements  in  hydrothermally  altered  rocks  
using  lithogeochemistry  
•  The  link  of  mineralogy  to  trace  elements;  ASD  
mica  zones  &  mineralogy  to  track  magma7c  acids    
•  BuKe  (lateral  zona7on,  if  7me)  
•  Conclusion:      trace  element  &  hydrothermal  
altera7on  is  regularly  zoned  around  porphyry  
copper  (&  other  magma7c-­‐HT  ores),  and  can  be  
used  as  a  prospec7ng  tool.  
 Footprints  of  Porphyry  Copper  Deposits:  
Introduc7on  to  Principals  &  Theory  
A  footprint  (something  bigger  than  the  deposit,  used  to  image  a  3D  mineralized  
body  largely  hidden  in  the  subsurface)   ±5  km  
•  Geologic    
 lithology  =  porphyry  dikes  
 structure  =  D  vein  distribu7on  &  orienta7on  
•  Geochemical  
 anomalous,  zoned  &  widely  distributed  metals  (Mo,  Sn,  Te,  As,  Tl,  etc)  
 must  be  able  to  measure  the  anomaly,  &  preserve  it  during  weathering    
-­‐-­‐i.e.,  Cu+,  Ag+  are  mobile,  but  stable  MoO44-­‐,  WO44-­‐,  SeO44-­‐,  TeO44-­‐  WO44-­‐,  
AsO43-­‐,  SbO43-­‐  BiO43-­‐  oxyanions  are  immobile;    
-­‐-­‐Ca7ons  in  mica/chlorite  are  immobile:    Cr3+,  V3+,  Mn2+,  Zn2+,  K+,  Rb+,  Li+,  Cs+  
-­‐-­‐Elemental  ra7os  best  illustrate  zona7on:      Te/Mo,  As/Bi,  etc  
•  Mineralogic  
 Hydrothermal  mica,  chlorite,  etc  distribu7on  &  zoning  
 Sulfides,  quartz  veins,  etc  
•  Geophysical  
 Electrical,  magne7c,  density  GP  imaging  of  mineralogy    
 
 Diverse
sources of
magmas &
metals
K-spar, Qz, Plag,
Mica
Pyrox, Hbl, Garnet,
±Biot, ±Plag

Ol, Px, ±Garnet

±Spinel
Porphyry Intrusions Associated with Ores
•  Dike & plug-like
•  Phenos of plag, hbl, biot, mag, ± qz, ±
Kspar, ± titanite ± ilmenite (Xls in deep
magma chamber)
•  Aplitic, 0.02-0.1 mm qz-alk.fsp±plag±
biot groundmass (50% by volume)—
formed by magma ascent, water loss,
and “pressure quenching”
-->water-rich magma
Brain rock…unidirectional quartz bands (ppt from
water), alternate with aplite bands (Xlln from magma)

Bingham porphyry Brain rock

Based on Yerington, Nevada, USA, etc

In deep granite cupola

Cooling at top & Xallization
Water solubility ∝ Pressure
Water saturation at top
Hydrofracturing & ppy dikes
Magma7c-­‐hydrothermal  fluids  ascend  steeply  un7l  they  
mix  with  shallow  topographically  driven  groundwater  
Thermal/permeability  model:  
Based  on  Yerington  HT  paKerns   Weis  et  al.  (2012)    

In epithermal environment
lateral groundwater flow is
driven by topography & heat

Magmatic fluids flow

dominantly up in
porphyry Cu-Mo env
Yerington  test  case  where  geology/ores  well-­‐known  

East-­‐West  Cross-­‐sec7on    
&  Restora7on  
(ProffeK  and  Dilles,  1984)  

•  >6  km  crustal  sec7on  

through  the  Ann-­‐Mason  
porphyry  copper  deposit    
 Bear  QzMonz  &  Granite  
Outer Contact of

Yerington   lsttoonnee
FFuuls
Bear Granite
Yerington Batholith

eod Hill QMD

Batholith  Plan   McLeod  Hill  

eer r

Jurassic  Volcanic  Cover  

Fulstone Spring Volcanics
l uunndd
MacArthur Qz  Monzodi  

s
f MccLLeeooddHHilill
McLeod Hill

anic
(1-­‐3  km  depth)   Ppy Cu Fault
Quartz D

olc
derlainby McL
Monzodiorite
with  Luhr  Hill  

Artesia Lake V
Bear

nn oof M
Ppy Cu

cupolas  &  ppy  

iioo

(shallowly un
ecct
t
Cu-Au

dikes,   Prroojje P Cu-Au Yerington

Ann-
altera7on   Mason
Ppy Cu Top of Luhr
Hill Granite at
Ppy Cu ~4-5 km depth
zones,  &  ore  
Granite  
deposits   NPorphyry     Granite
Triassic-Jurassic
Metasedimentary
Dikes  &  Cu   Porphyry & Metavolcanic
  Shamrock Skarn
Dikes Rocks

(John  ProffeK,   Batholith D

5 km
reconstruc7on)  
0
3  km   Cross-
Mine
BB section (A) Late QMD dike
Fault
 Yerington  batholith  N-­‐S  cross-­‐sec7on  
Based  on  geology  in  7lted  fault  blocks  arer  ProffeK  (1977).  Dark  colors    are  outcrops.    
From  Dilles  (1987)  with  geology  from  ProffeK  &  Dilles  (1986)  

Jur  Gypsum    
&  quartzite  
Artesia  Lake  Andesite  

McLeod    
Hill  Qz    
Monzodi  
169.4  Ma  

Ann-­‐Mason  
PCuD  
Mac  
PCD  
Bear  QM  &  BG  
233  Ma    
Triassic   Granite  Porphyry  
Volcanics   168.5  Ma   Luhr  Hill  Granite  
 The  View  from  Top  to  BoKom  
Ann-Mason Cu-Mo

Blue Hill (top of AM)

Buckskin Range

(Lithocap –Advanced Argillic Alteration)

 ~1.1 Bt @ 0.37% Cu eq (+Mo)

The  View  from  Top  to  BoKom  

Ques7on:    If  we  were  standing  at  the  top  (here  in  serici7c  zone),  
could  we  understand  the  geology,  altera7on  mineralogy,  and  
geochemistry  well-­‐enough  to  find  the  porphyry  Cu-­‐Mo  deposit  
~1  km  below)?  
th th
 Early  porphyries  derived  from  shallow  in  pluton.    High  Temp.  potassic  
altera7on  extends  shallowly  &  is  capped  by  advanced  argillic  altera7on  
AA  

Ser  

K  
 Intermediate  age  porphyries  derived  from  deeper  in  pluton.    Much  potassic  (+Cu)  &  sodic-­‐
calcic  altera7on.    Serici7c  altera7on  expands  downward  (replacing  potassic)  
Note  magma7c  fluids  (potassic,  serici7c)  versus  non-­‐magma7c  brines  (sodic-­‐calcic,  propyli7c)  
AA  

Ser  

K  

Non-­‐magma3c  
brines   Magma3c  
fluids  
 Late  porphyries  derived  from  very  deep  in  pluton.  Expansion  of  
magma7c  serici7c,  &  non-­‐magma7c  albite-­‐chlorite  &  propyli7c  alt’n  
 
(AA)  

Ser  

K  
 Distribu3on  of  altera3on  facies  and  mineral  
assemblages  in  porphyry  Cu  system  (Yerington)  

Result  of  two  

fluids:  
a)   Magma3c  
fluid  
b)  Basinal  
brines  
 
Yerington,  NV,    
&  other  sites  

Halley,  Dilles,  Tosdal,  2015  –  SEG  NewslePer  

 Lithogeochemistry  
•  MDRU-­‐UBC  project  (2008-­‐2011):    ScoK  Halley,  Dick  
Tosdal,  &  John  Dilles,  with  Julia  Cohen  (OSU  MS  
thesis)  &  Ta7ana  Alva  (MDRU  MS  thesis)  
•  4  acid,  “near-­‐total”  diges7on,  with  ICP  &  ICP-­‐MS  
analysis  of  46  elements  with  detec7on  limits  at  
~crustal  abundance  (ppb)  (ALS).  
•  May  sample  soils  (prefered  for  averages)  or  rocks  
•  No  Si  (silica)  in  analyses,  but  all  majors,  most  traces  
•  In  young  rocks,  4  acid  diges7on  does  not  dissolve  
zircon,  so  Zr,  Hf,  ±  Y,  HREE’s  analyses  are  “too  low”  
•  ioGAS  used  to  plot  georeferenced  &  aKributed  data  
 Case  Study;  Yerington,  Nevada  
Altera3on  intensity/minerals  es3mated  from  mul3element  geochem  
Feldspar-­‐Sericite  K/Al  vs  Na/Al  Molar  ra7o  Plot  

Orthoclase   800  Rock  chip  lithogeochemistry  

samples  at  ~  200  m  spacing  
K/Al  (molar)  

Potassic  

Serici7c  
Muscov  
Unaltered  
Illite  

Sodic-­‐Calcic  
Adv  Arg                          &  Sodic  
Albite  
Kaoliinite  

Na/Al  (molar)  
Ann-­‐Mason  Porphyry  Cu-­‐Mo     Altera7on  Zones  
Top  of  system  ≤1  km  depth  
Geology-­‐AM  Porphyry  Dikes        BoKom  of  sytem  ~5  km  depth  
Hydrothermal  Altera7on  at  Ann-­‐Mason-­‐SWIR  mineralogy  
Trace  metal  footprint:    Tl  (low  T,  shallow)  
vs  Te  (moderate  T,  intermediate  depth)  
Thallium  (Tl)            Tellurium  (Te)      
 Bi  (intermediate  to  upper  level,  low  T)  
&  Zn  (added  to  periphery)  
Bismuth  (Bi)            Zinc  (Zn)  
   
 Ver7cal  
Footprint  
 
Zona7on  as  a  
result  of  
changing  fluid  
composi7on  
 
 
 
The  hydrothermal  altera7on  footprint  of  magma7c  fluid  is  
characterized  by  anomalous  proximal  W,  Sn  (Mo),  distal  Se-­‐
Te-­‐Bi,  &  far  distal  As-­‐Sb-­‐Li-­‐Tl  in  shallow  epithermal  
environment  
 Table 1. Typical Pathfinder Elemental Ranges (ppm)

Metal Background# Potassic Deep Sericitic Shallow Sericitic

__________________________________________________________________________
Cu
    (copper) 75 >200 100 50
Mo (molybdenum) 1 0.5 -ore grade 2-20 0.5-5
Sn (tin) 2.5 0.5-10 2-30 bkgd
W (tungsten) 1 bkgd 2-20 0.5-5
Mn
    (manganese) 1400 <bkgd 1000-5000 400-1000
Magma7c  Fluid   Non-­‐Mag  

Zn (zinc) 80 <bkgd 200-1000 10-100

Pb (lead) 8 50 200-1000 10-100*
Ag (silver) 0.08 0.5-3 1-50 1-10*
 Ni   (nickel) 20 <bkgd bkgd-30 <bkgd
 Co
  (cobalt) 10 <bkgd bkgd-20 <bkgd
Se
    (selenium) 0.05 5-20 1 1
Te (tellurium) 0.001 0.1 1-5 0.1-1
Bi (bismuth) 0.06 0.05 1-10 0.05-1
As (arsenic) 1 <bkgd 10-50 50-1000
Sb (antimony) 0.2 <bkgd 1-3 3-100
Li (lithium) 13 <bkgd <bkgd 15-50
Tl (thallium) 0.36 0.2 0.2 1-50
Hg (mercury) 0.08 0.05 0.05 0.2-10
Cs (cesium) 1 <bkgd 1-10 1-20
__________________________________________________________________________

#
Background (bkgd) concentrations vary by rock unit for each district. Background here is
average crustal abundances with Ni and Co from average upper crustal abundance, S.R.
Taylor, S.M. McLennan, The continental crust: Its composition and evolution, Blackwell Sci. Publ.,
 Key Alteration Types
(associated with quartz-sulfide veins)

All important & characteristic of magmatic -

hydrothermal fluids
•  Hydrolytic (acidic), H+ = K+, Na+, 0.5 Ca2+
•  Alkali exchange, K+ = Na+
•  Precipitation/dissolution, quartz
•  Oxidation/reduction (S2, O2)
Magmatic-Hydrothermal Fluid
Alteration vs Temperature
Path  of  cooling  “acidic”  magma7c  fluid  
produces    bio7te,  “sericite”,  chlorite,  and  
clays  as  a  temperature  declines  

w/r=1

w/r=5
 Vertical and lateral zonation around D veins
focus of footprints on these sericite-chlorite-pyrite zones
Yerington D veins, deep to shallow--increased width, lower pH;
inner low pH Sericitic is flanked by near neutral Ser-Chl-Feldspar

(with  relict    
Feldspar)  
 Muscovite  vs  Chlorite  and  rela7onship  to  rock  
trace  E  anomalies  (prelim  interpreta7on)    

•  In  low  pH  areas,  muscovite  is  stable,  &  incorporates  Ba,  

Cs,  V,  Cr,  Li  ±  Cu  ±  Tl…tracks  rock  anomalies  
•  In  near-­‐neutral  pH,  muscovite  is  phengi7c,  Fe-­‐rich,  also  
tracks  these  elements  
•  In  near-­‐neutral  pH,  chlorite  incorporates  Li,  Zn,  Mn,  Cr,  
V  ±  Cu  and  likely  records  rock  anomalies  
•  In  slightly  more  acidic  condi7ons,  chlorite  is  more  Al-­‐
rich,  anomalous  in  these  elements.  
 Muscovite  vs  Chlorite    
•  Octahedral  coordina7on,  radii  Fe2+  >  Mg2+  >  Al3+  
•  Chlorite  prefers  Mg2+  >  Fe2+  >  Al3+  
–  Li+  ,  Co2+,  Zn2+,  Mn2+,  Cr3+  
•  Muscovite  prefers  Al3+  >  Fe2+,  Fe3+  >Mg2+    
–  V3+,  Sc3+  ±  Cr3+,  Ti4+  
•  Muscovite  large  K  site  takes  Ba2+,  Cs+,  Rb+,  Tl+    
•  Muscovite  Si/Al  Tet  site  may  trace  ±B,W,Sn  
 Trace  metals  in  three  mineral  sites  

1) White  mica  
2) Chlorite  
3) Ore  minerals:  
pyrite,  Cu-­‐Fe  
sulfides,  oxides  

(Cohen,  2011)    
The  mica  composi7on  maps  pH  &  T  
general  stability  <300°C  to  >550°C  

Muscovite  reac7on  to  form  phengite  can  be  wriKen  as  follows  
(assuming  aluminum  is  conserved):  
 
 
 
 
1)  Low  pH  (acidic  condi7ons)  &  high  temperature  favors  Al-­‐rich  
Muscovite  
2)  Moderate  pH  (neutral  condi7ons)  &  low  temperature  favor  
Fe-­‐Mg  Phengite  
 Composi7on  of  Sericite  (White  Mica)  
•  3  subs7tu7ons  in  Musc/Illite  KAl2AlSi3O10(OH)2  
(1) Fe2++Si4+ <-> Al3+(iv) + Al3+(vi) Tschmak subs
Neutral  pH   (2) Fe3+ <-> Al3+(vi)

(1) Fe2++Si4+ !" Al3+(iv) + Al3+(vi)

Acidic  pH  
Total  Al  (apfu)   Cohen,  2011  
3rd  Subs7tu7on:    Note  the  complete  composi7onal  range  of  “sericite”  
from  Muscovite  KAl2AlSi3O10(OH)2  to  Illite  K1-­‐xAl2Al1-­‐xSi3+xO10(OH)2  (x~0.2-­‐0.4)  
   Both  musc  &  illite  are  typically  2M1  micas  with  iden7cal  crystal  structure  

Acidic  pH  
Neutral  pH  

(3)  K+  +  Al3+(iv)  <-­‐>  [  ]  +  Si4+  

(muscovite  –  illite  subs7tu7on)  

Total  Al  (apfu)   Cohen,  2011  

There  are  fast  and  cheap  ways  to  remove  much  of  the  guess  
work  in  porphyry  altera3on  mapping,  especially  where  fine-­‐
grained  altera3on  mineralogy  is  present.    
Short  wavelength  Infrared  Spectrometer  
•  Measure  1000m  of  drill  core  or  RC  chips  per  day  
•  Fast  enough  to  use  as  a  systema7c  logging  tool.  
•  Removes  “operator  bias”  from  altera7on  logging.  
 

But  s3ll  does  not  replace  the  boots,  hammer,  and  hand  lens!  (e.g.,  J.  David  
Lowell,  the  most  successful  explora3on  geologist)  
 0.5  
 
Sericite    

Atoms  per  formula  unit  of  Fe+Mg+Mn  

0.4  
  2210  
Shir  of  posi7on  of    

Increasing  %  phengite  
2200  nm  absorp7on   0.3  
to  longer  wavelength    
vs  %  phengite  (Mg  
+Fe+Mn)   0.2  
 
 
 
Cohen,  2011   0.1  
 
 
0  

2195  
Wavelength  of  2200  nm  absorp7on  maps  mole%  
phengite  in  “sericite”  (pH,  T)–  it  cannot  readily  
dis7nguish  Muscovite  vs  Illite  
Illite  

Muscovite  

Cohen,  2011  
 Ver3cal  and  lateral  changes  in  SWIR  wavelength  in  white  mica  

•  Feldspar  buffers  mica  to  phengi7c  composi7ons  (wavelength  >2205  nm)  

•  Lack  of  feldspar  enhances  acid-­‐stable  muscovi7c  composi7ons  (wavelength  

trending  toward  2195  nm)  
Permits  iden7fica7on  of  margin  and  centers  of  magma7c  hydrothermal  systems  
BuKe,  Montana—lateral  metal  zona7on  
 Underground Workings on Main Stage Veins
Main  Stage  veins  (>10  Mt  Cu)  are  centered  on  older  Anaconda  &  
PiKsmont  Porphyry  Cu-­‐Mo  Dome  (>25  Mt  Cu)  

Duaine, Kennelly, & Thale, 2004, MBM&G

BuKe  Metal  Zona7on  on  Main  Stage  Veins  

Geologic  map  from  Houston  &  Dilles,  2013  

BuPe  lateral  metal  zoning  for  >6km  in  sericiYc  alteraYon  

Cross-­‐sec7on  from    
Houston  &  Dilles,  2013  
The  hydrothermal  altera7on  footprint  of  magma7c  fluid  is  
characterized  by  anomalous  proximal  W,  Sn  (Mo),  distal  Se-­‐
Te-­‐Bi,  &  far  distal  As-­‐Sb-­‐Li-­‐Tl  in  shallow  epithermal  
environment.        And,  so  the  trace  element  vectors  also  work  
for  epithermal  &  Carlin-­‐type  Au-­‐Ag  deposits  
 Conclusions  
•  Lithogeochemistry  provides  an  effec7ve  means  of  
detec7ng  trace  metal  zona7on  above  and  peripheral  to  
central  porphyry  Cu(Mo-­‐Au)  ore  
•  Serici7c  altera7on  selvages  to  D  veins  extend  above  &  
laterally  to  ores  1  to  >5  km,  and  are  most  useful  to  
zona7on  studies.  (Late  illite  is  central  &  deep  to  shallow)  
•  ASD  tracks  the  wavelength  of  sericite/illite  2200  nm  
absorp7on  (%Fe+Mn+Mn)  and  is  guide  to  pH  of  
solu7ons  that  are  neutralized  upward/outward