Breccias

Breccias - definition
Broken rock sometimes associated with mineralisation
Breccias include
Sedimentary bx
Volcanic bx (often host rocks)
Magmatic bx (often pre-mineral mineralised magmatic
hydrothermal)
Tectonic bx (mineralised tectonic hydrothermal)

Relationships
of breccia
types

Breccia terminology
Descriptive terminology based upon the

appearance of the rock using features such

as fragment type and rounding and
relationship to matrix etc
Genetic terminology relates to the
interpreted mechanism of breccia
formation and uses conceptual geological
models to provide a link between the
breccia and mineralisation

Genetic Summary

Intrusion
Breccias

Associated with
emplacement of
intrusions with no
hydrothermal activity

Magmatic hydrothermal breccias

Combination of intrusion and hydrothermal

activity generally at depth without venting to the

surface
Alteration as early chlorite and later silica-sericite
+ pyrite
Common in:
Upper portions of porphyry Cu deposits (pebble dykes)
and
Breccia pipes in deeper level sub volcanic terrains
Breccia pipes in batholith terrains (Cu-Tourmaline
breccias)

Magmatic Hydrothermal Bx

Pebble
dykes/breccias

Kidston NE Australia

Kidston map

Kidston
Mixed breccia

Kidston
Marginal breccias:
Metamorphic bx
Granodiorite bx

Kidston

Felsic fragment breccia

Spherulitic rhyolite

Kidston
Intrusion features

Kidston
Sheeted
veins

Kidston map

Kidston setting

Kidston Interp

Tourmaline Bx Model

Cu-Tourmaline breccias
Occur in batholith terrains probably at apophyses
Cu>Au in association with tourmaline, pyrite,

chalcopyrite
Initial collapse produced by venting of volatiles
promotes collapse and development of:

flat dipping sheeted fractures and associated shingle

breccias
Steep dipping ring fractures at pipe margin

Later mineralisation exploits plumbing system

Tourmaline Bx - rocks

Shingle bx
Mt Terrible

Shingle Bx - Mexico

Shingle breccias - Tooloom

Phreatomagmatic Bx

Phreatomagmatic breccias
Formed by explosive activity involving magma

and water turned to vapour

Of interest here associated with high level
typically felsic intrusons commonly in flow dome
complexes
Rising intrusion becomes depressurised and may
come in contact with groundwaters in same fault
Vent with tuff rings and endogenous domes
Mineralisation later high and low sulphidation
Characterised by clay-pyrite alteration

Milled matrix breccia

Lihir, PNG

Acupan, Philippines

Cripple Creek, USA

Veladero, Argentina

Bedded breccias
Tuff rings

Sumbawa, Indonesia

Nauti, Wau, PNG

Pascua, Chile

Surficial features

Accretionary Lapilli, Lihir, PNG

Bedded, lapilli,
Kelian, Indonesia
Wood Fragments,
Lihir, PNG

Juvenile intrusion fragments

Mineral Hill, Australia

Namie Breccia, Wau, PNG

UpperRidges, Wau, PNG

Veladero, Argentina

Yanacocha, Peru

Domes
Wau Diatreme,
Papua New Guinea

Namie Breccia
Crumple breccia

Mineralisation

Mineralisation at pipe margin - Acupan

Mineralisation at pipe
margin Lepanto

Mineralisation outside pipes Kelian

Mineralisation within pipes

Mt Leyshon, Australia

Yanacocha, Peru

Veladero, Argentina

Phreatomagmatic breccias

Fluidised injection breccias

Smaller scale emplacement of sulphides into

fractured rocks
Characterised by significant transport of matrix
and lesser transport of host rocks fragments
Matrix of sulphides and rock flour
Characterised by dyke-like forms grading to more
marginal crackle breccias
Common in high sulphidation and some quartzsulphide low sulphidation deposits

Injection Bx

Fluidised injection
breccias

Rotational breccia

Fluidised breccia
Kelian, Indonesia

Lihir Is., Papua New Guinea

Crackle and fluidised crackle breccias

Lama Argentina

Lihir, PNG

Goonumbla, Australia

Bowdens, Australia

Phreatic or Eruption breccias

Explosions result from depressurising of hot

water to form steam

Near surficial breccia pipes
No magmatic component
Common where circulating cells of
geothermal fluids
Cap quartz veins and silicified breccias
Fluid outflows for sinter deposits

Ebx

Champange Pool

Champagne
Pool

Eruption breccia

Fluid outflows

Pamukale
sinter terrace
Turkey

Lihir Is Phreatic/eruption
breccia
Intrusion related
hydrothermal system

Silicified breccias

Toka Tindung, Indonesia

Twin Hills, Australia

Puhipuhi, New Zealand

McLaughlin
crack seal
breccia-sinter

Twin Hills breccias

Twin Hills dismembered dyke

Ebx

Tectonic-hydrothermal breccias
including dilational (open space)
breccias
Form in open space faults
Common infill of hydrothermal minerals
Common sub surface sedimentary structures
Local milled, floating clast breccias, many

with bonanza ores

Dilational Bx

Dilational /open space /

expansion breccias
Mosaic breccias

Kidston, Australia

Mt Kare
Porgera, Papua New Guinea

Floating clast
breccias
Hishikari

Twin Hills Australia

Viento El Indio District

Milled floating
clast breccias

Subsurface sedimentary structures in

open space faults

Mineralised
Fault
Breccia

Tectonichydrothermal
breccias
Rucked up fragments
Vera Nancy, rucked up
vein fragment led to
discovery

Bilimoia, pebble
dyke with rucked up
shale fragments

Fault
Breccia

Exploration significance
Breccias
Importance of descriptive classifications in the field
Analysis of field data to produce genetic

classification which allow the application of

prospects to geological models
Breccia types vary with deposit type and display
distinct relationships to mineralisation
Barren eruption breccias overly sheeted and fissure
vein systems while ore may occur marginal to, or at
depth within, phreatomagmatic breccia pipes.

Lepanto
rucked up
breccia fragment

Breccia
matrix