12/13/2016

PorphyryDeposits:TheWorldsLargestSourceofCopper|GeologyforInvestors

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Cobalt
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TheBinghamCanyoncoppermineinUtahhasbeeninproductionformorethanacentury.

PorphyryDeposits:TheWorldsLargestSource
ofCopper
Postedby:GregAshcroft inMineralDeposits,OreDeposits

WhatisaPorphyryDeposit?
ThetermPorphyrycomesfromthewordPorphyritic,atexturaltermusedbygeologistswhendescribing
themineralpatternwithintherocksthatcommonlyoccurincopperporphyrydeposits.PorphyryCopper
depositsplayanimportantroleintheglobaleconomy.Thesedepositsprovideover60%oftheworlds
copperandincludeotherimportantmetalssuchasmolybdenum,goldandsilver.Porphyrycopper
depositsareknownfortheirlowgradesandveryhightonnage.

Deposit
Characteristics

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RECENTCONTENT
Molybdenum:CommodityOverview
November17,2016

Aporphyryisnotarocktype,butrockwitha
particulartexture.Thisporphyriticrockhaslarge
feldsparcrystalsinafinergrainedmatrix.

Whilecopperisgenerallythedominantmetal,
porphyrycopperdepositscancontainmultipleaccessorymetals,suchasmolybdenum,goldandsilver.In
somecasestheseaccessorymetalscanbeasignificantoreventhedominanteconomiccontributor.In
theseparticulardepositscanbereferredtoasCopperGold(CuAu)PorphryoraCopperMolybdenum
(CuMo)Porphyrydependingonthedominantmetal.

Gold
(https://www.dailymetalprice.com/metalpricescurr.php?
x=$)

Molybdenum
(https://www.dailymetalprice.com/metalpricescurr.php?
x=$)

PhysicalCharacteristics
Porphyrycopperdepositsaregenerally
composedofapluglikeigneousintrusiona
largemagmabodythatisemplacedbeneatha
volcanicsystem.Onaveragethesedepositscan
haveaverticalandhorizontalextentof12
kmandcanrangefromtensofmillionsto
abillion+tonsinsize.

Copper
(https://www.dailymetalprice.com/metalpricescurr.php?
x=$)

AccordingtotheUnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey(USGS),asof2008,themediangradefor
worldwidedeposits(CuAu,Cuonly,CuMo)depositswere0.44%Copper,0.0023%

LargestGoldDepositsintheWorld
WitwatersrandGoldFields
November14,2016

TheCentralAfricanCopperBelt
June8,2016

Limestone:CommodityOverview
June8,2016

Molybdenum,3.8g/tSilver(0to21g/t),0.05g/tGold(Canrangefrom0to1.3g/t).

GreatDepositsAlaskasPebble
CopperGoldDeposit

OreMinerals
http://www.geologyforinvestors.com/porphyrylargestsourcecopper/

February18,2016

POPULARCONTENT

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12/13/2016

PorphyryDeposits:TheWorldsLargestSourceofCopper|GeologyforInvestors

Copperinthesedepositsgenerallyoccursincopperironsulfidemineralssuchaschalcopyrite
(CuFeS2)andbornite(Cu5FeS4).

AsteroidMining:NotasCrazyasit
Sounds

Overtime,anddependingonthelocal
environment,weatheringofthenearsurface
rocksandtheinfiltrationofsurfacewater
secondarycopperbearingmineralsmayform.
Covellite(CuS),chalcocite(Cu2S),azurite

November20,2014

TheEagleGoldProjectPreparesto
TakeFlight

(Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2andcuprite(Cu2O)are

December10,2014

examplesofsecondaryminerals.Thestriking
bluegreenandiridescentcoloursofsomeof
theseoremineralsalsocanserveasauseful
indicatorofacoppermineralizationfor
geologistsandprospectors.

Howdotheyform?

POPULARCONTENT

ProjectReview:HavilahResourcesTo
BuildAustraliasNextGoldMine
February13,2015

BrassyyellowChalcopyriteistheprimarycopper
bearingmineralinPorphyrydeposits.Itcanbemost
easilydistinguishedfrompyritebyitsmorecolourful
tarnish.

PorphyryCopperdepositsformalongconvergent
platemarginsormorespecifically,ancient
subductionzones.Asthedenseoceaniccrustbecomesconsumedbythemantleitbeginstomelt.This
meltingorpartialmeltingofthecrustcreatesmagmathatislessdenseandbeginstointrudeintothe
overlyingcontinentalcrust.Intrusionsnavigateandinteractthroughlargeconduitsknownas
faults,assimilatingorabsorbingmaterialfromtheEarthscrustalongtheway.
Theresultingintrusionmaybefurthersubdividedbygeologistsbasedonthechemicalcompositionofthe
magmaandthiscompositioncanhaveaninfluenceontheexplorationmethodsanddepositcharacteristics.
Calcalkalineandalkalineporphrycopperdepositsareidentifiedbytheratiosofsodiumandpotassium
tomagnesiumandironintherock.Whileadiscussionofthesetwotypesisbeyondthescopeofthisarticle,
itshouldbenotedthatthetwotypesofmagmacanproducesignificantlydifferenttypesofcopperdeposits.
Alkalineporphyrydepositsproducesmallalterationfootprintswhichmakesexplorationachallenge.Calc
alkalinedepositscanhaveverylargealterationhalosincreasingthesizeofthedeposit.
Magmacanproducehydrothermalfluidthatinteractswiththesurroundingrocksandrisestothesurface.
Thishydrothermalfluidchangesthechemistryofthesurroundingrockeitherbyaddingnewelements,or
removingelements.Thisadditionandsubtractioncreatesanalterationpatternwithinthehostrocks.The
mineralogicalcompositionofthealterationisbasedonthetemperatureandpHoftheconditionsfromwhich
themineralswerecreated.Partsoftheintrusionthatareenrichedinfluidcanproducetheporphyritic
rocksforporphyrydepositsarenamed.

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CriticalLookatInterpretingDrillResults
October31,2013

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January23,2014

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Idealizedcrosssectionofporphyrycopperdepositformation.

December13,2016

Companynewsreleasesrelatingtocopperporphyrydepositswilloftenrefertothesevariousalteration
zones.Theseincludespotassic,propylitic,argillicandphyllic.Althoughthesezonescanoverlapand
makeunderstandingthedepositdifficult,thereisageneralconsensusonhowthesezonesarerelatedto
economicmineralization.Potassicalterationtendstobeassociatedwithhightemperatureandpartofthe
coreofthedeposit,followedbyPropylliticArgillicPhyllic(notalwaysinthatorder).

Mappingchemicalalterationoftherockssurroundingaporphyryareausefulexplorationtool
andcanhelpdirectgeologiststothemineralizedore.

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12/13/2016

PorphyryDeposits:TheWorldsLargestSourceofCopper|GeologyforInvestors

Thesamehydrothermalfluidsthataltertherocksofamagmabodymayalsocontaindissolvedmetals
whichcanbedepositedwithinthesurroundingrockseitherbyreplacingmineralswithintherockcreating
disseminatedordispersedmineralizationorbyformingwithinsmallfracturesthatdevelopwithintherock
creatingveinsandsmallerveinlets.Rockconduitsexposedtogreatpressurefromhydrothermalfluids
mayalsoformzonesofintenselybrokenuprockcalledbrecciapipes(eitherwithintheintrusionorthe
countryrock).Porphyrycopperdepositscanalsobeassociatedwithepithermalgolddepositsformedbythe
samevolcaniccomplexabovethedeeperseatedporphyry.Ifalterationoccursincarbonaterich(or
volcanic)rocks,thenskarnmineralisationmayalsodevelop.

ExploringforPorphyryDepositsinBC,
Canada
Thefirststepstoevaluatinganypropertyincludedeterminingthegeologicsetting,andthelocalgeology
throughgeologicmappingandsampling.Knowingthatthesetypesofdepositsformwithinconvergent
margins,helpsexplorationcompaniesgeographicallynarrowwheretheybegintolook.Howeverin
somecasesthebedrockisoverlainbyseveralmeters(10100m)ofsoilandglacialsediment.InBritish
Columbiaforexample,surfaceexplorationsamplingsurveyssuchassoil,streamandtillsamplingare
commonbutgeochemicalanomaliesdiscoveredthroughthesemethodsshouldnotbeheavilyreliedfordrill
targetsasglaciationmayhavecompletelyerodedthedeposit.InBritishColumbia,manyeconomicdeposits
areburiedunderthickglacialtill.ExplorationcompaniessolvethischallengethroughtheuseofRC
drillingwhichhelpstoquicklydeterminebedrockgeology.SamplingoftheoverlyingsedimentsthroughRC
drillingcanalsobeusedtoanalyseheavymetalconcentrates(HMC/sulphides)withinoverlyingglacialtillto
locateothereconomictargets.
GeophysicaltoolssuchasresistivityandIP(InducedPolarization)andelectromagneticsurveysarehelpful
innarrowingtargetwindows,duetotheirdisseminated,ordispersed,styleofcoppersulphide
mineralizationandtheshapeandsizeoftheirorebodies.

Howdoweminethem?
Openpitminingisaverycommonsurfaceminingtechniqueappliedtoporphyrycopperdeposits.Ifthepit
cannolongerbemineditmaybeeconomictocontinueminingunderground.Ifthepitcannolongerbe
mineditmaybeeconomictocontinueminingunderground.Undergroundmininghasbeenandiscurrently
beingdevelopedwithinsomeproducingminestoday(ie.Chuquicamata,Chile).

WherearePorphyryCopperdepositsfound?
Themajorityofporphyrycoppersareassociatedwithyounger(25030Millionyearsago)volcanicbelts
aroundthecircumpacificplateboundary.ThebiggestminesareinChile,UtahandIndonesia.The
depositsalongthePacificcoastofNorthandSouthAmericaareassociatedwithplatesubductionwhilethe
moregoldrichdepositsinIndonesiaandPapuaNewGuineaareassociatedwithislandarcvolcanism
behindthesubductionzone.
Chuquicamata,Atacama,Chile
Theworldslargestcoppermine,Chuquicamata,hasbeenin
productionsince1910.LocatedinthehighplainoftheAtacama
Desert(1500kmnorthofSantiago,Chile).Chuquicamatais,one
ofthedriestplacesonearth.
OperatedbynationallyheldCodelco,Chuquicamatamayhave
containedasmuchas9000milliontonnesoforeandreservesand
hasproduced500,000tonnesofcopperandover10,000tonnesof
molybdenum.Plansarenowtoextendthelifeoftheoperationby
startingundergroundminingoperationsin2018.
Thenearby,andgeologicallysimilar,Escondidamineisnowthe
worldslargestcopperproducer.
Grasberg,IrianJaya,Indonesia
TheenormousandremoteGrasbergmine,islocatedinthe
westernhalfoftheislandofPapuaNewGuinea,intheIndonesian
provinceofIrianJaya.Theoperationhasdevelopedfromthe
groundupwithallfacilities,includingtransportlinksandtown
infrastructurebeingbuiltbytheAmericanownerFreeport
McMoranCopperandGold(67%)andRioTinto(13%).

ChuquicamataMine,lookingacross
thepit1993

Grasbergistheworldslargestgoldmineandthirdlargestcoppermine.Itwasoriginallydiscoveredby
geologistslookingforthesourceoftherichalluvialgolddepositsinthelowlandsofIrianJaya.Reservesare
estimatedtoinclude2.8billiontonnesoforewithgradesof1.1%copper1.04g/tgold3.87g/tAg
Themainpitisnowamilewide,andcurrentoperationsarebeingextendedundergroundastheopenpit
reachestheendoflife.Anextensiveundergroundmine400mbelowthepitbottomisbeingdevelopedusing

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PorphyryDeposits:TheWorldsLargestSourceofCopper|GeologyforInvestors

blockcavingtechniques.
AlkalicPorphyryDepositsofBritishColumbia,Canada

Pit3ofCopperMountainMine(TSX:CUM)facingSouthWestlocatednearPrinceton,BC,Canada
BritishColumbiasalkalicdepositsoccuralongapackageofPaleozoictoMesozoicrocksknownasthe
Quesnelterrane,andtheStitineterrane.Theseterranesconsistawealthofeconomicdepositsandcontinue
tobeactivelyexploredtoday.Belowisatableoutliningsomeofthewellknowndepositsthatarecurrently
inproductionorhavecompletedaprefeasabilitystudy.
Deposit
Cu(%)
Tonnage
GEOLOGY Operator
MINERALEXPORATION

Au(g/t)
TonnageMININGPROPERTIESANDPROJECTREVIEWS
Ag(g/t)
Tonnage
MINING
(Moz)
(Moz)

Mt.Polley1

Imperial
Metals(TSX:

0.280

2.5billion
lbs

0.294g/t

3.9Moz

0.199

2.1billion

0.388g/t

5.95Moz

0.812

10.73

III)
Mt.Milligan2

Thompson
CreekMetals
(TSX:TCM)

GaloreCreek
1

NovaGold
(TSX:NG)

lbs

0.6%

6.8billion
lbs

0.32g/t

5.45Moz

6g/t

102.0Moz

0.86

1.98Billion
lbs

0.68g/t

2.297Moz

2.3g/t

7.786Moz

0.26

2.678

0.09g/t

1.34Moz

1.05g/t

15.2Moz

0.327g/t

12.8Moz

1.14g/t

43.6Moz

/Thompson
CreekMetals
NewAfton1

NewGold
Inc.(TSX:
NGD)

Copper

Copper

Mountain1

Mountain
Mining(TSX:

Billionlbs

CUM))
RedChris1

Imperial

0.327

Metals
Huckleberry
Mine1

Imperial
Metals

8.9Billion
lbs

0.315

1.3Billion
lbs

1Measuredandindicatedresources2ProvenandProbableReserves(OnlyforCopperandGold)

FurtherReading
ShallowandDeepAlkalicMineralDeposits:DevelopinganintegratedexplorationmodelMRDU(Mineral
DepositsResearchUnit)
StikineTerraneCu,CuAu&MoPorphyryDepositsBCGeologicalSurvey
RedChrisCopperGoldPorphyry

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PorphyryDeposits:TheWorldsLargestSourceofCopper|GeologyforInvestors

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ABOUTGREGASHCROFT
GregAshcroftisanExplorationgeologistwithaB.Sc(Honors)inGeologicalSciencesfromthe
UniversityofManitoba.HisadventuresasageologisthavetakenhimfromtheVMSdepositsof
NorthernManitoba,totheAuAgEpithermalandCuAuAlkalicPorphyryDepositsofCentraland
SouthernBritishColumbia.GregisalsothefounderofAlphaOmegaRadio,anaspiringcomposer
andpianist.

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