The Role of Geochemistry in

Andean Copper Discoveries

David Kelley
MMG
Chris Benn
Goldfields Exploration
Brock Riedell
Consultant
Teresa Johnson
Colorado School of Mines

The Challenge of Finding New Mineral Resources

Society of Economic Geologists
2010 Conference
Keystone Resort, Colorado
September 30 October 9, 2010
 Andean Geochemistry

Andean copper discovery record

Geochemistry contributions to discovery
Future geochemistry directions
 Andean Geochemistry

Andean Cu Discoveries .less frequent, % concealed, deeper

Discoveries by Decade Contained Cu by Decade

Contained Cu by Year

Discovery Depth

Data from R. Schodde

 Andean Geochemistry

Discoveries Where Geochemistry Played an Important Role

Andean Geochemistry

Challenging Landscapes Los Pelambres, Chile

Discovered in 1969, UN-ENAMI project
Initially explored by Braden in 1914
Known and visually obvious PCD alteration
Anomalous stream sediment 16 km
downstream from deposit (0.1-6.3% Cu)
Challenge how to identify source given 20%
outcrop and extensive talus cover?
Talus fines (<80 mesh) selected for orientation
Equivalent to stream sediment but
reflecting local, physical dispersion
January 1979

View looking N-NW, Sillitoe, 1970

Atkinson et al., 1996
 Andean Geochemistry

Los Pelambres, Chile

Talus-Fines Geochemistry
Copper Molybdenum
N N

Los Pelambres River Los Pelambres River

after Maranzana, 1972 1000 m 1000 m

 Andean Geochemistry

Escondida, Chile
Discovered in 1981; 30 x 500 km AOI
Residual landscape and alluvial valleys
Escondida
Systematic strategy gcx, geology, drill testing
Stream sediment and leached-cap geochemistry
Escondida
Escondida Norte

R. Sillitoe, 1983 BHP ~1998

Escondida Norte - view looking north

D. Kelley 1997
Andean Geochemistry

Escondida, Chile
To Ant ofagasto
Stream Sediment Geochemistry
N
Zinc Anomaly
Zn > 100ppm

Copper Anomaly
ZALDVAR Cu > 80ppm

Molybdenum Anomaly
C Zaldvar To Argentina
Mo > 10ppm

C Colorado
Geochemical Sample
ESCONDIDA
C Colorado Chico
Anomalous
Geochemical Sample
C Soreste

Deposit Outline
after Lowell, 1991
4 km
 Andean Geochemistry

Escondida, Chile
Leached Cap Lithogeochemistry

Cerro 313 samples; 100 x 50 m grids

Zaldivar
Relict sulfide study inconclusive
only 20% of samples with limonite
N sulfide cavities highly modified
Cu barely anomalous: avg 100 ppm
Mo stable under acid leaching conditions
ROAD
most effective indicator of hypogene system
4 1 2
3 5 1 Rotary Hole
Cerro
Colorado 6 > 10 ppm Mo
Cerro
9 Colorado
Chico > 50 ppm Mo
7
8
Shaft Cerros
2 km del Sureste

Taken from Sillitoe, 1995 after Ortiz, 1985

 Andean Geochemistry

Spence, Chile
Completely Covered Discovery
Systematic reconnaissance drilling of pampas
Base of gravel Cu geochemistry used to vector
Later geochemical studies showed strong
surface expression

Sillitoe, 1995
Andean Geochemistry

Spence, Chile
N

3
Outline of
Spence 2 no bedrock
deposit
10 14m @ 0.15% Cu

12m @ 1.39% Cu (oxides)

19
62m @ 2.58% Cu (sulfides)

9 1.0% Cu near base of gravels

1 - 0.02% Cu at base
of gravels

4 km
from OConnor, 1998
Andean Geochemistry

Haquira, Peru
A Modern Grassroots Discovery

In-Pit Resource - 4.3 Mt Cu

(all zones secondary and primary)
Antares Minerals - July 2010

Heather et al., 2010

Andean Geochemistry

Haquira, Peru
Reconnaissance Stream Sediment Survey - 2000

Cu-ppm 1st Pass

Haquira
East

Haquira
West

1 km
Courtesy Antares Minerals
Andean Geochemistry

Haquira, Peru
Reconnaissance Stream Sediment Survey - 2000

Cu-ppm 2nd Pass

Haquira
East

Haquira
West

1 km
Courtesy Antares Minerals
Andean Geochemistry

Haquira, Peru
Reconnaissance Stream Sediment Survey - 2000

Mo-ppm 1st Pass

Haquira
East

Haquira
West

1 km
Courtesy Antares Minerals
Andean Geochemistry

Haquira, Peru
Reconnaissance Stream Sediment Survey - 2000

Mo-ppm 2nd Pass

Haquira
East

Haquira
West

1 km
Courtesy Antares Minerals
Andean Geochemistry

But can geochemistry work in these settings?

Alluvium Mudflows Eolian Sand Salt Crust

Plus. Playa Sediments, Ignimbrites and Volcanic Ash

Andean Geochemistry

Dispersion Mechanisms in Transported Cover

Potential sample media: soils, hmc-soils, vegetation, ground water, base of cover,
soil vapor, soil desorption..
Andean Geochemistry

Dispersion model seismic pumping

Figure 5 - Model of Cameron et al

Cameron and Leyborune, 2005

Andean Geochemistry

Spence Porphyry Cu Deposit Soil Geochemistry

Northern Chile 15 Cu Weak Partial
Fractured Extraction
10
Miocene
Gravel 5
w / saline soil
0
2.0 As
1.6
1.2
0.8
0.4
Spence Ground Water 0
Chemistry
0.6 Na
0.4
Eastern
Fracture
0.2 Zone

0
Cameron et al 2004
500 m Spence
Deposit

Cameron and Leybourne, 2005

 Andean Geochemistry

The problem of Atacamite Cu2Cl(OH3)

Requires Saline Water for Formation
Dissolves Readily in Meteoric Water
Late Replacement Mineral by Incursion of Saline
Formation Waters into Primary Oxide Ore?

Atacamite actively forming

in seafloor VHMS environment
Hannington, 1993

East West Section Spence Deposit

Reich et al., 2009

 Andean Geochemistry

Atacamite and Ground Water Chemistry - Salinities: Atacamite F.I. vs Ground Water
Spence and Mantos Blancos

Reich et al.,
2008
 Andean Geochemistry

Atacamite forms in-situ from

saline formation waters

Reich et al., 2008

Mineralium Deposita
2009 Best Paper of
the Year Award

U-Th Disequilibrium Date: Gypsum from

Atacamite-Gypsum Veins
(S. Luo Taiwan National University)
Reich et al., 2008

Reich et al., 2009

Andean Geochemistry

Recognizing the subtle signs of ore deposits

Primary Environments discrimination and vectoring
Andean Geochemistry

Conclusions
1. Conventional geochemistry is highly effective in exposed and
partially exposed terrains.
2. Effective use of geochemistry in covered terrains requires
geochemical methods optimized to dispersion processes.
3. Remote techniques (geochemistry and geophysics) will only
succeed if targeting is right in the first place.
4. Future discoveries are likely to be in 1) covered terrains, 2)
outcropping environments where only subtle indications of
mineralization are present, and 3) in poorly explored regions do
to extreme remoteness or regions with social, political and
security concerns.
5. Applied geochemistry research needs to be driven by industry
who have the most to gain from making a breakthrough.

And Acknowledgements
Michael Thicke, John Black, and Kevin Heather - Spence and Haquira discoveries.
Richard Schodde depth data. Reviewers - David Heberlein, Graham Closs, Rich
Goldfarb, Erin Marsh and Karen Kelley. Tim Weigel for help with drafting.
And Especially Alice Bouley for accepting our Final version 5 different times!