Professional Documents
Culture Documents
in the Igneous-Volcanic
Saldaa Formation, Colombia
and Extension of the Mineral Province
in the Andean Cordillera
Prepared by:
Alberto Lobo-Guerrero S.
Geologist, M.Sc., MinEx
Economic Geology Research Institute
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa, June, 2003
CONTENTS
Introduction
Saldaa Formation
Location
Description
Lithology
Petrography
Extension
Environment of Emplacement
Structural Geology
Mineralization
Types Known
Potential
Prospects
Extension of Province
In Colombian Andes
Perij Chain
In Andean Cordillera
Into Mexico
INTRODUCTION-1
Saldaa region constitutes
one of the best exploration targets
for large-tonnage Au + Cu disseminations
in Colombian Andes, South America
Saldaa Formation =
Jurassic hypabissal + volcanic rocks
INTRODUCTION-2
Aulacogen extends throughout the Andes
from Venezuela into Argentina
Mineralization known all along
conforms
continent-wide metallogenic province
SALDAA FORMATION-1
Natagaima region =
isolated stretch of Colombian Central Cordillera
complex vulcano-sedimentary
sequence of faulted blocks
INTRODUCTION
Saldaa
Formation
Payand
Formation
Luisa
Formation
Tierradentro
Gneiss &
Granulites
K-T
LITHOLOGY/
ENVIRONMENT
Limestones, sandstones
J-TR and shales
TR
pE
RELATED
INTRUSIVES
None known
Mafic small
bodies
Pz stocks
MINERALIZATION
Au placers, exotic Cu
Gypsum veinlets, exotic Cu
Au placers, Paleoplacers
(Gualanday Fm.)
Exotic Cu
LOCATION
LOCATION
INTRODUCTION
Isolated
wedge of
Colombian
Central
Cordillera
SALDAA FORMATION-2
size of andesitic-dacitic
porphyritic bodies seldom >4km2
Most outcrops of intrusive rocks =
apophysis of larger bodies
too small to map at 1:100,000 scale
porphyritic bodies composed by
well-formed plagioclase phenocrystals
up to a few centimeters long
that occur in gray-green aphanitic matrix
SALDAA FORMATION-3
PETROGRAPHY
composition varies from tonalite to
granodiorite and quartzmonzonite
some rocks grade into diorite + basalt
few = syenitic
Numerous augite phenocrystals + abundant
amygdules filled by chalcedony, calcite,
chlorite, epidote, zeolites and native Cu are
evident in the matrix
Generalized
Geological
Map
Generalized
Geological
Map
SALDAA FORMATION-4
In t/ region of study, extends for 1200 km2
evidence of fertile intrusive rocks, hydrothermal
alteration and mineralization occur throughout
15,400 hectares within region have high potential
to host disseminated Au associated with the upper
portion of Cu-Au porphyry systems
study area = approx.1/3 of total known Saldaa
outcrops in Colombian Andes
= 1/10 of similar age/composition rocks in country
SALDAA FORMATION-5
ENVIRONMENT OF EMPLACEMENT
deposited in aborted rift basin
overlying Triassic continental red beds and
carbonate platform
Jurassic subduction
produced magmatism + vulcanism
Unconformably overlain by thick pile of Cretaceous
+ Tertiary sediments
INTRODUCTION
SALDAA FORMATION-6
Mineral deposits = result of Jurassic, porphyritic
forced intrusions emplaced along weak zones of
tuffs and other Saldaa units
Repetitive intrusion == overprinting of hydrothermal
alteration + mineralization
Extensional faults run parallel to main branches of
aulacogen = offered sites for fluid migration +
mineral deposition
circular structures are not uncommon
INTRODUCTION
MINERALIZATION-1
Several types of mineralization are known
in region
world-class Au placers
abundant sub-vertical high and low
sulphidation Au- & Cu-rich qtz veins
Ag, Cu, barite, fluorite, Sb, Fe +
gypsum deposits exploited at small
scale since pre-Columbian times
MINERALIZATION-2
Au + Cu diss. mineralization detected in:
-stockworks
-breccioid qtz veins
-individual porphyritic bodies
-hydrothermal bxs along contact
between intrusive + volcanic rocks
MINERALIZATION-3
Region has significant potential for
exploration of various mineral deposit types
MINERALIZATION-4
Primary Cu mineralization generally associated w/
local intense sericitization and silicification
large portion of Saldaa Formation = covered by
secondary Cu minerals + epidote
INTRODUCTION
Zooming in on a
mineralized
stockwork
Intense argillization
overprints mineralized
stockwork
MINERALIZATION-5
Few prospects have been studied in detail,
mapped or explored under modern
techniques.
Old, small-scale Au miners only worked
rock deposits >6gAu/t
placers >5gAu/m3
No disseminated deposits were sampled
before 1990s
EXTENSION INTO
COLOMBIAN ANDES
Geological environment and associated Au
and Cu mineralization of Saldaa Formation
extends thoughout Colombian Andes
from Guajira to Putumayo
INTRODUCTION
EXTENSION INTO
ANDEAN CORDILLERA
Saldaa Formation equivalents
extend furthermore
along Andean Cordillera
from Venezuela to Argentina
Venezuela:
Perij and Mrida
Argentina: Patagonia
WORLD-CLASS DEPOSITS
occur in correlatives of Saldaa
Formation
and fall within similar age span
in continent-wide metallogenic province
WORLD-CLASS DEPOSITS
COLOMBIA
El Silencio, Antioquia ~1500 ton Au
Angostura, Santander >700 ton Au
Serrana de San Lucas, Bolvar
>>500 tonAu
ECUADOR
Nambija, Serrana del Cndor
>300 ton Au
San Carlos, Sna del Cndor >~5x10^6 ton Cu
ARGENTINA
Cerro Vanguardia, Patagonia
~500 ton Au
EXTENSION INTO
ANDEAN CORDILLERA
Serrana de Perij
(stretches between
Colombia + Venezuela)
contains numerous,
under-explored Au + Cu deposits
associated to Saldaa-type
Jurassic events
EXTENSION INTO
OTHER REGIONS
Part of this province
extends into Mexico
Guerrero and Oaxaca terranes
Prepared by:
Alberto Lobo-Guerrero S.
Geologist, M.Sc., MinEx
Economic Geology Research Institute
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa, June, 2003