Fatoni Adyahya/ICG 2015

Petrology and Alteration of Lari Mountain in Arinem Area, West Java,

Indonesia
Fatoni Adyahya 1 *, Euis T. Yuningsih1 , H. Matsueda 2 , A. Hardiyono1
1

Faculty of Geology, University of Padjadjaran, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

2
The Hokkaido University Museum, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
*Fatoniady@gmail.com

Abstract
Lari Mountain is located in Garut region, West Java, Indonesia as a part of the Arinem deposit. Arinem deposit is
epithermal low-intermediate sulfidation with Au-Ag-base metal mineralization. . This mineralization was resulted from
Arinem and Bantarhuni veins with relatively northwest southeast direction.. These veins hosted by Oligocene
Middle Miocene Jampang formation volcanic rocks. The formation consists of andesitic tuff, breccia, and lava. The
younger Pliocene Pleistocene volcanic rocks was covered this formation. Lithology of Lari Mountain is Porphyry
Dacite which intruded older volcanic rocks.
Petrology and alteration studies has been undertaken from the outcrops of Lari mountain region. Lari mountain is an
northern most of the Arinem and Bantarhuni veins. This research was held using thin and polish sections analyses,
then the result was correlated with the XRD data to gain interpreted of lithology and alteration types in the area.
Type of alteration in Lari Mountain according to the alteration minerals assemblage which found in the rocks samples
is Argilic. Vuggy Quartz and Kaolin group mineral indicate if condition of alteration at acidic condition (pH 3 -4). It
showns if Lari Mountain is different comparing to Arinem Deposit which developed in epithermal low-intermediate
sulfidation.
Keywords :Alteration, argilic, kaolinite, Lari Mountain, XRD.

Introduction
Lari Mountain is located in Wangonjaya
Region, Pakenjeng Subdistrict, Garut District, West
Java Province. This location known as a part of the
epithermal low-intermediate sulphidation Arinem
Deposit with Au-Ag-base metal mineralization
(Yuningsih et al, 2012; Yuningsih & Matsueda,
2014). This mineralitzation was resulted from
Arinem and Bantarhuni veins with relatively

Figures 1. Map of West Java, red box showns the location of

study area

northwest southeast direction. The deposit is

situated at the southwest of Papandayan active
volcano.
The mineralization in southern part of West
Java is related with volcanic intrution which formed
in Oligocene Miocene. The lithology act as
mineralization host rock of the area is Oligocene
Middle Miocene volcanic rock of Jampang
Formation. The formation consis of andesitic tuff,
breccia, and lava. The younger Pliocene
Pleistocene volcanic rocks was covered this
formation (Alzwar, et al., 1992).

Fatoni Adyahya/ICG 2015

Figures 2. Geological map of Wangonjaya and Surrounding (modified after Tanssa, et al., 2014).
Location of Lari Mountain mark by yellow line circle.

Geology of Lari Mountain area consist of

lithologies from volcanic activity in Tersier such as
breccia, lava, tuff and others volcanic rocks. This
lithology is overlain by Plistocene Andesit Lava.
Then tuff and Andesit lava were intruded by
younger Dacite. (Tanssa et al., 2014).
Mineralization in Lari Mountain is unique,
because in this area were found vuggy silica which
commonly formed in epithermal high sulphidation
system. The aim of this study is to characterized of
lithology and alteration types in the area. The type
of the alteration were determined according to the
alteration minerals assemblage which found in the
rock samples. This research will determine the
characteristics of Lari Mountain comparing to other
region in Arinem Deposit.

Analytical Method
Petrology is describing rock in macroscopic or
hand specimen condition, it is cheap and useful for
preleminary classification and often give other
information, for more detailed description the next
methode is Petrography. Petrography is a branch of
petrology that focuses on detailed descriptions of
rocks, the mineral content and the textural
realationship within the rock are described in detail
under microscope.
Detailed analysis of minerals was conducted by
optical mineralogy in thin section. Optical
mineralogy of every minerals is characteristic and
most of mineral can be identified under a

Fatoni Adyahya/ICG 2015

microscopes, but it is very difficult to identifiy finer

grained minerals such as clay minerals. To identify
this clay minerals, X-Ray Diffraction has been used.

indentified using these petrology, XRD and PIMA

analyses.

The samples was collected in outcrop of the

research area. Total of three samples were prepared
with thin sections and one sample with polished
section for microscopic observation. An additonal 2
samples (R8 and R9) were analyzed by XRD (XRay Diffraction) and PIMA (Portable Infrared

Results
Macroscopic
Dacite as shown in hand specimen of R25 and
R28 (Figure 3a and 3b) have light grey colour,
porphyritic texture with fine grained groundmass,
the degree of crystallization is hypocrystalline,

Figures 3. Photo of Hand Specimen samples in R25 (a) and R28 (b). Both samples has light grey colour, in R25 showing a few and
small vugs. (c) Under microscope in transmitted light showing phenocryst of quartz in fine grained groundmass, rocks already
strongly intense altered it showed by replacement of feldspar to secondary quartz and kaolinite. (d) R28 in transmitted light
photomicrographs showing the occurences of vugs textures.

Mineral Analyzer) for clay mineral identification.

Thin and polished sections analyses were using
microscope in Laboratory of Petrology-Mineralogy
UNPAD, for XRD and PIMA analysis conducted at
the Laboratory of Geological Resources Centre
(PSDG). Determination of alteration then could be

dominantly
by
subhedral
crystal shapes,
inequigranular textures, this samples composed of
quartz and plagioclase, hardness of this rock is very
hard due sillification alteration, a few vugs found in
samples.
Microscopic

Fatoni Adyahya/ICG 2015

Under microscope R25 shown dark grey colour,

porphyritic texture with fine grained groundmass,
quartz occured as phenocryst in microcrystalline
groundmass, the degree of crystallization is
hypocrystalline,
subhedral
crystal
shapes,
inequigranular textures, this samples has been
altered by secondary quartz and kaolinite which may
replace feldspars, even this samples has been altered
but the original textures still can be identified.
Based on classification of igneous rocks by Travis
(1955) the name of this rocks is Porphyry Dacite.
(Figure 3c and d).
In samples number 09, alteration has been very
intense, all of the feldspar replaced by secondary
quartz. It can be shown in macroscopic with white
colour and some vuggy silica occurs in samples.

Discussions
Petrograpic observation indicate alteration
minerals in Lari Mountain are quartz and kaolinite.
Ore minerals can be observed is pyrite. Secondary
quartz and kaolinite may occurs in dacite by
replacing feldspars, the presence of kaolinite
mineral can be shown by result of XRD analyses.
Kaolinite has indicate if this alteration is
formed at a pH of around 3-4 (Thompson, 1996).
Kaolinite is formed at shallow depths under low
temperature conditions (<150-200o C), Halloysite
occurs mainly as a supergene weathering product.
(Corbett and leach, 1997). Montmorillonite may
occur as alteration of glasses contained in rocks, it
may be produced at 150o C.
Vuggy quartz alteration forms by reaction of
extremely low-pH aquaeous fluid or vapours with
rocks. It is can indicate if the alteration were
occured in acidic condition.

Figures 4. Polished Section photomicrograph of pyrite in R25

In polished section, the ore minerals can be

identified is pyrite, this mineral is fine grained,
withgranular textures and yellow in colour and
subhedral anhedral crystal shape.
X-Ray Diffraction
XRD analyses result of R8 and R9 location
indicated the presence of quartz, kaolinite, halloysite
and montmorillonite (Figure 5).

Figures 5. Graphic from XRD Analyses in R8 Samples showing

the presence of quartz, kaolinite, and montmorillonite

To be able to determine type of alteration in

Lari Mountain, assemblages of alteration minerals
with some key minerals can determine which type
of alteration in this area. Quartz (vuggy quartz)kaolinite-halloysite-montmorillinite-pyrite
indicate
if Lari mountain alteration type is Argilic. This type
of alteration is epithermal sulphidation, but there is
still some doubts this system high or low
sulphidation epithermal. Because Kaolin group
formed in environment 3-4 pH, a key mineral
alteration like alunite group need to found to be able
make sure which environment this system.

Conclusions
Lari mountain is formed by Porphyry Dacite
which intruded older volcanic rocks. Type of
alteration found in Lari mountain is Argillic. Vuggy
quartz texture and kaolin group indicate if deposit
characteristic formed in acidic condition (3-4 pH),
but it is not acid enough know to be able conlude as
High Sulphidation Epitermal. Lari mountain is an
intersting thing when compare to Arinem Deposit
where charactertistic deposit is epithermal lowintermediate
sulphidation,
it
has
similar

Fatoni Adyahya/ICG 2015

characteristic such as an abundant of kaolinite group

it both areas.

Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank Antam Tbk for
support access to data and samples during the fieuld
investigation, and especially for data from Mr. Reqy
Tradyla Tanssa.

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