High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Lithocaps and high- to intermediatesulfidation epithermal deposits

Principal characteristics

Origin of features, background

Case examples, variations

Exploration implications

Universit de Genve : 13 October 2014

Jeffrey W. Hedenquist
Ottawa, Canada

Location of Principal Epithermal Gold Deposits

Western
Pacific
Belt

Tethys Belt

Eastern
Pacific
Belt
.

Arribas et al., 2000

J.W. Hedenquist

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Kochbulak

Sillitoe and Hedenquist, 2003

Epithermal
deposit types
(end-members!)
Arcs
andesite

Shallow
intrusion
source of
NaCl

Kupol

Rifts
bimodal

Basalt
source
of
H2S?

Hedenquist et al., 2000

Porphyry systems

High-sulfidation Au-Ag-Cu

Lacustrine beds

Intermediate
sulfidation
Au-Ag

Base of lithocap

Porphyry
Cu-Au

Sillitoe, 2010
Economic Geology

J.W. Hedenquist

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Kawah Ijen, Java: volcanic crater with acidic lake

pH 0.0
Condensation of acid
magmatic volatiles, SO2, HCl

Colloidal silica in suspension, and

deposited in laminated sediments
(also enargite, covellite, stannite in native S)

Photograph:
Pierre Delmelle

Volcan Pos,
Rica
Volcan Costa
Pos,
Costa Rica

J.W. Hedenquist

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Volcan Pos, Costa Rica

Acid moat lake around

dome, laminated
siliceous sediments,
paleosurface...

Chaquicocha

J.W. Hedenquist

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Tony Longo

Yanacocha laminated siliceous lake seds

Formation of advanced argillic alteration: hypogene & steam heated

Steam-heated blanket
CO2, H2S
H2S + 2 O2 = H2SO4 pH >2
pH <1

H2SO4, HCl

Lithocap formed by
hypogene condensate
4 SO2 + 4 H2O =>
3 H2SO4 + H2S HCl, SO2, CO2, H2S
hypogene alteration

H2O, NaCl,
SO2, HCl, CO2, H2S, ...

J.W. Hedenquist

CO2, H2S
steam-heated
alteration

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Types of epithermal deposits

3 endmember styles: two in volcanic arcs, 1 in rifts

Hign sulfn bodies: Cu-Au-As, sulfide rich, andesite arcs

Hosted by lithocaps: advanced argillic zones over porphyry systems

Inter. sulfn veins: Ag-Au Zn-Pb, sulfide rich, andesite

arcs
Zoned and/or complex mineralogy (intrusion related, diatreme)
Variable
Au:Ag:bms
transitional
style,
deep magma?
HS
(or lithocap)
and IS(Mexican):
locally affiliated;
also
deeper
porphyry

Low Sn veins: Au-Ag bonanzas, sulfide poor, bimodal

setting
LS veins: Au-Ag-Te, sulfide poor, alkalic association

J.W. Hedenquist

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

III

II
I

Three epithermal deposit types to model / target:

I. Low-grade, disseminated, oxidized or leachable ore
II. Medium-grade, unoxidized and refractory deposit
III. Structurally controlled, high-grade veins or lodes

Examples of epithermal deposits (w/ porphyry)

HS replacements: Goldfield, Summitville; Quimsacocha;

Yanacocha, Pierina, Alto Chicama; El Indio, La Coipa, PascuaVeladero; Chelopech, Bor; Chinkuashih; Zijinshan; Lepanto; Mulatos,
Sauzal, Orisyvo

Barren lithocaps: common, W. US, Andes, Asia, etc. (Shuteen)

IS veins: Many Mexican Ag deposits; Comstock, Creede; Andean

(Cordilleran), Quirivilca, Arcata; Fruta del Norte; San Jose; Victoria,
Baguio; Kelian; Kushikino, Toyoha; Rosia Montana, Tethys belt

LS veins: Midas, Sleeper; El Pen; Esquel; Hishikari; Kupol;

Ovacik; (Cienega, Pinos Altos)
LS veins, alkalic: Cripple Creek, Emperor, Porgera, Ladolam

J.W. Hedenquist

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Geologic setting of HS (and IS) deposits

Circum Pacific, 44 deposits

Neutral - mild extension, calc-alkaline andesite-dacite arcs

22
Volcanic domes (single, complex, summit; not host)
12
Central vent volcanoes (including IS)
3
Calderas
4
Diatremes
10
Insufficient information
Hosts: A/D flows, bxs, ignimbrites, intrusions, seds
LS deposits: Bimodal (rhyolite domes-basalt dikes) in extensional settings:
Intra, near, and backarc; postcollision rifts (non porphyry)
Arribas, 1995; White et al., 1995, Sillitoe, 1999; pers. obs.

Sl
Ya
RMt

Wa
Vi

To

Waldemar Lindgren, 1922:

epithermal = over, above;
~1 km deep

Arcs
HS

IS

Rifts alkalic
LS

LS(a)

Hedenquist et al., 1996, 2000

J.W. Hedenquist

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Temperature-dependent
alteration mineralogy
Hedenquist et al. (1996) from Henley
and Ellis (1983), Reyes (1990)

HS replacements: silicic host,

quartz-alunite halo (kaolinite,
dickite, pyrophyllite, diaspore,
topaz); alunite, barite, anhydrite
Barren lithocaps: silicic
core, quartz-alunite halo,
other adv. arg. minerals

musc

IS veins: muscovite (sericite);

quartz, rhodochrosite, barite,
anhydrite; local (early?) hi-T
advanced argillic structures (e.g.,
LS, shallow (<300-400 m)
kaolinite, alunite, dickite,
<220-230 C
pyrophyllite, diaspore)
IS, deeper (~300-800 m)

LS

IS, HS

>220-230 C)

Early vapor condensate, barren

J.W. Hedenquist

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Ascent of sericitic fluid w/ metals

Einaudi et al., 2003

Sulfidation states

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Einaudi et al., 2003

Sulfidation states, evolution

and transitions

Lithocap,
residual qtz

Architecture of highsulfidation mineralization

Structure-controlled
feeder zone
Lithology-controlled
lithocap alteration horizon
All lithocaps have feeders
Lithocap

Lithologycontrolled
lithocap

Mineralization
(enargite + Au)
Structurecontrolled

Horizontal to sub-horizontal
leached horizon over intrusion
Residual silicic core (
subsequent ore), halo of
advanced argillic alteration

J.W. Hedenquist

11

High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Summitville, Colorado: Dome-hosted high-sulfidation deposit (0.7 Moz Au)

Summitville, Colorado

Vuggy qtz (ore)

Qtz-alunite

Residual (vuggy) qtz and

qtz-alunite flares upward

Steven and Ratt, 1960

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Summitville, Colorado

<2
pH
Al hydroxides
soluble
residual
qtz

aluminosilicates
(kandites)

qtzalun

Steven & Ratt, 1960

pH ~

>6

residual
qtz (ore)

>2

qtz-alun

qtzalun

10 - 100s m

4-6

2 - 4 <2

Summitville,
Colorado:
Alteration zoning and
ore bodies within
dome; strong
structural control
after Gray and Coolbaugh, 1994

500 m

J.W. Hedenquist

>10 g/t

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Residual quartz, vuggy : Tucari

Advanced argillic slides: 11

(if scanned can be reduced to 5)

Residual quartz, vuggy: Pierina

1) Hypogene acidic vapor

condensates (pH~1 leaching, residual
quartz)

Hypogene alunite, El Tambo

Arribas et al., 2000

Quartz-alunite, Summitville

Residual quartz, vuggy: Summitville

White Island, New Zealand: High to low T fumaroles

Steam-heated acid sulfate waters: can
also occur over hypogene acidic fluids

~110 C

High-temperature hypogene
vapors, 800 C with HCl, SO2

Steam-heated zone,
~100 C (CO2, H2S)

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Domes 16.2, 24.8 Ma

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Alunite: 15.5, 17.3, 20.2 Ma

20 km

Falda
Esperanza

La Coipa,
to NW

1 km

Puren
La Coipa

Arribas et al., 2005

Coipa Norte: Steam-heated cristobalite-aluniteKaolinite blanket over residual quartz zone

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Puren, Chile

H2S + 2 O2 = H2SO4
Steam-heated alunite-kaolinite
Puren Norte: 1.5 Moz

SiO2, Fe+++

chalcedony blanket

Puren Norte IS veins,

1.5 Moz Au eq. (Ag, Zn, Cu)
vadose zone: steam-heated blanket
Shallow geochemical anomalies (Ag)

South central Peru

Chalcedony horizon at
paleowater table, below
steam-heated blanket
of alunite-kaolinite (now
eroded)
Kaolinite, alunite

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Arribas et al., 2000

2) Steam-heated advanced argillic blanket, La Coipa

3) Supergene alunite,
Rodalquilar

Massive supergene
alunite,
Rodalquilar;
post-mineral
weathering
oxidation

Supergene oxidation critical to economics!

Supergene alunite,
Riaza

Supergene alunite, Rodalquilar

Rodalquilar, Spain: looking ~east

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Rodalquilar,
Spain
Arribas et al., 1995

Drilling beneath
supergene alunite
blanket;
a mistake here....

Sonomi
volcano

1 km

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Nansatsu district, S Kyushu, looking east:

Iwato HS deposit, Maruyama pit
Inset: qtz-alun halo, sharp ctc with vuggy qtz, to r.)

Urashima et al., 1981

Tuff breccia
Nansatsu Group

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Iwato,
Arabira rebody:
Structural control
to alteration and
ore (in feeders)

30 m

Mulatos, Mexico:
Residual quartz is steep,
and must be sampled

J.W. Hedenquist

Sauzal, Mexico

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Cajamarca district, Peru

Yanacocha district: supergene oxidized high-sulfidation Au (51.9 Moz Au, PR)
Minas Conga, Perol: porphyry Au-Cu (641 Mt @ 0.3% Cu, 0.69 g/t Au)
Co. Corona: porphyry Au-Cu (~300 Mt @ 0.3% Cu, 0.5 g/t Au)
Michiquillay: porphyry Cu-Au (737 Mt @ 0.65% Cu, 0.16 g/t Au)
Galeno: porphyry (445 Mt, 0.38% Cu, 0.11 g/t Au)
Gustafson
et al., 2004

Paleozoic-Mesozoic
sedimentary rocks
Co. Corona
Perol-Cocanes
Cerro
Yanacocha

16-21 Ma
Galeno

8-12 Ma
CretaceousTertiary
intrusive rocks

Tertiary volcanic
rocks

Kupfertal

Michiquillay

40 km

Yanacocha

Kupfertal

oblique aerial to NE

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Perol, Cocaez: 8 km

Kupfertal

5 km

Longo and
Teal, 2005

Maqui Maqui; 3

Cerro Yanacocha; 25
Norte, Oeste, Sur, Encajon
(Verde - sulfide)

Cerro Negro; 1

TapadoCorimayo; 4

La Quinua; 9
Kupfertal
porphyry:
KUP-3

J.W. Hedenquist

CarachugoCarachugoChaquicocha;10
6
Chaquicocha;
San Jose; 4

2 km

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Gold deposited in leached

core of deposits

Yanacocha Norte
pH ~

>6

4-6

2-4

<2

220-ton
haul truck

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Cerro Yanacocha cluster:

2010

district 50.9 Moz Au, PR oxide

1999

Yanacocha Norte

Teal and Benavides, 2010

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

McComb et al., in prep

Residual quartz (silicic) and advanged argillic size matters...

El Indio 8 Moz

...much of the time, cf. El Indio

J.W. Hedenquist

Arribas et al., Gold in 2000

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

El Indio: Chile

El Indio: highsulfidation massive

enargite with late,
high-grade (IStype) quartz-pyritegold veins with
white mica halos

100 m

surface at 4100-4200 m

Jannas et al., 1990

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

El Indio 3500 vein: quartzpyrite-Au (tn-ccp) with mica

halo, post enargite
DSO: 200 g/t Au average (cutoff
100 g/t, 1.5 Moz of 8 Moz)
Jannas et al.,1990, 1999

Bonanza ore in HS deposits: late IS stage, common creamy qtz

(chalcedony), i.e, silica gel due to sharp cooling (cf. LS bonanza)

Rodalquilar, Spain
340 Vein

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Tapado, Yanacocha district:

High grade Au in breccias
cemented by creamy chalcedony
50 ppb Au

1 kg/t Au, -100 m

Colloidal silica,
gels + gold
Boiling &
vapor loss

Solubililty of silica polymorphs in epithermal environment

Variations on a theme: Huge (but barren) lithocap, Masupa Ria, Kalimantan

Oncang IS veins

Barren lithocap

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Minas Conga: Perol

porphyry (15.8 Ma), east of
Yanacocha (5-12 Ma)

Co. Cocaez: Barren quartz-

alunite lithocap (16.1 Ma); related

to Perol porphyry??

Lepanto HS:> 0.9

Mt Cu & 102 t Au

Buaki
porphyry

FSE porphyry: 891

Mt @ 0.5% Cu &
0.7 g/t Au

Victoria veins, 11 Mt
@ 7.3 g/t Au + AgCu-Pb-Zn

Guinaoang
porphyry, 500
Mt @ 0.4% Cu
& 0.4 g/t Au

Teresa veins, 0.8 Mt

@ 5.74 g/t Au
Nayak veins

1 km

Mankayan
district,
Luzon:
geologic
map

Mohong Hill
porphyry + HS
Chang et al., 2011

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Lepanto high-sulfidation deposit, Far Southeast porphyry,

and Victoria/Teresa intermediate sulfidation veins,
Luzon, Philippines

Lepanto

FSE
lithocap

From Palidan slide to north

Unconformity and silicic-alunite (~1.4 Ma) lithocap cliffs

Surface projections of
Victoria-Teresa IS vein &
Lepanto HS enargite,
over Far Southeast
porphyry
Arribas et al. (1995);
Claveria (2001);
Hedenquist et al. (2001)

Alunite
1.40-1.45 Ma
Enargite-Au

Porphyry Cu
Hydro Bt
1.40-1.45 Ma
Ser ~1.35 Ma
X Horn
1.45 Ma

IS Au-Ag veins
X Bt
1.18 Ma

Teresa
veins

J.W. Hedenquist

Bt 2.2-1.8 Ma

Bulalacao ?

X Illite
porphyry
Wallrock, ~1.4 Ma
Vein, ~1.3-1.15 Ma

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Targeting IS veins
Present surface above Victoria veins, to south

Victoria-Teresa veins

Surface alteration
(projection of veins)

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

DNK: dickite, nacrite, kaolinite,

or any combinations

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

iX: illite crystallinity

Geneva, 13 October 2014

DNK: dickite, nacrite, kaolinite, or any combinations

Mankayan:
Linked porphyry
and epithermal
deposits (1.4 to
1.2 Ma), both
lithocap-hosted
high- sulfidation
deposit, and
intermediatesulfidation veins

Lepanto
FSE porphyry

Victoria veins
Lepanto

500 m
FSE

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Y. Watanabe (2004)

Gold provinces
in Kyushu

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

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Volcanic setting of Kushikino IS deposit, Kyushu

Volcanism: 3.6-3.9 Ma
Muscovite (halo to pyrophyllite): 3.4-3.8 Ma
Adularia-Au: 3.4-3.7 Ma
(Izawa and Zeng, 2001)

55 t Au production

100200 m

500 m

0m

Arcata, Per: IS Ag-Au vein: >3,000 t Ag, 30 t Au

advanced argillic halo to veins at surface
Candiotti et al. (1990)

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Arcata, Per:
IS Ag vein: qtzrhodochrosite

Selene dome and IS Ag-vein system, Peru

Dietrich et
al., 2007

1 km

Barren
14.714.1 Ma

13.7 Ma

13.5 Ma

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Porphyry systems

Residual quartz (vuggy)

enargite, Au (HS)
Quartz-alunite

IS veins

Base of lithocap

Sillitoe, 2010

Porphyry
Cu (Au)

Miocene volcanic
arc, Peru:

Intermediate: Lower T
magmatic, <10 wt% NaCl
White mica (up to
pyrophyllite) (350oC)
Straight qtz veins, halo
Metals (shallow HS ore,
marginal IS veins)

mid 80s (1993)

2000 (2005)

>100 Moz gold in

high-sulfidation
lithocap-hosted
deposits, discovered
in ~16 years

1996 (1998)

1997, 2000
(2002, 2004)
ARUNTANI
discovery (production)
2008: CHUCAPACA

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Late Miocene high-sulfidation epithermal gold deposits

of the Aruntani district, southern Peru

Recent discovery of a new ore type

in an abandoned mining district

Dante Loayza, Jorge Barreda, Alvaro Crsta,

Jeffrey Hedenquist and Wolfgang Morche: SEG Perth 2004

Tucari south: colluvial scree deposit of 5 MT @ 1.5 g/t gold

(approx. 300,000 oz gold)

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Discovery of Santa Rosa (1997/2002, 0.4 Moz Au)

led to Tucari (2000/2004, 2+ Moz)
Reawakened interest in region...

Tucari, 2002: 5000 m

Lago
Titicaca

Chucapaca

Aruntani

J.W. Hedenquist

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Chucapaca: Dacite dome,

lithocap alteration, low grades

Canahuire pseudogossan 2.5 km NE, diatreme

host (intermediate sulfdn assemblage)

Discovery Sept 2008: Buenaventura

Resource, mid 2011: 7.6 Moz Au eq.

Canahuire resource model & pit shell: Chucapaca JV

W

1.3 km

350 m
100E
300W

g/t Au

700W

Looking North

IS

mineralization related to plunging diatreme

Think

J.W. Hedenquist

laterally (figuratively and literally)

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High- and intermediate-sulfidation deposits

Geneva, 13 October 2014

Erosion level?

Exploration for epithermal and porphyry deposits

Large variations between deposit types, styles and districts

Understand possibilities in the porphyry system

Model the prospect, do not fit prospect to a (the) model

Beware generalizations

Observations:
Lithology: effect on permeability
Structure: relation to lithology; feeders, veins
Alteration mineralogy, and zonation
Paleosurface, erosion level: topography, paleohydrology

J.W. Hedenquist

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