TABLE 1.

Features of Principal Hydrothermal Breccia Types in Porphyry Cu Systems

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Position
in system Relative Clast/matrix Alteration Main Cu-bearing Economic
Type (abundance) Form timing Clast features Matrix/cement proportions types (Table 2) mineral(s) potential

Magmatic Within porphyry Irregular, pipe- Typically Commonly Quartz-magnetite- Clast or matrix Potassic ± Chalcopyrite, May constitute
hydrothermal Cu deposits, like bodies intermineral monomict, biotite-sulfides/ supported chlorite-sericite uncommonly ore, commonly
locally around (10s−100s m angular to quartz-muscovite- ± sericitic; bornite high grade
them (ubiquitous) in diam) subrounded tourmaline- uncommonly
sulfides ± rock advanced argillic
flour ± igneous
rock (i.e., igneous
breccia)

Phreatic Within and Dikes, Late Polymict, Muddy rock flour Matrix Sericitic, Generally none Barren unless rich
(porphyry around porphyry uncommonly rounded to supported advanced in pre-existing
Cu level) Cu deposits sills and subrounded argillic, or none mineralization
(relatively irregular (e.g., Bisbee;

13
common) bodies Bryant, 1987)

Phreatic Within lithocaps; Irregular Typically Commonly Chalcedony, Clast or matrix Advanced Enargite, May constitute
(epithermal level) local surface bodies intermineral silicified, quartz, alunite, supported argillic luzonite high-sulfidation
manifestations as (10s−100s m relative to angular to barite, sulfides, Cu/Au/Ag ore
PORPHYRY COPPER SYSTEMS

eruption breccia in diam) lithocap subrounded native S

(relatively development
common)

Phreatomagmatic Diatremes span Kilometer- Commonly Polymict, Rock flour with Matrix None or ad- Locally enargite Commonly
porphyry Cu and scale, late, but early centimeter-sized, juvenile tuff or dominated; vanced argillic, barren, but may
epithermal envi- downward- examples rounded, and magma blob accretionary but early host porphyry
ronments; surface narrowing known polished; component; early lapilli in matrix- examples with Cu or high-
manifestations as conduits juvenile examples cut by dominated any alteration sulfidation ore
maar volcanoes (magma blob, porphyry Cu layers type depending types
(present in ~20% pumice) clasts mineralization on exposure
of systems) locally level
13
 18

TABLE 2. Characteristics of Principal Alteration-Mineralization Types in Porphyry Cu Systems1

Alteration type2 Position in system Possible ancillary Principal sulfide Contemporaneous Economic
(alternative name) (abundance) Key minerals minerals assemblages (minor) veinlets3 (designation) Veinlet selvages potential

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Sodic-calcic Deep, including Albite/oligoclase, Diopside, Typically absent Magnetite ± Albite/oligoclase Normally barren,
below porphyry Cu actinolite, epidote, garnet actinolite (M-type) but locally
deposits (uncommon) magnetite ore bearing

Potassic (K-silicate) Core zones of Biotite, Actinolite, epidote, Pyrite-chalcopyrite, Biotite (EB-type), K-feldspar, EDM-type with Main ore
porphyry Cu deposits K-feldspar sericite, andalusite, chalcopyrite ± quartz-biotite-sericite- sericite ± biotite ± contributor
(ubiquitous) albite, carbonate, bornite, bornite ± K-feldspar-andalusite- K-feldspar ± andalusite
tourmaline, magnetite digenite ± chalcocite sulfides (EDM/T4-type), + disseminated
quartz-sulfides ± magnetite chalcopyrite ± bornite;
(A-type), quartz-molybdenite others none, except
± pyrite ± chalcopyrite locally K-feldspar
(central suture; B-type) around A- and B-types

Propylitic Marginal parts of Chlorite, Actinolite, hematite, Pyrite (± sphalerite, Pyrite, epidote Barren, except
systems, below epidote, albite, magnetite galena) for subepither-
lithocaps (ubiquitous) carbonate mal veins

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Chlorite-sericite Upper parts of Chlorite, Carbonate, epidote, Pyrite-chalcopyrite Chlorite ± sericite ± sulfides Chlorite, sericite/illite Common ore
(sericite-clay-chlorite porphyry Cu core sericite/illite, smectite contributor
[SCC]) zones (common, hematite
particularly in Au- (martite,
RICHARD H. SILLITOE

rich deposits) specularite)

Sericitic (phyllic) Upper parts of Quartz, sericite Pyrophyllite, Pyrite ± chalcopyrite Quartz-pyrite ± other Quartz-sericite Commonly
porphyry Cu deposits carbonate, (pyrite-enargite ± sulfides (D-type) barren, but may
(ubiquitous, except tourmaline, tennantite, pyrite- constitute ore
with alkaline specularite bornite ± chalcocite,
intrusions) pyrite-sphalerite)

Advanced argillic Above porphyry Quartz (partly Diaspore, andalusite, Pyrite-enargite, Pyrite-enargite ± Cu sulfides Quartz-alunite, quartz- Locally
(secondary quartzite Cu deposits, residual, vuggy), zunyite, corundum, pyrite-chalcocite, (includes veins) pyrophyllite/dickite, constitutes ore
in Russian constitutes lithocaps alunite,4 dumortierite, topaz, pyrite-covellite quartz-kaolinite in lithocaps and
terminology) (common) pyrophyllite, specularite their roots
dickite, kaolinite

1 Excluding those developed in carbonate-rich rocks

2 Arranged from probable oldest (top) to youngest (bottom), except for propylitic that is lateral equivalent of potassic; advanced argillic also forms above potassic early in systems (Fig. 10)
3 Many veinlets in potassic, chlorite-sericite, and sericitic alteration contain anhydrite, which also occurs as late, largely monomineralic veinlets
4 Alunite commonly intergrown with aluminum-phosphate-sulfate (APS) minerals (see Stoffregen and Alpers, 1987)