EconomicGeology

Vol. 86, 1991, pp. 1317-1345

Geologic,Structural,andFluid InclusionStudiesof E1Bronce

EpithermalVein System,Petorca,CentralChile
FRANCISCO CAMUS,
Caminodel Valle Alto 1327, Los Dominicos,Las Condes,Santiago,Chile

RICARDO BORIC,
CompaniaMineraDisputadade Las Condes,Pedrode Valdivia291, Santiago,Chile

MILKA ALEXANDRA SKEWES,

Casilla 970, Correo Central, Santiago,Chile

JUANCARLOSCASTELLI,
EmpresaNacionalde Petroleo-Magallanes,
loseNogueira1101,PuntaArenas,Chile

ENRIQUE REICHHARD, AND ANDRESMESTRE

CompaniaMineraEl Bronce,Carmencita240, Santiago,Chile
Abstract

The E1Bronceepithermalveinsystem,locatedin the westernfoothillsof the AndeanCordillera of centralChile, contains25 metrictonsof gold, 105 metric tonsof silver,and 16,000
metrictonsof copper.The veinsare hostedby volcanicrocksof the Cerro Morado(Early
Cretaceous)andLasChilcas(Earlyto Late Cretaceous)
Formationswhichconsistchieflyof
breccias,tuffs,and lavasof andesiticcomposition.The subcircularMorro Hediondocaldera,
with a diameterof 14 to 16 km and of Late Cretaceousage,is locatedimmediatelynorth of
the district. Dacitic tuffs and andesitic flows and breccias associated with the caldera are

assigned
to the Lo Valle Formationon the basisof K-Ar agesof 83 to 80 Ma.
Two groupsof Early to Late Cretaceousintrusiverocks,occupyingnorth-trendingbelts,
are recognizedin the area.The older,a quartzmonzodioritebodywestof Petorca,intruded
the Cerro MoradoFormation.The youngercomprisesdioriticto granodioriticstocks,dikes,
andsillsandincludesthe PetorcaPorphyry(86 _ 3 Ma) andthe dioritic-tonaliticring dike.
The latter definesthe marginof the Morro Hediondocaldera(80-79 Ma). Large zonesof
hydrothermal
silicification
andargillicalterationareassociated
withthe twogroupsof intrusive
rocks.

The Morro Hediondo caldera is the mostprominent geologicfeature in the area. Faults
andfracturesrelatedto the calderaprovidedstructuralcontrolsfor the mineralization.Several
northeast-to northwest-trendingfaults are either radial or concentricwith respectto the
caldera.The mostoutstanding
structuresarethe Quebradade CastroandE] Broneestructural
systems.

The E] Broneestructuralsystem,containingmostof the minera]ization

in the district,consists
of extensional
faults,dikes,andveinsexposedwithina 3-km-wideanda 17-km-long,northeasttrendingzone delimitedby the north-northwest-south-southeast
Quebradade Castroand
Petorca-E1Durazno dextral strike-slipfaults.
The relative movementof this fault pair was responsiblefor the structuralpattern at E1
Bronce,whichinvolveddevelopmentof a first-orderdilationaljog. Within thisjog, two major
groupsof veinsare recognized:the El Bronce-Guanaco-La
Olla-SanLorenzogrouplocated
north of the E1BronceCreek fault and the Pedro de Valdivia-E1EspinoNorte group located
southof this structure.Bothgroupsof veinsare verticalto subverticaland strikenorthwest
to northeast.

Detailed studiesof the orebodieshave shownthat each ore shootis composedof several
lenseswhich containas many as four ore types and a dike: (1) hydrothermalbrecciaore
cemented,(2) massiveore, (3) stockworkzone,and (4) disseminated
zone.Orebodiesmay
alsocontainbarren andesitcdikes.The contactsbetween the four ore types are generally
abruptbut arelocallygradational.The andesitcdikesgenerallydisplaysharp,locallysheared
contacts.

0361-0128/91/1272/1317-1953.00

1317

CAMUS ET AL.

Ore mineralsare dominatedby coarsecrystallinepyrite, sphalerite,chalcopyrite,

galena,
tetrahedrite-tennantite,
and minorbornitc.Ganguemineralsconsistof quartz,carbonates,
barite,andchlorite.Fiveparagenetic
stages
arerecognized:
(1) quartz-pyrite-gold,
(2) quartzpyrite-sphalerite-chalcopyrite-gold,
(3) tetrahedrite-tennantite-galena-silver,
(4) barite, and
(5) carbonates-chlorite-sphalerite.
Hydrothermalalteration,with the formationof sericite,
kaolinitc,chlorite, and carbonates,mainly affectedthe hostrocksof the stockworkand disseminatedore types.Carbonatesare the principalalterationmineralsin the andesitcdikes.
Fluid inclusionsassociatedtemporally with the preciousmetal mineralizationshow homogenizationtemperaturesthat range from 235 to 344C and salinitiesfrom 4 to 10 wt
percentNaC1equiv.Goldmineralization
underliesa shallowzoneof boilingof thehydrothermal
fluids.The fluid inclusiondata suggestthat the preciousmetal zone wasgenerated400 to
1,200 m beneaththe palcosurface.
Temperatureandsalinitytend to decreasein the shallowlevelsof the veins.The calculated
verticalvariationsin enthalpyof the hydrothermalfluidssuggest
thata fluidmixingmechanism
wasresponsible
for ore deposition.Hot, relativelysaline,metal-richfluidsascended
andmixed
with coolermeteoricfluidsto causeprecipitationof the iron, copper,and zinc sulfides,and

subsequently
thegold.Preliminary
sulfurisotope
studies
(/4S;0.5-2.3%0)suggest
a magmatic
source for the sulfur in sulfides at E1 Bronce.

Introduction

Scopeof work

THIS paper presentsthe resultsand interpretations

of geologic,mineralogic,
petrographic,
structural,
and
fluid inclusionstudiesundertakensince 1985 by
CompaniaMineraE1Broncein the E1Broncemining
districtandsurroundings.
Thesestudieswere oriented
towardunderstanding
the geologicenvironmentand
processes
involvedin the depositgenesisin orderto
generategeologicand geneticmodelsfor usein explorationfor additionalore in the district.
Location

The E1 Broncemining district is located 150 km

northof Santiago(Fig. 1) and8 km northof the small
townofPetorca.The approximate
geographic
location
is 32011' Slat and 70056' W long. Altitude varies

Spaniardsduring the 16th to early 19th century.

During the late 19th century, the E1 Bronce,E1 Espino,andPedrode Valdiviaminesof the districtwere
in production.In 1939, A. Callejasfoundedthe CompaniaMineraE1BroncedePetorca,andapproximately
500,000 metrictonsof ore averaging11 g/metricton
Au were minedfromthesethreeminesthrough1955,
when miningwas discontinuedbecauseof low gold
prices. The companyrecommencedoperationsin
1980, and up to 1989 about 2.5 million metric tons
of ore averaging4.8 g/metricton Au, 20 g/metricton
Ag, and0.30 percentCu hadbeenextractedfromthe
new RosarioIII ore shoot.The total goldproduction
fromthe districtis estimatedto be approximately3.3
million metric tons(630,000 oz). Presentmine productionandplant capacityat E1Bronceis 1,200 metric tonsper day.

between 600 and 2,700 m above sea level.

The vein orebodies in the district are located on

the steepflanksof the E1BronceValley and extend

eastwardtowardthe high peaksof the area.

RegionalGeology
The E1 Bronce district is located in the western
foothills of the Andean Cordillera in an area where

outcroppingrocks are volcanicsand intrusionsof

Cretaceousage (Fig. 2). The numerouspolymetallic
There are no detailed,publishedgeologicreports (Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, andZn), epithermalveinsin the discoveringthe E1Broncedistrict.Recently,Camuset trict were emplacedwithin a north- to N 20 oE-strikal. (1986) and Skewesand Camus(1988) described ing structuralsystemcuttingvolcanicrocksof Early
specificaspectsof the districtgeology.Unpublished Cretaceousage. The structuralsystemextendsfrom
but readily availabledocumentationincludesRuiz Petorca in the south to Morro Hediondo hill, 17 km
(1945) on the geologyof the E1Broncedistrictwith farthernorth(Fig. 2). The epithermalveinsarerelated
emphasis
onthe RosarioII ore shoot,Baranovsky
and geneticallyto a Late Cretaceous(86-79 Ma) magmatic
Fresno(1940) on the geologyof the Pedrode Valdivia event characterizedby emplacementof subvolcanic
mine,andCamus(1982) summarizing
the then-avail- intrusions,developmentof a collapsecaldera,andexable geologicknowledgeof the E1BronceandPedro tensivehydrothermalalteration.
de Valdiviadeposits.
Stratigraphy
Previous studies

History and production

Accordingto Vicuna-Mackena(1881), veinsin the

E1Broncedistrictwereworkedsurficiallyfor goldby
local Indiansin precolonialtimesand then by the

Dacitic

to andesitic

volcanic

and volcaniclastic

rocksof Early to Late Cretaceousage,whichassigned

to the Cerro Morado, Las Chilcas, and Lo Valle For-

mations,are exposedin the E1 Bronce district and

EL BRONCEEPITHERMALVEIN SYSTEM,CENTRALCHILE

FIG. l.

1319

Location of the E1 Bronce district, central Chile.

surroundingareas(Fig. 2). The lithology, thickness, ationandthe presenceof calcite.The easternbelt

of a sequenceof andesiticrocksthat unconattitude, and age relationsof thesethree formations consists
are summarized in Table 1. Their distinction can be
rather difficult because of the absence of marker ho-

rizons and tectonic disruption.

The El Broncedistrictis hostedby the Cerro MoradoFormation,whichstrikesnortherlyandunderlies
conformably,and in part interfingerswith, the Las
ChilcasFormationimmediatelynorth of the district.
The Las ChilcasFormation, which cropsout east as

formablyoverliethe northwestern
portionof the
Morro Hediondo caldera.
Intrusive

rocks

Several plutons of intermediate compositionintrudedthe Cretaceousvolcanicsequences

of the area

(Fig.2). Theplutonsareeitherpartofthebatholithic
Illapelsuperunit
ofEarlyto LateCretaceous
age(86-

134 Ma; K-Ar) or stocksanddikesof the SanLorenzo

of LateCretaceous
age(86-79 Ma;K-Ar).
Formation.Units of this latter formationcrop out as superunit
two compositionallydifferent north-trendingbelts Bothintrusivephaseswere definedanddatednorth
northeast of the district. The rocks of the western
of the districtby Rivanoet al. (1985).
Quartzmonzodiorite
intrusions
of the Illapel subelt constitutepart of the Morro Hediondocaldera
complex(Boric, 1986): a sequenceof interfingered perunitcropoutwest,south,andup to 100 kmnorth
well as north of the district, underlies the Lo Valle

lava flows, andesiticvolcanic breccias, and dacitic la-

of the district and cut the Cerro Morado Formation

pilli tuffs characterizedby weak chlorite-clayalter-

(Fig. 2). The intrusiverocksare light colored,pha-

1320

CAMUS ET AL.

A,XA

AI

oo o o o

EXPLANATION

/ oocO o oo
Unconsolidated

A
A

A
A

debris

A-- fAndesitic
lows/br ec cia

Andeste

tuffs

_
V

Oacite
porphyry

(T,
Andesire/

porphyry

V
V

Hydrothermal

olferoion

zone

Contact

Vein
Fault
Strike and dip
bedding

of

Cu mine

Au-Ag-Cu-Pb-Zn
mine

o o Do o

AAAAA__

o
o

"' ,2' K-Ar age

oo\ oooo
o

A A A A A A A A A

A
X

X
X

X
X

A
A

A
A

A
A

5km

X
X

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

FIG. 2. Regionalgeologicmapof the E1Bronceminingdistrictshowingstructure,]ithology,alteration

zones,and mines.Also shownare the locationsof samplesdatedby the K-Ar method.

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL
TABLE 1.

Formation
Cerro Morado

GeologicCharacteristics
of the Cerro Morado,Las Chilcas,andLo Valle Formations
Lithology

Attitude

Thickness

Age

Lavas and andesitic breccias,

N-S 10-30 E

>1,000 m

Early Cretaceous;intrudedby Petorca

Porphyry (K-Ar: 86 +_3 Ma) and by
quartz monzodiorite(109-96 Ma);
overlies post-NeocomianVeta

N-S 10-30 E

>12,000 m

>1,000 m

Early to Late Cretaceous;intruded by

dikes of 82 to 79 Ma; underlies
lavasof Lo Valle Formation (82-80
Ma)
Late Cretaceous;K-Ar dating of tuffs

intercalations

of tuffs and

tuffaceous sandstones;
gray to purple and

Las Chilcas

greenishcolored rocks
Conglomerate,tuffs, lavas,

N-S 10-30 E

Negra Formation

andesitic breccias; brown

to reddish colored
Lo Valle

1321

VEIN SYSTEM, CENTRAL CHILE

West belt: Lavas, andesitic

volcanic breccias; dacitic
lapilli tuffs (Morro
Hediondo

and andesites; 89 to 79 Ma

volcanic

center); light brown to

gray colored
East belt: Porphyritic

N-S 10-30 E

andesRes and andesitic

>700 m

Late Cretaceous;67 to 60 Ma plutons

intrude this formation to N and S

breccias;gray to greenish
colored

neritic, and mediumgrainedand are affectedby in- annuluswith a diameterof 14 to 16 km. The ring dike
cipient alterationto chlorite, epidote, clays,and/or definesthe externalmarginof the Morro Hediondo
hematite. Where these intrusive rocks are in contact
caldera,dips vertically, and averages10 to 20 m in
with volcanic rocks of the Cerro Morado Formation,

the latter displaysthe effectsof contact metamorphism.

The dioritic (andesitic)to granodioritic(dacitic)
stocksand dikesof the SanLorenzosuperunitcrop

width. However, widths of over 100 m are observed

locally(Fig. 2). The ring dike hasa daciticto quartz

monzodioritic
composition,
a porphyritictexture,and
is very weakly altered. The ring dike yielded K-Ar
agesof 80 ___
3 and 79 ___
3 Ma (Camuset al., 1986).
out in the E1 Bronce district and also to the east and The Dulcineacopperbrecciaorebody,emplacedadup to 100 km farther north. These rocksintrude the jacentto the ring dike nearits southeastern
end (Fig.
volcanicsof the Cerro Morado, Las Chilcas, and Lo 2), is thoughtto be geneticallyrelatedto it.
Valle Formationsand are light colored,porphyritic, Structure
andalteredweaklyto chlorite,epidote,clays,sericite,
Numerous structures occur in the E1 Bronce area,
prehnite, and/or calcite. The outcrop areas of the
stocks are less than 7 km 2.
the most outstandingof which are the northwestThe goldveinsof the E1Broncedistrictandother strikingQuebradadeCastrosystem,thenorth-striking
gold, silver,and/or copperveinswithin the general E1Broncesystem,and the Morro Hediondocaldera
area shownin Figure 2 were emplacedaroundand (Camuset al., 1986; Fig. 3).
locallywithinintrusions
of the SanLorenzosuperunit.
The Quebradade Castro structuralsystemcomVein mineralizationcanthereforebe relatedgeneti- prisesa regionallineament,which strikesN 22 W,
callyto emplacementof specificintrusionsof the San and extends between latitudes 31 and 33 S. It is
Lorenzounit, includingthe PetorcaPorphyryandthe located3 km eastof E1Bronceasa seriesof subparallel
ring dike.
dextralwrenchfaultsthat canbe followedalongstrike
The PetorcaPorphyry(86-79 ___
3 Ma) cropsout for about 27 km. The faults intersect the Cerro Moron the easternmarginsof the E1Broncedistrict(Fig. adoFormationandplacethisformationin contactlo2), where it intrudes the Cerro Morado Formation, callywith the LasChilcasF9rmation(Fig. 2), thereby
producinga narrow metamorphichalo. The south- suggesting
a relativedownthrowof the easternblock.
ernmostoutcropsof the porphyryappearto constitute A few faults in this systemhost Au, Ag, and/or Cu
a stockwhereasthe northernmostoutcropsare sill- vein-type mineralization.
like. Bothintrusivebodiesare likely to be connected
The E1 Broncestructuralsystemhoststhe main
at depth. The porphyry is porphyritic,tonalitic to veins in the district and extends for almost 18 km
granodioriticin composition,and affectedby weak (Fig. 2). The systemcomprisesa seriesof tensional
alteration and numerous carbonate veins and veinlets.
fractures,dikes,andveinsdelimitedby the Quebrada
The ring dike cropsout in the north and eastof de Castro and the Petorca-E1 Durazno dextral wrench
the area (Fig. 2) and formsa discontinuous
partial faults(Fig. 3).

1322

CAMUS ET AL.
i

E=$15.000

E=$19.000

The Morro Hediondocalderaanditsassociated

ring
dike, which is believed to follow a fault along the
calderamargin(Camuset al., 1986), isassociated
with
the followingfeatures:(1) a sequenceof over 1,000
m ofdaciticpyroclastic
flows(86 _ 3 Ma; K-Ar)within
the annular structure which is interpreted as an intracaldera accumulation;(2) numerousporphyritic
intrusivebodieswithin andbeyondthe ring structure,
which may representsubvolcanic
activityrelated to
the postcollapse
periodof the caldera;(3) a possible
stratovolcano
on the northernflankof the ring dike-apparentlya postcollapse
volcanicsequencewhichis
composed
of andesitcflows(82-80 _ 3 Ma; K-Ar) and
intercalatedpyroclastichorizons;(4) polymetallic
epithermal depositsand hydrothermalalteration
zones(82-79 _+3 Ma; K-Ar); (5) changesin compositionandstructuralattitudeof the volcanicsequence
in proximityto the ring dike; (6) megabreccia
composedof blocksof volcanicrocksalongthe inner side
of the ring dike; and (7) minor structures,including
faults,veins,anddikes(Fig. 2), whichare radialand
concentricwith respectto the ring dike.

ix
Morro
Hediondo

- N=6.446.000

cal
dera

/'. Ring
dike

'/
,,'San
Lorenzo

'

K-At dating
Ten samplesfor K-Ar datingwere collectedfrom
unweatheredoutcrops
of thevolcanicunitsthatdefine
the caldera,intrusiverocks,alterationzones,andhydrothermalalterationassociated
directly with the E1
Bronceepithermalsystem.
The K-Ar datingwasperformedat the ServicioNacionalde Geologiay Mineria'slaboratoryin Santiago,
Chile. Whole-rocksamplesandplagioclase,
sericite,

-43

El Espino

Ii

biotite,andamphibole
separates
wereanalyzed.
Table
2 summarizesthe results, some of which were pre-

<

sentedby Camuset al. (1986).

Two groupsof ages,interpretedascorresponding
to two mainevents,are recognizable.The olderevent
(109 _+4 Ma) isrelatedto the formationof alteration
zonesassociated
with the Illapel superunitmagmatic
eventof Early to Late Cretaceousage,probablyin
association
with volcaniccenters.A secondgroupof
Late Cretaceous(86-79 Ma) agesdefinesa younger

otdn
de
Oro

event which resulted in the Morro Hediondo caldera

and the epithermalmineralization.The age (79 _+3

Ma) obtainedfor a sericitesample(SD-316) taken
from altered volcanicandesitchostingone of the E1
Bronceore shootsis the sameasthe agesof the ring
dike,therebysuggesting
a closerelationship
between
gold mineralizationandpostcollapse
magmatism.

KEY

-.;6.43o.
ooo//
.

.
FAULT

0
t
i

MINE

2.Om
I

FIG. 3. Structuralmap showingdistributionof veinsand faults

in the E1Broncestructuralsystemand relationswith the Morro
Hediondo

caldera.

Metallogenicsetting
About 150 polymetallic,vein-type deposits,one
copper-bearingbrecciapipe (Dulcineamine), and
>30 hydrothermalalterationzonesarerecognizedin
the E1Broncedistrictand surroundings,
the mostimportantof which are shownin Figure 2.

EL BItONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM,CENTRAL CHILE

TABLE

Sampleno.
RB-200

2.

K-Ar Data for Volcanic and Intrusive

Coordinates

Rocks and Alteration

1323

Zones in the E1 Bronce District

Sampledescription

3202'2" S

Basaltic andesitc from the Lo Valle Formation;

7053'3"W

marginof the Morro Hediondocaldera;

K (%)

Age (Ma)

2.501

80 +__ 3

1.728

82 +__3

whole rock

RB-203
EB-600
RB-6

RB-149

32003'2"S
7053'3" W

of the Morro Hediondo caldera; whole rock

3205'6" S
7052'0" W
3214'2" S
7054'2"W

Dacitic lapilli tuff; intracalderasequence;biotite

separate
Granodiorite porphyry; PetorcaPorphyry; 2 km
from Petorca(Fig. 2); plagioclaseseparate
Dacite porphyry;ring dike; whole rock

6.052

86 +__3

0.984

86 +__3

3.144

80 +__3

Monzodioriteporphyry;ring dike; plagioclase

separate
Argillized rock; Morro Hediondoalterationzone
(Fig. 2); whole rock
Argillized tuff; Morro Hediondo alteration zone
(Fig. 2); whole rock
Argillized and silicifiedlava flow; El Durazno
alterationzone (Fig. 2); whole rock
Sericite; alteration envelope of the RosarioIII
ore shoot;drill hole sericite separate

2.352

79 +__3

0.183

81 +__
14

0.416

82 +__9

1.753

109 __+4

6.577

79 +__3

3204'3"S
70055'6"

RB-157
RB-502
RB-126

RB-91
SD-316

Andesitcfrom the Lo Valle Formation;margin

3206'4"S
7055'6" W
3205'6"S
7054'2"W
3205'1" S
70054'3" W
32011'2" S
7059'2"W
3211'9" S
7056'17" W

The polymetallic deposits predominate in the convergeor divergeto form multiplecymoidloops

westernpart of the districtand the copperdeposits (e.g., Guanacoarea) or crossone other and conseare concentratedin the easternpart and within the quently undergodisplacementor truncation.Some
Morro Hediondo

caldera.

structurestrend east-northeast
(Espinomine area;Fig.

The hydrothermalalterationzonesare predominantlyof the argillictype andare presentin volcanic

rocks,particularlynear intrusions,in the vicinity of
majorfaults,and/or alongmore permeablehorizons.
The economically
mostimportantmetallicdeposits

3), and someminor west-northwestdiagonalextensionalstructuresmay alsobe recognized.

Many of the faultsare normaland showvertical
displacements
of up to 250 m. The displacements
have
producedhorstsand grabens.There are alsodextral
in the area are the E1Bronce-Guanaco,Pedro de Val- and sinistralstrike-slipfaultsshowingdisplacements
divia, and E1 Espino-Botonde Oro epithermalvein of up to 50 m as demonstrated
by horizontalslickensides and dike offsets.
systems(Fig. 3).
The faultsrelatedto the Quebradade Castrosystem
Geologyof the E1BronceEpithermalSystem
displacedthe SanLorenzovein of the E1Broncesystem (Fig. 3). On the otherhand,the northernend of
Distributionand structuralcontrolof veins
the SanLorenzovein intersectsthe ring dike, giving
The E1 BroncestructuralsystemtrendsN 10 E rise to a series of veins within the caldera in the Morro
and is exposedover an area 3 km wide and 17 km Hediondo area (Figs. 2 and 3).
On the basis of the distribution of ore shoots,the
long(Fig. 3). In thisstructuralsystem,the E1Bronce
epithermalveinsystemcontainsmajorconcentrationsE1Broncesystemis subdividedinto four sectors:El
of preciousmetals.The principalcomponents
of the Bronce,Guanaco,La Olla, and SanLorenzo. The best
E1Broncesystemare the E1Bronce-Guanaco-La
Olla- known sectorsare the first two, whereas the last two
San Lorenzo and the Pedro de Valdivia-E1Espino are under explorationand consequentlyless well
Norte structures. Both structures are subvertical and
known(Fig. 3). The four sectorsstrikenorthwardfor
north to N 10 E striking.The E1Bronceveinsare a total of 7 km and consistof a complexset of tension
separatedfrom the Pedro de Valdivia veins to the fractures, dilational jogs, or cymoid loops, and
southby the N 45 E strikingQuebradaE1 Bronce brancheswhichhavecontrolledthe emplacementof
fault. The main veins of the Pedro de Valdivia area

are controlledby north- to N 10W- and N 45o-60

E-striking premineralizationfaults.There are alsoa

a series of lenticular

ore shoots and barren andesitc

dikesof variablesizesand morphologies(Table 3).

The E1 Bronce sector consistsof a single,major
seriesofminorsubparallel
structures
strikingbetween complexstructure,extendingfor 2 km, whichcontains
N 20 W and N 30 E and dipping45 or more to three major ore shoots:RosarioI, II, and III. At its
either eastor west.Thesedifferentstructuresmay northernend, the structuresplitsinto a seriesof par-

1324

CAMUS ET AL.
TABLE 3.

Sector
E1Bronce

Guanaco

Ore shoot

Ore Shoot Dimensions

Length
(m)

Depth
(m)

the Central andMaria Isabelveins(Fig. 5), were displaced downward.

Thickness

(m)

Rosario I
Rosario II
Rosario III
Guanaco N
Guanaco S

250
250
550
450
250

150
280
400
200
450

1-3
1-5
1-20
0.9-6.8
0.7-8.2

Paulino
Central
Del Medio
Maria Isabel

90
300
330
500

220
350
240
500

0.4-4.8
0.7-4.7
0.5-6.9
0.9-8.6

Ore shootsand their morphology

The E1 Bronce and Guanaco sectors contain welldifferentiated ore shoots: three at E1 Bronce and six

at Guanaco(Table 3).
In the E1Bronce sector, in the three individual ore

shoots,the width hasbeen influencedby vein duplicationdue to postmineralization

faulting;the original
averagewidth is estimatedto be 6 to 8 m. At the
elevationof the Carmenlevel (1,090 m; Fig. 6), the
three ore shoots are interconnected, with Rosario I

Range:maximumandminimum

the smallestandRosarioIII the largest(Table3). The

latter ore shoot is the best known in this sector, and

allel to subparallelveinsor extensionalfracturesthat

extend500 to 600 m alongstrikeandencompass
an
area 200 to 250 m wide (Figs. 4 and 5); this is the

all three are shownin the longitudinalisopachsection

of Figure 7a. Note that only originalthicknesses
have
been usedin the constructionof the isopachsection.
The Rosario I and II ore shoots are not as well known

Guanacosector and includes sixveins, the samenumber of ore shoots,and several barren dikes. The six
veins are Guanaco Norte, Guanaco Sur, Paulino, Del

due to intense exploitationin the past, and partial

reconstructionis basedon mapsand sectionstaken
from Ruiz (1945) and companyrecords.
Medio, Central,andMaria Isabel(Figs.4 and5). ToIn the Guanacosector (Table 3; Figs. 4 and 5),
ward the northern limit of the Guanaco sector, the their morphologies
are similarto thoseof the Rosario
veinsmergeto formthreemainstructures
recognized ore shoots,but they are smallerin size and extend
onlyonthebasisof explorationdrill holes.Thesethree farther downdipthan alongstrike. Figures8a and 9a
main structuresconstitute the La Olla sector which, are longitudinalisopachsectionsof the Central and
in turn, toward the northern end of the systemhas Maria Isabel ore shoots. Note that the roots of both
developedinto what is knownasthe SanLorenzosec- ore shootsare poorly knownbelow the Rosariolevel
tor, wherethere is a singlemainstructureextending (1,232 m) due to lack of dataandthat both ore shoots
for 2.5 km and endingat the Morro Hediondoring plunge southwardat 50 to 55
In the La Olla sector, no ore shoot has been found
dike (Fig. 3).
The strikeof the structuralsystemin theE1Bronce to date, whereas the San Lorenzo sector shows the
sectorvariesbetweenN 10 W and N 20 E, pre- presenceof at least one ore shootwhich has been
dominantlythe latter, anddipsrangefrom70to 85 intersectedby explorationdrill holes.
E at Guanaco to 60 to 85 E elsewhere. At San LoThe constructionof the longitudinalisopachsecrenzo,the strikeis northerlyandthe dipsvary from tions(Figs.7a, 8a, and9a) isbasedalmostentirely on
vertical to 75 W at the northern

end to vertical to

60 W at the southernend, and approximately45

W in the central part of the sector.
In additionto the premineralizationor evenintramineralization displacements, postmineralization
faultingalsooccurred.This wasvery important,especiallyin the E1Broncesector,where postmineralization movementcausedtranscurrentand gravity
faultingwhichduplicatedpartsof the orebodies.Net
verticaldisplacements
of 50 to 100 m havebeenmeasuredin partsof the RosarioIII ore shoot.The postmineralizationfaults are characterizedby clayey
gouge,1 m wide, whichlocallyencloses
vein andhostrock fragments.The barren andesitcdikesintruded
alongthe veinswere utilizedasdisplacement
surfaces
by thepostmineralization
faultsandconsequently
are
shearedor brecciatedin places.The principalpostmineralizationfault affectingthe Rosarioore shoots

diamond drill hole data. Ore shoot widths based on

channelsamplingwere not usedbecausetrue vein

widthsare rarely depictedin undergroundworkings.
In contrast,drill core data give more reliable information on the true widths of ore shoots.Moreover,

the regulardrilling patternat E1Bronceis conducive

to accuratethicknesscontouring.Basedon the 1-m
contour,the upper limit of the RosarioIII ore shoot,
just abovethe Capotelevel (1,450-1,500 m), is regular with few inflectionsor digitations(Fig. 7a). In
contrast,its lower limit isvery irregularandpossesses
severaldigitations.The southernlimit is alsoregular,
whereasthe northern limit is rather irregular and
formslobesandwedgestoward the upper part of the
shoot(Fig. 7a). The RosarioI and II ore shootsare
best known near their lower limits where they show
the samekind of digitationsas doesthe RosarioIII
ore shoot.The upperlimitsare poorlyknownbecause
extends northward and divides the Guanaco sector
of a lack of informationfrom the old stopes.
into severalblocks.The easternblocks,containing
A consistentrelationshipexistsbetween the con-

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM, CENTRAL CHILE

1325

13 2 6

CAMUS ET AL.
I

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM,CENTRAL CHILE

1327

1328

CAMUS ET AL.

E=IZ4OO

//

SECTION
38800--N
E=7.700

E=lZ500

SECTION
3!

KEY

]Vein

... zone
Disseminated

Andes
dike ire

Fault-[[ Tuff 0I

lOOm
I

FIG. 5. Vertical sections(markedin Fig. 4) showingdistributionof veinsandandesitedikesin the

E! Bronce and Guanaco sectors,[] Bronce district.

touredvein widths,the sinuosityof the structuresin Each ore shootis composedof a seriesof small,lenwhich the orebodieswere emplaced,and the con- ticular bodies or lenses of various sizes. In the Rosario
toured analyticaldata (Figs. 7b and c, 8b, and 9b). III ore shoot,a total of 17 suchlensesmay be rec-

- 2.000 m.

GUANACO

ORE

SHOOTS

GUANACO
NOR

ELBRONC
ORESHOOTS

UNACOSU

-MARIA
ISABE
___
%

%.ooo

":

FIG. 6. Longitudinalsectionshowinglocationand morphologyof the main ore shootsin the El

Broncesystem.Note that the three ore shootsare in different vertical planes,the Maria Isabel is east
of the Guanaco.

N=37.200

N=37.600

N=38.OO0

N=39.400

N= 39.200

-1.500m

KEY
<m

t-3m

-1.0Om

3-5m

5-8m

rmTm 8-1om

> Om

-900m
- 1.500m

-1.00m

KEY
-1:lOOm

[--1

< I g/t Au
'l--Sg/t Au

- 900m

5-30g/tAu
IT[1TmlO- 2Og/t Au

> 20g/t Au

-1.50Om

KEY

c
[]

<;

2--5 g/tAg

a/tAg

5--15 g/tAg

ffrlTm 15-EOg/t

- 900m
I

FIC. 7. Longitudinal
sectionof El Broncesectorshowing
(a) originalthickness
isopach,
(b) gold
distribution,and (c) silver distribution.

1329

Ag

> EOa/t Aa

1330

CAMUS ET AL.

~=s:ooo

~=s.'oo

~=s:oo

~=se.'soo

N=1000

N=Se'.00

N=Se'.=00 N=Se;00

1.700 m-

1.600 m -

i)

KEY

.o----

(m)

Drill

'KOm

hole

KEY
l.O(g/t

Au)

.Drill

hole

FIG. 8. Longitudinalsectionof the Central vein, Guanacosector,showing(a) thicknessisopachs,

and (b) gold distribution.

ognized.Figures7b andc, 8b, and9b andfieldob- lensesin eachore shoot,a statisticalanalysiswasconservations

suggest
thateachindividuallensrepresents ducted for the Guanaco South and Maria Isabel orea zone of extensionthat arosefrom strike and/or dip

bodies,which were chosenbecauseno obviouspost-

changesforming second-orderdilationalfault jogs mineralizationfaulting occurred.Accordingto the

(i.e., <1 km wide; Sibson,1987) where high-grade results from Guanaco South, the distancesbetween
mineralization was concentrated.In contrast,the areas lensrangesvaryfrom 10 to 80 m, with the meanvalue
with reducedthicknesses
representmore linear sec- between 40 and 50 m. At Maria Isabel, the distances
tions of the main structure where lesser amounts of rangefrom 10 to 50 m, with the meanvaluesin the
metal were deposited.For example,in the central 30- to 40-m interval(Fig. 10a,b). In general,the dispart of the RosarioIII ore shoot(Fig. 7), a zonelow tances between lenses fall in the 10- to 40-m interval.
in goldand silvercoincideswith the intervalwhere With regardto the longestlensdimensionin both ore
the structurepinchesandindicates
a lowpermeability shoots,the smallesthorizontallength measuredwas
zone which did not allow goodfluid accessand ap- 10 m (in 50% of the cases)and the greatestlength
preciablemetaldeposition.Consequently,
in a gen- attainsslightlyover 30 m (Fig. 10c, d).
eral sense,the vein width is a measureof the perEachore shootlensdisplayscombinations
of four
meabilityof the fissure,andthe thickness
trendsde- interrelatedore types:(1) hydrothermalbrecciaore,
pictedin the isopachsectionscanbe interpretedin (2) massiveore, (3) stockworkzone, and (4) dissemtermsof patternsof hydrothermalflow. In order to inatedzone.Lensesmayalsocontainbarrenandesitc
relaquantifythethickness
variations
andthe sizesof the dikes.The four ore typesshowno crosscutting

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM, CENTRAL CHILE

1331

,,!.

N = 38.900

I
N=39.300

N= 39.100

I
N=39.500

N:38.900

!
N:39.300

N=39.100

.800
m
-

1.700m -

KEY

2.o j

Drill

lOOm

hole

KEY

.-- to

(e/t A,)

Orill

hole

FIG. 9. Longitudinalsectionof the Maria Isabelvein, Guanacosector,showing(a) thicknessisopachs,

and (b) gold distribution.

tionships.Relativechronologyindicatesthat the hydrothermalbrecciaand massiveore typeswere the

first to develop,followedby the stockworkand disseminatedzones(Fig. 11). The dikesare generally
pre- or intramineralizationin age, althoughone dike
in the RosarioIII ore shootcontainsmassive
ore fragmentsandis thereforepostmineralization
in age.
Hydrothermalbrecciaore:Thisore type generally
occursin dilationaljogsassociated
with sinuousfault
planes.In plan view, brecciaore shootwidthsvary
from 0.2 to 2.0 m and lengthsfluctuatefrom 3.0 to
20 m. The hydrothermalbrecciaore may be subdivided into that cementedby sulfidesand that cementedby gangueminerals.
Brecciascemented by sulfide minerals are composed of rounded to subangularfragmentsof tuff,
ocoitas(andesiticlavaswith large plagioclasephenocrysts),
andesitedike,andlocallyquartz.Fragments
rangein sizefrom I to 10 cmandaregenerallyaltered
to sericite,quartz,hematite,chlorite,epidote,and/
or kaolinite.The cementis commonlysphaleriteand
chalcopyritewith minorpyrite. The brecciasare cut
by multidirectionalquartzand/orcarbonateveinlets.

Thistype of brecciacontainsthe highestgoldgrades

(> 10 g/metricton Au) in the ore shootsof all sectors.
The hydrothermalbrecciaore cementedby gangue
mineralsconsists
of roundedto subangular
fragments,
I to 10 cm in size, of the samelithologiesasthe sulfide-cementedbrecciaspluslocalquartz and sulfide
fragments.The cement generally consistsof silica,
barite, and minor carbonates.
In some areas of the Guanaco sector, the breccias

containaltered clastssurroundedby sulfide(sphalerite or pyrite) rims but also cementedby silica.

Therefore brecciationwas followedby periodicdepositionof sulfideand gangueminerals.In general,
the gangue-cemented
brecciascontainlessgoldthan
dothe sulfidebreccias(i.e., <4 g/metrictonAu), and
their goldgradeisa functionof the quantityof sulfide
fragmentsin the breccia.
Massiveore:This ore type occursalongrectilinear
faultswith a preferednorthto N 15 E strikedirection. Fracturewidthsvary from severalcentimeters
to 2 m and their lengthsfrom 1 to 20 m. In general,
the massive
ore zonesoccuradjacentto hydrothermal
breccia ore and close to sinuous,vertical, and hori-

1332

CAMUS ET AL.

GUANACO SOUTH
ORE SHOOT

2'0 3'0 4'0 5'0 6'0 7'0 8'0 9b

Distancebetween lenses (in)

50.

GUANACO SOUTH

45.

ORE

SHOOT

0 7or-8o
9 ,-

Distance between lenses (in)

MARIA

ISABEL

ORE SHOOT

40'

35'
-30'

.20;, 15.
.10'
...a 5'

'D-30
45)
6'0
7b
8'0
9'0

Length of lens

(in)

4;0 ,Sb 6'0 7b 8b' 9b-Length of lens

(in)

FIG. 10. Frequencyhistograms

showinglensdistributionin ore shoots,includingthe numberof
lenses and the distances between

them.

zontal fractures. The massive ore is subdivided into

sulfide-andgangue-bearing
zones.
The sulfide-bearing
massive
orecontains
morethan
50 percentsulfidesby volume,whichconsistmainly
of pyrite,sphalerite,
andminorchalcopyrite
andgalena.The zonesare alwaysboundedby faultplanes

betweenwhichthemassive
orelocallydisplays
symmetric depositionalfeatures,with the latest mineral
precipitated in the central part of the vein. Commonly, quartz or ankerite veinsare intercalatedwith
or transectmassivesulfideore andprovideevidence

forlate-stage
hydraulic
and/ortectonicfracturing.
As
in the caseof the sulfide-cemented
ore breccias,the

goldcontentof themassive
oreishigh( 10 g/metric
ton Au) andlocallyattains2 kg/metricton.
The gangue-bearing
massiveore containsat least
50 percentby volumeof gangueminerals,mainly
subhedral
quartz,barite,andcarbonates
(ankeriteand
minorcalciteandsiderite).Locally,thesezonesoccur
with thin bands(1-5 cm) of sulfides.Generally,
gangue-rich
massive
ore lackscontinuityandgrades
into gangue-cementedhydrothermal breccia. The

Stockworkzone:This mineralizationtype is located

adjacentto hydrothermalbrecciaore and/or massive
ore. It consists of stockworks of multidirectional

vein-

letsof shear,hybrid,or extensionorigin.The veinlets

are filled with oneor moreof quartz,barite, carbonates,pyrite, and subordinatesphalerite,chalcopyrite,
galena, and tetrahedrite-tennantite.Veinlet thicknessesrange from 1 to 15 mm, althoughlocallythey
reach 40 cm. The densityof veinletsincreasesin the
vicinityof the brecciaandmassiveoresbut diminishes
graduallyaway from them. The widthsof the stockwork zonescan attain 5 m, and the adjoininghost
rock is altered to quartz, sericite,and kaolinite.The
stockworkzonesare gold bearing, but gold grades
are much lower than those of the breccia or massive
ores as is the sulfide content.

Disseminatedzone:Thesezonescomprisehydrothermally altered rocks around the hydrothermal

breccia, massiveore, and stockwork zone. Dissemi-

natedzonesare 2- to 1O-m-wideenvelopesof quartz,

sericite, kaolinite, and carbonates with abundant

coarsegrainsof disseminated
pyrite. Gold contentof
goldcontentof gangue-rich
massive
oreisextremely thesezonesis essentiallynil.
low,exceptwheremicrocrystalline
quartzispresent. Andesitedikes:The dike rocksare light to dark

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM,CENTRAL CHILE

1333

KEY

183.9

Massive
ore
,r -] Hydrothermal
breccia
(ore)
*.;

Hydrothermal
breccia(gancJue)

Stockwork
zone

?y

Andesire
dike
Hostrock
Fracture

Fault

FF

Fracture fre;uency
(froCtures/m)

820 156o
.^/

^ /

STRUCTURAL
DOMAIN
Z

STRUCTURAL
DOMAIN
/

FF:2 73

FIG. 11. Exampleof a typicallenspresentin an El Bronceore shootshowingore typeswithin a

second-orderdilationaijog. Alsoshownis a gold distributionhistogramthat reflectsthe metal content

of thedifferentoretypes.The histogram
isbasedonchannelsampling.
The lensbelongs
to theGuanaco
Southore shootandhasbeensubdivided
intotwo structuraldomainsfor whichfracturefrequencydata
are shown.Note that the highestgoldgradesare concentratedin the hydrothermalbreeeiaandmassive
ores.

green in color, aphaniticto porphyriticin texture, unitsin the districtand average>1,000 m in thickandcontainabundantplagioclase
crystalsalteredto ness.
calciteand siderite.The widthsof the dikesrange
The brecciasconsistof andesitic,generallyangular
from0.5 to 20 m.In general,thedikesaresubvertical, fragmentsin an aphaniticor clearlytuffaceousmatrix.
tabularbodiesemplaced
alongtensionandshearfaults
Tuffsandtuffaceoussandstones
occuraselongate,

andfractures.They canalsooccuraseast-trending, lenticular

horizons of reddish- to violet-colored rocks

50 - to 70-dippingbodieswhichcut the ore shoots, composedof pyroelasticfragmentsin an ash-bearing

or assills.Fracturingwithinthe dikesis generallyof matrix stainedby iron and manganeseoxides.The
extensional
origin,withcarbonate
fillingsin all cases. tuffaceousrocks exerciseda strongstructuraland
lithologiccontrolon the alterationandmineralization
and causedpinchingof the ore shoots.
Host-rocklithology
Flow rocks: The andesitic flows are characterized

TherockshostingtheEl Bronceveinsystem
consist by plagioclase
andferromagnesian
phenocrysts
in an
of andesiticflows,andesitic
breccias,
agglomerates,aphaniticgroundmass.
Their coloris dark gray,redporphyriticandesites
(ocoitas),lapillituffs,andtuff- dish,or dark green.They usuallydisplayamygdules
aceoussandstones.
All belongto the Cerro Morado containingchlorite andcalcite.The thicknessof each
andesitc flow is about 40 m. Weak alteration to ohioFormationof EarlyCretaceous
age(Boric,1986).
Fragmentalrocks:Thesearethe predominant
rock rite, epidote,and hematiteis widespread.

1334

CAMUS ET AL.

Ocoita, as noted above, is a local name for an an- tionalpolishedanddoublypolishedthin sections,

with
desite with a markedly porphyritic texture charac- more detailed work concentrated on the E1 Bronce,
terizedby large(1-3 cm)plagioclase
phenocrysts
in Guanaco,and SanLorenzo sectors.Thirty X-ray difanaphaniticgroundmass.
Generally,ocoitaconstitutes fraction and ten electron microprobeanalysiswere
flowsbut locallymay be intrusivesillsor dikes.
alsodone.Thesemineralogicstudieswere performed
in the laboratories

of the Servicio Nacional

de Geo-

Hydrothermal alteration

1ogiay Mineria, Centro de InvestigacionesMinero

Hydrothermal alteration at El Bronce affected Metalurgicas,and the Departamentode Geologiaof
mainlythe rockshostingstockworkanddisseminated the University of Chile.
The ore mineralogyof the systemconsistsof sulzones as well as the andesite dikes. The wall rocks of
fidesand sulfosalts.The oxidationzone is weakly dethe veins and brecciasare only weakly altered for
velopedand extendsno deeper than 40 m (Fig. 12).
distancesof 1 or 2 m from vein margins.
The bestsurfaceexposures
of the oxidationzoneoccur
Alteration of andesite and ocoita was not texture
in the San Lorenzo sector, where limonitic boxworks
destructive.Plagioclase
was totally or partiallyreplacedby quartz,carbonates,and/orsericite,whereas after pyrite, chalcopyrite,sphalerite,and galenacan
the marlcswere altered to chlorite and, to a lesser be recognized.The presenceof cerussiteand smithsoniteplus a few oxidized copper mineralsare the
degree, epidote.
evidence
for underlyingore. In Figure 13, a summary
In the brecciasand tuffs, fragmentswere altered
of
the
hypogene
mineralogyof the E1Broncesystem
to sericite whereas the matrix was transformed to an
is
presented,
which
is relatively simplein terms of
aggregateof clay and carbonates.
both the number of speciesand their spatialdistriThe andesitedikeswerealteredpervasively
to carorder
bonates(up to 70 vol %), with lesseramountsof ser- bution.The principalmineralsare, in decreasing
of
importance,
quartz,
pyrite,
sphalerite,
chalcopyicite, kaolinire, chlorite, and montmorillonite. These
mineralsoccurtogetherwith late, coarsepyrite. The rite, and carbonates.Minor barite, galena,tetrahedrite-tennantite,hematite, andbornite are alsopresoriginaltextureof the dikeswascompletelydestroyed
ent. The relative proportionsof thesemineralsvary
near
ore.
within
the ore shoots(Fig. 14).
In the orebodies,the mostintensehydrothermal
Quartz
is the most abundantmineral in all ore
alteration occurs in the stockwork and disseminated
shoots
and
is present in all the parageneticstagesas
zonesin whichoriginalrocktextureswere obliterated.
three varieties: chalcedonicquartz, coarse-grained
The principalalterationtype isquartz-sericite,
which
is followedwith decreasingintensityby argillization euhedral quartz, and anhedral granular quartz. In
and carbonization.
Towardthe marginsof the veins, general,in the upper portionsof the veins,chalcepropylitization predominates to form well-defined
envelopes.Modal analysisof alterationproductsin-

dicate80 to 85 percentsericite,6 to 10 percentcarbonates,and 2 to 4 percent chlorite. Kaolinite and

montmorillonitewere recognizedon the basisof Xray diffractionanalysis,
but their modalproportions

donicquartz predominates
and occursin crustified
form with coarse-grainedeuhedralquartz developed
aswell-definedinterbanding.In the deeperpartsof
shoots,bandingtendsto decreaseand the quartz occursassmalleranhedralgrainswith granulartexture.

Pyriteisthe mostabundantsulfidealongtheentire
system
and amountsto about 70 to 75 percentby
are still unknown.
weight
of
total sulfides.It is one of the earliestminFigure 12 showsthe distributionof sulfidesand
erals
deposited
and is replacedand/or cut by other
alteration minerals in the Rosario III ore shoot, El
base
metal
sulfides.
Pyrite is the mainhostfor gold,
Broncesector.Quartz-sericite,clays,and carbonates
which
occurs
filling
cracks
or fracturesin pyrite grains
occur ubiquitouslythroughoutthe depositand are
or
rimming
them.
The
early
pyrite isfine grainedand
notshownin thefigure.Chloriteoccursmainlyin the
locally
pulverulent,
generally
associated
with granular
lower part of the ore shoots,below the 1,200-m elequartz, and locally with euhedral coarse-grained
vation.The chlorite(ripidoliteaccording
to X-raydifpyrite, ascubic
fractionanalysis)
hasa radialhabitandoccursfilling quartz.A late stageof coarse-grained
crystals
up
to
1
cm
in
size,
is
completely
barren of
cavitiesasa late phasenot only in the stockworkand
preciousmetals.It is concentratedin the vein seldisseminated zones but also in druses in the breccia
and massiveores.Propylitizationis not shownin the
figure but extendsaroundthe orebodiesas narrow
envelopescontainingchlorite, epidote, and calcite

vages.

Sphaleriteisthe secondmostabundantsulfide(1015 wt %) and occursasmassive,coarse-grained

crystals. Color variesfrom black throughreddishbrown
suite.
to almosttranslucentgreen.The blackto darkbrown
sphaleritebelongsto the earlier parageneticstages
Mineralogyand paragenesis
and occurscloselyassociatedwith chalcopyrite.Its
The primarymineralogyof the entire epithermal distributionis shownin Figure 12. Locally, gold ocsystemhas been studied on more than 250 conven- cursin fracturesin the blackto dark brown sphalerite.

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM,CENTRAL CHILE

N=18.00

.= 8.S00

1335

N=.00

KEY
Bose

.kl.z.,..

of

oxidation

Chlorite:outer limit

--

1.800m-

_...--.....----fi.__
Barte:lowerlimit

Sphalerite:
outer
limit

.....
"%..-""**.
Zn
and
Cu
surfldes:
lower
limit

CG

Galena:
outer
limit

Hematite
:outer
limit

__
_

...'k

I I /

.....
'

->,. ...........
.....-...-.?
-
'...y

'..., .....

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

-.

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

- .'

FIG. 12. Distribution and zonation of ore, gangue,and alteration mineralsin the RosarioIII ore
shoot. Quartz, pyrite, ehaleopyrite, serieite, and kaolinitc distribution are not shown becausethey
occurthroughoutthe deposit.Alsoshownfor referenceis the presenteconomiclimit of the orebody.

Chalcopyrite(8 wt %) occursasa replacementof

pyrite but more commonlyasirregularlydistributed
blebsin dark-coloredsphalerite.This textureresemblesverymuchthe chalcopyrite
disease
in sphalerite
recentlydescribedby BartonandBethke(1987) and
explainedasa possiblereplacementof chalcopyrite
in sphalerite.

Of the remainingsulfides,galenaoccurslocallyin
associationwith tetrahedrite-tennantiteor pyrite.
Locally,goldwasobservedassmallblebsin galena.
In places,galenawasreplacedby late chalcopyrite,
tetrahedrite-tennantite,and sphalerite.The assemblagegalena,tetrahedrite-tennantite,andbornitc accountsfor 4 wt percentof the total sulfidesandtends
to be more importantin the Guanacoore shoots.Of
thesethreeminerals,bornitcis especially
important
becauseits abundance
causesan increasein the cop-

occur as coarsetetrahedral crystalstogether with

crystallinequartz.All the sulfosalts
are silverbearing.
Schwarzitcreplaced chalcopyrite and is cogenetic
with the other sulfosalts.
Gold occurs as the native metal and as electrum.

Gold grainsvary in sizefrom 5 to 28 #m, but locally,

1-mmgrainswere observed.It occursmainlyin fracturesand asinclusionsin pyrite, galena,chalcopyrite,
sphalerite,and uncommonlyin tetrahedrite-tennantite.

Barite occursonly in the upper levels of the depositsastypical elongate,prismaticcrystals.

Carbonates of the siderite, ankerite, and calcite va-

rietieswere depositedduring the late stagesof mineral depositionand after the barite. They occur as
fine- to coarse-grained
crystals,coatingthe lastquartz
depositedand filling open spaces,especiallyin the
per content of the Guanacoore shoots.
upper partsof the veins,andlininggeodesor druses.
The sulfosalts,
tetrahedrite-tennantite
andlocally, Carbonatesare closelyassociatedwith the late-stage,
schwarzitc(mercuriantetrahedrite),the latter im- low iron, green sphalerites(Fig. 13).
portant in the shallow parts of the Guanacosector,
Hematiteoccursasacicularcrystalsassociated
with

1336

CAMUS ET AL.

STAGE
TEMPERATURE

II

III

235-344C

IV

<150 C

200C

Quartz

Pyrite

xx

xxxx

Sphalerite

... F.

xxxx

Chalcopyrite

,o,Fo

xxxx

Galena

Tetra/term

ooo
....

Bornire

Schwazite
Barite
Carbonates
Hematite

Chlorite
x

x Gold deposition

ooo

Silver

deposition

FIG. 13. Paragenesis

of the E1Bronceveins,indicatingthe five mineralizationstagesandassociated
temperatures.

coarse-grained
euhedralquartzandgenerallyasrims Mineral zoning
to the euhedralquartzcrystalswhichin turn overgrow
hematite.
The verticalzoningmodelof the E1Broncesystem
The epithermalveinsmay be subdividedinto five (Fig. 14) wasdevelopedonthe basisof geologicstudies and explorationcampaignsof the RosarioIII ore
parageneticstages(Fig. 13).
Stage1 mineralogyisdominatedby quartzandpy- shoot and the Guanaco and San Lorenzo sectors. Surrite. The pyrite commonlycontainsgold asfracture faceoutcrops,deep explorationdrilling, andmining
dataprovidedinformationonthe mineralzoningpatfillingsandis partiallyreplacedby later sulfides.
Stage2 containsmost of the ore in the form of tern.
Four mineralzonescanbe recognizedin a typical
chalcopyriteand dark-coloredsphalerite.The latter
locallycontainsgold blebsand was depositedafter ore shoot(Fig. 14). The uppermostzoneA is charpyrite. Bornite may alsobe presentin stage2 as a acterizedby the presenceof stockworkzoneswhere
veinlets were filled with barren chalcedonicquartz
replacementof chalcopyrite.
Thisupper zoneis presentin the La
Stage3 containssulfosalts
and galena,the former andcarbonates.
replacingchalcopyriteand the latter replacingchal- Olla sector. Zones B and C are well developedat
copyrite,sphalerite,andtetrahedrite-tennantite.
Ga- GuanacoandE1Bronceand are characterizedby the
of the fouroretypes
lena containsnative gold assmallinclusions.Most of presenceof differentproportions
the silverwas introducedduring this stageas solid describedaboveplusandesitedikes.The RosarioIII
ore shootcanbe takenasrepresentativeof thesetwo
solutionsin galenaandespeciallythe sulfosalts.
of zoneB consists
of
Stage4 containsbarite in the upper levelsof the zones(Fig. 12). The mineralogy
andpyrite.Goldandsilver
ore shootsanderraticpatchesof hematitewhichwere quartz,barite,carbonates,
quantitiesandbase
depositedfollowing quartz deposition.In general, arepresentonlyin subeconomic
hematiteis restrictedto the deeperpartsof the veins metal minerals are scarce. The lower limit of barite
deposition
isshownin Figure12 anddefinesthelower
(Fig. 12).
Stage5 is characterizedby the presenceof abun- limit of zoneB. Presentdatasuggestthat zoneC condantcarbonates,
lightgreensphalerite,andlate chlo- sistsof quartz, pyrite, sphalerite,and chalcopyrite
rite. The lasttwo stagescontainno preciousmetals. throughoutthe entire vertical extent of the zone.

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM, CENTRAL CHILE

1337

METAL

ZONE

DESCRIPTION

VALUE

g/t Au

Upper barren zone

_+
carbonate
Zone
with
quartz
-tcarbonates
_+barite,
a _+subeconomic
content
Ag +_.bose gold
metals
+

Hydrothermal
breccio
ore
']

.,

Host
rock

with cholcedonic quartz

-- -

X
X

with

x
x

Andesitc

oX

dike

pyrite
High-grade
zone
ofAu
+Ag+
base
metals.
rite
+chalcopyrite
+
/
/
economic

Quartz

values

+- pyrite + sphole-

carbonates

X
X

I OOOm

Lower
zone
with
onhedrol
Vein
structure
D +chlorite.
Subeconomic
granular quartz

gold-silver

bose metols

+pyrite

volues.

No

present

FIG. 14. Verticalzoningmodelof El Bronceepithermalsystem

showing
veincomponents,
mineral
distribution, and relative metal content of each zone. The metal value curve indicates that zone C is

the oreinterval.X = the approximate

limitsof the oreshoot,and///= subeconomic
grades.

Sphaleriteoccursonlysporadically
in the lowerlevels
of zoneC. The galena-sulfosalt
association,
together
with the late chalcedonicquartz,tendsto be located
in the uppermost100 m of the ore shoot,near the
top of zone C and closeto the lower limit of barite.
Locally,however,someisolatedpatchesof galenasulfosalts
are foundin the centraland deeperparts
of the ore shoot(Fig. 12). Near the bottom of zone
C, there is a gradualincreasein coppercontentas
chalcopyrite.Pyrite becomesrelativelymore abundantin the deeperpartsof zoneC dueto the decrease
in sphaleriteandchalcopyriteandextendsevenbelow
the baseof the economicmineralization.Ripidolite
increasesin abundancealongwith pyrite. The complete absenceof basemetalsulfidesbelow the bottom
of zoneC marksthetopof zoneD. Hematiteispatchily developedin the basalpart of zoneC (Fig. 12).
ZoneD is definedby the disappearance
of hydrothermalbrecciaore and massiveore and by an in-

structureindicatedonly by chloritizationand traces

of pyrite.
Gold and silver distributionswithin the four depth

zones(Fig. 14) are illustratedby a preciousmetal

value curvethat indicatesthe tenor of goldandsilver
expressedas gold equivalent. As shown, the gold
equivalentcontent of zonesA and D is subeconomic
(<0.5 g/metric ton Au equiv). ZonesB and C are best
illustratedby the RosarioIII ore shoot(Fig. 7b, c)
and the Central and Maria Isabelore shoots(Figs.8b
and 9b).
Analysisof the contoured longitudinal sections
(Figs.7, 8, and9) showssimilardistributionpatterns,
lenticularin shape.The highergradegold and silver
zonesare concentratedin the middleandupperlevels
of the deposit,diminishingprogressivelywith depth
and toward the margins.This pattern is depictedin
Figure 14 for zone C and the lower part of zoneB.

Structural Analysis
The
E1
Bronce
fault
jog
rying coarse-grainedquartz, pyrite, chlorite, and carbonates.In the deeper levels of the system,the
As shownin Figure 3, the E1 Bronce vein system
stockworkzonestend to give way to a well-defined is located in an area delimited by the Quebrada de
crease in the stockwork and disseminated zones car-

1338

CAMUS ET AL.

Castro and Petorca-E1 Durazno en echelon, dextral

reactivation of sinuous faults, whereas breccia ore

wrench faults. The relative

within thesejogs is interpreted to have been generated when contemporaneoushydrothermal fluids

convergedtowardthesejogs.Under favorablephysico-chemicalconditions,these fluids may have then
precipitatedgangueand/or sulfidemineralsthereby
cementingthe fault brecciafragments.
Commonly,the wider and economicallymore important hydrothermalbreccia bodies at El Bronce
showevidenceof havingbeen hydrothermallybrecciatedand cementedby gangueand/orsulfidesmore
than once. This suggeststhat there were several
phasesof shearingand/or extensionalreactivation
during the period of hydrothermalfluid circulation
and depositionof gangueand sulfideminerals.
Massiveore associatedwith rectilinear faultsmay
be presentasbanded,syntaxialfillings,suggesting
that
fracturefilling extendedfrom the center towardthe
margins.Bandedveinsare interpreted at E1 Bronce
asbeing syntectonic(Castelli,1989). Generally,the
lessimportantore shootsat El Bronce,asat Guanaco
South,are related to slightlysinuousfaultswith no
significantdisplacements
followingvein generation.
Zonesof stockworkveinletsat E1Bronce(Fig. 11)
occurbothadjacentto dilationalfaultjogsand/orhydrothermalbreccias,andadjacentto the massivesulfide zone of the ore shoot.Both types of stockwork
are a network of multidirectionalveinlets that may
havebeengeneratedthroughtectonicreactivationor
hydraulicfracturing(seeabove)either in preexisting
andsyntectonic
extensional,
hybrid,or shearfractures
which were filled later by variousminerals.

movement of this fault

pair is responsiblefor the structuralpattern in the E1

Bronce vein system,which developed a first-order
( 1-km-wide)dilationalfaultjog (Sibson,1987) with
a length of more than 20 km. The tensionalfractures
are the loci for the ore shoots in the various mineralized sectors.
Based on structural studies of the Guanaco ore

shoots(Castelli,1989), majorfaults,minorjoints,and
veinsmay be distinguished
in a typicaldilationaljog
asthe two main typesof structurescontainingeither
massiveore, brecciaore, or faultbreccia-gouge.
These
two fracture types at E1 Bronce are interpreted as
beingtheresultof anincreasein eitherthe differential
tectonicstressand/orin the fluid pressureto exceed
the minimumhorizontalprincipal stress(S3).A local
increasein fluid pressureat E1 Bronce could have
arisenfrom the heatingof hydrothermalfluidsby the
PetorcaPorphyry.The minor fracturesand faultsat
E1Broncecouldbe the productsof brittle rupture in
the near-surface environment when such a differential

stresswaspresent.In thisregard,fluid inclusionstudies (Skewesand Camus, 1988) suggestthat the mineralization at El Bronce took place 400 to 1,200 m
beneaththe palcosurface(seebelow), levelswhere
inhomogeneous
deformationandbrittle failureare to
be expected.
Faultsand associated
fillings
The faults of the Guanaco sector have strikes of N

5 W to N 26 E with subverticalto 60 dips. The

faultsextendalongstrikefor 0.2 to 5 km andvertically
for 80 to 600 m. They canbe dividedon the basisof
morphologyinto three types with characteristicfeatures, which can be extrapolatedto the entire epithermal system:rectilinearfaults,fault swarms,and
second-orderfault jogs.
Rectilinearfaultshavestrikeextensions
no greater
than 5 to 30 m and strike and dip variationsof only
+__
5 . The fillings of these faults are narrow (5-50
cm) which indicatesthat the physicalconditions(fluid
pressure,uniaxial strength,and porosity)prevailing
within the hydrothermalconduitswere suchthat further dilationbecameimpossible.
Fault swarmsoccurover strikelengthsof 5 to 20

Fracturesand their fillings

Fractures(veinsandjoints)differfromfaultsin that
they have not been affectedby tectonicreactivation
andsubsequentdisplacementand shearingalongthe
structuraldiscontinuity.Three typesof fracturesare
identified in the Guanacoore shoots:extensional,hybrid, andshear.Thesethree typesof fracturescanbe
explainedwithin the context of the effective stress
components
(o'1 0'2 0'3)anddihedralangle(20)
under which thesefracture types may develop. Hancock (1985) proposedan interrelationshipbetween
the magnitudeof the differentialeffectivestresses
and
the tensilestrengthof eachrock to predict the genm and consist of multidirectional faults and fractures
eration of thesethree fracture types.
Veins and joints show rectilinear patternsat E1
associatedwith major structures and generating
stockworkpatterns.
Bronce.Their trace architecturalstylesare of V, X,
Second-orderfault jogs occur along main struc- or I shapeswhich indicate, for the first two cases,
tures, showingthe former strike changesover dis- conjugatefractures(hybridor shear)and,for the third
tances of 5 to 15 m.
case,extensionalfractures.This lastcasegenerallyis
The four ore types,brecciaore, massiveore, stock- associated with the andesitc dikes.
The veins are of various compositions,although
work zones,and disseminatedzonescanoccurin any
oneof thesethree typesof structuresin the E1Bronce quartz, pyrite, and carbonatespredominate(see
hydrothermalsystem.
above).
Massive ore is restricted

to the second-order

di-

lationalfault jogs. Thesejogs formedthroughthe

Thin section studies of veins demonstrate that the

effective stresses related to these structures are of

EL BRONCEEPITHERMALVEIN SYSTEM,
CENTRALCHILE
extension and shear. Extension veins in andesite dikes

Fluid

1339
Inclusions

showundeformed
calcitefiberswithsyntaxial
growth
Primary,pseudosecondary,
andsecondaryfluidintextures,whereasshearveinsshowquartzandcalcite
crystalsgrowingat obliqueangleswith respectto the clusionsin quartz,calcite,sphalerite,andbaritefrom
vein margins,denotingthat the externalstresses
var- the E1Bronceveinswere analyzedthermometrically
ied during crystal precipitationand syntectonic using a Linkham 600 heating and freezing stage.
growth.
Where possible,fluid inclusionsin mineralsfrom differentparageneticstages--theearlypyrite-quartzto
the late carbonates--were
studied. More than 400
Ore shootemplacementmechanism
inclusionswere studiedin 12 samplesover a vertical
The first-orderdilationalfaultjog system,with its intervalof 400 m in the Guanacosector(Figs.3 and
multiplestrikeanddip orientations
andrepeateddif- 17; Skewes, 1986a, b, and c, 1988; Skewesand Caferentialmovements,
produced
thestructural
patterns mus, 1988). Other samplesfrom the RosarioIII ore
that providedthe necessary
permeabilityfor the cir- shootin the E1Broncesectorandfrom the E1Espino
culationof hydrothermalfluids.Thesesamedilational (south of the QuebradaE1 Bronce fault, Skewes,
openingspermitted the emplacementof barren dikes 1987), La Olla (Skewes,1988), and San Lorenzo
as well.
(Skewes,1986a) sectorswere alsoanalyzed.
Figure 15 is a schematicillustration, based on SibFluid inclusions
fromthe E1Broncesystemconsist
son(1987), to showthe four stagesthat canbe in- of two phases:vaporandliquid.The eutecticminima
ferredfor the development
of an individualore lens for the fluid inclusionsis closeto -20.5C, indicative
alonga sinuousstrike-slipfault;it incorporates
the of solutionsin the H20-NaC1 system(Potter et al.,
variousstructuraland morphologiccomponents
to- 1977). Neither liquid CO2 nor clathrateswere obgetherwith the associated
ore andganguemineral- servedupon cooling.Most inclusionsare liquid rich
ization.
(<20% vapor). Only in the shallowerlevels of the
The structural emplacementmechanismcom- deposit do vapor-rich inclusionsappear, and these
menceswith a dextral senseof the fault shearwhich,

alongthe sinuoussegmentof the plane,formsthe

jog. Fluid pressuregradientswill favorlocalbrecciation within the jog and the precipitationof ore and
ganguemineralsto form a hydrothermalbreccia.In
the morelinearsegments
of the faultplane,massive
andbandedore is precipitated.Towardbothendsof
the jog, there is stockworkdevelopmentwith multi-

directional
shearandhybridfractures
produced
by
hydraulicfracturedueto circulationofhydrothermal
fluids(Phillips,1972).Thehigherprecious
metalvalues are concentratedin the hydrothermalbreccias

coexisttypically with liquid-rich inclusions.

In the deepest(<1,563 m a.s.1.)and intermediate
(1,563-1,628 m a.s.1.)levels of the Guanacosector,
the inclusions
within the earlier quartzstagesare all
liquid rich (<20% vapor). No evidenceof boiling is
foundat theselevelsof the Guanacoore shoots,which
is where mostof the goldmineralizationoccurs.The
earliestpyrite-quartzstagein the deepestlevelsof
the Guanacosectorhas both high homogenization
temperatures,whichrangefrom 327 to 344C, and
salinities,whichrangefrom 6 to 10 wt percentNaC1
equiv (Fig. 18). Secondaryinclusionshomogenize

andmassive
partsof the lens(Fig. 11).
As describedabove,the thickestpartsof the ore
shoots
correlatewell with the highestgoldor silver
concentrations
(Fig. 7). Thiscorrelationshowswhere
therupture-induced
extensional
fracturingoccurred
and, consequently,
the favoredconduitsfor the circulationof hydrothermal
fluids.In Figure16, a fluid

between 228 and 260C and have salinities between

circulationmodelis presented,in which the rootsof

207 and 260C and salinities between 4 and 7 wt

7.4 and 9.3 wt percentNaC1equiv (Fig. 18). In the

intermediatelevelsof the Guanacosector,homogenization temperaturesof primary inclusionsrange
from 260 to 336C and salinities between 4 and 8

wt percent NaC1 equiv (Fig. 18). Homogenization

temperaturesof secondary
inclusions
rangebetween

the ore shootsare interpretedasthe pointsof fluid percent NaC1equiv. Thusboth temperaturesand sainflowinducedby extensional
fracturing.
linitiesdecreasefromthe deepestto the intermediate
Hydraulicfracturingappearedto haveplayedan levelsin the Guanacosector.The temperaturesand
importantrole in the developmentof the E1Bronce salinitiesof the fluidinclusions
withinthe upperporepithermalsystemandprobablyoccurredwhenhy- tionsof the zoneof goldmineralization
suggest
depths
drothermal
solutions
rosetoshallow
levels.
According of formation,assuminghydrostaticconditions,not
to Phillips(1971), partoftheenergyofhydrothermal greaterthan 400 m below the paleosurface(Skewes
fluidsand/ormagma
isusedin displacing
or hydrau- and Camus,1988).
licallyfracturing
the rocksencountered.
Hydraulic In the upper levelsof the Guanacosector,nearthe
fracturing,as alreadyexplained,is considered
re- current topographicsurface(1,738-1,810 m a.s.1.)
sponsiblefor the generationof stockworkzonesor where goldmineralizationis only weaklydeveloped,
hydrothermal
breccias
wherefluidsrosealongstruc- the fluid inclusionshavevariablevapor/liquidratios
tural discontinuities
(Fig. 15).
andincludebothvapor-andliquid-richtypes.No ev-

1340

CAMUS ET AL.

E4
A

---.__A
_A. -

--'-'--

..'-'.__..
--.e...:.....:.___-

Outer
limit
ofalteration
ond

'" ,--.....
,..._..

E3

E2

E1

5m

o
I

KEY

Hosfrock

Hydrofhermal
breccia

_____Stockwork
shear
fractures ) (mainly
Fault

(ore)

Conta ct (defined,inferred)

Hydrothermal
breccia
(gangue)

Principal extension
orientation

Directionof hydrothermal
fluid

inflow

FIG. 15. Schematicrepresentationof the four rupture stagesduringthe developmentof a dilational

jog at E1 Bronce. E1 is the prerupture stage,E2 and E3 are intermediate stages,and E4 is the final
(presentlyobserved)stage.E4is a real casetakenfrom the GuanacoSouthore shoot.Note the presence
of hydrothermalbrecciain the jog andbanded,massiveore in the more linear sectorsof the fault. The
small arrowsindicate inferred fluid inflow directionsand the large arrowsin E4 indicate the direction
of the leasteffectivehorizontalprincipal stress(S3)direction.

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM, CENTRAL CHILE

i

N=$7.200

N=
$7.600

N=$8.000

N=38,40,800

1341

N=3.200

'Ira thickness

contour

Fluid inflow channelwaits

I

II

FIG. 16. Hypothetical model of fluid inflow channelwaysin the RosarioIII ore shoot,El Bronce
district.

idenceof neckingwasobserved.
Theseinclusions
with
highlyvariableliquid/vaporratioshomogenize
within
the samerangeof temperatures
suggesting
boilingof
the hydrothermalfluids(RoedderandBodnar,1980).
Primaryinclusions
at thislevelhomogenized
between
235 and 270C and had salinities between 4 and 7

wt percentNaC1equiv(Figs.18 and 19). Secondary

inclusionshomogenizeat about200C and have salinitiesbetweeni and5 wt percentNaC1equiv(Fig.
18). Late-stagecarbonates
at thislevelhaveinclusions

GUANACO

that alsohomogenizeat about150C(Fig. 18). Thus,

from the intermediate

to the shallow levels of the

Guanacosector,a decreaseis observedonly in the

homogenization
temperatureswhile the rangesfor
salinitiesoverlap (Fig. 19). For fluid inclusionsin
samples
thatshowevidenceofboilingandarelocated
at the presentsurfaceoverthe Guanacosector,minimum homogenization
temperaturesof 235C and
salinitiesof 5 wt percentNaC1equivindicatea depth
of formation,under hydrostaticconditions,closeto

SECTOR

ELEVATION
meters

OLL

SECTOR

"'"'-

Guanaco oreshoot

i
1000

i,m

Fluid
inclusion
hornogenizafion
h{stogroms

Fluid
inclusion
sample
site
temperature

__250.__
Isotherm
(

Sornples
showing
boiling

FIG. 17. Distribution of fluid inclusionsamplesin the Guanacoand La alia sectorsat E1Bronce.
The paleosurface,definedon the basisof the fluid inclusionstudy,is shown.

1342

CAMUSET AL.
TIME
F.I.

IN

F,I. IN CARBONAT'

QUARTZ

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

Si 02

PRIMARilY

235-270C

4 -7%

Stableisotopeanalysesand temperaturedeterminations are summarized

in Table 4.

The threesulfidesstudiedshowa relativelynarrow

rangeof 34Svalues:-0.5 to -0.6 per mil for chalcopyrite, -2.3 to +0.7 per mil for sphalerite,and
-3.8 to +2.1 per mil for pyrite. The narrowrangeof

a4Svaluesforthesulfides
andtheproximityto 0 per

u.I

mil suggests
a magmaticsourcefor the sulfurinvolved
in the E1Bronceepithermalsystem.Spiroand Puig
(1988) arrived at similarconclusions
usingsamples
of galena,sphalerite,andchalcopyrite
fromthe upper
portionsof the RosarioIII ore shoot.The enrichment

of 34Svaluesfor the late-stage

baritesample(9.1%0)
indicatesa near-surfaceincreasein the sulfide/sulfate
ratiosin the ore fluid (OhmotoandRye, 1979).
Discussion

Depth of formation

Based on the thermometric

FIG. 18. Generalizedparageneticdiagramfor the E1Bronce

epithermalsystem.The horizontalaxisrepresentstime and the

verticalaxisrepresents
thedepthduringthevariousevolutionary
stages
of the system.The verticalbarsrepresentthe mostimportant mineralsin the different parageneses
(PY = pyrite, CPY

information

of fluid in-

clusions,it is estimatedthat the top of the zone of

goldmineralizationdevelopedno more than 400 m
beneaththe paleosurface.
The depthcalculations
are
basedon the dataof Haas(1971), assuming
that hydrostaticpressureconditions
prevailedin the upper
levelsof the depositassuggested
by open-space
textures.

The fluidinclusion
evideneesuggests
thatthe gold

-- chalcopyrite,SPH -- sphalerite,TET/TEN = tetrahedrite-ten- mineralization

stagewasnot relatedto boilingpronantite,BAR -- barite, CAR = carbonates).
Silicawasdeposited eessesashascommonlybeen reported elsewherefor
throughoutthe sequenceas quartz. The homogenization
tem- epithermaldeposits
(e.g.,Buchanan,1981). Evidenee
peraturesof primary and secondaryfluid inclusions(FI) are inatE1Broneeonlyat levels
dicatedat differentelevations
in the deposit.The segmented
line forboilingwasreeognized
mineralization
(Figs.17
showsthelevelabovewhichboilingtookplaceduringthedifferent abovethe zoneof eeonomie
parageneticstages.The rectanglewith diagonallinesrepresents and 18). Thisboilingzone,in the earlyparagenetie
the areaof goldmineralizationin both time and space.
stages,reaehed a maximumdepth of 350 m below

the paleosurfaee.In the Guanaeoseetor,where evi-

deneeforboilingeanbe reeognized
readily,it iseon300 m beneaththe paleosurface
(SkewesandCamus, eludedthatonlyabout350 m of erosionhaveoeeurred
duringthe last 80 m.y.
1988; Fig. 18).
StableIsotopeStudies

Preliminarysulfurandoxygenisotopestudies
were
undertakenon mineralsamplesfrom the RosarioIII

Enthalpiesof thefluids and mechanismof gold

precipitation

Enthalpyversussalinityplotsare usefulfor determiningthe eoolingmechanisms

of aseendanthydroKruegerEnterprises.Six 34Sdeterminations
were thermalfluids(Fig. 20a; Fournier,1979). Coolingof
madefromchalcopyrite,
pyrite,sphalerite,andbarite the fluidscanoeeurby mixingwith eooler,moredilute
separates.
Analyses
of two of the sulfidepairs,sphal- fluidwhiehdeereases
bothsalinityandenthalpy(path
erite-pyriteandchalcopyrite-pyrite,
were evaluated OA; Fig. 20a),boilingwhiehdeereases
enthalpybut
for usein geothermometry.
The two mineralpairs inereasessalinity (path OC), eonduetionof heat to
ore shoot at the Geochron Laboratories Division of

were from massiveore and were hoped to have thehostroekswhiehdecreases

onlytheenthalpy(path
formedunder equilibriumconditions.However, sul- OB), or by a eombination
of theseproeesses.
fur isotopeequilibrationtemperaturesfor the two
For the Guanaeosectorat E1Bronee,a plot of enpairscalculatedusingthe fractionationequationsof
OhmotoandRye (1979) were muchlower than fluid

thalpyversussalinityshowsthat the highestenthalpy

andhighestsalinityoccurin the deepestlevelsof the
inclusionhomogenization
temperatures,
suggesting depositand that both deereasetowardintermediate
thatneitherpairformedin sulfurisotopeequilibrium. levelsof the veins(segment1; Fig. 20b). Comparing

EL BRONCE EPITHERMAL VEIN SYSTEM,CENTRAL CHILE

1343

ELEVATION (above sea level)

1 738 -1 810m

ELEVATION (above sea level )

12

1 738 - 1810m

24Q
20 30

26o

30

10

12

I 563-1

1563-1628m

16.

628m

12,

4.

nn

200

280

240

320

30

10

12

16-

I 500m

12

I 500m

12.

8.

4-

2{)0

'

2,0

'

HOMOGENIZATION

280

320

360

TEMPERATURE

10

12

SALINITY (weight NaCI equivalent)

(C)

FG. 19. a. Homogenizationtemperatures(C). b. Salinity(wt % NaCI equiv). Fluid inclusiondata

for primaryinclusions
in quartzfrom stages2 and3 at differentlevelsof the Guanacosector,E1Bronce
district.

TABLE4.

SulfurandOxygenIsotopeData, RosarioIII Ore

Shoot, E1 Bronce District

Sample

Mineral

CH-1
CH-1

Chalcopyrite
Sphalerite

CH- 1
R2-1
CH~2
CP-1

Pyrite
Pyrite
Sphalerite
Quartz

CH-2

Barite

Stage
II
II

34S(%0)
-0.5 to -0.6
+0.7

II
II
V
IV-V

+2.1
-3.8
-2.3

IV

+9.1

+11.9

Calculatedtemperatures(sampleCH- 1)
Mineral pair

Sphalerite-pyrite
Chalcopyrite-pyrite

180(%0)

T (C)
192 30
143 _+ 25

thisto the pathsfor differentcoolingmechanisms

(Fig.
20a) suggests
that coolingwas causedby mixingof
hot, saline fluids with cooler, more dilute fluids.
From the intermediate

to the shallowest levels of

the Guanacosector,enthalpycontinuesto decrease

but the salinityremainsconstant(segment2; Fig.
20b). In the shallowest
levels,the coexistence
of liquid-rich and liquid-poor fluid inclusionsand their
samerangeof homogenization
temperatures,
suggest
that boilingoccurred.However,it is not possibleto
explainthe observedchanges
in enthalpyandsalinity
by boilingalone,becausethere is no increasein the
salinityof thefluids.A combination
ofboilingfollowed
by mixingof fluidswouldproducethe observedcombinationof decreasing
enthalpyandconstant
salinity.
Becausemixingof hot, salineandcooler,dilute fluids

1344

CAMUS ET AL.

sulfides
probably
precipitated
asaconsequence
ofthe

CONDUCTIVE
COOLIN
A

coolinganddilutionof the hydrothermalfluidswhen

they mixedwith coolerdilute waters.After the precipitationof pyrite, the hydrothermalfluidswould

have had a lower H2S content relative to total metal

content.This would causethe sulfidecomplexes,

which were likely responsiblefor gold transport
(Seward,1984), in the hydrothermalfluidsto become
unstableresultingin the precipitationof gold.

I-

z
uJ

Acknowledgments

SALINITY

We thank CompaniaMinera El Bronce for sup-

porting
thework
reported
here
andforpermission
to

1000
t

publishthispaper.Criticalcomments
by R. H. Sillitoe,
A. Tobar,N. Lindsay,andJ. Skarmetaimprovedthe
manuscript.G. Alarconpreparedthe illustrations.

1100,

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