Economic Geology

Vol. 70, 1975, pp. 499-514

GeologicalCharacteristics
andEnvironmentof Some
PorphyryCopper Occurrences in the
Southwestern Pacific

S. R. TITLEY

Abstract

The discovery of economicporphyry copper mineralization during the mid-1960s on

the islands of New Guinea and Bougainville establishedthe potential of this type of
copper mineralization on certain southwesternPacific islands. Continued exploration
has resultedin the discoveryof numerousporphyry coppersystems. However, economic
evaluationof thesebodiesis still pendingor incompleteat this time. Only two of about
25 occurrences are presentlyin production.
Considerable scientific interest attends the study of these deposits as they are
geologicallyyouthfuland appearto be geneticallyrelatedto the historiesof old or active
island arcs, or continentaledges. Although detailed resolutionof the times of certain
events in the history of the Pacific Basin is lacking, there does appear to be corre-
spondencein a general way of the probableage of thoseeventswith the ages of certain
deposits. As a working hypothesis,it is suggestedthat times of increaseof convergence
rates of plates, which appear to be those times of porphyry copper evolution, are also
thosetimes of uplift and extensionof the preore rock systems.
Variations in the type of porphyry copper depositsknown are the same as those
recognizedin depositsof the westernhemisphere.They are composedof large volumes
of rock, either porphyryor porphyry-associated, reflectinglarge sulfidesystemswith at
least a hundredfoldincreasein the Clarke of copper. Supergeneenrichmentof a few
has upgradedprimary concentrationanothertwo to five times. Porphyritic rock types
appearto be commonlyquartz diorite or dacite. Alteration rangesfrom pyrometasoma-
tic in carbonatewall rocks through potassic,phyllic, and propylitic alteration of in-
trusive and extrusive igneousrocks. Zoning of alteration seemsless discretethan that
generallyrecognizedin somewesternhemispherebodiesand in many instancesappears
to be telescoped.

Introduction Guadalcanal(2); New Guinea Highlands (6);

Misima (1); and Fiji (2). Two provenprospects
PORPHYR¾ copperdepositson the islandsof the south-
occurin the New GuineaHighlands(Mount Fubi-
western Pacific representrelative newcomersto the
lan (Ok Tedi) andFreidaRiver), andtwo orebodies
growing number of recognizedoccurrencesof this
are in production,one in West Irian (Ertsberg or
mineraldeposittype. In additionto establishing the
Carstenz), the other on Bougainville(Panguna)
importanceand potential influenceof this region
(Fig. 1).
within the frameworkof world copperresources, the
This paperis a summaryof regionalgeologyand
depositsin the islandsare extremelyimportantcon-
of the geologicalcharacteristicsof producers,develop-
sideredfrom a scientificpoint of view. The im-
ments,and prospects on the islandsof New Guinea,
portance stems from the fact that they are quite New Britain, Bougainville, Guadalcanal, and on
youthful (Miocene or younger) by western hemi-
Manus. I am not aware of publishable data for the
spherecomparisons and can be spatiallyand tem-
copperoccurrences of Misima, New Ireland, or Fiji.
porally related to phenomenaof plate tectonicsand
island arc evolution. As so many variablesultimately determinewhether
or not a porphyry copper occurrencebecomesan
Since discoveryof Pangunaon Bougainvillein
orebody,not the least of which is geography,this
1964 (Knight et al., 1973), the list of developments
and viableprospectshas grown to more than 20 and summary treatscopperoccurrences whosecharacter-
continuesto increase. At the time of this writing isticspermit their assignment to the porphyrycopper
the number of suchprospectsis imperfectlyknown, category. As limiting featuresfor this assignment,
but the following localities and numbers are fair I have consideredthosecopperoccurrences which
minimum approximations: Manus (Admiralty are apparentlygeneticallyrelated to calc-alkaline
Islands) (4); New Britain (6); New Ireland (2); intrusive igneous activity, characterizedby por-
499
500 $. R. TITLEY

• • x• • NEW
BRITAIN

• C O R A L SEA
QU[ •'• AND
FiG. 1. Index map to portionof southwesternPacific discussed.Map showslocationof some
principalprospects,
developments,and producers.

phyries,whichrevealregionalzoningof tracemetals, consideras one entity. The islandof New Guinea

metal sulfides,and nonsulfidealteration minerals, is sufficiently
differentfromthe arc unitsto be con-
andin whichcoppercontenthasbeen,at leastlocally, sideredseparatelyas the lithologiesand tectonic
upgradedby epigeneticprocesses to 100 times the stylesare the resultof longerand probablymore
Clarke in large sulfidesystems. complexhistoriesof sedimentation,
metamorphism,
intrusion,and deformation. Notwithstandingthose
Regional Geologyand Tectonics differences,
however,the agesof intrusionandcopper
Various interpretationshavebeenadvancedto ac- mineralization in both the arcs and New Guinea are
countfor the varietyof geologicfeaturesof the New closelysimilarwithin the Tertiary and suggestsome
Guinea-Solomon Islandsregion. Most of the recent fundamental but as yet unknownmineralization pro-
interpretationshave been promptedby the interest cesscommonto both types of environments.For
and impetusarising from considerations of plate example,mineralization
of about1 millionyearsage
tectonics. The discussion which follows is based is known on both Guadalcanal and New Guinea and
primarilyuponthe data and regionalsyntheses ad- mineralizationof about3 millionyearsage is known
vancedby Thompsonand Fisher (1965), upon on Bougainvilleand in West Irian (Table 1.)
variouspublicationsof the Bureau o[ Mineral Re- Island arcs: Basement rocks of the Solomon
sourcesof Australia,upon the recentseismologicalIslands,New Britain, and New Ireland are believed
data, gravity data, and interpretationsof Denham to be not older than Eocene and, on some of the
(1969), Curtis (1973), the interpretationsof John- islandsof thesegroups,the oldestexposedrocksare
sonandMolnar (1972), andregionalgeologyof Dow mid-Tertiaryor younger. Althoughdetailsof copper
andothers(1972), andJenkins(1974). The radio- occurrencediffer betweendeposits,the stylesof min-
metricageswhichhavebeendeterminedto be within eralization in the arcs are similar. In most of the
the Tertiary, togetherwith inferred Oligoceneor viableprospects,
copperoccursin association
with
youngerstratigraphicagesof otherundatedprospects, dioriticto quartz dioriticintrusions,commonlyin
establishthe importanceof the eventsof the Ceno- contactwith volcanicrocksrangingfrom andesiteto
zoic. dacitewith only very minor sedimentaryrock com-
ponents.Copperis presentin boththe intrusionand
Cenozoicgeologichistory wall rocks.
The portionof the southwesternPacificconsidered The oldest rocks of New Britain are believed to be
in this paper has been separatedinto geologic-tec- a groupof Eocenerocksof volcanic
andvolcaniclastic
tonicelements by numerousworkers,a synthesis of naturewhichoccurmainlyon the easternend oœthe
whichis shownin Figure 2. For convenience in the island (Gazelle Peninsula) and at scatteredloca-
following discussions,the Solomon Islands, New tionselsewhere to the west (Macnab,1970). Evo-
Britain, and West Melanesian arcs are sufficiently lution of the island commences from that time with
similarin bedrocklithologyand geologichistoryto episodes
of volcanic
activityand sedimentation.
In-
 ENVIRONMENT OF SOME PORPHYRY COPPER OCCURRENCES 501

TABLE 1. Radiometric and Stratigraphic Ages, SouthwesternPacific Area

RadiometricAges (m.y.) StratigraphicAge

Deposit Intrusions Mineralization Mineralization Reference
Mount Fubilan 1.9-4.9(?) 1.11-1.24 Pleistocene Pageand McDougall,
1972a

Freida River 13-16 13-16(?) Miocene-Pliocene(?) Page and McDougall,

1972a

Yanderra 12.5 7 Miocene-Pliocene Page and McCougall,

1972a

Kainantu 7.5-10 7.5 -10 (?) Miocene-Pliocene Page and McDougall,

1972a

Errsberg 3. ! 4- .12 Pliocene •Flint and Skinner,

pers. commun., 1974
Panguna 4-5 3.4 Pliocene Pageand McDougall,
1972b

Koloula 8 1.7(?) Pleistocene Thompson, 1973

Plesyumi 22-24 M iocene-Pliocene
(?) Pageand Ryburn,
1973

Manus Island Miocene-Pliocene(?) Titley, unpub.

New Ireland Miocene-Pliocene Titley, unpub.
Prospects

• ErrsbergK-Ar date from a quartz diorite, part of a compositeintrusion,and collectednear the Tramway Terminal. Radio-
metric age probablyrepresentsa maximumage of the skarn mineralization.Data kindly providedby B. J. Skinner,Yale Uni-
versity, and publishedwith his permissionand the permissionof D. Flint of Freeport Exploration.

sufficientknowledgeexistsuponwhichto discuss the cene sedimentaryrocks have been deposited. The

detailsof rock distributionand relationshipsin the principalreportedcopperprospectsof the Solomons
vicinityof the copperoccurrences,but the resultsof are those on Guadalcanalwhere an older Tertiary
work by Macnab(1970) andthe mappingby Ryburn basementhas been crosscutby quartz-dioriticand
(1972) have established an excellentbasisfor some more felsic intrusions(G. H. Griffiths,pers. com-
grossregionalinterpretations. In central New Bri- mun., 1971). K-Ar dating of intrusive rocks oœ
tain the oldest volcanic rocks lie to the south and are this mineralizedsystemat Koloula (Chikora) on
overlainby youngervolcanicsto the north, in turn the southsideof the islandhas resultedin two dates,
overlainby youngervolcanics, a patternwhichgives oneat 8 m.y. and the other representing mineraliza-
rise to crude east-west-trending beltsof successively tion at 1.7 m.y. (Thompson,1973).
youngervolcanics acrossthe island. Quaternaryand On Bougainville,Pliocenecopper-bearingintru-
activevolcanoes are presentat the eastand westends sionshave invaded an older Oligoceneto Miocene
of the island and on its north coast. The centers of volcanic sequence. The intrusive sequenceranges
coppermineralizationon New Britain are associated in composition from quartzdioritethroughgranodio-
with dioritic or more felsic intrusions which crosscut rite and has resultedin concentrationof copperin
the older volcanicunits. Radiometricages have both the intrusive bodies and the andesitic wall rocks
been obtainedfor some of the larger intrusionsby of the volcanicsystem. On Manus Island, Thomp-
Page and Ryburn (1973). As much of the copper son and Fisher described dioritic rocks which have
mineralization associated with these intrusive centers apparentlypenetratedmid- and upper-Miocenecar-
is related to crosscutting bodies,the agesrepresent bonates; younger volcanic units are also known.
a maximum, but the ages for intrusionsin New Radiometricagesare unknownfor the mineralizing
Britain, as a group, are much older (22 m.y. to 29 eventson Manus,but stratigraphic relationships
sug-
m.y.) than thoseagesfor intrusionsrelatedto copper gestthe intrusionsto be older, at least in part, than
on the other islandsof the regionfor which data are lower Miocene.
available. New Guinea:Physiographic-geologic subdivisions
The rocktypesand historyof the SolomonIslands of New Guinea are shown in Figure 2, the data
and parts of the West Melanesian Arc are similar largely from Thompsonand Fisher (1965, p. 119).
to New Britain. Thompsonand Fisher (1965, p. From north to south,they consistof the North Coast
132) have notedthat in the Solomonspre-Miocene OrogenicBelt (Denham,1969), the CentralHigh-
volcanicrockshave beendeformedand intrudedby lands Orogenic Belt, the Aure Tectonic Zone or
dioritic and more felsic intrusions above which Mio- Aure Fold Belt (Aure Trough of Denham,1969),
502 S. R. TITLEY

EXPLANATION

KILOMETERS •) Parphyrycopperoccurrence
0 ioo •oo •oo 400 mmmm•m Frontal arc
,

............ • Remnanf arc

o •o io• •((•5::.!:'::;:
Oceanicfrench
MILES
ß Active volcano

•" Subdiwmonboundary

FIG. 2. Map of the New Guinea-SolomonsIslands region. Shown is a synthesisof the various tectonic
subdivisionsrecognizedby various workers as well as the positionsof the present-dayfrontal arcs and the
positionsof some older arc systems. Data modified from Fisher (1957), Denham (1969), and Karig
(1972). Porphyry copperoccurrences, this paper.

andthe WesternPapuanShelf,or StableContinental of the AustralianBlock was a basinof sedimentary

Shelf of Denham (1969). The complex geology rockswhich was stronglymodifiedand deformedas
revealedin the Highland OrogenicBelt and in the a result of the interaction.
Aure Fold Belt has been a subject of continuing Jenkins (1974) has documentedthe history of
studyduring the past decade,and the resultsof this sedimentationand tectonismin the Tertiary of cen-
work havegiven rise to a rather detailedknowledge tral New Guinea and discussed the evolution of the
of the geologichistoryof thesetwo adjoiningregions. basinlying betweenthe two tectonicelements. He
As the copperdepositsat Ertsberg,Mount Fubilan, interposesthis trough, the Papuan Basin, as a third
Freida River, Kainantu, and Yanderra and its as- elementwhich separatesthe Mobile Belt from the
sociated occurrences in the Bismarck Mountains are Continental Block. This Basin received a thick
all integralpartsof the two adjoiningprovinces,the column .of sediments,which dates from the Triassic
recent advancesin knowledgeare particularly sig- throughthe Tertiary, and which was uplifted and de-
nificant. formed by detachmentand movementto the south
In their discussionof the' geologichistory of the during the mid- and late-Pliocene. The Papuan
north-centralpart of New Guinea,D.owet al. (1972) Basin includesthe Aure Fold Belt which, in part,
recognizetwo fundamental Tertiary tectonicelements. consistsof thosenow stronglydeformedsediments
One element,the New Guinea Mobile Belt, is char- whichmovedto the southoff the emerginghigh near
acterizedby a group of long and continuoussteep the north edge of the Basin, and includesthe south-
faults with wrench movement. The Mobile Belt is ern part of the Central Highlands OrogenicBelt.
shapedaround a northward-directedlobe of their Along the line which Jenkinshas shownto be the
other element, the Australian Continental Block. northernboundaryof the PapuanBasin,Dow et al.
The ContinentalBlock comprisesthe Stable Block, (1972) have mappeda group of volcanicand vol-
the Aure Fold Belt, and parts of the CentralHigh- caniclasticrocks of mid-Miocene age which they
land OrogenicBelt. The Mobile Belt consistsof the term 'islandarc volcanics." (p. 55). Spatiallyas-
North CoastOrogenicBelt and parts of the Central sociated with these volcanic units are the intrusive
Highlands Orogenic Belt. The existing structures rocks of the Bismarck Mountains and the Central
and topographyof New Guineaare the resultof the Range. The datedMiocenecopperdepositsat Kain-
interaction of these two elements, a relationship antu, Yanderra,and Freida River (Page and Mac-
pointedout by ThompsonandFisher (1965, p. I44). Dougall, 1972a) occuralongthis northernboundary
Caught betweenthe Mobile Belt and the Basement of the Basin. The datedPleistocene
depositat Mount
 ENVIRONMENT OF SOME PORPHYRY COPPER OCCURRENCES 503

Fubil&n(Page and McDougall,1972a) occursin K•LOMETERS

a complexof igneousintrusionson the southern o IOq 200 •oo 4•o0

boundaryof the Basin (Fig. 3). Lack of geologic • !. •_

o 50IOO
15o
•'0o
250
MILES
informati.on
precludes
an accurateprojectionof these
featuresinto West Irian. However, Ertsberg occurs
within the extensions of boundaries of the Central
HighlandsOrogenicBelt, and probablyin its south- PAPUAN
l
ern part. .... ,•
.....

Regionaltectonics
The dominanttectonicgrain within this part of
the southwestern Pacific is northwest. From the
east, the pronouncednorthwestmorphologictrend
of the Solomon Islands, and the structureswithin
them, are paralleledacrossthe regionby structures port •
in New Britain and New Guinea (Fig. 4). Thomp- •r•by
sonand Fisher (1965, p. 144) have interpretedthe
origin of this structural trend in New Guinea as
relatedto the "northwesterly movementof theoceanic Fro. 3. Miocene-Pliocene paleogeographyof a part of
crust of the Pacific Ocean relative to the Australian New Guinea. Interposed between the Mobile Belt to the
north and the Australian Block to the south is the Papuan
Continent." On New Guinea these structures have Basin of Jenkins (1974). The Aure Fold Belt, of other
affecteda thick sequence
of Cenozoicand Mesozoic workers, consistsof those blocks detachedand moved from
the north side of the basin after uplift in the mid-Pliocene.
rocks of the North Coast and Central Highlands Compare with Figure 2, in which are shown the tectonic
Orogenic Belts. Dow and Dekker (1964) have subdivisions recognized today. The position of known
recognizedright lateral movementand probabledif- porphyry copper occurrencesis superimposed. Data modi-
fied from Jenkins, 1974; Dow et al., 1972, Page and Mc-
ferentialuplift alongpersistentnorthweststructures Dougall, 1972a,b.
in parts of the Western Highlands,and McMillan
and Malone (1960) have documentednorthwest- Incompletelystudiedin the other islandregions,
trendingaxes of major foldsin the Paleozoicof the this northwest"grain" foundin the SolomonIslands
East CentralHighlands. Thesepartsof New Guinea and New Britain has affected most of the column
lie north of the Aure Tectonic Zone and reflect a dif- of volcanicrocksand is probablyof the sameorigin.
ferent tectonicstyle than that reflectedin that zone. Transcurrentmovementhasnot yet beenrecognized

FIG. 4. Generalized tectonic map of the New Guinea-SolomonsIsland region. The data are
generalized from Luyendyk and others, (1973), Johnsonand Molnar (1972), and from the
Geological Map of Papua New Guinea (Bur. Mineral Resources Australia, 1972) and the
GeologicalMap of the British Solomon Islands (1969).
504 S. R. TITLEY

in the SolomonIslands, but left lateral movementis tionis raisedregardingwhetheror not the apparently
offsetting the Gazelle Peninsula of eastern New different geologicalhistoriesof the remnant arcs of
Britain. On Bougainville,the northwesttrend is Karig (1972), whichincludethe prospects of Manus
expressedby both the alignmentof the island and Island and Misima Island, may be reflectedin dif-
the alignmentof the main erruptivecentersin the ferent intrusivehistoriesfrom thoseof the presently
middleof the island(Blake andMiezitis,1967). In active and more complexparts of the arc system
central New Britain, the occurrenceof two aligned where producersand developeddepositsare known
beltsof intrusionsalongthe northwestdirectionsug- to occur. The older,lesscomplex,intrusivecenters
gests a control of igneousactivity related to that seembarren of economicconcentrations of copper;
structuralgrain. the centersof protracted igneoushistoriestend to
The strong northwest alignmentin the Mobile show, in most instances,higher concentrationsof
Belt of New Guinea, and in the islands,is not re- copper.
flected in the deformed belt of central New Guinea. 3. On the islandsother than New Guinea,the close
The structureof the centralpart of the Papuan association of volcanicrockswith the copper-bearing
Trough (Aure Tectonic Zone of Thompsonand intrusionscanbe shownto exist--bothin a temporal,
Fisher,1965) is that of intenseandcomplexfolding preoresenseand in spatialrelationships.Suchas-
and overthrust faulting. The trend varies from sociation can be especially well documentedfor
northwest to west at various locations within the Pangunawhereandesiticrockshavebeeninvadedby
Zone. Although the northweststructureof terrain the ore-relatedporphyries. This characteristic is the
north of the belt can be inferred in some instances same one that has been noted for some southwestern
to haveinfluenced eraplacement of porphyrycopper North Americanporphyriesin which there is a dose
systems,the d•collement and related tectonicsof the implied genetictie betweenvolcanicprocesses and
Aure TectonicZone appearfor the most part to be porphyrycopperformation(Skinner, 1969; Titley,
shallowand of little potentialimportanceas controls 1972a). The close spatial associationof volcanic
of primary mineralization. Such an interpretation, rocks with these depositsin New Guinea is less
however,does not precludethe possibilityof oc- clear. Uplift has been so rapid that pre-existing
currenceof copperbodiesin theZonerelatedto more volcanicrocks,if present,havebeenerodedfrom the
deepseatedandfundamental structuresnot yet recog- immediatearea of the deposits. Nonetheless,there
nized. exist youngpyroclasticrockssouthand west of the
Mount Fubilan deposit (Davies, 1971, cited by
Summary of regional characteristics Bamford,1972), andthe belt of depositson the north
1. In the part of the Pacificconsideredin this dis- sideof the PapuanBasinoccursin the belt of island
cussion, the known or inferred evidence from the arc volcanicsdescribedby Dow and others (1972).
basementrocksof the islandsindicatesTertiary pre-
Mioceneas the time duringwhichthe first materials CenozoicGeotectonicHistory
composing the larger islands,otherthan New Guinea, All of the occurrences considered in this paperare
were evolved. Deformation of these early rocks, situatedon islandswhichcanbe shownt.ohavenow,
chieflyvolcanics,and someearly intrusiveactivity or to have had in the past, evolutionaryhistories
took place. It was not, however,until at least the associated with plate interactions.Someare clearly
Miocene,and certainlythe Pliocene,that significant related to island arcs while others, such as in New
evolutionand eraplacement of the copper-associatedGuinea,are relatedto morecomplexinteractions in-
magmastookplace. Older, presumablypre-Miocene, volvingcontinental and oceanicplates. All deposits
intrusionsare not yet known to be productiveof lie on islandsor parts of islandswhich are above
copper. None, to my knowledge,which have been zones of present-dayplate interactions (Benloft
prospected have yieldedsufficientgrade or tonnage Zones), or they lie on islandsconsidered to be parts
to be considered economic at this time. of dormantarc systems.Their youthfulage (Table
2. The suggestionfollows,therefore,that, as in 1) allowsconsideration of their genesiswithin the
the AmericanSouthwest(Titley, 1972a), theremay contextof activeplate and arc dynamics.
be a specificrange of time during which copper The locationand boundaries of a complexset of
bodiesin given regionsmay be formed. At Ray, platesin the southwestern
Pacifichavebeensuggested
Arizona,for example(Banks and others,1972), a by Johnson andMolnar (1972) andby Curtis(1973)
10 million-yearpremineralization intrusionhistory (Fi•. 5A). The boundariesand senseof movement
hasbeendocumented.Similarbut longerand more of theseplateshave beeninferredfrom interpreta-
pulselikehistoriesare suggested by the radiometric
tions of seismicactivityand from present-daydis-
agedatafrom deposits in the Sierritaand Patagonia
tributionof volcaniccenters. Althoughinterpreta-
Mountainsof Arizona. In thisconnection
the ques- tionsby variousworkersdiffer in detail,the general
 ENVIRONMENT OF SOME PORPHYRY COPPER OCCURRENCES 505

relationshipsseem a matter of concurrence.The

SolomonIslands and New Britain are parts of the
Pacific Plate which is being underthrustin those
regionsby the AustralianPlate (Fig. 5B). This
activityhasgivenrise to east-and northeast-dipping
BenloftZonesbeneaththe islands,as shownby Den-
ham (1969), and on Bougainville, by Mitchelland
Garson (1972). Westward, toward and through
northern New Guinea, seismic'data of Denham
A • AUSTRALIAN
=PLAT
(1969) suggestthe BenioffZoneapparentlyreverses
dip to the south,and New Guinea,as the north edge
of the Australian Plate, can be interpretedas over-
thrustingthe PacificPlate (Fig. 5C).
The origin of the structureof centraland northern
New Guinea, as well as certain structuresof the other
Oceaniccr•f
islands,has been ascribedto plate tectonics. It is
noteworthythat, in the first modernsynthesisof the
regional tectonics of this region, Thompson and
Fisher (1965, p. 121) invokedthe northwestward
movement of the Pacific Plate relative to the Aus-
tralian continentas the causeof structuraldisplace-
ments in the New Guinea Mobile Belt as well as the
structure seen in the Aure Tectonic Zone. Since that
time, various workers have contributed to and re-
fined those ideas as a result of the evolution of con-
ceptsof plate motion and supportinggeologicaland
geophysicaldata. oc•n,c
c,u•,
DeweyandBird (1970,p. 2640) suggest that New Lithosphere
Guinea collided with an island arc in Miocene times.
Johnsonand Molnar (1972, p. 5015), citingHamil-
ton (1970), have suggested a similar possibility.
However, the resultsof studiesby Dow and others FIG. 5A. Plate distribution and boundariesas suggested
(1972) haverevealedthat thisnorthernpart of New from seismic data in the southwestern Pacific area. Distribu-
Guinea,presumablythe remains of that arc now tion generalizedfrom Denham (1969), Johnsonand Molnar
(1972), and Curtis (1973).
accretedto New Guinea, has a basementof meta- 5B. Generalizedcross section (not to scale) showing
morphosedMesozoicrocks. Further, Dow and his interpretation of present relationship of Benioff Zone to
co-workers infer this northern third of New Guinea upper Tertiary and other volcanic rocks of Guadalcanal,
Bougainville,and New Britain. Modified from suggested
to have beena eugeosyncline in the Cretaceous,and crosssectionsby Mitchell and Garson (1972).
5C. Generalizedcross section (not to scale) showing
perhapsearlier, which receivedsedimentsand vol- interpretationof presentrelationshipof Benioff Zone to New
canicrocksat leastthroughthe Eocene. The south Guinea (south) and the oceanicplate. BetweenwesternNew
border of the eugeosyncline
corresponds
approxi- Britain (Fig. 5B) and the central portion of New Guinea
mately to the south border of the New Guinea Mo- the Benioff Zone reversesdip.
bileBelt andis characterized
by numerous
intrusions
which include a suite of ultramafic rocks as well as
igneousactivitycorresponding to timesof changes
the porphyrycopperdepositsand their relatedvol-
in the courseof evolutionof this part of the south-
canicand plutonicsystems. western Pacific are summarized below.
Althoughthe relationship of the tectonicdevelop-
ment of land surfacesof this part of the Pacificto I. Jacksonet al. (1972) pre.qentdata for and
plate tectonicphenomena is still largelyunresolved, hypothesizea changein the motion of the Pacific
thereare somestrikingtemporalcorrelations of dated Plate at 24.6 ---+2.5 m.y. The new motion, to the
eventsin the history of the Pacific Basin with the west, is suggested to have resultedin "strongcom-
timesof porphyrycopperevolution.The episodic pressionon the westernboundaryof the Pacific
natureof eventsrelatedto sea-floorspreadinghas plate" (p. 614). The structurallylocalized,calc-
been recognized(Le Pichon, I968), as has been alkaline,copper-bearing intrusionsof New Britain
the episodicnatureof copperporphyryformation. havebeendatedat between22 and 24 m.y. (Table
Episodesof copper-related
intrusiveand extrusive
506 S. R. TITLEY

2. Betweenabout20 m.y. ,P. and 9 m.y. ,v., two ary (WeisselandHayes,1971). Furthermore,
right
spreadingcenterswere active in the east-central lateraltranscurrent
faultingalongnorthwest-trending
Pacific (Herron, 1972, p. 1683). The older age breaks in the New Guinea Mobile Belt is consistent
corresponds to the onsetof spreadingof the East with the possibility
of rapidnorthwardmovement of
PacificRidge, the youngerage corresponds to cessa- the AustralianPlate againstthe Pacificsinceabout
tion of spreadingof the fossilNortheastPacificRidge. 10 m.y. ago.
During this periodof time Moberly (1972, p. 49) Thosetimesof porphyrycopperevolutionin these
suggests the long axis of New Guineawas oriented islandregionsappearat this first approximation
to
more northerly than it is now. Intrusionson the coincide with at least some of the times of initial
increasein ratesof convergence
north end of New Britain, the Bismarck Mountains of the Australianand
of New Guinea,and the copperdepositat Freida Pacific Plates. Such instancesare the change in
River were evolved between about 16 and 12 m.y. directionand rate of spreading at ca. 25 m.y., the
B.P. possibleincreasein rate at sometime or timesbe-
3. As a result of his study of the Fiji Plateau, tween ca. 20 m.y. and 10 m.y. from the effectsof
Chase (1971) suggestsan increaseof the rate of initiation of anotherspreadingcenter in the east-
motion in a westerlydirectionabout 10 m.y. ,v. central Pacific,the near doublingof the rate at ca.
The long axis of New Guineamay still have been 10 m.y., and the possiblelocalincreases in net con-
orientedto the northwest. Porphyrycoppermin- vergencerate on the north edge of the Australian
eralizationof about7 m.y. age is presentin the Bis- Platefromback-arcspreading in theWoodlarkBasin
marck Mountains at Yanderra and Kainantu. since ca. 3 m.y.
4. From theirstudyof thehistoryof theWoodlark Laramideporphyrycopperdeposits
of the south-
Basin,Luyendyket al. (1973) havesuggested that western U.S. have evolved under conditions of ex-
the LouisiadeSphenochasm, which openedinitially tension(Rehrig and Heidrick, 1972), and at least
at about20 m.y.,reopened with resumptionof rifting three depositsof the islands,Yanderra,Plesyumi,
at about3 m.y. ,v. Mineralizationof about3.4 m.y. andYau Yau (Titley, unpub.data), haveapparently
at Pangunaoccursin slightlyolder intrusions,and evolved under similar circumstances. Le Pichon
the age of intrusionsat Ertsbergis 3.1 m.y. (1968, p. 3694) has suggested
that low rates of
5. A shift in orientationof the directionof rifting convergence producecompressional
featuresat the
of the Woodlark Basin structures at about 1 m.y. surfacebut that high rates of convergenceproduce
(Luyendyket al., 1973) correspondsin time to the tensionalphenomenain surfacerocks. Recently,
age of mineralizationon Guadalcanaland at Mount Karig (1974) has shownthat extensionis closely
Fubilan. relatedto volcanicactivityin the PhilippineSeaand
has inferred from correlationsthat it corresponds
to
Discussion times of rapid subduction. It is tentativelysug-
gested,therefore,that high ratesof convergence may
Cause-and-effect relationships betweenthe forma- haveresultedin uplift in this regionwith attendant
tion of copperorebodies of this regionand sea-floor extensionproducingdeeplypenetratingchannelsof
spreading,if they exist, cannotbe demonstratedpermeability and access to the surfacefor magmatic
with a highdegreeof certainty. This is particularly systems.In only one casehas time of uplift been
so in the casesof coevalmineralizationat suchwidely documented, that of the uplift of the northern side
separated locationsas Guadalcanal and MountFubi- of the PapuanBasinwhichoccurredin the mid-Plio-
lan, or Bougainville andWest Irian. However,the cene. This time corresponds broadlyto the time of
correspondence of the chronology of the eventson mineralization at Kainantu, Yanderra, and to the
the oceanfloor, describedabove, with those events times of some intrusions at Mount Fubilan, and to
relatedto porphyrycopperformation,evenif not intrusion at Errsberg.
directly relatableto specificdeposits,suggestssome The evolutionof coppersystemsin this.regionis
fundamentalrelationships whosemanifestations may episodic
ratherthancontinuous. it is furthersug-
not have yet been recognized,or are hidden. gested,therefore,that in thispart of the southwestern
Determinationof the rate of convergenceof the Pacific, where vectorsof convergenceof the north
Australian Plate with the Pacific Plate in the upper
edgeof the AustralianPlate with the PacificPlate
Tertiary andQuaternaryis complicatedby asymmet-
are tangentialratherthannormal,initiallyhighcon-
ric spreading
onthecenterssouthof Australia(Weis-
seland Hayes,1971). Nonetheless,the total spread- vergence ratesbroughtaboutby suddenshiftsin the
ing rate from the centerssouthof Australiais signif- trend of eventsare slowedeitherby rotationof the
icantlygreaterduringthe past 10 millionyearsthan island massesin responseto the movementor by
those rates determined for earlier times in the Terti- intermittentratesof spreadingat spreadingcenters.
 ENVIRONMENT OF SOME PORPHYRY COPPER OCCURRENCES 507

Resolutionof the detail of spreading,and its his- standard.againstwhich comparisons may be made,
tory, has been documented only for the Woodlark extremecautionis advisableat the presentstageof
Basin. Clearly more detailedwork is required to knowledgein assessingfavorabilityor unfavorability
test the suggestionsmade here. If, however,high of westernPacifictypesby suchcomparisons.
convergence ratescan be established duringthe in- In the discussions and tabulations which follow it
tervalof about19 to 15 m.y. •.1,. and at about8 to 5 will beapparentthat comparisons
are madeof copper
m.y.n.y.,thecasefor rapidconvergence, asa trigger- producers,copper developments, and copper pros-
ing mechanism for the volcanismand attendantin- pects. In all of the copperoccurrencesdiscussed
trusion and copperbody formation,would be con- and comparedbelow,however,the two commonfea-
siderablystrengthened. tures of intrusiveporyhyriticrock type and copper
concentration presentare considered at this stageof
Geologyof CopperOccurrences
understanding to be sufficientbasisfor meaningful
The characteristicsof the porphyrycopperoccur- comparison. A further substantivebasis for this
rencesin t.hesouthwestern Pacificare fully as diverse comparison is the fact that, althoughnot presently
as thosecharacteristicsof porphyrycopperdeposits economic, the low concentration of hypogenecopper
known in other parts of the PacificBasin. Those in large volumesof rock in someof the prospects
featureswhich relate them geneticallyare the pres- corresponds to the samevolumesandvalueof copper
enceof calc-alkaline
porphyriticintrusionsof mid- to in the "protores"of many North,and South Ameri-
late-Tertiaryage whichare associated with anomal- can deposits. It seemsa reasonable suggestion that
ousconcentrations of copperin large sulfidesystems. had many of these depositsevolvedin the western
It may be that as otherorebodies are discovered and hemisphere duringthe Laramideor early Tertiary,
studiedadditionalfeaturesmay be revealedwhi.ch and undergonethe samesubsequent historiesof oxi-
will establisha broaderbasisof similaritythan that dationand enrichment,they might well be now in-
which can now be recognized. Further, notwith- distinguishablefrom them.
standingthe porphyrycopperdepositmodelswhich
havebeensuggested on the basisof a studyof west- Grosscharacteristics and rock types
ernhemisphere deposits (LowellandGullbert,1970), Most copperoccurrences whichhavebeenreported
sufficient differences in detail and characteristics from the southwestPacificregion are either Com-
exist amongthose depositsto questionthe wide- positeor Wall Rocktypesin the contextof descrip-
spreadapplicabilityof the criteriaor featureswhich tion which has beenpreviouslysuggested(Titley,
are considered typical. Althoughthe westernhemi- 1972c). Rocktypesandothersignificant-character-
sphereporphyry copper types provide a useful isticsof somedepositsare summarizedin Table 2.
TABLE2. PorphyryCopperOrebodyand RockTypes,SouthwestPacificArea

Intrusive Wall
Deposit Type• Min'l. Type Seq? Alter. Rock Alter. Ref.
Ertsberg Wall Rock Hypogene Gd Unknown Carbonate skarn Flint, 1972
Ok Tedi Composite Hypogene-3- Di-Mo-Qlp q-ser, K Carbonate skarn Bamford, 1972
Supergene
Frieda River Composite Unknown And.-Di prop. arg. Volcanics prop. arg. Page and Mc-
Dougall, 1972a
Yanderra Intrusion
Hypogene-3- Gd-Dap-Mo prop, q-ser,
Supergene -Qlp K

Manus Prospects Composite Hypogene-3- Di-Qdi-Gd q-ser, prop. Volcanics q-ser, Titley, unpub.
Supergene prop.

Yau Yau Composite Hypogene Qdi-biGd-Dap q-ser,prop. Volcanics q-ser, Titley, unpub.
prop.

Plesyumi Wall Rock Hypogene-3- Qdi-Gd-Dap- prop. q-ser Volcanics q-ser, K Titley and Bell, 1974
Supergene Qlp prop.

Panguna Composite Hypogene Qdi-biDi-Gd- bio.-q-ser Volcanics q-ser, Macnamara, 1968;

Qmp prop. prop. Fountain, 1972
Koloula River Composite Hypogene Di-Qdi-Gd q-ser. Intrusive q-ser, Griffiths, 1972,
prop. Rocks prop. and pers.commun.

l Type classificationafter Titley, 1972c.

• Abbreviations:Di-diorite, Mo-monzonite,Qlp-quartz latite porphyry,QDi-quartz diorite, biDi-biotite diorite, biGd-
biotite granodioriteDap-dacite porphyry,And-andesite,q-ser-quartzsericite,K-potassic (orthoclaseand/or biotite) prop-
propylitic, arg-argillic, bio-biotitic.
508 S. R. TITLE¾

Quortz

MODAL QUARTZ,ORTHOCLASE•
AND
PLAGIOCLASE OF ROCKS FROM SOME
SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC PORPHYRY
COPPER OCCURRENCES.

ß Ponguno
(2) Manus I$1ond

• P/esyuml(NewBrita/n]
ß Pelopuno
(N,8.)
h, YouYou(iV.
8.)

• DI•ITE MONZONITE SYENITE

Plegiocl(3se Ofthocl(•se

FIG. 6. Quartz-Orthoclase-Plagioclasediagram of some porphyry copper-related,

intrusive rocks of the region, Creasey's data (1966) shown as norms, other data as
modes. See text for further explanation.

Only two prospectsof which I am aware, Koloula equivalents. Consequently,volcanicrocks compose

on Guadalcanaland the copperoccurrences of Yan- the importanthost to intrusionsand mineralization
derra in the New Guinea Highlands, representcop- in these other regions. Upper Tertiary carbonate
per developed entirely,or nearlyso,in intrusiverock rocks are present and have been altered locally to
progenitors.Otherwise,the copperdepositsrepre- skarn, but no prospectof which I am aware, in the
sent mineralization of a combination of the intrusive
islandswhich are consideredhere, has been one with
rock centersand their wall rocks,or solelythe wall mineralizationin theseyoungercarbonaterocks. At
rock. As in the southwesternUnited States,no rock Panguna,someof the prospectsof New Britain, and
type appearsto be whollyexcludedfrom beingmin- on Manus Island, andesitesor dacitic volcanic com-
eralized to some degree where major copper min- plexes are the chief hosts of mineralization. With
eralizationhas taken place. the exceptionof prospectsin central New Britain
In the New Guinea Highlands where thick se- where mineralizationis almost entirely in volcanic-
quencesof sedimentary rocksare present,suchas at fragmentalcomplexesand no major parent intrusion
Mount Fubilan and Ertsberg, carbonaterocks,where has yet beenrevealed,the othersare Compositeore-
present,have beenextensivelyinvolvedin .theore- bodiesinvolvingporphyriticcalc-alkaline intrusions
in
forming process,and skarn alterationis important. andesiticand daciticvolcanicpiles. Althoughmin-
Ertsberg, as presently known, consistsof copper eralizationoccursin the intrusionsat Panguna,the
mineralizationdeveloped entirelywithin calc-silicate- older volcanicsequence, which has beeninvadedby
magnetiteskarnalthoughsomemineralization is re- the porphyries,is the significanthost to high grade
ported in nearby felsic intrusions (D. E. Flint, hypogenecoppermineralization.
pers. commun.,1972). Mount Fubilan is a com- Composition of intrusionsof the islandregiondif-
positeorebodyin whichcopperhasbeendeposited
in fers somewhat from the southwestern North Ameri-
can casein the presenceof a large number of gen-
both an intrusionand its carbonatewall rocks (Barn-
ford, 1972). etically related rocks that are more dioritic. Pre-
The dominantpreorelithologyof the islands,ex- liminarymodesderivedfrom integratingstageanaly-
clusive of New Guinea, is that of volcanic rocks, sesare shownin Figure 6. Superposition of Creasey's
chieflyandesitcand daciteand their volcaniclastic (1966) dataasnormsrevealsthe distribution
of corn-
 ENVIRONMENT OF SOME PORPHYRY COPPER OCCURRENCES 509

positionof someigneousrocksof the southwestern

North American Province and makes a basis of com-
parison. Comparison of modesand normsfor rocks
in the compositional
rangesshownis consideredonly
because of the low mafic mineral content of the rocks
involved. With few exceptionsin the rock suites
analyzed,differentiationprogressesfrom quartz dio-
rites to morefelsictypes,evento quartzmonzonites
...... ..:....:.:.:....:.:.:.:.:.:.::::.:.:.:.:.;•;..-...•
................. eq.-.•._-•.•.:.:.:.:.:.:.:::::¾:::::•::.-.?.-.::•;
.......... ..•¾...... •..:::::.:::...?.•?.............½....•$;•:
ß,.,.,.'.....,..,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.',.,
..'.q;•..'•'..;.•:.:..:.:•:.::.;:.'..'..'..'.:.[.•.'•-.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
}--•:---•:::•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:i:v•:?•?•:•:•:i?•:•:;•:.::::::•:•;:::;•:•.4-•:::--
•.;....;•.•...i•:•:•:•:•:•:;....•;•::...::•::....•...:.:..:.:.....•:•..::•.•::..•...•::•:..•
....
ß, . .,....•.,..;,.,
øø%ø- .ol -.'.' ß...'. ß'.•: :.' :.:..:-.• •,•,, •'• o•o,
'-•,:.;.:'-'z•.•.:..'..::-j.%:
" :..'..
';.';:ß}"
• .-, }":_.?:'[•:::.•'._'{'.'.:::?'.'::;.y.'.';:'..':•3.•
.•''.::.,:::•9:..'.•.2':
:'.:'.'.'Y:;
.':.:1•'•' _

in one specimenfrom Panguna.

. ß:ß,:•::.::
•:3:.•'-:'2'.'-;..'Z:::::
i:l.'.?&:. ' __
The quartzdioritesof the depositsin New Britain ß :;:•:...;...•.•...;...'.....::&....':::...: .--

are rocksstratigraphically
olderthan rocksapparently
related to the higher grade hypogenecopperconcen- --'
-, ::.::':'.'.:.?'3_'•::',•'.'::.':::'
....::...• .•.....?-;.-ß ... ß

trations. The higher grades appear to attend the

evolutionof rocksmore silicicor potassic. Nonethe-
less,many of thesequartz dioritebodiescontainlarge
volumesof 0.05 percentto 0.1 percentcopper, as-
sociatedmost commonlywith mafic minerals. The GENERALIZED
GEOLOGIC MAP
analyticaldata of Figure 6, togetherwith the gen-
PANGUNA {BOUGAINVILLE)
eralized maps of Panguna and two New Britain COPPER DEPOSIT
prospects(Figs. 7, 8, and 9), showthe composition
of intrusiverocksand generalrock geometryof in-
trusion and extrusion complexesconsideredrepre- o $oo iooo
sentativeof different types of occurrences
of copper METERS
ß

in this region.
Silicatealterationand zoning
Fro. 8. Surfacemap of the Plesyumiprospectin central
Alteration types recognizedand reported in this New Britain. Capping covers an extensivevolcaniclastic
complexwhich has beeninvadedand mineralizedby por-
region are generallythe sametypeswhich occurin phyries (Titley, unpub.data).

the southwesternNorth Americandeposits.How-

ever,in someknowninstances, andpossibly in more
than are now recognized, alterationstyletakesa
majordeparture fromwesternhemisphere typesin
its manifestation,
consequently requiringdifferent
interpretations
of its possible
genesis.Alterationin
the westernhemisphere is commonly interpreted
as
zoned,lesscommonlyconsidered in the contextof
EXPLANATION
paragenesis.
Where wall-rockcontrastsare sharp,distinct
separation
of alterationtypesappears
to havedevel-
oped,for example,at MountFubilanandErrsberg
where carbonatewallrocks
adjoining
otherwise
"typi-
cally"alteredintrusive
progenitors
of copper
min-
eralization have been converted to skarn. In oc-
currenceswhere apparentlycomplexhistoriesof
intrusionare revealedand wall rockslesscontrasted
rnineralogically,
however,thealterationtypestend
to belessdiscretely
zonedandarebestinterpreted
KIIometem at thistimein the contextof telescoping.
Rocks
fromthezonesof hypogene
copper
mineralization
of
PORPHYRY COPPER PROSPECT prospectsin New Britain and New Guinea com-
CENTRAL NEW BRITAIN P,N.G.
monlyrevealdifferentalteration
typesdeveloped
sequentiallyin the samerock volumes. A common
FIG.7. Generalizedgeologic
mapof thePanguna Copper
DepositonBougainville.Geology
fromKnight etal.(1973), association
isthatofpropylitically
altered
rockveined
Macnamara (1968). Sulfideboundaryinferredand inter- by orthoclaseand sulfide,the orthoclase
unstable
pretedfrom author'snotes(unpub.). with respect
to crosscutting
biotiteandsulfidevein-
510 S. R. TITLEY

Kilometere
0 0.5 1.0
i I i

PORPHYRY COPPER PROSPECT EAST CENTRAL NEW BRITAIN P,N.G.

Fro. 9. Surface map of a part of the prospectnear Uasilau and Yau Yau, east-
central New Britain. A complex of coarse-grained intrusions has evolved copper
mineralization in invaded older volcanicsof New Britain (Titley, unpub. data).

lets, both alteration types, in turn, unstablewith contentin thoserocksinvolved. Thus, weak phyllic
respectto later, crosscutting veinsof quartz-sericite. alterationis superimposed upon rockspropylitically
Other departures exist. In the moredioriticrocks altered,indicatingfurther the separationin time of
of the region orthoclaseveining is commonlyat- the alterationtypes.
tendedby epidote,possiblythe result of potassic Interpretation of the significanceof these tele-
alteration of the more basic rock, or of sodium meta- scopedalteration assemblages cannot yet be made
somatism. In North America this alteration assem- with too muchassurance, but oneexplanationis sug-
blageisknown at Sierrita.Another alteration
type, gested. In the southwesternNorth American case
not widely reportedfrom westernhemisphereoccur- the alterationtypes,althoughconsideredin many in-
rences,is that of widespreadcarbonatealteration stancesas coeval,do not reflectsharpboundariesbut
whichaccompanies somechalcopyrite mineralization. rather appearto be encroachmentof zonesupon each
Althougha commonproductof propyliticalteration, other, and are thus locally telescoped. The close
calci.tealterationin someof the Pacificsystemsseems telescoping of severalalterationtypesor stagesin at
a moreimportantalterationtype than hasbeenpre- least a few copper systems of the southwestern
viouslyconsidered elsewhere.It is morewidespread, Pacificmay be either the resultof the shallowlevels
seemscloselyassociated in time with at least some at which we may be viewingtheseyouthfulsystems
significantcopperoccurrences, and seemsmore a or a result of shallowlevelsof emplacement. If either
manifestation of more "intense"typesof alteration situationis correct,it is noteworthythat the altera-
attendingcopperdeposition in the southwestern U.S. tion typeswhich are viewedas central, or core, types
In intrusions consideredto be older, on New Bri- in the westernhemisphereare revealedat the surface
tain andManusIsland,very weakcoppermineraliza- in the southwesternPacific systems.
tion is presentin quartz dioritesand, in somein-
stances,in volcanicrockswhichthey have intruded. Metallizationand mineralzoning
The alterationof thesesystems, as they are presently Insufficient data are available to describe min-
known, is weakly to moderatelypropyliticbut the eralizationin more than a few depositsor prospects.
alterationis commonly associatedwith coppervalues At Panguna(Macnamara,1968) chalcopyriteis the
of up to 0.1 percentwith 2 percentor greaterpyrite dominantcoppermineral and occurswith bornite,
in large sulfidesystems. Locally, where andesites minor molybdenite,and silver values. Gold ap-
have been invadedand mineralizedby theseintru- parently varies directly with copper content. Re-
sions,the andesitesrevealwidespread and pervasive ported productionfrom Panguna indicates,for the
propyliticalteration,dispersed pyrite,and fracture- first two quarters of operation,recoverygrade of
localized alteration.This veining,ap- 0.72 percentcopper,about0.63 gram per ton of gold,
quartz-sericite
parentlylater,resultsin a twofoldincrease in copper and2.03 gramsper ton of silver (AustralianMiner,
 ENVIRONMENT OF SOME PORPHYRY COPPER OCCURRENCES 511

6 November1972). Total reserveand grade re- chieflyas chalcopyrite

with minor bornite. Pyrlte
portedby Knight et al. (1973) is 960 millionlong is widespreadand is most abundantlypresent in
tons of 0.48 percentcopperand 0.37 dwt of gold. preore volcanicrocks. Gold occurssparingly,as
Base metal zoninghas beenreportedby Fountain doesmolybdenite,and both are presentmost abun-
(1972) as variationin coppercontent. Macnamara dantlynear centersof high coppercontent.
(1968, p. 78) notesthat "pyrite... whenintimately In his comparison of molybdenum andgoldvalues
associatedwith the coppermineralization,appears in porphyrycopperdeposits,Kesler (1973) has
to vary antipathicallywith it." and that "tracesof notedthe highergold valuespresentin the deposits
sphaleriteand galenahave been found." of the islandsas contrastedwith certaindepositson
No grade or reservehas been announcedfor Ok the continents. These relationshipsare upheld in
Tedi. Bamford(1972) reportschalcopyrite, bornite, those prospectsof the southwestern Pacific from
marcasite,pyrite, and minor molybdenite.Chalco- which data are available. Molybdenumis alsopres-
citeand covelliteoccuras well, and it is reportedthat ent in manyof the westernPacificdeposits,which
significantamountsof gold and lesseramountsof includethose of the Philippinesand at Panguna.
silver occur. Systematicvariationsof sulfidesor However, the level of concentrationis not generally
trace metals have not yet been reported. knownor reported,andin somedeposits molybdenite
At Ertsberg (D. E. Flint, pers.commun.,1972) is not even assayed,even thoughpresent. Conse-
33 milliontonsof ore of averagegradeof 2.5 percent quently,a descriptionof the islandarc depositsas
copper,about0.75 gramper ton of gold,and 9 grams copper-gold-molybdenum depositsseemsapt until
of silver per ton occur with skarn. Chief minerals more data become available to assess the relative
are chalcopyriteand bornite, together with small abundances of these minor metals.
amountsof pyrite, marcasite,molybdenite,bismuth,
galenobismutite, and electrum. No zoningother than Oxidationand secondaryenrichment
that possiblyrelatedto secondaryenrichmentis re- In two of the knowncopperoccurrences significant
ported. oxidationhastakenplacewith variableleachingand
In the Plesyumiprospecton New Britain (Titley resulting enrichment. Mount Fubilan (Bamford,
and Bell, 1974) highergradesof copperattendlower 1972) is reportedto be oxidizedas deeplyas 300
total sulfidecontentalthoughthe consistency of this metersand enriched. Similarly, Plesyumi,in central
relationshipis not yet recognized.Copperis present New Britain, has been oxidized and leachedwith

PROPYLITIC ALTERATION

QZ.-SER.-CARB.

Ag 4. Pb + Zn

Rain Forest
.oH I- 5

$oproHte $-

Copp/nt• I0- SOm.

œnr $-- lorn.

GENERALIZED CHARACTERISTICS
"SINGLECYCLE"OXIDATIONAND ENRICHMENT
PAPUA, NEW GUINEA REGION

Fro. 10. Profile of characteristicsof soil, capping, enriched, and pratore zones
of pyritic disseminated copper deposits beneath present-day rain forest environ-
ments.
512 S. R. TITLEY

some50 to 70 metersof cappingremainingabove systemswhere the processis taking place there is

chalcocite
enrichment(Titley, unpub.data). Cappings both uplift and incisionof terrain and permeability
whichhavedevelopedon New Britain are similarin in fracturedhosts,all of whichare permissiveof the
many respectsto the cappingsaboveboth singleand process. These conditionsof rainfall and rain forest
multistageleachedorebodiesof the AmericanSouth- offer a striking and significantcontrastto what has
west, and are cappingstypical of those above the long beeninferredaboutthe importanceof arid cli-
high total sulfideparts of the porphyry copperen- mates in producingenrichment. In view of arid
conditions,whichprobablyexistedduring times of
vironment. Figure 10 showsa crosssectiontypical
of thosefound abovesingle-cycle enrichedbodiesof
glaciation,and the presentconditionsof very high
this regionwheretotal sulfidecontentsare high. As
rainfall,it seemsreasonable to suggestthat the pro-
cessof leachingand enrichmentin the islands,and
the sulfidecontentdiminishes,the amountof copper
retainedin the saprolitesand cappingincreases,and
possiblyelsewhere,is the resultof climaticvariations
rather than the result of any specificclimatetype.
suchsystemsapproximatethe conditionsof the low
Alternatesaturation
total sulfideportion of the diagram but with corre- of thegroundduringwetperiods
spondinglyhighercoppervaluesin the zonesaboveand drying during arid periods,coupledwith uplift
primary mineralization. and deepincisionto developand enhanceflow, may
At Mount FubilanBamford(1972) has reported be responsible for both the single-and multiple-stage
only limited amountsof hematitein cappingsother- enrichmentpresentin this region.
wise similar to those of the southwestern United
States. At Yanderra (Titley, unpub.data) cappings Summaryof ore depositcharacteristics
exist which are more typical of those above ore-
bodieswith low total sulfidebut high copper,such 1. Most of the occurrences discussed are associated
as someof the HighlandValley occurrences, reveal- with centersof igneousactivity which reveal com-
ing considerable
oxidationbut only limitedleaching. plex historiesof intrusion. As in somedistrictsof
Leachingand oxidationare knownin otherprospects the AmericanSouthwest,pulsesof igneousactivity,
of the islands, but the extent to which enrichment givingriseto manydifferentrocktypesandtextures,
has taken place, if at all, is riot known. Further are common.
commenton this phenomenon in the depositsis war- 2. Intrusionsapparentlygeneticallyrelatedto cop-
ranted. per mineralizationappearto be lessfelsicthan their
Mountainousregionsof theseislands,where most southwestern Americancounterparts. The mostcom-
of the depositsoccur,are the result of extremely monassociated igneousrocktype is quartzdioriteor
rapid uplift (Chappell,1974) and weathering.The granodiorite,and their porphyriticequivalents.As
terrain is deeplyincised,steep,and rugged with in southwesternNorth America, the differentiation
considerable relief. In central New Guinea relief sequences are calc-alkaline
or calcic. Small,copper-
may be as extreme as 1,000 meters at elevationsof rich, but uneconomic,diorite bodies also occur in
2,000 to 3,000 meters, and on the smaller islands this region.
commonly500 metersat elevationsof 1,000 to 2,000 3. Althoughthe samplepopulationis small,radio-
meters. Rain forest is present in most regions metric age dates for the occurrencesindicate the
prospected. Distribution of vegetation.and forest Plioceneto be at leastoneimportantepochof copper
types have been summarizedby Howlett (1967). formation (Errsberg and Panguna). Two occur-
Rainfall is heavy. In the New Guinea-New Britain rences have been dated as Pleistocene and two oc-
part of the regionrain on the coastsis seasonal but currences are known to be Miocene.
in the centralparts of the islandstendsto be con- 4. Alterationtypesand stylesare diverseand are
tinuous,varying seasonallyonly in amount. Pre- similarto thoseof the westernhemisphere orebodies.
cipitationin the centralNew GuineaHighlandsis In some occurrences,however, alteration is more
locallyasmuchas 1,000cm per year, in centralNew easily interpretablein the context of paragenesis
Britain asmuchas800 cmper year,and at Panguna than it is in terms of zoning.
is reportedto be asmuchas500cmper year. 5. Producers and viable prospectsare large
The climatic history•of the Pleistoceneis not (greater than 2 km2) sulfidesystemsalthoughthe
known. There are, however,featuresof glaciation sulfide content varies from occurrence to occurrence.
in central New Guinea, and morainalmaterial has In primary zoneshigh-gradecopper,in most in-
been reported at elevationsof 700 meters in West stances, accompanies low total sulfide. In many,base
Irian (D. E. Flint, pers. commun.,1972). The metalsare knownto be zonedwith respectto copper.
presentclimate is dissolvingand moving copper 6. Most of the occurrences for which data are
downwardin activeprocesses of leachingandenrich- availablecontainhighercontentsof preciousmetals
ment in New Guinea and in New Britain. In those than are foundin mostwesternhemisphere deposits.
 ENVIRONMENT OF SOME PORPHYRY COPPEROCCURRENCES 513

but unre- thank Messrs.Rod Ryburn and Peter Macnabwho

However,somealso containsignificant
portedamounts
of molybdenite. contributed
muchto my knowledgeof New Britain.
7. Oxidation and enrichmentof someof the copper
DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES
bodieshavegivenriseto leached
cappings
similarto
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
thoseabove
western
.hemisphere
orebodies.
Oxida- TucsoN, ARIZONA85721
tion,andsomemovement
of copper,are takingplace
May 20,November12, 1974
at thepresent
timein an environment
of veryhigh
annualrainfall. The importance
of sucha climatein REFERENCES
the enrichmenthistoriesof copperdepositsmust be Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources,1972, Geological
considered, map of Papua New Guinea, 1:1,000,000: Canberra.
and the effectof climaticcyclesrather Barnford, R. W., 1972, The Mount Fubilan (Ok Tedi)
than distinctclimatesmay be important. Further, porphyrycopperdeposit,PapuaNew Guinea: ECON.Gv.o•..,
in view of the rapidrateat whichpresent-day
move- v. 67, p. 1019-1033.
mentof copperis takingplace,someconsiderationBanks, N. G., Cornwall,H. R., Silberman,M. L., Creasey,
S.C., and Marvin, R. F., 1972, Chronologyof intrusion
should
probably
be givento the effectsof biogenic and ore depositionat Ray, Arizona: Part I, K-Ar ages:
and organicprocesses
in enrichment. EcoN. Gv.o•..,v. 67, p. 864-878.
Blake, D. H., and Miezitis, Y., 1967, Geologyof Bougain-
ville and Buka Islands, New Guinea: Australia Bur. Min-
eral ResourcesBull. 93 (PNG Bull. 1), 56 p.
Acknowledgments British Solomon Islands Protectorate, Dept. of Surveys
(Geol.), 1969, Geologicalmap, British Solomon Islands
Protectorate, 1: 1,000,000: Honiara.
Withouttheprofessionalism,
skill,andabilitiesof Chappell,John, 1974,Geologyof coral terraces,Huon Penin-
Balus,Buki,Ses,Tongani,andmanyotherotherof sula, New Guinea: A study of Quaternary tectonic move-
ments and sea-level changes: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v.
theircountrymenof Papua,New Guinea,the study 85, p. 553-570.
reportedherewouldnot havebeenpossible.In a Chase, C. G., 1971, Tectonic history of the Fiji Plateau:
similarcontext,I alsorecordhere my gratitudeto Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 82, p. 3087-3110.
Creasey,S.C., 1966,Hydrothermal alteration,in Titley, S. R.
andappreciation
of theprofessionalism
of the pilots and Hicks, C. L., eds., Geology of the porphyry copper
of Helitrans-Australiaand CrowleyAirways, Lae, deposits, southwestern North America: Tucson, Univ.
P.N.G.,manyof whomI haveworkedwith during Arizona Press, p. 51-76.
Curtis, J. W., 1973, Plate tectonics and the Papua New
thepastfiveyearsof intermittent
fieldworkin the Guinea-Solomon Islands region: Geol. Soc. Australia
islands. Jour., v. 20, pt. 1, p. 21-36.
One field seasonof work in the southwesternand Denham, D., 1969, Distribution of earthquakesin the New
Guinea-SolomonIslands region: Jour. Geophys.Research,
westernPacificwassupported
by a GraduateCollege v. 74, p. 4290-4299.
FacultyResearch Grant from the Universityof Dewey, J. F., and Bird, J. M., 1970, Mountain belts and the
new global tectonics: Jour. Geophys.Research, v. 75, p.
Arizonaand by PlacerProspecting of Australia. 2625-2647.
Triako Minesof Sydney,Australia,supported
four Dow, D. B., and Dekker, F. E., 1964, The geology of the
Bismarck Mountains. New Guinea: Australia Bur. Mineral
additionalfieldseasons
of studyin New Britainand ResourcesRept. 76, 45 p.
New Guinea,andI am indebtedto Messrs.I. Shul- Dow, D. B., Smit, J. A. J.. Bain, J. H. C., and Ryburn, R.
man, E. B. Bell, and V. L. R. Furlong of that J., 1972. Geologyof the South Sepik region. New Guinea:
Australia Bur. Mineral ResourcesBull. 133, 88 p.
corporation
for theircontinuing
interest
in my work Fisher, N.H.. 1957, Catalogue of the active volcanoes and
andfor theirpermission
to publishsomeof the data. solfatara fields: r•art 5, Melanesia: Naples, Internat. Vol-
Dr. Hendrickvan den Heuval and Messrs.JohanA. canol. Assoc.. 105
Flint, D. E., 1972. Geology of the Ertsberg copper deposit,
J. SmitandN. D. Nuttycombe,
colleagues
withwhom Irian Barat, Indonesia: Unrmb. ms.
I haveworkedin this region,havebeencontinuing Fountain, R. J., 1972, Geological relationshlr•sin the Pan-
criticsof manyof my ideas. Discussions ffuna
constructive porl)hyry col)per deposit, Bou•ainville Island, New
Guinea: EcoN. Gsm... v. 67, p. 1049-1064.
of someof the ideasrecordedhere, regardingNew Griffiths, G. H., 1971. Notes for a talk on rmrphyry copper
Guinea,with Dr. DuncanB. Dow of the Australian t)rospect. Koloula River, Guadalcanal: Untmb. ms.
and with my colleagues Herron,
Bureauof Mineral Resources E. M.. 1972, Sea-floor sr•readinz and the Cenozolc
history of the enst-central Pacific: Geol. Soc. America
at the Universityof Arizona,particularlyMr. Tom Bull., v. 83, r•. 1671-1692.
L. Heidrick,havebeenmosthelpful. I alsoacknowl- Howlett, D. R., 1967, A geography of Papua and New
Guinea: Sydney, Thos. Nelson (Aus. Ltd.), 160
edge,with thanks,the assistance in the field by Jackson,E. D., Silver, E. A., and Dalyrimple, G. B., 1972,
Messrs.Alex MacDonald, Bruce McCall, John Ek- Hawiian-Emperor Chain and its relation to Cenozoic cir-
strom,and WesleyHarder. Finally,I wouldlike cumpacifictectonics: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 83, p.
601-618.
to acknowledgethe indirect assistanceof many Jenkins, D. A. L., 1974, Detachment tectonics in western
B.M.R. geologistswhosefield studies,under rou- Papua New Guinea: Geol. Soc. America Bulk, v. 85, p.
533-548.
tinely difficultand sometimes
appallingfield condi- Johnson,Tracy, and Molnar, Peter, 1972, Focal mechanisms
tions,haveprovidedthebasisfor regionalinterpreta- and plate tectonicsof the southwestPacific: Jour. Geophys.
tionsmadehere. Of thosegeologists I specifically Research,v. 77, p. 5000-5032.
514 S. R. TITLEY

Karig, D. E., 1972,Remnantarcs: Geol.Soc.America Bull., • 1972b,Geochronologyof the Panguna porphyry copper
v. 153,p. 1057-1068. deposit, Bougainville Island, New Guinea: EcoN. G•o•..,
• 1974,Implicationsfor the origin of the PhilippineSea v. 67, p. 1065-1069.
from DSDP Leg 31 and S.I.O. cruise Tasada7 [abs.]: Page, R. W., and Ryburn, R. J., 1973, K-At ages and
Eos, v. 55, no. 4, p. 298. geological relations of plutonic rocks in New Britain:
Kesler, S. E., 1973,Copper,molybdenumand gold abundances Australia Bur. Mineral Resources,Dept. Minerals Energy,
in porphyry copperdeposits: Eco>•. G•o•.., v. 68, p. 106- Rec. 1973/191,9 p.
113. Rehrig, W. A., and Heidrick, T. L., 1972, Regionalfractur-
Knight, C. L., Fraser, R. B., and Baumer,A., 1973,Geology ing in Laramide stocks of Arizona and its relationship to
of the Bougainvillecopperorebody,New Guinea,in Fisher, porphyry copper mineralization: Ecoa. GF_oL., v. 67, p.
N.H., ed., Metallogenicprovincesand mineral deposits 198-213.
in the southwestern Pacific: Australia Bur. Mineral Re- Ryburn, R. J., 1972, Talasea-GasmatasheetsSB56-5, SB56-
sourcesBull. 141, p. 123-134. 9, Papua New Guinea: Australia Bur. Mineral Resources
Le Pichon,Xavier, 1968,Sea-floorspreadingand continental 1: 250,000 Map Series (Geol.).
drift: Jour. Geophys.Research,v. 73, p. 3661-3697. Skinner, B. J., 1969, First Penroseconference:Geotimes,v.
Lowell, J. D., and Guilbert,J. M., 1970,Lateral and vertical 14, p. 15-16.
alteration-mineralizationzoning in porphyr7 ore deposits: Thompson,J. E., and Fisher, N.H., 1965, Mineral deposits
Ecoa. G•o•.., v. 65, p. 373-408. of New Guinea and Papua and their tectonic setting:
Luyendyk, B. P., MacDonald, K. C., and Bryan, W. B., CommonwealthMining Metallurgy Cong., 8th, Melbourne
.1973,Rifting history of the Woodlark Basin in the south- 1965, Pub., Proc., v. 6, p. 115-148.
west Pacific: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 84, p. 1125-1134. Thompson,R. B., 1973, Surface expressionof mineralization
Macnab,Peter, 1970,The geologyof the GazellePeninsula, in the SolomonIslands, in Fisher, N.H., ed., Metallogenic
T.P.N.G.: Australia Bur. Mineral ResourcesRec. 1971/60. provinces and mineral depositsin the southwestern Pacific:
Macnamara, P.M., 1968, Rock types and mineralizationat Australia Bur. Mineral ResourcesBull. 141, p. 107-114.
Pangunaporphyrycopperprospect, upperKaverongvalley,
BougainvilleIsland: •AustralasianInst. Mining Metallurgy Titley, S. R., 1972a, Some geologicalcriteria applicableto
_Proc.,no. 228, p. 71-79. the search for southwesternNorth American porphyry
McMillan, N.J., and Malone,E. J., 1960,The geologyof the copper deposits: MMJI-AIME Joint Mtg., Tokyo May
eastern central highlandsof New Guinea: Australia Bur. 24-27, 1972, Preprint G I 2.
Mineral ResourcesRept. 48, 57 p. 1972b, Pre-ore environmentof southwesternNorth
Mitchell, A. H. G., and Garson,M. S., 1972,Relationshipof American porphyry copperdeposits: Internat. Geol. Cong.,
porphyrycopperand circum-Pacifictin depositsto palaeo- 24th, Montreal 1972, sec. 4, p. 252-260.
Benioff zones: Inst. Mining Metallurgy Trans., sec. B., v. 1972%Intrusion, and wall rock, porphyry copperde-
81, p. B10-B25. posits: Ecom G•.o•..,v. 67, p. 122-123.
Moberly, Ralph, 1972, Origin of lithospherebehind island -- and Bell, E. B., 1974,The porphyrycopperprospectat
arcs, with referenceto the western Pacific: Geol. Soc. Plesyumi, New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in Taylor,
America Mem. 132, p. 35-55. G.A.M., ed., Porphyry copper depositsof the southwest
Page, R. W., and McDougall, Ian, 1972a,Ages of emplace- Pacific: Sydney,Geol. Soc. Australia-CSIRO specialPub-
merit and mineralization of gold and porphyry copper de- lication, November 1971.
positsin the New Guineahighlands:EcoN. GF.o•.., v. 67, Weissel,J. K., and Hayes, D. E., 1971,Asymmetricspread-
p. 1034-1048. ing southof Australia: Nature, v. 231, p. 518-521.