Breccia Formation in

Ore-Bearing
Hydrothermal Systems
by Alberto Lobo-Guerrero S.
Geologist, M.Sc. MinEx
Ph.D. Candidate
Economic Geology Research Institute
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002

CONTENTS
Introduction
Key References
World-Class Deposits associated with bxs
Deposits where I have studied bxs
What hydrothermal bxs are
Second boiling
Fracturing processes
Environments for hydrothermal bxn
Examples of mineralized bxs

No one sees
what he doesnt
know.
Goethe

1. HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Most hydrothermal metallic ore
deposits in magmatic arc and
rift environments are
genetically associated with
breccioid rocks.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
There is an
overlap of processes:
-intrusive
-volcanic
-hydrothermal

2. KEY REFERENCES
Vol 80 No. 6 of Economic Geology
Burnham, W., 1997, in Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore
Deposits, John Wiley & Sons
Laznicka, P., 1988, Breccias and Coarse Fragmentites
Petrology, Environments, Asociations, Ores, Elsevier.
Jbrak, M., 1997, Hydrothermal Breccias in Vein-Type Ore
Deposits: A Review of Mechanisms, Morphology and Size
Distribution, in Ore Geology Reviews, 12: 111-134.
Jbrak, M., 2002, Magmatic-Hydrothermal Breccias in
Proterozoic Cu-Au Fe-Oxide Deposits: Processes and
Exploration Significance, in Memoirs of IAGOD
Symposium, Windhoek.

3. BX-ASSOCIATED DEPOSITS
Olympic Dam, Australia (its own type, Cu, Au, REE, U)
El Teniente, Chile (porphyry Cu)
Yanacocha, Peru (high sulfidation epithermal, Au)
Llallagua, Bolivia (Sn, Ag)
Panguna, PNG (Cu in irregular breccia pipe)
Toquepala, Peru (Porphyry Cu, Mo)
Cripple Creek, USA (diss Au in breccia pipes and veins)
Kidston, Australia (breccia body, Au, Cu)

4. BRECCIAS STUDIED AT
USA
Cripple Creek (Au); Round Mountain (Au), McLaughlin (Au)
CHILE
Los Bronces-Rioblanco (Cu); El Teniente (Cu);
Candelaria (Cu,Au); Cerro Colorado (Cu);
Epithermal tourmaline breccia pipes (Au)
PERU
Yanacocha (Au); Julcani (Ag); Antapite (Au); High sulfidation
Cu-Au prospects, Bolivia-Peru border
COLOMBIA
Nevado del Ruiz (Au); Maar de San Diego (Au); Marmato (Au);
Natagaima-Rovira (Cu, Au); Payuco breccia pipes (Au)

Maar in the Colombian Andes

with significant gold disseminations
related to intrusive breccias.

Caldera lake in the same maar.

Northernmost volcano of Andean Cordillera.
Disseminated Au in breccias of volcanic edifice.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
wide variety of breccias
intimately related w/ one another
change radically when mapped in field
Field identification
important tool for
exploration geologist

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
part of:
-magmatic hydrothermal bxs
-hydromagmatic (hydro-volc) bxs
-phreatomagmatic bxs
-phreatic bxs

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Breccias

best host rocks for low-grade

hydrothermal ore deposits

occur at hydrothermal 2nd boiling point

mineralizing fluids precipitate after sudden P
produced by pressure relief during rock
explosive fragmentation

2nd BOILING
Hydrous minerals in magma: hornblende &
biotite
Solubility of H2O in shallow-seated melts is
strongly pressure dependent
Explosive decompression process
follows fracture failure
of magma chamber roof rocks

From Burnham, 1997

From Burnham, 1997

2nd BOILING
During 2nd boiling, a magma exsolves all of its
initial H2O content, except that left in hidrous
minerals.
Great increase in volume (may be over 50%)
Large energy output
8.4 x1010ergs/kg of magma!

2nd BOILING - ENERGY

enough to lift an equivalent mass
of magma 900 m
in absence of friction
> twice energy released at
Mt. St. Helens 1080 eruption
May lift 100-ton blocks >500m
(Bisbee, Arizona)

2nd BOILING
If explosion does not take place:
gasses form miarolitic cavities
If explosion does not reach surface:
brecciation & stockwork formation
If it reaches surface: volcanic eruption

2002 eruption of
Reventador volcano,
Ecuadorian Andes.
A fourth of the
energy released
by second boiling.

HYDROTHERMAL
BRECCIAS
Periods of explosive
boiling propagate
fractures in the
rock.
= open space for
breccias.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Any type of brecciation generates open
spaces
There is an inherent volume increase
(> V)
Explosive hydrothermal breccias
= prime candidates for
infiltration of hydroth. solutions

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS

HYDROTHERMAL
BRECCIAS

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Breccias = sponges
where mineralizing fluids
drop their charge of minerals
after being absorbed

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Hydrothermal bxs = recurrent in precious
metal deposits of hydrothermal origin
BRECCIA = clastic rock composed of
fragments held together by a matrix and
containing cavities filled by postbrecciation hydrothermal minerals.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
INTRUSIVE BXS. = heterogeneous mixture
of angular to rounded fragments in a matrix of
clastic material, which has been mobilized
and intruded into its present position along
pre-existing structures.
They generally display hydrothermal
alteration.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Fragments or fractured rock
become
progressively
milled with
increased
brecciation.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Matrix = fine rock material between fragments;
depending on degree of milling,
may grade into fragments.
Bxs may be matrix- or fragment-supported
Most of the mineralized component is
introduced as hydrothermal fluid
and occurs in the matrix
Mineral cement holds fragments & matrix
together

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Cavities develop during bx formation
-filled w/ hydrothermal minerals
including metallic mineralization
-constitute integral part of brecciation
& mineralization processes.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Bxs associated w/ porphyritic systems
form at greater depths
more likely generated by hydraulic
fracturing than by explosion
In P environments, Bx fragments tend
not to be displaced nor rotated.

From Jbrak, 1997

From Jbrak, 1997

From Jbrak, 1997

From Jbrak, 1997

JIGSAW BRECCIA
or mosaic breccia
(synonim)
that where fragments
can be fitted back
together by removal
of the matrix

JIGSAW BRECCIA
Made by fragments that fit together as a
result of
< expansion w/o significant rotation
reactive replacement along network of
fractures (also crackle breccia)
mechanical re-packing of angular
fragments

BRECCIA-STOCKWORK
stockworks = variety of jigsaw bxs
produced by reactive replacement
in crackle breccia..
Without exotic fragments

JIGSAW BRECCIA
have
-very little rotation
-very little fragment rounding
Matrix tends to be derived from local
comminuted material; mainly
composed of introduced
hydrothermal substances.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
maxim = Description of breccias must
be objective.
Descriptive terms + useful than
genetic ones to qualify bxs.
Especially true in preliminary field
mapping.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Hypotheses on genesis of a particular bx
should be kept in field notes and/or
reports.
Description should always be as
objective as possible, to allow for future
interpretations.

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS
Apply word by word the method of
multiple working hypotheses,
described by T.C. Chamberlin
CHAMBERLIN, TC [1897] The Method of the Multiple
Working Hypothesis, Journal of Geology, v. V, pp. 837-848,
reprinted in Mather, KF & Mason, SL, A Source Book in
Geology 1400-1900, Harvard University Press, Cambridge,
Massachussetts, pp. 604-812.

8. ENVIRONMENTS FOR BXS

Sorry, but no detailed description of
different geological environments where
breccias & related ore deposits form
Brief overview of main environments
-Granitoid-related
-Volcanic-related
-Alkaline rock-related

From Lasnicka, 1988

BRECCIAS
AND
ORE DEPOSITS
IN GRANITIC
ENVIRONMENTS

From Lasnicka, 1988

DIATREMES
AND DEBRIS
MOVEMENT
DURING
THEIR
LIFETIME

From Lasnicka, 1988

ANATOMY
OF A DIATREME
OR BRECCIA
PIPE

BRECCIAS AND ORE DEPOSITS

IN VOLCANIC ENVIRONMENTS

From Lasnicka, 1988

9. CASE STUDIES
EXAMPLES OF MINERALIZED BRECCIAS
MAGMATIC ARC ENVIRONMENT
A. High sulfidation mineralization case study
Northern Andes volcano*
B. Payuco epithermal breccias, Cauca district,
Colombia
RIFT ENVIRONMENT
C. FeOx Cu-Au breccias in Namibia
D. FeOx Cu-Au breccias in Zambia
Extra: Au-Mineralized Tourmaline Bxs, Copiapo, Chile

N Andes volcano*, Case Study

Active volcano in the northern Andes
Lateral explosion opened large window of
mineralized breccia pipes and epithermal
mineralization hosted by interlayered pyroclastics
and lavas
Au-rich high sulfidation epithermal deposit
Diatremes contain microcrystalline pyrite +Au

Northern Andes Volcano*

Lateral explosion opened large window

of mineralized breccia pipes & epithermal mineralization
hosted by interlayered pyroclastics & lavas

Aspects, exposed diatreme

Northern Andes Volcano*

Previous photo

Various diatremes within pyroclastic layer

Northern Andes Volcano*

Diatreme 1

Diatreme 2

Various diatremes within pyroclastic layer

Stockworks in pyroclastic sequences. 3-D stereoscopic image.

Goethite around fractures enhanced by weathering

Stockwork. Most of rock was clay altered

Moving out in same stockwork.

Stockworking over a diatreme. +4 discrete Au-mnzg events.

Northern Andes Volcano*

Moving out in same stwk. All surface here is mineralized.

Northern Andes Volcano*

Moving away still more.

1.6km vertical exposure.

Payuco Breccias, Case Study

Large district in Cauca valley, Colombian Andes
Miocene subvolcanic porphyritic rock intrudes
Cretaceous siliciclastic-calcareous sequence.
Porphyritic rocks are intensely clay-altered (white).
Tourmaline-rich breccia body (black) intrudes
porphyry and produces epithermal Au
mineralization.

Payuco breccias, Caldas, Colombia

Close-up of
previous photo

Detail of matrix composition

Matrix grades to flour

Intrusive aspects, Payuco breccia

Variation from
in situ rock jigsaw bx transported bx

Forced
inyection
of bxs
2

Breccia gradation - host rock

sheeted veins, bx, argillized porph.

Sampling
aspects in
hydrothermal
breccias
squares or
panels

From Lasnicka, 1988

BRECCIAS
IN ALKALINE
AND
CARBONATITIC
ENVIRONMENTS
-RIFTS-

FeOx-Cu-Au Bxs, Namibia

On-going part of Ph.D. research project in
granitoid rocks of Zambia and Namibia.
Diatremes emplaced in NeoProterozoic rift (?)
environments of northern Namibia.
Bxs cemented by massive magnetite.
Abundant sulfides. Possible large copper and gold
mineralization. Features similar to Olympic Dam.

BRECCIA PIPE
IN
CARBONATITIC
ENVIRONMENT
-RIFT (?)-

Polymictic hydrothermal bx
cemented by magnetite with
vugs after sulfides. Part of
a FeOx-Cu-Au mineralized
system. Namibia

Note roundness
(corrosion)
and haloes
of alteration

Polymictic hydrothermal bx
cemented by magnetite. From
FeOx-Cu-Au mineralized system.
Note concentric alteration.

Mineralized stockwork, sample L-736.

On-going Ph.D. project, Namibia.

Black hematite stockwork.

Sample L-669 from on-going project, Namibia

FeOx-Cu-Au Bxs in Zambia

On-going part of Ph.D. research project in
granitoid rocks of Zambia and Namibia.
Round-pebble polymictic hydrothermal bxs around
subvolcanic porphyritic intrusives. Sometimes
host to iron oxides with sulfides and copper-gold
mineralization.
Reactive emplacement of iron oxides and Bxs
cemented by massive magnetite/hematite.

ROUND-PEBBLE
HYDROTHERMAL
BRECCIAS ASSOCIATED
TO FeOx-Cu-Au
MINERALIZED SYSTEMS
MB-34 BOREHOLE, ZAMBIA

MULTIPLE BRECCIATION IN ROUND-PEBBLE

HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS ASSOCIATED
TO FeOx-Cu-Au MINERALIZED SYSTEMS
MB-34 BOREHOLE, ZAMBIA

PROGRESSIVE
HEMATITIZATION
IN ROUND-PEBBLE
HYDROTHERMAL
BX MB-34, ZAMBIA

Time for questions

Breccia Formation in
Ore-Bearing
Hydrothermal Systems
by Alberto Lobo-Guerrero S.
Geologist, M.Sc. MinEx
Ph.D. Candidate
Economic Geology Research Institute
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002