ECONOMIC

GEOLOGY
AN'D

BULLETIN

Vo..

OF

THE

65

THE

SOCIETY

OF

ECONOMIC

GEOLOGISTS

JuNE-JuLY, 1970

Lateral and Vertical Alteration-MineralizationZoning

in PorphyryOre Deposits
j. DAWDLOWELLAND JOHN M. GUmBERT
Abstract

The geologichistory of the San Manuel-Kalamazoodeposithas provided an opportunity for the examination of vertical and horizontal zoning relationships in a porphyry coppersystem. Precambrian Oracle "granite," a Laramide monzoniteporphyry,
and a Laramide dacite porphyry are hosts to zones of potassic,phyllic, argillic, and
propylitic assemblagesshown to be coaxially arranged outward from a potassiccore
through phyllic, argillic, and propylitic zones. Alteration zones at depth comprise an
outer chlorite-sericite-epidote-magnetiteassemblageyielding to an inner zone of
quartz-K4eldspar-sericite-chlorite. Mineralization zones are conformable to the

alterationzones,the ore zone (with a 0.5% Cu cutoff) overlappingthe potassicand

phyllic zones. Occurrenceof sulfideschangesupward and outward from dissemination
at the low-grade core of the deposit through microveinlet to veinlet and finally vein
occurrenceindicating the progressivelyincreasing effect of structural control.
Several aspectsof San Manuel-Kalamazoo geology suggestthat it is exemplary of
the porphyry copper depositgroup. To test that idea and to evolve three-dimensional
aspectsof these deposits,a table of geologiccharacteristicsof 27 major porphyry deposits is presented. Considerationof the table indicatesthat the "typical" porphyry
copper deposit is eraplaced in late Cretaceous sediments and metasedimentsand
is associatedwith a Laramide (65 m.y.) quartz monzonitestock. Its host intrusive

rock is elongate-irregular,
4,000X 6,000 feet in outcrop,and is progressivelydifferentiated from quartz diorite to quartz monzonite in composition. The host is more like

a stockthan a dike and is controlledby regional-scale

faulting. The orebodyis oval
to pipelike, with dimensionsof 3,500 X 6,000 feet and gradational boundaries.Seventy
percentof the 140 million tons of ore occursin the igneoushost rocks, 30 percent in
preore rocks. Metal values include0.45% hypogeneCu with 0.35% supergeneCu,

and 0.015% Mo. Alterationis zonedfrom potassicat the core (and earliest) outward
through phyllic (quartz-sericite-pyrite), argillic (quartz-kaolin-montmorillonite),and
propylitic (epidote--calcite-chlorite),
the propylitic zone extending2,500 feet beyond
the copperore zone. Over the sameinterval, sulfidespeciesvary from chalcopyritemolybdenite-pyrite
throughsuccessive
assemblages
to an assemblage
of galena-sphalerite
with minor gold and silver values in solid solution, as metals, and as sulfosalts.
Occurrencecharacteristics
shift from disseminations
through respectivezonesof microveinlets (crackle fillings), veinlets,veins, and finally to individualstructureson the
peripherywhich may containhigh-grademineralization. Breccia pipes with attendant
crackle

zones are common.

Expressionof zoning is affectedby exposure,structural and compositionalhomogeneity, and postore faulting or intrusive activity. Vertical dimensionscan reach

10,000feet, with the upperreachesof the porphyryenvironmentperhapsonly at subvolcanicdepthsof a few thousandfeet. The vertical and lateral zoning describedis
repeatedwith sufficientconstancythat depthsof exposureat many depositscan be cited
against the model of San Manuel-Kalamazoo.
373

No.

374

.t. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

Severallines of evidencesuggestrelativelyshallowdepthsof formationand significant variations in water contentin the porphyry environment. Shallow emplacement
is consistent
with the appearance
of brecciapipesassociated
with ring and radial diking
and with vertically telescopedzoning. Models of the sourceof altering-mineralizing
fluids are considered.

Contents
PAGE

Introduction

.................................

Genetic modelsof porphyry deposits...........

Geologyof the San Manuel-Kalamazoo
deposit..
Fresh rocks ................................
Alteration zones ...........................
Mineralization zones ........................

374

375
376
378
381
385

acteristicswhich link Bingham Canyon and many

otherdepositsto the generalporphyrycopperdeposit
type. There appearsto have been little published
effort specificallyto compareand contrastthe porphyry depositsas a group.
The first portion of this paper describesboth
lateral and vertical

alteration-mineralization

relation-

shipsat San Manuel-Kalamazoo. The exploration

model includedand substantiated
approximately70
degrees of postmineralizationtilting. Thus this
geologic system provides information concerning
both vertical and horizontalaxes of a porphyry deposit. A three-dimensionalsynthesisis given of
hydrothermalalterationmineralogyand assemblages,
of the distributionand quantitativeaspectsof sul-

Comparisonof porphyry deposits..............

Deposits (column 1) .......................
Preore host rock (column 2) ................
Igneoushost rock (columns3-11) ...........
Orebody (columns12-19) ..................
Hypogenealteration (columns20-27) ........
Hypogenemineralization(columns28-35) ....
Occurrenceof sulfides(columns36-42) .......
Supergenesulfides(column43) ..............
Genesisof porphyry deposits ..................

386
386
386
386
399
400
402
403
403
403

Conclusions

404

oxide minerals.

Acknowledgments.............................

406

References ...................................

406

mineralizationgeometryis still tentative,but some

vertical zoning changescan be identified.
Comparisonof other major porphyrybase-metal
depositsto San Manuel-Kalamazooby meansof publisheddata assembled
in Table 1 permitsdevelopment of a generalizedlateral and vertical zonation
modelfor the depositgroup. Finally, that modelis
used to examine the genesisand environmentof
formationof the porphyrydeposits. The data suggest that it is sometimespossibleto estimate the
position of the present erosion surfacesof other
porphyrydepositswith respectto their originalcolumns of mineralization. Depth parametershave
beenassignedto nine deposits,and it is hopedthat
both scientificand explorationaluse can be made
of three-dimensional
alteration-mineralization
zoning.
The porphyrycopperand molybdenum
deposits,
hereaftercalled"porphyries,"must first be defined.
A necessarilyflexibledefinitionemergesfrom con-

..................................

Introduction

fides, and of the structural occurrenceof sulfide and

Vertical

treatment

of alteration

and

Exv.o1,ToN
of the Kalamazooportionof the San
Manuel-Kalamazoo
district,Pinal County,Arizona,
has presentedan unparalleledopportunityfor the
studyof a porphyrycopperdepositin three dimensions. The coaxialsymmetryof alterationand mineralizationzoneswhichwas the basisof the exploration model has been verified in the exploratory
drilling(Lowell,1968) of the Kalamazoo
portionof
the district and in exploitationof the San Manuel
portion. As explorationproceeded,it becameincreasinglyapparent that many elementsof mineralog-y,
occurrence,
and geometryof otherporphyry
copperdepositswere explicitly representedat San
Manuel-Kalamazoo. Zoning patternsthere can be
considered
a refinedbasefor the studyof mineralizaof a
tion and alterationrelationshipsin other porphyry siderationof many depositsand descriptions
copperdeposits,and this is the subjectof the study "typical" one.
reported here, with compilationof data from 27
A porphyrydepositis here definedas a copper
major porphyrycopperand molybdenum
depositsin and/or molybdenumsulfidedepositconsistingof
North and SouthAmerica. Most significantis the disseminated and stockwork veinlet sulfide mineraliemergencefrom the many descriptionsof a more zationemplacedin varioushost rocksthat have been
generally applicableunifying theme of large-scale alteredby hydrothermal
solutions
into roughlyconalteration-mineralization
zoning in these large de- centric zonal patterns. The deposit is generally
positsthanhasgenerallybeenrecognized.Stringham large, on the scaleof several thousandsof feet, al(1953, p. 990) statedthat "a review of hydro- though smaller occurrencesare recognized. The
thermal studiesof porphyrycopperdepositsshows relativelyhomogeneous
and commonlyroughlyequias many dissimilarities
as similaritiesto the hydro- dimensionaldeposit is associatedwith a complex,
thermal features at Bingham Canyon." We now passivelyemplacedstockof intermediatecomposition
take the oppositepositionthat there are many char- includingporphyry units. It containssignificant

.4LTERATION-MINERALIZATION

ZONING

amountsof pyrite, chalcopyrite,

molybdenite,
quartz,
and sericiteassociated
with other alteration,gangue,
and ore mineralsand metals includingminor lead,
zinc, gold, and silver. Mineralizationand alteration
suggesta late magrnatic-mesothermal
temperature
range. The deposit is generally associatedwith
brecciapipes,usually with a large cracklebrecciation zone,and is surrounded
by peripheralmineral
depositssuggestive
of lowertemperature
mineraliza-

IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

375

to depthsapparentlyon the order of 3,000-5,000

feet. The modeldependson a melt derivedat some

greaterdepth,probablynear the mantle-crustboundary, which becomessaturatedwith water as it approachesthe upper surface. Releaseof that water
may occur when internal vapor pressuredeveloped
by supersaturation
exceedsthe lithostaticload pressureor whenthe intrusivesystemis rent by external
stresses. Crystallizationthen proceedspresumably
tion.
alongthe linesof Emmons'(1933) cupolaor R. H.
The grade of primary mineralization
in typical Sales'ssub-hoodcupoladevelopment.
As describedby Nielsen (1968), the sequence
of
porphyrycopperdeposits
rangesup to 0.8% Cu and
events
can
be
paraphrased
as
intrusion,
early
mar0.02% Mo, andporphyrydeposits
in whichmolybwhichproduces
a solidshell,and
deniteis the chief economic
mineralhave grades ginalcrystallization
rangingup to 0.6% Mo and 0.05% Cu. All por- ruptureof that shellto produceporphyritic-aphanitic
crystallizedrocks. Volatiles
phyry copper depositscontain at least traces of texturesin subsequently
molybdenite,
andall porphyrymolybdenum
deposits releasedby the quenchingmigrateoutwardthrough

containsomechalcopyrite.Many depositscontain crackle, stockwork,and brecciatedzonesin the cooler

recoverablequantities of both minerals, either in

marginswhere,augmentedby diffusioneffects,alter-

separateorebodiesor in ore with approximatelyation and mineralizationoccurin responseto gradiequal copperand molybdenumdollar values. Al- ents"from near magmatictemperaturesat the center
thoughtypicalporphyrycopperdeposits
differfrom of the stock to relatively cool temperaturesin the
typicalmolybdenum
deposits
in somerespects,
the wall rocks" (p. 37). Silicate sulfide reactionsof
by HemleyandJones(1964) preexistenceof gradationalcharacteristics
in metalliza- the typedescribed
vail. Other authorswould not necessarily
limit the
tion suggests
a commonorigin.
This definitionis somewhat
generalized
because
it separationof volatiles to the period of quenching,
mustpermitconsideration
of manydepositswhose but rather would considerevolutionof the hydroseparationof
localgeologic
circumstances
vary as expressed
by thermal fraction a quasi-continuous
volatiles
in
response
to
the
many
variables
related
their geometries
and physicalcharacteristics.We
believethe porphyrydeposits
to be a petrological-to temperatureand pressure. The loss of volatiles
portionsof a melt may permitthe
mineralizational
class,andindividual
porphyryde- from near-surface

positsare bestinterpretedas greateror lesserde- upward and outward replenishmentof mineralizers

partures from the unifying model of the above from greaterdepths.
Fournier (1968) suggeststhat the initial deep
definition
as elaborated
uponbelow.

Genetic Models of Porphyry Deposits

porphyry copper melt was unsaturatedwith water

at one to three percent, that it was intruded to

depthsof lessthan about4,500 feet, and that rupSeveralgeneticmodelshavebeenproposed

to re- ture by faultingwouldcausesudden,evenexplosive
late the characteristics
of porphyrycopperand loss of water and supercooling
of the silicatemelt.
molybdenum
deposits.All of the modelsrecognizeCrystallizationwould then abruptlyhalt the upward
the importantinvolvement
of porphyriticintrusive progressof the now dry melt. Subsequent"extenrockswithoredeposition,
andall arefundamentallysiveargillicalterationshownby mostporphyrycopmagmatic-hydrothermal,
differingin the sequencesper depositsis probablydue to a superimposed
cirof events,depthsof intrusion,
the timingof deriva- culatinghot-springsystem,fed mainly by meteoric
tion of fluids, and the sourceof fluids. The models and cormatewater" (p. 101).

consideredhere are the orthomagmatic

model,
Fournier's model of intrusion of a water undersaturated melt, and the White model of multilevel

White (1968) in a particularlystimulatingpaper

suggests
that circulationof sulfur-deficientNa-Ca-C1
brines, with salt contentsgenerally equivalentto

circulationof brinesadjacentto a heat source.

5%-to 40% NaC1, are responsible
for many baseThe orthomagrnatic
modelhasbeenbestdescribed metal deposits. Such brines may be producedin

in therecentwritingsof Burnham(1967) andNiel- porphyry systemsby deuteric reactionof residual

sen(1968). It is the geneticmodeltacitlyadopted liquids with earlier formed plagioclaseand ferroin mostdepositdescriptions,
as for example,
those magnesianmineralsto achievehigh contentsof caldescribed
in TitleyandHicks(1966). It sometimesciumandbasemetals. AlthoughWhite in his paper
involvespenetrationof the sourceto levelsas shallow doesnot developa specificspace-time
modelfor the

at 1,500feet (Nielsen,1968),but morecommonlyporphyry deposits,he implicitly developsa model

376

.r. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

portionmovedabout
involvingmultilevelcirculationof deutericallymetal- portions.TheupperKalamazoo
enriched or cormate-meteoric sulfur-deficient metal8,000 feet in a down-dip,S55W direction.
Small,high-angle,
northwest-trending
normalfaults
lizing solutions
underthe influenceof thermalgradibothhalvesof the originalorebody,
ents establishedby an adjacent or subjacentmag- later displaced
matic heat source. The model differs importantly and erosionstrippedmostof the Gila Conglomerate
from the orthomagrnaticmodel in that the source from the east end of the presentSan Manuel oreof the solutions,and perhaps the metals, is almost body (Fig. lb).
The original,unfaultedorebody,as definedby a
completelyexternalto the magmaticsystem,with
convective overturn of circulating solutions pro- 0.5% copperlimit, formeda slightlyflattenedor
ducingalteration-mineralization
envelopes
and zones. ellipticalcylinderwhichwasat least7,700feetlong
and from 2,500 to 5,000 feet in diameter. The top
Geology of the San Manuel-Kalamazoo Deposit of thecylinder,at the eastendaftertilting,mayhave
been rounded,with the bottom,at the west, having
The San Manuel-Kalamazoo deposit (Lowell, an irregularshape. The centerof the orebodyis
1968), located in Pinal County, Arizona, is here poorlymetallized,
so that ore actuallyformsa holacceptedas the type porphyrycopperdeposit,and low cylinderor cylindricalshell. The shell surits geologyand other characteristics
are presented rounding
thelow-grade
centervariesfromabout100
for comparisonand contrastwith others (Table 1). to 1,000 feet in thickness. Mineralizationand alterPrecambrian quartz monzonite of the Oracle ation zonesare approximately
coaxial.
Granite batholith in the San Manuel area was inThe alterationassemblages
in the San Manueltruded in Laramide time by swarmsof monzonite Kalamazoo
deposit
formregular,smoothly
bounded
porphyry dikes and irregular massesof monzonite zones,which, as in most porphyries,are locally
porphyry, more properly termed biotite latite por- gradational
anddifficultto placewithina hundred
phyries, althoughlong-established
"monzonitepor- feet,although
theyarewelldefinedon a broadscale.
phyry" terminologywill be followedhere. Closely The boundariesare more clearly definedthan they
related in time and spaceto the activity was a are in mostporphyrydeposits,
presumably
because
porphyrycoppermineralization
eventthat produced the mineralizing
fluidsaffectedintrusive,essentially
the San Manuel-Kalamazooorebodyand its associ- homogeneous,
isotropic
plutonicandhypabyssal
host
ated concentricalterationzones. The hydrothermal rocksof intermediate
composition.Theserocksresystemappearsto havebeencenteredin the middle sponded
to the indicated
alkalichemistry
without
of the monzoniteporphyrydike swarm,and metal- important
gainsor losses.No marginalsediments,
lization is almost equally distributedbetweenthe compositionally
contrasting
intrusiverocks,planar
monzoniteporphyry and the Oracle Granite host rock fabrics,or prominenttectonicelementsprorocks(Fig. 1).
ducedsteepphysical
or chemical
gradients
to influFollowinghydrothermalmineralizationand alter- ence the uniform zoning and symmetry.
ation (Fig. la), the whole districtwas tilted to the
Mineralogic
zoningat Kalamazoo
and elsewhere
northeast,and the block includingthe San Manuel- suggests
thatat leastfouralteration
assemblages
are
Kalamazooorebodywasprobablyrelativelyelevated. easilydiscernible
in theporphyry
copper
andmolybErosion of this block exposedthe top of the ore- denumdeposits.The termspotassic,
phyllic,argilbody, and supergeneactivity formed a thin chal- lic, and propylitic
havebeenadapted
or adopted
cocite enrichmentblanket. At this time, the long fromthe literature(Burnham,1962;Creasey,1966;
axis of the orebodymay have plunged at about Meyer and Hemley, 1968) to describethe four
65SW.

Shortly thereafter,terrestrial sediments principalassemblages.

The terms"argillic"and

beganto coverthe deposit.

"propylitic"
are well knownand widelyaccepted,

Further tilting, perhaps15, followeddeposition broadly describingquartz-kaolin-montmorilloniteof the lowermost Cloudburst Conglomerate. An chlorite-biotiteand chlorite-calcite-epidote-adulariaassemblages,
respectively."Phyllic"
erosion surface formed on the Cloudburst sediments albitealteration
is
here
applied
to
the
assemblage
quartz-sericitewas later coveredby the Gila Conglomerate. A
third-stagetilt of about30 gavethe Gila Conglomerateits presentinclinationand broughtthe originally verticalaxis of the San Manuel-Kalamazooorebody into a 20 southwest-plunging
attitude. The
San Manuelfault thendiagonallyoffsetthe original,
nearly cylindricalorebodyinto two roughlyequal-

pyritewithlessthan5% kaolin,biotite,or K-feldspar,and "potassic"

is suggested
(Guilbertand
Lowell,1968)to include
introduced
or recrystallized

K-feldspar
andbiotite,withminorsericite
andhighly
variablebut persistent
andgenerallyminoramounts
of anhydrite. Each of theseassemblages
will be
morefully described
below,especially
as theyoccur
sizedpieces,
the SanManuelandthe Kalamazooat San Manuel-Kalamazoo.Other assemblages

.4LTERATION-MINER.4LIZATION

ZONING IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

377

pCqm

OREBODY

12

sw

qml {
KALAMAZ

SAN MNUEL FAULT

Cc

SAN

NE

SEAMEN

..'

0
lb

1000'

I
Approximofe Scole

Fxa. 1. Schematic
drawingof structuralhistoryof SanManuel-Kalamazoo
deposit. (a) at time of emplacement
and (b) at present. Note the umbrella-like
flare of dikeswarmandthe chalcocite
enrichment
zone(CCa). pqm-Oracle Granite,TKrnp= monzoniteporphyry,Tcb= Cloudburst
Formation,Tgc= Gila Conglomerate.

rarelyencountered
in the porphyryenvironment
are
The alterationzoneswere separatedduring Kalathe advanced
argillic (Meyer and Hemley, 1968) mazoo exploration as follows. The inner limit of
and pegmatoid,respectively
involvingquartz and the propyliticzonewasplacedwherethe total quartzpyrophyllite,
withtracesof dickireor kaolinire,
topaz, montmorillonite,quartz-kaolin, or quartz-sericite
and zunyite,and quartz-coarse
sericite-K4eldspar,content in plagioclasesites exceedsthe total of
with or withoutcarbonate,
anhydrite,and apatite. chloriteand epidotereplacingmafic minerals; here
Hydrothermalalterationassemblages
in the San the color usually changesfrom green to light gray.
Manuel-Kalamazoo
depositare summarized
in Fig- The argillic zone, in which kaolin or montmorillonite
ure 2, which showsalterationchangesmineralby predominatesin plagioclasesites and chlorite remineraland assemblages
on AKF-ACF diagrams. placesbiotite, was not generallymappedseparately
Supergeneactivity is limited to a 200-foot thick and is least significantquantitatively. The inner
zonenear the top of the deposit.
limit of propylitic alteration is locally the outer

378

J. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

SHALLOW-MODERATE
DEPTH
ASSEMBLAGES'
FRESH
IM,

PORPHYRIES

Quartz
OrthoclaseMicrocline
Plagioclase
(An35.45)

PROPYLITIC
ZONE

ARGILLIC
ZONE

PHYLLIC
ZONE

Augmented

Augmented

NoChange
NoChange
Tr. Mont,flecks& granules
ep,

FleckedwithSericite

zois, car, chlorite,kaol.

POTASSIC
ZONE
Augmented
Recrytallized,
inpartreplaced
byalteration
K-felclspar-quartz
Freshto completely
replacedby

Sericitized

Montmorillonite
-, Kaolin

Sericitized

brn-grnalt'n biotite,K-spar,ser.

Fresh or recrystallized ta sucrose

Biotite
Chlor,zois, car, leucoxene
Hornblen_d..e.._.
Ep,car,mont,chlor(2 types)
....

Magnetite

A-K-C-F

Chloritized,+ leucoxene,
qtz
Chlaritized

Sericite,pyrite,rutile
Sericite,pyrite,ruffle(?)

Pyritized

Pyritized

trocepyrire

Ac.(kaol}

A.kool

brn-grngranules,+ chlorite
Biotite,+ chloriterutile
Pyritized

A=A' ,aa
<- ?Cp
x.,F
r,,.
py,7[,,e
//a
F= Fe,Mg
C=Casalts
K

C K

rt

VeinletFillings

,../,,;car

O-cal- K-spar-chlor-rare
ab-rt

..

F "

Q-ser-py-chlor

DEEP-LEVEL

O-ser-py

r?

'.-- py,cpt,mb

P troce
wf

Q-K-spar-bi-ser-anhy-cal-ap

ASSEMBLAGES

OUTER

uarz

Ii

INNER

SlightlyAugmented

Augmented

Orthoclase-

Microcline

Dustedwithtracesericite

AlterationK-sparwith sericite,relictscommon,
minorquartz

Dustedwith sericite, ohiorite,epidote

Largelychloritized,minorepidotemagadded
Chlorite+ Epidote+ Carbonate

Sericitized,with alterationK-sr-quartz, relicts uncommon

Chloritized,rareprimaryrelicts
Chloritized;tracecarbonate

Plagioclase

(An35-45)
Biotite_
Hornblende
.,

9tte

Augmented

Mostlypyritized

A-K-C-F
ser
K = K, Na

C = Ca salts

F = Fe, Mg

amag,py
b,k-spar
_chl

VeinletFillings

r?

mag-py Q-ser-cal envelopes

k-ar

car?

mb

Q-K-sr-ser-chl, tr mag,py, cp mb

Fro. 2. Summary of hydrothermalalteration assemblages

at San Manuel-Kal,amazoo.

Fresh Rocks
limit of either the argillic or the phyllic zone
of pervasive conversionto quartz, sericite, and
The unaltered rocks at San Manuel-Kalamazoo
pyrite. The inner limit of the phyllic zone is the includePrecambrianOracle porphyriticquartz monouter limit of the first continuous section of seczonite and two varieties of much younger biotite
ondary K-feldspar and secondary biotite, even porphyries. The. Oracle "granite" is coarsegrained
though the total quartz and sericite content here (Fig. 4) with anhedral subroundedquartz units
ordinarily exceedsthe total K-feldspar plus biotite about a centimeteracrossand commonlytangential
content. The zoningpatternsand interceptscan be to their nearestneighbors,rectangularto irregular
projectedremarkablywell from hole to hole. Sub- plagioclasetablets (Anas_45),and interstitial quartz
sequentpetrographicstudyhas contributedto these and K-feldspar. K-feldspar speciesincludemicroand microperthite.Severalauthors,
descriptionsof the zones,and subsequent
publica- cline,orthoclase,
especially
Banerjee
(1959) haveconsidered
the rock
tionsby J. M. Guilbertdescribingthe chemicaland
palingenic,
although
many
other
workers
accept
its
structuralmineralogyand physicalgeochemistryof
orthomagmatic
origin.
Accessory
minerals
include
the alteration-mineralization
processesare planned.
biotite and hornblende,with trace amountsof zircon,
In the followingsections,the fresh rocksat San
apatite,sphene,magnetite,and very sparsemonazite.
Manuel-Kalamazoo
are first discussed and alteration
The porphyriesare of at least two types. One
zonesexposedon a horizontalplane at moderate (here calledType A) is a quartz monzonitepordepth are describedsuccessively
outward from the phyry distinguished
by its zonedand twinnedoligocenter. Alteration and mineralizationchangeswith clase-andesine
phenocrysts
which averageabout 5
depth are discussed
last and are summarizedsche- mm and range up to 15 mm across(Fig. 5), its
quartz-K-feldspargroundmass
commonlycontaining
maticallyin Figure 3a.

ALTERA TION-MINERALIZA
SAN

TION

MANUEL

KALAMAZOO
SEGMENT

ZONING

IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

379

FAULT
SAN

MANUEL

SEGM..ENT

PROPYLITIC*
ChlEpiCarb

Adui
- Aib.

HYLLIC
"'

Q- Ser-py

ARGI
LLIC

\
)TASSIC

Q- K- feld- Bi-

-+ser-anh

VEINS

PER
IPHE
RAL
cp-gal,sl
Au-Ag'

VEINS

VEINS

PERIPHERAL
cp-gel-el

Au-Ag

VEINLETS
DISSEMII

ED

DISS
'4-

MICRO VLTS

DISS
mag +

Fro.3. Concentric
alteration-mineralization
zones
at SanManuel-Kalamazoo.
(a) schematic
drawing
of alteration
zones.Broken
linesonKalamazoo
sideindicate
uncertain
continuity
or location
andonSanManuel
sideextrapolation
fromKalamazoo.
(b) schematic
drawing
of mineralization
zones.(c) schematic
drawing
of theoccurrence
of sulfides.

380

.T.D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

..:.

-.....:
. '. -. ,.:;

' .-e'':

. ;

.3 ..,

..,

..:.z

:,: .:--a
--:

; :v...
::-

.. :

..

:%:.,: .. <

..

:2.'2:

.5.

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g.

Figure

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Figure 6
FT6. 4. Fresh Oracle quartz monzonite. Quartz grains along top, microdine acrosscenter, and biotite at lower right.
Andesineunit at extinction at left. Both feldsparsmottled but essentiallyfresh. Crossednicols, 15 X.
FT6. 5. Fresh Type A monzoniteporphyry. The stippledsucrosequartz-K-feldspar groundmassis studdedwith com-

poundrectangulartwinnedplagioclase
phenocrysts.The whiterectangular
unit is a biotitephenocryst
andthe blackblebs
immediatelyabove and to the left are quartz "eyes." Negative photograph,crossednicols, 3.2 X.
FT. 6. Fresh Type B biotite dacite porphyry. Plagioclasephenocrystsare square,traiezoidal,or rectangular. They
are twi_ned but generally unzoned. Negative lhotograph,crossednicols, 3.2 X.

.dLTERATION-MINERALIZAT10N

ZONING

fine-grained,embayedquartz "eyes" with stippled

overgrowth rims. Few quartz eyes exceed 1 mm
in diameter. Accessorybiotite, hornblende,apatite,
ruffle, zircon, and minor magnetite are generally
euhedral, the first two reaching 5 mm in length.
No K-feldspar phenocrystswere observed. The
groundmassis that of the widespreadquartz latite
porphyry and quartz monzonite porphyry of the
porphyrydeposits. Its grain size averages0.1 mm
and its texture is granularsucrose. Though locally

IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

381

PotassicZone.--Severalauthors,especially
Hemley and Jones(1964), Creasey(1966), and Meyer
and Hemley (1968), have discussed
the potassic
alterationenvironment.Hemleyand Joneshavedelimited an environmental interface between K-feld-

spar and sericitestabilities,the latter with higher

HC1/KC1ratiosat a giventemperature,
an environment consistent
with late magmaticor early hydrothermalconditions
in the K-feldspar-sericite-kaolin
(pyrophyllite)system.Inclusionof iron andmagvariable,it averages55 percentquartz and 45 per- nesiumshouldbringbiotiteor chloriteinto considercent K-feldspar,so that the overallwholerock feld- ationwith K-feldspar,
sericite,andquartz,an assemspar composition
averagesabout 35 percentplagio- blageincreasingly
notedin porphyrycopperdeposits
claseand 25 percentK-feldspar. The K-feldspars (Creasey,1966) and assignable
to a late magmaticare anhedral, granular, and mutually intergrown

early hydrothermal"deuteric"environment. Such a

with quartz; granular, often euhedral apatite and

rutile and shredsof mafic mineralsare sparse.
A secondporphyry (here called Type B) is a
biotite dacite. Plagioclasephenocrystsin Type B
are generallyroughly squareto rectangularor even
trapezoidalin cross section (Fig. 6) rather than
compoundand zonedas in Type A. Rarely do they

biotite-K-feldspar
alteration
assemblage
with quartz,
sericite,anhydrite,pyrite,chalcopyrite,
molybdenite,
and tracesof bornitegenerallyconstitutes
the low-

exceed5 mm on a side. Biotitephenocrysts

up to
3-5 mm are prominent. Quartz pheno:rystsare

gradecenterand part of the ore shellof the Kalamazoo deposit(Figs. 7, 8, 9).

This innermost
alterationzone(Fig. 3a) involves
pervasive
and veinletreplacement
of primarymineralsby secondary
biotite,K-feldspar,quartz,sericite,andto a lesserextentanhydrite(Fig. 9). Kfeldsparoccurswith quartzas microveinlet
fillings
that healminutestockwork-like
fracturesin the primary rocksand also replaceoriginalfeldsparsto

absent,and the biotite-to-amphibole

ratio is slightly
greater than that of Type A. The groundmassis
composedof intergrown microcrystalsof sparsely
twinned plagioclasewith quartz, apparentlyslightly varyingdegrees. "Rock" orthoclase
is fleshcolored
later, and sparseK-feldspar. Rutile and apatite when fresh, turning slightlyorangewhere extenaccessoryminerals are rare.
sivelyreplaced
by alteration
K-feldspar.Typically,
It js difficult to estimate from drill core the rela-

quartz heals quartz grains,and K-feldsparheals

tive abundances
of the two varietiesof porphyry. orthoclase,
with K-feldspar
alsocommonly
replacing
Type A predominatesalong the core of the San andesine
plagioclase
extensively,
eitherby rimming
Manuel-Kalamazoo system. Porphyry units form or by advance
alongtwin planes. K-feldsparalso
an umbrellaor mushroom-shaped
outwardexpan.sion locallyreplaces
plagioclase
in the porphyrygroundof diking at higherlevels(Fig. la). Althoughpor- mass. No albitization
hasbeenfound,althoughprephyry-quartzmonzonitecontactsare predominantly liminaryexamination
of alterationK-feldsparindisharp,they may in somecasesappeargradationalin catesit to bemoresodicthantheprimaryorthoclase.
diamonddrill core, and the porphyry "dikes" must
Alterationbiotiteoccursin fourimportantmodes:
be highly sinuousand variablein attitude,especially (1) as hairlineveinletfillingsalongwith chalcopyat greaterdepths. Indeed,an approachto wholesale rite,alteration
silicates,
andanhydrite;(2) assparse
mobilizationof porphyryconcurrentwith the potas- to massive
replacement
of plagioclase
phenocrysts;
sic alteration is suggestedby coarselyvermicular (3) as brightblackeuhedral
unitsmegascopically
and diffuse contactsbetweenquartz monzoniteand nearlyidentical
to primaryrockbiotite;and (4) as
porphyry seen in drill core from deep within the locallypervasivereplacements
of groundmass
feldorebody.

spars(Fig. 8).

Alterationbiotiteis recognizable

both by its fine-grained,sucrose,subhedralto euheAlteration

Zones
dral form and by the coexistence
of two distinctive
Alteration zone boundariesare not affected.by color variants, one a light tan to brown which
rock type interfaces,at leastat the scaleof studyto mostlypredominates,
the othera light applegreen.
date. Systematiccomparisonsof fresh and altered Shagreen
is notpresent,
andbirefringence
is slightly
rockson either side of a particularcontacthave not lower than that of the rock biotite. Chlorite interyet been made, but the various starting material grown with biotite is common.
compositions,
structural characteristics,
and fabrics
The alteredrocks,especially
the porphyries,
are
seemto have respondednearly identicallyto alter- distinctively
pigmentedby groundmass
biotitization.
ation processes.
Porphyries
megascopically
showing
the smokygray

382

.t. D. LOWELL

AND J'. M. GUILBERT

1 .-":4.

.,

..

-.

.:.
.

..
.

..-.

Figure

Figure

Figure

Fro. 7. A '," veinlet of mosaic quartz, K-feldspar, anhydrite, and biotite in potassicalteration assemblage. (a) Kfeldspar (stippled, lower left corner) and anhydrite (vertically twinned) in veinlet. The white stippledtablet to right of
center in lower half of photo is a K-feldspathized-biotitizedplagioclasephenocrystin Type A porphyry. Crossednicols,
15 X. (b) The same field in plane light, showing shreddybrown biotite pervadingthe potassicassemblageand replacing
the plagiodase tablet describedabove. Plane light, 15 X.
Fig. 8. A veinlet of quartz, K-feldspar cutting Type A porphyry in the potassicalteration zone. Note rivulet replacement of plagioclaseby alteration K-feldspar at upper center adjacent to veinlet. Groundmassis biotitized. Crossed
nicols, 15 x.
Fro. 9. A veinlet of dominant calcite, anhydrite, K-feldspar, and opaque minerals (pyrite-chalcopyrite) in a pervasively biotitized Type B porphyry. The finely shreddygroundmassis composedof fine biotite with scattered chalcopyrite (black). Crossed nicols, 32 X.

ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION

ZONING

color normally found with advancedpotassicalteration generally also carry significantbase metal
values. Such rocks also show K-feldspar-richveinlets up to inch wide (Fig. 9).
The potassicalteration assemblage
generally involvessparseto trace amountsof anhydrite,carbonates,and apatite. Rutile and wolframitehave been
observedin several veinlets. Anhydrite, not previously reportedas a widespreadalterationmineral,
commonlyforms granulesin the quartz-K-feldsparrich gash veinlets and in microveinletswhich cut
individualrock feldspargrains. Unlike biotite,it is
not generally a replacementmineral. It is widespreadbut rarely abundant. Carbonatesoccurboth
in veinletsand as bits and shredsdispersedthrough
the entirerock. Apatite,thoughnot yet well studied,

IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

383

ion appearscommon. Neither carbonatesnor an-

hydritewereidentifiedin thephylliczoneassemblage.
The phyllicassemblage
at San Manuel-Kalamazoo
closelyresemblesthe quartz-sericite-pyrite
alteration
at Butte (Sales and Meyer, 1951), at Morenci
(Moolick and Durek, 1966), and at many other
southwestern
North Americanporphyrydeposits.
Contactsof the phyllic zone with the potassic
zonehave beendescribedabove;they are generally
gradationalover a hundredfeet or so. Contactsof

the phylliczonewith the next outer most,argillic

zone are less definite.

Ar#illic Zone.--The argilliczoneat San ManuelKalamazoois least well understoodat this stage,
both mineralogically
and distributionally.It is the
least well developedand is the most likely to be
occurs both as a veinlet mineral and as minor but
absentin any givenpenetration
of the ore deposit
symmetry. It is characterized
by the conversionof
pervasivelydistributedanhedral units.
to either kaolin nearerthe orebodyor
Phyllic Zone.--Surrounding and to some extent plagioclase
fartherawayfromthe orebodycenoverlappingthe biotite-K-feldsparzone is a zone in montmorillonite

which alteration minerals include quartz, sericite, ter (Fig. 11). Kaolin is the more commonreaction
pyrite, hydromica, minor chlorite, and traces of product,gradingoutwardto sparseoutlyingmontrutile. This zone (Figs. 3a and 3b) generallyin- morillonite. Pyrite is commonbut muchlessabuncludespart of the ore zoneand all of the marginally dant than in the phylliczone. It is generallydismineralizedand pyritic zonesand is nearly coexten- tinctly veinlet controlledrather than disseminated.
unaffected,
persivewith strongpyrite mineralization.Sericitepre- Primarybiotitemay be essentially
flecksin a white,
dominatesin the inner part of this zone,clay min- sistingas shinyblackmegascopic
eralsandhydromicain the outermargins. The most earthyrock, or it may be in part convertedalong
characterdistinctive assemblage,both megascopicallyand cleavageto chlorite. The compositional
petrographically(Fig. 10), is that of complete isticsof this chloritehavenot yet beencompared
and deep
sericitization
of all silicatesexceptquartz. Original with thoseof the chloriteof the potassic
zones.
K-feldspar
shows
minor
flecking
with
serirock plagioclase
and orthoclase
are both pervasively
not
replacedby a felted mat of fine-grainedmuscovite cite and dustingwith kaolin,but it is generally
with abundantultrafinegranularquartz. Vestiges extensivelyaffected.
of cleavage,zoning,and twin planesof plagioclase Propylitic Zone.--This zone contains the most
are retainedin most instancesin preferredorienta- widely distributedand least distinctiveof the altergenerallyremains
tionsof sericiteflecks. Original biotitesitescan be ation assemblages.Plagioclase
identifiedby relativelywell-orientedalterationseri- fresh (Fig. 12), althoughit is locallyribbedwith
kaolin,or an apparentmixcite flecks,by less abundantalterationquartz, and eithermontmorillonite,
by either anhedralor sageniticrutile or leucoxene, ture of the two minerals. Amorphousmineraloid
theplagioclases
wasnotconclusively
identipresumablyrepresentingtitanium from the original clouding
fied
but
is
suspected
in
small
amounts.
Biotite
is
biotite. Primaryquartzis unaffected
but generally
replacedalongcleavageby both chloriteand carboovergrown.
K-feldsparis totally sericitizedin the innermost nate, which generally decreasein abundanceoutphyllic zone,but shredsand scrapsof K-feldspar wardly. Epidote and calcite are commonas fine
and as coarseraggregates
persistin the outerpart. Pyrite is abundant;chal- granulesin plagioclase
with
montmorillonite
in
amphibole
sites. Bothalbite
copyriteis variable,generallyoccurringas dissemiand
veinlet
K-feldspar
with
minor
carbonate,
quartz,
natedgrains,commonlyin sericitizedsites. Pyrite
and
epidote
are
rare.
Rock
quartz
is
unaffected.
formsveinletsand generallygranulardisseminations
Chalcopyriteis rare, but pyrite constitutesone to

in the pervasivelyphyllic-altered
material. Pyrite
threepercentby volumeof the rock. The propylitic
contentrangesfrom 2-30 percentby weight, aver-

aging5-10 percent.Apatiteandrutileagainappear

assemblage
gradesinto argillicor phyllicphasesat

the inner side over an interval of from 10 to 100

to havebeenrecrystallizedand redistributed. Silici- feetandis presumed

to fadeoverperhapsthousands
ficationwell beyondthat expectedfrom the break- of feet in the outer reaches,althoughthis has not
downof feldsparsto sericiteplusquartzplusalkali been proved.

$84

J. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

...

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: .. ::.::....:.::

'.. 3

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---

. %.z".-,. .-'

a-?-":;

:' .3'

.%....

::

..,.-'..
;-,.,-,.......-.:.;.-

....., ::: -,':-' -.. , ., 7;'

....

....

..

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:: .

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Figure

Figure 10

-.'7% . ,;. :

::,."-'

'-':: :.

'

*..

. 4k :

. . .....

:'

11

'":

:-.
........

.....:

-.i .......' .;: ' .' V .; ': -':,:

::x;.'.] ' . ........:
'' .' ---'-...-.."':..'2"'
..i--*' : .... --:..-.'...
" .D .'::.

;":..-i:/''
.....'.'?:.:
&. ---.-?-:m.
; ..2
'.:..::'-:-'
g
::i..-
'..-?
.:.:.v'z-T
3u-".:'
:&.?'
'k:'.'.
' .-:
.;.:...:.;-7.-.
;".'
' . ?-"

' '.

'

.. .:

: . v

' ',:.2
.......'

-T."-.:.-

.... :-.
..... ;C.,7'.'2:'f;
'.,

' .:: '.::-:" .; :

. ./'

';-..'-'--e.

'.."

.'--' -' .

_-.:&?:?' z -- - ' - ::.. '-2-z

- ;-.;e--- ' - '.:

.:-:.,-L'3
. ':'f: ..;?---'_.::: ...- '"..'';::

. ('-? -'

7
'::";.'
'?' -.....
":
:--'-':::
.......
' .........
L.:"2 ::: ";'-

i'5 . .'?

.:

.."

.:.: :

:' 5'

.: : :

' ,'" .

. .,-.

'

.;;.....
..... - -. .: g-,..' .....-..,: ?,.. .'*.:.;' :......
.'.,--;'
: ,:* . .. ;'-:;;:..:.-.:.:. ,.' . .%.. .
., :'-;
.......-.:...;
:
- ;,.
'.1.?"..-1...*,' --...,. .

':'

.;. **.,

3;-...'"-;'-:
.x'"':,'/';"';' ,?-'" ' ":' ;

Figure
......................

:'-" * ' ' :" ';;"':"::-'::' :;:=-;';

. ..

*:

12

' ..................

.........

$:,,:a-,:?...

FIG.10. Phyllicalteration
of Oraclequartzmonzonite.
Thewhiteandgrayquartzunitsareembedded
in plagioclase
andorthoclase
units,whichve beencmpletelyconverted
to sericite,
quartz,andpyrite(blab). Perceptible
orientationof sericite
andpyriteat bottomle denotes
sericitized
biotite. Crossed
nimls,15X.
FI6. 11. Arllid Te B potphys. Pllase in both phocrystsand oun&ass s beenconvert to
weaklybffefringent
o1, wch conts scattered
sedsof sericite
or hydromira.
SeeFig.6. Srse pyrite,prcipallyin plaoclasephenocryst
sites,is black. Crossed
nicols,15X.

Fx6.12. Propylitized
Type B porphyry.SeeFigs.6 and11. Plagoiclase
unitsarepredominantly
chloritized
with
of epidote
andcalcite(visibleas stipplings
in unitat lowerright). Biotitebladeat upperrightandbk at

le centere coritized andpyritid. Ple light, 15X.

ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION

ZONING

Deep Zones.--The deep zones at San ManuelKalamazoocannotbe describedwith certainty. Our

findingsare basedon only a few drill interceptsand
may be modifiedin detailby further work and better
exposures. The grossrelationshipsare shownschematically in Figure 2. A slight uncertainty,
especiallywith respectto chlorite-biotiterelationships,is introducedby the nearnessof the post-

IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

385

diameter
andcontains
about0.3%Cualmost
totally

as chalcopyrite. Total sulfide content is low and

pyrite-to-chalcopyrite
ratiois about1:2; magnetite
s rare or absent. Most sulfides are disseminated

grains. Surrounding
thiszone(Fig. 3b) is the ore
shellas definedby a 0.5% Cu cutofflyingin the
potassic
zonebut alsooverlapping
into the phyllic
zone. This ore shell averagesabout 600 feet in

LaramideSanManuelfaultandits pqssible
effects. thickness
andranges
from0.5%-1.0%Cu in grade
As shownin Figure 2, the propyliticassemblage with a pyrite-to-chalcopyrite
ratioof 1:1. Pyrite
which rims the depositat moderatedepthsgrades generally
formsstockwork
veinlets;chalcopyrite
oc-

downward from propylitizedOracle quartz monzonite into a zone in whichboth rock feldsparsare
dustedwith sericite. Biotite is largely chloritized,
and chloriteand epidotereplaceamphibole. Quartzmagnetite-minorpyrite veinletsup to inch wide
are common and generally have narrow quartzsericite-chloriteselvages. The rocks are greenish
and free of alterationK-feldsparand biotite.
The phyllic zone is widest, possiblywith some
repetitionby steepfaulting just below the midpoint
of the orebodyon the Kalamazooside,but is virtually
absentfrom the deepestlevels (Fig. 2). Moving
laterally toward the centerof the depositat depth
(Fig. 3a), sericitecontentin alteredplagioclase
sites
increases;magnetitecontentof the zone in veinlets
and as disseminations diminishes but does not dis-

appear. Narrow veinletsof chalcopyriteand pyrite

curs in disseminated
grains.
Phyllic and ,4rgillic Zones.--There are three
rather distincttypesof "ore" mineralizationin the

phyllicalterationzone. The outerportionof the

oreshell,asjustmentioned,
liesin thephylliczone.
Surrounding
the ore shelland entirelywithinthe
phylliczone is a zoneabout200 feet thick in which

coppermineralization
rangesfrom0.1%-0.5%Cu,
with a pyrite-to-chalcopyrite
ratio of about 10:1.
Mostof boththepyriteandchalcopyrite
formsveinlets. Surrounding
thiszoneof marginalmineraliza-

tionbutstillentirely
withinthephyllicandargillic
zones
isa zoneofpyritemineralization
whichranges
from1,000-1,500
feetin widthandcontains
6%25% pyriteby weight.Pyriteoccurs
withquartz
in veinletsrangingup to inchthick.

Propylitic
Zone.--Mineralization
in thepropylitic

occurWhichlack anhydritebut have selvages

of zoneconsists
of a fewsmall,high-grade
silver,gold,
nearly normalpotassicalterationbut without biotite. chalcopyrite
veins,and pervasive
pyrite in veinlets
Neither typical argillic nor phyllic assemblages
are whichconstitutes
2%-6% by weightof the rock.
discernible.The deepestpenetrationinto the core Sincethe outeredgeof thepropylitic
zonedoesnot
zone showsan assemblage
in which K-feldspar and

cropoutit is uncertain
whether
disseminated
pyrite

sericitedustbothprimaryplagioclase
andorthoclase; is coextensive
with propyliticalteration.The area
in which veinletsof quartz-K-feldsparare flanked of pervasive
pyriteveinlets
contains
100-500ppm
and intergrownwith selvagesof sericiteafter biotite copper
whichis apparently
included
in the pyrite
and plagioclase;and in which magnetite,chalcopy- sincediscrete
primarycopper
minerals
havenotbeen
rite, pyrite, and tracemolybdeniteoccuras dissemi- found in this material.
nationsand microveinlets.This deep-levelaspect VerticalChangesin Mineralization.--Totalsulfide
of the symmetryand characterof the Kalamazoo content
andcopper
content
in thelow-grade
portion

assemblageresemblesthat at Butte where alteration of thephylliczonedecrease

withdepth. The charenvelopesflanking Main Stage veins decreasein acterof the mineralization
appears
alsoto change
width at deepestlevels with increasinglycommon with depthfromfinergrained
disseminated
grains
quartz-K-feldspar-sericiteassemblagesand with to coarsergrainedblebs. In the ore shell,thereis

chloritereplacingbiotite (Meyer et al., 1969). No remarkably

littlechange
in copper
gradewithdepth,
real argillizationis presentin this deepzoneat San but the chalcopyrite
againchanges
downwardto a
Manul-Kalamazoo.
predominant
bleb-typedisseminated
occurrence.As
Mineralization

Zones

shown
onFigure3b,a progressively
greater
portion

of theoreshelloccurs
in thepotassic
alteration
zone
Concentric mineralization zones are coaxial with
as depthincreases.Little changewith depthis
the alterationzonesas shownin Figures3a and 3b. notedin the marginal
zoneexceptthat magnetite
A plane normal to the axis of the depositat a substitutes
for muchof the pyritenearthe bottom
moderatedepth showsthe followingzonesof min- of the orebody.Similarly,magnetite
substitutes
for
eralization.
mostof thepyritein the zoneof peripheral
pyrite

PotassicZone.--An innerzoneentirelywithin the mineralization

near the bottomof the orebody.
potassicalterationzoneaveragesabout2,600 feet in Theserelationships
are alsoshownin Figure3a.

386

J. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUlLBERT

Molybdenite and Bornire Distribution.--Molybdenum showsa tendencyto be concentratedin the

middle two thirds of the ore shell (Fig. 3b) with
lower grade zonesat the upper and lower portions
of the ore shell. Within the 0.5% Cu zone,molybdenum grade in individual drill interceptstends to
increasewith coppergradeand with thicknessof the
ore shell. Higher grademolybdenumoccursin both
the potassicand phyllic zonesand doesnot seemto
be controlledby lateral alteration zoning, but from
the standpointof vertical zoning, molybdenumcontent drops off at about the same level that deep
alterationassemblages
becomeimportant (Fig. 3a).
Althoughonly a dozenor so borniteidentifications
were recorded in drill hole logging, bornite also
tends to occur in a short vertical

column

less than

depositdescriptions.
We adopt the four alteration assemblage
names
earlier defined. Twenty-fiveof the 27 depositsdescribedcontain a phyllic zone, so it serves as a
referencepoint in constructingthe table. Other

alterationtypeswereenteredwherevertheyfell with
respectto that quartz-sericite-pyritezone according
to the descriptions.
At least 17 porphyriesapproachthe form of a
steep-walledcylinder. Another seven, including
threemolybdenum
deposits,showelementsof stubby
cylindrical or inverted flatly conical form. The

chieflycylindricaldepositsare the most distinctly

zoned. The innermost(or deepestand/or generally
earliestzone) is typicallypotassic;the next outward
zoneis phyllic. Beyondthat is the commonly
thinner
and lesswell developedargillic zone,and the outer-

half the total length of the column of copper mineralizationand nearly centeredbetweentop and bot- most zone is propylitic. Ore mineral distribution
tom of the ore-gradecopperinterval. Most bornite and sulfideoccurrence
provedto be consistently
reis found with potassicalteration but it occasionally latedto alteration.A summary,
columnby column,
occursalso in phyllic and propylitic zones.
of the data enteredin Table 1 is presented.

Comparison of Porphyry Deposits

The authors have used the San Manuel-Kalama-

Deposit (Column1)
This columngivesthe namesand locationsof the

zoo lateral and vertical zoning data as a framework deposits.

into which informationon zoning in other porphry
Preore Host Rock (Column 2)
depositsmight be fit. Table 1 is a comparisonof
the geologiccharacteristicsof 27 major North and
This columncitesrock typesand agesinto which
South American porphyry depositsfor which de- the igneoushost rocksof the respective
deposits
tailed information is available.

The table summarizes

the descriptionsas well as possible,althoughcareful

interpretationwas required simply in selectingthe
appropriatecolumn in which to enter information.
Factual information,widdy known but not necessarily in print, has also been judiciouslyincluded.
Entries for most depositshave beenreviewedby the
geologistsmost familiar with them. Abbreviations
used are listed on the page precedingthe table.
The table first comparespreorecontrolsand geologicsettingof the deposits--age,shape-size,
composition, sequenceof intrusion,and mode of emplace-

havebeenintruded. Thesepreorerocksmay be
mineralized,
as at Binghamand Safford,or the preore wall rocksmay be too remote,as at Butte. An
appraisalof the importanceof preore rockswith
respectto ore controlis given in Columns14 and 15

under"Orebody."It is apparent
that igneous
host
rocksmostcloselyrelatedto ore in time and space
are emplaced
generallyhigh in the geologiccolumn.
Of the26 deposits
for whichpreorewall rockages'
are available,9 depositshavepenetrated
into late
Cretaceous
preorematerials,5 are in older Mesozoic
sections,4 are in Paleozoicrocks,and 7 occurin

Precambrian
rocksonly. In severaldeposits,
the
younger
sections
of thegeologic
column
canbeprojectedoverthemwithoutaddingmorethan a few
thousand
feetof capping
abovethe top of the por-

merit of the igneoushost rock. Orebodiesare consideredin termsof shape,natureof externalboundaries, percentof ore in ore-stageigneousrocksand
preore rocks,dimensions,tonnageand grade. More
significant,however,are the sectionson hypogene
alteration, hypogenemineralization,and sulfide oc-

phyry deposit. Probablymineralization

in mostof
the porphyrydeposits
extendedupwardto within

currence.

a few thousand feet of the surface.

The problem was approachedwith a model in

IgneousHost Rock (Columns3-11)
mind, but without assumptionsconcerningits correctness. This model assumedthat the porphyry
The third major sectionof Table 1 describes
the
depositenvironmentis one of coincidentalteration igneous
hostrocksof the porphyrydeposits.The
and mineralization involving silicate-sulfide-oxide namesof Column3 applyto the intrusiveunitsmost
equilibriain a large, significantlythree-dimensionalintimately associatedwith the orebodiesin both
petrologic-mineralogic
system. These assumptions spaceand time. Agescitedin Column4 applyto
appear confirmedby the consistencyof combined the intrusive
hostsratherthanto the ore deposits

ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION
ZONINGIN PORPHYRYOREDEPOSITS'
TA-. 1. GeologicCharacteristics
of 27 Major PorphyryCopperand Molybdenum
Deposits
ABBREVIATIONS-TABLE

Minerals
ab albite

Ag

silver & silver minerals

rc
rd

rhodochrosite
rhodonite

rt

rutile

GeologicTime.
Lar

Laramide

Tertiary

anh anhydrite

ser sericite

Cretaceous

ank ankerite

sl

sphalerite

Trias

Triassic

ap apatite

specspecularite

Au gold& goldminerals

stb stibnite

Meso
Perm

Mesozoic
Permian

bar barite
bi biotite
bn bornite
cal calcite
car carbonate

cc chalcocite
cp

chalcopyrite

chl chlorite

tm tourmaline

Penn Pennsylvanian

tn tennantite
trem tremolite
tt
topaz

Pal

Paleozoic

pC

Precambrian

vanadiumminerals

wf wolframite

zo zoisite

dck dickite
dg .digenite
dol 'dolomite

Arg ArgiI I ic
Phyl Phyllic
Pot

Potassic

Prop Propylitic

clzo clinozoisite

cs .cassiterite
cup
cuprite
cv
covellite

Alteration

Rocks
alsk alaskite
Andandesite
apl aplite

Dac dacite
Db diabase
Dio diorite

Mi scel laneou s
adv
advanced
bx
breccia
Cu
copper
diss
disseminated
fit
fault

eh enargite

gn gneiss

ep epidote

feld feldspar
fl
fluorite

Gd granodiorite
Iph lamprophyre

fm

L.

latite

ND

moderate
no data

gal galena
gr garnet
gyp gypsum

Is
M
p

limetone
monzonite
porphyry

repl

replacement

text

texture

hbl hornblende
hm hematite
hn 'huebnerite

peg pegrnatite
Qd quartzdiorite
QI quartzlatite

ill illire
kaolkaolin

Qm 'quartzmonzonJte
Qmpquartz
monzonite
porphyry

famatin'ite

magmagnetite
mal malachite.

'mb molybdenite
mc marcasite

granite

'Qp''quartz
porphyry'

qtzt quartzite

Rhyrhyolite

sch schist

mn manganese
minerals seds
sediments

montmontmorillonite

sh shale

ss

py pyrite

prp pyrophyllite
pyx

pyroxene

quartz

sandstone

volc'olcanics

irreg irregular

#vlt
Mo
mod

microveinlet

molybdenum

sulfide
tr

trace

vn

vein

vlt

veinlet

weightpercent

387

388

J'.D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

PREORE

D E P O SI T

H OST RO C K

(1)

Ajo

IGNEOUS

(2)

Name
(3)

pCgn;Meso(?)
Qm; Corneliaquartz

HOST

ROCK

Age

Controlling

(m.y.)
(4)

Structures
(S)

63'

Shape
(6)

steepNWfault

elongate
NW

......
!?..n.
...........................
....n..a:...t..!!
....................
..m..o..n.?.!.t..,.
............................................
.p..o..?.?!.
!.,...?.o..!
.............
!..r.r.e.!..
....................
Bagdad

pC volcs, sch& G

Bagdadstock

71

Bethlehem

Triassicvolcanics

GuichonQd &.

200

Arizona

N 70 E[& N 30Wfits

irregular

N-N 25 E fits

irregular

lenticular

.......
!.t!..h....ce...!..!
..................................................
.,..t.h.
!..,....?.
...............................................................................
..m.!.t.!.p.!.:...p.!
.........
Bingham

Penn

Bingham
stock

37

NE & NWfits

irregular,pipelike,

......
.u..h.
..............................
.q..t.
.t..>...!
!..m..,.
.t..o.?.
...................................................................................................................
t..e.?..p.
........................
Elisbee

pC sch;Pal Is,

Sacramento
stock

163

steepNWfit; NI=fits

irregular

.rj..o.
elongateN,
......
..........................
[.,.:...a.t..o..,.
................................................................................................................................
Braden

K-T And& teds

brecciatedDac p

mid-T (?)

N-S & N 55 E fits

........C..!.!.e.
.....................................................................
stock,Qd
Butte

Pal Is, sh, st;

Montana
Cananea
Sonora
CastleDome

K And
Pal teds; Lar volcs
& intrusiverocks
pC sch& pC G

Boulder Batholith

72

NW & EWfits

La Colorado'Qp'

59

N & NWfits

Lost GulchQm,

64

N40E fits

circular&

elongate
dikes
batholith

elongateNE
irregularstocks,
plugs
irregularstock

......
.r.!.o.
.................................................................
j.....!.t.?....r.p..h.y...
..................................................................................................
Chuquicamata

metaseds& volcs

Chuquicamata

Ear

N & N l0 I= fits

narrow,semicon-

.......c....!!.'..
.....................................................................
..p.
..................................................................................................
.!!.,..o....u..j..s.......,.!.t..
Climax

PC sch

Climaxrhyolite

30

N-S anticline

circular,pipelike

.......
..ce.!.o..r..a..o
'...............................................................
..p?..r..p..h..y.?..
...............................................
.p..o.
!.?.. ?..n..t...o.!
...............................................
CopperCities

pC sch & pC granite Lost GulchQm,

60

N501=

stockelo.ngateNI=

.......
.r...o.
..................................................................
.e..r..a.!.t.e....p..o.r..p..y...y.
............................................................................................
I:1 Salvador

r( And, rhyolite

I=1Salvadorstock

I:ly

Pal Is, st, sh

I:ly stock

Chile

Lar(?)
109

NI: & NWfits

elongateNI=

I=-Wfits

irregular

......
.u..:..?..a...
........................................................................................................................................................................
.'!...n..t.'....,-..W..
..........
I:ndako
early Mesoteds
TopIcyQm,alsk
139-143
NW& I:NI: fits
irregular
British Columbia
& volcanics
& granite
elongateNW
.....................................................................................................................................
/ ............
ff/Ci'"g"h'"'i;
.........
';;'''i;
....................
I:speranza
K fragmental&
I:speranzastock

.......
.r...o.
.........................
..w..,.
!..a..,..a........q..t...t.
................................................................................................................
.[r..,.......k..
...............
Inspiration
Arizona

PC sch, G, qtzt &

Db

Schultzequartz
monzonite

60

N 50 I= fit

irregular
large stock

.......
r!..o..n.
..........................
.m..,..t.?.!S.,...n..,.!
......................................................................
..W...?..t
............................
...W..
..........................
Mission-Pima
Arizona

Morenci

Pal, K, I%cene

60

not recognized

sill-like, tabular

Lar

Pc NI:; K NW

elongate

sediments

pC G, Pal--Aeso

Morencistock

......
!.o. ...........................
[.,..:. .......................................................................................................................................
Ouesta

Miocene(?)And,

Questamine

30

N, NWfits

very irregular

.......
.-...,..x.!.?.o.
...................
!.t!.t..,.:....y..o.!!.t,
'..............
.p.
!.!.t..,......h..y...,.
.............................................................................
...m.!.[
.....................
Ray
Arizona

pC teds, metaseds,
Db; Pal limestone

GraniteMt. Qm

Safford

K Qm,Qd, Rhy,QI, C) WeberPeakdike

63

I=NI= schistosity
NNWfits

irregularmasses
in NI=belt

58

NWfits & NI= shears dikeswarm

.......
.r.!?...........................
:....a.!.k..,....p.!..a
.......w..r..m.
............................................................................................
.,..!.o..n..?..,....
.............
SanManueI-KalamazoaPC quartzmonzonite SanManuelMp
Arizona
Santa Rita
New Mexico

PaI-Meso (K) teds

Silver Bell

Pal & K teds

67

NE[& NWfits

irregular,mushroom.

Santa Rita'stock

63

NNW& NI= fits

shapedstock
complex,elongate
NW, domical

Silver BeJl stock

63

NNW fit

stock

......
r!.o..n.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
..,.[.o....a.t..e....U..W..
.............
Toquepala

late K(?) Rhy,And,

daciteporphyry

59

nonerecognized

Typical Porphyry
Copper

Pc-late K teds &

metasediments

Qmstock

65

NI= & NWfits

Peru

Dio

irregularstock

elongate N-S

elongate
irregular

ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION

iGNEOUS

Size
(feet)
(7)

3000x 10,000

ZONING

HOST

Modeof
F:mplacement
(8)

passive

IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

389

ROCK-Continued

StockDike
(9)

stock

Sequenceof
Intrusion
(10)

Dio-4 Gd-4Qm-4Qmp-4 vfg Qm

RockTypes
Mineralized
(11)

all

'"'6';Fg6'//6'
...............................
':...................................................................................
passive
stock
Rhy2.......
Gd;.........................................................................
Q Dio p-4 Dio p
all

..........................................
12,000x 5000

probablypassive

-4Qmp
stock> dike

Qd.4 Gd.4 Dacp .4 Lp .4 Rhy

all

'"g'ci66';F6i
...................................................................................................................
passive> active
stock> dike
Qd';....................................................................................
Gd; /p, QIp
all + seds

'"iitii'''6'6i
.....................................................................................................................
.................................................................................
passive> active
stock
'Qp' k;'
'feld Qp'
all + seds
(both altered)

4000 x 4000

passive> active

stock> dikes

Qd.4 Dacp .4 I_p.4 Iph

And, Qd, Dacp,

150,000x 350,000

passive

batholith

Qm(apl, peg)-4Qmp

all

8000x 25,000

passive>active

stock> dike

Dio,Gd,sy,G.4'QI Eb

all + seds

stock
> dike

Gd.4Qm
.4Qmp
.4G.4Gp.4Db

Qm,Gp& Db

sodo
Gd.4Qd.4Dio.4Qm
.4

all(?)

/p

cluster

'"J'l'l''''J[..... passive

'"'C'""(JJJ'-
...... passive
> active(?) stock
> dike

...................................................................................................................................
9.....p.!
......o...a.....a..p.
............................................................
4- 3000x 3000

active

stock> dike

Rhyp .4 apl p .4 Gp

all

'"/6i'/i';/"i'i/i///'//'/
.......;';';i';
..............................................................................
stock
Qm'.......
apl ;..........
alsk ,"-;
.......
Db ;.................................................
Gp
all

'"//'';"i;'6///
..................
i;';';';i';;
.............................................................................
stock> clikes,sills
Gd'-;.........
Gdp;...................................................................
'Qp'
all
large,elongateEW

passive

stock> dikes,sills

M, Qmpcomplex

all + seds

stock> dike
Qm.4 G '.........
alsk ;.............
Q reid i;..................................................
all
'"//61iJiJii";,"i'ii6i;"c/6'6
.........
;;';i;;;;.*'
....................................................................................

'";/;'i:i";,";/ii
.......................
'";
..........................................................................................
pass,
stock> dike
Qm.4 Dio;................................................
Qmp.4Andp
all '-......................
seds&
voles

60,000
all '-7/;';;;i
'"/6/ci:i';
............................
i;;';i';;
..............................
;,';;'';"/ii;
......................
i5i;";"'''5':-;"i5i;
.....................................
.....

'"6///i';i'///...............................
:'ve
...........................................................................................................................................................
pass,
stock
Qd.4 Qmp.4 'Qp'.4 'Qp'+ Q
Qmp- 'C)p'-

................................................................................................................................................................................
?...p.2+...9.
................
+__4000
x 4000

passive

sill > stock

Qmp

all + seds

'"'i;'666';'
b;'6'66
.............
i;';'; i;; "'';i;'................
;i;;iii"ii'ij"ili'
il;g.............
ii'
;';"-7
"o;;;
i;"-7
i5';,"-;
"6i;
......................
6';
};'T';ii;;...........
in wall

stock5.......................................................
dike
Mp, Gp, bio G';
apl, apl i;;
d[l:7......................
voles
"i''6i:iii;,"//iii
................
i;';;';'i;;
........................................
................
......................

.....................................................................................................................................
.a.....y....p.
..................................................................................
8000x 15,000

passive

stocks> dikes

Qd.4 Db.4 Qmp.4 And.4Qmp.4

all + metaseds

2000x 4000

passive

dikeswarm

QIp,Rhy,Dac,Qd,Gd.4 Dac.4

all + vales

.....................................................................................................................................
9.!,...k,...a....y.
.........................................................................
;4000x 7000(?)

passive

stock> dike

Mp.4 Qmp.4 Db

all

'";/'66/i';F//
...............................
"....................................................................................
pass,ve
stock> dike
Dio ';.....................................
Qd+ hbl Gd & bi Gd';............................................
Qd, Gd+ seds

.........................................................................................................
9.m.
..........................................................................
> 10,000NEx
30, oooNW

passive

stock> siII > dike

alsk.4 Dacp.4 Andp .4 Omp

all + seds

"i'g66'"''6'6'
......................
;/:'ilk;;
.................................
/;;/'i;i'';'"/li'i/g
.................
''g"/;
....................................................
i;ii"'i;;Fg",'g'i;"'
4000x 6000

passive

stock> dikes

Dio.4 Qm.4 Qmp.4 'Op'

all + seds

390

.t. D. LOWELL AND .L M. GUILBERT

OREBOD'Y

D E P OSI T

OutwardShape

Boundaries

(12)

Aio

Percentin
Preore Rocks

(14)

(15)

(13)

oval, elongateNW

Arizona

Percentin
IgneousHost

original& faults

80?

20?

.........................................................................................................................................................
'4:
...................
elongateoval
original
+_90
10

Arizona

"ifii;'d4 .................................................................................................................................................................................
steep, elliptical cylinder
original
-t-50
+50
British Columbia

Bingham

pear-shaped,
elongateWSW original

Utah

75

25

.........................................................................................................................................................................
.................
elongateEW,oval
original& faults
+ 30
+ 7'6'

Arizona

(incl. bx)

Braden

hollowcircularcylinder

Chile

.............

0 ...........

Montana

Cananea
Sonora

, .........................

0,oo,

o,,,,

,.,,,,o,,0,,o.,00

....

,o,

Arizona

, .....

,..,0 o..,,,o0,0 ..... , ......

.......

+ 90

+ 10

100

, .........................

,.,

original

0 .............................................

, .....................

...................................
..........................
............
...........

40(?)
.........

, .....................

,....,

Original& NE & N faults

.........

0 .....

0.,,,.,

............................

, ....

,,,o,.,

100

o.......................................................................................................................

, ...........

original

, .........

60(?)

.,.o ................

70(?)

30(?)

center

0 ...........

0,.,,

.....

0 ..............

.....

Ely

Nevada

.........................

............................................................................................................................

,.,.0,

?flat cylinder

original with faults

elongateoval

original

.......

,,.,

....................

0 .........

80

20

100

above & below

0 ,,

Endako
0,

o,.o

............................................................................................

oval pipe, lowergrade

Chile

....

...............
, .......................

oval, elongate
NW

El Salvador
.........

original& NWfault

nested,invertedones

...........

100

o ..................................................................................................

o .................

Colorado

.........

originalbrecciapipe

......................

CopperCities
.o[,,

pipelike

......................
,,,,o,0,,

Climax
o0,.o,,,

original

oval,welongateNE

Arizona

, ...............

75

..............................................

crudelydomical

..............................................................................................

CastleDome
Chile

25

pipe

o..........................

Butte

.0 .....

original& postorebreccia

British. Columbia
............

,o

...................

,,,

......................................................................................................................................................................................

Esperanza

elongateNWoval

original

60(?)

40(?)

original & fault

50

50

Arizona
oo.,

...............

,.0.o.o

.....

................................................................................................................................................................................................

Inspiration

flat cylinder

Arizona

.o .....

0 .........

, .........

,,,.o,,.,,o.,

........

Mineral Park

crescent, convexSW

+ 100

Arizona
,,

.......

o .................

o .......

, .............

0 ........................................................

Mission-Pima

, .........................................

oval

Ari zo n a

, ............................................

original & fault

, .....

+ 10

, .........

, .........

o ....

+_90

......................................
:................................................................................................................................................................
..................
+_ 70
Morenci
oval
original+ fault
Arizona
o.,,,o,o,0..,,.,.,,,

o0.,...,..

.....

0.0

........................................

Questa

, .................................................................

irregular

o ...........................................

0 ..........

original

0 ......................

70(?)

30(?)

20

80

20

80

New Mexi co
,,...,

0,.0.,.,,0

...................

, .....

Rarizon
a

.,0o,,,,

.......

,..,0,0,0.o,0.o0

........

0 ......

, ......

Safford

0o.

.............

, ..............................................................................................................................................................

irregular
oval,
elongate
EW original
&fault

, .....

, .............

, .......

0 ...........

, ...........................................................

oval, dippingpipe

, ....................

0 ......................................

original

, ...........

0 ....

Ari zon a
,,.0o,

.....

, ...........

,,0

........

0 ............................................................

................................................................................

SanManuel-Kalamazoo hollowoval cylinder

0 .............................

0.,

original

50

50

original

+_70

+_30

...............

Arizona
,0 .................

, ...............

SantaRita

oval elongateNW

New Mexi co
.......

, ...................

Silver Bell
o, .....

Arizona
, ...........................

elongateoval mineralbelt
,,,,0 .............................................

original

, ..............................................................................

70
0......

.................

30
, ..................................

Toquepala

oval, elongateNW

original: brecciapipe

70

30 (walls

Typical Porphyry

oval, pipelike

original& postorefaults

70

30

Copper

ALTERA TION-MINERALIZA

TION ZONING

0 R E BODY-

Dimensions
(feet)
(16)

Total Ore Tonnoge

(million)
(17)

4000 x 7000

< 500

1000 x 5000

< 100

2000 x 3000

< lr00

IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

391

Continued

Grade
Hypogene+ Supergene
(18)
0.75%

Cu

Grade
Hypogene Only
(19)
0.75%

0.76% Cu
+ 0..025% Mo
0.6% Cu

Cu

+ 0.5% Cu
+ 0.025% Mo

0.6% Cu

...!?..r.?.:..y.!
...................................................................................................................................................................
5000 x 7000 WSW

> 500

0.75% Cu
0.05% Mo

0.75% Cu
0.05% Mo

2000 x 2000

< 100

0.81% Cu

+ 0.55% Cu

5000 x 5000

> 500

2.25% Cu

1.00% Cu

....o.
!).o...w...:..y.!!?..4?..r
'...................................................................................
.O....O..5....a..o.
........................................
.0.
:..O..5....a..O..
.................
5000 x 10,000 EW

> 500

0.8% Cu

0.2% Cu

250 x 1200

> 500

0..8% Cu

0.5% Cu

....r..?...:.s..a..p.
?. ......................................
!!?.!.:.t.?
.........................................................................................................................
_ 1500 x 3000

< 100

+ 0.70% Cu

+ 0.5% Cu (?)

2500 x 10,000

> 500

+ 1.7%.

+ 1.2% Cu

"';ii:Ji:JiS'
":ii:Sti/5
....................................
5:'6i:i
........................................
"6'.'/qo'
'/,i....................................
''i3i;i'qo"//
..................
1500 x 2000

< 100

+ 0.60% Cu

+ 0.4% Cu

> 500
1.5% Cu
ND
'"iSiti'
,";/ti/5/5
.................................
...................................................
' ......................................................................................

+ 1000 x 3000 x

< 500

+ 0.9% Cu

+ 0.1% Cu

........
.1..o..-...2..o.,..o..o..o.
...............................................................................
!.l....2....:.o...m..m...o.?.!
................................
!.0.:.4...
?..o..m...m..o.
?..!
...............
1200 x 6000

> 100

+ 0.09% Mo

_ 0.09% Mo

2300 x 4200

.( 100

2500 x 8300

< 500

0.51% Cu
0.028% Mo
0.90% Cu

+ 0.3% Cu
0.028% Mo
0.15-1.20%
0.007% Mo

Cu

....iJiS'"';i6................................................................................................................................................................................
< 100
0.5% Cu
0.1-0.15%
Cu
0.04% Mo

0.04% Mo

) 500

0.8% Cu

0.8% Cu

6000 x 13,000

) 500

0.88% Cu

0.1-0.15% Cu

7000 x 7000

) 500?

0.15-0.18%

3000NS x 10,000 EW

( 500

0.80% Cu

+ 4000 x 5000

> 500

0.50% Cu

cross section: 2500 x

> 500

4- 0.75% Cu

5000NW

x 7000NE

5000 x 4- 8000 high

5000 x 7000NNW

< 500

0.015% Mo
0.97% Cu

0.007%

Mo

Mo

0.15-0.18%

Mo

0.10-0.80% Cu
+ 0.2% Cu

-t- 0.75% Cu

0.1-0.2% Cu(intr)
0.8% Cu (tactite)

....2000x 2500&

< 100

............................................................
J':'"6l'"E'iig;i
....
0.75% Cu

1500 x 2500
4000WNW

x 5000NNE

3500 x 6000

0.8% Cu (tactite)
500

150

0.9% Cu

0.3% Cu

0.80% Cu
0.015% Mo

0.45% Cu
0.015% Mo

392

.r. D. LOWELL

AND .1. M. GUILBERT

HY
D E P O S I T

Known

POG

EN

ALTERATION

Extent

Beyond Ore (ft)

Peripheral Zone

(20)

Outer Zone

(21)

Intermediate Zone

(22)

(23)

Ajo

+ 5000

Bagdad

500 +

ND

not reported

not reported

+ 300

ND

Q, chl, ep

Q, kaol, mont

3000 +

chl, talc, kaol, ep,

Q, chl, kaol, cal, ep

Arizona

?chl, ab, zo, ser, Q, ank

Arizona

Bethlehem
British

Columbia

Bingham

........
.u..t...........................................................
..r..,..m..?...,.....y..x.
...........................................................................................................
Bisbee

7000?

chl, ep, zo, cal, ser ?

kaol, ser(?)

Arizona

Braden
...........................................
'4:6i:3
...................
g'i;'37};7';
........''i:;;;,7'
3; i;;';ii
.........,;'"'"',';;
i7;;,'i;'
..................
Chile

tm

Butte

1000 +

Q, chl, ep, cal

Q, mont, kaol

5000

chl, ep

Q, ser, kaol

3000

chl, ept py, ser, cal &

mont

Montana

Cananea
Sonora

Castle Dome
Arizona

c l zo

Chuquicamata
Chile

few hundred

chl, ep, cal, spec, hm,

TiOx

kaol ) ser

Climax
2000?
.............................................................................................................
7'i'ii7;'C.,'i
...................
';''';'''
.................................
Colorado

CopperCities

5000 +

ep, cal, clzo, ser

mont, Q

Ari zon a

..........................................................................................................................................................
El Salvador
1000 +
py, chl
;&';;ii'ii
....................................
Chile

.............................................................................................................
%;-g..iii;;
........................................................................
Ely
2000
Nevada

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Endako

2000 + (?)

kaol weak, Q, cal

kaol moderate, Q, chl

ND

not reported

Q, kaoI, mont

chl, ep

Q, ser, kaol

Q, ser, 'clay'

British Columbia

Esperanza
Arizona
.0ooo

...........

, .....

, ...................................................................................................................................................................

Inspiration

, ................

1500 +

Arizona

MineralPark

10,000

chl, ep, clzo,

.........r!.z..o.?.?.
......................................................
!!.t?..t.!
......................
.(...!!..!!
..............................................................................
Mission-Pima

up to 5000

skarn, tactitc, hornfels

present

chl, ep

Q, mont

ser, car, kaol, ep,

ser, Q, py -3_cal, kaol,

ser, Q, py -3_cal, kaol, ill

chl

i l I, fl

Ar i zo na

Morenci

) 5000

skarn on SE

Arizona
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Questa

2000 + (?)

New Mexico

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Ray

1000-15,000

chl, ep, ab, cal, montto

Arizona

Safford

20,000 x 30,000

-3_12,000

ep, chl

"chloritic"

Arizona

....g'''''"''''g ....5555"''6'6
...............................................
' i4i';';',"fi'i
.....................
/7fi;'i'gf;i
..............................
Arizona

....'a'"i .....................
+ 5000
New Mexi co

tactite

tactite

ahl,ep (Argillic)

....ii;;"8'gl''
......................................
-3_32,00 ;.............................................................................................................................................
5000
chl, cal, ser, mont
Q, ser, kaol
Arizona

a Iteration zone

Toquepala

mi nor; < 1000

tacti te

tacti te

mont

Peru

Typical Porphyry
Copper

2500

chl, ep, kaol,

(skarn)

chl, ep, cal

Q, kaol, ser, mont

/ILTERATION-MINERALIZATION

ZONING

IN PORPHYRY

HYPOGENE

D E P OSI T

Peripheral
Alteration

Zone

Outer
Alteration

(28)

Ajo
Arizona

MIN

Zone

393

ERAI-IZATION

Intermediate
Alteration

(29)

spec, bar

ORE DEPOSITS

Zone

Inner
Alteration

(30)

cp, py, bn,mb,mag,hm

py:cp 1

Zone

(31)

py:cp= 1:4; py, cp

.... ri zona
.............................
x.;..:x.;...
..........................................................................................
...................................
"-i'
........................
;''-;-'.................
;'"'';'''
...............
'"'"' .......................
""'F' ............................
British Columbia
Bingham

en, fm,gal,

py

py, cp, mb

........u..t..
..............................
.!:.t..t
.............................................................................................................................................
Bisbee

sl, gal, py, cp

ND

ND

py, cp, bn, cc, mb,s I

........!...o.
........................................................................................................................................
.y,!.p.....]..0..!
............................
Braden

gal, sl, Ag,

py

py ) cp ) bn ) mb ) en

........!!.?.
............................
?.t.:..y.
....................................................................................................
.m.....n.
....................................
Butte

Mn, Ag

Cananea

gal, sl, tt, Ag

Castle Dome

sl, gal, py, cp,

Montana
Sonora

rc sl, gal, rd

py

py, bn cp, tn

py, cc, enbn

py, cp, bn, mb,sl, gal

py, cp, bn, mb

py cp mb

py cp mb

.........:!...o.,?.
.........................
...,...v..,...o.,..
.p.
.............................................................................................................................
Chuquicamata

minor sl, gal,

py, cp

en, cp, co, bn, py(?)

en, cp, cc, py, bn(?), mb

.........a,..!.!.e.
..........................
... ........................................................................................................................................
Climax

gal, sl, Ag(?)

Copper
Cities

sl, gal, Ag

Pl Salvador

gal, sl, Ag

Ely

Au.& base

Colorado

Arizona

Chile

py,tz, fl, hn,cs

mb, cp

py

py cp mb

py cp mb

py, spec

ND

py - cp
py, cp, high total sul

........
.a.. ..........................
.t.!.!..n...a.
....................................................................................
.!?.....s..-..!..0.!!
........................
Pndako

sl, gal, kg

spec,cal

mag,py,mb,

py,mb,mag

........
.).!!
....ce..
!.m.
!...........................................
..<..:..0..
................
..<...0....!..
..........................
:..-.!.:.0..
..............................
F:speranza
Ari zon a

Inspiration
Arizona

MineralPark
Arizona

gal, sl, kg

py

py > cp > mb

py > cp > mb

cp, gal, sl,

py cp(?)

py cp

py cp mb

Au, Ag, gal, sl

py, cp, sl, gal

py, cp

py, cp, mb

mb, V, Mn '

....'ii''"ii;;;,'
.................
';;i'i"/,
................
i;;;.................
'..........
:F..............................................................................

Arizona

Morenci

minerals'

gal, sl, Au, Ag

py

py,cp,
mb

py:cp=-high;high

py 3-8%; cp 9.3-0.5%;

........
.!...o..,.
..........................................................................................
t.o..,.!.
!.L.p.
.,.?..................
?.,..?.,...,.
.!...........................
Questa

py,mb,gal, sl

py,mb,

py,mb

mb,py,cp,hn

........
....!.o. ..................................................
.c..p.z.o....z.!
.................................................................................................
Ray

gal, sl,

py, cp, bn

py, cp, bn

py, cp,bn,mb

Safford
Arizona

Ag,cp

Au,cp

ND

py,cp,mag,tt, gal, sl
py 4-8%; cp+_0.4%

Ari zona

py:cp :- 10-20:1

....a;,;;;iz.'Ri,.....
';''l';''i;
...............
f,',"i'i'fo'
....................
;,"i'i'f)'
...............................
;,"
i'6'foi'i'
;;"ii;'i"'i'i
...........
Arizona

SantaRita

NewMexico

Au, Ag

mb(0-0,05%)

sl, gal, Ag,

py.4-8%; cp 0.4%

spec,cp, 'inc

py:cp= 40:1

py 1-4%; cp 0.4-1%;

mb;py:cp= 3:1

....i'i,;"i;;ii
.......................
'',"'gi;';i
................
'';'''i;';
i'(';/i
............
;;;"'"i'i
.........................
;;'""i''i
..............................
Arizona
.
Toquepala
Peru

minorcp,bar

no py halo

modpy:cp
low total sul

low py:cp;highertotal sul;

py, cp,bn, sl, mb

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
py cp bn; mod
py cp mb bn; high
Copper

total sul; py:cp=23:1

(10%)tot sul; py:cp= 13:1

394

I. D. LOWELL AND .1'.M. GUILBERT

H Y P 0 G E N E A b T E R AT

I 0 N - Continued

Zoning Sequence
Inner Zone

Innermost Zone

(24)

from Bottom

(26)

(27)

(25)

(Q, ser, py)?

Q, K reid, chl (anh)

Vertical Sequence

from Center

partial overlap

.........................................................................................................
.P.e.t...-..,..P.h
!...-....:.?...
..................................................................
Q, ser, K feld

hi, ab, Q, K feld

.Pat- Phyl

Q, ser

Phyl - Arg - Prop

Q, ser, K feld if_clays,

Q, K feld, hi, ser

chl

Pot.- Ph.l - Prop

:p', Q,dck,prp;

adv.Arg& Phyl-

.......
.!.a....p..'.'....2:...s..r.
....................................................................
..r.g.......r.o..p.
.................................................................................
Q, ser, hi, anh

Q, ser, hi, anh

Pot & Phyl - Arg - Prop

Pot - Phyl

'"i';'';;' ,)i'"6';'
ii"/,';
..........
'"" "ii';';'ii ..........
'l'g;'""'/i4i'"'"';'""iu;
........
i';"-'"'l'/,';i"'"';'""'i';/;
.....

.........
g'l:
........................................
" 'i''l'i''
'i;/i
........................
'I'L'/'i'"'"'
............................................................................
,,,,,0,,.

00o

0,

o,.,.,,,

0,0,

.......

0 ...........

,,,40.,.0,0

......................

0 ....................

...........

0 .....

Q, set, hydromica,K feld

,.0.,

.............................

,,

.........

.,,00.,,,.0.0

.....

.0,,

......

,.0..00

.....

Phyl - Arg - Prop

.......................
Q, K feld, gg;
..............................................................................
''K;i'"'"X;'"'"i';g;
..................
i'i5
............................................

.....
.................................................
feld, Q, hi,' fl
"'i';;ii'D.....................................
Q -'......................................................................................
K feld - Q, py, ser
Q - K feld - Q, py, ser
..........................................................................................................
.-;..5!:......................................................................................
Q ser, py, hydromica

Phyl - Arg - Prop

....;"6';'ggL"';'
.........................
6";"/;"/(igiii"L'L'L'
..................
i%';"'"'i{;i'i'i""";L'''i'"'
......ig'
2"'g,'ii'.ff'"'';""
..........
........................................................................................................
generalbi
...........
...:..........................................
.P..:................................
seriiti

potassic

granitoid -p texture;

.............................................................................................................................................................
..?.:...-:.
!..;.. !..*x
.......................
Q, ser, py, kaol

Q, K feld, bi

Pot - Phyl - Arg

ND

Q, K feld

Q, ser, K feld, bi

Pot - Phyl - Arg(?)

not reported

.......................................................
!...
?,.!!...?..,.:...:!
...............................................................................................................
Q, ser, kaol

K feld hi, ser

Pot - Phyl - Prop

ND

Q se py

Q, K feld (earliest)

Pot - Phyl - Arg - Prop

not reported

Q ser clay(?); skarn

Q, K feld ser bil skarn

,******e******,****,,o.**,,,,,,,,,,,0,,,,,,,,,

,,,,,,,.,,,,,,,**,,,,,,,,,,,,,.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.

Q,set,py

ND

Q, K reid, bi cal,

Pot - Phyl - Arg -

karn
,,,,

*****************************************************

"J','i"""X;'":"l'ig'
'..............
notreported

Q, K reid (anh)

....hb..L......................................................................................................................................................................
Q er kaol

bl Q ser K feld

Pot - Phyl - Arg - Prop

ND

....].9.9.q:...]
.9.9.9.?
................
,..... ....9.9.........................
,...................................................
,.....................................................
Q, er py

K feld bi, Q, ser

Pot - Phyl - Arg - Prop

"";'g)'.................................
';'""
'g'l'i"g'/;'
B .....................
''gi":"i":";'"Z''g
.......
g":"O'g'i'fi
.........................
,,,...,,,,,..,.

,...,,,,,.,,

,.,.,

.......

Q, set, py, tactitc

..,,,

....

4 .........

,.,,,.,.

.........

,,.

.........

, ..........

Q, K reid, hi, plag,

,..,,.,..,.,.

...........................

,,.,...,*

.......

.-,.....,

.........

, .....

,,.,,,,,**,,,,,,,,,

.....

,.

Pot - Arg - Phyl - Prop

.......................................................
...b..mL. .................................................................................................................
Q, ser tai

Q, K feld, ser,

Pot - Phyl - Arg - Prop

ND

......................................................
.
............................
Q, ser py

Q, tm, hi, K feld

poorlydeveloped

anhydriteat depth

Q, ser py

Q, K reid, hi, ser (anh)

Pot - Phyl - Arg - Prop

Pot - Phyl(?)

,4LTER,4TION-MINERALIZATION ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS

HY

POGEN

Innermost
Alteration Zone
(32)

ERALIZATION-Continued

Overall Abundance
Major Ore Minerals
(33)

mag; cp; py, bn;

cp py bn mb(?)

low total sul

..................................................

E MIN

i. .................................................

cppy mb
..................................................

, .................

mb-> cp -> py -> spec

cp:bn decreases
i ...........................................

....................................................

a ....................................................

pycpbnmb

. .....

ND

bn -> cp ->-py

i. .................................................

cp, bn, mb

Vertical Sequence
from Bottom
(35)

cp -> py

cppybnmb
..................................................

Zoning Sequence
from Center
(34)

....................................................

pycp mb
i ................................

395

ND
i. ..............................

......................

Cu to Pb-Zn in veins

mb -> bn -> cp -> py ->

..........................................................................................................
!.?..:....!:..:...?.!
.........................................................................
py> cp> bn> cc
..................................................

not reported

..................................................

py;:>'cpbn mb en

i ....................................................

py cp bn mb en

..................................................
......

cp, py, mb

py ccenbn

(cp, py, bn, rob)->

(py,cp)->(gal,sl, Ag)

: ...........................................

.........................

cp

less py upward
i. ....................................................

, .........................

(bn,cp,mb)-> (cp,bn,py, mb)

,,,..

mb->cp->py->cc->en->

->(py,cp,mb,bn)
.............

, ...................................

mb->cp->py->cc->en->

..........................................................................................................
..?...r..a..............................
..:..r..a... .......................
py, cp, bn, mb
..............

py, cp) bn, sl, gal

0 ....................................................................................

py cp mb
................

,.,,.

.............................

en, py, cp, cc, bn(?), mb

not reported
i ...................................................

ND
...........

cp->py->(sl, gal, Ag)

i, .................................................

e ...................................................

py> en> cp>bn> mb

0 .............................

cp->py(?)
,i .....................................................

py->cp->py(?)

ND

....;;,'i;;;;';''
...................................
;;;'"';i
.......................................
;i;:;'':;'i;'
................................
i;';';;;;i;
............................
.............................................................................................................................................................
.m..?..-.?.
....i...........................
py) cp) mb

cp->py->(sl, gal, Ag)

py->cp(?)

....F"'''
'" ' ........................
;' ' '' .........................
i'';'''' i'; ' '.............
';'';'''';' .................
......................................................................................................
.v..?.?...!.!
.................................
?..v.:.??.!
.............................
py, cp, bn mb

py) cp)) bn';mb

(cp, bn, mb)->py->

ND

.....x!..!..:..!
...................................................................................
.!:.?..:.?.!!
................................................................................
mag,mbpy .15py

magpymbcp

mag->(py,mag,mb)->

ND

........................................................................................................
!.m...:..?..P.
!..-t..P.
..P.
...............................................................
py) cp) mb(?)

py) cp)mb

cp, mb->py

ND

cp py mb(?)

py cp mb

(cp, mb)->py

ND

....;,;;';'i';','i
.................................
';,;5'
';'i................................
:'',''L;;
'''i;'
i;...............
i'5............................................
Ag,Au)- (Au, Ag)

....;,;;';';i
.................................
;;,;''5'';,'5',','5''i
................
i;;';,;;',''i';''i;;';i;';i'i
"'/'5
............................................
....' "'i; :''i'l'"
'';?'
................
" 5';':';i5",i;
....................
i;:'L'i:'
;i:;i':;
*',;
......................
;,'L'
;";;g;;'
,',
............................

.....v.,..
,....m.
.,...!
.............................................................................
!..!.,.
!.,...,...u.!
.........................................................................
mb,py, cp, hn

py) mb cp, gal, sl

mb->(cp, py)->(gal, sl, mb)

not recognized

py, cp, bn, mb

py> cpbn mb

cp->py->(gal, sl)

ND

..................................................

cp, py, bn, mb,mag,tt, gal,

.................................................

pycpbnmb

a ....................................................

'

(cp, mb)->py->Au

1000 ft

....................................................

mb at depth

sl; py 0.2-1%, cp 1-2%

.....!...o.:.!....
....!
...............................................................................................................................................................
py (1%); cp(1-3%)

mb (0.01 -0.05%)

..................................................

low total sul; py1%;

py:cp= 10:1

py) cp) mb
..................................................

pycpmbbn

cp->py->(gal, sl, Au, Ag)

i ....................................................

low.gradecenter->annular

ore zone & (cp, mb)->py->

cp->py
. ....................................................

py zone contracts& py:mag

increases

..........................................................................................................
!...,..?..!,..?.!
!...............................................................................
py, cp, bn, tt, mb,-sl

py cp mb bn sl

cp->py->(Ag, gal, sl)

ND

Q, tm+minor sul

py+__=
cpbn, mb

(Q, tm)->cp->py

not observed

py cp?mb bn; low(3%)

tot sul; py:p=3:1

py cpmbbn

(cp,mb)-py- (gal, sl,

Ag, Au)

(cp,mb)-py

anhydrite at depth

396

.t. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

OCCURRENCE

DE POSI T S

Peripheral
Alteration

OF

SULFIDES

Outer

Zone

Intermediate

Alteration

(36)

Zone

Alteration

(37)

Inner

Zone

Alerati6n

(38)

Zone

(39)

AJrizon
a

veinlets

diss
/vlts

diss
/vlts

Bagdad

vns & massive

vlts diss

diss vlts

........!.z..o.n.
.........................
.r..p.!?.m..?.t.
............................................................................................................................
Bethlehem
British

veins

veinlets

veinlets

veinlets

veins &

vns, vlts, diss

vlts, diss

diss) vlts

Columbia

Bingham

........
.u..t..
...............................
r...!.m..?..t
.......................................................................................................................................
Bisbee

vns, vlts,

Arizona

ND

ND

vns, vlts, diss

veins

patches & vlts

vlts & patches

vlts patches

vn, vlt

vn, vlt

vn, vlt

vlt, vn, diss

vein

veinlets

vlts, diss, mass.

vlts diss

veins

veinlets

diss vlts

mass. repl.

Braden
Chile

Butte
Montana

Cananea
Sora

Castle Dome

diss vlts

Arizona
............................

, ..........................................................................................................................................

Chuquicamata

0 ..................................

veins

vns & vlts

vlts diss

vlts diss

vlts

vlts

Chile
..............

, ...........................................................................................................................................................................................

Climax

vns & dikes

diss

diss

Colorado
.................

, .......

, ....................................................................................................

CopperCities

,,..

veins

veinlets

......................................................................

di ss vlts

di ss vlts

Arizona

"'ii"'i';
.......................
,'i..............................
i';5'ii"'
....................
;i'';''ii".
....................
i'";i'
................
Chile
..............................

,,

.....................................................................................................................

, ...................................................

Ely

diss vlt

diss v.lt

Nevada
......................

, .......

, ................

, .....

, ................................................................................................

, .......

Endako
British
...............

, .......

0 ........................

vlt diss

vlt diss

vlt --

vlt

vns & vlts

vlts

diss vlts

vns & vlts

vlts ' diss

Columbia
, ...........

. ............................................................................................................................................................................

Esperanza

veins

Arizona

.,,.,

, ..........

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................

Inspiration
Arizona

....................

veins

, ...........

,.,

......

,..

...........................

Mineral Park

..,

.................................................................

veins

vlts diss

................................................................

vlts vns, stkwk

vlts vns, stkwk

vlts, vns stkwk

.......
.r.!.z..o.?.?
..................................................................
Z.q.i..?..P.?.?.!
...................
:.7...?.P.
?.?...."...
.................
:.'..?..P.
?..?..?...
...........
Mission-Pima

vn & vlt

vlt, diss &

Arizona

massive

..........................

,.,.,o,o,,,0

......

, .....

Morenci

0 .............

. ...................................

. ...................................

vns, Is repl.

Ari zon a

......................................

. .....

, ....................

Questa

. .......................

vlts diss

. .................

ND

..................................................

veins

0 ...........

, ..............

,,.,,..0,.,0

.....

vns, vlts, diss

: ..................................................................

paint

vlts

,..,

vns & vlts

New Mexi co
........................................................

,.,

Ray

...........

. ..............

, .......................................................................................................................

veins

vns, vlts, diss

vns, vlts, diss

vlts,, diss, vns

Arizona
..................................................................................................

0 .........

Safford

veins

.......
...!.z..o.?.
......................
.......

SanManuel-Kalamazoo

0..,,,

0 .....

. .............................................

in shears, vns,
.,,0.....

,..

o,,0.,,0

veins

....

, ........

eikes
.......

........

.o...

..........

, ............................................

in shears, vns,

dikes

,..,

J ...............

vlts

, ...................................

vlts diss

in veins, vlts, diss

, ............................

vlts diss

Arizona
....................

, .....

. ............................

SantaRita

New Mexico

......................................

, ..........

. ..............................................................

veins

vns & vlts

vns & tactite

vns & tactite

.........................................................................................................................

Silver Bell

, ........................

vns & vlts

,

..................

. ...............................................

vlts di ss

, ..........

vlts,/vlts diss
, ...............

vlts diss

Arizona

...........................................................................................................................................................................
ii''':'i'
................
Toquepala
veins
di ss vlts
Peru

TypicalPorphyry
Copper

veins

vns& vlts

bx vug fillings

bx vug fillings

veinlets

vnlts diss

.4LTERATION-MINERALIZATION

OCCURRENCE

OF

SUL.

ZONING IN PORPHYRY

ORE DEPOSITS

FIDES-Continzed
SUPERGENE

Innermost

Alteratio0

Zone

Crackle

Breccia Pipes
(41)

(40)

SULFIDES

Zones

(43)

(42)

beyond ore limit

not reported

diss /vlts
diss

397

minor co, cv

Its

....;i;";';1'/;';'
................................
;;;;;;;:i',";,;'/;';;;;;ii'';,';i
............
';'/ii-;'f;;
T;';';;;",';;;,'
.................
;,';';,';
........................................
...................................................... .....................................................................................

....Ji'''";'i;
.........................in gal,sl zone

extends
beyond
gal,sl

co,cv

.......................................................
.p..,.
!................................................................................................................................
important; 2 stages

NE horsetail zone

cc

vlts patches

postore with min. frag.

present

cc cv

diss vlt

none

horsetail zone

cc, cv, dg

vlts diss

numerous& mineralized

...........................................................

vlts)

; .......................................

diss

irregular clots

diss,/J.vlts
diss)
....

present

co, cv

i- .................................................

. .................................................

present?

present

co, cv

large central pipe

horsetail zone

co, cv

minor breccia, dikes

present

none

present

present

co,

deep, central, mineralized present

vlt

present

. .............................................

cv

cc cv

present

..................................................

co, v

................................

, .................

....................................................

diss vlt

not reported

present

none

diss vlt

present

present

cv, cc

vlts diss (?)

not reported

..................................................

present

. ..................................................

vlts, vns, stockwork

....

cc

, .................................................

none

....,

,.

.............

present

, .....................................

cc

............................................................................................................................................................

vlt, diss & massive

ore N-S dike;

poorly developed

cc thin zone

......................................................
.p.:.....a.!.,..?.!:..t..t.
..........................................................................................................................
breccia zones in pit
......................................

, .........

,.!

vns & vlts

......

extensive

..................................................

present, important

, ...................................

, .......

...........................................

extensive

! ..................................................

vlts diss, vns

co, cv

> ..................................................

. .........

none

......................................................................................................

present & mineralized

present

cc cv

..........

. .......................................

.....................

vns, vlts, diss

, ............................

..........

present & mineralized

..................................................

.............................

diss vlts

, ....................

..................................................

mineralized
..................................................

...................................................

.....................................................

samearea.as intrusive
NW horsetail

cc cv

zone

cc
.........

....J'':'
''Ji'i
'"' i''............
i;'"''Ji''J
"' ;
small

',; : :;::;::::

::: :::: :: ::::

diss )//vlts

::: :::::::;;:

;:::J:

'.:;::

:::::

:: ::::

:: :::: :::,::

, ...........................

,,

.............

.............
' "'';';,'''i'' ..... cc

mineralized

:::::::

, ................

cc

..................................................

..................................................

none

. ..................

..................................

+ 5000 ft diameter

one 500x 2500 ft pipe

ND

..................................

co, cv

..................................................

..................................................

vlts/J.vlts, diss

present

not reported

..................................................

, ......................................

:::::

::::::

present& mineralized

:J::::;: ::::::::

:;: ;::: :::; :::;

present

::::::

:: t.'::; '-:: :::: :::: ::: ::;: :: :::::

cc) cv

::;: :::::

', :::: :::;:::

:: ::: :::: :.

398

I. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

associatedwith them, but evidence shows that ore

to be relatedto contemporaneous
and youngerfaulting and uplift. Table 1 showsthat most of the host
igneousbodiesare somewhatelongateand that districts with strongstructuralcontroltend to include
pronouncedlyelongatestocks.
Column7 lists the size of igneoushost rock outcrops for each district, the numbershaving been
taken from texts or measuredfrom geologicmaps.
These dimensionsare in part subjectto the same
uncertaintiesas the descriptionsin Column6. The
years ago.
Table 1 includesagesfor depositsin British Co- dimensionsindicate that the porphyry copper delumbia and South America as wall as southwestern
positenvironment
wascommonly
developed
in stocks
North America. Six of 27 depositsare of mid- or cupolaswith crosssectionsof well under a square
Tertiary age at 30-37 million years,17 are probably mile at the elevationof ore deposition. There apin the Laramide range of 59 to 72 million years, 3 pear to be two host-rocksizepopulations,one group
are in the Jurassicrange of 122-143 million years, less than a mile squareand another smallergroup
and 1 deposithas a 200 million year Triassicdate. of very large dimensions.
Mode of Eraplacement(Column 8).---These enOf the Southwestdepositsincludedin Table 1, all
are of Laramideage exceptthree mid-Tertiary de- tries adoptthe terminologyand tend to confirmthe
posits (Climax, Questa, and Bingham) and two conclusionsof Stringham (1966) regarding mode
Jurassicdeposits(Bisbeeand Ely), two of the mid- of emplacement. Stringham'scriteria are extended
Tertiary onesbeingporphyrymolybdenum
deposits. to includethe additionalporphyry copperdeposits
The pattern for porphyry dates emerging in describedhere. Emplacementof the porphyrycopBritish Columbiaseemsto be one in whichparallel, per deposithost rocks is shownto be almosttotally
overlapping,northwest-trending
brits of mineraliza- passive. This passivitysuggeststhat replacement,
tion increasein age from west to east. The single stoping,and assimilationwere more importantpronumericalage for a South American deposit in cessesthan shoulderingasideor othermanifestations
Table 1 is for Toquepala,Peru, at 59 millionyears. of forceful intrusion,and it also suggeststhe likeliHowever,geologicrelationships
andrecentdatingby hoodthat both lateral and verticalpetrologiczoning
Chileangeologistsindicatethat many of the South might be more commonthan has been recognized.
Comparisonof Column 8 with Columns41 and 42,
Americandepositsare of mid-Tertiary age.
Controllin#Structures(Column 5).--Column 5 the latter reportingbrecciationand shatteringspelists attitudesof regional-scalestructuresthought to cificallywithin the orebodies,revealsthat brecciation
have controlledthe emplacement
of the stocksand or shatteringare associatedwith ore depositionin
of
batholithsand hencethe porphyry depositsthem- every porphyrydeposit,evenwhere emplacement
selves. Considerationwas given to local structure the host stocksis passive. This disparitysuggests
shownon publishedmine and district maps in pre- that brecciationand shatteringare themselves"pasparing Column 5, but many boundingfaults shown sive," and that they can commonlybe expectedto
on thesemapsare of postoreage or of multiple age be "blind," as they are at many southwesternNorth
suchthat their preore importancecannotbe deter- Americanporphyrydepositsand prospects.Forcemined.Greaterreliance
wastherefore
placed
upon ful intrusionand active, even explosivebrecciation
direct text statementsthan upon maps. Several as at Toquepalaand Braden are apparentlyrare.
authors commentthat the specificsof controlling Extensivemagmaticstoplng,assimilation,and metastructureswere obliteratedby the intrusionswhich somatismappearmechanicallyand kineticallyinconsistent with extremely shallow emplacement,but
they guided.
Shapeand Size (Columns6 and 7).--The shapes moderatelyshallowenvironmentsmay be indicated.
Porphyry molybdenumdepositsseem to show
of intrusions (Column 6), like determinationsof
their size (Column 7), are difficult to establish more evidenceof forcefulemplacementthan do porconsists
of
meaningfully,sinceboth have been affectedby in- phyry coppersin general. This evidence
ternal and externalvariables. Exposureof a pluton ring and radial dikes and doming of the layered
is certainlyaffectedby original depth and by post- rocks which sometimesoverlie the deposits.
Stock-Dike (Column 9).--Column 9 indicates
intrusiontectonicand erosionalhistory. The Boulder
batholithhas been exposedfor tens of miles, and a that stocks and stocks with subordinate associated
large southernArizona batholith (Ettlinger, 1928) dikes are far more typical of porphyrycopperdehas been inferred from the distributionof cupolas. positsthanare dikes,dike swarms,or brecciasalone.
The shapeand sizeof porphyryhostintrusionsseem This samerdationshipwas indicatedin Column6
depositionwas essentiallycontemporaneous
with intrusion within the precisionof the I(-Ar technique.
Age dating of the Laramide-mid-Tertiary interval
in the Southwestreported by Damon and Mauger
(1966) has indicatedtwo distinct pulses,one of
Laramideplutonicactivitybetween50 and75 million
years ago and one of dominantlyextrusiveactivity
duringmid-Tertiary time approximately30 million

ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION

ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS

399

where porphyry depositswere shownto be equi- will be consideredbelow. Dioritic rockscommonly

to oval rather than tabular or linear
occurat intrusionmargins,as at Ajo and Mineral
more K-feldspathicrocks
bodies. Twenty-fourof the 27 depositsinvolveim- Park, with progressively
portant stockdevelopmentand a high ratio of stock inward, a relationshipnot apparent in the table.
to dike forms.
This distributionis consistentwith apparentfelsicSequenceof Intrusions and Rock Types Mineral- componentenrichmentaccompanying
potassicalterized (Columns10 and //).--The sequences
of in- ation near the central portions of some porphyry
trusion shownin Column 10 reinforceearly observa- copperdeposits.
tions (Buddington,1933) of the associationof copOrebody (Columns12-19)
per depositswith intermediateto felsicigneousrocks.
Except for generally late diabasedikes, no rocks
Outward Shape (Column /2).--The porphyry
more mafic than diorite occur in the intrusions ascopperdepositsalmostall havecircularor oval cross
sociatedwith porphyry copperdeposits. Granodi- sections.At leastfour deposits
haveclearlydefined
orite and quartz monzoniteand their aphaniticand low-gradecentersproducinga ringlike orebodyin
hypabyssalequivalentsoccur in almost all of the plan. The vertical dimensionsof hypogeneminporphyrycopperdeposits,with more felsicvariants eralization in most depositsare unknown; however,
common to the porphyry molybdenumdeposits. the tabulatedhypogenemineral bodiesseemto fall
Most papers consultedin preparing Table 1 give into three general configurations.
specificsequencesof intrusive events and igneous
1. Seventeendepositshave a steep-walledcylinrock compositions,
but uncertainfield relationships drical shape. Two deposits(Cananeaand Toquecoupledwith paucityof radiometricage determina- pala) approximatelycoincidewith brecciapipes.
tions seldompermit unequivocal
identification
of the
2. Sevendepositshave stubbycylindricalor flat,
beginningand endingof the magmaticepisodethat conicalforms,as do all three of the porphyrymolybinvolved ore mineralization.
Much older and much
denurndeposits.
youngerrocks,as describedin the appropriaterefer3. Three deposits(Inspiration,Ely, and Safford)
ences, are excluded. Column 11 shows that all of have a gently dipping,tabular shape,perhapsreprethe intrusive rocks of Column 10 are mineralized
sentinga depositsimilar to (2) following a preore
in 22 of the 27 depositstabulatedand the youngest structureor postoredisplacement,
or theymay repreintrusiveunit is mineralizedin 2 of the remaining5. sent a separate type.
Columns 10 and 11 show that the sequenceis
Boundaries(Column13).--In all of the deposits
generally from dioritic to monzoniticrocks, com- studied,the orebodyboundariesare at least in part
monly with late latitic to rhyolitic or "quartz por- gradationalor "assaywall" boundaries. All have
phyry" intrusions. Typically, all of theseare min- beenintersectedby a postoreerosionsurface. Eleven
eralized, showingthat mineralizationeither accom- are boundedby at least one postorefault. Two
paniedor briefly succeeded
the emplacement
of in- coincidecloselywith brecciapipeswhich are preore
trusive rocks. The association
of porphyrycopper or contemporaneous
with ore, and one deposit
depositswith intermediateplutonicrocksis impres- (Braden) forms a crude cylindricalshell surrounddimensional

sive but not as consistent as the association with

porphyry in all 27 districtslisted. There has been

discussionin recent years as to whether the name
"porphyrycopper"is appropriatefor the group of
depositsdescribedin this paper. The writers believe that this association
is geneticrather than coincidentaland feel that "porphyry copper" is an
excellentdescriptivename for this unique and important group of ore deposits.
The lamprophyreor "late diabase"event is less
commonin the porphyrycoppersthanhasbeenpreviously thought (Spurr, 1925). Late diabasehas
been reported in only 5 of the 27 districts. The
general trend, clearly, is from dioritic plutonic toward more felsic hypabyssalrocks with all rock
typesusuallymineralized. The degreeto which the
shift from dioritic throughgranodioriticto monzonitic rocks may reflect K-feldspar enrichmentby
meansof potassicalteration (Peters et al., 1966)

ing a postorebrecciapipe.
Percent in I#neous Host and Preore Rocks

(Columns 14 and 15).--In severaldeposits,100

percentof the ore mineralizationis in igneoushost
rocks (Butte, CastleDome, Copper Cities, Endako,
and Mineral Park). All containsomeore in igneous host rocks, but most ore at Bisbee, Braden, Mis-

sion, and Ray is in wall rocks. Somethinglike 30

percentof all ore mineralizationassociatedwith porphyriesoccursin wall rocks,again suggestingcupola
or at least high-levelenvironmentfor the porphyry
deposition.
Dimensions(Column16) .--Horizontal dimensions
of the tabulateddepositsrange from 250 x 1,200

feet for the La Coloradapipeat Cananeato 6,000 x

13,000feet for the Morenci deposit. Fringesof the
difficult-to-limitButte district may reach to dimensionson the order of 20,000 x 50,000feet (only the
"porphyryequivalent"for Butte is cited in Column

400

]. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

16). The averagedepositsize deducedfrom pub- genesilicatealterationphases. Nonetheless,

superlisheddescriptions
and mapsis a perhapssurpris- gene sericitehas been reported. Supergeneeffects
ingly small 3,500 x 5,000 feet.
havebeeneliminatedfrom Table 1 whereveroriginal
Total Ore Tonnageand Grade (Columns17, 18, authorsprovideddescriptions
whichwouldpermitit.
and 19.)--Of the 27 depositstabulated,13 are estiKnown Extent BeyondOre (Column20).--Colmated to containover 500,000,000tons of ore, 6 fall umn 20 records the stated or mapped extent of
between 100,000,000 and 500,000,000 tons, and 8 alterationbeyondthe outerboundaryof the orebody
containless than 100,000,000tons. These tonnage itself. These distances are somewhat uncertain since
estimates
mustbe considered
only approximate.
differentobservers
drew the outer line on differing
Included in these figures are several deposits criteria. External alteration is narrow around the
whoseore grade dependson secondarychalcocite Bethlehem,B.C., deposit,a characteristic
of many
enrichment.Averagegradeof copperore is 0.80% of the Canadianporphyrydeposits. Other deposits
Cu, and averagegrade of hypogenemineralization, show alteration extendingthousandsof feet, averwhere this information is available,is 0.45% Cu. aging approximately2,500 feet. The higher numTwelve copperdepositscontainat least 0.5% Cu in bers probably represent merging of hydrothermal
hypogenemineralizationand 10 contain less than with low-rankregionalmetamorphic
effects,the two
0.5% Cu. Molybdenumdepositsaverage 0.17% being distinguishedonly with difficulty. SignifiMo in grade.
cantly,detectable
alterationextendslaterallyan average of half a mile beyondthe orebodies,perhaps
Hypogene,dlteration(Columns20-27)
more, since some authors drew the outer limit on
The next three sections,Hypogene Alteration the basisof "bleaching"and the presenceof sericite,
(Columns20 through27), HypogeneMineralization phenomenathat probably do not mark the true
(Columns28 through 35), and Occurrenceof Sulfides (Columns36 through 42), have parallel or-

outer limit.

PeripheralZone (Column 21) .--Alteration is deganization so that the columnsfor each zone in a scribedin this zone for only five deposits. It is
givendeposithaveidenticalheadings. For example, generallyalongwell-developed
structuresand is selthe innermost alteration zone at San Manual-Kaladom well describedwith respectto associatedminmazoo consistsof quartz, K-feldspar, biotite, and eralization. Where alteration mineralogyis given
minoranhydrite(Column25), andthe ore minerals it is of mixed affinity, dominantlypropylitic,with
(with amounts) are pyrite, chalcopyrite,molyb- sericitementionedat Questa. Skarn is describedin
denite, and trace bornite (Column 32). The sul- this zone at Morenci and Santa Rita. Skarn or
fides occur more commonlyas disseminations
than tactite developmentis not as well reported in the
as veinlets (Column 40).
literature as are hydrous silicatealteration assemIt should be restated here that the table is based
blages. It is well known that skarn zonesproject
as completelyas possibleupon publisheddescrip- into and apparentlydistort more normal zoningretions, and these are hardly uniform in approach, lationships,and that many porphyrydepositsmight
detail,or eventerminology.Severaldepositdescrip- also be describedas contact-metamorphicdeposits.
tions were based on temporal rather than spatial Skarn can also apparentlypersistto the centersof
relationships;thesedepositswere enteredas earliest orebodies.
equalsinnermost,and so on outward. Several deOuter Zone (Column 22).--Mineralogic notation
posit descriptionsinvolved separateand poorly re- is given for 20 of the 27 deposits,with "propylitic"
lated descriptionsof alteration, mineralization,and citedfor Ely, Nevada. Of these,18 includechlorite,
occurrence. We have made every effort to match 17 epidote, and 13 a carbonate (calcite in 11).
appropriatespatial and mineralogicaldata. Ques- Quartz is cited 7 times, sericite6, zoisite-clinozoisite
tion marks in the table generallydenoteuncertainty 5, kaolin 3, specularite2, montmorillonite2, and
of placementof the information rather than un- albite,hematite,magnetite,tourmaline,and ruffle(?)
certainty in the data.
once each. By far the most commonassemblageis

The problemof distinguishing

betweensupergene chlorite-epidote--calcite.
Mentionis seldommadeof
and hypogeneeffectsis important. Hemley and the replacedminerals,but the chief onesare amphiJones(1964) curvesindicatesericitestabilityonly bole,biotite,and plagioclase(Fig. 12). This assemat moderatelyhigh K+/H + ratios at low tempera- blagehas affectedby far the largestvolumeof rock.
tures, an environmentconsistentwith (but not re- The chlorite-epidote-calcite
propyliticassemblage
is
quiring) high pH. The extremdy low pH pre- alwaysoutsidethe ore zone and beyondthe phyllic
sumedfor activesupergene
enrichmentzonesargues and argillic zoneswhere theseare present. Sericite
againstimportantdevelopmentof supergenesericite is commonlyreported even in outermostalteration
and indicatethe kaolin mineralsto be stablesuper- assemblages.Whether this mineral varies import-

ALTERATION-MINERALIZATIONZONING IN PORPHYRYORE DEPOSITS

40i

Innermost Zone (Column 25).--This column is

antly in composition,
and hencein stabilityfield and
distribution,is yet to be shown. It has been ob- perhapsthe most surprisingof the hypogenealterserved, however, in amountsranging from trace to ation data block. Potassicalteration, though relamoderate,and chieflyreplacingplagioclase,
in some tively subordinatein the literature,occursat mostof
outer zonesnot reportedin Table 1. The distribu- the porphyrydepositsas eitheran early or an inneror both. It is reportedas simple
tion with respectto verticalzoningwill be discussed most assemblage
below.
quartz, K-feldspar,and biotite(?) only at Endako;
Intermediate Zone (Column 23).--This column as quartz, K-feldspar,biotite,and sericiteat 7 dedescribes
predominantly
argillicassemblages.Silici- posits,and as quartz, K-feldspar,biotite with chlorfication 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 sericiteare reported
kaolin, montmorillonite,and sericite. Argillic as- at Silver Bell, and quartz with only K-feldsparocsemblages
are discerniblein 22 of the 27 deposits, cursat Mineral Park and Questa. Quartz, phlogoif quartz-sericite-kaolinite(4 occurrences)be in- pite, and tourmalineoccurat Cananea,but the zone
cluded as argillic. Quartz is cited first in most may not be innermostthere. Quartz, sericite,bioassemblages.Kaolin is citedsinglyor beforemont- tite, and anhydriteoccurat Braden. Anhydrite at
morillonite in 17 of the 22 assemblages
for which several localesis given in parenthesesin Table 1
in print. Specimens
dataare given. Three deposits
havemontmorillonite whereit hasnot beendescribed
zonally beyondkaolin, and 7 involve sericite. No of anhydritefrom Esperanza,Questa,San ManuelKalamazoo, and Santa Rita have been observed to
argillic assemblage
is reportedin 5 deposits.
Inner Zone (Column 24).--Most of the quartz- swell the publishedoccurrencesat Butte, E1 Salsericite (and pyrite) assemblages,
the chief ore vador, Toquepala,Ajo, and Braden.
The commonoccurrence
of anhydritein the pobearersof the porphyrycopperdeposits,fall in this
inner zone column. The zone is reportedunequi- tassiczone indicatesthat (1) redox potentialsare
vocally to have a pervasivequartz-sericiteassem- considerablyhigher in the late magrnatic-deuteric
blageat 19 porphyrydistricts,a quartz-majorseri- fluidsthan the prevalenceof unoxidizedsulfur specite-minorK-feldspararray at 3 more,and a quartz- cies would indicate; (2) a high percentageof the
major sericite-minorkaolin assemblageat 3 more. total sulfur in the porphyrysystemmay be present
At Bradena quartz-sericite-biotite-anhydrite
inner- as sulfate; and (3) high-temperaturehydrothermal
zoneassemblage
gradesinto strongersecondarybio- reactions involving silicates, oxides, and sulfides
tite in the innermostzone. Only at Esperanza is must concernthemselveswith equilibria involving
a quartz-K-feldsparpair reportedzonallyoutsideof higher total sulfur than the net sulfide contents
an unusual quartz-K-feldspar-biotite assemblage. would indicate. It is also noteworthythat the conCreasey (1966) indicatesthat K-feldspar can be clusionof Lutton (1959) concerningdepositional
part of his quartz-muscoviteassemblagefound at continuumfrom pegrnatoidinto "porphyry"condiBagdad, Bingham, and Chuquicamata. Creasey tions are supportedand that the elementsgrouped
states(1966, p. 62) "quartz-sericite-pyritewithout by Ringwood(1955) as "complexformers"of high
either a clay mineral or K-feldspar associatedis a ionic potentialare preciselythose found in major
commonassemblage
that doesnot fit into any of the and trace minerals in the porphyry base-metaldethree previouslydescribedalterationtypes. If clay posits,especiallyin the potassicalterationzone.
Other characteristicsof the potassic zone are
were present [as at Endako, Inspiration, and Mission-Pima,wherekaolin is reported],the assemblage briefly describedby Meyer and Hemley (1963) and
wouldbelongto the argillicalteration,and if K-feld- Guilbertand Lowell (1968). Ore commonlyoccurs
spar were present [as at Bagdad, Bingham, and at the interfacebetweenpotassicand phyllic alterChuquicamata],it would belong to the potassic." ation zones. The potassiczone is generallycentral
is discernible,it is
Sincethe assemblage
appearsby far mostcommonly or deepest,or if a time sequence
earliest.
as quartz-sericite-pyrite,the term "phyllic" is herein
Zoning Sequencefrom Center and Bottom (Colurged as a specificterm. Advancedargillic alterumns26 and27).---The upwardzoningand outward
ation, involving chiefly pyrophyllite,dickite, and
zoningof alterationassemblages
are seldomreported
topaz (Meyer and Hemley, 1968), is associated
with as such,but their systematicentry by descriptionor
phyllic assemblages
at Butte and Bisbee. It is not from map or diagramrevealsa significantsequence.
reportedelsewherebut may have escapeddetection.
Seven,possiblyeight (the positionof phyllic alThe phyllicassemblage
of Column24 is the inner- teration at E1 Salvador is uncertain), of the demost exposedalterationassemblage
in at least six positsshow alterationassemblages
in the sameoutdistricts.
ward sequence:potassic,phyllic, argillic, and pro-

402

1. D. LOWELL AND ]. M. GUiLBERT

pylitic. Even wherecertainassemblages

are not reported, the remainingassemblages
fall in the same
order. Two deposits,possiblythree, show only
potassicand phyllic zones,four lack only argillic,
and six start with phyllic and includeargillic and
propylitic. For a few depositsthe sequence
is un-

Outer Alteration Zone (Column 29).--This zone

generally correspondsto the propylitic alteration
zone, and mineralizationis generally restrictedto
pyrite, although sparse chalcopyriteis generally
present along with variable amounts of bornite,
molybdenite,magnetite,specularite,rhodochrosite,
known.
sphalerite,galena,and rhodonite.
Intermediate Alteration Zone (Column 30).-Vertical sequenceof zonationis generallymuch
less well known, so assignments
can be made in This correspondsroughly to the argillic alteration
Column27 only for Butte, Climax,E1 Salvador,and zone,and the bulk of mineralizationis usuallypyrite
ratioswhichaverage
San Manuel-Kalamazoo.Except for uncertaintyat with highpyrite-to-chalcopyrite
E1 Salvador, the order is consistent with lateral 23:1 in depositsfor which figures are available.
tennantite,
zoning. Outwardand upwardzoningof the 27 de- Variableamountsof bornite,molybdenite,
and huebnerpositsis mostconsistent
with the sequence
of potas- sphalerite,galena,enargite,chalcocite,
ite have been found in this zone. Hypogeneoresic,phyllic,argillic,andpropyliticassemblages.
An alterationassemblage
has beennotedin sev- grademineralizationmay overlapinto this zone,but
eral localitieswhichconsistsof K-feldspar,biotite, generallythis zoneis outsidethe orebody.
Inner Alteration Zone (Column 31).--This zone
coarsesericite,chlorite,and albite,accompanied
by
to the phyllic alterationzone
moderate pyrite and chalcopyritemineralization. commonlycorresponds
and
typically
contains
abundant
pyrite and high total
This groupdoesnot readilyfit the classification
outlinedin Table 1, nor do the deposits
generallyreach sulfidestogetherwith pervasivesericitization.Pyrite
ore grade. The writers are of the opinionthat this contentis not reportedquantitativelyfor most derepresentsa deep assemblage
whoserelationshipto positsbut it appearsto averageabout 10 percentby
the mainporphyrysystemhasnot beenexposedfor weightfor the 27 deposits,or about 16 percent,exgroup,whichare
study becauseof the geometryand large vertical cludingthe porphyrymolybdenum
dimensions involved.
relatively low in pyrite. Pyrite-to-chalcopyrite
ratiosaverage12.5:1. This zonecommonlyconstitutes the ore zone, especiallyin those depositsin
HypogeneMineralization(Columns28-35)
which

chatcocite enrichment

has occurred.

The

As has long beenknown,hypogenesulfide-oxide principal"ore" mineralis pyrite, whichoccurswith

mineralassemblages
are closelyrelatedin time and chalcopyrite,
molybdenite,
andvariablebut generally
spacewith silicatealterationmineralassemblages
in small amounts of bornite, chalcocite,sphalerite,
porphyrydeposits. The designation
of pyrite and enargite,and magnetite.
magnetite as ore minerals rather than alteration

Innermost
AlterationZone (Column32).roThis

minerals,for example,appearsto be largely arbi- zoneis generallyequivalentto the potassicalteration

trary.
zone and is usuallythe central zone. Total sulfide
In Table 1, sulfide-oxide
mineralassemblages
have contentis low to moderatewith an averagepyrite
been described in Columns 28-35 with reference to
content of about one percent and a pyrite-to-chalthe same alteration zones as are described in Colcopyriteratio of 3:1 in the depositstabulated. This
umns20-27. The consistent
sequence
througheach zonemay reachore gradeand probablyaccountsfor
zone and from one assemblage
to another outward most ore in solelyhypogeneore deposits. It also
from the centeris again significant.
formsthe "low-gradecenter"in five deposits.The
PeripheralAlteration Zone (Column 28).roThis sulfidemineral assemblage
is chalcopyrite,pyrite,
column describes metal occurrences that form a disand molybdenite.
continuous
ring normallynear the outer edgeof the
Overall Abundance ol Major Ore Minerals
propyliticzone. The depositstend to be small to (Column 33).In the porphyry coppers,pyrite is
mediumsize, althoughlarge lead-zincdepositswith by far the most commonsulfide,followed in order
or without preciousmetals occur in this zone at by chalcopyrite,bornite, enargite,and molybdenite.
Santa Rita, Bingham, and Butte. At least minor Molybdeniteis presentin all 27 deposits,a fact not
peripheralmineralizationis found in all 27 deposits previouslyrecognized.
studied. Arcuateclustersof minesor prospects
surZoning Sequencefrom Center (Column 34) and
round 23 deposits. Minerals commonin this zone fromBottom(Column35).Grading outwardfrom
are sphalerite,galena,silver,chalcopyrite,
gold, and the centerof the deposit,the typicallateral mineralipyrite, and less commonly,specularite,enargite, zation sequenceappearsto be the assemblages(1)
famatinite,tetrahedrite,barite, varioussulfosalts,and chalcopyrite,
pyrite,bornite,molybdenite;(2) pyrite,
manganeseand vanadiumminerals.
chalcopyrite,
molybdenite,
bornite; (3) pyrite, chal-

,4LTERATION-MINERALIZATION
ZONINGIN PORPHYRYOREDEPOSITS

403

copyrite; and (4) sphalerite,galena, silver, gold. itic alteration. Crackle texture is often less distinct
Apparent reversalswere noted in only three camps. near the center,particularlyif a potassicalteration
Information as to vertical zoning is extremely zone is present.
limited. Most depositshave beenexploredby mine
SupergeneSulfides(Column43)
openingsor drill holes only to depths which are
shallowas comparedwith the probableoriginal verTwenty-three
deposits
containsupergene
sulfides,
tical dimensions.

Tentative

evidence from

13 de-

and secondary
enrichment
was requiredto reach

positssuggeststhat typicallya pyrite-chalcopyrite- marginalore gradein 10. Supergene

chalcocite
molybdeniteassemblage
gradesupward into pyrite.
(andprobably
alsosecondary
digenite
anddjurleite)
An apparentreversalof this order hasbeenreported
is presentwhereversecondary
sulfides
occurand
in two deposits.
Occurrenceol Sulfides (Columns36-42)

Hypogenesulfidesin porphyry depositstypically

form veinlets or disseminatedgrains. This habit
is probablyrelated to the fact that cracklebrecciation
is presentthroughoutthe volumeof mineralization.
Broadly,the porphyriesseemto be massesof homogeneousrock penetratedby reticulatefracturesand
mineralizedby fluids which soakedthe massrather
than beingconstrictedto tabularmassesor replacements.

alwaysconstitutes
the chief enrichmentmineral.
Covelliteis reportedin 12 deposits,
generallylow
in the enrichment blanket.

Porphyry Deposit Genesis

The data of Table

1 and the inferences drawn

from them, from the field, and from the detailed

geologyof the San Manuel-Kalamazoodepositap-

pear to supportthe orthomagmatic

modeldescribed
earlier, althoughthe nature of the data and the
scalefactorsare not suchthat the problemscan be
conclusively
resolved. The formationalmodelwhich
appearsmost generallyapplicableis one of a dif-

Occurrenceof Sulfidesby Zones (Columns3640) .--A progressive

gradationin sulfidedistribution ferentiationcontinuumas suggestedmany years ago
is noted in almost every deposittabulated. This by W. H. Emmons (1933) in his descriptionof
sequenceprogressesfrom veins in the peripheral cupolaformation. Near-surfaceintrusionof a melt
zoneto veinletsin the outer zone,veinletsand minor whichproducesrocksof intermediategranitoidcomdisseminated
grains in the intermediatezone,vein- positionis either a passiveintrusion as at Butte,
lets approximatelyequal to disseminations
in the Santa Rita, and Ajo, or a dike swarm as at San
inner zone, and predominantdisseminations
in the Manuel-Kalamazooand Safford. Responseof wall
innermostzone. The tendencyfor the increasing rocksto this intrusiondependsupontheir composi-

importanceof dissemination
towardsthe core may tion, their structural fabric, and the nature of the

result from metasomatism

or recrystallizationof the intrusive melt. Cooling begins from the surface
rockand healingof veinlets. The absence
of promi- downward,and gentle thermal gradientsare estabnentveinsin mostalterationzonesmay indicatethat lishedfrom higher temperaturesat depth to slightly
a cracklebrecciation
zonebehaves
as an incompetent lower ones nearer to the surface and outward. Minmasswhich can not supportthrough-going
fissures eralization and alteration chemistries are established
and veins.
with respectto thesegradients,chemistries
that reBrecciaPipes and CrackleZones (Columns41 flect essentiallydeutericto late magmaticconditions,
and 42).--Breccia pipesare presentin 20 and are with potassicalteration yielding upward and outmineralized
in 18 deposits.Toquepalaand Cananea ward through the phyllic zones (or the "zone of
are mineralizedbrecciapipesin whichore limits are feldspar destruction," Robertson, 1962) into the
nearly coextensive
with the pipes. Toquepala,in zones of more typical hydrothermal alteration reparticular,showsevidencethat the surroundingal- sponses. These gentle gradients presumablyhave
terationzoneshavebeentelescoped
into a relatively a direct bearing on the large dimensionsof the
thin halo,and alterationassemblages
within the ore- porphyriesand the coarselygradationalalterationbody'overlap. The Bradenorebodyapparentlycon- mineralizationboundarieswhich they show.
sistsof a verticalcylindricaldepositwhichhasbeen
We thus reaffirm on the basis of the published
penetrated
alongits verticalaxisby a postorebreccia record that the porphyry copper depositsare the
pipe.
results of a physical-geochemical
continuum from
A well-developed
cracklezone is presentin 26 low-temperaturemagmaticto "conventional"hydrodepositsbut is largely absentin the skarn of the thermal conditions. The gradientsare reachedas a
Mission-Pimaorebody. Cracklezonesare usually result of cooling in an intrusive mass, and the
circularin outline and are alwayslarger than the alteration-mineralization
zonal boundary interfaces
orebodies,
typicallyfadingout in the zoneof propyl- appear to have been establishedas standingforms

404

.r. D. LOWELL AND J. M. GUILBERT

surfacesfor several porphyry copper depositsare

shownin Figure 13. Morenci is placedhigh in the
hypotheticalvertical section becauseof the wide
exposureof the phyllic zone without exposureof
potassicassemblages.Several aspectsof Morenci
geologymbrecciazones, the broad-scalealteration
symmetry, and the occurrenceand distribution of
sulfidessuggestthat potassicalterationwill be encounteredat depth under the existingopen pit.
It is alsonoteworthyhere that phyllic zonealterhowever, that an inner zone need not have been ation assemblages,
with their high pyrite contentand
precededby the mineralogyand assemblages
of an their profusion of veinlets and microveinlets,are
outer zone in a systemof decline,of lowering tem- chiefly responsiblefor the extensivedevelopmentof
peratures, or of shallow upward gradients. Vari- supergeneoxidation, leaching, and enrichment of
ation in the differentiation
index of the intrusion
southwesternNorth American deposits. This high
may well dictate whether copper or molybdenum level of exposureappearsto be the most common,
deposits.
predominatesin the ultimate deposit,molybdenite especiallyin supergene-enriched
tending to be associatedwith more silicic variants.
Recentpublicationson the Chinodepositat Santa
Rita, New Mexico, showthat an islandof 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 symmetricallyand centrally disposedwith respect
that the porphyry copper-molybdenum
depositsdis- to secondary
K-feldspar,chalcopyrite,
and pyrite display important unifying geologiccharacteristicsin- tribution as reportedby 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 severalimportantaspects, the croppingout of a low-grade barren zone analosuch as sulfide species,detailed alteration assem- gous to the central core at San Manuel-Kalamazoo.
blages,and the characteristicoccurrences
of the sul- Lastly, Gilluly's (1946) descriptionof the Ajo defides, is far more widespreadthan has previously posit involves much the same K-feldspar-biotitebeenrealized. Indeed, a "typical"porphyrycopper chlorite-sericiteand magnetite-chalcopyrite
assemdepositcan be hypothesizedfrom Table 1 and is blagesand zonal characteristicsas those encountered
includedalong the bottom of the table.
at depth in San Manuel-Kalamazoo. It appears
It is especiallynoteworthythat many,and perhaps possible,therefore,to assigna third dimensionto
most, porphyry depositshave coaxially cylindrical at least severaldeposits,and many others may be
alterationzones. Factorsthat limit the development assigneddepth parametersas further information
of discerniblesymmetryin porphyrydepositsinclude develops. For example,brecciationand ring diking
the following:
may have significance
in regard to depth of formarather than as upward and outward advancingmega
envelopes. Application of the Hemley-Jonesmodel
of potassiumsilicate stabilities and alteration, as
modified by Fournier (1967) and Meyer and
Hemley (1968), permits passagefrom essentially
magmaticconditionsat depth to areas of higher
hydrogenion concentrationand lower K+/H + and
lower temperatureseither with time at a given point
deep in the systemor through spaceupward and
outwardat a given time. It is importantto note,

1. Regional or local structural fabric that may

produce asymmetry in alteration and mineral ore

tion.

It alsoappearssignificantthat the major porphyry

depositsof British Columbia (for example, the
2. Heterogeneousand contrastingcompositionof Bethlehemand Lornex deposits) occur in quartz
preore rocks, especiallythe presenceof sedimentary diorite, and the K-feldspathicrock typesreportedat
Ajo yield outward to a quartz diorite composition
"screens."
3. Dislocationsof the original geometryby fault (Wadsworth, 1968). The evidenceconcerninglargescalemetasomatism
of rocks,generallywith attendant
displacementor by postoreintrusions.
enrichment
in
K-feldspar
and quartz as described
4. Exposureof the porphyry systemlaterally and
at
Bingham
Canyon
by
Stringham
(1956), may well
at depth.
prove to be more generalthan is now realized. The
The vertical dimensioninterpreted for the San alterationassemblages,
mineralizationcharacteristics,
Manuel-Kalamazoosystemis on the order of 8,000- and occurrence of sulfides at Bethlehem and Lornex
10,000 feet. No definiteevidencesuggeststhat this are consistentwith deepexposure,and we may see
vertical dimensionis either typical or normal, but now exposeda relatively deep-seated
porphyry enthe mineral assemblages
typical of different vertical vironment. The fact that thesedepositsalso involve
zonesin San Manuel-Kalamazooappear to be use- quartz diorites rather than granodioriteor quartz
ful in estimatingthe depth of formation of several monzonitesmay be another manifestationof the
deposits. These "depth levels" of presentexposure vertical dimensionin porphyrydepositgenesis.
zones.

.dLTERATION-MINERALIZATION
ZONINGIN PORPHYRY
ORBDEPOSITS
SAN

MANUEL

405

FAULT

KALAMAZOO
[1
SAN MANUEL

SEGMENT

SEGM
ENT.._?

PROPYLITIC'
Chl
-EpiCarb

Adul
- AIb

PHYLLIC
BUTTE
Q- Ser-py .'--.,.--,'-MORENCl,
/

MINERAL PARK,

\\ t
POTASSIC
t

ARGILLIC
Q- Kool-

SILVER
BELL

BINGHAM, SANTA RITA

Q- K- fel- Bi+ser + onh

Chl

t
t
t

ChI-Ser-

ADO,(BETHLEHEM
?)

EpiMeg
Fro. 13. Schematicdrawingof San Manuel-Kalamazooshowingexposurelevelsof severalporphyrycopperdeposits. Other
depositscouldbe added,but thesefew serveto showa vertically developeddimension.

A growing body of data indicatesthat the porphyry deposit minerals may form at depths as
shallowas 5,000-10,000 feet. Facts supportingthis
conclusion
are (1) the occurrence
of porphyryrocks
in all 27 depositsof Table 1; (2) the cutting of all
depositsby postoreerosionsurfaces;(3) the widespread occurrenceof brecciation(even though the
host intrusions are usually passively emplaced);
(4) the location of 14 depositsin Cretaceousor
youngerpreorerockswhile the intrusionsthemselves
are of late Cretaceousor youngerage; (5) regional
structural-stratigraphic
considerations;and (6) the
common occurrenceof porphyry-ore-formingenvironmentsin cupola-likestockslessthan one square

enormoushalos of pyrite-sericite-quartzhydrothermal alterationto "dry" depositswith relativelylow

sericite-pyritecontent. Althoughperhapsthe terms
are too casual, "wet" and "dry" refer to the net
apparentabundance,
involvement,
and permeationof
a mineralizing-alteringfluid. Concentriczoning is
also presentin "dry" deposits,but it is telescoped
laterally into a small fraction of the halo thickness
of the "wet" type. The "wet" type is represented
by mostof the Southwest
deposits,
suchas Bingham
and 7Morenci,and includesmost of the large porphyry copper deposits. The "dry" type is repre-

sentedby many of the British Columbiadeposits,

suchas Bethlehem,and includesmany of the hypomile in area at the ore-forming elevation.
gene ore-gradeporphyrycoppers.
The most distinctivefeature of the porphyry deDeposits seemto range from "wet" types having
high pyrite-to-chalcopyrite
ratios and surroundedby positsis simplytheir huge size as comparedwith

406

.L D. LOWELLAND J'.M. GUILBERT

other hydrothermal
ore deposits.Includingore- that the integratedmodelof verticaland lateral siligrademineralization
andsurrounding
alterationand cate-oxidealteration,sulfidemineralization,
and sulmineralization,they assumedimensions
more com- fide occurrence
characteristics
in the porphyrydemonlyassociated
with stocks
thanwith oredeposits.positsmay be usefulto economic
geologists
both
Thebulkshapeof porphyrydeposits
reflects
large- explorationally
and scientifically.
scalestructuralcontrolof mineralization
and may
also be relatedto the originaldepthof formation.
Acknowledgments
Flat-tabular,cone,and flat-dippingtube-typedeThe writerswishto expresstheir appreciation
to
positsmay representrelativelyshallowdepth of
their
many
colleagues
whose
discussion
and
comformation
wheresteepenvironmental
gradients
prevail. Steep,columnardeposits
with long vertical ments have contributedto this paper, to L. B.
James'Gilluly,
andT. W. Mitchamwho
dimensions and little brecciation seem to indicate Gustafson,
reviewed
the
manuscript,
and
to H. R. Hauck, M.
relativelygreat depthof formationand gentleenT. Wolf, and B. Townsend for their assistancein

vironmentalgradients.

Brecciapipe deposits,suchas Toquepala,with

only thin alteration halos and with evidenceof vio-

lent emplacement,
are clearly representative
of a
differentgenesis
in whichthemineralizers
mayhave
evolvedsuddenlyin a moreor lessopenvent with
relativelysteeppressuregradients. Examplesof
blind mineralizedbrecciapipesat Cananea,Pilares,
and elsewhereindicate, however, that mineralized

preparingthe manuscriptand illustrations.

5211 N. ORACX.E,
TucsoN, ARIZONA,
AND

DEPARTMENT
OFGEOLOGY,
UNIVERSITY
OFARIZONA,
TUCSON,ARIZONA,

December19, 1969; March 16, 1970

brecciapipesneednot necessarily
be eitheropento
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C. A., 1968,Arizonaand adjacentNew Mexico,
Porphyry depositstend to have either elongate, Anderson,
in Ore Depositsof the United States,1933-1968(Gratonvertical,columnarshapes(San Manuel-Kalamazoo Sales Volume), John D. Ridge, ed., Vol. 2: New York,
and Bingham) or foreshortenedcolumnar, almost

A.I.M.E., p. 1163-1190.

, Scholz,E. A., and Strobell,J. D., Jr., 1955,Geology

and ore depositsof the Bagdadarea,'Yavapai County,
suggestthat migration of hydrothermalfluids was
Arizona: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 278, 102 p.
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granite, Pinal County, Arizona: Unpub. Ph.D. thesis,

discoldshapes(Climax or Ray).

These shapes

however derived, migrated upward across large

Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.

areas, up to tens of thousandsof feet in diameter. Bauer, H. L., Jr., Breitrick, R. A., Cooper, J. J., and
Anderson,J. A., 1966, Porphyry copperdepositsin the
It appearslikely that the mineralizersoriginatedas
Robinson mining district, Nevada, in Geology of the

a separationof fluids at the point of crystallization PorphyryCopperDeposits,SouthwesternNorth America,

S. R. Titley and C. L. Hicks (eds.): Tucson,Arizona,
of the "host intrusive body." It should be noted
The University of Arizona Press,p. 233-244.
that the "overhang"effect or beet shapeof San Beall,
J. V., 1965, Southwestcopper--apositionsurvey:
Manuel-Kalamazoo
could also be consistent with an
Min. Engr., v. 17, p. 77-92.

with ore,
influx of deeplycirculating,externallyderived,per- Bryant, D. G., 1968,Intrusivebrecciasassociated
Warren (Bisbee) mining district, Arizona: EcoN. Gvo..,
hapscoolerwater,althoughboththe depthand wall
v. 63, p. 1-12.
rocksinvolvedmakethis explanationseemunlikely.
, and Metz, H. E., 1966, Geologyand ore depositsof
the Warren mining district, op. cit. (4): p. 189-204.
Many characteristicsdescribedin Table 1 and Buddington,
A. F., 1933, Correlation of kinds of igneous
systematizedin Figure 13 are consistentwith one
rocks with kinds of mineralization,in Ore Deposits of
another.

Variations

in the character

of sulfide oc-

the Western States (Lindgren Volume): New York,

A.I.M.E., p. 350-385.
Burnham, C. W., 1962, Facies and types of hydrothermal
considering that disseminationtextures are comalteration: EcoN. Gv.o..,v. 57, p. 768-784.
, 1967, Hydrothermal fluids at the magmaticstage, in
patible with a model involving crystallizationof
Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits, H. L.
rock-formingsilicates(i.e., the potassiczone) such
Barnes (ed.): New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston,

currence,for example, appear best explainedby

that the sulfides,whichare really igneousaccessory Inc., p. 166-235.

minerals,are depositedeither as truly includedmin- Carpenter, R. H., 1968, Geology and ore depositsof the
Questa molybdenummine area, Taos County, New Mexerals or in fracturesand microfracturesin newly
ico, op. cit. (1), Vol. 2: p. 1328-1350.
competentrocks which are subsequently
healedby CarT, J. M., 1960, Porphyries, breccias, and copper minlocalcrystallization.

eralization in Highland Valley, B.C.: Can. Min. Journal,

Nov., p. 71-73.

The San Manuel-Kalamazoo

depositthusappears ---, and Lee, R., 1966, Geological map of the Highland
Valley area, British Columbia: Dept. of Mines and Petrol.
to be typicaland illustrativeof porphyrycopperand
Res., Vancouver, B.C., Prelim. map, British Columbia.
molybdenumdeposits. We suggestin conclusion Cooper, J. R., 1960, Some geologic features of the Pima

ALTERATION-MINERALIZATION

ZONING IN PORPHYRY ORE DEPOSITS

407

mining district, Pima County, Arizona: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1112-C, p. 63-103.
Creasey,S.C., 1965,Geologyof the San Manuel area, Pinal
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64 p.
, 1966, Hydrothermal alteration, op. cit. (4): p. 51-74.
Damon, P. E., and Mauger, R. L., 1966, Epeirogeny-orogeny
viewed from the Basin and Range province: A.I.M.E.
Trans. v. 235, p. 99-112.
Dixon, D. W., 1966, Geology of the New Cornelia mine,
Ajo, Arizona, op. cit. (4): p. 123-132.
Drummond, A.D., and Kimura, E. T., 1968, Hydrothermal
alteration at Endako mines--a comparisonto experimental
studies: Presented at Canadian Inst. Mining Annual
Meeting, Vancouver, B.C., April 24, 1968, 28 p.
Eidel, J. J., Frost, J. E., and Clippinger, D. M., 1968,
Copper-molybdenum mineralization at Mineral Park,
Mohave County, Arizona, op. cit. (1), Vol. 2, p. 1258-

Mayo, E. B., 1958, Lineament tectonics and some ore districts of the Southwest: Min. Engr., v. 10, p. 1169-1175.
Metz, R. A., and Rose, A. W., 1966, Geology of the Ray
copper deposit, Ray, Arizona, op. cit. (4): p. 177-188.
Meyer, C., and Hemley, J. J., 1967, Wall rock alteration,
op. cit. (0): p. 166-235.
-,
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408

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