Reference:

• Gustafson and Hunt (1975). The Porphyry Copper Deposit at

El Salvador, Chile.
• Sillitoe, R. (2000). Gold-Rich Porphyry Descriptive and Genetic
Models and their role in Exploration and Discovery.
• Sillitoe, R. (2010). Porphyry Copper Systems.
• Mark Reed (2013). The Butte Magmatic-Hydrothermal
System: One Fluid Yields All Alteration and Veins
Veinlets Classification
 Meaning of veinlets in porphyry Cu ± Au ± Mo deposits
• EB, EBT, M and A corresponding to the tardy-magmatic event,

Early
potassic alteration, structures assigned to this stage form part
of the potassic alteration zones. It is known that estimates that
its emplacement occurred in a semi-ductile environment,
evidenced by its sinuous shape, through a process of potassic
metasomatism at temperatures between 800°C and 600°C.
• B type corresponding to transitional stage, 400°C, close open
fractures, the system loss volume and it is cool down, main
stage of molybdenite deposition.
• D type veins corresponding to the main hydrothermal stage,
with temperature lower than 400°C., sericite-chlorite alteration
later to sericitic, and finally to chlorite retrograde over the
biotite alteration.
• E type associated to late hydrothermal stage, high sulphidation,

Late
with values of Pb, Zn and As (galena, sphalerite and sulfosalts)
 EBT A

Granular Qtz with clear sinuous Bio. halo Irregular shape, Qtz, Bio. Halo, sulfides,
B D

Qtz, without halo, MoS2 at the border Qtz, Tourmaline, sulfide, chl-ser halo
 M

Mag-act-cpy-qtz cut it by carbonate vein

Veinlets cross cutting relationship Porphyry cross cutting relationship

Sillitoe, 2000 Sillitoe, 2010

 Veining cross cutting relationship and alteration
Early
Late
 Lateral and vertical veining cross cutting relationship

Early

“E”
“E”
“D” “D”

“EB” “EB”
“B”
“M” “M”

“EB” “M” “A” “M” “EB”

Late

EBT cuts: EB
M cuts: EBT, EB
A cuts: M, EBT, EB
B cuts: A, M, EBT, EB
D cuts: B, A, M, EBT, EB
E cuts: D, B, A, M, EBT, EB