Economic Geology

Vol. 75, 1980, pp. 1053-1065

The OxecDeposit,Guatemala:An Ophiolite

Copper Occurrence
ERICH U. PETERSEN

Department of Geological Sciences,The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109

AND HALF ZANTOP

Departmentof Earth Sciences,Dartmouth College,Hanover, New Hampshire03755

Abstract

The Oxec copperdepositof Upper Cretaceousage lies in the serpentinitebody that

makes up the Sierra de Santa Cruz, Guatemala. Recognitionof the ore host rocks as
chloritized, silicified, and sheared pillow basalts, identificationof a nearly complete
ophiolite assemblage,and an elucidationof the structure indicate that this massiveFe-Cu
sulfide depositis of the ophiolite copper type.
In the mine vicinity, the ultramafic-maficassemblage consistsof serpentinizedperiodo-
rite, a sheeteddike complex,a hydrothermallyaltered lower pillow lava sequence(ore
horizon), andan upperpillow lava sequence.Chemicalanalysesof the pillow basaltsand
sheeteddikesreveal an ocean-floortholeiiticorigin. Comparisonwith ocean-floortholeiites
indicatesthat the Oxec assemblageis strongly enriched in Na20 and H20, strongly
depletedin CaO, and slightly depletedin FeO, an indicationof ocean-floormetamorphism.
The widespreadassemblageepidote-albite-chlorite-actinolite-sphene in the altered pillows
and dikes indicatesthat greenschistfacies metamorphicconditionswere attained. Pillow
basalts and dikes intimately associatedwith the ore are strongly depleted in NaeO
and CaO and strongly enriched in FeO and H20, an indication that they were subject
to local intense hydrothermal alteration.
The mineralization in the zone of massive ore consistsof pyrite, chalcopyrite, and
pyrrhotite. Traces of early hematite and magnetite indicate initial oxidizing conditions
at the onset of sulfide deposition. A small, highly silicified breccia zone with pyrite
and chalcopyritemay representthe top of a stockworkfeeder zone. Late dikes invaded
the depositand disaggregatedit into numerousore pockets. The characteristicsof this
deposit are consistentwith a Cyprus-type genetic model.

Introduction Regional Geology

TtE Oxec coppermine,operatedby Transmetales, The Oxec depositlies within a Cretaceous
mafic-
Ltd., is locatedon the Oxec River just southof the ultramafic unit which was first described as being
Peten lowlands, some 140 km northeast of Guate- dominantly a serpentinizedharzburgite (Bonis,
mala City. The massivepyrite-chalcopyrite-pyr-1968). The term ophiolite for this allochtonous
rhotitedepositis situatedin the northwestend of a unit was introducedby Wilson (1974). Pillow
largemafic-ultramafic rockassemblage that makesup basalts, sheeted dikes, and a serpentinizedharz-
a part of the Sierrade SantaCruz (Fig. 1). Well- burgite crop out in the mine vicinity (Petersen,
developednickellateritesoccuralongthe southern 1979). Regional reconnaissance mapping of the
marginof the ultramaficcomplex,whichis bounded ophiolite (Rosenfeld, 1979) showed the presence
by the Polochicfault. Tropical conditionshave of radiolarian cherts, plagiogranites, massiveand
produceda soil cover commonlyin excessof 5 m cumulategabbros,and melange zones.
and an extremelydensevegetationcover. Although Robertsand Irving (1957) were the first to exa-
the elevation'is low, the topography is ruggedand mine the deposit,and Kesler (1978) classedit as a
reliefexceeds400 m. An ampleoutcropareaat the "primitive massivesulfide."
mineprovides an excellentopportunityto mapsmall- Structure of the Mine Area
and medium-scale featuresrelevantto the regional
settingof this mafic-ultramafic
complex. The main structural features in the mine area are
Oxechasproduced an averageof 400 tonsof ore two thrust faultswith large displacement: the Oxec
per dayover the last 5 years,with an averagegrade fault and the Santa Cruz thrust (Fig. 2). The
of 3 percentCu. At present,ore comesfrom both formerbringsthe serpentinite into contactwith the
surfaceand undergroundmining. dike complex,whereasthe latter is the contactbe-
1053
1054 E. U. PETERSEN AND H. ZANTOP

?:':..
:/.'.'
:..":'.,"'.
.;'...;;i
"?:':i'"':???.'?:::.'
:i!.:i(i:'?-.::ii.;;::":.:.;;i;:':,::::.:'.:
:"-'"'.:i:::!'!:'
'.!:",;,:.'i':./-:
.?::.'?i.:,.'
"':' ' -:'..." . '.,eo

i..:""..':.
- :. 'i "'-.".( ""'i'.!'..::....
?:3";.....:.x[.
e0PP,".i,(.':i!:5:i
:::.":"'::":':':
::' .../.?:'"'""
' ;

.... ?':...
:;.::'
1'4
_
O
!
IO
!
20
I
/ Ophiolit
:[] Quaternor
Alluvium
Contacts .; Jurassic-
Tertiary
Sediments
Undif.
Foults [7[ Paleozoic
Rocks
Undif.
Fro. 1. Regionalgeologyandlocationmap (geologymodified
after Bonis,1968).

tweenthe ophiolitebodyand the overriddenCreta- to similarrock suitesin Cyprus(Constantinou

and
ceous-Tertiarysediments.The trace of thesefaults Govett,1973) and Newfoundland (Upadhyayand
on the surfaceis irregular becauseof the combined Strong,1973), it appearsthat the pillow basalts
effectsof ruggedtopography, dip, andlatedeforma- overlieand havebeenpartly intrudedby the dike
tion. complex,and that the dike complexoverliesthe
The E1 Pozofault (Fig. 2) strikesN 70W, dips serpentinite complex. The ultramaficassemblage
steeplysouth,anddisplaces the Oxecfaultin a left- overridesthe SepurFormation,whichin the mine
lateralsense.Displaced podsof oresuggest thatthe areaconsists of a rhythmic
sequence
of thinlybedded
southernsidewas downdropped slightly;this could shalesand sandstones (Bonis, 1968). The gabbro
accountfor the observedleft-lateral surfacedisplace- and the sedimentarycover units commonlyasso-
ment. Numerousoffsetsparallel to the E1 Pozo ciatedwith ophiolites are not exposed in the mine
fault,alsowith left-lateraloffset,are observed within area but have recentlybeenidentifiedoutsidethis
the mine. area(Rosenfeld,
1979). A stratigraphic
column
is
A minor N 10E fault systemis parallel to the shown in Figure 3.
southern extension of the Oxec fault where it has a The mafic and ultramafic rocks have been meta-
dominantstrike-slipcomponent.A N 70 to 80E morphosed to greenschist grade. However,this
underground,metamorphism
fault system,whichis well developed hasnot obliteratedthe igneous
tex-
has no major surfaceexpression.Its orientation ture of most of the rocks.
coincideswith that of the currently active Polochic
and Motagua faults.
The serpentinitecomplex
Volumetrically,
theserpentinite
is thelargestunit
Geology of the Oxec Deposit in the mine area. It is extensively
shearedand is
Five distinctunits were mappedin the mine area: locallyintruded
bygabbroic
dikes.Thedikesrange
the serpentinitecomplex,the dike complex,lower in width from 10 cm to severaltensof meters. They
pillow basalts,upperpillow basalts,and the $epur are discontinuous,often broken into short segments,
and by analogy pulledapart,andcut by younger
Formation. By field relationships, dikes. Extreme
 OXEC DEPOSIT, GUATEMALA 1055

shearingand serpentinization
have locallyobliterated positionof theparentrockwasapproximately16 per-
the originalmineralogyand structuresof the parent cent orthopyroxene, 82 percentolivine,and 2 per-
rock. cent chromite. The tectonic fabric and the modal
The contactof the serpentinite
with the overlying composition
placethisrockin the metamorphic
harz-
dike complexand the underlyingSepur sediments burgitefield of Coleman(1977).
is tectonic (Fig. 2). The serpentiniteforms the
footwallto someof the orebodies. It is separated Dike complex
from the orebodiesby a massiveshear zon.
e which
rangesin thicknessfrom a few centimetersto several This unit is well exposed in the mine area
meters.
(Fig. 2). It formsa belt roughly300 m wide sepa-
Fresh serpentiniteis very dark greenand massive. rating the pillow basaltsto the southwestfrom the
Bronze-coloredpyroxene crystals, 2 to 10 mm in serpentinite to the northeast.
diameter, are more resistant to alteration and wea- The contactof the dike complexwith the ser-
theringthan the matrix and give the rock a hob-nail pentinite is a fault zone 20 cm to 2 m wide. The
texture. Partial weatheringturns the massivecon- contactbetweenthe pillow basaltsand the dike com-
stituentsof the rock into a whitishalterationproduct plex is not well exposed,but a finelybrecciated
zone
and brings out a gneissicfoliation. The modal com- indicates that it is tectonic.

EXPLANATION

Sepur
Fm
::; Upper
PHiow
Bosalts
I Lower
Pillow
Basalts
"' Oke
Complex
[] Serpentirate
FAULTS
Definite
""' Approximate
.... Inferred

,OXEC
CONTACTS
---- Approximate
..... Inferred

OTHER
Road

:=:< Orfts

o ioo 200
!

POZO FAULT

Fro. 2. Surface geology of Oxec (after Petersen, 1979).

1056 E. U. PETERSEN AND H. ZANTOP

nated secondaryspheneare present. The modeand

Radialarian Chert chemicalcompositionof a typical dike is given in
Table 1 (sample 4).
Upper Pillow Basalts The intensely hydrothermallyaltered dikes are
?
Lower Pillow Basalts
recognizedby their black color and invariable asso-
ciation with the ore host rocks (lower pillow
Dike Complex basalts). The contactbetweenthe two is usually
tectonic,but in placesit appearsto be gradational.
The altereddikesare highlychloritizedand silicified.
Gabbro (?)
The commonmineral assemblage is chlorite-- actino-
lite, plagioclase,
quartz,epidote,sphene,and sulfides.
Minute veinletscontainingepidote,quartz,and zeo-
lite (?) are dispersedthroughout the rock. The
modal and chemicalcompositionsof one alter.ed
Serpentinite Complex dike rockare givenin Table 1 (sample7). Euhedral
augitephenocrysts are alteredto a brown chloriteor
to a green chlorite-actinoliteintergrowth. Plagio-
clase is highly sericitized,and its albite twinning is
all but obliterated. Quartz is disseminated through-
out the rock and commonlyenclosesother minerals,
Sepur Fro. e.g., plagioclasewith well-preservedtwinning.
The unclassifieddikes, volumetricallythe largest
i Massive Sulfides group, are dikes whoseage with respectto the ore
cannotbe determinedbecause of the limitedexposure
0 Sample Number and tectoniccomplexities. The oldest dikes show
FIG. 3. Generalized geologic section and considerable cataclasis. Even in the freshest, least
sample location map. altered, and least deformed of these dikes, chloritiza-
tion is extensive. Typical modal compositions
fall
between those given for sample 2 and sample 4
The lower part of the dike complexis made up
(Table 1). Minor epidote, sphene,and carbonate
almostexclusivelyof dikes. In the mine, where the
are sometimespresent. Euhedral cubic pyrite is
upper portion of the complexis exposed,the dike
the dominant opaquemineral; magnetiteis often
density decreasesand the proportionof interdike present whereas hematite is rare.
pillow basaltsincreases. Dikes and/or sills range
in width from 5 cm to over 10 m and have well-de-
Lower pillow basalts
velopedchilled margins up to 1 cm wide. Intense
faulting and shearinghave broken the dikes to the The lower pillow basaltsare volumetricallythe
extent that individual dike segmentscan rarely be smallestunit, yet the most important from an eco-
correlated,making the assemblage look like a mega- nomicpoint of view because the unit hoststhe mas-
breccia. The structure of the dike unit is further sivesulfideorebodies.The rock is shiny,black,and
complicatedby the fact that late dikes intrude early massive and contains variable concentrations of dis-
onesand give rise to sills which, on the scaleof the seminated and massive sulfides. Weathered out-
mine, prevent correlationof ore pockets. cropsare oftenreddishbecause of the oxidationof
On the basis of intrusive characteristics,the dikes the containedsulfides. The unit is intenselysheared
are subdividedinto postore dikes, intensely hydro- and deformed. Ore breccias are common and often
thermallyaltered dikes,and unclassified dikes. The contain floating dike fragments(Fig. 5). Fresh
multiple generationsof dikes indicate almost con- outcropsare found only within the mine. Here,
tinuous magmatic activity over a significanttime the unit occurs either as discontinuousand irreg-
interval. The postoredikes crosscutthe ore and ularly shapedpodsentirelywithin the dike complex
have developedchilled margins against the ore. or betweenthe dike complexand the Oxec fault.
They are light in color and containtwo varietiesof The podshavemaximumdimensions of severaltens
pyroxenes in a fine-grained chlorite-plagioclaseof meters. Their contactswith the dike complex
matrix: euhedralaugiteswith well-developed hour- are intrusive or tectonic, whereas those with the
glassand rapid chill textures,and pyroxeneswhich serpentinite are alwaystectonic.Texturalandmin-
have beenpseudomorphed by chloriteor a chlorite- eralogicalevidenceshowsthat this unit is a pillow
actinoliteintergrowth. Minor sulfidesand dissemi- lava which has beenseverelyalteredand deformed.
 OXEC DEPOSIT, GUATEMALA 1057

TABLE1. ChemicalAnalyses,
CIPW Norms,and ModalAnalyses
for Eight Rocksfromthe OxecMine Area
(Oxidesin weight percent,trace elementsin ppm)

Sample numberx 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Chemical composition
SiO 50.1 52.2 53.8 51.9 50.7 52.6 51.0 6.8
A12Oa 16.0 14.8 14.0 15.1 14.9 13.9 12.7 6.99
FeO2 7.77 9.32 9.07 7.75 8.31 17.0 17.8 14.4
Fe2Oa 2.38 2.70 1.81 2.21 2.47 1.99 1.81 2.18
FeO 5.39 6.62 7.26 5.54 5.84 15.01 15.99 12.22
MnO 0.14 0.17 0.15 0.14 0.16 0.13 0.13 0.11
MgO 7.23 5.56 8.17 5.91 7.89 6.01 9.17 3.39
CaO 10.4 6.82 5.66 9.71 7.30 2.63 2.45 0.61
NaaO 3.36 5.77 5.04 4.80 5.37 1.20 0.46 0.06
KaO 0.09 0.16 0.29 0.09 0.04 0.09 0.08 0.03
I'iO 0.88 1.20 0.31 0.71 0.97 0.49 0.31 0.68
PtO5 0.07 0.12 0.0! 0.06 0.08 0.03 0.0! 0.02
LOI a 3.44 2.56 1.95 2.42 3.97 4.42 4.87 4.21
Total 100.3 99.7 99.4 99.4 100.6 100.3 101.0 98.9
Cr 240 140 260 180 260 140 460 260
Co 2 23 11 19 22 30 42 78
Ni 17 15 30 31 62 31 78 13
Cu 57 81 2 89 86 7 5 2650
Zn 4 70 15 56 60 58 36 70
Pb 10
CIPW norms
q 20.22 17.43 54.58
7.56 7.88 6.23
or 0.53 1.00 1.77 0.53 0.24 0.59 0.47 0.18
ab 29.53 49.90 44.08 41.93 43.55 10.75 4.15 0.51
an 29.42 14.52 15.24 20.14 17.12 13.62 12.83 3.08
ne 0.42 0.11 2.08
di 19.04 16.10 22.62 23.84 16.14
hy 13.39 13.17 43.15 53.81 30.58
ol 2.61 11.36 9.48 8.58 15.04
mt 3.58 4.06 2.71 3.32 3.73 3.06 2.78 3.39
ilm 1.73 2.37 0.61 1.41 1.92 0.99 0.63 1.39
ap 0.17 0.28 0.02 0.14 0.19 0.07 0.02 0.05

Modal analyses
Quartz 14 17 50
Plagioclase 30 39 21 8 25 24 21
Clinol?yroxene 64 27 23 11 12
Chlonte 23 25 13 13 51 58 40
Epidote 2 tr 7 2 tr 5 3 1
Sphene 3 6 tr 9 tr 2 0.5 7
Opaque 3 3 2 0.4 0.3 4 0.5 2
Calcite 1 2
Groundmass 29 55 47
AnB 62 21 nd 23 21 nd nd

Samplelocation in text.
Total Fe as FeO.
Losson ignition(H20; COa< 0.2%).
Sum when total Fe is as Fe2Oa.
Chlorite-actinolite;
chlorite-albite-actinolite;
chlorite-albite-actinolite-epidote.
Anorthitecontentof plagioclase.
7nd, not determined;tr, trace.

In thesubeconomiczones,thelowerpillowbasalts Equivalent,considerably morealteredrocks(Table

are largelycomposedof a complexintergrowth of 1, sample8) consistalmostexcusivelyof quartzand
albiteandchloriteandchlorite-replaced
phenocrysts chlorite. The quartz occurs as patches,as small
(Table1,sample 6). Theplagioclase
islargely
seri- laths, in veins, and in spherules. The quartz laths
citizedandalbitized,
andtheoriginal
albitetwinningare silicifiedplagioclaseand the spherulesappearto
is poorlypreserved.Epidote,sphene,and sulfidesbe relict variolites. These textures, relict "bow tie"
are minor components.Quartz, which occursin texture, abundantchlorite,and late quartz indicate
roundaggregates up to 1 mmin diameter,
assingle that the rocksare highly chloritizedand silicified
crystalsdistributed
uniformlythroughout
the rock, pill.owbasalts. The recognitionthat the chloritic
andas largecrystalsenclosingotherminerals,was ore horizonis indeeda pillow lava is crucialto the
introduced
intotherockat a latestage. understandingof the genesisof the deposit.
1058 E. U. PETERSEN AND H. ZANTOP

FeO H20
16

8
12

o II_ o i o (2) ) (4) (5) (?)(8)

(2) SAMPLE
NUfIBER FRESH
DIKES
AND
PILLOW
BASALTS
-- AVERAGE
OXIDE
CONTENT
OFOCEAN
FLOOR
THOLElITES m HYDROTHERMALLY
ALTERED
DIKESANDPILLOW
BASALTS
Fro. 4. Chemical alteration trends among Oxec dikes and pillow basalts.
All oxides in weight percent.

Upper pillow basalts 3). Table 1 presentsthe major and trace element
data for these rocks as well as their CIPW norms
The upperpillow basaltsare exposedin the south-
westernpart of the mine area (Fig. 2). A photo- and their modalanalyses. Totoal iron, reportedas
FeO in Table 1, is distributed between FeO and
geologicmap (Aceituno, 1971) and more recent
mapping by R.osenfeld(1979) indicate that this Fe2Oaaccordingto the scheme of Irvine andBaragar
unit may form a relativelycontinuousbelt 15 kn (1971). The samples represent the followingrock
long and 1 km wide strikingwest-southwest.Tle types: (1) a dike completely enclosed in the serpen-
tinite, about4.5 km southof the mine; (2) a fresh
unit is strongly faulted and intenselyweathered.
Pillowsrarely exceed1 m in diameterand topsand preoredike from the N-80 drift; and (3) a preore
bottomsare difficult to recognizewith any consis- dike with hydrothermally alteredmarginsfrom the
tency. Locally there is abundanthyaloclastite. K-90 drift; (4) a postore dikefromtheNo. 12 stope;
The interiors of pillows are greenishgray and (5) upper pillow lavas0.9 km north of themine; (6)
the ore host rock, i.e., lower pillow lava from the
very fine grained. Glomeroporphyritic texturesand
plagioclase-clinopyroxenebow-tie glomerocrysts 1-17drift; (7) a highlyalteredsyn-oredikein DDH
typicalof ocean-floor basalts(Frey et al., 1974) are 70-54; and (8) the lowerpillow lava from the 200
well developed.Olivinemicroliteshavebeenaltered area. It shouldbe kept in mind when examining
to chlorite with associatedminute pyrite cubes. Table1 and Figure4 that analyses 2, 3, 4, and 5
Minor yellowsulfidesare visiblein the pillows. A are grouped together as the least hydrothermally
altered for purposesof the following discussion,
modal analysisof a typical sample is given in
whereasanalyses6, 7, and 8 are from highlyaltered
Table 1 (sample5).
rocks; that, if only pillow basaltsare considered,
Pillow rinds are black, contain abundant light-
samples5, 6, and 8 representa seriesof increasing
coloredvariolites,and averageabout 8 mm in thick-
alteration;and that sample1 probablyunderwenta
ness. The pillow rinds consistof chlorite, skeletal
differentalterationhistorythan the others,as it is
amphibole (uralitized pyroxene), and albite. The
completelyenclosed in the serpentinite.
skeletal texture of the uralitized pyroxene is a
quenchtexture, typical of pyroxene in ocean-floor As mentioned previously, and as seen by the
basalt rinds (T. Donnelly, oral commun.). Minor albitization of plagioclase,even rocksof the freshest
mineralsincludesecondarysphene,calcite,and epi- appearance have undergone chemical and mineral-
dote. This mineral assemblage is typical for ocean- ogical changes by metamorphism. Two types of
floor, greenschistfaciesmetamorphismof basalts. metamorphism may be consideredin this context:
regionalpostemplacement and ocean-floor metamor-
Petrochemistry phism. The formeris ruledoutbecause the nearby
Eight samplesfrom the dike and pillow basalt Sepurrocksare notmetamorphosed (Bonis,1968).
complexeswere selectedfor chemicalanalysis(Fig. To evaluatethe nature of ocean-floormetamorphism,
 OXEC DEPOSIT, GUATEMALA 1059

TABLE 2. Comparisonof the Compositionof Average Oxec Basalts with Those of Average Ocean Basalts
(in percent with standard deviation in parentheses)

1 2 3 4 5

SiO2 49.34(0.54) 49.58(2.4) 49.56(0.69) 51.6'(2.32) 52.2 (1.11)

TiO2 1.49 (0.39) 1.98 (0.7) 1.42 (0.30) 0.96 (0.39) 0.80 (0.33)
A12Oa 17.04 (1.78) 14.79 (1.55) 16.09 (0.84) 16.4 (2.15) 14.7 (0.42)
FeO 8.61(1.50) 11.07(1.0) 10.17(1.13) 10.16(2.33) 8.61 (0.62)
MnO 0.17 (0.03) 0.18 0.16 (0.01)
MgO 7.19 (0.67) 7.30 (1.89) 7.69 (0.90) 5.92 (1.84) 6.88 (1.16)
CaO 11.72 (0.69) 10.36 (1.32) 11.34 (0.60) 10.27 (1.29) 7.37 (1.48)
Na20 2.73 (0.20) 2.37 (0.63) 2.80 (0.28) 2.03 (0.47) 5.25 (0.36)
KO 0.16 (0.06) 0.43 (0.36) 0.24 (0.14) 0.43 (0.28) 0.15 (0.09)
PO 0.16 (0.05) 0.24 0.07 (0.04)
LOI 0.94 2.73 (0.75)

1, Engel et al. (1965), ocean basalts.

2, LeMaitre (1976), 202 tholeiites.
3, Pearce (1976), ocean-floorbasalts.
4, Pearce (1976), island-arc tholeiites.
5, Oxec basalts.

a phenomenonthat has receivedmuch attention in (LKT). A plot of TiO2 versusP205 (Ridley et al.,
recent years (Hart, 1970; Hart et al., 1974; 1974) suggeststhat the Oxec suite has an .ocean
Humphris and Thompson, 1978a, b), the freshest ridge affinity. The high Cr content(140-450 ppm)
rocksof the Oxec suite must be comparedwith what alsoindicatesthat theserockswere abyssaltholeiites,
might be considered
their unmetamorphosed
equiva- as calc-alkaline and island-arc tholeiites have less
lents. than 50 ppm Cr (Jakesand Gill, 1970).
Table 2 is a comparison of the averagecomposi- In the intenselyhydrothermallyaltered rocks (6,
tions of oceanfloor basalts of several sources with 7, and 8), one observeselementalflux trendssimilar
the averagecompositions of the freshestOxec dikes to, but morepronouncedthan, thosedescribedabove.
and pillow basalts. The comparison showsthat in In Figure 4, a comparisonis made of the hydro-
the Oxec rocks,CaO is very low, FeO is low, and thermally altered rocks from Oxec with ocean-floor
H20 and Na20 are very high. The concentrations metamorphosedrocks and an average ocean-floor
of the other oxides are similar. Table 3 is a sum- tholeiite. The hydrothermally altered rocks are
mary of chemicalchangesthat take place during stronglydepletedin CaO and Na20 and are strongly
ocean-floormetamorphismas reported by several enriched in FeO* and H20.
investigators. Although there is a consensus
about An interestingobservationis madewith regard to
somechanges,others are lesscertain. The direction Cu (Table 1). Rocks2, 4, and 5, whichhave only
and relative magnitude of the elemental fluxes ob-
served in the freshest Oxec rocks are almost identical TABLE 3. Direction of Chemical Changesduring Ocean-
Floor Metamorphism
to thoseobservedin the Reykjanesgeothermalsys-
tem (Tomassonand Kristmannsdottir,1972), in 1 2 3 4 5 6
basaltalterationstudies(Humphrisand Thompson,
SiOa - - /+ - /+ 0
1978), and in sea water/basaltinteractionexperi- TiOi - + + + + 0 0
ments (Hajash, 1975; Bischoffand Dickson,1975; A12Oa ++ ++ 0 0
Mottl and Holland,1978). This constitutes
strong FeO ++ -/+ -
MnO ++ ++ + -/+ 0
evidencefor ocean-floor
metamorphismof the Oxec MgO --/+ + -- -/+ ++ 0
gabbros and basalts. CaO

Becauseof the ocean-floormetamorphism,classi- NaO

KO
-/+
+ +
-/+
+ +
+
+ +
-/+ -/+
- 0
ficationof theserocksusingthe usualchemicalclassi- PO -/+ ++ ++ 0
ficationschemes (Kuno, 1968; Irvine and Baragar, H20 ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
1971; Miyashiro,1975) basedon normativemineral-
1, Hart et al. (1974).
ogy, silica vs. alkali, or AFM plots may lead to 2, Shido et al. (1974).
erroneous assignment. Therefore, it is desriable to 3, Hart (1970).
classifythem using elementswhich show little or 4, Humphris and Thompson (1978a), chlorite-rich assem-
bllage containing pyrite.
no flux. If it is assumedthat K20 was relatively 5, Mottl and Holland (1978); Mottl et al. (1979).
immobile,Pearce's(1976) classification of magmas 6, Oxec (Petersen, 1979).
--, q-+ --. large change in indicated direction; -, q-
suggeststhat the basaltsof the Oxec suite are either = minor change in indicated direction; -/q- --- significant
ocean-floorbasalts (OFB) or island-arc tholeiites but variable change; 0 = no significant change.
1060 E. U. pETERSEN AND H. ZANTOP

ocean-floormetamorphism.The rocksrelatedto tt
formation of the copper deposit underwent
intenselocal hydrothermalalteration which lead 1
their chloritization and silicifica.tion. Dark chlor
tized rocksthereforemay indicateproximity to or

Geometry of the Oxec Orebody

Dike intrusion and brittle deformation have di:
aggregatedthe Oxec deposit, which may be cot
sideredone orebodythat is separatedinto humerot
ore pockets(Fig. 5). The ore pocketsand add
tional subeconomic sulfide concentrations consist
a chaotic mixture of massive and/or disseminate
iron and coppersulfidesassociatedwith the chlor
tized and silicified lower pillow basalt.
Ore pocketsvary greatly in volume and shap
Some are long and narrow, others are digitate
doubly convex, polygonal, pencillike, or wed
shaped. Major ore pockets have dimensions
2 to 30 m wideby 40 to 80 m longby 2 .to15 m higl
Ore-grademineralizationis concentratedalong
800-m zone whichis partly boundedby the Ox
fault on the east.
The contact between the ore pocketsand t[
enclosingrocksis either a chilledmargin or tecton!
one. Dikes and sills,which now have well-develope
Fro. 5. The 300 area scarp showinghow dikes have par- chilledmargins,have intrudedthe originalorebod '
tRioned the orebody into numerousore pockets. D = dike, The tectoniccontactsusuallyhave developeda myk
O = ore in the lower pillow basalt, and DOB = dike ore
breccia. nitized plane.
Geometry, deformation, and disaggregation
undergoneocean-floormetamorphism, average85 the orebodyas now seenare controlledby magmat:
ppm Cu. Rock 3, which has intenselyalteredmar- and tectonicprocesses related to its formation,en
gins, and rocks6 and 7, which are intenselyaltered, placementin its presentlocation,and postemplao
average5 ppm Cu. The inference is that Cu is ment tectonism. Among the processes involvedar
mobilized during hydrothermalal.teration. Thus, (a) ocean-floortectonicsthe formation of hor:
leaching of copper from beneath and within the and graben structuresand multiple intrusions
basalticpile is a likely sourceof copper for the magma (cf. Ballard and van Andel, 1977) whic
deposit. Sample8, whichis from a mineralizedpor- gave rise to the ore, the postoredikesand sills.,an
tion of the ore horizon,hasa high Cu contentbecause the upper pillow basaltswhich now cap the depos
it containschalcopyrite. and which preventedits. weathering on the ocea
The range of ocean-floor metamorphic tempera- floor; (b) obductiontectonicsthedetachment of
tures which affectedthe Oxec rocks may be esti- portionof the oceanic crust(cf. DeweyandBir
mated from the silicate assemblage;the typical 1971) and dismembermentof the ophiolite sh
mineralassemblage, indi- so that stratigraphically
epidote-chlorite-plagioclase, continuous
units develope
cates greenschistconditions. In basalt/sea water tectonic contacts; the hydration of the upwar
systems,epidote is a stable phase above 200C movingserpentinite, with an attendantincreasein il
(Tomassonand Kristmannsdottir, 1972) and below volume (cf. Wenner and Taylor, 1973, 1974) an
475Cat 2 kb (Liou et al., 1974). The absence of fracturingof all rafted components; and the indra
feldsparand pyroxene,and sometimes epidote,in tion of further strainsby gravity sliding (Wilsot
the silicified and chloritized basalts and dikes is ex- 1974) to its presentposition;and (c) postobductio
plainedby the almostcompleteremovalof Ca, K, tectonicsgentlefoldingof the entireophioliteshee
and Na by hydrothermal leaching. as shownby windowsin the serpentiniteand exter.
As shownin the preceding paragraphs, the Oxec sions of structural trends in the overridden sedimem
rocksare ocean-floorbasaltsand have undergone (Bonis, 1968), and uplift to i.tspresenttopographi
 OXEC DEPOSIT, GUATEMALA 1061

height. Currenttectonic to disag- e.g., pyrite domains with chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite

forcescontinue
domains.
gregatethe deposit.
The ore grade is highly variable within and
Ore Petrology between ore pockets. Usually, only pockets that
have blocks of massive sulfides contain ore-grade
The mineralogyof the Oxec depositis relatively nfineralization. Hand pickingundergroundenhances
simple. Pyrite,chalcopyrite,
andpyrrhotiteare the the grade of ore coming from a given stope to
dominant sulfides. Exceedinglyminor constituents over 3 percentCu on the average. Numerous stopes
of the ore includehematite,magnetite,and valleriite. have yieldedore gradesin excessof 11 percentCu.
On surfaceoutcropsof the ore minor malachite,
chalcanthite,
and nativecoppermay be found. All Pyrite
havebeenidentifiedusingstandardmacroscopic and There are at least three types of pyrite. For
ore microscopicmethods. the purposesof discussion, they can be subdivided
Within the ore pockets,the ore nfineralsoccur into an early pyrite, a late pyrite, and pyrite as an
as massesand lenseswhich vary in sizefrom a few alterationproductof pyrrhotite. Early pyrite forms
centimentersto several meters; as thin, sigmoidal euhedralcrystalsup to 2 mm on edge and contains
stringers;in symmetrically zonedveinlets;and in inclusionsof magnetite --+hematite. The crystals
quartz-basaltbreccia. Within a singlestope,the ore are usuallyfractured,and chalcopyritecommonlyfills
givesthe impressionof beinga large-scalebreccia. the fractures. Also, minute fragmentsof pyrite are
The large sulfidemasses are aggregatesof pyrite, seenfloatingin massivechalcopyritethat surrounds
pyrrhotite,andchalcopyrite.Binaryassemblages of the parent pyrite crystal. It is clear that early
thesephasesas well as monomineralic occurrences pyrite predatesthe chalcopyrite. The late pyrite
are common. The sulfidesare completelyenclosed postdatesthe formation of chalcopyrite,as shown
by chloritizedand silicifiedbasalt. In one drift, a by pyrite-bearingquartz veinswhich cut early pyrite
tabular massof chalcopyrite40 cm thick, over 6 m crystalsin chalcopyrite.
long, and of undeterminedwidth (greater than sev-
eral meters)is exposed.Somehandspecimens from Magnetite and hematite
this massgive a hint of broad-scale banding. Magnetite occurs as small irregular blebs (less
The thin sigmoidalstringersof sulfidesfound than 10 tm in diameter), randomly distributedin
throughoutthe mine,particularlyin the K-90 drift earlypyrite,andveryrarelyin chalcopyrite.Hema-
(Fig. 2), maybe all that remainsof sulfidecoatings tite occursonly in the early pyrite and is always
on pillows,a point which would be hard to prove associatedwith magnetite. Magnetite usually en-
because of the severe alteration and deformation of closes the hematite.
the rock-ore assemblage.
Sulfide-bearingveins which have a symmetrical Chalcopyrite
alteration zone are observed in three different Chalcopyrite
is the maincopper-bearing
sulfideat
settings. First, in the K-90 drift, they are found Oxec. It has a very uniform grain size and com-
within dikesin proximityto the lower pillow basalts. position. It may occur as relatively pure masses,
Typically, the zoning sequencefrom the center out- but more commonlyit is associated with pyrrhotite
ward is: pyrite -+ epidote-quartz-highly chloritized and pyrite. Evidencefor deformationand some
dike-unaltereddike. The veinsare void fillingsand recrystallization is given by quartz veinletswhich
contain perfect pyrite cubes. As a secondhabit, are displaced along microfaults,the extensions of
these sulfide-bearingveins are within the altered which are obliterated in the chalcopyrite.
lower pillow basalts. Typically, this assemblage
consistsof a sulfideand epidotecenter rimmed by Pyrrhotite
quartz. Finally, quartz-lined,sulfide-filledveins are Magneticpyrrhotiteis an extremelywidespread
found in relativelyunalteredbasalt. mineral at Oxec. It occursas relatively pure masses
A sulfide-basalt-quartz brecciais well exposedin with or withoutchalcopyrite, as blebsand spherules
the 300 area (Fig. 2). Here, massivequartz en- (200-500 ) in chalcopyrite, and as nucleienclosed
closesangular fragments of highly altered basalt. by pyrite. In mostcases in whichpyrrhotite and
Chalcopyrite throughout pyriteare intimately
and pyrite are disseminated associated,
the breakdown
of
the breccia. pyrrhotite
to pyriteis evident.Pyritefirstdevelops
Postmineralization brittle deformation alongthe basalpartingof the pyrrhotite;whenthe
of sulfides
is severe. Individual ore lensesare bent by faults pyrrhotiteis completely converted to pyrite,the
and draggedalongfault planes. Somefaults clearly resultingpyrite has a well-developed bird's-eye
bring different sulfidedomainsinto tectoniccontact, texture. Age relationshipsbetweenthe pyrrhotite
1062 E. U.' PETERSEN AND H. ZANTOP

numeroussimilaritiessuchas rock type, ore minerals,

STAGE
alteration chemistry, and tectonic setting. There
I II Ill IV
are also some apparent differences:pyrrhotite is a
Hematite
major componentof the ores at Oxec, whereasin
other Cyprus-typedepositsit is only a minor con-
Magnetite stituent,usuallyat the top of the deposit(Constan-
tinou and Govett, 1973). Unlike other Cyprus de-
Pyrite '"=='"" .... posits,the Oxec orebodyis partitionedinto tens of
minable ore pocketsand hundredsof nonminable,
Chalcopyrite
sulfide-poorpocketsby dikes which resultedfrom
Pyrrhatire renewedmagmaticactivity at the site of formation.
The sourceof the metals is likely the underlying
Vallerlite dikes and other mafic igneousrocks. Hot seawater
Quartz ...............
is an effectiveleachingagent (Hajash, 1977; Mottl
and Seyfried, 1977), and the mobility of Cu during
Calcite --- alteration is demonstratedby the low Cu contents
of altered rocks at the Oxec mine. The source of
Fro. 6. Paragenesisof Oxec sulfides and gangue. the sulfur is less apparent. It may be from the
reductionof sea water sulfate (Bachinski, 1977),
and the chalcopyriteare impossibleto establish. from the underlyingbasalts(Mottl et al., 1979),
Each containsirregular inclusionsof the other, pyr- from nagmaticsources(Johnson,1972), or a com-
rhotite inclusionsin chalcopyritebeingmore common binationof these (Hekinian et al., 1980).
than the converse.
The temperature of depositionof the ore can-
Valleriite not be evaluated directly. Fluid inclusionswere
observedin the associatedquartz, but fluid inclusion
Valleriite occurs in trace amounts in both chal-
thermometrywas not attemptedbecause
of the small
copyriteand pyrrhotite. It occursalongpyrrhotite- size of the inclusions. A likely temperature range
chalcopyritecontacts, along microcracksin chal- of formation,however,can be specifiedby consider-
copyrite,and apparentexsolutionsin the pyrrhotite. ing the results of basalt/seawaterexperiments
Its opticalpropertiesconformwell with the descrip- togetherwith solubilitydata and stabilityrelations
tion given in Ramdohr (1969), although some in the Fe-Cu-S system. In basalt/seawater inter-
exsolution textures characteristic of mackinawaite
actions (Bischoff
andDickson, 1975;Hajash,1975;
(Evans et al., 1964) were observed. Mottl and Holland, 1978), significantamountsof
Quartz Fe and Cu are leachedat temperaturesgreaterthan
or equalto 300C,especially when the water to
Quartz occursin thin veinletswhich crosscutall rock ratio is large (> 50: 1). Furthermore,solu-
sulfides. Consequently,it representsa late stagein tionswhichhavehigh metalconcentrations precipi-
the mineralizingprocess. In the 300 area, quartz
tate the entireloaduponcoolingto between300 to
is the dominant phase and probably related to a
200C(Hajash,1977). Anothertemperature
feeder zone, as shown by enclosedbasalt fragments, limit
is given by solubilitydata (Crerar and Barnes,
and patchesand stringersof pyrite and chalcopyrite.
1976), whichshowthat copper-bearing sulfides
in
Calcite
chloride-complexsystemsmust form above200
Calcite occurslocally in small patchesand thin to 250C. In this system,Cu-Fe sulfidesmay be
veinlets. It appearsto be the latestphase. depositedby dilutionof the hydrothermal
solution,
A parsgeneticsequenceis given in Figure 6. In by an increase in pH or totalsulfur,or by a de-
the early stages,hematiteformed,followedby mag- creasein oxygenfugacity. An upper temperature
netite, early pyrite, and then chalcopyriteand pyr- limit is establishedby the coexistenceof pyrrhotite
rhotite. The formationof late pyrite, quartz, and andchalcopyrite in theores,whichwouldnot exist
calcite signals the end of the mineralizingcycle.
Native copper,chalcanthite, and malachiteare prod-
above334C (Yund and Kullerud,1966). This
ucts of surface oxidation. evidence suggests that the Oxec ore formedwhen
hightemperature (> 300C)hydrothermal solutions
Genesis mixed with normal sea water. The silicate assem-
The foregoing descriptionof the Oxec deposit blagesare consistent
with the temperatures
esti-
showsthat it is a Cyprus-typedeposit. There are mated above.
 OXEC DEPOSIT, GUATEMALA 1063

-4
The Oxec depositis an integral componentof an I I I I

ophiolite suite formed at constructiveplate margins

(Coleman, 1977). The Oxec rocks were meta-
marphased to greenschistfacies by the massive
hydrothermalcirculationof sea water which occurs
in midoceanridge settings(Talwani et al., 1971; -8
Pyrite BO
+P_.

Cp+Py

Corliss,1971; Rona et al., 1976). Similar deposits

form near ridge axes when hot, metal-ladensolu-
Hemotit
tions dischargeonto the ocean floor through frac-
tures or vents and encounter conditions conducive
-12
to the formation and preservationof an economic -
orebody.
At Oxec, the stockwork zone at the west end of % _
the 300 area probably representsthe feeder zone
from which mineralizingsolutionsdischarged.The
sequenceof mineralizing events, as inferred from
-16 Magnetite
\ _
mineral relationsobservedin polishedsections,may
be that of hematite,the earliestphase,formedunder
slightlyoxidizingconditions,followedby magnetite,
formedas conditions becamemorereducingthrough -2O
increaseddischargeof reducinghydrothermalwaters -38 -34 -30 -26
(cf. Seyfried and Bischoff,1977; Turner and Gus-
tafson, 1978). With /o decliningfurther and lts log fo2
increasing,pyrite began crystallizing, enclosingor Fro. 7. Geochemicaltrend during deposition. Log fo2-
replacingthe earlier magnetiteand hematite;chalco- log rs2 diagram for the system Fe-S-O (-Cu) at 300C
pyrite and pyrrhotite formationfollowed. In the (after Mottl et. al., 1979).
waningstagesof mineralization, pyrite againbecame
dominant, along with quartz. Qualitatively, this mafic units have undergoneocean-floormetamor~
sequence of eventsmay be shownon a log fs2-1og phism.
fo diagram (Fig. 7). In additionto variationsin 2. The ores occur within the lower unit of the
o2 and s2, severalother factors, like variationsin pillow basalts. These basalts have been highly
temperature, in metal concentrationsin the min- chloritized and silicified by ocean-floormetamor-
eralizingsolutions,and in rates of supplyor mixing phism and intense local hydrothermal alteration.
of solutions, will have contributed to the distribu- The stockwork zone in the 300 area could be the
tion of sulfidesin the deposit. main area of hydrothermaldischargewhich gave
The upperpillow basalts,the numerouslate dikes, rise to the deposit.
and the existenceof the deposititself are evidenceof 3. Chalcopyriteis the major ore mineral, whereas
a relatively quick burial of the sulfides,which pre-pyrite and pyrrhotite are the dominantgangue sul-
vented weathering and erosion on the ocean floor, fides. Early hematite and magnetite as well as
as describedfrom other depositsby Constantinou late pyrite after pyrrhotite are minor phases.
and Govett (1973) and Francheteauet al., (1979). 4. The history of mineralization is envisagedas
After the Oxec depositwas abductedand exposed follows. Hot metal-ladensolutionswere discharged
to erosionat its presentlocation,secondaryminerals into a topographiclow in an ocean ridge setting.
like malachite, native Cu, and chalcanthite formed. Hematiteand magnetiteformedfirst under slightly
In accordancewith Wilson's (1974) interpreta- oxidizingdepositional conditions. As the/o2dropped
tion of the geologicdevelopment of the region, an and /sincreasedbecauseof admixingof reducing
estimatedage of 90 m.y. is reasonablefor the forma- hydrothermal solutionsto the oceanwater,magnetite
tion of the depositand an age of 65 to 75 m.y. for and pyriteprecipitated, followedby chalcopyrite and
its emplacement. pyrrhotite. The waning stagesof hydrothermal
activity are characterizedby pyrite and quartz.
Conclusions
5. Renewedmagmatismshortly aft.er the forma-
1. The Oxec depositis part of an ophiolitese- tion of the ores gave rise to the numerousdikes
quence. The rock assemblageconsistsof pillow whichcrosscut the depositand to the upperpillow
basalts,sheeteddikes, and serpentinite,all thrust lava which covered the depositandprotectedit from
over Cretaceous-TertiarySepur sediments. The weatheringand erosion.
1064 E. U. PETERSEN AND H. ZANTOP

Acknowledgments 1977, Experimental seawater/basalt interactions: effect

of water/rock ratio and temperature gradient: Geol. Soc.
This paperpresentsthe resultsof an M.A. investi- America Astract with Programs, v. 9, p. 1002.
Hart, S. R., 1970, Chemical exchange between seawater
gationdoneat DartmouthCollege.The help,advice, and deep ocean basalts: Earth Planet. Sci. Letters, v. 9,
and ideas of numerouspeople made the study p. 269-279.
possible. The assistanceof Peter Marsh and Dr. Hart, S. R., Erland, A. S., and Kable, E. J. D., 1974,
Seafloor alteration--Some chemical and Sr isotopic effects:
Richard Stoiber, who made the initial arrangements Contr. Mineralogy Petrology, v. 44, p. 219-230.
for the studyand contributedtheir ideasat various Hekinian, R., Fevrier, M., Bischoff, J. L., Picot, P., and
stagesof the project, is gratefullyacknowledged. Shanks, W. C., 1980, Sulfide deposits from the East
Pacific Rise near 21N: Science,v. 207, p. 1433-1444.
Ing. CesarRecinosand Ing. Leo Piedmont,metn- Humphris, S. E., and Thompson,G., 1978a, Hydrothermal
bers of the mining staff, were of invaluableaid alteration of oceanic basalts by seawater: Geochim. et
Cosmochim.Acta, v. 42, p. 107-135.
in the mappingand samplingat the mine. Dr. T. 1978b, Trace element mobility during hydrothermal
Donnellyand JoshuaRosenreidhelpedwith discus- alteration of oceanic basalts: Geochem. et Cosmochim.
sionson regionaltectonicsand petrographic Acta, v. 42 p. 137-156.
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Transmetales,Ltd., and Dartmouth College pro- chemical classification of the common volcanic rocks:
vided funds for field work and laboratoryexpenses. Canadian Jour. Earth Sci., v. 8, p. 523-548.
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