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Abstract Alkali/alumina and MgO/alumina molar ratio plots graphically portray both chemical
and mineralogical changes accompanying potassic, phyllic, argillic, chloritic, and alunitic alteration
of quartz monzonites and granodiorites hosting porphyry (as well as lode and greisen) ore deposits.
The molar ratio plots can be used to identify different types of alteration. In most cases, the identi-
fication based on molar ratios coincides with petrographic data. In those instances where the molar
ratio and petrographic identifications do not agree, the mineralogy might need to be re-examined.
Hydrothermal alteration studies using trace elements could benefit from the application of comple-
mentary alkali/alumina molar ratio plots. 2010 Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and
Petroleum. All rights reserved.
1 Department of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6.
Corresponding Author: E-mail: rmehes@laurentian.ca
14 Exploration and Mining Geology, Vol. 19, Nos. 12, p. 1322, 2010
Sericite to alunite: case of the Sibert deposit, molar ratios calculated from
KAl3Si3O10 (OH) 2 + 4H + + 2SO 42 KAl(SO 4 ) 2 (OH)6 + 3SiO 2 (3) only four bulk samples trace a progressive decrease in both
Na2O/Al2O3 and K2O/Al2O3 values.
Muscovite to topaz:
2KAl3Si3O10 (OH) 2 +4H + +4.8F (4) Bingham Porphyry Copper Deposit
+
Numerous studies of the Bingham porphyry copper
3Al2SiO 4 [(OH)0.2 F0.8 ]2 + 2K + 3SiO 2 + 2.8(OH) + 2H 2 O
deposit have yielded a large amount of information and
chemical data on hydrothermal alteration of the host Oligo-
Albite (in Na-plagioclase) to K-feldspar: cene equigranular quartz monzonite and quartz monzon-
NaAlSi3O8 + K + KAlSi3O8 + Na + (5) ite porphyry, the two main phases of the Bingham stock
(Moore and Nash, 1974; Bray et al., 1975; Lanier et al.,
Albite to muscovite: 1975, 1978; Moore, 1978; and references within). The
3NaAlSi3O8 + K + + 2H + KAl3Si3O10 (OH) 2 + 3Na + + 6SiO 2 (6) Bingham stock is part of a composite intrusion which also
includes the Last Chance quartz monzonite stock and the
Albite to Na-montmorillonite: Phoenix quartz monzonite dike. The Bingham stock is also
(7) cut by a number of latite and minette dikes. The possible
1.17NaAlSi3O8 + H +
+
significance of these dikes is considered below.
0.5Na 0.33 Al2.33Si3.67 O10 (OH) 2 + 1.67SiO 2 + Na The copper orebody is hosted by the quartz monzonite
porphyry and adjacent parts of the surrounding equigranu-
Na-montmorillonite to kaolinite: lar quartz monzonite. The porphyry, which forms the core
Na 0.33 Al2.33Si3.67 O10 (OH) 2 + 3H 2 O (8) of the Bingham stock, is the most highly altered phase of
+
3.5Al2Si 2 O5 (OH) 4 + Na + 4SiO 2 the stock and is considered to have been the main conduit
of the hydrothermal fluids responsible for mineralization
and accompanying hydrothermal alteration.
Experimental data from Hemley and Jones (1964) show Almost all of the Bingham stock has been altered to
that the sequence K-feldspar sericite kaolinite results some extent. According to Lanier et al. (1978), the best
from progressive decreases in aK+/aH+ as a consequence analogue for the original composition of the equigranu-
of increasing aH+. Consequently, mixed assemblages con- lar quartz monzonite might be the unmineralized and un-
taining, for example, K-feldspar and sericite or sericite altered Last Chance quartz monzonite, which consists of
and kaolinite are common. However, assemblages such as orthoclase (30%) and plagioclase (30%), with the remain-
K-feldspar and clay minerals are generally excluded ex- der being augite, amphibole, and biotite.
cept in cases of extreme disequilibrium or when supergene Lanier et al. (1975, 1978) reported well-defined mineral-
processes are superimposed on the original hydrothermal ogical alteration zoning in the equigranular quartz mon-
assemblages. zonite. The zoning is co-axial with respect to the quartz
In the following sections, data from various porphyry monzonite porphyry and copper orebody. Between 2200
deposits are presented. It is important to point out that the and 3400 feet from the porphyry contact, hydrothermal ac-
petrographic descriptions, the identifications of the altera- tinolite after augite comprises about 16% of the rock, and
tion assemblages, and the whole-rock analytical data from is accompanied by about 11% chlorite, which also replaces
which the molar ratios were calculated, were all taken dir- augite and, in part, hydrothermal actinolite. Lanier et al.
ectly from the relevant referenced publications. The molar (1975) reported about 5% magmatic phlogopite in the ac-
ratio patterns for each deposit are then compared with the tinolite-chlorite zone.
interpretations presented by the original authors. Quartz-orthoclase-phlogopite alteration extends out-
The chemical analyses used in the paper have been lim- ward for 2200 feet from the contact of the equigranular
ited mainly to papers published up to the 1980s because quartz monzonite with the quartz monzonite porphyry.
more recent papers contain few published whole rock an- Within this zone, up to 28% hydrothermal phlogopite re-
alyses. It might be said that some of the deposits described places actinolite (Lanier et al., 1975, 1978). Hydrothermal
in this paper also have too few samples. However, in the orthoclase occurs here as rims replacing plagioclase, as ir-
regular patches enveloping Na-rich plagioclase, and as re-
Table 1. Approximate Molar Na2O/Al2O3 Values for the Plagioclase placement perthites (Lanier et al., 1978).
Series Contrary to Lanier et al. (1975, 1978), Moore and Nash
(1974) claimed that hydrothermal orthoclase is not a prom-
Plagioclases Molar Na2O/Al2O3 inent constituent of the equigranular quartz monzonite,
Albite 1.00.8 of which the quartz-orthoclase-phlogopite zone is a part.
Oligoclase 0.80.6 These contradictory statements underscore the problem of
Andesine 0.60.33
distinguishing between hydrothermal and magmatic feld-
spars (and quartz) on the basis of textural interpretations.
Labradorite 0.330.12
Modal analyses by Lanier et al. (1975, 1978) re-
Bytownite 0.120.05
veal a continuous decrease in plagioclase/total feldspar
Anorthite 0.050.00 from the peripheral actinolite-chlorite zone toward and
16 Exploration and Mining Geology, Vol. 19, Nos. 12, p. 1322, 2010
Granite-Mo Systems
Data compiled by Mutschler et al. (1981) on granites
hosting molybdenite deposits in the western U.S. illustrate
the alkali/alumina molar ratio characteristics of a variety
of alteration assemblages associated with many porphyry
deposits. The host rocks of the molybdenum deposits are
epizonal granodiorites, granite, and rhyolite porphyry of
early Cenozoic age.
Only the granite and rhyolite porphyry intrusions are
considered here; chemical data for the granodiorites are
lacking. The phenocrysts in the porphyries are predomin-
antly quartz and alkali feldspars, many of which are
perthitic. Groundmass feldspars are sodic plagioclase and
non-perthitic orthoclase.
Mutschler et al. (1981) report whole-rock analytical data
from various Mo deposits in which they designate altera-
tion assemblages as (a) moderate potassic, (b) strong potas-
sic, (c) moderate quartz-sericite, (d) strong quartz-sericite,
(e) intermediate argillic, and (f) strong argillic; these are
shown in Figure 3. The molar ratio values correspond well
for assemblages (a) to (d), representing first, K+ metasomat-
ism to produce moderate potassic alteration (a), and then to
strong potassic alteration (b), followed by H+ metasomat-
ism to produce assemblages (c) to (f) in which H+ is added Fig. 3. K2O/Al2O3 vs. Na2O/Al2O3 molar ratio plot of alteration in various
and alkalis are removed from the altered rock. Quartz and Cordilleran intrusions hosting Mo deposits. The letters a to f indicate: a
= moderate potassic alteration, b = strong potassic alteration, c = moder-
sericite of assemblages (c) and (d) can be produced by the ate phyllic alteration, d = strong phyllic alteration, e = moderate argillic
addition of H+ to and removal of K+ from K-feldspar (reac- alteration, f = strong argillic alteration.
tion 1) or alternatively by the addition of both K+ and H+ to
and the removal of Na+ from plagioclase (reaction 6). sulfidation ore (mainly digenite and enargite). Alunite is
Mutschler et al. (1981) do not comment on whether K- described as replacing both sericite and dickite. The low-
feldspar or plagioclase (or both) were involved in the pro- er phyllic and argillic zones contain pyrite, chalcopyrite,
duction of the quartz-sericite assemblages. They do, how- bornite, sphalerite, and galena.
ever, note that the argillic assemblages resulted from the The high sulfidation ores and alunite alteration are over-
replacement of plagioclase by clay minerals such as mont- lain by a Au-bearing silica capping of quartz and opal re-
morillionite, kaolinite, pyrophyllite, and dickite (some ex- sulting from extreme acid leaching. Inward and upward
amples are given in reactions 7 and 8). toward the center of mineralization, the spatial sequence of
Designation of the argillic assemblages as strong and alteration is phyllic argillic alunite and silicic. This
intermediate is perhaps puzzling. Except in the presence sequence parallels the paragenetic sequence as well as the
of alunite, which is absent, the K2O/Al2O3 values for as- change from low-grade Cu-Pb-Zn-Mo ores to high-sulfida-
semblage (e) do not suggest moderate argillic alteration, tion Cu ores, to dominantly Au ores in the silicic zone.
nor does the presence of quartz and sericite. The explana- The sequence of alteration at Zijinshan is illustrated on
tion might reside in how Mutschler et al. (1981) classify the molar ratio alkali/alumina diagrams (Fig. 4). The se-
strong, viz. 25 to 75 volume percent of the index clay quence weakly altered phyllic argillic (dickite)
minerals. Allowing for this, the molar ratio values cor- alunitic is common in porphyry deposits. Extreme acid
respond well with the description of the alteration assem- leaching and production of a silicic capping is less com-
blages. mon. The molar ratio plot in Figure 4b reveals unusually
high molar Na2O/Al2O3 values in the silicic zone, values
Zijinshan Copper-Gold Deposit, China which are not readily apparent from a cursory scan of the
The Zijinshan epithermal Cu-Au deposit occurs within weight percent oxide values. Examination of weight per-
Jurassic biotite granites intruded by a Cretaceous dacite cent oxides shows that the absolute amount of Na2O de-
porphyry pipe. Both rock types display similar alteration creases from 0.45 wt.% in the alunite zone (average of
and mineral zoning according to So et al. (1998). Only the 5 samples) to 0.32 wt.% in the silicic zone (average of 2
granites and their ores are discussed here. samples); however, Al2O3 deceases more substantially,
Phyllic alteration (sericite-quartz) is developed in the from 12.77 wt.% in the alunite zone (average of 5 samples)
lower and outer parts of the deposit. Argillic alteration to 1.48 wt.% in the silicic capping (average of 2 samples),
(mainly quartz-dickite) forms a narrow band between indicating that Al2O3 was diluted almost 8-fold in the ex-
the phyllic and overlying alunite zone. Alunite alteration tremely altered silicic zone, compared to a factor of only
(quartz-alunite) overlies the argillic zone, is the largest of 1.5 for Na2O. This is puzzling because Na2O is much more
the alteration assemblages, and is host to most of the high- mobile than Al2O3. So et al. (1998) offer no explanation
18 Exploration and Mining Geology, Vol. 19, Nos. 12, p. 1322, 2010
no mention of a hydrothermal K-bearing mineral in the Davies, J.F., and Whitehead, R.E., 1994, Molar ratios in
actinolite-chlorite zone. This suggests the possible failure the study of unaltered and hydrothermally altered grey-
to recognize introduced hydrothermal orthoclase. wackes and shales: Chemical Geology, v. 111, p. 85
The difference between the molar ratio and field-petro- 100.
graphic interpretations of alteration of the Sibert deposit Davies, J.F., and Whitehead, R.E., 2006, Alkali-alumina
(Fig. 5) are striking. If the petrographic interpretation mis- and MgO-alumina molar ratios of altered and unaltered
identified the feldspars, that is K-feldspar versus plagio- rhyolites: Exploration and Mining Geology, v. 15, p.
clase, the reason might have been the result of a sericite 7790.
alteration that obscured the optical properties of the feld- Deino, A., and Keith, J.D., 1997, Ages of volcanic and in-
spars. In any case, the molar ratio interpretation cannot be trusive rocks in Bingham mining district, Utah, in John,
reconciled with the petrographic interpretation of the ori- D.A., and Ballantyne, G.H., eds., Geology and ore de-
ginal authors, Beaufort and Meunier (1983). posits of the Oquirrh and Wasatch mountains, Utah: So-
Kontak and Clark (2002) employed staining tech- ciety of Economic Geologists, Guidebook Series, v. 29,
niques in an attempt to alleviate the problem of identify- p. 9195.
ing feldspars in a pervasively altered granitoid rock at the Gresens, R.L., 1967, Composition-volume relationships in
San Rafael lode tin deposit. That this approach appears to metasomatism: Chemical Geology, v. 2, p. 4755.
have been only partially successful is suggested by an al- Hemley, J.J., and Jones, W.R., 1964, Chemical aspects of
kali/alumina molar ratio plot of fresh to strongly altered hydrothermal alteration with special emphasis on hy-
samples (Fig. 6). Pervasive alteration was mainly potas- drogen metasomatism: Economic Geology, v. 59, p.
sic with some isolated areas of albitization. Most samples 538569.
plot where expected on the alkali/alumina diagram, but two Keith, J.D., Whitney, J.A., Hattori, K., Ballantyne, G.H.,
samples of moderately altered rocks and one identified as Christiansen, E.H., Barr, D.L., Cannan, T.M., and Hook,
strongly altered plot in the same region as fresh granite. C.J., 1997, The role of magmatic sulfides and mafic al-
This study has shown that alkali/alumina molar ratio kaline magmas in the Bingham and Tintic mining dis-
plots are a convenient way of correlating chemical and tricts, Utah: Journal of Petrology, v. 38, p. 16791690.
mineralogical characteristics in altered granitoid rocks Kontak, D.J., and Clark, A.H., 2002, Genesis of the Bon-
hosting porphyry ore deposits and in identifying possible anza San Rafael lode tin deposit, Peru: Origin and sig-
discrepancies between chemistry and mineralogical iden- nificance of pervasive alteration: Economic Geology, v.
tification. 97, p. 17411777.
Alkali/alumina molar ratio plots make a significant con- Lanier, G., Folsom, R.B., and Cone, S., 1975, Alteration
tribution to the study of hydrothermal alteration whether or of equigranular quartz monzonite, Bingham District:
not trace element data are available. Guide Book, Bingham Mining District, Society of Eco-
nomic Geologists, p. 7397.
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22 Exploration and Mining Geology, Vol. 19, Nos. 12, p. 1322, 2010