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ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
AND THE
Abstract
The geologic history of the San Manuel-Kalamazoo deposit has provided an oppor-
tunity for the examination of vertical and horizontal zoning relationships in a por-
phyry copper system. Precambrian Oracle "granite," a Laramide monzonite porphyry,
and a Laramide dacite porphyry are hosts to zones of potassic, phyllic, argillic, and
propylitic assemblages shown to be coaxially arranged outward from a potassic core
through phyllic, argillic, and propylitic zones. Alteration zones at depth comprise an
outer chlorite-sericite-epidote-magnetite assemblage yielding to an inner zone of
quartz-K-feldspar-sericite-chlorite. Mineralization zones are conformable to the
alteration zones, the ore zone (with a 0.5% Cu cutoff) overlapping the potassic and
phyllic zones. Occurrence of sulfides changes upward and outward from dissemination
at the low-grade core of the deposit through microveinlet to veinlet and finally vein
occurrence indicating the progressively increasing effect of structural control.
Several aspects of San Manuel-Kalamazoo geology suggest that it is exemplary of
the porphyry copper deposit group. To test that idea and to evolve three-dimensional
aspects of these deposits, a table of geologic characteristics of 27 major porphyry de-
posits is presented. Consideration of the table indicates that the "typical" porphyry
copper deposit is emplaced in late Cretaceous sediments and metasediments and
is associated with a Laramide (65 m.y.) quartz monzonite stock. Its host intrusive
rock is elongate-irregular, 4,000 X 6,000 feet in outcrop, and is progressively differen-
tiated from quartz diorite to quartz monzonite in composition. The host is more like
a stock than a dike and is controlled by regional-scale faulting. The orebody is oval
to pipelike, with dimensions of 3,500 X 6,000 feet and gradational boundaries. Seventy
percent of the 140 million tons of ore occurs in the igneous host rocks, 30 percent in
preore rocks. Metal values include 0.45% hypogene Cu with 0.35% supergene eu,
and 0.015% Mo. Alteration is zoned from potassic at the core (and earliest) outward
through phyllic (quartz-sericite-pyrite), argillic (quartz-kaolin-montmorillonite), and
propylitic (epidote--<:alcite--chlorite), the propylitic zone extending 2,500 feet beyond
the copper ore zone. Over the same interval, sulfide species vary from chalcopyrite-
molybdenite-pyrite through successive assemblages to an assemblage of galena-sphalerite
with minor gold and silver values in solid solution, as metals, and as sulfosalts.
Occurrence characteristics shift from disseminations through respective zones of micro-
veinlets (crackle fillings), veinlets, veins, and finally to individual structures on the
periphery which may contain high-grade mineralization. Breccia pipes with attendant
crackle zones are common.
Expression of zoning is affected by exposure, structural and compositional homo-
geneity, and postore faulting or intrusive activity. Vertical dimensions can reach
10,000 feet, with the upper reaches of the porphyry environment perhaps only at sub-
volcanic depths of a few thousand feet. The vertical and lateral zoning described is
repeated with sufficient constancy that depths of exposure at many deposits can be cited
against the model of San Manuel-Kalamazoo.
373
374 !. D. LOWELL AND !. M. GUILBERT
Several lines of evidence suggest relatively shallow depths of formation and signifi-
cant variations in water content in the porphyry environment. Shallow emplacement
is consistent with the appearance of breccia pipes associated with ring and radial diking
and with vertically telescoped zoning. Models of the source of altering-mineralizing
fluids are considered.
amounts of pyrite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, quartz, to depths apparently on the order of 3,000-5,000
and sericite associated with other alteration, gangue, feet. The model depends on a melt derived at some
and ore minerals and metals including minor lead, greater depth, probably near the mantle-crust boun-
zinc, gold, and silver. Mineralization and alteration dary, which becomes saturated with water as it ap-
suggest a late magmatic-mesothermal temperature proaches the upper surface. Release of that water
range. The deposit is generally associated with may occur when internal vapor pressure developed
breccia pipes, usually with a large crackle breccia- by supersaturation exceeds the lithostatic load pres-
tion zone, and is surrounded by peripheral mineral sure or when the intrusive system is rent by external
deposits suggestive of lower temperature mineraliza- stresses. Crystallization then proceeds presumably
tion. along the lines of Emmons' (1933) cupola or R. H.
The grade of primary mineralization in typical Sales's sub-hood cupola development.
porphyry copper deposits ranges up to 0.8% Cu and As described by Nielsen (1968), the sequence of
0.02% Mo, and porphyry deposits in which molyb- events can be paraphrased as intrusion, early mar-
denite is the chief economic mineral have grades ginal crystallization which produces a solid shell, and
ranging up to 0.6% Mo and 0.05% Cu. All por- rupture of that shell to produce porphyritic-aphanitic
phyry copper deposits contain at least traces of textures in subsequently crystallized rocks. Volatiles
molybdenite, and all porphyry molybdenum deposits released by the quenching migrate outward through
contain some chalcopyrite. Many deposits contain crackle, stockwork, and brecciated zones in the cooler
recoverable quantities of both minerals, either in margins where, augmented by diffusion effects, alter-
separate orebodies or in ore with approximately ation and mineralization occur in response to gradi-
equal copper and molybdenum dollar values. Al- ents "from near magmatic temperatures at the center
though typical porphyry copper deposits differ from of the stock to relatively cool temperatures in the
typical molybdenum deposits in some respects, the wall rocks" (p. 37). Silicate sulfide reactions of
existence of gradational characteristics in metalliza- the type described by Hemley and Jones (1964) pre-
tion suggests a common origin. vail. Other authors would not necessarily limit the
This definition is somewhat generalized because it separation of volatiles to the period of quenching,
must permit consideration of many deposits whose but rather would consider evolution of the hydro-
local geologic circumstances vary as expressed by thermal fraction a quasi-continuous separation of
their geometries and physical characteristics. We volatiles in response to the many variables related
believe the porphyry deposits to be a petrological- to temperature and pressure. The loss of volatiles
mineralizational class, and individual porphyry de- from near-surface portions of a melt may permit the
.posits are best interpreted as greater or lesser de- upward and outward replenishment of mineralizers
partures from the unifying model of the above from greater depths.
definition as elaborated upon below. Fournier (1968) suggests that the initial deep
porphyry copper melt was unsaturated with water
Genetic Models of Porphyry Deposits at one to three percent, that it was intruded to
depths of less than about 4,500 feet, and that rup-
Several genetic models have been proposed to re- ture by faulting would cause sudden, even explosive
late the characteristics of porphyry copper and loss of water and supercooling of the silicate melt.
molybdenum deposits. All of the models recognize Crystallization would then abruptly halt the upward
the important involvement of porphyritic intrusive progress of the now dry melt. Subsequent "exten-
rocks with ore deposition, and all are fundamentally sive argillic alteration shown by most porphyry cop-
magmatic-hydrothermal, differing in the sequences per deposits is probably due to a superimposed cir-
of events, depths of intrusion, the timing of deriva- culating hot-spring system, fed mainly by meteoric
tion of fluids, and the source of fluids. The models and connate water" (p. 101).
considered here are the orthomagmatic model, White (1968) in a particularly stimulating paper
Fournier's model of intrusion of a water under- suggests that circulation of sulfur-deficient N a-Ca-Cl
saturated melt, and the White model of multilevel brines, with salt contents generally equivalent to
circulation of brines adjacent to a heat source. 5%- to 40% NaCl, are responsible for many base-
The orthomagmatic model has been best described metal deposits. Such brines may be produced in
in the recent writings of Burnham (1967) and Niel- porphyry systems by deuteric reaction of residual
sen (1968). It is the genetic model tacitly adopted liquids with earlier formed plagioclase and ferro-
in most deposit descriptions, as for example, those magnesian minerals to achieve high contents of cal-
described in Titley and Hicks (1966). It sometimes cium and base metals. Although White in his paper
involves penetration of the source to levels as shallow does not develop a specific space-time model for the
at 1,500 feet (Nielsen, 1968), but more commonly porphyry deposits, he implicitly develops a model
376 1. D. LOWELL AND !. M. GUILBERT
involving multilevel circulation of deuterically metal- portions. The upper Kalamazoo portion moved about
enriched or connate-meteoric sulfur-deficient metal- 8,000 feet in a down-dip, S55 oW direction.
lizing solutions under the influence of thermal gradi- Small, high-angle, northwest-trending normal faults
ents established by an adjacent or subjacent mag- later displaced both halves of the original orebody,
matic heat source. The model differs importantly and erosion stripped most of the Gila Conglomerate
from the orthomagmatic model in that the source from the east end of the present San Manuel ore-
of the solutions, and perhaps the metals, is almost body (Fig. Ib).
completely external to the magmatic system, with . The original, unfaulted orebody, as defined by a
convective overturn of circulating solutions pro- 0.5% copper limit, formed a slightly flattened or
ducing alteration-mineralization envelopes and zones. elliptical cylinder which was at least 7,700 feet long
and from 2,500 to 5,000 feet in diameter. The top
Geology of the San Manuel-Kalamazoo Deposit of the cylinder, at the east end after tilting, may have
been rounded, with the bottom, at the west, having
The San Manuel-Kalamazoo deposit (Lowell, an irregular shape. The center of the orebody is
1968), located in Pinal County, Arizona, is here
poorly metallized, so that ore actually forms a hol-
accepted as the type porphyry copper deposit, and low cylinder or cylindrical shell. The shell sur-
its geology and other characteristics are presented rounding the low-grade center varies from about 100
for comparison and contrast with others (Table 1). to 1,000 feet in thickness. Mineralization and alter-
Precambrian quartz monzonite of the Oracle ation zones are approximately coaxial.
Granite batholith in the San Manuel area was in- The alteration assemblages in the San Manuel-
truded in Laramide time by swarms of monzonite Kalamazoo deposit form regular, smoothly bounded
porphyry dikes and irregular masses of monzonite zones, which, as in most porphyries, are locally
porphyry, more properly termed biotite latite por- gradational and difficult to place within a hundred
phyries, although long-established "monzonite por- feet, although they are well defined on a broad scale.
phyry" terminology will be followed here. Closely The boundaries are more clearly defined than they
related in time and space to the activity was a are in most porphyry deposits, presumably because
porphyry copper mineralization event that produced the mineralizing fluids affected intrusive, essentially
the San Manuel-Kalamazoo orebody and its associ- homogeneous, isotropic plutonic and hypabyssal host
ated concentric alteration zones. The hydrothermal rocks of intermediate composition. These rocks re-
system appears to have been centered in the middle sponded to the indicated alkali chemistry without
of the monzonite porphyry dike swarm, and metal- important gains or losses. No marginal sediments,
lization is almost equally distributed between the compositionally contrasting intrusive rocks, planar
monzonite porphyry and the Oracle Granite host rock fabrics, or prominent tectonic elements pro-
rocks (Fig. 1). duced steep physical or chemical gradients to influ-
Following hydrothermal mineralization and alter- ence the uniform· zoning and symmetry.
ation (Fig. la), the whole district was tilted to the Mineralogic zoning at Kalamazoo and elsewhere
northeast, and the block including the San Manuel- suggests that at least four alteration assemblages are
Kalamazoo orebody was probably relatively elevated. easily discernible in the porphyry copper and molyb-
Erosion of this block exposed the top of the ore- denum deposits. The terms potassic, phyllic, argil-
body, and supergene activity formed a thin chal- lic, and propylitic have been adapted or adopted
cocite enrichment blanket. At this time, the long from the literature (Burnham, 1962; Creasey, 1966;
axis of the orebody may have plunged at about Meyer and Hemley, 1968) to describe the four
65 ° SVV. Shortly thereafter, terrestrial sediments principal assemblages. The terms "argillic" and
began· to cover the deposit. "propylitic" are well known and widely accepted,
Further tilting, perhaps 15 0, followed deposition broadly describing quartz-kaolin-montmorillonite-
of the lowermost Cloudburst Conglomerate. An chlorite-biotite and chlorite-calcite-epidote-adularia-
erosion surface formed on the Cloudburst sediments albite alteration assemblages, respectively. "Phyllic"
was later covered by the Gila Conglomerate. A is here applied to the assemblage quartz-sericite-
pyrite with less than 5% kaolin, biotite, or K-feld-
third-stage tilt of about 30° gave the Gila Conglom-
spar, and "potassic" is suggested (Guilbert and
erate its present inclination and brought the origin- Lowell, 1968) to include introduced or recrystallized
ally vertical axis of the San Manuel-Kalamazoo ore- K-feldspar and biotite, with minor sericite and highly
body into a 20° southwest-plunging attitude. The variable but persistent and generally minor amounts
San Manuel fault then diagonally offset the original, of anhydrite. Each of these assemblages will be
nearly cylindrical orebody into two roughly equal- more fully described below, especially as they occur
sized pieces, the San Man\lel ~ncl th~ KalalllazQo at San Man\l€~l-Kal~azoo. Other assemblages
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATiON ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 377
p€qm
1a
o 1QOOo'
1b
Approximate Scale
FIG. 1. Schematic drawing of structural history of San Manuel-Kalamazoo deposit. (a) at time of emplacement
and (b) at present. Note the umbrella-like flare of dike swarm and the chalcocite enrichment zone (CCa). p€qm =
=
Oracle Granite, TKmp= monzonite porphyry, Tcb = Cloudburst Formation, Tgc Gila Conglomerate.
rarely encountered in the porphyry environment are The alteration zones were separated during Kala-
the advanced argillic (Meyer and Hemley, 1968) mazoo exploration as follows. The inner limit of
and pegmatoid, respectively involving quartz and the propylitic zone was placed where the total quartz-
pyrophyllite, with traces of dickite or kaolinite, topaz, montmorillonite, quartz-kaolin, or quartz-sericite
and zunyite, and quartz-coarse sericite-K-feldspar, content in plagioclase sites exceeds the total of
with or without carbonate, anhydrite, and apatite. chlorite and epidote replacing mafic minerals; here
Hydrothermal alteration assemblages in the San the color usually changes from green to light gray.
Manuel-Kalamazoo deposit are summarized in Fig- The argillic zone, in which kaolin or montmorillonite
ure 2, which shows alteration changes mineral by predominates in plagioclase sites and chlorite re-
mineral and assemblages on AKF-ACF diagrams. places biotite, was not generally mapped separately
Supergene activity is limited to a 2oo-foot thick and is least significant quantitatively. The inner
zone near the top of the deposit. limit of propylitic alteration is locally the outer
378 !. D. LOWELL AND !. M. GUILBERT
A~kOOI)~ A~kOI
:~~, A~nh.a:~,
A-K-C-F
II!Qn1 er. ? (mont)
r( «
A = AI ep,~o . op
K = K, Na K"er
K~k:C
C = Ca salts K C K ? C
=
F Fe, Mg cor cor
chi chi k-spor chi
F py,rt . bi py,cp,bn,mb
F py
F trace wf
Vein let Fillings Q - cal- K-spar-chlor-rare ab-rt Q-ser-py-chlor Q-ser-py Q.K-spar-b i -ser-anhy-cal-ap
DEEP-LEVEL ASSEMBLAGES
OUTER INNER
Quartz SI i ghtly Augmented Augmented
Orthoclase-
Microcline Dusted with trace sericite Alteration K-spar with sericite, relicts common, minor quartz
Plagioclase
(An 3S-4S) Dusted with sericite, chlorite, epidote Sericitized, with alteration K-spar-quartz, relicts uncommon
Biotite Largely chloritized, minor epidote mag added Chloritized, rare primary relicts
Hornblende Chlorite + Epidote + Carbonate Chloritized; trace carbonate
Magnetite Augmented Mostly pyritized
~
er A~
A-K-C-F
A=AI ep
K = K, Na K. C
C = Ca salts
F =
Fe, Mg cor?
a b,k-spor chi
F m09,PY
/ -.
,--!--
Adul-Alb.
PHYLLlC"'"""'?,
\
\
/
/
Q- Ser -py
/ ................ ,, \
\'\ \
/ !J I \ \\ \
IARGI~LlC \
\
\\
\ \
I
Q-Kaol-
I \ \
! \'
Chi
\ I
\ \ \ I
\ I
\ I
I
L
.....r~
/
\ , r' ~
/
1....,:-: ", /
,
I .)
\
/
a
VEINS
PERIPHERAL PERIPHERAL
cp-ga"" cp"ga'-"
Au-Ag .
Au-AV
LOW
PYRITE
SHELL
py 2%
b c
FIG. 3. Concentric alteration-mineralization zones at San Manuel-Kalamazoo. (a) schematic drawing of alteration
zones. Broken lines on Kalamazoo side indicate uncertain continuity or location and on San Manuel side extrapolation
from Kalamazoo. (b) schematic drawing of mineralization zones. (c) schematic drawing of the occurrence of sulfides.
380 1. D. LOWELL AND 1. M. GUILBERT
Figure 4 Figure 5
Figure 6
FIG. 4. Fresh Oracle quartz monzonite. Quartz grains along top, microcline across center, and biotite at lower right.
Andesine unit at extinction at left. Both feldspars mottled but essentially fresh. Crossed nicols. 15 x.
FIG. 5. Fresh Type A monzonite porphyry. The stippled sucrose quartz-K-feldspar groundmass is studded with com-
pound rectangular twinned plagioclase phenocrysts. The white rectangular unit is a biotite phenocryst and the black blebs
immediately above and to the left are quartz "eyes." Negative photograph, crossed nicols, 3.2 x.
FIG. 6. Fresh Type B biotite dacite porphyry. Plagioclase phenocrysts are square, trapezoidal, or rectangular. They
are twinned but generally unzoned. Negative photograph, crossed nicols, 3.2 x.
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 381
fine-grained, embayed quartz "eyes" with stippled Potassic Zone.-Several authors, especially Hem-
overgrowth rims. Few quartz eyes exceed 1 mm ley and Jones (1964), Creasey (1966), and Meyer
in diameter. Accessory biotite, hornblende, apatite. and Hemley (1968), have discussed the potassic
rutile, zircon, and minor magnetite are generally alteration environment. Hemley and Jones have de-
euhedral, the first two reaching 5 mm in length. limited an environmental interface between K-feld-
No K-feldspar phenocrysts were observed. The spar and sericite stabilities, the latter with higher
groundmass is that of the widespread quartz latite HCljKCI ratios at a given temperature, an environ-
porphyry and quartz monzonite porphyry of the ment consistent with late magmatic or early hydro-
porphyry deposits. Its grain size averages 0.1 mm thermal conditions in the K-feldspar-sericite-kaolin
and its texture is granular sucrose. Though locally (pyrophyllite) system. Inclusion of iron and mag-
variable, it averages 55 percent quartz and 45 per- nesium should bring biotite or chlorite into consider-
cent K-feldspar, so that the overall whole rock feld- ation with K-feldspar, sericite, and quartz, an assem-
spar composition averages about 35 percent plagio- blage increasingly noted in porphyry copper deposits
clase and 25 percent K-feldspar. The K-feldspars ( Creasey, 1966) and assignable to a late magmatic-
are anhedral, granular, and mutually intergrown early hydrothermal "deuteric" environment. Such a
with quartz; granular, often euhedral apatite and biotite-K-feldspar alteration assemblage with quartz,
rutile and shreds of mafic minerals are sparse. sericite, anhydrite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite,
A second porphyry (here called Type B) is a and traces of bornite generally constitutes the low-
biotite dacite. Plagioclase phenocrysts in Type B grade center and part of the ore shell of the Kalama-
are generally roughly square to rectangular or even zoo deposit (Figs. 7, 8, 9).
trapezoidal in cross section (Fig. 6) rather than This innermost alteration zone (Fig. 3a) involves
compound and zoned as in Type A. Rarely do they pervasive and veinlet replacement of primary min-
exceed 5 mm on a side. Biotite phenocrysts up to erals by secondary biotite, K-feldspar, quartz, seri-
3-5 mm are prominent. Quartz pheno::rysts are cite, and to a lesser extent anhydrite (Fig. 9). K-
absent, and the biotite-to-amphibole ratio is slightly feldspar occurs with quartz as microveinlet fillings
greater than that of Type A. The groundmass is that heal minute stockwork-like fractures in the pri-
composed of intergrown microcrystals of sparsely mary rocks and also replace original feldspars to
twinned plagioclase with quartz, apparently slightly varying degrees. "Rock" orthoclase is flesh colored
later, and sparse K-feldspar. Rutile and apatite when fresh, turning slightly orange where exten-
accessory minerals are rare. sively replaced by alteration K-feldspar. Typically,
It,is difficult to estimate from drill core the rela- quartz heals quartz grains, and K-feldspar heals
tive abundances of the two varieties of porphyry. orthoclase, with K-feldspar also commonly replacing
Type A predominates along the core of the San andesine plagioclase extensively, either by rimming
Manuel-Kalamazoo system. Porphyry units form or by advance along twin planes. K-feldspar also
an umbrella or mushroom-shaped outward expan?ion locally replaces plagioclase in the porphyry ground-
of diking at higher levels (Fig. 1a). Although por- mass. No albitization has been found, although pre-
phyry-quartz monzonite contacts are predominantly liminary examination of alteration K-feldspar indi-
sharp, they may in some cases appear gradational in cates it to be more sodic than the primary orthoclase.
diamond drill core, and the porphyry "dikes" must Alteration biotite occurs in four important modes:
be highly sinuous and variable in attitude, especially (1) as hairline veinlet fillings along with chalcopy-
at greater depths. Indeed, an approach to wholesale rite, alteration silicates, and anhydrite; (2) as sparse
mobilization of porphyry concurrent with the potas- to massive replacement of plagioclase phenocrysts;
sic alteration is suggested by coarsely vermicular (3) as bright black euhedral units megascopically
and diffuse contacts between quartz monzonite and nearly identical to primary rock biotite; and (4) as
porphyry seen in drill core from deep within the locally pervasive replacements of groundmass feld-
orebody. spars (Fig. 8). Alteration biotite is recognizable
both by its fine-grained, sucrose, subhedral to euhe-
Alteration Zones dral form and by the coexistence of two distinctive
Alteration zone boundaries are not affected .by color variants, one a light tan to brown which
rock type interfaces, at least at the scale of study to mostly. predominates, the other a light apple green.
date. Systematic comparisons of fresh and altered Shagreen is not present, and birefringence is slightly
rocks on either side of a particular contact have not lower than that of the rock biotite. Chlorite inter-
yet been made, but the various starting material grown with biotite is common.
compositions, structural characteristics, and fabrics The altered rocks, especially the porphyries, are
seem to have responded nearly identically to alter- distinctively pigmented by groundmass biotitization.
ation processes. Porphyries megascopically showing the smoky gray
382 J. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT
Figure 7
Figure 8 Figure 9
FIG. 7. A -h" veinlet of mosaic quartz, K-feldspar, anhydrite, and biotite in potassic alteration assemblage. (a) K-
feldspar (stippled, lower left corner) and anhydrite (vertically twinned) in veinlet. The white stippled tablet to right of
center in lower half of photo is a K-feldspathized-biotitized plagioclase phenocryst in Type A porphyry. Crossed nicols,
15 X. (b) The same field in plane light, showing shreddy brown biotite pervading the potassic assemblage and replacing
the plagioclase tablet described above. Plane light, 15 X.
FIG. 8. A vein let of quartz, K-feldspar cutting Type A porphyry in the potassic alteration zone. Note rivulet replace-
ment of plagioclase by alteration K-feldspar at upper center adjacent to veinlet. Groundmass is biotitized. Crossed
nicols, 15 X.
FIG. 9. A veinlet of dominant calcite, anhydrite, K-feldspar, and opaque minerals (pyrite-chalcopyrite) in a per-
vasively biotitized Type B porphyry. The finely shrcddy groundmass is composed of fine biotite with scattered chal-
copyrite (black). Crossed nicols, 3.2 X.
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 383
color normally found with advanced potassic alter- ion appears common. N either carbonates nor an-
ation generally also carry significant base metal hydrite were identified in the phyllic zone assemblage.
values. Such rocks also show K-feldspar-rich vein- The phyllic assemblage at San Manuel-Kalamazoo
lets up to i inch wide (Fig. 9). closely resembles the quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration
The potassic alteration assemblage generally in- at Butte ( Sales and Meyer, 1951), at Morenci
volves sparse to trace amounts of anhydrite, carbo- ( Moolick and Durek, 1966), and at many other
nates, and apatite. Rutile and wolframite have been southwestern North American porphyry deposits.
observed in several veinlets. Anhydrite, not pre- Contacts of the phyllic zone with the potassic
viously reported as a widespread alteration mineral, zone have been described above; they are generally
commonly forms granules in the quartz-K-feldspar- gradational over a hundred feet or so. Contacts of
rich gash veinlets and in microveinlets which cut the phyllic zone with the next outer most, argillic
individual rock feldspar grains. Unlike biotite, it is zone are less definite.
not generally a replacement mineral. I t is wide- Argillic Zone.-The argillic zone at San Manuel-
spread but rarely abundant. Carbonates occur both Kalamazoo is least well understood at this stage,
in veinlets and as bits and shreds dispersed through both mineralogically and distributionally. It is the
the entire rock. Apatite, though not yet well studied, least well developed and is the most likely to be
occurs both as a veinlet mineral and as minor but absent in any given penetration of the ore deposit
pervasively distributed anhedral units. symmetry. I t is characterized by the conversion of
Phyllic Zone.-Surrounding and to some extent plagioclase to either kaolin nearer the orebody or
overlapping the biotite-K-feldspar zone is a zone in montmorillonite farther away from the orebody cen-
which alteration minerals include quartz, sericite, ter (Fig. 11). Kaolin is the more common reaction
pyrite, hydromica, minor chlorite, and traces of product, grading outward to sparse outlying mont-
rutile. This zone (Figs. 3a and 3b) generally in- morillonite. Pyrite is common but much less abun-
cludes part of the ore zone and all of the marginally dant than in the phyllic zone. It is generally dis-
mineralized and pyritic zones and is nearly coexten- tinctly veinlet controlled rather than disseminated.
sive with strong pyrite mineralization. Sericite pre- Primary biotite may be essentially unaffected, per-
dominates in the inner part of this zone, clay min- sisting as shiny black megascopic flecks in a white,
erals and hydromica in the outer margins. The most earthy rock, or it may be in part converted along
distinctive assemblage, both megascopically and cleavage to chlorite. The compositional character-
petrographically (Fig. 10), is that of complete istics of this chlorite have not yet been compared
sericitization of all silicates except quartz. Original with those of the chlorite of the potassic and deep
rock plagioclase and orthoclase are both pervasively zones. K-feldspar shows minor flecking with seri-
replaced by a felted mat of fine-grained muscovite cite and dusting with kaolin, but it is generally not
with abundant ultrafine granular quartz. Vestiges extensively affected.
of cleavage, zoning, and twin planes of plagioclase Propylitic Zone.-This zone contains the most
are retained in most instances in preferred orienta- widely distributed and least distinctive of the alter-
tions of sericite flecks. Original biotite sites can be ation assemblages. Plagioclase generally remains
identified by relatively well-oriented alteration seri- fresh (Fig. 12), although it is locally ribbed with
cite flecks, by less abundant alteration quartz, and either montmorillonite, kaolin, or an apparent mix-
by either anhedral or sagenitic rutile or leucoxene, ture of the two minerals. Amorphous mineraloid
presumably representing titanium from the original clouding the plagioclases was not conclusively identi-
biotite. Primary quartz is unaffected but generally fied but is suspected in small amounts. Biotite is
overgrown. replaced along cleavage by both chlorite and carbo-
K-feldspar is totally sericitized in the innermost nate, which generally decrease in abundance out-
phyllic zone, but shreds and scraps of K-feldspar wardly. Epidote and calcite are common as fine
persist in the outer part. Pyrite is abundant; chal- granules in plagioclase and as coarser aggregates
copyrite is variable, generally occurring as dissemi- with montmorillonite in amphibole sites. Both albite
nated grains, commonly in sericitized sites. Pyrite and veinlet K-feldspar with minor carbonate, quartz,
and epidote are rare. Rock quartz is unaffected.
forms veinlets and generally granular disseminations
Chalcopyrite is rare, but pyrite constitutes one to
in the pervasively phyllic-altered material. Pyrite
three percent by volume of the rock. The propylitic
content ranges from 2-30 percent by weight, aver- assemblage grades into argillic or phyllic phases at
aging 5-10 percent. Apatite and rutile again appear the inner side over an interval of from 10 to 100
to have been recrystallized and redistributed. Silici- feet and is presumed to fade over perhaps thousands
fication well beyond that expected from the break- of feet in the outer reaches, although this has not
down of feldspars to sericite plus quartz plus alkali been proved.
'3g4 ' I. D. LOWELL AND I. M. GUILBERT
Figure 10 .. Figure 11
Figure 12 .
FIG. 10. Phyllic alteration of Oracle quartz monzonite. The white and gray quartz units are embedded in plagioclase
and orthoclase units, which , have been completely converted to sericite, quartz, and pyrite (black). Perceptible orienta-
tion of sericite and pyrite at bottom left denotes sericitized biotite. Crossed nicols, 15 x.
FIG. 11. Argillized Type B porphyry. Plagioclase in both phenocrysts and groundmass has been converted to
weakly birefringent kaolin, which contains scattered shreds of sericite or hydromica. See Fig. 6. Sparse pyrite, princi-
pally in plagioclase phenocryst sites, is black. Crossed nicols, 15 x.
FIG. 12. Propylitized Type B porphyry. See Figs. 6 and 11. Plagoic1ase units are predominantly chloritized with
shreds of epidote and calcite (visible as stipplings in unit at lower right). Biotite blade at upper right and book at
left center are chloritized and pyritized. Plane light, 15 x.
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 385
Deep Zones.-The deep zones at San Manuel- diameter and contains about 0.3% Cu almost totally
Kalamazoo cannot be described with certainty. Our as chalcopyrite. Total sulfide content is low and
findings are based on only a few drill intercepts and pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratio is about 1: 2; magnetite
may be modified in detail by further work and better is rare or absent. Most sulfides are disseminated
exposures. The gross relationships are shown sche- grains. Surrounding this zone (Fig. 3b) is the ore
matically in Figure 2. A slight uncertainty, shell as defined by a 0.5 % Cu cutoff lying in the
especially with respect to chlorite-biotite relation- potassic zone but also overlapping into the phyllic
ships, is introduced by the nearness of the post- zone. This ore shell averages about 600 feet in
Laramide San Manuel fault and its possible effects. thickness and ranges from 0.5%-1.0% Cu in grade
As shown in Figure 2, the propylitlc assemblage with a pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratio of 1: 1. Pyrite
which rims the deposit at moderate depths grades generally forms stockwork veinlets; chalcopyrite oc-
downward from propylitized Oracle quartz mon- curs in disseminated grains.
zonite into a zone in which both rock feldspars are Phyllic and Argillic Zones.-There are three
dusted with sericite. Biotite is largely chloritized, rather distinct types of "ore" mineralization in the
and chlorite and epidote replace amphibole. Quartz- phyllic alteration zone. The outer portion of the
magnetite-minor pyrite veinlets up to i inch wide ore shell, as just mentioned, lies in the phyllic zone.
are common and generally have narrow quartz- Surrounding the ore shell and entirely within the
sericite-chlorite selvages. The rocks are greenish phyllic zone is a zone about 200 feet thick in which
and free of alteration K-feldspar and biotite. copper mineralization ranges from 0.1 0/0-0.5% Cu,
The phyllic zone is widest, possibly with some with a pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratio of about 10: 1.
repetition by steep faulting just below the midpoint Most of both the pyrite and chalcopyrite forms vein-
of the orebody on the Kalamazoo side, but is virtually lets. Surrounding this zone of marginal mineraliza-
absent from the deepest levels (Fig. 2). Moving tion but still entirely within the phyllic and argillic
laterally toward the center of the deposit at depth zones is a zone of pyrite mineralization which ranges
(Fig. 3a), sericite content in altered plagioclase sites from 1,000-1,500 feet in width and contains 6%-
increases; magnetite content of the zone in veinlets 25 % pyrite by weight. Pyrite occurs with quartz
and as disseminations diminishes but does not dis- in veinlets ranging up to i inch thick.
appear. Narrow veinlets of chalcopyrite and pyrite Propylitic Zone.-Mineralization in the propylitic
occur which lack anhydrite but have selvages of zone consists of a few small, high-grade silver, gold,
nearly normal potassic alteration but without biotite. chalcopyrite veins, and pervasive pyrite in veinlets
N either typical argillic nor phyllic assemblages are which constitutes 2%-6% by weight of the rock.
discernible. The deepest penetration into the core Since the outer edge of the propylitic zone does not
zone shows an assemblage in which K-feldspar and crop out it is uncertain whether disseminated pyrite
sericite dust both primary plagioclase and orthoclase; is coextensive with propylitic alteration. The area
in which veinlets of quartz-K-feldspar are flanked of pervasive pyrite veinlets contains 100-500 ppm
and intergrown with selvages of sericite after biotite copper which is apparently included in the pyrite
and plagioclase; and in which magnetite, chalcopy- since discrete primary copper minerals have not been
rite, pyrite, and trace molybdenite occur as dissemi- found in this material.
nations and microveinlets. This deep-level aspect Vertical Changes in Mineralization.-Total sulfide
of the symmetry and character of the Kalamazoo content and copper content in the low-grade portion
assemblage resembles that at Butte where alteration of the phyllic zone decrease with depth. The char-
envelopes flanking Main Stage veins decrease in acter of the mineralization appears also to change
width at deepest levels with increasingly common with depth from finer grained disseminated grains
quartz-K-feldspar-sericite assemblages and with to coarser grained blebs. In the ore shell, there is
chlorite replacing biotite (Meyer et al., 1969). No remarkably little change in copper grade with depth,
real argillization is present in this deep zone at San but the chalcopyrite again changes downward to a
Manuel-Kalamazoo. predominant bleb-type disseminated occurrence. As
shown on Figure 3b, a progressively greater portion
Mineralization Zones of the ore shell occurs in the potassic alteration zone
Concentric mineralization zones are coaxial with as depth increases. Little change with depth is
the alteration zones as shown in Figures 3a and 3b. noted in the marginal zone except that magnetite
A plane normal to the axis of the deposit at a substitutes for much of the pyrite near the bottom
moderate depth shows the following zones of min- of the orebody. Similarly, magnetite substitutes for
eralization. most of the pyrite in the zone of peripheral pyrite
Potassic Zone.-An inner zone entirely within the mineralization near the bottom of the orebody.
potassic alteration zone averages about 2,600 feet in These relationships are also shown in Figure 3a.
386 !. D. LOWELL AND !. M. GUILBERT
ABBREVIATIONS-TABLE
..5000·NW·~ ..i'3;OOO·N·E .. · .... p~·~·~i·~~ .............................. ~~~k· ............................ · ....Q~·:..~pj':..~i~k·p·~ ..Db·:··Gp· ...... ·....~ii........................ ..
.
·..50oo·~··i{ooo .......... ·· ...... ~~·~·~i·~~ ...... ·· ......................~~~·> di·k~~: .. ~iii·~ .... · .... G·d·~·Gdp·:··iQ·p·i ............................ ·....~ii ........................ ..
..·1·80;OOO..~.. 1·;OOO:-c)(;O.... · .... ~~·ti~~(·?·j ............................~;;;;·~k·>.. dik~· ................ · ....~·:.. G~·~i·~k·~·Q·f'~·id·p· ............ ·....~ii ...................... ·· ..
·.. 45;OOO·~..60;OOO· .......... · .... ·p·~·~·~·i·~~ ...... ·· ................ ·· .... ~~~·>.. dik~· ................ · ....Q~·:.. Di·~·:·~p·:·A~d·p....................~ii·+·~~~·&: ...... ..
volcs
·.. 30;OOO·~..66;ooo· .......... ·.... ~~~~i·~~ ........................ ·.... ~t;;;~k·>..di·k~· ................ · .... 6b·~·Gd·~·G·:.. G~.......................... ·....~ii·+·~~t~~~d~· .. ..
.. 2000·~·4·6·oo.................. · .... p~·~·~i·~~ ................ ·· ...... ·....~;;;;·~k· ............................ · ....Q·d·~·Q;;~·~ ....Qpi·~·.·Qp~+..Q.......... ·.. ··Q~p·~·iQf/~··· ........ ·
'Qp' + Q
·±·4000··~··4000 .......... ·· ...... p~~·~·i·~~ .............. ·.. ·...... ·.... ~i·"i·>··~t;;~k .......... ·· ...... · ....~p................................................. ·.. ··~ij'+·~~d~· .......... ..
·±·1·o;oo6.. ~·50:·oOi)' ...... · .... p~·~·~·i·~~~~:~~i·~·g· ..·............ ~t~·~~; .. ~ii·i;··~ii'k~~ ............. [)i·~·p·:·~p·:·(;p·~ ..Db ................ ·....Q~p·+.. ~~d~ .......... ·
in wall
.. 1·5~OOO'~..90;OOO· .......... · .... p·~·~·~·i·~~ ................ ·· .. ·· .. ·.... ~;;;;~k·>.. dik~· ................ · ....Mp:··Gp;··bi·~ ..G·:··~p'l;·~~'j'p:.......... ·....~ir+..~~i~~· .......... ·
Rhy p
..8ooo·~··i5~·OOO .............. · .... p~~·~i·~~·· ...................... ·....~t~·~~·>.. dik~~· ............ · ·.. ·Q·d·~·ii·:·Q~p·:··A;.;d·:..Q~p·::".... ·....~·ii·+·;;;~t~~~d~· .... ·
Qdp
..2000·~·4000· ................ · .... p~~·~i·~~ .............. ·.. ·........·.. dik~..~~~~· .................. · ....~I~;~~hi~~D~~:··Qd; ..G~j':.. D'~·~·~ .. ·....~ii·+·~~i·~·~............ ·
..4000·~·7006(?j' ............ · .... ~~~·~i·~~ .... ·· .................. ·....~·t~~k·>..dik~· ................ · ....M~·~·Q~~·~ ..Db .............. ·· .............. ·....~ii~· ..·.................... ·
..4000·~·7·000.................. · .... p~·~·~·i·~~ .................. ·· .... ·.... ~~~k·>.. dik~· ................ · .... Di·~·:··Qd·+..hbj'·Gd·&·b·i··Gd·:· ...... ·....Q·d~··Gd·+··~~·d·~.. ·· .. ·
Qmp
·>·1·o:oo6·NE..~ .............. ·.... ~~~·~i·~~ ................ ·· .... ·· ·....~~~k·>..~·i·i·i·>·d·i·k~ ...... · ....~·i~k·:..D~~.. p·:·kd·~·~·Q~~........ ·....~·ii·+·~~~· ............ ·
30, 000 NW
.. 1·500·~··2·500· ................ · .... ~~·ti~~· .......................... ·....b~·pi·p·~·»··d·i·k~ ............ · .... ~.~..p................................................·..~i(t·b~·&·~~·i~~ .. ·
:··4000:~:6Boo::::::::::::::::::: ::::~~:~:~i:~~:::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::~~~k:>::dik~~:::::::::::::::: ::::D:i:~:~:Q~:~:~~~:~Q:~~:::::::::::::::: :::::~l1:~:~~d~::::::::::::::
390 J. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT
ORE B 0 D-Y
"G;~p'~;'ci'ti'~;""'"'''''''''''' '"~~~i:''~i~~~~';~'NW''''''''''''''''' ......~~i~·i·~~i··&·N·E·&·NW··f~~i·;~ ...... ·.... ·· .... '1'00.... ·..·...................... ·0··.. ·.... ·....·..
. Arizona
.. E·I··~i~·~-;b;·.. ·.................. · .. ·~~~j"~ip~: .. i~:;~;·~·;~d~ ........ · ......~~i·g·i·~~i· ...................................... ·............ '7'O'c?j' ......·.. · ..........·..30('1')" ........ ..
o,i Ie center
.. E·i;.....·................................ · ·.. ?fi~t··~·y·ii~·d~·;· ...................... · ......~~i·g·i·~~i· ..~·th··f~~it·~...... ·· .................. ·....8·0'·· .. ·...... ·.. · ............ ·2·6 ................ ·
Nevada above & below
.. E~d~k~"""""" ..................... ·~i~~~·~·;~ '~~~Y'''''''''''''''''''''''' ...... ~;i g'i'~~ j................................................ '''i 00.... ............ .............. ·0· .............. ..
British. Columbia
.. E·~~~·;~~~~ ........................ · .. ·~i~~·g~·;~·Nw ~~~i· .. ................ · ...... ~;i·g·i·~~i· ............ ·.. ·...... ·· ........ ·.. ·......·.... ·.. ·(,·0·(1)' .... ···.. · .......... ·.. 40(·1')" ........ ..
Arizona
···i~~pi;~;i~~ .. ·..·............ ·....·· ·.. fi~t··~~·ii~d~~........ '· ................ · ......~;i·g·i·~~i··&··i~~it· .. ·...................... ·............ ·s·cj' ................·........ ·.. 50· ...... ·· ...... ..
Arizona
··Mi·~·~;~r·p~~k .. ···· .. ···· .. ···· .. ···~~·~~·~·;·t;·-;;,~~~·~ ..SW.. ··········· ........................................................ '. ········i·loo·············· .. ·········±.···o·······.... ······
Arizona
..Mi·~·~i·~~~pi·,:,;·~.. ·· .. ···~~~i·············· .. ················ .. ······· ···· ..~;igi·~~i"&··i~~it.. ···················· .. ·· ··········±·lej····· .. ·· .... ·· ··· .. ·····i·Cic··· .. ···· ...... ··
·I ••••••••••
Arizona
··M~~;;~i· ............ ·....·.. ·..·.. ·..... .............................................
~~~j" .. .......................... ·........ ·±7'0..................·...... ·i·30..·............ ..
~·;i·g·i·~~j'+ i~~i·;
Arizona
.. Q~;~t~ .............. · ·.. i;.:~g~i~·; .. ·....·........ ·..·............ · ...... ~;igi·~~j"· .............................. ·..·.. ....·........ 7'oFh ............·........ ·.. 30('1')' ..·...... ..
New Mexico
.. R~i~i·~~~~ ........·................ ·.. i·;;~~r~·;·~~~(·~i~~~~t~ ..EW ......~~igi·~~i·&..f~~it............................·.......... ·2·0................ ·.......... ·.. 80· ........ ·.. ·.. ..
.. S~i~~d ............ ·..·................ ·~~~i~·di·pp·i·~g·pi·p; .. ·..··..·...... · ...... .............. ·.. ·.................... ·........ ·....2·0....................·...... ·.. 80· .............. ..
~;i~·i·~~i·
Arizona
.'s~~' 'M~~~' ~f.::K"~'i~;.;~·~~~.. " 'h~i 'j~:;'.'~~~ i' '~y'i i'~d~~" 11 . . . 1 . . " , "'" "~;i g'i"~~ r II II . . . . . . . . . 1 II II . . . . . . II II " ' , . 11.1 , • • II II I. II . . . . 5'0... 1
II 1 •• 1 II " • • • • I. II 11.1 I. II '50'·1 11 . . . 1 1 1 . 1 I I . .
Arizona
"s~~'t~"Rit~"""""""""""" ... ·~~~C~i~~~~t~ ·NW· .............. · ......~·;i~i·~~i· ................................................±'7'0....................... '"i'30''' ............ ..
New Mexico
.'sii ~~; "B~j"l" II . . " " . 1 II '-'.1 11.1 II II ·~·l~~·£i~·t; '~'~~'1"' ;;'"i'~~;~y" b~it'" .. II "~~i 'g'i' i'
~~ II II II II II •• II II "' I I I. II 1 . . . . 1 11.1 11.1 I . . 11.1 I 1 . 1 . , '70' II . . II I I I I I I I I •• 1 . . . . . I "' II .3'0.. 1
. . II . . 11.1 I I . '
Arizona _
. T~q~·;~·i~ ........................ ·. ·~~~i~·~i~~g~t~·NW ................ · ......~·;i·gi·~~j':.. ·b~·~~·~·i·~·pip·~· ......................... '7'0' ............... ·.......... ·.. 3o· .. (:;~ii·~.. ..
Peru (bx & Dac p) pipe: Dio& .voles)
::T~~i:~~f:p~~h;~;:::::::::::: ::::~~~I;:~i~~:I:ik~:::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::~;i:~:i:~~r:&:~:~~~:~::f~~I~:~:::::::::: :::::::·:::::::7:C{:::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::30:::::::::::::::::
Copper
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 391
(Jersey)
.. ·50oo··~··iooo·wsw· ...... ·.. ·.... ·· ...... ·.... :;.. 500.. ··· .. ·· .... ·· .. ·.. ·· .. ·........ ·.. ··· .... ..................·· .... ·· .. ·.... ·....
O'.'iS%··c·~· .... ·· .... ··· .. ·
·iLi5·%··c~··
0.05% Mo 0.05% Mo
···20'OO·~··2000· .. ·.. ·.... ·.. ·........ ·· .. ·........ ·.( ..100.... ·...... ··· .. ·.... · ·...... ·.... ·........o·:81·%.. .. ·· .. ·...... ·.. ·................ ·. ±·0:·5·5·%..
c·~· .... ·· ...... ..
c~····
'''±''5'OO'O''~'SOOO'''''''''''''''''''''' ·...... ·.. ·:;·500.. ·.... ·.. ·· .......... ·· .. ··· .. ·.... ·.. ·· ..2·:2S%··C·~· ........ ·· ...... ·.......... ·.. ···· .. ·.. ·i:·o·o·%.. C~· .. ·............ ..
·.. 5000.. .. l'o;OOO.. Ew· .............. ·.......... :;·500............ ·· .. ·.. ·.... ·...... ·.... ·......0.05% Mo.. ··· .... ·.. ·.... ·· .. ·.................... oj·%
hollow cylinder
~ 0·:8%··C·~
0.05% MO
.. .... ·.. ·· .. ·...... .. C~
.. ·250.. .. 1·200· ............ ·........ ·.... ·...... ·....::>·500 .. ·· ............ ··· .. · ·................ "· ..
~ (i:8.%·C·~· .... ·.... ··· ...... ·........ ·.... ·· .. ·.... 0::5%.. .... ·.... ·· .. ·· .. ·..
C~
.. ·1'500.. ..2·00(j' .. ·.... ·· .. ·.... ·· .......... ·.. ·.. ··.( ..10'0.. ·.. ·.... ·.... ·.... ·· ·.......... ·.. ·..
~ ±:·O:60%·C·~ ...... ·...... ·.. · ...... ·.... ·· .... ·.. .. .... ·· ............ ..
±·'O~·4% C~
·.. 3000..~··4000 .. ·.............. ·.. ·.... ·.... ·.. ·.. :; ..5'00.. ·.... ··· .. ·.. ·.... ·· ·...... ·........ ·±·1':5%·c·~··· .... ·.... ·· .... · .. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·...... ·.... NO.. ··· .... ·.... ·........ ·....,
·.. ±..i'OOO.. ~·3000 ~ .. .. ·........ ·· .. ·.. · ·· .... ·.. ···.(·500.. ·· .... ·.... ·· .. ·· .. · .. ·.... ·· .. ·.... ·±··O·:9%··C·~· .... ·...... ·.......... ·.. ·.. ·........ ·±·D:'l'%.. C~· .. ·...... ·· ...... ··
10-20,000 (1-2% common) (0.4% common)
·.. 1·200 .. ..6·000·· .... ·.... ·· ............ ·.......... :;; ..100...... ·.... ·...... ·.. · ·· ...... ·.. ·.... ·±..O·:09%..
~ M~· .. ·.... ·...... ·· .. ·.. ·.. ·· ...... ···±·0~·09·%·M~ ................ ..
·.. 2'3'OO .. ..4200 .. ·· .... ·.......... ·.... · .... ·...... ·< . i'Oo............ ·.. ·· .... · ·.... ·.. ·............
~ oj·i%··c~· .... ·· .......... ·............ ·· .. ··±:·'O~·3%··C~· .. ·.. ·.... ·...... ..
0.028% Mo 0.028% Mo
... 2500 .. ..8300 ........ ·........ ·.. ·.................( ·5·00.. ·.. ··· .... ··· .. ·· .. ·.. ·.... ·.. ·· .. ·.. ·.. "0':90%" .. ·· .... ·.. ·.... · .......................
~ c·~ o~TS':'l ~'20%"C~""'"
0.007% Mo
·.. 2200··~ .. 34·00· .. ·............ ·.. ·.... · .... ·.. ·.. ··.( ..100.. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·· .. ·· .. ·· ·.............. ·.. ·.. 0·:5%·c·~ .... ·.. ·.. ·.... ···· .. ·...... ·............ ·0:T:0:T5%.. ........ ·
t~
0.04% Mo 0.04% Mo
·.. 5000·N·W..~..7000·N·E'·· ................ ·.... :;;·500· .. ·...... ·.... ·· .......... ·.... ··· .... ·....0·:8%··C~· ...... ·.. ·............ ·.... ·.... ·.. ·.. ·.. 0:·8·%..C~· .......... ·...... ··
·.. 6000·~ .. 1'3;OO'O.. ·.. ·........ ·· .......... ·...... :;;·SOO"· .. ·...... ·.. ·.... · .. ·· ............ ·.. ·..O::88%.. C·~·· .. ·........ ·.. · .... ·· .. ·...... ·· ...... 0:·1':0:·1'5·%.. ........ ·
t~
0.007% Mo
.. ·700·0..~.. 7000 .. ·.. ·.. ·· .. ·.... ·.. ·.... ·· .... ·.... ·::>·5·0·0·1 .. ·.. ·.... ·.... ·.... ·.. ·· ...... ·.... ·.. ··O:1·5::. o:1'8%·M~.. ·...... ·.. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·.. 0:·rS:'O·:f8%··M~·· .. ·.. ·
·.. '3·0'OO·N·S·~·'i'0:·OOO·EW .. ·· .. ·· .... ·· .. ·.... ·.(··5·0·0· ...... ·· .. ·...... ·.. · ·........ ·.. ·...... ··O:80%·C~·· .... ·...... ·· .. ·...... ·.. ·.... ·.... ·· ..0·:1·O::·O·:8·0%.. t~··· .. "..
.. ·±..4·0·(io.. ~·5000· .... ·.. ·.. ·...... ·.. · .. ·........ ')... 500 .. ·.... ·.. ·.. ·...... · .............. ·.... ·..0·:50%.. .. ·.. ·........................ ·.... ·±·oj·%.. ........ ·· .. ·· .... ·
c~ c~
... ~~~·~·~..~·~·~·ti~~·:.. 2500"~"""'" ........... :;.. 500 .. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·........ · ................ "±"o':is%" c'~"'''''''''''''' .................. "'±.' 055'%' 'C~'"''''''''''''''
5000 x ± 8000 high 0.015% Mo
·.. 5000..~..iOO(j'NN·w.... ·...... ·.... · .... ·.... ·...(·500...... ·.. ·........ ·.. ·· .. ··· ........ ·.. ····6·:9i%.. c·~............ ·.... ·.... ·· .......... ·...... 'O:T:'Oj·%··c~·(i~t~) .. ·
.. ·2000.. ..2S00·&........ ·...... ·.......... ···· .....(·1·00...... ·.. ·...... ·.... ·.. ·............ ·· ....6'.'i5%..
~ c·~· ........ ·.... ·· .. ·· .. ·........ ·· .... ·.. 0.8% Cu (tactite)
..
0:·3·~0:·4·% C~·(i~t;)"·
0.015% Mo 0.015% Mo
392 1. D. LOWELL AND 1. M. GUILBERT
HYPOGENE ALTERATION
Montana
.... ~~~~~~ ........................ ···5000 .. ········· .... ·.. ....................................... ~·h·C·~p· .... ·· .... ·· .. ·.. ·.......... ·· .. Q·;·~·~·;~·k~~i .. ·.... ·.. ·.. ··· .... ·· .. ·· .. ··
Sonora
.. ..
··~·~ti·~ ~;;.~· .... ·· .. ·....·.... ·3000 .... ·· .. ·.... ·· .. · ................................... ·· .. ~·j,·C·~p:·py:·~~~~··~·~f& .... · ·.. ·~~·~·t .. ·....·.. ·................ ·· .... ··· .. ·..
Ari zona cI zo
.. ·.. a;~q~i·~~·~~~· .. ·.. ·........ ···f~:;.;·h·~·~·d·~~·d· .... · ....................................... ~·j,·C~p:·~~(·~p~·~:·h~:·· .. ·· .. k~~i':;;·~~~ ...... ·· .... ·· .... ·· .. ·· .... ·.. ·
o,ile TiOx
.... Cl'i'~~~""'" ...................... 200Q?· .. ·.. ···· ............................................. .. Gi~ ~h·t'(? C~p'(?T"'" ............ 'Q;'j;y;'~'~;"'''''''''''' .................. .
Colorado
.. ··G;pp~~·Citi·~~· .. ··· .. ·.... ·.... ·sooci'+· .... ·. ··· . ·· ................................... ·. ..
~p: ~~·I·;·~·i~~:·~~~ .... ·· .. ·.. ·· ·· .. ;;.~~·t;·Q··· .................. ·· ...... ··· .. ···
Arizona
·· .. E:i'·~y~~~; .. ·· .. ·.. ·...... ·.. ···1"000·+·· .... ·.. ·.... · ................................... ····p·y·,··~·j,·i .. ·........ ·· .. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·.... ·· .. A:;girii~· ............ ·...... ·· .... ···· .... ..
o,ile
.... ·Eiy.. ·........ ·.... ····· .. ·· ...... · ···2000· .... ·.... ·.. ·· .. · ................................... ·· .. ;;·p;~·p·y·iit·i~i·, .. ·.....................................................................
Nevada
·· .. E~d~k~· .. ·.. ·· .. ······ .. ···· .... ···2000·+ ..{i)'· .. ····· ..................................... ··k·~·~{:;;~~k;·Q·;·~·~·i· .... ·.... · ····k~~i ..;;.~d~·;~·t~: ..Q:..~·hy· .... ·· .. ···
British Columbia
.... E~~~;~~;~· . ·.. ·.. ·.. ··· .... ·· ···N·D ...... ·· .... ·.... ·.. · ....................................... ~·~·t·~·~·p·~·~t~d ........ ·...... ·· .. · ·.. ·Q·,.. k·~·~·C;;.·~·~·t· .. ·.. ·.... ·· .. ·· .. ·· .... ··
Arizona
.... i~~~i;~ti~~ ...... ·............ · ·.. 1·500·:;.............. · ....................................... ~.j,.i;'~p ............................. ·.. ·Q;·~·~·;;·k~~i ............ ·· .... ·.. ····· .. ..
Arizona
.... Mi'~'~';~'i'p ~~k'"'''''''''''''' '''1' 0; ·0·0·0.... ···· .. ·...... "~'j,( ~p:' ~ i'~~';""'"'' .. "Gi:"~~;,"; ~ i~'?"""""'''''''' Q............................................. .. ....
Arizona
·· .. Q·~~~t~··· .. ·.. ·...... ·.. ·...... · .. ·200(j':;..{?,........ · .... ~·~·~;·~~~:·k~~C~·p·,.. · ....~·~·;;·Q·,..p·y..±. ~~·Ck·~·~·C .. · ·· .. ~~~~··Q:·py·±·~·~·Ck~~i:..i·ii ........
ill, fI
·.... New ......Mexi
R~y ·.. ·· .. co·.. ·· ...... ·· .. ·.... 'l'OOO''::l's;OO(j'''' ...................................
chI
·· .. ................................................... ..
~h'C~p;·~b:·~~C~~~t·t~··
Peru
·:::T~~;·~~rp~·~~h·~;~···········:··············2·500·: . . . . ::.: . . .:.::. .:. ···::~·hy~··~·~·;··k·~·~-r:···············:··· ·:·····~·ht··~~·~··~~·r·······················:··:····.':::. ·····:·Q·;:k··~~{··~·~~·:·:~~·~·~·······:····:::······..:. . ::...
Copper (skarn)
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 393
HYPOGENE MINERALIZATION
·.. ·~thf;;fliHn .. ··· .......... ·.... ···~p;):g·;·A·~ .. ·.... ·........ py·>··~·j;;·b~· .............. ..p·y.. .... ··· .... ···· .. ·.. .. ..>·py................·.. ·...... ..
·~p·> >·b~· ·b~·> ~p
British Columbia
... ·Bi~gh·~~ ........................... ~~;. f~:' 9 ( ..............py ......................................................................"p'y';'
~ ~p~" ~'b"""""""" ............... .
Utah sl, tt
... ·Bi·~b·~~· .............. ·.... ·· .. · ····~{g~Cpy·, ~p .. .. ·...... ·..N·D ........ ·· ...... ·· .... · ·....N'O· .... ·.......... ··· .... ·.... ·· .. ·· .. .... ·.. ·.. ·· ..
··P);;·~·p;·b~·;·~~;·~b·;~"j'
Sonora
·· .. ~·~t·i~·[i;~~· .. ·· .. ·.. ·· ........ .. ·· .....py .......................... ·..j;);·>.. .. .............. ·.. · ·.. ·p·);·> ..
~·i:·g~i·;py·;~p·; ~p·> ~b .... ·........ ····· .... ······
~·p·>·~·b
o,ile
... ·Eiy............ ·.. ·· .. ·........ ·...... A~·: 8:' b~~~'"'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ...........................................................py:' i'gh' y' i" ........... .
~p:'h ';~t~ ~~
Nevada
····E~~;i~f~~·~~·~~·~·i·~······
metals in s e d s · p y : c p = 5-10: 1
·· .. ~·i:·g~(·Ag··········· ··· ..~p~i~~·~i~············ ····~·~~~~~·~·~··;::························~i:T~bd~~~~ ..............................
.... ·E~·p~~~;~· .. ·· .. ·........ ·· .. ·.. ·g·~(~CAg··· .. ·.... · .....p.y ............................ ·p·y..>··~·p·>.. ~·b.. ·· .......... ·.... ·..py..>··~p·>·~b.......... ·· .... ·.... ·· .. ·..
Arizona
.... i~~pi~·~t·i~~.. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·.. ·· .... .............. ·py·>..
~p;.g.~'i;'~i',' .. ·.. ·· .... ·..p·y..>. ...... ·.... ·...... ·· .... ·· .... ··py·>..
~·pfij·· ~p .. ·.. ·.. ·· .............. ..
~·p·>·~b·
Arizona minerals'
.. ·Mc;·~~·~i ........ ·.... ·............ ··g·~'C~CA~:·A~.... · .....j;y ............................ ·p·y·;~p~:hi·gi~·;.. hi·~·h· ........ ·.. ·py.. 3::.:8%·;··~p ..9·j::·O~5%·;........ ..
Arizona total suI; py, cp py, cp, mb, sl
.. ·Ci.·~·~t~· ..............·.. ·...... ·.. ·py~·~b·,..g·~·i;·~·i .... · .... ·py;·;,;·b~· ............ ·.. · .. ···py;·~·b· .... ·· .................. ·.... ·· .. ;,;·b·;·p·:;,..~·p·;·h·~.. ·...................... ..
New Mexico cp-gal-sl
.... 'R~""" ............................g~C ~r'"'''''''''''''' ... "py~ '~p~ 'b~'''''''''''' .... 'p'y ~ '~p; 't;~'''''''''''''''''''' ........ 'py~' ~p;'b~;';';b"'"''''''''''''''''''''''
Arizona
·....s~ffc;~d........ ·.... ·.. ·.. ·.. ·.... ·..A:g·;·~·p· .. ·· .. ·.. ·...... · ·.. ··A·~·,..~·p.. ·.... ·· .... ·........ ·N·D.................................. ·· .. ·py;·~p;·;,;·~·g·;tt:·g~i','·~·i ........... ..
Arizona py 4-8%; e:p ± 0.4%
py:cp=- 10-20: 1
·.. ·S~~M~~~~i:::K~i~~~i~ .. ·..~p·;·g·~·C~{ ........ · ·....py.. (·2·%y .. ·· .... ·.......... ·py.. ('2·%f ............ ·.. ·.... ·.... ·· .. ·py·('i·6·%Yi'~p ..(O;·i·~3%f ........ ..
Arizona Au, Ag mb(0-0,05%)
.... ~~t~ ..Rrt~.. ·.... ·.. ·.... ·.... ·.. ·~C·g~i',..Ag:· .. ·.. ·· ................................... ·.... py,·4:::8%·;·~p·<·O~4% .... ·.... ·py ..i:::4%·;·~p ..O;4~T%;·· .. ··· .... ..
New Mexico spec, cp, "me: py:cp= 40: 1 mb; py:cp = 3: 1
394 J. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT
H Y P 0 G E H E A L T ERA T I 0 H - Continued
Zoning Sequence Vertical Sequence
Inner Zone Innermost Zone from Center from Bottom
(24) (25) (26) (27)
(Q, ser, py)? Q, K Feld, chi (anh) partial overlap
. . Pot- ,Phil -.Prop
"Q;' '~'~';;"K "i~i d' .... ,., ..... ," .......... bi:" ~b:"Q:' 'K"f~'I'd'" .... ,...... '..... "p'~'t"~' 'Ph~i"'" .... ,..... ,., ... ,.......................... ,.......... ,.................... .
... 'i;·~;·;·· .......... ,................ ,........................ ,........... ,... ,. ,............ ,... P~h·~·j'·.::·A;~··~· 'p~.~.~ ................................ '................. ,.... ,... ".... ..
·.. Gi,.. ..
·~·~·;:··K i~id·± ~·i~~~:··· .. .. · .. ·..Q~··K.. f·~·id;··b·i·; ..~·~·~ .. ·· .. ·· .. '.... ·.... p~·t·:·.:: ..p·hy':i···~.. p;~·p·· .... ·...... · ................................................... ..
chi . ..
·.. ··Qp. ·;·Q: .. d·~·k·;·p~p·;· .......... ··· ...................................................... ·~d·~~··:A:;g·& ..Phyi ..::............. ·.......................................................
"feld Qp" = Q, ser Arg - Prop
.. ·Q·;·~~·;; ..b·i·; .. ~·~h·· .... ···· .. ·.. ·.... ·....Q:··~~~~.. bi~.. ~~h .. ·...... ·............ ·..j:i~t··& .. P·h·y'j':.::·A;g..~ ..P~~p··· .... p~·t ...::·p·hyi· .......... ·· .. ·............ ..
... Q'; ..~~.;; "~;';'''ci;' d~k:"p;p"'" .... ·Q~"K"~p~~·;· bi';' ~~;'(~ ~hY"" ... "p'~;"::" 'j:ih~'I' .::.. ;A:;~"'::' p';~p""'" p~'t':':: "Phyi' .~. 'A;g"::' 'p';~ p.... .
... Q;.~~.; .................................. .... ·Q·,'·~b;··b·i·: ..t~·(?)···· .. ·· .. ·.. ····· ·····p·hyi:·~··A~·g········' .. ····· .. ···· ...... ·.. ·.. ·· .. ····· ......................................
.. "'i; .. ~·~·;;·h·yd·;~·;;,·i·~~: ..K··i~id· .................................................... ···p·h·yi .. .. ..
~ A~·g··::. p·;~p .. ·..........· ............ ·.. ··· .. ·.. ·........ ·................. ..
·.. Q:··K .. i~id: .. ~~;··· .. ··· .... ·.. ·.. ··· ....................................................·.. ·Phyj'·::.··A~g··::··F;~~p .. ·· .... ··· .. · ···N·b· .... ·.. ······ ...... ·.. ··· .... ·· .... ··· .. ···
·.. K.. f~·id; ..Q: ..bi::·fi .. ·· .. ······ .. ···· ··· .. Q···(·~·~·~·ti·~g).. ·· .. ··· .. ···· .. ·.. ·· .. · .. ·.. Q·~·K··f~·id ...::·Q:··py·;·~~;···· ·.. ·Q.. ::··i("f~i·d"::··Q·;·py:··~·~~··· .. ···
.. ·Q;··~·;;;..p;:.. .
.. ·........................................................·.. Phyr·::.
hyd;~·~i·~·~·
- chi, ep
..A;g.. ::.. ...... ·.... :.................................................. ..
P·;~·p··
.. ·py:··Q~.. ~~~·i·t~· .. ··· .. ·· .... ··· .. ··· ..Q·::·Q: ..K··i~id;··~~·h;·· .... ···· .. ·····p·~t..::.··Phyi·(?)"::. ..A~·g·(?j··::.· .. ·· .. p·~·t·::: ..Phyi('?"f:::.:.\;g ..::.......... .
general bi Prop.· .
.. ··.. ................ ·...... ·· ....
;~·~;i·~·i·t·i·~·ii .. ·.. ·.. ·....................................................................
·;·;p~·t~~~i·~·i; ·.. Prop ..:·p.. ............ ..
g;~~·i·t~id t~~t~·;~;
ser - bi - clay .
.. ·Q·,.. ~~~·;·py:··k~~i··· .. ·.... ·...... · ·.... (f ..K.. f·~·i~i;'bi"·· .......... ·........ · .. ·.. p·~·t ..::. ..Phyi .. ::.··A·;~·· .... ·· .... ·.. ·.. ·N·b.... ·· .. ·.... ·............................ ..
.. ·Q·;··K··i~id .... ··· .... ·.. ·.. ······· .... · .. ·.. Q~··~~~:· ..K..f~·id;·b·i····· .. ·· .. ·· .. · .. ···p·~·t··::. ..Phyi .. ::... A·;~(?).. ·· .. ····· ·.. ·~~t··;~p~;t·~·d· .. ·· .... ·.. ······· .. ········
(anh) (innermost)
·.. Q·; ..~·~·;; ..k·~·~i ..·........ ·.. ·.... ·.... ·.... i("f~j'd·;·bi·;··~~·; .. ·................ · .. ·.. ·p~t"::.··Phyt::."F;;~p .. ·.. ·.... ·..· ·.. N·D...... ·...... ·.... ···· .... ·.. ·.. ·.. ·...... ..
... Q; .. ............................ ·· .. ·Q:.. K..
~~.~;.py .. ··· .... ··· ··· ..
f~·fd·('~·~·;ii·~·~·t) ....
p~t··:··Phyj'·:::';A:;g·:·p;~p .. ·........ ·· .. ··· .... ·· .. ·..
··~~t··;;p~;t~·d
·.. ..
Q;··~~·;; ~·i~·y('?)'i·~k~~·~······ .... ·.. ..K.. .. ..b·i·j..
Q~· ·i~Yd; ~·~·;; .. · .. ·· ..
~·k·~·;~ .... ·.........................................................
p~t"::.··Phyr·::··A·;g··.::··
skarn
... ............................ ·.. ··N·O· .. ·.. ·.. ·.... ".... ·· .......... ·· .. ·.. · .. ·.. p·hy·i··.:: ..
Q;.~;.~;.p; .. ·· .. ·.... ·· ..
A~·ii·:.:,:·p~~·p .... ·.... ·· .... ·.. ·.. ·· .... ..
··~~·t·~~p;;t·~·d
·.. Q; ..K.. .. ;~id: bi·±·~~i:·.... ·· .. ·.. ·· .... Q·; ..K.. ........................................................................................ ".............................. .
i;;id·(·~·~·h·j"
kaol, III
···~6~~~·~·.~··fi,~~·~·~···· .····· .
·····~~~~:~~;~b't i~'jd···· .. ········· .. ····p~t··:··Phyi .. ~:·A·;g ...::··p;~p·· ····N·o····· .. ··················· .. ················
... Q.; .. ~.~.~;.p.y ................................ ·K··f~i·~i,.. b·i·;·Q;··~~·; .. ·.. ·.... ·.... ·..·..p~t··:··Phyi'·::··;:;g·:·p;~p·· ................................................... ..
... Q.;.~~.;;.py................................ ·Q:· ..K·f~·fd;··b·i·;··~·~h·· .... ·· .. ·.. ·· .. ·· ..p~t··::. ..j:ihyi··~··A·;g·::.:·F;~p .... ··p~·t··.:: ..Phyi(·?T· ...... ··· .. ·.. ··· .. ·· ..
···Q·:·~~·;;·py: t·~·~tit~· .. .. ·· ...... ··· ··· ..~·~t~~~,~·~~~~·~~g;· .. ···· ....· ·.. ··p~·t ..:··A~·g··::.··Phy't":::·P·;~p ..................................................... ..
. "Ci;"~~·;;·t·~dit~"·· ................... ·.. ·Q:.. K· .. ......................... ':.:,"p hyi"::''':4:;g':'
"i~'jd; ~.~.;; p'~t' .·..N·D·· .. ·.. ·· ................................. ..
'P;~p"
hydromlca
... Q; .. ..p.y............................ ·.... Gi;·t·;;,:..bi:..
~.;;; i("f~i'd .. ·................·.. p~~~iy··d~~·~·I·~·i;~d ...... ·.... ·.... · ·.. ~~hyd~·i·t~·~t·d;pth·· .... ·...... ·.. ..
::: ::: ::;: ~::::: Ie'::: :::: ::::::~ ~ ~ ~: ::::: .. ~::::: ::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::: ::::::::::::: ::::: ::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::: :::: ::::::: :::::::::::: ::::: :::::::: :::: ::::::::::!::
Q, ser, py Q, K feld, bi, ser (anh) Pot - Phyl - Arg - Prop Pot - Phyl(?)
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 395
magi cPi py, bni cp> py>bn>mb(?) mb --+ cp --+ py --+ spec cp:bn decreases
I
low total sui
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...
OCCURRENCE OF SULFIDES
Nevada
.... E~d~k~·· .. ·· .... ··· .... ·· .. ·.. ·· ....................................... ·· .. ..
~j't·> ci'i·~·~ ........ ·· .. ·.. ·· .. ·· .... ·~it·>·di·~·~ .... ·...... ·.. ·.... · .... .. .. ·........ ·· .. ··
·~it·±·;,,: ~·it
British Columbia
·.. ·E~p~~~·~·~~ .... ··· .. ·.. ·.... ·.. · .... ~·~·i~~· ...... ·.. ·· .... ·........ · .... ..
~·~·~··& ~·it~ .......... ·.... ···· .. ···~it~ .... ·........................ ··· .... di·~·~·>·~i·t~ .. ·.. ·· .... ·····
Arizona
.... i~~·p·i·;~·ti·~~· .... ··· .... ·.... ·.. · ....
~·~i·~·~· ...... ·· ............ ·.. ·· .... ~~·~ ..&..~·it·~·· .. ·.. ·...... ·........ ·~it~..>·'d'i·~·~· .. ·· .... ·· ........ ·.. ··~it·~··>·d·i·~·~.. ·.... ·· ...... .
Arizona
·.. ·Mi~;~i··p~~· .......... ·.. ·.. · ·.. ~~·i·~·~· .. · ............ ·.... · .. ·'· .... ~i·t~·~·~·~~·;·~·tk~k .... ·.. ··· .... ·~·it·~~·~·~·~:..~·tk~·k· ...... ··· .... ·~it·~:··~·~·~~··~·tk·~·k··· .... ·
Arizona 3-6 ' spacing 3-6 ' spacing 3-6" spacing
·· .. .... ·.. ·...... ·.. ..&.. .. ·........ ·· ........· ......................................................................................
Mi·~~i~~:.:.P·i·~~· ·~·~ ~it .... ·.. ·...... ··
·~·it:··di·~·~··&
Arizona massive
....M~~~~~i·· .. ·..................... ·.. ·~~·~·; ..i~.. ~·~pI· .... ·· ...... · .. ·~it·~··>·di·~·~·· .. ·.. ···· .. ·· .... · ·.... N·D .. ·.. ·.... ·· .... ·.. ·.. ·· .. ·........ ··~~~: ..~·it·~:.. di·~·~ ........ ..
Arizona
·.. Q~~~t~...... ·.... ·· .. ·.. ·· .... ·.. ·· ..~·~i·~·~ .... ·· ........ · .... ···· .. · ·' .. p~i·~·t .. ·.... ········· .............. ·.. ~it·~: ............................ · .. ·.. ~~~·&·~h~ .. ·· .......... ··
New Mexico
....R~ ............ ·.. ·· .. ·· .. ··· .... · ....~·~·i·~·~·· .... ·· .... ·· .. ·...... ·...... ~~~: ..~it·~·,.. di·~·~· .. ·· ...... · .... ·~~~·; ..~·it~:..di~~ .... ·· .......... ·~it~:;·d·i·~·~·;·~~~ .. ·.. ·.. .
.. ·S~fk;;d ........ ·· .. ·.. ·.. ·........ ·.. ·~·~·i·~~ .... · .......... ··· .... ·...... ··i·~··~h~~~·~: .. ~~~: ............. ·.. i~ ..~·j,·~~·;~; ..~·~·~·;·· ...... ··· .. ··i~..~~·i·~~: . ~·it·~:.. di·~·~ ..
Arizona
Copper
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 397
OCCURRENCE OF SULFIDES-Continued
3.-6" spacing
.... ~it·;·d'i·~·~·&.. ~~~·~·i~~·· .... ·.... · .. ··~·~~··N~S·di·k·~·i .. ·· .. ·.... ·...... ···· ·· ..p~·~·;iy·i~·~·~·I~p~d .. ·.......... ··· .... ~~; ..thi~ ..~·~·~·~··· .. ·...... ·.... ·.. ·.. ·..
..... ............ ...... ....... ..... ........ ...... .. .. ~p.! .. ~.~.~! .. ~. ~~ ..!~............................................................................................................................ ..
breccia zones, in pit extensive ee, ev
.... ~~~_..&..~it~...... ·· ........ ·.... ·.... ·· .... p~~·~~·~·t;·i·~p~~·t~~t...... ·· ...... · .. ··~~;~~~i~~· .... ·.. ····· ...... ·.............. ~~~~ .........................................
ee, ev
.....................................................................................................................................................
vns, vlts, diss present & mineralized present ec, ev
.... di·~·~·>.. ~·I·t~· .. ·· .. ·.. ·.... ·· .... ·.. ·.... ··~~t··~~p~~·t~d.. ·· .... ··· ............ ··· .. ·±·5000·f;..d'i·~·~~t~; .. ·· ...... ·· .. · .... ~~ ............................................ .
·.. ·~j't~·;·iL·~·lt~:··di~~ .. ·........ ·.. ·.. · ·.. ·~~·~·500·~·2·S'o6··ft.. pip~:··· .... · ....~·~·~~ ..~·~~~~~~ ..i·~·t~~·~·i·~~· .......... ~~.>.~.~.................................. ..
·.. ·N·D.... ········ .......·.... ·.. ·· .. ·· .... ····· .... mineralized
........................................ ··NW ..
~~~~ .. ········· .... .............................................
h~~·~~t~·i·i··~·~·~·~··· ~~
associated with them, but evidence shows that ore to be related to contemporaneous and younger fault-
deposition was essentially contemporaneous with in- ing and uplift. Table 1 shows that most of the host
trusion within the precision of the K-Ar technique. igneous bodies are somewhat elongate and that dis-
Age dating of the Laramide-mid-Tertiary interval tricts with strong structural control tend to include
in the Southwest reported by Damon and Mauger pronouncedly elongate stocks.
(1966) has indicated two distinct pulses, one of Column 7 lists the size of igneous host rock out-
Laramide plutonic activity between 50 and 75 million crops for each district, the numbers having been
years ago and one of dominantly extrusive activity taken from texts or measured from geologic maps.
during mid-Tertiary time approximately 30 million These dimensions are in part subject to the same
years ago. uncertainties as the descriptions in Column 6. The
Table 1 includes ages for deposits in British Co- dimensions indicate that the porphyry copper de-
lumbia and South America as well as southwestern posit environment was commonly developed in stocks
North America. Six of 27 deposits are of mid- or cupolas with cross sections of well under a square
Tertiary age at 30-37 million years, 17 are probably mile at the elevation of ore deposition. There ap-
in the Laramide range of 59 to 72 million years, 3 pear to be two host-rock size populations, one group
are in the Jurassic range of 122-143 million years, less than a mile square and another smaller group
and 1 deposit has a 200 million year Triassic date. of very large dimensions.
Of the Southwest deposits included in Table 1, all Mode of Emplacement (Column 8).-These en-
are of Laramide age except three mid-Tertiary de- tries adopt the terminology and tend to confirm the
posits ( Climax, Questa, and Bingham) and two conclusions of Stringham (1966) regarding mode
Jurassic deposits (Bisbee and Ely), two of the mid- of emplacement. Stringham's criteria are extended
Tertiary ones being porphyry molybdenum deposits. to include the additional porphyry copper deposits
The pattern for porphyry dates emerging in described here. Emplacement of the porphyry cop-
British Columbia seems to be one in which parallel, per deposit host rocks is shown to be almost totally
overlapping, northwest-trending belts of mineraliza- passive. This passivity suggests that replacement,
tion increase in age from west to east. The single stoping, and assimilation were more important pro-
numerical age for a South American deposit in cesses than shouldering aside or other manifestations
Table 1 is for Toquepala, Peru, at 59 million years. of forceful intrusion, and it also suggests the likeli-
However, geologic relationships and recent dating by hood that both lateral and vertical petrologic zoning
Chilean geologists indicate that many of the South might be more common than has been recognized.
American deposits are of mid-Tertiary age. Comparison of Column 8 with Columns 41 and 42,
Controlling Structures ( Column 5) .-Column 5 the latter reporting brecciation and shattering spe-
lists attitudes of regional-scale structures thought to cifically within the orebodies, reveals that brecciation
have controlled the emplacement of the stocks and or shattering are associated with ore deposition in
batholiths and hence the porphyry deposits them- every porphyry deposit, even where emplacement of
selves. Consideration was given to local structure the host stocks is passive. This disparity suggests
shown on published mine and district maps in pre- that brecciation and shattering are themselves "pas-
paring Column 5, but many bounding faults shown sive," and that they can commonly be expected to
on these maps are of postore age or of multiple age be "blind," as they are at many southwestern North
such that their preore importance cannot be deter- American porphyry deposits and prospects. Force-
mined. Greater reliance was therefore placed upon ful intrusion and active, even explosive brecciation
direct text statements than upon maps. Several as at Toquepala and Braden are apparently rare.
authors comment that the specifics of controlling Extensive magmatic stoping, assimilation, and meta-
structures were obliterated by the intrusions which somatism appear mechanically and kinetically incon-
they guided. sistent with extremely shallow emplacement, but
Shape and Size (Columns 6 and 7).-The shapes moderately shallow environments may be indicated.
of intrusions (Column 6), like determinations of Porphyry molybdenum deposits seem to show
their size (Column 7) , are difficult to establish more evidence of forceful emplacement than do por-
meaningfully, since both have been affected by in- phyry coppers in general. This evidence consists of
ternal and external variables. Exposure of a pluton ring and radial dikes and doming of the layered
is certainly affected by original depth and by post- rocks which sometimes overlie the deposits.
intrusion tectonic and erosional history. The Boulder Stock-Dike ( Column 9) .-Column 9 indicates
batholith has been exposed for tens of miles, and a that stocks and stocks with subordinate associated
large southern Arizona batholith (Ettlinger, 1928) dikes are far more typical of porphyry copper de-
has been inferred from the distribution of cupolas. posits than are dikes, dike swarms, or breccias alone.
The shape and size of porphyry host intrusions seem This same relationship was indicated in Column 6
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 399
where porphyry deposits were shown to be equi- will be considered below. Dioritic rocks commonly
dimensional to oval rather than tabular or linear occur at intrusion margins, as at A j 0 and Mineral
bodies. Twenty-four of the 27 deposits involve im- Park, with progressively more K-feldspathic rocks
portant stock development and a high ratio of stock inward, a relationship not apparent in the table.
to dike forms. This distribution is consistent with apparent felsic-
Seqttence of Intrusions and Rock Types Mineral- component enrichment accompanying potassic alter-
ized (Columns 10 and 11) .-The sequences of in- ation near the central portions of some porphyry
trusion shown in Column 10 reinforce early observa- copper deposits.
tions (Buddington, 1933) of the association of cop-
per deposits with intermediate to felsic igneous rocks. Orebody (Columns 12-19)
Except for generally late diabase dikes, no rocks Outward Shape (Column 12}.-The porphyry
more mafic than diorite occur in the intrusions as- copper deposits almost all have circular or oval cross
sociated with porphyry copper deposits. Granodi- sections. At least four deposits have clearly defined
orite and quartz monzonite and their aphanitic and low-grade centers producing a ringlike orebody in
hypabyssal equivalents occur in almost all of the plan. The vertical dimensions of hypogene min-
porphyry copper deposits, with more felsic variants eralization in most deposits are unknown; however,
common to the porphyry molybdenum deposits. the tabulated hypogene mineral bodies seem to fall
Most papers consulted in preparing Table 1 give into three general configurations.
specific sequences of intrusive events and igneous 1. Seventeen deposits have a steep-walled cylin-
rock compositions, but uncertain field relationships drical shape. Two deposits (Cananea and Toque-
coupled with paucity of radiometric age determina- pala ) approximately coincide with breccia pipes.
tions seldom permit unequivocal identification of the 2. Seven deposits have stubby cylindrical or flat,
beginning and ending of the magmatic episode that conical forms, as do all three of the porphyry molyb-
involved ore mineralization. Much older and much denum deposits.
younger rocks, as described in the appropriate refer- 3. Three deposits (Inspiration, Ely, and Safford)
ences, are excluded. Column 11 shows that all of have a gently dipping, tabular shape, perhaps repre-
the intrusive rocks of Column 10 are mineralized senting a deposit similar to (2) following a preore
in 22 of the 27 deposits tabulated and the youngest structure or postore displacement, or they may repre-
intrusive unit is mineralized in 2 of the remaining 5. sent a separate type.
Columns 10 and 11 show that the sequence is Boundaries (Column 13) .-In all of the deposits
generally from dioritic to monzonitic rocks, com- studied, the orebody boundaries are at least in part
monly with late latitic to rhyolitic or "quartz por- gradational or "assay wall" boundaries. All have
phyry" intrusions. Typically, all of these are min- been intersected by a postore erosion surface. Eleven
eralized, showing that mineralization either accom- are bounded by at least one postore fault. Two
panied or briefly succeeded the emplacement of in- coincide closely with breccia pipes which are preore
trusive rocks. The association of porphyry copper or contemporaneous with ore, and one deposit
deposits with intermediate plutonic rocks is impres- (Braden) forms a crude cylindrical shell surround-
sive but not as consistent as the association with ing a postore breccia pipe.
porphyry in all 27 districts listed. There has been Percent in Igneous Host and Pre ore Rocks
discussion in recent years as to whether the name ( Columns 14 and 15) .-In several deposits, 100
"porphyry copper" is appropriate for the group of percent of the ore mineralization is in igneous host
deposits described in this paper. The writers be- rocks (Butte, Castle Dome, Copper Cities, Endako,
lieve that this association is genetic rather than co- and Mineral Park). All contain some ore in igne-
incidental and feel that "porphyry copper" is an ous host rocks, but most ore at Bisbee, Braden, Mis-
excellent descriptive name for this unique and im- sion, and Ray is in wall rocks. Something like 30
portant group of ore deposits. percent of all ore mineralization associated with por-
The lamprophyre or "late diabase" event is less phyries occurs in wall rocks, again suggesting cupola
common in the porphyry coppers than has been pre- or at least high-level environment for the porphyry
viously thought (Spurr, 1925). Late diabase has deposition.
been reported in only 5 of the 27 districts. The Dimensions (Column 16) .-Horizontal dimensions
general trend, clearly, is from dioritic plutonic to- of the tabulated deposits range from 250 X 1,200
ward more felsic hypabyssal rocks with all rock feet for the La Colorada pipe at Cananea to 6,000 X
types usually mineralized. The degree to which the 13,000 feet for the Morenci deposit. Fringes of the
shift from dioritic through granodioritic to monzo- difficult-to-limit Butte district may reach to dimen-
nitic rocks may reflect K-feldspar enrichment by sions on the order of 20,000 X 50,000 feet (only the
means of potassic alteration (Peters et aI., 1966) "porphyry equivalent" for Butte is cited in Column
400 I. D. LOWELL AND 1. M. GUILBERT
16). The average deposit size deduced from pub- gene silicate alteration phases. Nonetheless, super-
lished descriptions and maps is a perhaps surpris- gene sericite has been reported. Supergene effects
ingly small 3,500 X 5,000 feet. have been eliminated from Table 1 wherever original
Total Ore Tonnage and Grade (Columns 17, 18, authors provided descriptions which would permit it.
and 19. )-Of the 27 deposits tabulated, 13 are esti- Known Extent Beyond Ore (Column 20).-Col-
mated to contain over 500,000,000 tons of ore, 6 fall umn 20 records the stated or mapped extent of
between 100,000,000 and 500,000,000 tons, and 8 alteration beyond the outer boundary of the orebody
contain less than 100,000,000 tons. These tonnage itself. These distances are somewhat uncertain since
estimates must be considered only approximate. different observers drew the outer line on differing
Included in these figures are several deposits criteria. External alteration is narrow around the
whose ore grade depends on secondary chalcocite Bethlehem, B. C., deposit, a characteristic of many
enrichment. Average grade of copper ore is 0.80% of the Canadian porphyry deposits. Other deposits
Cu, and average grade of hypogene mineralization, show alteration extending thousands of feet, aver-
where this information is available, is 0.45% Cu. aging approximately 2,500 feet. The higher num-
Twelve copper deposits contain at least 0.5% Cu in bers probably represent merging of hydrothermal
hypogene mineralization and 10 contain less than with low-rank regional metamorphic effects, the two
0.5% Cu. Molybdenum deposits average 0.17% being distinguished only with difficulty. Signifi-
Mo in grade. cantly, detectable alteration extends laterally an aver-
age of half a mile beyond the orebodies, perhaps
Hypogene Alteration (Columns 20-27) more, since some authors drew the outer limit on
The next three sections, Hypogene Alteration the basis of "bleaching" and the presence of sericite,
(Columns 20 through 27), Hypogene Mineralization phenomena that probably do not mark the true
(Columns 28 through 35), and Occurrence of Sul- outer limit.
fides (Columns 36 through 42), have parallel or- Peripheral Zone (Column 21).-Alteration is de-
ganization so that the columns for each zone in a scribed in this zone for only five deposits. It is
given deposit have identical headings. For example, generally along well-developed structures and is sel-
the innermost alteration zone at San Manuel-Kala- dom well described with respect to associated min-
mazoo consists of quartz, K-feldspar, biotite, and eralization. Where alteration mineralogy is given
minor anhydrite (Column 25), and the ore minerals it is of mixed affinity, dominantly propylitic, with
( with amounts) are pyrite, chalcopyrite, mol yb- sericite mentioned at Questa. Skarn is described in
denite, and trace bornite (Column 32). The sul- this zone at Morenci and Santa Rita. Skarn or
fides occur more commonly as disseminations than tactite development is not as well reported in the
as veinlets (Column 40). literature as are hydrous silicate alteration assem-
I t should be restated here that the table is based blages. It is well known that skarn zones project
as completely as possible upon published descrip- into and apparently distort more normal zoning re-
tions, and these are hardly uniform in approach, lationships, and that many porphyry deposits might
detail, or even terminology. Several deposit descrip- also be described as contact-metamorphic deposits.
tions were based on temporal rather than spatial Skarn can also apparently persist to the centers of
relationships; these deposits were entered as earliest orebodies.
equals innermost, and so on outward. Several de- Outer Zone (Column 22) .-Mineralogic notation
posit descriptions involved separate and poorly re- is given for 20 of the 27 deposits, with "propylitic"
lated descriptions of alteration, mineralization, and cited for Ely, Nevada. Of these, 18 include chlorite,
occurrence. We have made every effort to match 17 epidote, and 13 a carbonate (calcite in 11).
appropriate spatial and mineralogical data. Ques- Quartz is cited 7 times, sericite 6, zoisite-clinozoisite
tion marks in the table generally denote uncertainty 5, kaolin 3, specularite 2, montmorillonite 2, and
of placement of the information rather than un- albite, hematite, magnetite, tourmaline, and rutile ( ?)
certainty in the data. once each. By far the most common assemblage is
The problem of distinguishing between supergene chlorite-epidote-calcite. Mention is seldom made of
and hypogene effects is important. Hemley and the replaced minerals, but the chief ones are amphi-
Jones (1964) curves indicate sericite stability only bole, biotite, and plagioclase (Fig. 12). This assem-
at moderately high K+/H+ ratios at low tempera- blage has affected by far the largest volume of rock.
tures, an environment consistent with (but not re- The chlorite-epidote-calcite propylitic assemblage is
quiring) high pH. The extremely low pH pre- always outside the ore zone and beyond the phyllic
sumed for active supergene enrichment zones argues and argillic zones where these are present. Sericite
against important development of supergene sericite is commonly reported even in outermost alteration
and indicate the kaolin minerals to be stable super- assemblages. Whether this mineral varies import-
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEpOSITS 401
antly in composition, and hence in stability field and Innermost Zone (C olumn 25).-This column is
distribution, is yet to be shown. I t has been ob- perhaps the most surprising of the hypogene alter-
served, however, in amounts ranging from trace to ation data block. Potassic alteration, though rela-
moderate, and chiefly replacing plagioclase, in some tively subordinate in the literature, occurs at most of
outer zones not reported in Table 1. The distribu- the porphyry deposits as either an early or an inner-
tion with respect to vertical zoning will be discussed most assemblage or both. It is reported as simple
below. quartz, K-feldspar, and biotite(?) only at Endako;
Intermediate Zone (Column 23).-This column as quartz, K-feldspar, biotite, and sericite at 7 de-
describes predominantly argillic assemblages. Silici- posits, and as quartz, K-feldspar, biotite with chlor-
fication is clearly more important here than in the ite, albite, fluorite, anhydrite, or tourmaline at 8
outer zone, and the dominant minerals are quartz, more. Quartz, K-feldspar, and sericite are reported
kaolin, montmorillonite, and sericite. Argillic as- at Silver Bell, and quartz with only K-feldspar oc-
semblages are discernible in 22 of the 27 deposits, curs at Mineral Park and Questa. Quartz, phlogo-
if quartz-sericite-kaolinite (4 occurrences) be In- pite, and tourmaline occur at Cananea, but the zone
cluded as argillic. Quartz is cited first in most may not be innermost there. Quartz, sericite, bio-
assemblages. Kaolin is cited singly or before mont- tite, and anhydrite occur at Braden. Anhydrite at
morillonite in 17 of the 22 assemblages for which several locales is given in parentheses in Table 1
data are given. Three deposits have montmorillonite where it has not been described in print. Specimens
zonally beyond kaolin, and 7 involve sericite. No of anhydrite from Esperanza, Questa, San Manuel-
argillic assemblage is reported in 5 deposits. Kalamazoo, and Santa Rita have been observed to
Inner Zone (Column 24).-Most of the quartz- swell the published occurrences at Butte, El Sal-
sericite (and pyrite) assemblages, the chief ore vador, Toquepala, Ajo, and Braden.
bearers of the porphyry copper deposits, fall in this The common occurrence of anhydrite in the po-
inner zone column. The zone is reported unequi- tassic zone indicates that (1) redox potentials are
vocally to have a pervasive quartz-sericite assem- considerably higher in the late magmatic-deuteric
blage at 19 porphyry districts, a quartz-major seri- fluids than the prevalence of unoxidized sulfur spe-
cite-minor K-feldspar array at 3 more, and a quartz- cies would indicate; (2) a high percentage of the
major sericite-minor kaolin assemblage at 3 more. total sulfur in the porphyry system may be present
At Braden a quartz-sericite-biotite-anhydrite inner- as sulfate; and (3) high-temperature hydrothermal
zone assemblage grades into stronger secondary bio- reactions involving silicates, oxides, and sulfides
tite in the innermost zone. Only at Esperanza is must concern themselves with equilibria involving
a quartz-K-feldspar pair reported zonally outside of higher total sulfur than the net sulfide contents
an unusual quartz-K-feldspar-biotite assemblage. would indicate. It is also noteworthy that the con-
Creasey (1966) indicates that K-feldspar can be clusion of Lutton (1959) concerning depositional
part of his quartz-:-muscovite assemblage found at continuum from pegmatoid into "porphyry" condi-
Bagdad, Bingham, and Chuquicamata. Creasey· tions are supported and that the elements grouped
states (1966, p. 62) "quartz-sericite-pyrite without by Ringwood (1955) as "complex formers" of high
either a clay mineral or K-feldspar associated is a ionic potential are precisely those found in major
common assemblage that does not fit into any of the and trace minerals in the porphyry base-metal de-
three previously described alteration types. If clay posits, especially in the potassic alteration zone.
were present [as at Endako, Inspiration, and Mis- Other characteristics of the potassic zone are
sion-Pima, where kaolin is reported], the assemblage briefly described by Meyer and Remley (1963) and
would belong to the argillic alteration, and if K-feld- Guilbert and Lowell (1968). Ore commonly occurs
spar were present [as at Bagdad, Bingham, and at the interface between potassic and phyllic alter-
Chuquicamata], it would belong to the potassic." ation zones. The potassic zone is generally central
Since the assemblage appears by far most commonly or deepest, or if a time sequence is discernible, it is
as quartz-sericite-pyrite, the term "phyllic" is herein earliest.
urged as a specific term. Advanced argillic alter-
Zoning Sequence from Center and Bottom (Col-
umns 26 and 27).-The upward zoning and outward
ation, involving chiefly pyrophyllite, dickite, and
zoning of alteration assemblages are seldom reported
topaz (Meyer and Remley, 1968), is associated with as such, but their systematic entry by description or
phyllic assemblages at Butte and Bisbee. It is not from map or diagram reveals a significant sequence.
reported elsewhere but may have escaped detection. Seven, possibly eight (the position of phyllic al-
The phyllic assemblage of Column 24 is the inner- teration at El Salvador is uncertain), of the de-
most exposed alteration assemblage in at least six posits show alteration assemblages in the same out-
districts. ward sequence: potassic, phyllic, argillic, and pro-
402 1. D. LOWELL AND I. M. GUILBERT
pylitic. Even where certain assemblages are not re- Outer Alteration Zone (Column 29).-This zone
ported, the remaining assemblages fall in the same generally corresponds to the propylitic alteration
order. Two deposits, possibly three, show only zone, and mineralization is generally restricted to
potassic and phyllic zones, four lack only argillic, pyrite, although sparse chalcopyrite is generally
and six start with phyllic and include argillic and present along with variable amounts of bornite,
propylitic. For a few deposits the sequence is un- molybdenite, magnetite, specularite, rhodochrosite,
known. sphalerite, galena, and rhodonite.
Vertical sequence of zonation is generally much Intermediate Alteration Zone (Column 30).-
less well known, so assignments can be made in This corresponds roughly to the argillic alteration
Column 27 only for Butte, Climax, EI Salvador, and zone, and the bulk of mineralization is usually pyrite
San Manuel-Kalamazoo. Except for uncertainty at with high pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratios which average
El Salvador, the order is consistent with lateral 23: 1 in deposits for which figures are available.
zoning. Outward and upward zoning of the 27 de- Variable amounts of bornite, molybdenite, tennantite,
posits is most consistent with the sequence of potas- sphalerite, galena, enargite, chalcocite, and huebner-
sic, phyllic, argillic, and propylitic assemblages. ite have been found in this zone. Hypogene ore-
An alteration assemblage has been noted in sev- grade mineralization may overlap into this zone, but
eral localities which consists of K-feldspar, biotite, generally this zone is outside the orebody.
coarse sericite, chlorite, and albite, accompanied by Inner Alteration Zone (Column 31).-This zone
moderate pyrite and chalcopyrite mineralization. commonly corresponds to the phyllic alteration zone
This group does not readily fit the classification out- and typically contains abundant pyrite and high total
lined in Table 1, nor do the deposits generally reach sulfides together with pervasive sericitization. Pyrite
ore grade. The writers are of the opinion that this content is not reported quantitatively for most de-
represents a deep assemblage whose relationship to posits but it appears to average about 10 percent by
the main porphyry system has not been exposed for weight for the 27 deposits, or about 16 percent, ex-
study because of the geometry and large vertical cluding the porphyry molybdenum group, which are
dimensions involved. relatively low in pyrite. Pyrite-to-chalcopyrite
ratios average 12.5: 1. This zone commonly consti-
Hypogene Mineralization (Columns 28-35) tutes the ore zone, especially in those deposits in
which chalcocite enrichment has occurred. The
As has long been known, hypogene sulfide-oxide principal "ore" mineral is pyrite, which occurs with
mineral assemblages are closely related in time and chalcopyrite, molybdenite, and variable but generally
space with silicate alteration mineral assemblages in small amounts of bornite, chalcocite, sphalerite,
porphyry deposits. The designation of pyrite and enargite, and magnetite.
magnetite as ore minerals rather than alteration Innermost Alteration Zone (Column 32).-This
minerals, for example, appears to be largely arbi- zone is generally equivalent to the potassic alteration
trary. zone and is usually the central zone. Total sulfide
In Table 1, sulfide-oxide mineral assemblages have content is low to moderate with an average pyrite
been described in Columns 28-35 with reference to content of about one percent and a pyrite-to-chal-
the same alteration zones as are described in Col- copyrite ratio of 3: 1 in the deposits tabulated. This
umns 20-27. The consistent sequence through each zone may reach ore grade and probably accounts for
zone and from one assemblage to another outward most ore in solely hypogene ore deposits. It also
from the center is again significant. forms the "low-grade center" in five deposits. The
Peripheral Alteration Zone (Column 28).-This sulfide mineral assemblage is chalcopyrite, pyrite,
column describes metal occurrences that form a dis- and molybdenite.
continuous ring normally near the outer edge of the Overall Abundance of Major Ore Minerals
propylitic zone. The deposits tend to be small to (Column 33).-In the porphyry coppers, pyrite is
medium size, although large lead-zinc deposits with by far the most common sulfide, followed in order
or without precious metals occur in this zone at by chalcopyrite, bornite, enargite, and molybdenite.
Santa Rita, Bingham, and Butte. At least minor Molybdenite is present in all 27 deposits, a fact not
peripheral mineralization is found in all 27 deposits previously recognized.
studied. Arcuate clusters of mines or prospects sur- Zoning Sequence from Center (Column 34) and
round 23 deposits. Minerals common in this zone from Bottom (Column 35) .-Grading outward from
are sphalerite, galena, silver, chalcopyrite, gold, and the center of the deposit, the typical lateral minerali-
pyrite, and less commonly, specularite, enargite, zation sequence appears to be the assemblages (1)
famatinite, tetrahedrite, barite, various sulfosalts, and chalcopyrite, pyrite, bornite, molybdenite; (2) pyrite,
manganese and vanadium minerals. chalcopyrite, molybdenite, bornite; (3) pyrite, chal-
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 403
copyrite; and (4) sphalerite, galena, silver, gold. itic alteration. Crackle texture is often less distinct
Apparent reversals were noted in only three camps. near the center, particularly if a potassic alteration
Information as to vertical zoning is extremely zone is present.
limited. Most deposits have been explored by mine
openings or drill holes only to depths which are Supergene Sulfides (Column 43)
shallow as compared with the probable original ver- Twenty-three deposits contain supergene sulfides,
tical dimensions. Tentative evidence from 13 de-
and secondary enrichment was required to rea~h
posits suggests that typically a pyrite-chalcopyrite- marginal ore grade in 10. Supergene chalcOCite
molybdenite assemblage grades upward into pyrite. (and probably also secondary digenite and djurleite)
An apparent reversal of this order has been reported is present wherever secondary sulfides occur and
in two deposits.
always constitutes the chief enrichment mineral.
Covellite is reported in 12 deposits, generally low
Occurrence of Sulfides (Columns 36-42) in the enrichment blanket.
Hypogene sulfides in porphyry deposits typically
form veinlets or disseminated grains. This habit Porphyry Deposit Genesis
is probably related to the fact that crackle brecciation The data of Table 1 and the inferences drawn
is present throughout the volume of mineralization. from" them, from the field, and from the detailed
Broadly, the porphyries seem to be masses of homo- geology of the San Manuel-Kalamazoo deposit ap-
geneous rock penetrated by reticulate fractures and pear to support the orthomagmatic model described
mineralized by fluids which soaked the mass rather earlier, although the nature of the data and the
than being constricted to tabular masses or replace- scale factors are not such that the problems can be
ments. conclusively resolved. The formational model which
Occurrence of Sulfides by Zones (Columns 36- appears most generally applicable is one of a dif-
40) .-A progressive gradation in sulfide distribution ferentiation continuum as suggested many years ago
is noted in almost every deposit tabulated. This by W. H. Emmons (1933) in his description of
sequence progresses from veins in the peripheral cupola formation. N ear-surface intrusion of a melt
zone to veinlets in the outer zone, veinlets and minor which produces rocks of intermediate granitoid com-
disseminated grains in the intermediate zone, vein- position is either a passive intrusion as at Butte,
lets approximately equal to disseminations in the Santa Rita, and Ajo, or a dike swarm as at San
inner zone, and predominant disseminations in the Manuel-Kalamazoo and Safford. Response of wall
innermost zone. The tendency for the increasing rocks to this intrusion depends upon their composi-
importance of dissemination towards the core may tion, their structural fabric, and the nature of the
result from metasomatism or recrystallization of the intrusive melt. Cooling begins from the surface
rock and healing of veinlets. The absence of promi- downward, and gentle thermal gradients are estab-
nent veins in most alteration zones may indicate that lished from higher temperatures at depth to slightly
a crackle brecciation zone behaves as an incompetent lower ones nearer to the surface and outward. Min-
mass which can not support through-going fissures eralization and alteration chemistries are established
and veins. with respect to these gradients, chemistries that re-
Breccia Pipes and Crackle Zones (Columns 41 flect essentially deuteric to late magmatic conditions,
and 42) .-Breccia pipes are present in 20 and are with potassic alteration yielding upward and out-
mineralized in 18 deposits. Toquepala and Cananea ward through the phyllic zones (or the "zone of
are mineralized breccia pipes in which ore limits are feldspar destruction," Robertson, 1962) into the
nearly coextensive with the pipes. Toquepala, in zones of more typical hydrothermal alteration re-
particular, shows evidence that the surrounding al- sponses. These gentle gradients presumably have
teration zones have been telescoped into a relatively a direct bearing on the large dimensions of the
thin halo, and alteration assemblages within the ore- porphyries and the coarsely gradational alteration-
body" overlap. The Braden orebody apparently con- mineralization boundaries which they show.
sists of a vertical cylindrical deposit which has been We thus reaffirm on the basis of the published
penetrated along its vertical axis by a postore breccia record that the porphyry copper deposits are the
pipe. results of a physical-geochemical continuum from
A well-developed crackle zone is present in 26 low-temperature magmatic to "conventional" hydro-
deposits but is largely absent in the skarn of the thermal conditions. The gradients are reached as a
Mission-Pima orebody. Crackle zones are usually result of cooling in an intrusive mass, and the
circular in outline and are always larger than the alteration-mineralization zonal boundary interfaces
orebodies, typically fading out in the zone of propyl- appear to have been established as standing forms
404 J. D. LOWELL AND I. M. GUILBERT
rather than as upward and outward advancing mega surfaces for several porphyry copper deposits are
envelopes. Application of the Hemley-Jones model shown in Figure 13. Morenci is placed high in the
of potassium silicate stabilities and alteration, as hypothetical vertical section because of the wide
modified by Fournier (1967) and Meyer and exposure of the phyllic zone without exposure of
Hemley (1968), permits passage from essentially potassic assemblages. Several aspects of Morenci
magmatic conditions at depth to areas of higher geology-breccia zones, the broad-scale alteration
hydrogen ion concentration and lower K+/H+ and symmetry, and the occurrence and distribution of
lower temperatures either with time at a given point sulfides-suggest that potassic alteration will be en-
deep in the system or through space upward and countered at depth under the existing open pit.
outward at a given time. It is important to note, It is also noteworthy here that phyllic zone alter-
however, that an inner zone need not have been ation assemblages, with their high pyrite content and
preceded by the mineralogy and assemblages of an their profusion of veinlets and microveinlets, are
outer zone in a system of decline, of lowering tem- chiefly responsible for the extensive development of
peratures, or of shallow upward gradients. Vari- supergene oxidation, leaching, and enrichment of
ation in the differentiation index of the intrusion southwestern North American deposits. This high
may well dictate whether copper or molybdenum level of exposure appears to be the most common,
predominates in the ultimate deposit, molybdenite especially in supergene-enriched deposits.
tending to be associated with more silicic variants. Recent publications on the Chino deposit at Santa
Rita, New Mexico, show that an island of low-grade
Conclusions material is being left in the center of the northern
portion of the pit area. This island of low grade
The foregoing summary forcefully demonstrates is symmetrically and centrally disposed with respect
that the porphyry copper-molybdenum deposits dis- to secondary K-feldspar, chalcopyrite, and pyrite dis-
play important unifying geologic characteristics in- tribution as reported by Nielson (1968, Figs. 6, 7,
cluding various lateral and vertical zones. The fact and 9). This "low grade island" may represent
of zoning is not new, but several important aspects, the cropping out of a low-grade barren zone analo-
such as sulfide species, detailed alteration assem- gous to the central core at San Manuel-Kalamazoo.
blages, and the characteristic occurrences of the sul- Lastly, Gilluly's (1946) description of the Ajo de-
fides, is far more widespread than has previously posit involves much the same K-feldspar-biotite-
been realized. Indeed, a "typical" porphyry copper chlorite-sericite and magnetite-chalcopyrite assem-
deposit can be hypothesized from Table 1 and is blages and zonal characteristics as those encountered
included along the bottom of the table. at depth in San Manuel-Kalamazoo. It appears
It is especially noteworthy that many, and perhaps possible, therefore, to assign a third dimension to
most, porphyry deposits have coaxially cylindrical at least several deposits, and many others may be
alteration zones. Factors that limit the development assigned depth parameters as further information
of discernible symmetry in porphyry deposits include develops. For example, brecciation and ring diking
the following: may have significance in regard to depth of forma-
1. Regional or local structural fabric that may tion.
produce asymmetry in alteration and mineral ore It also appears significant that the major porphyry
zones. deposits of British Columbia (for example, the
2. Heterogeneous and contrasting composition of Bethlehem and Lornex deposits) occur in quartz
preore rocks, especially the presence of sedimentary diorite, and the K-feldspathic rock types reported at
"screens. " Ajo yield outward to a quartz diorite composition
3. Dislocations of the original geometry by fault (Wadsworth, 1968). The evidence concerning large-
displacement or by postore intrusions. scale metasomatism of rocks, generally with attendant
4. Exposure of the porphyry system laterally and enrichment in K-feldspar and quartz as described
at depth. at Bingham Canyon by Stringham (1956), may well
prove to be more general than is now realized. The
The vertical dimension interpreted for the San alteration assemblages, mineralization characteristics,
Manuel-Kalamazoo system is on the order of 8,000- and occurrence of sulfides at Bethlehem and Lornex
10,000 feet. No definite evidence suggests that this are consistent with deep exposure, and we may see
vertical dimension is either typical or normal, but now exposed a relatively deep-seated porphyry en-
the mineral assemblages typical of different vertical vironment. The fact that these deposits also involve
zones in San Manuel-Kalamazoo appear to be use- quartz diorites rather than granodiorite or quartz
ful in estimating the depth of formation of several monzonites may be another manifestation of the
deposits. These "depth levels" of present exposure vertical dimension in porphyry deposit genesis.
ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS 405
KALAMAZOO \
SEGMENT
SAN MANUE~
SEGMENT
,---- -.--- ?
---.
PROPYLITIC
~?
."
"
Chi - Epi - Carb
Adul-Alb
--1- -?--
PHYLLIC ~~
Q- Ser-py
................
"\ MORENCI, BUTTE
AJO,( BETHLEHEM 1)
~ /
:;
14
,
I
\
/
FIG. 13. Schematic drawing of San Manuel-Kalamazoo showing exposure levels of several porphyry copper deposits. Other
deposits could be added, but these few serve to show a vertically developed dimension.
A growing body of data indicates that the por- enormous halos of pyrite-sericite-quartz hydrother-
phyry deposit minerals may form at depths as mal alteration to "dry" deposits with relatively low
shallow as 5,000-10,000 feet. Facts supporting this sericite-pyrite content. Although perhaps the terms
conclusion are (1) the occurrence of porphyry rocks are too casual, "wet" and "dry" refer to the net
in all 27 deposits of Table 1; (2) the cutting of all apparent abundance, involvement, and permeation of
deposits by postore erosion surfaces; (3) the wide- a mineralizing-altering fluid. Concentric zoning is
spread occurrence of brecciation (even though the also present in "dry" deposits, but it is telescoped
host intrusions are usually passively emplaced); laterally into a small fraction of the halo thickness
( 4) the location of 14 deposits in Cretaceous or of the "wet" type. The "wet" type is represented
younger preore rocks while the intrusions themselves by most of the Southwest deposits, such as Bingham
are of late Cretaceous or younger age; (5) regional and Morenci, and includes most of the large por-
structural-stratigraphic considerations; and (6) the phyry copper deposits. The "dry" type is repre-
common occurrence of porphyry-ore-forming en- sented by many of the British Columbia deposits,
vironments in cupola-like stocks less than one square such as Bethlehem, and includes many of the hypo-
mile in area at the ore-forming elevation. gene ore-grade porphyry coppers.
Deposits seem to range from "wet" types having The most distinctive feature of the porphyry de-
high pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratios and surrounded by posits is simply their huge size as compared with
406 1. D. LOWELL AND 1. M. GUILBERT
other hydrothermal ore deposits. Including ore- that the integrated model of vertical and lateral sili-
grade mineralization and surrounding alteration and cate-oxide alteration, sulfide mineralization, and sul-
mineralization, they assume dimensions more com- fide occurrence characteristics in the porphyry de-
monly associated with stocks than with ore deposits. posits may be useful to economic geologists both
The bulk shape of porphyry deposits reflects large- explorationally and scientifically.
scale structural control of mineralization and may
also be related to the original depth of formation. Acknowledgments
Flat-tabular, cone, and flat-dipping tube-type de-
posits may represent relatively shallow depth of The writers wish to express their appreciation to
formation where steep environmental gradients pre- their many colleagues whose discussion and com-
vail. Steep, columnar deposits with long vertical ments have contributed to this paper, to L. B.
dimensions and little brecciation seem to indicate Gustafson, James' Gilluly, and T. W. Mitcham who
relatively great depth of formation and gentle en- reviewed the manuscript, and to H. R. Hauck, M.
vironmental gradients. T. Wolf, and B. Townsend for their assistance 10
preparing the manuscript and illustrations.
Breccia pipe deposits, such as Toquepala, with
only thin alteration halos and with evidence of vio- 5211 N. ORACLE,
lent emplacement, are clearly representative of a TUCSON, ARIZONA,
different genesis in which the mineralizers may have AND
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