Geology, stable isotope, and U-Pb geochronology of the Mariquita porphyry copper and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits, Cananea District, Mexico: A contribution to regional exploration

Rafael Del Rio Salas; Lucas Ochoa-Landín; Joaquín Ruiz; Christopher Eastoe; Diana Meza-Figueroa; Hugo Zuñiga-Hernández; Héctor Mendívil-Quijada; Francisco Quintanar-Ruiz

doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.08.016

Geology, stable isotope, and U-Pb geochronology of the Mariquita porphyry copper and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits, Cananea District, Mexico: A contribution to regional exploration

Rafael Del Rio Salas^*, Lucas Ochoa-Landín, Joaquín Ruiz, Christopher Eastoe, Diana Meza-Figueroa, Hugo Zuñiga-Hernández, Héctor Mendívil-Quijada, Francisco Quintanar-Ruiz

^*Corresponding author for this work

Departamento de Geología

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Mariquita porphyry Cu and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits are located in the western section of the Cananea porphyry copper district in northwestern Mexico. Four hydrothermal stages are found in Mariquita: stage I is composed of quartz-pyrite-biotite-magnetite; stage II corresponds to orthoclase-quartz; stage III consists of unidirectional veinlets of quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite-magnetite and minor molybdenite; and stage IV consists of alunite veinlets. The Lucy deposit is characterized by only one stage and consists of quartz-molybdenite-chalcopyrite.The temperatures and emplacement depths of the mineralization in Mariquita is 1 to 1.2km and 430 to 380°C, respectively. In contrast, the mineralization in the Lucy deposit shows deeper emplacement depths (~3km) and higher mineralization temperatures (550-500°C). The sulfur isotope range (-4.6 to 3.8%) indicates that the source of sulfur for both deposits is clearly magmatic. The δ³⁴S values (1 to 2.5%) from alunites from stage IV in Mariquita are the result of oxidation of sulfides from previous hydrothermal stages. The oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions of the ore fluids involved during the mineralization of hydrothermal stages I to III in Mariquita indicate a magmatic origin, whereas the stage IV fluid involved mixing between magmatic and meteoric water components. The oxygen isotope data of the ore fluids from the Lucy deposit also suggests a magmatic origin.The new U-Pb zircon analysis, using laser ablation multi-collector ICP-MS, from the granodiorite rock that hosts Lucy deposit gives an age of 63.8. ± 1.1. Ma. The new U-Pb ages of zircons reported for two mineralizing quartz feldspathic porphyries in Mariquita yield crystallization ages of 60.4. ± 1.1. Ma and 62.7. ± 1.3. Ma. The magmatic-mineralizing pulses reported for the western portion of Cananea district increase the potential for the presence of undiscovered mineralized bodies either emplaced within the Cuitaca granodiorite (e.g. Lucy), or within the Laramide volcanic rocks. The geology and geochronology reported here contribute to a better understanding of the western and northwestern sections of the Cananea district.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	140-154
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of Geochemical Exploration
Volume	124
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.08.016
State	Published - Jan 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported by the CONACYT (project 166600 ), the consortium between FRISCO and the Geology Department at the University of Sonora, and the Geosciences Department at the University of Arizona . We are grateful to Grupo FRISCO and Maria Mine staff for the logistics and support. We thank Arizona LaserChron Center, especially George Gehrels for the support. We also thank the support of the Geology Department at the University of Sonora . We are also thankful for the field assistance and support by Mario Aponte, Roman Solís, Oscar Saitz Sau, Cruz Páez, and Julio Cesar Orantes. We thank the comments from Robert Ayuso, Klaus Schulz, David Huston. and an anonymous reviewer for the comments that improved the manuscript.

Keywords

Cananea district
Porphyry Cu deposits
S-O-H stable isotopes
U-Pb geochronology

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10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.08.016

Cite this

Del Rio Salas, R., Ochoa-Landín, L., Ruiz, J., Eastoe, C., Meza-Figueroa, D., Zuñiga-Hernández, H., Mendívil-Quijada, H., & Quintanar-Ruiz, F. (2013). Geology, stable isotope, and U-Pb geochronology of the Mariquita porphyry copper and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits, Cananea District, Mexico: A contribution to regional exploration. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 124, 140-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.08.016

@article{8e0e1d57c51a4353ae22af72d7eee5e3,

title = "Geology, stable isotope, and U-Pb geochronology of the Mariquita porphyry copper and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits, Cananea District, Mexico: A contribution to regional exploration",

abstract = "The Mariquita porphyry Cu and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits are located in the western section of the Cananea porphyry copper district in northwestern Mexico. Four hydrothermal stages are found in Mariquita: stage I is composed of quartz-pyrite-biotite-magnetite; stage II corresponds to orthoclase-quartz; stage III consists of unidirectional veinlets of quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite-magnetite and minor molybdenite; and stage IV consists of alunite veinlets. The Lucy deposit is characterized by only one stage and consists of quartz-molybdenite-chalcopyrite.The temperatures and emplacement depths of the mineralization in Mariquita is 1 to 1.2km and 430 to 380°C, respectively. In contrast, the mineralization in the Lucy deposit shows deeper emplacement depths (~3km) and higher mineralization temperatures (550-500°C). The sulfur isotope range (-4.6 to 3.8%) indicates that the source of sulfur for both deposits is clearly magmatic. The δ34S values (1 to 2.5%) from alunites from stage IV in Mariquita are the result of oxidation of sulfides from previous hydrothermal stages. The oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions of the ore fluids involved during the mineralization of hydrothermal stages I to III in Mariquita indicate a magmatic origin, whereas the stage IV fluid involved mixing between magmatic and meteoric water components. The oxygen isotope data of the ore fluids from the Lucy deposit also suggests a magmatic origin.The new U-Pb zircon analysis, using laser ablation multi-collector ICP-MS, from the granodiorite rock that hosts Lucy deposit gives an age of 63.8. ± 1.1. Ma. The new U-Pb ages of zircons reported for two mineralizing quartz feldspathic porphyries in Mariquita yield crystallization ages of 60.4. ± 1.1. Ma and 62.7. ± 1.3. Ma. The magmatic-mineralizing pulses reported for the western portion of Cananea district increase the potential for the presence of undiscovered mineralized bodies either emplaced within the Cuitaca granodiorite (e.g. Lucy), or within the Laramide volcanic rocks. The geology and geochronology reported here contribute to a better understanding of the western and northwestern sections of the Cananea district.",

keywords = "Cananea district, Porphyry Cu deposits, S-O-H stable isotopes, U-Pb geochronology",

author = "{Del Rio Salas}, Rafael and Lucas Ochoa-Land{\'i}n and Joaqu{\'i}n Ruiz and Christopher Eastoe and Diana Meza-Figueroa and Hugo Zu{\~n}iga-Hern{\'a}ndez and H{\'e}ctor Mend{\'i}vil-Quijada and Francisco Quintanar-Ruiz",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by the CONACYT (project 166600 ), the consortium between FRISCO and the Geology Department at the University of Sonora, and the Geosciences Department at the University of Arizona . We are grateful to Grupo FRISCO and Maria Mine staff for the logistics and support. We thank Arizona LaserChron Center, especially George Gehrels for the support. We also thank the support of the Geology Department at the University of Sonora . We are also thankful for the field assistance and support by Mario Aponte, Roman Sol{\'i}s, Oscar Saitz Sau, Cruz P{\'a}ez, and Julio Cesar Orantes. We thank the comments from Robert Ayuso, Klaus Schulz, David Huston. and an anonymous reviewer for the comments that improved the manuscript.",

year = "2013",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.08.016",

language = "Ingl{\'e}s",

volume = "124",

pages = "140--154",

journal = "Journal of Geochemical Exploration",

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}

Del Rio Salas, R, Ochoa-Landín, L, Ruiz, J, Eastoe, C, Meza-Figueroa, D, Zuñiga-Hernández, H, Mendívil-Quijada, H & Quintanar-Ruiz, F 2013, 'Geology, stable isotope, and U-Pb geochronology of the Mariquita porphyry copper and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits, Cananea District, Mexico: A contribution to regional exploration', Journal of Geochemical Exploration, vol. 124, pp. 140-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.08.016

Geology, stable isotope, and U-Pb geochronology of the Mariquita porphyry copper and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits, Cananea District, Mexico: A contribution to regional exploration. / Del Rio Salas, Rafael; Ochoa-Landín, Lucas; Ruiz, Joaquín et al.
In: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Vol. 124, 01.2013, p. 140-154.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Geology, stable isotope, and U-Pb geochronology of the Mariquita porphyry copper and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits, Cananea District, Mexico

T2 - A contribution to regional exploration

AU - Del Rio Salas, Rafael

AU - Ochoa-Landín, Lucas

AU - Ruiz, Joaquín

AU - Eastoe, Christopher

AU - Meza-Figueroa, Diana

AU - Zuñiga-Hernández, Hugo

AU - Mendívil-Quijada, Héctor

AU - Quintanar-Ruiz, Francisco

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by the CONACYT (project 166600 ), the consortium between FRISCO and the Geology Department at the University of Sonora, and the Geosciences Department at the University of Arizona . We are grateful to Grupo FRISCO and Maria Mine staff for the logistics and support. We thank Arizona LaserChron Center, especially George Gehrels for the support. We also thank the support of the Geology Department at the University of Sonora . We are also thankful for the field assistance and support by Mario Aponte, Roman Solís, Oscar Saitz Sau, Cruz Páez, and Julio Cesar Orantes. We thank the comments from Robert Ayuso, Klaus Schulz, David Huston. and an anonymous reviewer for the comments that improved the manuscript.

PY - 2013/1

Y1 - 2013/1

N2 - The Mariquita porphyry Cu and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits are located in the western section of the Cananea porphyry copper district in northwestern Mexico. Four hydrothermal stages are found in Mariquita: stage I is composed of quartz-pyrite-biotite-magnetite; stage II corresponds to orthoclase-quartz; stage III consists of unidirectional veinlets of quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite-magnetite and minor molybdenite; and stage IV consists of alunite veinlets. The Lucy deposit is characterized by only one stage and consists of quartz-molybdenite-chalcopyrite.The temperatures and emplacement depths of the mineralization in Mariquita is 1 to 1.2km and 430 to 380°C, respectively. In contrast, the mineralization in the Lucy deposit shows deeper emplacement depths (~3km) and higher mineralization temperatures (550-500°C). The sulfur isotope range (-4.6 to 3.8%) indicates that the source of sulfur for both deposits is clearly magmatic. The δ34S values (1 to 2.5%) from alunites from stage IV in Mariquita are the result of oxidation of sulfides from previous hydrothermal stages. The oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions of the ore fluids involved during the mineralization of hydrothermal stages I to III in Mariquita indicate a magmatic origin, whereas the stage IV fluid involved mixing between magmatic and meteoric water components. The oxygen isotope data of the ore fluids from the Lucy deposit also suggests a magmatic origin.The new U-Pb zircon analysis, using laser ablation multi-collector ICP-MS, from the granodiorite rock that hosts Lucy deposit gives an age of 63.8. ± 1.1. Ma. The new U-Pb ages of zircons reported for two mineralizing quartz feldspathic porphyries in Mariquita yield crystallization ages of 60.4. ± 1.1. Ma and 62.7. ± 1.3. Ma. The magmatic-mineralizing pulses reported for the western portion of Cananea district increase the potential for the presence of undiscovered mineralized bodies either emplaced within the Cuitaca granodiorite (e.g. Lucy), or within the Laramide volcanic rocks. The geology and geochronology reported here contribute to a better understanding of the western and northwestern sections of the Cananea district.

AB - The Mariquita porphyry Cu and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits are located in the western section of the Cananea porphyry copper district in northwestern Mexico. Four hydrothermal stages are found in Mariquita: stage I is composed of quartz-pyrite-biotite-magnetite; stage II corresponds to orthoclase-quartz; stage III consists of unidirectional veinlets of quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite-magnetite and minor molybdenite; and stage IV consists of alunite veinlets. The Lucy deposit is characterized by only one stage and consists of quartz-molybdenite-chalcopyrite.The temperatures and emplacement depths of the mineralization in Mariquita is 1 to 1.2km and 430 to 380°C, respectively. In contrast, the mineralization in the Lucy deposit shows deeper emplacement depths (~3km) and higher mineralization temperatures (550-500°C). The sulfur isotope range (-4.6 to 3.8%) indicates that the source of sulfur for both deposits is clearly magmatic. The δ34S values (1 to 2.5%) from alunites from stage IV in Mariquita are the result of oxidation of sulfides from previous hydrothermal stages. The oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions of the ore fluids involved during the mineralization of hydrothermal stages I to III in Mariquita indicate a magmatic origin, whereas the stage IV fluid involved mixing between magmatic and meteoric water components. The oxygen isotope data of the ore fluids from the Lucy deposit also suggests a magmatic origin.The new U-Pb zircon analysis, using laser ablation multi-collector ICP-MS, from the granodiorite rock that hosts Lucy deposit gives an age of 63.8. ± 1.1. Ma. The new U-Pb ages of zircons reported for two mineralizing quartz feldspathic porphyries in Mariquita yield crystallization ages of 60.4. ± 1.1. Ma and 62.7. ± 1.3. Ma. The magmatic-mineralizing pulses reported for the western portion of Cananea district increase the potential for the presence of undiscovered mineralized bodies either emplaced within the Cuitaca granodiorite (e.g. Lucy), or within the Laramide volcanic rocks. The geology and geochronology reported here contribute to a better understanding of the western and northwestern sections of the Cananea district.

KW - Cananea district

KW - Porphyry Cu deposits

KW - S-O-H stable isotopes

KW - U-Pb geochronology

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U2 - 10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.08.016

DO - 10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.08.016

M3 - Artículo

SN - 0375-6742

VL - 124

SP - 140

EP - 154

JO - Journal of Geochemical Exploration

JF - Journal of Geochemical Exploration

ER -

Geology, stable isotope, and U-Pb geochronology of the Mariquita porphyry copper and Lucy Cu-Mo deposits, Cananea District, Mexico: A contribution to regional exploration

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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