Hydrothermal alteration and magnetic properties of rocks in the Carolina de Michilla stratabound copper district,northern Chile |
| |
Authors: | Brian Townley Pierrick Roperch Verónica Oliveros Andres Tassara César Arriagada |
| |
Institution: | (1) Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 13518, Correo 21, Santiago, Chile;(2) IRD, UR154 LMTG and Géosciences Rennes, Rennes, France |
| |
Abstract: | In the Carolina de Michilla district, northern Chile, stratabound copper mineralization is hosted by Jurassic volcanic rocks
along the trace of the Atacama fault system. In this study, we present the overall effects of hydrothermal alteration on the
magnetic properties of rocks in this district. Two types of metasomatic alteration associations occur, one of regional extent
and the other of local hydrothermal alteration associated with copper mineralization (e.g., Lince–Estefanía–Susana). Regional
alteration is interpreted as a low-grade “propylitic association” characterized by an epidote–chlorite–smectite–titanite–albite–quartz–calcite
association. The local hydrothermal alteration is characterized broadly by a quartz–albite–epidote–chlorite–calcite mineral
assemblage. The most pervasive alteration mineral is albite, followed by epidote and, locally, actinolite. These minerals
contrast sharply against host rock minerals such as chlorite, calcite, zeolite, prehnite, and pumpellyite, but alteration
is constrained to mineralized bodies as narrow and low contrast alteration halos that go outwards from actinolite–albite to
epidote–albite, to epidote–chlorite, and finally to chlorite. Hydrothermal alteration minerals, compared to regional alteration
minerals, show iron-rich epidotes, a lower chlorite content of the chlorite–smectite series, and a nearly total albite replacement
of plagioclase in the mineralized zones. Opaque minerals associated with regional alteration are magnetite and maghemite,
and those associated to hydrothermal alteration are magnetite, hematite, and copper sulphides. We present paleomagnetic results
from nine sites in the Michilla district and from drill cores from two mines. Local effects of hydrothermal alteration on
the original magnetic mineralogy indicate similar characteristics and mineralogy, except for an increase of hematite that
is spatially associated with the Cu–sulphide breccias with low magnetic susceptibilities. Results indicate that it is impossible
to magnetically differentiate mineralized bodies from unmineralized lavas, except for pyrite-rich hydrothermal breccias. In
conclusion, for stratabound copper deposits of the Michilla type, the overall effect of hydrothermal alteration on the paleomagnetic
properties of rocks is of low contrast, not clearly discernable even at a small scale. From an exploration point of view,
magnetic exploration surveys should not discern mineralized bodies of Cu–sulphide breccias except in detailed ground surveys
due to the small size of contrasting bodies. Unoriented drill cores with primary ore mineralization record a characteristic
remanent magnetization of reverse polarity. Taking into account the azimuth and dip of the drill cores, we were able to compare
the magnetization of the mineralized bodies with the characteristic directions from sites drilled in situ from Late Jurassic–Early
Cretaceous intrusives mostly. The characteristic direction recorded by the Pluton Viera is similar to the magnetization of
the ore bodies of the Estefania mine. If copper mineralization mostly postdates the tilt of the volcanic flows, the low paleomagnetic
inclinations suggest an age for the mineralization near 145 Ma, the time of the lowest paleolatitude for the South American
plate during the Mesozoic. |
| |
Keywords: | Hydrothermal alteration Rock magnetic properties Stratabound Cu mineralization Chile |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|