E N. Jb. Miner. Abh. (J. Min. Geochem.

) 191/2 (2014), 117136

Stuttgart, February 2014
Article

Hydrothermal corundum, topaz, diaspore and alunite

supergroup minerals in the advanced argillic alteration
lithocap of the Kassiteres-Sapes porphyry-epithermal
system, western Thrace, Greece

Panagiotis C. Voudouris

With 7 figures and 4 tables

Abstract: The Kassiteres-Sapes area is a telescoped porphyry Cu-Mo-Re Au and epithermal Au-Ag-Cu-Te system, hosted within
Oligocene calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline granodiorite-tonalite, microdiorite and quartz-feldspar porphyries and their vol-
canic equivalents. High- and intermediate sulfidation epithermal mineralization was deposited in advanced argillic lithocaps that
overprint sodic/potassic and sericitic alteration of the intrusive rocks. Deep level, corundum-sericite-feldspar-, corundum-quartz-,
and quartz-diaspore-topaz-APS minerals-pyrophyllite-sericite bearing assemblages occur in close proximity to porphyry-style min-
eralization at the Koryfes, Konos Hills and St Demetrios deposits. Rapid cooling of ascending magmatic-hydrothermal solutions at
pressures below 0.6 kb and temperatures above 370 C could dilute quartz resulting in silica undersaturation and the formation of
corundum-sericite at Koryfes Hill. The corundum-quartz assemblage at St Demetrios was likely derived from previous diaspore-
bearing advanced argillic alteration at moderate temperature (< 400 C) and low pressure, followed by rapid depressurization ac-
companying boiling of the hydrothermal fluid. The disequilibrium assemblage quartz+diaspore+topaz ( pyrophyllite sericite)
formed between 285 and 320 C by vapor saturation pressure from acid solutions after condensation of vapors released from the
porphyries. The presence of topaz reflects the presence of fluorine in the fluid. Alumino-phosphates-sulfates (woodhouseite, Sr-rich
woodhouseite and Sr-Ce-rich woodhouseite) are present as pseudocubic crystals enclosed within diaspore and natroalunite. High
level lithocaps include natroalunite/alunite-kaolinite/dickite-pyrite bearing assemblages of both replacement- and vein-type, which
deposited at 300 to 200 C by increasing acidity of the fluid at higher topographic levels and/or from direct input of magmatic
vapors. Episodic magmatic-hydrothermal activity in the district is characterized by several stages of advanced argillic alteration
and associated Au-Ag-Cu-Te high-sulfidation mineralization.

Key words: Hydrothermal corundum, topaz, diaspore, aluminum-phosphate-sulfate minerals, alunite, porphyry-epithermal, Kas-
siteres-Sapes, Greece

Introduction alteration zoning with cores of vuggy, residual quartz, and

The term lithocaps has been introduced by SILLITOE
(1989) to characterize zones of advanced argillic altera-
tion overprinting porphyry systems. Lithocaps are fa-
vorable hosts for high-sulfidation ore deposits although
in some instances the lithocaps are barren and termed
barren shoulders (CORBETT & LEACH 1998, SILLITOE
1999). Many lithocaps are vertically zoned, from quartz-
pyrophyllite at depth to predominant quartz-alunite and
vuggy quartz at shallower levels where the causative fluid
was cooler and more acidic (SILLITOE 2010). The structur-
ally controlled feeder zones of lithocaps well-developed
2014 E. Schweizerbartsche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, Germany
DOI: 10.1127/0077-7757/2014/0251
associated silicification rimmed outward (and downward)
by advanced argillic and argillic alteration. Advanced
argillic alteration assemblages are characterized by the
presence of various amounts of andalusite, pyrophyllite,
kaolinite-dickite, corundum, diaspore, alunite, topaz,
tourmaline, dumortierite and aluminum-phosphates-sul-
phates (APS) minerals (e.g. woodhouseite, svanbergite,
florencite) (MEYER & HEMLEY 1967, STOFFREGEN & ALP-
ERS 1987, SEEDORFF et al. 2005). Assemblages defining the
root zones of advanced argillic lithocaps (e.g. quartz-py-
rophyllite-diaspore-corundum-topaz-APS minerals) may
overprint the upper parts of porphyry Cu deposits, and the
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0077-7757/2014/0251 $ 5.00

F-NJBM_191-2_S117-232_sw.indb 117 22.01.2014 10:28:41