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From Source to Sinks in Auriferous Magmatic-Hydrothermal Porphyry and Epithermal Deposits

¹ Mineral Deposit Research Unit, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
E-mail: rtosdal{at}gmail.com
² Department of Geosciences, Oregon State University
OR 97370, USA
³ Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence
University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Auriferous porphyry Cu deposits are restricted to convergent plate settings, whereas epithermal precious metal deposits form at extending convergent plate settings and in rifts. Both deposit types are linked to magma carrying metals and ligands that rises to form an upper-crustal magma chamber. Magma convection and fractionation lead to volatile exsolution and collection in the apical parts of the chamber, from which exsolved hydrothermal fluid ascends to form either a porphyry Cu-Au deposit associated with stocks and dykes generally at 2-5 km depth, or an epithermal deposit associated with coeval volcanic rocks at depths of <1 km.

KEYWORDS: magma, hydrothermal evolution, porphyry Cu, epithermal precious metal

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