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By D. Robert Weir

The complex mineralogy of the Porgera resource has a pronounced effect on process selection for the recovery of refractory gold and silver. Intimate association of gold with pyrite necessitates a high degree of sulphur preoxidation in order to achieve acceptable levels of gold recovery. Acid pressure oxidation has been demonstrated to be the only commercially proven process capable of achieving the required level of pyrite oxidation. Gangue mineralization dictates preconcentration of the sulphides to limit the acid consuming capacity and carbon dioxide generation during oxidation. However, the relationship between concentrate sulphur grade and gold recovery to concentrate ultimately governs the optimum degree of sulphide preconcentration.

Jan 1, 1986

By H. Soltanzadeh

This paper summarizes semi-analytical and closed-form solutions that can be used to assess the poroelastic stress changes induced within a porous formation (reservoir) during a pore pressure change. Further, solutions are presented for the stress discontinuities at the interfaces between reservoirs and the rocks that surround them. When used in combination with rock failure criteria, these solutions enable relatively simple analyses of the potential for induced fracturing or fault reactivation within a reservoir or the rock immediately adjacent to it. The latter, in particular, is useful for assessing if the hydraulic integrity of the surrounding rock (i.e., the bounding seal) will be affected by a pore pressure change. The use of the approach presented in this paper is illustrated with an analysis of a pinnacle reef with dimensions and properties representative of reefs in the Zama oil field, northwestern Alberta, Canada. Scenarios of pore pressure decrease (during historical production operations) and pore pressure increase (during several years of acid gas injection operations) are analyzed, for three different idealizations of reservoir properties and geometry (two plane strain and one axisymmetric). These results suggest that that the potential for induced fracturing is not significant at any point within the reservoir or the surrounding rock for both the production and injection scenarios that were simulated. Similarly, fault reactivation was not predicted for the reservoir or any of the points that were analyzed in the surrounding rock. However, fault orientations having the greatest potential for reactivating during historical production operations were identified; thus, illustrating a means of using geomechanical models to focus geological characterization efforts on the features that are most critical to acid gas containment.

May 1, 2009

By André de Albuquerque Vicente

Observou-se porosidade de Kirkendall em juntas soldadas dissimilares de liga Fe-Cr-Al do tipo 23Cr-7Al, e aço inoxidável austenítico AISI 310 (25Cr-20Ni). Utilizou-se como consumível de soldagem a própria liga Fe-Cr-Al. O processo de soldagem utilizado foi o GTAW. Caracterizaram-se 3 conjuntos de corpos de prova soldados com diferentes energias de soldagem, antes e após o tratamento isotérmico a 1150oC por 936 horas ao ar. Nos corpos de prova tratados termicamente, observou-se a formação de poros bem como significativas variações dos teores de Al nos metais depositados e formação de camada protetora de alumina nas superfícies oxidadas.

Oct 30, 2017

By Eugene W. Price

One of the most important fundamental characteristics of iron ore pellets is their porosity. This importance arises from the fact that the pores are the busy avenues whereby many changes are brought about in the life and form of the pellet from the time it is made until the iron it contains emerges as a molten stream from the blast furnace. As a green iron ore pellet is first heated in the drying cycle of a typical heat-hardening process, the pores act as conduits to allow the escape of steam from the water or vapor from the oil which served as binders to hold the green pellet together. After the release of the steam (or oil vapor) the pores then act as conduits whereby oxygen can enter the pellets to 1) convert magnetite (Fe304) to hematite (Fe203), if appropriate, and 2) promote solid state grain growth between adjacent particles of iron ore. The rate of oxidation and the rate of grain growth are directly related to pore size' and pore size distribution. Rate of oxidation is also directly influenced by length of pore and length of pore is obviously related to pellet diameter. It is well to keep in mind that the heat-hardening process does not harden the mineral grains themselves. What it does is weld them together to change the green pellet from a doughy mass, composed of thousands of tiny individual particles, into a strong, intergrown monolithic structure. In the blast furnace the pores again act as conduits for gases, but in this case they trans¬port reductants such as hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (C0) which remove most of the oxygen from the ore. Rate of reduction is also directly related to pore size and pore size distribution.

Jan 1, 1967

By T. L. Joseph

BLAST furnaces are most efficient thermally when the C02 in the top gas is highest. Oxygen introduced in the air blast is converted to CO in the combustion zones. The extent to which CO, generated in front of the tuyères, is converted later to C02 depends upon the ratio of ore to coke in the charge and the degree to which C02, formed by reduction of iron oxides with CO, reverts to CO by the secondary reaction C + C02 = 2C0. About 300 to 400 lb. of carbon1 per ton of pig iron is normally involved in the solution-loss reaction or direct reduction of FeO with carbon, which produces the same over-all results; that is, lower C02 in the top gas. Riche has recently reported a reduction in fuel consumption at slower rates of blowing on two furnaces in spite of higher heat losses per ton of iron. Lower fuel consumption at slow operating rates was due to more complete reduction of the ore that resulted in higher C02 in the top gas and consequently more efficient use of carbon. Kinney3 has reported substantial savings in fuel as a result of crushing and sizing the ore charge. Improvements in practice brought about by sintering magnetite concentrates, flue dust and fine ores have been due to the establishment of conditions favoring more complete reduction of the ore in the upper part of the furnace. The extent to which oxides and fluctuations in composition in pig iron affect the quality of steel and finished product needs further study. There is evidence that more thorough preheating and reduction of the ore in the upper part of the furnace tend to give a better quality of iron. Bogatzkii4 found from laboratory work that the amount of oxygen enter-

Jan 1, 1936

By A. P. Wang

Porous carbon adsorbents derived from inorganic materials templates such as zeolite and mesoporous silicate attracted considerable attention in the last decade and got great progress in re-cent years. However, so far almost all of templates used in the process were artificial porous materials; the porous carbons prepared by this method are very costly, which restricts the synthesis and application of templated porous carbons. In order to reduce the cost of templated porous carbons, natural inorganic porous minerals have been taken into consideration, which maybe possible and promising templates to prepare carbon adsorbents. In this work, we describe template process using tubular halloysite, rich mesoporous zeolite and low bulk density diatomite, as exemplars of the categories of inorganic porous templates which we have studied and discussed the effects of different templating structure on the resultant carbons. Two main carbon precursors, sucrose and furfuryl alcohol, were used respectively. The morphology of minerals and corresponding templated carbons were characterized using electron microscopy. The pore structures of minerals and templated carbons were characterised with nitrogen adsorption. The results showed that the morphology and pore structure of porous carbons are in good pertinence to those of corresponding templates. The morphology and pore structure of templated carbons could reflect those of corresponding templates at nanometer level. The templated carbons with high specific surface areas and rich mesopores can be prepared by using these three kinds of natural porous minerals as templates. The higher the surface area and pore volume of the minerals, the higher those of the corresponding carbons. The template carbons from halloysite possessed higher pore volume and mesoporosities. Based on the large mounts of experiment results, a model for the mechanism of resultant nanopores formation has been proposed. The nanopores of templated carbons are mainly composed of three kinds of pores: templated pores formed by removing mineral, hereditary pores formed by inheriting the pores of templates and nanopores formed during carbonization. These three kinds of pores have a close relationship with corresponding template.

Jan 1, 2014

By A. Kraly, M. Complojer, P. Paschen, K. Gamweger, H. Antrekowitsch

Increasing quality of aluminium alloys and continuous optimization of the production process leads to an improvement of the gas purging systems. The application of porous plugs for the treatment of liquid aluminum is nowadays not widely used in the aluminium industry especially in Europe. The Department of Nonferrous Metallurgy and the Christian Doppler Laboratory of Secondary Metallurgy of Nonferrous Metals intensified the research and development of refining and alloying processes by gas treatment during the last years. CFD-modeling supports these experiments, which should lead to lower hydrogen content, lower suspended particles and a better distribution of alloying elements in the melt. Different parameters such as temperature, bubble size, gas amount and which kind of gas is used influence the quality of the products.

Jan 1, 2006

By A. J. Rigby

Current practices employing porous plugs to inject nitrogen into molten copper during primary smelting are described. Nitrogen stirring increases heat transfer to the bath, eliminates temperature stratifications, and improves efficiency during the steps of desulfurization and deoxidation. The opportunity to use porous plugs as the means to introduce reducing gases to deoxidize copper is also discussed. Previously reported laboratory results using porous plugs, which point to very high utilization efficiencies of hydrogen when used as the reducing gas, are again reviewed. Advances in the design of the porous plug, and the introduction of a system enabling external replacement of plugs is also discussed.

Jan 1, 1999

GENERAL GEOLOGIC DESCRIPTION The mineral deposit of this case study can be described as a "typical" porphyry copper deposit of the southwestern USA and northern Mexico mineral province. The copper mineralization is related to Laramide age intrusives of intermediate composition which have been intruded into older, mostly crystalline, host rocks. Post Laramide deformation and faulting have subjected the deposit to erosion, leaching, and enrichment processes, which have created a secondarily enriched chalcocite zone. Later basin and range faulting down dropped the ore zone, resulting in deep burial beneath late Tertiary conglomerates and gravels, thus preserving the deposit from further erosion and oxidation. Lower grade chalcopyrite mineralization constitutes the primary zone underlying the enriched blanket. MANAGEMENT OF SAMPLE DATA Sample data were obtained from exploration diamond drill holes that were collared vertically and drilled with surface rigs. Most of the holes were surveyed downhole and found to deviate significantly from the vertical. The data were keypunched from original drill hole logs to formats as described in Chapter 6. Three types of cards were prepared: 1) A heading card containing the following information: [Project Name Coordi-in_ Hole Collarnates Bear-clina-Total ID Northing Easting Elevinglion Depth] 2) Individual record cards following each heading card with the following information: [SampleMin. Zone interval Assay Fields Leached (enriched ID From-ToTotal Cu Oxide Cu primary)] 3) Where downhole survey data were available, a card was punched for each downhole survey point. The card image looked very much like the heading card, followed immediately after the heading card, and contained the following information: [Hole Sur Point Sur Point Sur Point ID Bearing Inclination Depth] The keypunched data were then processed by the drill hole survey program producing a record file which contained information as follows: [Line 1. Project Name Date Assay Field Identifiers Line 2. Hole ID Northing Easting Elevation Bearing Inclination Number of Samples Line 3 through N+ 2 (where N equals the number of samples in the hole) Top Min. of Min. Zone Zone Sample Sample Coordinates Sample Assays Leach InterLength Northing Fasting Elev Total Cu Oxide Cu (etc) face] MINERAL BOUNDARY PROBLEM AND TREATMENT According to the geologic description, at least three mineral zones are present within the ore limits, as well as fault boundaries and a buried topographic surface, each of which have to be considered. The interfaces of the various mineralogical and geological boundaries were identified as accurately as possible in each drill hole by the project geologist, the location of the interface was surveyed in the computer program in association with the nearest sample intercept to the interface (note last field of line 3). Thus, the boundary is represented as a point in 3D space at each intersecting drill hole. The linear interpolation (LINTERP) program then searched the last field of the surveyed record to find the top of each mineral zone, or geologic boundary, and read the coordinates associated with that sample point. The program then used the coordinates to compute an interpolated surface between all existing data points as described in Chapter 11. A contour map was plotted for each of the computed surfaces and reviewed by the project geologist. Where the surfaces were poorly defined due to lack of real drill hole information, the geologist, at times, inserted a "pseudo" drill hole intercept according to his best judgment and feeling for the configuration of the surface, and such points were entered into the data stream for LINTERP. When the project geologists were satisfied that they had obtained

Jan 1, 1980

By W. C. Lacy

THE Cuajone porphyry copper deposit is the northernmost of a group of three deposits in southern Peru controlled by the Southern Peru Copper Corp.-Toquepala, Quelleveco, and Cuajone- all within a 20-mile belt. Although small pockets of high-grade copper oxide ores were worked in the Cuajone area in the 19th century, it was not until 1939 that its potentialities as a disseminated deposit were recognized by O. C. Schmedeman. An exploratory drilling program was begun in December 1942 and continued until early 1945. The program was revived in November 1952 and completed early in 1954. Early exploration was by diamond drilling. Later exploration was predominantly churn drilling, with diamond drilling used only for wildcat holes.

Jan 1, 1958

By Marvin P. Barnes

An attempt has been made to compile and code geologic data relating to twenty of the major porphyry copper districts of North America in such a manner as to permit the use of modern electronic digital computers to retrieve, compare, and build statistical mathematical models from the input. In the exploration process as part of his broader efforts to evaluate the potential of some prospective region, district, or ore body, the experienced geologist consciously or subconsciously compares and fits the observed geologic features to similar phenomena associated with known ore bodies with which he is acquainted. Thus an adequate conceptual "model" of the total geologic environment and type of ore body sought is an essential requirement for the successful exploration effort. Numerous such models of porphyry coppers already exist in the minds and notes of many experienced geologists today. These models are, of necessity, couched largely in qualitative terms and though they may be quite definite in the mind of the porphyry copper expert, the total concept of what constitutes a porphyry copper deposit and environment is difficult to convey in very precise terms. There probably is no such thing as a typical porphyry copper deposit. However, it is well understood that most of the deposits that have been studied have many geological characteristics in common. A logical question then might be: What characteristics are most common or how often do they occur in common, and what is their relationship to other common characteristics ?

Jan 1, 1970

By Frederick S. Fisher

Three spatially separate porphyry copper/molybdenum deposits are associated with the Tertiary Needle Creek igneous center in the southern Absaroka Mountains, Wyoming. In all three deposits a central zone containing disseminated copper and molybdenum is surrounded by a halo of small, discontinuous base and precious metal veins. Propylitically and phyllically altered rocks are common in all three mineralized areas, and potassically altered rocks are locally present. Fission- track age data from apatite and zircon indicate that mineralization occurred about 32-40 m.y. ago. Limited data suggest that the lead isotopes are nonradiogenic, similar to porphyry copper deposits elsewhere in the western United States. The complex igneous history of the Needle Creek center has involved several periods of intrusive and probably extrusive activity. lntrusive rocks are calc-alkalic and include andesite, granodiorite, diorite, quartz monzonite, dacite, and rhyodacite. Stocks (1-30 kmz in exposed area), radial dike swarms, and sills make up the presently exposed plutonic masses and constitute lower-level vent fillings in an old stratovolcano. The Needle Creek igneous center is located approximately midway along a northwest-trending belt of intrusive rocks extending more than 100 km along the central axis of the Absaroka volcanic field. The igneous and mineralized centers within this belt were probably localized at the intersections of northwest- trending Laramide and possibly Tertiary fracture systems and earlier northeast-trending Precambrian structures in the underlying basement rocks.

Jan 1, 2013

INTRODUCTION This chapter summarizes porphyry copper deposits within the State of Alaska. Prospecting for porphyry copper-type deposits in Alaska germinated during the 1940's, grew slowly during the '50's, boomed during the '60's, and matured in the '70's. Although large expenditures have been made in the search for porphyry-type deposits, most accrued data lies dormant in company files. However, an adequate base exists in the literature for a general synthesis of areas that contain porphyry prospects. To simplify the summary, porphyry molybdenum deposits as defined by Clark (1972) are omitted. Description of deposits in their geologic setting permits some correlations between deposit characteristics and crustal environment. These correlations allow speculation about the genesis of the deposits. The summary also attempts to group deposits on the basis of general mineralogic characteristics because diorite model deposits are separated from quartz phenocryst-bearing hosts. Data presented in this chapter summarize observations by the author, published descriptions of specific areas and deposits as noted in the bibliography, and comments by various government geologists. E. M. MacKevett, Jr., D. H. Richter, and H. C. Berg of the US Geological Survey have been particularly helpful. Because few comprehensive descriptions of individual porphyry copper deposits exist for this area, much of the data presented is new to the literature. Details of structure, isotopic geochemistry, and petro- genesis for individual deposits are largely lacking and even the general geology of some belts is not well understood. Details on petrography of Alaskan porphyry copper occurrences are inadequate for construction of ternary diagrams (e.g., Figs. 36a, b, pp. 103, 104, for the northern Cordilleran orogen). Petrographic descriptions summarized in the text are largely from published descriptions whose sources are cited. Porphyry copper-type deposits in Alaska include deposits with pervasive pyrite that contain disseminated copper (but not necessarily coproduct molybdenum). Available data preclude differentiating the deposits by size. No Alaskan porphyry copper deposit is now in production but this is believed to be, in part, a function of economics. In some cases available geologic information is in- adequate for classifying deposits. Some de- posits included with porphyry copper may, with further exploration, be demonstrated to be some other genetic type. Alaska has three distinct porphyry copper provinces: the Hogatza plutonic belt, the Continental Margin belt, and the Interior belt. Each belt contains deposits with characteristic geologic features distinct from those of other belts. Fig. 24 shows the continental margin belt to extend inland from

Jan 1, 1978

INTRODUCTION The regional characteristics of porphyry copper deposits in South America southward from Pantanos and Pegadorcito, Columbia, will be summarized. The age of formation of deposits spans the period from the Permian to the present. Where possible, the general characteristics and the individual structural features of the deposits are integrated into the plate tectonic model. Individual deposits cited in this chapter, located in Fig. 1, are the best known and most fully described, and form the Andean copper belt (Peterson, 1958). Smaller porphyry copper deposits fall both east and west of the line of large, high grade deposits (e.g., Chuquicamata and Toquepala) that make up the spine of this belt. Most of those smaller deposits (e.g., Mi Vida [Koukharsky and Mirre, 19761) are omitted from Fig. 1 and Tables 1 and 2, however. Neither the Andean orogen nor the individual deposits within it are as well de- scribed in the literature as are their counter- parts in the Cordilleran orogen of North America. Therefore, generalizations relying on regional geologic mapping, geophysics, and isotopic geochemistry lack details pertinent to this type of deposit in the Cordilleran orogen. The South American porphyry copper province has been described by Hollister ( 1974) to include most of the Andean orogen excepting the tin province of Bolivia. Porphyry copper deposits have not been commonly found within the tin belt, although copper-tin (e.g., San Rafael, Peru) and copper-tungsten (e.g., Llamuco, Chile) de- posits are known. James (1971) shows the depth to the Moho to be appreciably greater where the tin belt exists, but disclaims any genetic significance from the coincident appearance of the tin-tungsten province and the inhibition of porphyry copper development where the sialic crust thickens. Dates on tin mineralization in this belt (Clark and Farrar, 1973) are similar to some dates for porphyry copper mineralization known else- where in the Andean orogen. It seems that some mechanism is needed to explain the geographic separation of porphyry copper- molybdenum and simultaneous tin-tungsten- molybdenum metallization within the same tectonic system and appearing at similar distances from the trench. The thickened crust of the tin belt is one of the few known differences. Tables 1 and 2 list some of the most important porphyry copper deposits explored to date, but do not include Antaminas, Peru. or a number of other large skarn deposits

Jan 1, 1978

INTRODUCTION Conditions for formation of porphyry copper deposits appear to have been propitious in the Appalachian orogen from the end of Precambrian into Middle Ordovician, and again from Middle Devonian into Mississippian. In the Appalachians we can now record the evolution of a porphyry copper province within a developing orogen, one that reached metamorphic and structural maturity by the end of Devonian. Fig. 15, after Irwin and Coleman (1972), locates that portion of the Appalachian orogen included in this study, and Fig. 16 illustrates general geology of the area. Deposits mentioned in Table 3 and in the text are shown in Fig. 16. Data presented summarize personal observations by the author, published descriptions of specific areas noted in the bibliography, and abstracts from Provincial assessment files. Sources of previously published data are acknowledged. Few comprehensive descriptions of individual porphyry copper deposits in this area exist, so much of the data presented is new to the literature. Porphyry mineralization has, for this chapter, been restricted to porphyry copper de- posits, although porphyry molybdenum de- posits (Clark, 1972) are also shown in Fig. 16 (Hollister, et al., 1974). Copper- molybdenum and tungsten-molybdenum skarns are also omitted to simplify discu sion, though each is known in the area studied. Gaspe Copper is included, however; min- eralization in this deposit is present in the intrusion as well as in the skarn adjacent (Bell and Scott, 1954). Porphyry deposits listed in Table 3 are included because of some important feature, although other deposits have been reported (e.g., Kirkham and Soregaroli, 1975 ) . Clearly, no table now compiled could be complete. The pace of exploration insures that new occurrences will probably be found. Summaries of features exhibited by intrusions shown in Table 3 should remain valid, however, since they appear representative and are based on an adequate number of deposits in the area studied. Paleozoic porphyry copper prospects (shown in Fig. 16) are more common, apparently, in the northeastern part of the orogen, rarely having been found south of Catheart or west of the Logan Line. Occurrences of molybdenum and other associated lithophile elements are, however, known to the south and west as well as further north. Killeen and Newman (1965), King (1970),

Jan 1, 1978

INTRODUCTION Porphyry copper deposits have been reported from the Caribbean area by Pease (1966), Cox, et al. (1973), Guild (1974), Kesler, et al. (1975), and others. This chapter summarizes the most widely known characteristics of those deposits. Only one deposit that conceivably can be classed as a porphyry copper occurrence is in production (Pueblo Viejo, Dominican Republic), but others are known whose tonnage and grade are of economic interest. Deposits in this province may be classified as copper-gold or copper-molybdenum types (Kesler, 1972), but deposits associated with quartz-rich plutons that have high Na2O:K2O and high gold:copper but low molybdenum: copper ratios dominate. Porphyry copper occurrences are reported in the literature from Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Cuba. Only the porphyry copper deposits from Puerto Rico are extensively described in the literature; consequently the Caribbean porphyry copper province in general is not as well documented as the southern Cordilleran orogen. Because past published technical descriptions are incomplete, some data presented here are new to the literature. The Caribbean includes the island arcs between North and South America. Porphyry copper occurrences are known from the Greater Antilles, the generally east-west trending group of islands that lies south of North America. Fig. 48, therefore, only covers the Greater Antilles portion of the Caribbean. Porphyry copper deposits in this area are not described by the Lowell and Guilbert (1970) model in details of metallization (general paucity of molybdenum), alteration (scarcity of orthoclase), or petrography (preponderance of quartz diorite). Therefore, this model should be modified to include deposits associated with quartz-bearing plutons such as those found in the Caribbean. In the Meme deposit on Haiti ore occurs in skarn adjacent to the quartz diorite phase of a composite quartz monzonite-granodio-rite-quartz diorite pluton (Kesler, 1968). This deposit, with a K-Ar 66 m.y. date, is not included in Fig. 48 as a porphyry copper deposit because metallization is restricted largely to the intruded rocks. Although the intrusive rocks at the Meme deposit may contain sulfide near skarn contacts they are otherwise essentially unaltered. Porphyry molybdenum deposits as defined by Clarke (1972) have not been reported in the Caribbean area.

Jan 1, 1978

By Sukune Takenouchi

Porphyry copper deposits in the southwestern Pacific region differ in some points of geologic features from those of the United States. The deposits distribute along old or active island arcs and are generally younger in age (1-16 m.y. B.P.). In Japan, however, no typical porphyry copper deposits are yet reported, though the geological situation of Japanese islands is similar to that of the southwestern Pacific. Fluid inclusions in some porphyry copper deposits In the southwestern Pacific region and those in igneous rocks genetically related to the ore deposits In Japan have been studied, and the genesis of ore-forming fluids from igneous rocks are discussed. From the results, the possibility of finding porphyry copper-type mineralization in Japan are considered.

Jan 1, 1976

INTRODUCTION This chapter summarizes characteristics of porphyry copper deposits within the Cordilleran orogen east of the Coast Range plutonic complex of the Yukon and British Columbia and south to the Columbia River plateau and the Idaho batholith. Porphyry copper deposits in this area reflect a geologic environment different from that found for mineralized intrusions elsewhere in the Cordilleran orogen, both to the south in the United States and Mexico and to the west in Alaska. A section on the Tertiary Cascade porphyry copper province is included herein. The Cascade province is considered separately because its deposits display a unique mineralogy and age of mineralization. That portion of the Cordilleran orogen described in this chapter is shown in Fig. 32, with the Cascades shown in Fig. 39 (see p. 114). The regional geology of this area has been described by Monger, et al. (1972), Hollister (1974), Wolfhard and Ney (1974), Field, et al. (1974), and Stacey (1974). Each offer slightly differing views on the post-Mississippian evolution of the geology in this porphyry copper province. The descriptive geology in this chapter has benefited from many discussions with J. E. Armstrong and J. W. H. Monger. Two separate petrologic models have been used popularly to categorize porphyry copper deposits in this area, a diorite and a quartz monzonite model. The diorite model, which involves a mineralized quartz-free pluton, has also been called the alkalic type (CZM Special Volume 15, 1976, and Soregaroli, 1975) and the syenite suite (Sutherland Brown, et al., 1971). The quartz monzonite model has also been named the calcalkalic type (CZM Special Volume 15, 1976) and includes mineralized quartz-bearing plutons compositionally ranging from quartz diorite to granite, with the igneous phase closest to ore in time and space commonly being quartz monzonite.

Jan 1, 1978

INTRODUCTION The geology of porphyry copper deposits in the southern Cordilleran orogen is the subject of this chapter. The area considered extends northwest from southern Mexico to the Columbia volcanic plateau, the Cascade volcanic province, and the Idaho batholith. Transversely it is a belt some 800 km (500 miles) in width bounded on the west by the Sierra Nevada range. Included within this area are many large segments considered unfavorable for hosting porphyry copper deposits, which are mentioned in the text. The region and its porphyry copper deposits have probably been more intensely studied and reported in the literature than any other area in the world. This summary considers regional geologic controls that governed formation of porphyry copper deposits within this province. Geologic factors that influenced the mineralogy and metallogeny of the deposits are also examined. Discussions with H. R. Cornwall have greatly helped in writing this section. GEOLOGIC SETTING The geologic setting has been summarized by Anderson (1966), Burchfiel and Davis (1972), Rogers, et al. (1974), and Lowell (1974). No porphyry copper deposits in this area are known to be pre-Triassic, so Mesozoic and Tertiary events will be stressed. Figs. 40 and 41 show basic data believed most pertinent to the topic of porphyry copper deposits. Pre-Middle Jurassic: Figs. 40 and 41 contain the principal structural and crustal ele¬ments found in the Cordilleran orogen after Anderson (1966), Schmitt (1966), Coney (1972), Rogers, et al. (1974), and Lowell (1974, 1976), together with location of some of the more important porphyry copper deposits. The western limit of the Precambrian craton is shown in Fig. 40 (Rogers, et al., 1974). East of that limit the crustal environment through which the porphyry copper plutons ascended includes the Precambrian basement as well as varying thicknesses of Paleozoic shelf and platform accumulations. The northwestern and western portion of the southern Cordilleran orogen west of the Rogers, et al. (1974) limit of Precambrian basement has what Churkin (1974) calls a thin continental crust. Brooks (1976) and Churkin (1974) describe oceanic volcanic

Jan 1, 1978

By John A. S. Dow, Garry G. Lowder

Tapadaa is one of several centers of porphyry copper mineralization in northern Sulawesi. Host rocks are mainly varieties of quartz diorite porphyry. Structural control of mineralization is indicated by elongation of the sulfide system (5 x 1 km) parallel to prominent NW-trending structures, but in detail mineralization is strongly influenced by relative age and lithology. Hydrothermal alteration is characterized by widespread occurrence of advanced argillic assemblages and the presence of sodic rather than potassic alkali feldspar. Propylitic alteration surrounds the mineralized area. Phyllic and advanced argillic alteration occur in structurally controlled zones and in limited pervasive areas. Hypogene copper mineralization develops in rocks with sericite-albite alteration and comprises low total sulfide chalcopyrite-bornite or chalcopyrite-pyrite.

Jan 1, 1978