Economic Geology Vol. 74, 1979, pp.

838-851

K-Ar Ages of Igneous Rocks andMineralization in Part

of the Bolivian Tin Belt
J. NIGELGRANT, CHRISTOPHER HALLS, WALDO AVILASALINAS, ANDNORMANJ. SNELLING
Abstract
The Bolivian tin belt extends for about 800 km down the Eastern Cordillera of the

Central Andes. In the northern part the ore deposits are mainly tin-tungsten veins which are associated with granite-granodioritebatholiths. Previous work has shown that the batholithscan be divided into a northern group (Cordillera Real) which gives Mesozoic K-Ar ages and a southern group (Illimani, Quimsa Cruz, and Santa Vera Cruz) which gives lower Mioceneages. In central and southern Bolivia the tin depositsare complex vein systemsassociated with near-surface stocksand subvolcaniceruptive complexes. The ages of these fall into two groups. A northern group, extending as far south as the Kari-Kari batholith near

Potosi, ranges in age from 23 to 20 m.y. Several of the major tin depositsof Bolivia, includingthe Catavi depositat Llallagua, fall within this group, which is apparently part of a larger lower Miocene igneousprovince that includesthe plutonsof Illimani and the CordillerasQuimsa Cruz and Santa Vera Cruz. A southerngroup includes the Cerro Rico stock at Potosi and the mineralized eruptive complexesof the (uechisla region which give upper Miocene ages ranging from 17 to 12 m.y. There are also extensivepostmineral ignimbrite sheetswhich overlie rocks of both the above groups. The data showthat igneous activity within the tin belt took placeas a seriesof relatively discretepulses,with a general southwardshift with time. The north to south zonationof the metalscontained in the ore deposits, from tungstenin the north, through tin, to basemetals with tin in the south, is not consistently dependent on the age of the associated igneousrocksand appears to be primarily relatedto the depthat which the depositswere formed and henceto the regional erosionlevel, rather than to changesin the geochemistry of the magmaswith time or space.The Miocene-Pliocene igneousrocks of the tin belt fit rather well into the consistent pattern of Andean magmatic evolution which is becomingrecognizablethroughout the Central Andes as a whole.

(James, 1971). Throughoutmost of the orogeny it was emergent, bounded on the west by the THE Eastern Cordillera of the Central Andes is an Altiplano molassebasin and on the east by the elongated massif,madeup mainly of a great thickness basin whose folded sedimentary rocks now form the of marineclasticsedimentary rocksof lower Paleozoic sub-Andean foothill zone. Within the Cordillera in age. The sedimentary basin in which they were formed extended across the width of the Andes almost Bolivia, there are some remnants of epicontinental formationsof Cretaceous age which once to the present coastalregion. It was underlain by sedimentary Precambrian metamorphic rocks,the extension of the probably covered the region but were largely reBrazilian and Argentina cratons, and these are now moved by subsequent erosion (Schlatter and Nederexposedin the coastalregionsof southernPeru and lof, 1966). The remainder of the Cordillera is made northern Chile (Cobbing and Pitcher, 1972) and in up of shales and sandstones of Cambrianto Devonian the eastern Cordillerain Peru andnorthernArgentina age and igneous rocksof the Andean orogeny. The (Audebaud et al., 1976; Turner, 1970). The pre- sediments are strongly folded and faulted, but metaAndeantectonichistoryof the regionhas beenpartly norphismis generally weak or absent. The igneous obscuredby later events,but there were important periods of regional folding, and there are granitic rocks are acid to intermediatecalc-alkalineplutons, plutonsin the easternCordillera in Peru and Argen- high-levelstocks,and eruptive complexes. The tin with these. There are also tina which give lower and upper Paleozoic ages depositsare associated extensive postmineral ignimbritesheets. The major (Stewart et al., 1974; Clark et al., 1976). provinces of the easternCordilleraare shown The Cordilleraowesits morphotectonic identity to igneous the Andean orogeny, which began in the Triassic in Figure 1, together with the relevantagedata.
838

Geology of the Tin Belt

K-Ar AGES OF IGNEOUS ROCKS AND THE BOLIVIAN

TIN BELT

839

7/.. 0

700

660

200 km
I I

LAKE

TITICAC
LA PAZ\-+

18 0

CENTRAL ANDES

ARICA

; +. \r- ORURO O,r/r--13 18 0

BATHOLITHS OF TRIASSIC TO

q I
J

'

J JURASSIC AGE

J TARIJA 0

DATED RUPTI E/ BOLIVIA LOWER MIOCENEJ E V / COMPLEXES WlTHJ d

' m

I ++ +' I "

25YI fill./

(Cu PORPHYRYIOF U.MIOCENE AGE

I

FIG. 1. Major igneous provinces of the Eastern Cordillera of the Central Andes,with locations
of relevant age data. Peru, data in Lancelot et al., 1976: 1, San Ramon, 252 4- 18 m.y. (Rb:Sr); 2, Villa Azul, 251

m.y. (K-At); 3, Machupicchu, 246 4- 10 m.y. (Rb:Sr); 4, Quillabamba,257 4- 5 m.y. (U:Pb);

and 5, Coasa, 238 4- 11 m.y. (U:Pb). Bolivia, the northerntin belt, K-At data reportedin Clark and Farrat (1973) and Everndenet al. (1977): 6, Sorata, 180 m.y.; 7, Zongo, 150 to 211 m.y.; 8, Taquesi, 199 m.y.; 9, Illimani, 26 m.y.; 10, Quimsa Cruz, 26 m.y. and 23.8 4- 1.6 m.y.; and 11, Santa Vera Cruz, 22.8 4- 0.7 m.y. Bolivia, the southerntin belt, K-At data reported in this paper (usingthe constantsof Steiger and Jiger,1977): 12, San Pablo-Morococala, 23.3 4- 0.4 m.y.; 13, Morococalaignimbrite,6.3 4- 0.1

m.y.; 14, Llallagua,20.9 4- 0.4 m.y.; 15, Colquechaca, 22.6 4- 0.4 m.y.; 16, Los Frailes ignimbrite, 7.5 4- 0.2 m.y.; 17, Karl-Karl batholith, 21.4 m.y.; 18, Cerro Rico stock, Potosi, 13.8 4- 0.3 m.y.; 19, Tasna, 16.4 4- 0.3 m.y.; 20, Chorolque, 16.2 4- 0.3 m.y.; 21, Chocaya, 13.8 4- 0.2 m.y.; and
22, Tatasi, 15.6 4- 0.3 m.y.

Argentina,data reportedin Sillitoe (1976, 1977): 23, PanchoArias, 15.4 4- 0.3 m.y. (K-Ar); 24, Inca Viejo, 15.0 4- 0.2 m.y. (K-At); and 25, Aquilar, 123-133 m.y. (Rb:Sr).

840

GRINT, HILLS, SALINAS, IND SNELLING

Ricostock at Potosicutstuff beds containing a fossil andhence aregenetically similar to thedeposits within floraclassified aslate Pliocene (Berry, 1937) or Mioeruptive complexes. The subvolcanic deposits of the cene(Steinmann, 1922). From thisevidence a gencentraland southern part of the tin belt are fewerbut, eral Mioceneor Plioceneage has previously been in general, are individually largerthanthose associated applied to all the igneous rocks of the region(Turnewith the batholiths of the north and account for the

The tin belt extendsthroughoutBolivia, from near thesurface andconical in vertical section, narrowing the Peruvian border to northern Argentina. To the with depth. west, there is a well-definedprovinceof polymetallic At somecenters, suchas Llallaguaand San Pablo depositsin the Altiplano which are associated with (Morococala), erosion hascompletely removed any Miocene-Pliocenehigh-level dacitic and andesitic volcanic superstructure which mayhave been present, igneous rocks (Ahlfeld, 1967). In the northernpart leavingonly a porphyrystockin contactwith the of the tin belt (Sorata to Santa Vera Cruz plutons) Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. the deposits are mainly tin and tungsten veinsassociatedwith granite-granodiorite batholiths. The bathoPrevious Geochronological Data liths rangein agefrom Triassicto Miocene(Cordani, The geochronology of thebatholiths of the northern 1967; Clark et al., 1976; Evernden et al., 1977). tin belt is currently under investigation (Robertson, Miocene intrusionsoccur in the southernpart of this 1974: Clark et al., 1976). Reviewsof the available sectionand are the most highly mineralized. The datahave been given by ClarkandFarrar (1973) and depositsare numerous,but with one or two excepby Avila (1975). The K-Ar dateswhich have been tions they are individually small. reported range from Triassic to lower Miocene in In central and southern Bolivia the depositsare age. The batholiths of theCordillera Realgivemainly associated with acid eruptivecomplexes of Tertiary Triassic to Jurassic ageswhilethe moresoutherly age. They are complexvein systems carrying tin, Illimani,Quimsa Cruz,andSanta Vera Cruzplutons tin-silver, or tin with base metals and silver. In give lower Miocenedates,the youngest being22.8 some casesthere is also widespreaddisseminated m.y. for a sample from the Santa Vera Cruz mineralizationin the altered igneousrocks. There (Cordani, 1967). are alsoa few importantdeposits formedby vein sysIn thesouthern tin beltit haslongbeen recognized tems in sedimentary rockswith which there is little thatmanyof theeruptive centers are of Tertiaryage. or no direct evidence or igneous activity (e.g., Volcanic rocks unconformablyoverlie Cretaceous Huanuni and Colquiri). Theseare probablyrelated sediments at a number of localities,and the Cerro to high-levelstocks whichfailed to reachthe surface

greaterproportionof Bolivian tin production. The mineralizederuptivesrange in characterfrom

volcanics with no associated intrusive rocks other

aure, 1960). Prior to this study,only a limited numberof radiometric age determinationshad been carried out on

than dikes, to small stocklikebodiesof intrusive por-

igneousrocks of the southernpart of the tin belt

(Evernden, 1961; Clark and Farrar, 1973; Evernden

phyry and breccia. The essentially volcaniccom- et al., 1977). Althoughthe detailsare not given, plexessuchas Chocaya, Tatasi, and Colquechaca con- it is probable that these werecalculated usingslightly
sist of acid lavas, lava domes,pyroclastics, and volcanicbreccias which rest unconformably on the older sedimentary rocks. The rocksare generallyquartzporphyries rangingin composition from rhyolite to dacite. They all have an extensive centralzone of hydrothermal alteration which may reach several
kilometers in diameter and within which the mineral-

differentdecayconstants andpotassium isotopic abundancevaluesto thosecurrentlyin use (Steiger and

J//ger, 1977). Recalculation would result in a

ized veins occur. At Chocayaand Tatasi the major veins extend downward into the sedimentaryrocks beneath the volcanics. Pervasivehydrothermalalterationat thesecenters postdates all eruptiveactivity. At other centers,such as Chorolque,Oruro, and
Potosi, volcanic rocks surround, and are in contact

with, a central stocklikebody of intrusive porphyry and breccia. Erosion has partly removedthe overlying volcanic superstructureat these centers. The stocksare usually about one kilometer in diameter at eralization of the southern end of the northern tin belt

slightincrease in the ages (approx. 3% for Miocene ages). These providedfirm data on the age of the Kari-Kari batholith and Agua Dulce lavas of the Potosi region (20-21 m.y.), and indicated a late Miocene (7.3 m.y.) age for the post-mineral ignimbrites of the los Frailes Formation. They provide little information on the age of the mineralized eruptive complexes, although a dateof 9.4 m.y. whichwas reported for the Salvadora stock at Llallagua has particular significance. As noted above,the southern plutons of the northerntin belt havegivenlower Mioceneages,the youngest of which is 22.8 m.y. Thus a time break of over 10 m.y. was indicated between the emplacement of the igneousrocksand associated min-

K-.4r AGES OF IGNEOUS ROCKS AND THE BOLIVIAN TIN BELT

841

for dating intensely altered(sericitized) samples and the emplacement of the mineralizederuptive used little or no tourmaline. complexat Llallagua,near the northernend of the containing
tin belt. Mineral concentrates were preparedusing magnetic methods. Conventional These data were usedby Ahlfeld (1967) to pro- and heavy liquid separation posethat three episodes of mineralization formedthe K-Ar analytical techniqueswere used (Dalrymple was tin belt as a whole. He recognized a Mesozoicstage and Lanphere, 1969). Analysis for potassium associated with the batholiths of the Cordillera Real; done by flame photomerry using a lithium internal a lower Miocene stageassociated with the southern- standard. Argon analysiswas done by the isotope most plutonsof the northerntin belt, in which he dilutionmethodin an AEI MS 10 massspectrometer included the minor mineralization associated with the usinga SAr tracer. Errors are quotedat m one standard deviation and Kari-Kari batholith near Potosi; and he ascribed all of the subvolcanic mineralization of the central and incorporate the statistically determined errors in the tracer volume, and isotope southern partsof thebeltto a distinct younger (upper potassiumdetermination, ratio measurements, plus the usual correction for Miocene-Pliocene)stage. 4Ar. The new agesdo not supportAhlfeld'ssubdivision. atmospheric In particular it has not been possibleto confirm Results Evernden's (1961) upper Miocene age of 9.4 m.y. The analytical resultsare summarizedin Table 1. for the Salvadora stockat Llallaguaand a mucholder, lower Miocene,age is preferred,the implications of Considerationof the errors on the ages indicate a which are discussed below. typicalvalueof -*2 percent, increasing to 2.7 percent in somecases. Using thesewe can calculate critical Location and Description of Samples valueswhich must be exceeded if we are to saywith We have dated42 rock samples from the following 95 percentconfidence that there is a real difference areas: the San Pablo (Morococala) stockand Japo betveen the calculated agesof any two samples with and Santa F mines; the Salvadora stock, Llallagua; an agedifference ( - R2). We haveusedthe equathe Colquechaca eruptivecomplex;the Potosiregion, tion of Mcintyre (1963), as suggested by Dalrymple includingthe Cerro Rica stock; and the mineralized and Lanphere (1969). In terms of the agesof the eruptive complexesof Chocaya,Tatasi, Chorolque, analyzedsamples, the critical valuesfor comparing and Tasna (Fig. 1). singleage determinations are as follows (in m.y.) The samples can be divided into two groups: Age ,, = 2% ,, = 2.7% (a) The first consists of intrusiveand volcanic 20 1.1 1.5 units directly associated with mineralization. These 16 0.9 1.2 southern

are generallyquartz-latiteporphyries made up of

quartz, sanidine,plagioclase, and biotite phenocrysts 6 0.3 0.5 in a microcrystalline or glassy matrix. Many of these units have beenhydrothermallyaltered; the common San Pablo-Morococalaregion alterationtypes are tourmalinization, sericitization, The region lies to the southeast of Oruro. It is argillization, and chloritization. Where possible we have dated both unaltered and altered samplesfrom an elevated plateau made up of folded Silurianthe same unit. Devoniansedimentary rocks. During the Tertiary (b) The second consists of volcanic and intrusive these were intruded by small porphyry bodiesand rockswhichare not directlyassociated with important later overlainby an extensivesheetof daciticignimmineralization.Theseinclude postmineral ignimbrite brite (MorococalaFormation) which makesup much of the San formationsand the Kari-Kari pluton and somevol- of the presentland surface. The geology Pablo-Morococala area is shown in Figure 2. Tin canic formationsof the Potosi region.
mineralization is found at a number of localities,

1,3

0.7

1.0

mostly in veins in the Paleozoicsedimentaryrocks, though in closeassociation with the porphyries. The most important mines are Santa F and from the unaltered rocks. In the hydrothermally altered rocks the new minerals which formed are Morococala, where quartz-porphyry dikes are exand Japo. mainly sericite (very fine grainedmuscovite)and posedunderground, The San Pablo stock is composed of quartz latite tourmaline,with a little quartz. Since tourmaline intensehydrothermal is not consideredto be reliable for K-At dating, we porphyrywhich has undergone and tourmalinization).Some haveprepared sericite concentrates from rocks with a alteration (sericitization substantial tourmaline content. The whole rock was patches of relatively fresh rock were preservedin a
We have dated biotite and sanidine concentrates

Experimental Methods

842

GRANT,

HALLS,

SALINAS,

AND

SNELLING

TABLE 1. Potassium-Argon Age Data

% Vol Arrdnl Calculated

Sampleno.

Rocktype

Material dated

% K

Artmo,

gm -

age (m.y.):

San Pablo-Morococalaregion
NG1 Repeat NG2 dacite (ignimbrite) dacite (ignimbrite) biotite biotite 7.16 6.61 35 50 58 1.75 1.72 1.65 6.3 + 0.11 6.2 + 0.13 6.4 + 0.13

NG6 NG27
NG31
NG21 Repeat NG14 Repeat

quartz latite porph.

(breccia); altered

sericite sericite
K-feldspar (sanidine)
whole rock whole rock

3.98 4.51
10.98
4.03 3.36

42 39
14
68 61 56 30

3.86 3.56
10.02
3.24 3.48 2.63 2.70

24.8 + 0.44 20.2 q- 0.35

23.3 q- 0.40
20.6 q- 0.44 22.1 q- 0.43 20.0 q- 0.38 20.6 q- 0.36

quartz latite porph.;

altered

quartz latite porph.

altered porphyry dyke (Japo mine) Altered porphyry dike (Santa Fe)

Llallagua, the Salvadora stock

NG487 Repeat
NG38

quartz latite porphyry

altered porphyry

biotite whole rock

5.73 3.35

36 40
35

4.85 4.65
2.70

21.6 q- 0.38 20.8 q- 0.38

20.6 q- 0.36

NG45
NG44

quartz latite porphyry

altered porphyry

K-feldspar (sanidine)
whole rock
Colquechaca

10.77
2.58

18
38

8.69
2.13

20.6 q- 0.35
21.1 q- 0.38

NG35A (CH) NG54

NG62

quartz latite quartz latite

lava

biotite biotite
whole rock

6.20 6.75
4.51

46 36
28

5.49 5.67
3.83

22.6 q- 0.42 21.5 q- 0.35

21.7 q- 0.37

altered lava

Potosi region

NG68 Repeat
NG71

dacite ignimbrite (Los Frailes Fm.)

rhyolite (Huakachi)

biotite
biotite

6.96
7.38

53 58
52

2.02 2.03
3.44

7.4 q- 0.23 7.5 q- 0.17

12.0 q- 0.22

NG93 Repeat

altered porphyry (Cerro Rico)

whole rock

3.58

68 63

1.85 1.95

13.2 q- 0.32 14.0 q- 0.33

NG94 Repeat
NG73 NG75

altered porphyry (Cerro Rico)

rhyodacite porphyry (Karl-Karl) rhyodacite porphyry (Kari-Kari)

whole rock
biotite biotite

3.30
5.69 6.78

47 50
39 27

1.81 1.82
4.59 5.61

14.1 q- 0.26 14.1 q- 0.30

20.6 q- 0.34 21.1 q- 0.33

NG75A Repeat NG75B

NG80

rhyodacite porphyry (Kari-Kari) rhyodacite porphyry

(Kari-Kari)

biotite biotite
biotite

6.42 6.97
4.31

35 38 37
51

5.60 5.37 5.91

3.59

22.3 q- 0.36 21.4 q- 0.38 21.7 q- 0.36

21.3 q- 0.39

rhyodacite porphyry (Kari-Kari)

NG83

granodiorite
(Kari-Kari)

biotite

6.03

32

5.01

21.2 q- 0.34

K-,4r

AGES

OF

IGNEOUS

ROCKS

AND

THE

BOLIVIAN

TIN

BELT

843

TABLE 1-- (Continued)

Vol lArr,(lnl

Calculated

Sample no.
NG78 Repeat
NG79

Rock type
rhyodacite tuff (Agua Dulce Fro.)
rhyodacite tuff (Agua Dulce Fro.)

Material dated
biotite
biotite

% K
5.61
7.22

4Ar,t ....
36 28
24

gm-t
4.61 4.67
5.91

age (m.y.)
21.0 - 0.34 21.3 4- 0.36
20.9 - 0.32

NG96 Repeat NG97 NG97A NG98

rhyodacite tuff (Canteria Fm.) rhyodacite tuff (Canteria Fm.) rhyodacite tuff (Canteria Fm.) rhyodacite tuff (Canteria Fm.)

biotite biotite biotite biotite

7.12 7.40 7.10 7.42

39 36 24 38 35

6.11 6.04 6.11 6.05 6.19

21.9 - 0.36 21.7 4- 0.38 21.1 - 0.33 21.8 - 0.36 21.3 - 0.34

Chocaya volcanic complex

NG134 Repeat

rhyodacite lava

biotite

7.36

31 34

3.98 4.13

13.9 - 0.22 14.4 - 0.26

NG131 NG136 Repeat NG126

rhyodacite lava rhyodacite lava rhyodacite lava

(altered)

biotite biotite whole rock Chorolque whole rock

whole rock
Tatasi

5.05 5.82 3.60

44 41 29 49

2.70 3.02 3.09 1.75

13.7 - 0.24 13.3 4- 0.23 13.6 4- 0.23 12.5 -t- 0.24

NG123 Repeat
NG279

rhyodacite lava (altered)

rhyodacite lava (altered)

4.34
1.91

22 40
83

2.71 2.76
1.37

16.0 4- 0.27 16.3 4- 0.30

18.4 -t- 0.65

NG283 Repeat NG150 Repeat NG281 Repeat

rhyodacite lava rhyodacite lava

biotite biotite
Tasna

7.73 7.51

29 41 30 38 51 52

4.64 4.83 4.57 4.50 1.23 1.25

15.4 4- 0.24 16.0 4- 0.29 15.6 -t- 0.25 15.4 4- 0.27 16.2 4- 0.31 16.5 -t- 0.31

quartz porphyry dike, altered

whole rock
Others (Atocha tuff unit)

1.94

NG99 Repeat
NG139

rhyodacitetuff, Chorolque road

rhyodacite tuff, Atocha-Chocaya road

biotite
biotite

7.29
6.49

33 26
41

4.79 4.77
4.36

16.8 4- 0.27 16.8 -t- 0.31

17.2 4- 0.32

Constants used: 3 = 4.962 X 10- yr-; 3, = 0.581 X 10- yr-l; 4K/K = 0.01167 atom % Mean of duplicate analyses
2 Errors at one standard deviation

narrow

zone at the northern

contact.

The southern

part of the stock consistsof hydrothermal breccia made up of fragmentsof altered igneousand sedimentary rocks in a fine, granular tourmalinizedmatrix. The porphyrydikesat the Santa Fg and Japo mines are completelysericitized. All these altered
rocks contain disseminated sulfides and cassiterite.

haps the best estimateof the minimum age of emplacement of the San Pablo stock. The greater age given by sample NG6 should be regarded with suspicion as the rock is a polymict breccia whichmay contain older material. Sericitized porphyry (NG27) gavean ageof 20.2 ----0.35 m.y., suggesting
a resolvabletime differencebetweenthe emplacement

alteration. This view The sanidine dateof 23.3 ----0.4 m.y. (NG31) is per- of the stockand the pervasive

844

GRANT, HALLS,SALINAS, AND SNELLING

LEGEND
PABLO TERTIARY

i? IGNIMBRITE +: SAN PABLO Stock

(Quartz latite porphyry)
DEVONIAN LOWER

- PAMPA Formation
(Shale)

SILURIAN

TRONCHIR, Formation
(Quartzite)

' CANCANIRI Formation

(Greywacke)

' Mine

.---.

K/Ar Sample Location

Road

0
I

1800
i i

3600 m
i

..............
^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^

^^

SC ALE

^^^

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^

^^^^^^^^^^^

^^^^^^^

^^

^^^

GEOLOGY

BY

F S TURNEAURE

FIG. 2. San Pablo-Morococala area: geologyand sample locations.

is supported by the unweighted meanage (21.35----- The 6 m.y. ageof the Morococala ignimbrite indi0.4 m.y.) for the altereddike in the Japomine ad- catesthe long time spanwhichseparated the intrujacent to the stock. Since the mineralized veins at sionof the mineralized porphyries from the eruption the Japomine formedat the sametime, or slightly of the ignimbritesheetwhich coversmuch of the area.
later than the main stage of alteration of the stock and dikes,there appearsto be a resolvable time dif- Llallagua. the Salvadora stock ferenceof over 1 m.y. between emplacement of the The Salvadora stockis an isolated bodyof about
stock and the mineralization in the veins.

1 km in diameter which intrudes the Silurian-

Devoniansedimentary rocksjust to the southof the (NG14) indicates that igneous activityand mineral- Morococala plateau. It probably was the vent of a izationwas essentially contemporaneous with that of volcanowhose superstructure has been completely the San Pablo-Japoarea. erodedaway.

The age of the altered dike in the Santa Fd mine

K-Ar AGES OF IGNEOUS

ROCKS

AND

THE

BOLI?IAN

TIN

BELT

845

It is madeup of intensely alteredporphyrylaced biotite concentrates--NG35 ACH is from virtually with irregular patchesand dikes of hydrothermal unalteredporphyry at the surface,whereasNG54 is breccia. Relativelyunaltered quartz-latite porphyry from a slightlyalteredrock (chloritized, sericitized) was preserved at the contact of the stock in some from withinthe mine. The third sample (NG62) is
areas. The alteration productsare sericite,tourma- intenselyaltered (sericitized) whole rock. The three line, quartz, and clay minerals, with disseminated give a spread of agesof just overonemillionyears,

sulfides andcassiterite. The stock is cutby a system from 21.5 0.35 to 22.6-----0.41 m.y. The age difof rich tin-bearing veins,someof whichextendout ference between the unaltered biotitesample and the into the surrounding sedimentary rocks. They have pervasivelysericitized sampleis about 1 m.y., which madethis oneof the mostproductive tin deposits of is less than the critical value requiredto resolve them. the world (Turneaure, 1935). We have dated four samples of the stockfrom differentlocations.Two are wholerock samples of The Potosi region sericitized porphyry--NG38 is from level383, SalvaThe general geology and sample locationsare dora sectionof the mine, and NG44 is from the surface. One (NG45) is a sanidine concentrate from a shown in Figure 3. Folded Paleozoicand Cretacerelatively unaltereddikelike off-shootof the stock at

the surface and oneis a biotiteconcentrate (NG487) from almostunaltered porphyry near the marginof the stockon the 650 level, Siglo XX section of the
mine.

ous sedimentaryrocks form the basementof the region. They are unconformably overlainby:
Dulce and Canteria volcanic formations. These rest

1. The Chalviri group,which includes the Agua

mately20 m.y. havepreviously beenobtained for the millionyearsand give an unweighted meanage of Agua Dulcevolcanics (Everndenet al., 1977). 20.9 0.4 m.y. There is no resolvabledifference 2. The Cerro Rico Formation, which is restricted between the agesof alteredand unalteredsamples. to the imemdiate vicinityof the Cerro Rico stock. It The concordancy of the ages of the four samples indiconsists of sediments andtuffs containing a Tertiary catesthat a date of about21 m.y. is a reliableestifossilflora, restingunconformably on the Paleozoic mate of the minimum age of emplacement of the It has not been dated by radiometric stockand is a goodestimate of the age of alteration basement. methods. and mineral deposition at Llallagua. This date is 3. The Los Frailes Ignimbrite Formation,which preferred to the previously published ageof 9.4 m.y. unconformably overliesboth the basement and rocks (Evernden,1961; Evernden et al., 1977), although of the Chalviri group, and has been previously dated the reason for the lack of agreement is not known. at approximately 7 m.y. (Everndenet al., 1977). 4. The Huakachi rhyolitic ignimbrite; this is not Colquechaca
lies Colquechaca was described byAhlfeld and Schneiin contact with the Los Frailes Formation. It overrocks of the Cerro Rico Formation and contains

The agesof thesesamples differ by lessthan one

unconformably on the basement andages of approxi-

der-Scherbina (1964) as a dacitestock,however,it mineralized porphyryfragments from the Cerro Rico hasnot beengeologically mapped in detail. Our ob- stock(Turneaure, 1960). Intrusive units are the large Kari-Kari pluton, servations indicate that it is a volcanic complex, probably made up entirely of extrusive rocks. These which has some minor tin and lead-zinc veins associcover an area of more than 100 km 2 and rest on an

ated with it, and the small Cerro Rico stock with

irregularbasement of foldedPaleozoic and possibly which the great tin-silver deposit of Potosi is asCretaceoussedimentaryrocks. There is an exten- sociated. The Kari-Kari pluton is made up of rhyosive zone of pervasivesericite-tourmaline alteration dacite and dacite porphyry and granodiorite,and it in the centralpart of the complexwhich is cut by intrudes Agua Dulce lavas on its western flank. smalltin-bearingveins. There are a number of much Everndenet al. (1977) have shownthat the pluton larger sulfide-rich veins which cut the surrounding and the Agua Dulce volcanicsare of closelysimilar volcanics. They have well-definedenvelopesof age, and our data are in agreementwith this. The
sericite-chlorite-carbonate alteration. Much silver
Cerro Rico stock cuts the Cerro Rico Formation and

was minedfrom someof thesein the past,and base is clearly older than the Huakachi rhyolite. Evernmetals are still being produced. Throughoutthe den et al. (1977) suggested that the Cerro Rico remainderof the complexthere is widespread chlori- Formationis equivalent to the basalAgua Dulce and tic alteration. that the stock (which they did not date) is peneconWe havedatedthree samples of quartz latite from temporaneous with these volcanicsand, hence, with the central part of the complex. Two of these are the Kari-Kari pluton.They followTurneaure (1960)

846

GRANT, HALLS, SALINAS, AND SNELLING

LEGEND
44-

QUATERNARY
Moraine and Alluvium

44-

TERTIARY

Huakachi Rhyolite +

',.

/,

NG98

CERRO

Cerro Rico Porphyry

Caracoles Formation

&KARl- KARl44' 4'

(tuffs and sediments)

G93,94

Kari-Kari Kumurana

Batholith Phase

(granodiorite)

NG73,75
4'
CHALVlRI

Keri-Karl Batholith Udifferentiated

{acid- intermediate intru$1ve)

Agua Dulce Formatio

(acid lavas)
Canterie Formalio

4'
vvv

4'

4-

(acid I:)yroclastics)
vvvvvvvvv

......... vvvvvvvvv
vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv
vvvvvv

NG 78 79

4-

4-

CRETACEOUS
Torotoro Formation

(red beds)

4-

4-

PALAEOZOIC
Ordovican & SHu, ian

vvvvvvvvv

vvvvvv
vvvvvv

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvv

vvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvv vvvvvv

4-

4.

Sedimentary Rocks

(mainly shales & quartzite)

Geological Boundary

4-

4-

vvvvvv--

Main

Road

K/Ar SamDie Location

4'

4'

Mine

NG80

4-

0
I

4,000
I SCALE ,

8,000 m
I

Based on GEOBOL 1:100,000

Sheet.

Potoil.

Fro. 3. Potosi area- geologyand samplelocations.

of intenselysericitized porphyrygive an unin assuming that the Huakachirhyoliteis an outlier samples

of the Los Frailes

weighted mean age of 13.8--+0.3 m.y. Although this is an alterationage, considering the relationships the ages of the CerroRico stock and Huakachirhyo- elsewherein the southerntin belt it is unlikely that of the stocktook placemuch more than lite. The K-Ar agesfor the Karl-Karl pluton (in- emplacement of pervasivealteration. cludingthe Kumuranagranodiorite at the southern 1 m.y. beforethe completion
Formation.

Our data contradictthe above interpretationsof

The Huakachi rhyolite gives a biotitedate (NG71) end) and the Agua Dulceand Canteria volcarrics are with the geoindistinguishable. The unweighted meanage of 12 of 12.0- 0.2 m.y. This is consistent samples is 21.4 -- 0.4 m.y. However,the ageof the logical evidencethat it is younger than the Cerro
Cerro Rico stock is considerablyyounger. Two
Rico stock and showsthat it is not part of the Los

K-Ar AGES OF IGNEOUS

ROCKS AND THE BOLIVIAN

TIN BELT

847

were

Frailes Formation but is a distinctlyolder eruption. centers,there was a time spanof at least 1 m.y. beOur date for a sample(NG68) of the Los Frailes tweenthe eruptionof the volcanics and the compleignimbrite,25 km north of Potosi,is 7.5 -+-0.2 m.y. tion of pervasive alteration. The Tatasi Volcanic Complex is similar to The mineralized i!7neouscenters of the Quechisla Chocaya. It includes acid lavas, lava domes, and r e!7ion pyroclastics. Its present extent is over 100 km. These include Tasna, Chocaya, Chorolque, and Widespread hydrothermalalteration in the core of Tatasi, which we have dated, and a number of other the complexis generallyargillic, and the mineralized small centers with minor mineralization which have veinscarry silverand basemetalswith little tin. Two not been dated. separatesamplesof unaltered rhyodaciticlava from The regionis underlainby foldedlower Paleozoic differentlocalities near the edgeof the complex give shales and sandstone. These were eroded to an iran unweightedmean age of 15.6-----0.3m.y. We regularplateaubeforethe beginning of igneous activ- have not dated any altered rocks from the central ity in the region. The earliestigneousformationis region. an extensive acid crystal tuff unit which blankets The ChorolqueComplexconsists of a central core much of the land surface in the Atocha-Telemayu of breccia andintrusive porphyry(the volcanic vent), region. Two samples of this tuff (NG99 and which is surrounded by acid lavas and pyroclastics NG139) give an unweighted mean age of 16.9 ----0.3 which have largely been removed by erosion, exm.y. The rocks of the mineralized igneouscenters posing the Paleozoic sedimentsunderneath. The
intruded into the Paleozoic sediments or rest

unconformably on them. The eastern edge of the quartz-tourmaline rock, and the major tin-bearing ChocayaVolcanic Complex overliesthe crystal tuff veins are within this. It is surrounded by a halo of unit, but none of the other complexes are in contact sericitic alteration which grades out to chloritization. with it or with each other.
mafic minerals are chloritized, and the only rocks several km area of hornfelsic sedimentary rocks. suitablefor K-Ar dating are the sericitized volcanics. There are somequartz-porphyrydikes, but no large We have datedtwo samples from the sericiticalteraigneous bodyis exposed at the surface or in the mine tion zone. NG279 givesa whole-rock age of 18.4 ----workings. We have dated one samplefrom a small 0.6 m.y., but this sample provedto havea very high dike on the southernside. The rock was originally tourmaline content and is considered to be unreliable. a quartz-feldspar-biotite porphyry, probablyquartz A goodestimateof the age of the alterationis given latite, which hasbeenintenselysericitized. The whole by NG123 whichgavea whole-rock age of 16.2 + 0.3 rock analyses give an unweighted mean age of 16.4 m.y. (unweightedmean of duplicateanalyses). This -+-0.3 m.y. This is the minimumage for the altera- is considered to be a reliable minimum age for the tion of the dike and surrounding sedimentary rocks, formationof the ChorolqueComplex. and probablyclosely approaches the age of the mineralization. Discussion

rocks are all altered.

The central core is altered to a

At Tasna, the Bi-Cu-Sn veins occur within a

Even

in the volcanics farthest

from

the vent the

The ChocayaComplex is made up almostentirely

of extrusive rocks. It now covers an area of over

General

considerations

The geochronology of igneousactivity in the tin 100 km and has been extensivelyeroded since its formation. It is madeup of rhyodacitic pyroclastics belt is by no means fully understood;however,a and lavascut by a few dikes. There is a very exten- number of distinctive features are evident which can in termsof the chronology of magmatic sive zone of strong hydrothermalalteration in the beconsidered centerof the complex (mainly sericite/carbonate and activity in the Eastern Cordillera of the Central argillic alteration) and the importanttin and silver- Andes as a whole. lead veins lie within this. We have dated both fresh 1. No Paleozoic ageshave beenmeasured on any rockswithin the tin belt, although the rocks from the outer part of the complex and an of the igneous Eastern Cordillera in both Peru and Argentina has altered samplefrom the center. a long and complexhistory of Paleozoic The biotite ages of the three unaltered samples undergone give an unweighted meanof 13.8 +--0.2 m.y. which is igneousactivity. 2. The oldest known igneousrocks and ore dea goodestimateof the minimumage for the eruption of much of the volcanic material. The whole rock positswithin the tin belt are the granite-granodiorite and associated tin-tungsten deposits of the age of the sericitized sample (NG126) from the batholiths pervasive alterationzoneis 12.5 + 0.2 m.y. This age Cordillera Real. Thesegive Triassicto lower Jurasat a is significantly youngerthan the biotite ages of the sic K-Ar ages and were apparentlyemplaced, unaltered rocksand suggests that, as at several other distance of over 300 km from the coast, at about the

848

GRANT, HALLS, SALINAS, AND SNELLING

same time that the initial Andean volcanic activity volcanic eruptive complexesof Miocene age in the was beginning in the coastal regions of southern Eastern Cordillera in northern Argentina. Their Peru and northern Chile. agesoverlapwith thoseof the southernmost group of 3. All later significantigneousactivity was Mio- tin-mineralized igneous complexes of the Bolivian tin belt, and they may represent a southward continceneor younger in age. uation of that igneous province. The Miocene igne4. Within the tin belt, presently available ages ous complexes in northern Argentina contain copper suggest that magmatic activity took placein a series includinga numberof porphyry copof relatively discretepulses. The geographical dis- mineralization, tribution of dates suggests that each pulse was con- per deposits(Sillitoe, 1977). thus the southerntermfined to a limited section of the tin belt, with little
ination of the Bolivian tin belt seems to be marked

overlap except in the case of the youngest event(the

postmineral ignimbrites). Further work may reveal a more complexdistribution,particularlyin the region to the east of Lake Titicacawheremineralized high-level eruptives havebeenfound,suggesting that the Miocene igneousprovincemay extend northward parallelwith, but to the west of, the Mesozoic plutonics.
To the north of the tin belt, in Peru, the Eastern

by an apparentlyabrupt changein the metal content of the ore depositsxvithin a continuousmagmatic province rather than the termination of a belt of igneousrocks of a particular type or age. However, the lack of age data and detailedgeologicalinvestigations in the region of the Bolivia-Argentina border leaves considerable uncertainty regarding the geographical and geochronological relationshipsof the
mineral belts in this area.

At the latitude of northern Argentina, Andean Cordilleracontains a variety of plutonicand volcanic rockswhich have given Paleozoicagesrangingfrom magmatic activity began in the coastal region of Ordovician to Permian, and there are also Pliocene Chile in Pertoo-Triassictime. The focus of magvolcanics (Stewartet al., 1974). A Permianigneous matism migrated inland acrossthe Western Cordilof narrow longitudinal event seemsto have been the most widespreadand lera, forming a succession igneous belts, parallel with the coast, and decreasing important,havingproduced acid and basicvolcanics andgraniticplutons. The southernmost of the major in age eastward. In the Miocenethere was an abrupt plutons, the Coasa batholith,hasgiven Permianzir- eastwardexpansion. Magmatism "broke out" of the eruptive con U-Pb ages (238-----11 m.y., Lancelot et al., Western Cordillera,formingthe mineralized complexes of the Eastern Cordillera mentioned above 1976). This suggests that the northernmost plutons (Clark et al., 1976). of the tin belt, which give Triassic K-Ar ages,may Farther north, in the latitude of the Bolivian tin be distinctlyyoungerthan the Permian plutonsof of igneous activityin the Western Peru which contain no tin mineralization, and hence belt,the chronology Cordillera is less well known, but a similar pattern that the northern termination of the tin belt corexists. The Mioceneigneous activityof responds with a significant break in the chronology apparently the Eastern Cordillera, which produced the mineraof igneous activityin this region. The possibility relized plutons and subvolcanic eruptive complexes of mains,however,that the K-Ar agesof the Bolivian plutonsare too young,and they couldbe contempor- the tin belt to the south of the Cordillera Real, was aneous with the plutonsof southernPeru (Fig. 1). part of the break-outevent which lasted into the At its southern end, the tin belt terminates just Pliocene. In the upper Pliocene there was a conactivitywestward, backinto the southof the Bolivia-Argentinaborder. The Eastern tractionof magmatic Western Cordillera. This is recognized both in BoCordillera in northern Argentina has undergonea livia and in Argentina. Thus, the igneous geology of longand complex historyof magmatic activitywhich

is relativelywell documented (Clark et al., 1976). pattern of AndeanigneThere is a pre-Andeanpattern of granitic plutonic rather well into a coherent ous activity which is recognizable throughoutthe belts, of Cambrian to Carboniferousage, oriented

the tin belt to the south of the Cordillera

Real fits

northwestto southeast and becomingprogressively whole region. The samecannotbe said of the pluyoungertoward the Chileanborder. Someof these tons and associatedtin-tungsten deposits of the plutonshavetin-tungsten-bismuth mineralization as- Cordillera Real whose relationships to the larger pattern of magmaticand tectonicevolutionremain sociated with them. In the Permian there was volof the southerntin belt border. SomeMesozoic ages (Cretaceous)havealso Geochronolo9y been recorded (Sillitoe, 1977). A northward exPreviouschronological subdivisions of the tin belt, tension of theseolder igneous provinces into Bolivia such as those of Schneider-Scherbina (1962) or with the new age has not beenrecognized.There are however, sub- Ahlfeld (1967), are not consistent

canicand high-level plutonic activity,with associated copper mineralization, in a belt close to the Chilean

obscure.

K-.4r .4GES OF IGNEOUS

A = ALTERED

ROCKS AND THE BOLIFI.4N

TIN BELT

849

Pluton-Quimsa Cruz (Cordani ,1967;and Roberton,lg74) j

Pluton- SantaVeraCruz (Cardani,1967) '4-

'J'Maracacala ignimbrite
San Pabla stock

-I

I (AI) ''Oyke, Japa mine

Dyke, Santa Fe
A; A,i

n [.

Llallagua, Salvadara stack

AjjA j Calquechaca
Los Frailes ignimbrlte
Huakachi
ignimbrite

Cerra Rico
Stack

i[ Is II [[ Ii
III

Kari-Kari

Plutan

...

Agua Dulceand
Canteria

Valcanics

Choralque ATasna
Chacaya I I

,, , -H-Tatall I J Atochatuff

Past-mineral

Ignlmbrltes

Southern(Upper Mlacene) Graul

Northern ( Lawer Mlacene ) Graul

i[0 I

..... 14
AGE ( Ma )

16

'e

'

20

'

'

'

24

'

'

FIG. 4. Summary of K' Ar age data for the central and southernpart of the Bolivian tin belt.

data reportedhere. The latter proposed two metallogenic epochsfor the southerntin belt; a plutonic phaseof Mioceneage which included the minor mineralization of the Kari-Kari batholith,and an upper Miocene subvolcanic phase which included all the importanttin deposits and whoseage was basedon a 9.4 m.y. age for the Llallagua stock. Ahlfeld also proposed that the Mesozoicbatholithsof the Cordil-

the igneousrocks of the Kari-Kari batholith and Agua Dulceand CanteriaFormations fall within the older group. This suggests that the Quimsa Cruz, SantaVera Cruz, and Illimani plutons,and the northern subvolcanic centers,all belongto a distinctprovince of lower Mioceneage. Although they have not beendatedin this study,it is probable that the major ore deposits at Colquiri, Oruro, and Huanuni could lera Real with their associated mineralization were also be included. If this is the case,then this group all of the mostimportantpredominantly tinpost-tectonic plutons of a Variscan orogeny,which contains deposits of the Boliviantin belt, while the precededthe Andean cycle. Although few radio- producing by depositsrich in metric ages were available,he recognized that the southerngroup is characterized more southerly plutons of the Cordilleras Quimsa silver and base metals (Potosi, Chocaya, Tatasi, Cruz, Santa Vera Cruz, and possibly Illimani, were Tasna). To the north, the Cordillera Real forms a younger than those farther north. He also noted distinct older (Mesozoic) provinceof tungsten-rich the similarity in metal content and certain morpho- deposits.Its geochronology is complex and,although logicalfeauresshownby the deposits associated with much work has been done, the results have not been yet (Robertson, 1974). these plutons and the subvolcanic depositsof the published
southern tin belt.

The data show that there was a distinct southward

Our data are plotteddiagrammatically in Figure 4, shiftin high-level igneous activityin the southern tin 20 and 17 m.y. ago,with overlapof the which shows that the agesof mineralizedsubvolcanic belt between
centers of the southern

olderand younger age groupsin the Potosiregion. Considering the tin beltasa whole thereis a marked eralization which we have dated, as far south as overalltrend towardyounger agesin the south, with of igneous activity apparently moving southColquechaca, giveages between approximately 23 and thelocus steps. 20 m.y. This overlaps with the agesof the plutonsof ward in a seriesof discontinuous There is an overall north to southchangein the QuimsaCruz and SantaVera Cruz. The mineralized of the ore deposits.Mineralization ascenters southof Colquechaca haveagesrangingbe- metalcontent with the plutonics of the northerntin belt is tween 17 and 12 m.y., although in the Potosiregion, sociated
groups. All the igneousrocksassociated with min-

tin belt fall into two distinct

850

GRANT, HALLS, SALINAS, AND SNELLING

predominantly of tin-tungstentype. As notedabove, the two age groups in the southerntin belt can be broadly distinguished by their differing types of mineralization. The northerngroup (older than 20 m.y.) is made up mainly of deposits associated with high-levelplutonsor subvolcanic stocks,and the ores are of quartz-cassiterite type with tin as the dominant economicmetal. Included here are the depositsof the Cordillera Quimsa Cruz, the San Pablo stock, Llallagua, the Kari-Kari batholith, etc. There are, however,exceptions, suchas Colquechaca which is a volcaniccomplexcontainingsulfide-richbase metal
and silver mineralization with little tin. The Oruro

viding accommodation and geological assistance; Mr. C. Rundle, Institute of Geological Sciences, London, for assistance vith the analyticalwork; and Messrs. S. Le Chevalier,A. Stevens, and I. Ferriday (Imperial College),for assistance with sample preparation. J. N. G. and C. H. were financed by the
Natural Environment Research Council, London.
J. N. G.
BILLITON INTERNATIONAL METALS LOUIS COUPERUSPLEIN 19

2514 HP THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS

C.H. DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY ROYAL SCHOOL OF MINES

tin-silver depositalso probablybelongswith this age group. The southern group (youngerthan 17 m.y.) is dominatedby sulfide-richores containingimportant amounts of base metals and silver in addition to
w.

IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SOUTH KENSINGTON, LONDONSW7 2AZ,

ENGLAND

tin, and the depositsare within eruptive complexes of essentiallyvolcanic character. They include the

Cerro Rico (Potosi), Chocaya,and Tatasi. Again, there are exceptions, including Chorolquewhich is N.J. S. a brecciated stockwith quartz-cassiterite veins, and INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES also Isca-Iscawhich is a brecciapipe with tin-tungGEOCHEMICAL DIVISION, sten veins. Thus the differencesin the style of 64 GRAY'SINN ROAD,
mineralization and the metal content of the ore de-

A. S. SERVICIO GEOLOGICO DE BOLIVIA FEDERICO ZUAZO No. 1673 LA PAZ BOLIVIA

LONDON WC1X

8NG, ENGLAND

positswithin the tin belt are not consistently related .4pril 20, November I0, 1978 to their age but primarily reflectthe depthat which REFERENCES the deposits formed, rather than changes in the geochemistryof the parent magmaswith time or space. Ahlfeld, F., 1967, Metallogenic epochs and provinces of Bolivia: Mineralium Deposita, v. 2, p. 291-311. This argumentcannot,however,be applied to the
northern and southern terminations of the tin belt,

Ahlfeld, F., and Schneider-Scherbina, A., 1964, Los yacimientos minerales y de hidrocarburos de Bolivia: Bolivia Dept. Nac. Geologia, Bol. 5, 388 p. Audebaud, E., Laubacher, G., and Marocco, R., 1976, Coupe gologique des Andes du sud du Prou de l'Ocan Pacifique tin, to silver and base metals from north to south au bouclier Brsilien: Geol. Rundschau,v. 65, p. 223-264. down the tin belt parallels the decrease in erosion Avila, W., 1975, Un modelo de tectonica de placas para el origin del cinturon estanifero Boliviano: Soc. Geol. Bolevel southward. This does not imply that any inliviana Bol., no. 21. dividual center of mineralizationis, or was, vertically Berry, E. W., 1937, The fossil flora of Potosi, Bolivia: John zonedthroughoutthe full range of stylesand metal Hopkins Univ., Studies in Geology, no. 13, p. 9-67. A., and Farcar, E., 1973, The Bolivian tin province: associations, from plutonicto volcanic, whichare dis- Clark, notes on the available geochronological data: ECON. played laterally within the tin belt as a whole. GF. OL., v. 68, p. 102--106. In most of the mineralized subvolcaniccomplexes Clark, A., Farcar, E., Caelles, J., Haynes, S., Lortie, R., McBride, S., Quirt, G., Robertson, R., and Zentilli M., there is little doubt that the pervasivehydrothermal 1976, Longitudinal variations in the metallogenetic evolualteration is younger than virtually all the igneous tion of the central Andes: A progressreport: Geol. Assoc. Canada, Spec. Paper 14, p. 23-58. rocks. Thus the alteration ages are minimum ages E. J., and Pitcher, W. S., 1972, Plate tectonicsand for the igneous activity. This showsthat the maxi- Cobbing, the Peruvian Andes: Nature, v. 240, p. 51-53. mum probable time between the coolingof the earliest Cordani, U., 1967, Determinaciones de edades radiometricas igneousrocks and the completionof the pervasive de rocas Bolivianas: Arch. Centro de Documentacion, Servicio Geol. Bolivia, La Paz (unpub. rept.). alterationat a given centeris of the order of 1 m.y. Dalrymple, G. B., and Lanphere, M. A., 1969, Potassium argon dating: San Francisco, Freeman and Co., 258 p. Evernden, J. F., 1961, Edades absolutas de algunas rocas Acknowledgments igneas en Bolivia, por el metodo potasio-argon: Soc.

which must reflectsomemore fundamental geochemical factors. The generaltrend from tungsten, through

Geol. Boliviana, Noticiero 2, p. 3. Of the many peoplewho assisted in this investiga- Evernden, J. F., Kriz, S. J., and Cherroni, M., C., 1977, tion we wish to thank in particular the following: Potassium-argon ages of some Bolivian rocks: ECON. GEOL.,v. 72, p. 1042-1061. Ing. Jose Torrez, formerly Director of Geobol; the James, D. E., 1971, A plate tectonic model for the evolution Management and staff of the Corporacion Minera de of the central Andes: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 82, p. 3325-3346. Bolivia for permission to visit the minesand for pro-

K-Ar

AGES

OF IGNEOUS

ROCKS

AND

THE

BOLIVIAN

TIN

BELT

851

Lancelot, J., Laubacher, G., Marocco, R., and Renaud, J., 1976, U/Pb radiochronology of two granitic plutons from the eastern Cordillera (Peru): Extent of Permian magmatic activity and consequences: Montpellier, France, Centre Geol. Geophys.Contr. no. 222, 5 p. Mcintyre, D. B., 1963, Precision and resolution in geochronometry, in Albritton, C. C., ed., The fabric of geology: Reading, Mass., Addison-Wesley, p. 112-134. Robertson, R., 1974, Notas sobre el metodo del K-Ar de datacion de rocas e interpretacion de edades obtenidas hasta ahora: Proy. Plutonismo, Servicio Geol. Bolivia, La Paz, Inf. Prelim. No. 2, (unpub. rept.). Schlatter, L. E., and Nederlof, M. H., 1966, .Bosquejode la geologia y paleogeografica de Bolivia: Servicio Geol. Bolivia, Bol. 8, 49 p. Schneider-Scherbina, A., 1962. fber metallogenetische epochen Boliviens und den hybriden charakter der sogenannten zinn-silber-formation: Geol. Jahrb., v. 81, p. 157170.

Sillitoe, R. H., 1976, Andean mineralization: a model for the

metallogeny of convergent plate margins: Geol. Assoc. Canada, Spec. Paper 14, p. 59-100. 1977, Permo-Carboniferous, Upper Cretaceous, and Miocene porphyry copper-typemineralization in the ArgentinJan Andes: Ecoa. GEOL., v. 72, p. 99-103. Steiger, R. H., and JSger, E., 1977, Subcommission on geochronology: conventionon the use of decay constantsin geo- and cosmochronology: Earth Planet. Sci. Leters, v. 36, p. 359-362. Steinmann, G., 1922, Uber die junge Hebung der Kordillera Sfidamerikas: Geol. Rundschau,v. 13, p. 1-9. Stewart, J. W., Evernden, J. F., and Snelling, N.J., 1974, Age determinations from Andean Peru: a reconnaissance survey: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 85, p. 1107-1116. Turner, J., 1970, The Andes of northwestern Argentina: Geol. Rundschau,v. 59, p. 1028-1063. Turneaure, F. S., 1935, The tin depositsof Llallagua, Bolivia: Ecoa. GEOL.,v. 30, p. 14-60, 170-190. -1960,A comparativestudy of the major ore deposits of central Bolivia: EcoN. GzoL., v. 55, p. 217-254, 574-606.