Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Epithermal Au-Ag deposits:

Jeffrey W. Hedenquist

Ottawa, Canada

Sillitoe and Hedenquist, 2003

Sillitoe & Hedenquist, 03

Hedenquist et al., 2001

J.W. Hedenquist

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

 
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J.W. Hedenquist


Cn


J.W. Hedenquist
Baia Mare
Creede
Mt Muro
Aurora
Aracata
Sacarimb
Victoria
Gunung Pongkor
Tonapah
Fresnillo
Kelian
San Cristobal
Comstock Lode
Zacatecas
Rosia Montana
Beregovo
Tayotita
Baguio
Guanajuato
Pacucha-Real
Sunnyside
Milos
Golden Cross
Profitis
Illias
Mogollon
Cracow
El Bronce
Ovacik
Karangahake
Takatama
Baia Mare
Gosowong
Lebong Tandai
Perama
Thames
Bodie
Kushikino
Oatman
Montana Tunnels
Bullfrog
Sleeper
Konomai
El Limon
Misima
Republic
Pajingo
Midas
McLaughlin
Esquel
El Penon
Cerro Vanguardia
Waihi
Hishikari
Round Mtn
Baley
Emperor
Porgera
Cripple Creek
Ladolam

Billion $ (US)

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Modified from values compiled

by B. Gemmell, in prep.

25

Ag $

Au $

17

Au $700 US/oz

Ag $10 US/oz

M: Mexico
D: diatreme related

Intermediate
sulfidation
N=12

M
D

LS (alkalic)
N=4

M
D

Low sulfidation

D
M

8.5

N=6

MD

~5 Moz Au eq.

100 Au

<5%

Pb-Zn
or Cu
LS
IS

IS
IS
3-7%

10-20% 100 Ag

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Silicified blanket

Hedenquist et al. (2000),

modified from Buchanan
(1981), Sillitoe (1993)

H2S + 2 O2 = H2SO4

- cc

J.W. Hedenquist

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

musc

LS, shallow (<300-400 m)

<220-230 C
IS, deeper (~300-800 m)
>220-230 C)

J.W. Hedenquist

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

2 KAl3Si3O10(OH)2 [illite]+ 2 H+ [H2CO3] +3 H2O = 3 Al2Si2O5(OH)4 [kaol] + 2 K+

Ohaaki
Pool

Steam-heated
acid sulfate condensate
H2S +2 O2 = H2SO4

Steam-heated CO2rich condensate

Illite + 6 SiO2 + 2 K+ =
3 adularia + 2 H+
H+ + HCO3- = H2O + CO2

Simmons and Browne, 2000, Economic Geology

NB: Mixing will not

cause amorphous
silica saturation
and colloform gels

J.W. Hedenquist

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

FeS2, CuFeS2,
+ 5 wt.% gold
Kevin Brown, 1986

Gas loss

Brown, 1986;
Hedenquist et
al., 1996

J.W. Hedenquist

10 ppb gold

10

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

McLaughlin, California:
LS sheeted veins below sinter;
old Hg mine (trace Au)

J.W. Hedenquist

11

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Steam-heated
alteration
25 m

Sherlock et al. (1995)

Ebert and Rye, 1996

H2S + 2 O2 = H2SO4 (oxidation in vadose zone)

J.W. Hedenquist

12

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Y. Watanabe (2004)

Au provinces in Kyushu

migration
of volcanism

J.W. Hedenquist

13

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Hishikari, southern Kyushu

1 Ma

now

Footprint of
11 Moz Au
deposit

0.7 Ma

Hishikari:
Gold-quartz veins
in greywacke
basement

J.W. Hedenquist

14

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Unconformity

Greywacke
basement

100 m

Unconformity

Hishikari, S Kyushu
500 m

tridymite gone

st p
he
hig otem
le
pa

smectite,
kaolinite

smectitechl

Zoned clays around vein

projections: high T paleo-plume

Izawa et al. (1990)

J.W. Hedenquist

15

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Old surface,
before erosion

NW

SE

Outflow down valley to

distant hot springs

smectite-chl

sme

ctite

, kao

linite

chlorite

J.W. Hedenquist

16

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Patagonia, Argentina

<70 ppb Au

<1 g*m
10-50
g*m

(10-50 g*m)
(>100 g*m)

J.W. Hedenquist

300 m

17

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Sl
Ya
RMt

Wa
To

Vi

HS

IS

LS

LS(a)

Hedenquist et al., 1996, 2000

2200

1600
m

600
clays

(4-25 g*m)

0m

(>100 g*m)

J.W. Hedenquist

18

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Saunder and
Einaudi, 1990

J.W. Hedenquist

19

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

500 m

B
Stebbins
Hill

Round Mtn.
Saunder and
Einaudi, 1990

Fairview
Hill
N

Alteration

Silicification

2000
(m)
Argillic
Quartz-adularia-sericite

1800
1600

Saunder and
Einaudi, 1990

J.W. Hedenquist

20

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Sillitoe and Hedenquist, 2003

Lake beds

Round Mtn

Porphyry systems

High-sulfidation Au-Cu

Intermediate
sulfidation

Au-Ag (Pb-Zn)

Base of lithocap
Distal PbZn skarn
Replacement
Zn-Pb-Ag
Porphyry
Cu-Au

Proximal CuAu skarn

Sillitoe, 2010
Economic Geology

J.W. Hedenquist

21

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Kushikino: Mt Kamuridake to east

capped by silicic zones, adv. argillic halos
Kushikino IS veins:
qtz-calcite-Au

Kushikino IS
veins 2 km west

J.W. Hedenquist

22

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

23

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Muscovite halo, Au-Au w/ spl, ccp, tn veins

2 km

2M mica

Hudson
(2003)

J.W. Hedenquist

24

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

25

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Dietrich et
al., 2007

1 km

14.7-14.1 Ma

13.7 Ma

13.5 Ma

Surface projections:
Lepanto: enargite-Au
Far Southeast: porphyry Cu
and Victoria: IS Au-Ag veins

J.W. Hedenquist

26

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Alunite
1.40-1.45 Ma

Bt 2.2-1.8 Ma

Porphyry Cu

Hydro Biot
1.40-1.45 Ma
Ser ~1.35 Ma

Enargite-Au

X Horn
1.45 Ma

IS Au-Ag veins

X Biot
1.18 Ma

X Illite
1.15-1.4 Ma

Bulalacao ?
porphyry

Teresa
veins

J.W. Hedenquist

27

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Weak montmorillonite+pyrite;
illite-montmorillonite+pyrite at
lower elevation

DNK: dickite, nacrite, kaolinite,

or any combinations

J.W. Hedenquist

28

Epithermal veins and variations

iX: illite crystallinity

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

DNK: dickite, nacrite, kaolinite, or any combinations

29

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Colquijirca and Co de Pasco

Marcapunta
Norte

Dacite
flow dome
Modified from Petersen & Vidal
(1996), Fontbote & Bendezu (1999)

Ref: Colquijirca mine staff (Fontbote & Bendezu, 2000)

J.W. Hedenquist

Bendezu et al., 2008

30

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

N
Marcapunta Oeste

Marcapunta Norte

Colquijirca

Dome - diatreme

Bendezu et al., 2008

15.4 Ma
~14.4 Ma

J.W. Hedenquist

31

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

15.4-14.5 Ma

14.5-14.4 Ma

Porphyry systems

High-sulfidation Au-Cu

Porphyry systems: deeply eroded, below lithocap

Intermediate
Enargite Au lode,
sulfidation
advanced argillic halo, remnant lithocap

Au-Ag (Pb-Zn)

Base of lithocap
Distal PbZn skarn
Replacement
Zn-Pb-Ag
Porphyry
Cu-Au

Proximal CuAu skarn

Sillitoe, 2010
Economic Geology

J.W. Hedenquist

32

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Alto Chicama, Peru

Andean arc, Peru:

75 Moz in HS deposits

10 S

2001, discovery 2 km from

road in mining district
2003, 10.5 Moz resource
64 N

ARUNTANI

Recent discovery of a new ore type in

an abandoned Pb-Zn-Ag vein mining district

J.W. Hedenquist

33

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

34

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

Canahuire resource model & pit shell: Chucapaca JV

W

E
1.3 km

350 m
lisation
Minera
g/t Au

J.W. Hedenquist

100E
300W

Open
700W

Looking North

35

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

36

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

37

Epithermal veins and variations

J.W. Hedenquist

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

38

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

500 m

Mineralization

J.W. Hedenquist

39

Epithermal veins and variations

Hochschild Mining plc: March 2012

(34,850 t Ag, 175 t Au) IS

(~190 t Au, 2400 t Ag) LS

10 km
HS

1 km
(2x)

J.W. Hedenquist

Acupan IS
(200 t Au)

(45,000 t Ag, 220 t Au) IS

Zoned
around
diatremes
Co. de Pasco
(46,000 t Ag,
Zn, Pb, Au)

IS

40