Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Photo P Downes
Pathways between skarns and porphyry deposits –
Pathways between skarns and porphyry deposits
A NSW Perspective – Ok Tedi
Skarn : Porphyry
Ratio ~1:12
N
C
NC
31
06 PC40 Fault Zone N
NC
3
NC
S 9
31
31
2
1
?
Au
Cu
Au
u
C
Au
Cu
See Fig. 4A
for geology of
southern area Cu
Au
? ?
?
Au
Cu >5000 ppm
u
Fine-grained phyric C
Conglomerate & volcanic Au 0.2-0.5 ppm
volcanic rocks, & feldspar
Au
Alteration zonation
is reflected by
temporal skarn
development
Alteration matches
at all scales
Stage-2
l
Ca
+
Epidote
Ep
Magnetite-Quartz
Cpy
Sevlage peac h Quartz Garnet
S Little Cadia
N
? ?
?
Drill Holes -
see Fig. 4A
Cadia Quarry — Big Cadia
Mass-Balance Change
Measured gains and
losses for Skarn Zones
Pathways between skarns and porphyry deposits
Cadia Mass-Balance Change — Cu
160000
140000
120000
100000
% Gain/Loss
80000
Cu
60000
40000
20000
0
P ro x P ro x Gt Int Gt Distal Mt Mt M t-He He>M t Epido te
-20000 Qtz-M t Gt Skarn1 Skarn2 Zo ne
1) Volcanic Sandstone 7%
4) CIC
~10%
Fe2O3 3) Fine-grained volcanic rocks 9%
(Or 6% for
mineralising
phase)
Pathways between skarns and porphyry deposits
Cadia Mass-Balance – Implications
The Source of Fe for Big Cadia Fe-Cu-Au skarn –
(~45 Mt of (tot) Fe) source must have been the CIC
The volume Fe mobilised from about 108 M m3 of
altered CIC quartz monzonite, presently identified
at Cadia Quarry (Cadia Extended), assuming 6 wt
% Fe2O3
This is accounts for ~1/3 of the (tot) Fe contained in
the distal Big Cadia iron skarn alone (not including
modest addition of Fe in more proximal skarn
zones!)
Additional source(s) of Fe are speculative, but
could include the Cadia Hill system and/or…….
Include additional, unidentified zones of alteration?
e.g. Cadia Hill+Cadia Extended / Big Cadia = ~1:12
Pathways between skarns and porphyry deposits
Skarns vs Associated Porphyry Deposits
Skarn Name & Location Skarn : Porphyry Skarn Protolith
Ratio Volcanic sandstone
Big Cadia NSW 1:12 & conglomerate,
Little Cadia*1 NSW 1:28 limestone blocks
Australia
Volcanic sandstone
Ingerbelle BC, Canada 1:21
1:3* Calcareous mass
Ok Tedi Papua flow deposits
New Guinea 1:15 Limestone