OFALTERATION” ave VAT UMNO A FIELD: AND PETROGRAPHIC ‘GUIDE TO HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION MINERALS rp A AJ. B. Bite Lon Pe fi is CF THOMPSON Bs Ds cen ie PT rp r C= EN Ae EC eral Deposits DivisionATLAS OF ALTERATION A FIELD AND PETROGRAPHIC GUIDE TO HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION MI ERALS Eprrors: A.J.B. THOMPSON AND J.F.H. THOMPSON MDD Series Epivor: K.P.E. DUNNE AUTHORS R.L. Allen C. H. B. Leitch F T. J. Barrett D.R. Lentz RLS P. R. L. Browne A. J. Macdonald C. Sebert J.E. Clemson M. McLeod G.J.Si K.P. E, Dunne R. F. Martin SE A.D. J. Murray M. F, Taner K Y. Pan A. J.B. Thompson S. Paradis J. Thompson E. U. Petersen RJ. M. M. Hawke Ray G N. C. Reardon, 1. Wolfson. D. A. Rhys J. F. Ziegler Geological Association of Mineral Deposits Division Mineral Deport Research Uri GAC} AGC UBCPREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ‘The concept of this book arose while we worked in mineral exploration and more recently in applied research on hydrothermal mineral deposits. Many exploration geologists idemtified the need for a simple book that could assist them in the identification of hydrothermal alteration minerals. In spite of the common presence of secondary alteration in rocks, and the practical use of information derived from the interpretation of alteration, the subject is rarely covered in undergraduate geoscience curricula. Classical petrology tends to avoid alteration, although some aspects may be covered under metamorphic petrology; most courses in economic geology provide only a broad overview of the subject as it relates to individual types of ore deposit and advanced courses tend to deal with fluid chemistry, mineral reactions and geochemistry but rarely cover the practical application. As a result, geoscientists who work with hydrothermal alteration learn through practical experience. The feeling among many of our colleagues was that a basic guide to alteration would help them in this learning process. Further impetus for the Atlas was provided by researchers and consultants who deal with alteration routinely, both in terms of interpretation and the education of other professionals; in particular, Hal Bonham, Dick Henley, and Dick Sillitoe provided critical encouragement. Once we initiated the Atlas, we relied on many individuals to help the project come to fruition. In particular, we thank all of the authors who responded to our requests and provided the initial contributions that set the Atlas in motion, and more particularly we acknowledge their patience during the long process of refining the format of the Atlas, amalgamating contributions from different authors, and editing. The inspiration for Table 1 came from an MDRU short course presentation by Marco Einaudi in 1993. Bob Turner improved the descriptions of alteration related to sediment-hosted massive sulphide deposits in this table. The Atlas benefited considerably from the detailed reviews from Marco Einaudi, John Jambor and Stuart Simmons. We also acknowledge the work of Kathryn Dunne for championing the Atlas and helping with its editing and preparation, Kirstie Simpson for her dedication in revising and formatting the final version, and Bob Beck for his insight on graphic design. Finally, the Atlas would not have happened without the financial support, good will and enthusiasm of the Mineral Deposits Division of the Geological Association of Canada, and particularly the elected officials of MDD during the period from 1993 to 1996, Anne J.B. Thompson John F.H. Thompson Atlas of Alteration