TITLE:
Geological, Alteration and Mineralization Characteristics of Ali Javad Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit, Arasbaran Zone, NW Iran
AUTHORS:
Behzad Hajalilou, Mehraj Aghazadeh
KEYWORDS:
Geology, Alteration, Mineralization, Ali Javad Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit, Iran
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.6 No.8,
August
22,
2016
ABSTRACT: Ali Javad porphyry Cu-Au deposit is located 20 Km
north of Ahar city in Arasbaran metallogenic zone which is considered as a part
of Alp-Himalayan mineralization belt. Magmatism in this area began in Late Cretaceous, followed by extensive
magmatism in Cenozoic and Quaternary periods. Porphyry
type mineralization developed in Ali
Javad quartz monzonitic porphyry stock and Eocene pyroclastic and volcanic
country rocks. Ali Javad porphyry intrusion has shoshonitic nature and shows
characteristics of volcanic arc granitoids that it is have been emplaced
in a post-collision tectonic setting.
Alteration zones at the deposit demonstrated zoning which is comparable with
Lowel-Guilbert model proposed for quartz-monzonite type porphyry copper deposits. Phyllic, argillic, silicic and propylitic alteration zones were observed at
the surface while potassic alteration zone
could be observed at depth in drill core samples. Mineralization was
recognized both as supergene and hypogene, the latter was as veins, veinlets and
disseminations. Dominant hypogene minerals were chalcopyrite, bornite,
molybdenite, pyrite and magnetite while chalcocite, covellite and limonite were
dominant supergene minerals. Four mineralization zones were observed in the deposit as leached, transitional, supergene and
hypogene zones. Average grades were 0.75% for copper and 1.86 ppm for
gold with 81.5 Mt proved reserve for copper and 37.8 Mt for gold.