Copper Deposits

Abstract

There are several genetic types of copper deposits, including porphyry Cu-Mo and Cu-Au, volcanogenic massive sulfide, Cu skarn, and basalt and sedimentary hosted Cu, but at the time of writing, the only economic ones are porphyry type deposits (Erdenet, Oyu Tolgoi, Tsagaan Suvarga, and Kharmagtai). All deposits are formed in an island arc or continental arc environment associated with granodiorite, monzodiorite, and monzonite of calc-alkaline medium to high K, metaluminous I-type intrusions with typical subduction-related geochemistry. Mineralization is represented by bornite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, and followed by quartz-sericite (muscovite), potassium, argillic, and propylitic alteration.