GRASBERG CU-AU DEPOSIT

PAPUA, INDONESIA
DM_2239
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P.O. Box 1027, ARVADA, COLORADO 80001 USA 303
403 8383 pusa@rmi.net www.specmin.com

CONTENTS

Location

Brief History of the Deposit

Geology
Description
Maps
Alteration

Spectroscopy Section
Summary of mineralogy - chart
Summary plots
Picture of plate
Summary from plate
Cartoon of deposit from plate
Individual plots
References

Appendices

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DM

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LOCATION MAPS

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ALTERATION TYPES
(see references following)

two stages of anomalous advanced argillic alteration are localized within the
Dalam that appear to be associated with gold concentrations exceeding 9 g/t
a pyrophyllite-kaolinite-(sericite-amorphous clay) - quartz mineral
assemblage with associated sulfide phases of pyrite (marcasite)-covellite-
enargite,

The figure plots kaolinite, pyrophyllite, muscovite and quartz.

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followed by (II) a dickite-(illite)-quartz mineral assemblage with associated
sulfide phases of massive pyrite and trace chalcopyrite-bornite

The Figure plots dickite, illite and quartz.

The 1 km-wide core of the deposit is dominated by biotite + magnetite with an

inner ~ 500 m-wide subzone containing andalusite.

Andalusite

Biotite
Magnetite

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The exterior annular zone, ~ 500 m across, is dominated by sericite + anhydrite
+ pyrite with small amounts of kaolinite.

Pockets of rock contain epidote with chlorite in the distal portions of the GIC.

Fe-Chlorite
Epidote

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Two distinct types of alteration affect the rocks of the Grasberg that show
consistent spatial arrangements throughout the deposit. The very center of the
deposit is relatively unaltered but surrounded by an alteration type which consists
of pervasive magnetite+biotite+K-spar.

These spectra are selected biotites from the potassic alteration zone around the
core.

All of the samples

contain minor illite
(blue arrow) .

They can also contain

chlorite, some of
which is found on
fracture surfaces and
some of which is an
alteration product of
the biotite. All of the
samples contain minor
illite (blue arrow) .

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Towards the margins of the complex, an alteration assemblage dominated by
quartz+sericite becomes increasingly well-developed and overprints K-silicate
alteration.

The following spectra are examples of the QS alteration.

There is minor chlorite in the first two samples as shown by a slight bulge flagged
by the green line. The profile of the water feature in the 1900nm region indicates
the presence of some interlayer smectite created through ground water
weathering and overprinting.

These expressions of alteration are interpreted to be similar to or variations of the

K-silicate and phyllic alteration styles described in other porphyries.

Other frequently recognized alteration types noted in similar deposits, such as

propylitic and advanced argillic alteration, are largely absent but may have
been better-developed in the eroded or excavated portions of the complex.

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TO SUMMARIZE:
Core
Biotite, chlorite

Exterior Zone
Sericite, kaolinite, anhydrite

Anomalous Advanced Argillc in the Dalam

Pyrophyllite, kaolinte, sericite, clay"
dickite, illite, quartz

Late Kali
Hornblende, Pyroxene,

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These samples were collected from DM Plate 2239.
Filename D M Smpl # ext Chl Biot Ill Kaol Description

Gras2239
Gras2239 1 .001 2322 2204 Ore sample; cream light grey #1 ore
8 .002 2323 2204 Grey brown, fine grained #8 K-silicate alt
10 .003 tr 2328 x Grey brown, fine grained #10 K-silicate alt biotite
11 .004 tr 2328 2202 Dark grey #11 trachyandesite tuff an d bxa
12 .005 tr 2196 White cream #12 sericite-anhydrite overprint
13 .006 2197 White cream #13 sericite-anhydrite overprint
15 .007 2334 Light grey green porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm
16 .008 tr 2325 tr Light to dark grey porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm
17 .009 ? 2324 2204 tr Light grey porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm
18 .010 2328 2201 Mixed dark to light grey brown breccia #3 bxa propylitic
19 .011 2326 2201 Light grey breccia #3 bxa propylitic
19 .012 2325 2200 Light grey breccia #3 bxa propylitic

Figure plots Fe-chlorite, biotite, illite and kaolinite.

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SHOW cartoon of deposit
Filename D M Smpl # ext Chl Biot Ill Kaol Description

Gras2239
Gras2239 1 .001 2322 2204 Ore sample; cream light grey #1 ore
8 .002 2323 2204 Grey brown, fine grained #8 K-silicate alt
10 .003 tr 2328 x Grey brown, fine grained #10 K-silicate alt biotite
11 .004 tr 2328 2202 Dark grey #11 trachyandesite tuff an d bxa
12 .005 tr 2196 White cream #12 sericite-anhydrite overprint
13 .006 2197 White cream #13 sericite-anhydrite overprint
15 .007 2334 Light grey green porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm
16 .008 tr 2325 tr Light to dark grey porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm
17 .009 ? 2324 2204 tr Light grey porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm
18 .010 2328 2201 Mixed dark to light grey brown breccia #3 bxa propylitic
19 .011 2326 2201 Light grey breccia #3 bxa propylitic
19 .012 2325 2200 Light grey breccia #3 bxa propylitic

11

8
8

12
12

16

19
19

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BIOTITE Samples

This sample contains biotite and a small amount of illite (blue arrow).

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SAMPLE Gras2239.001 Ore sample; cream light grey

Plots the sample against references for illite and biotite.

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SAMPLE Gras2239.002

This is a combination of illite and chlorite with biotite. It is from the K-silicate
alteration area.

The expanded plot shows the chlorite and biotite references.

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SAMPLE 2239.003 #10 K-silicate alteration

Biotite, some minor chlorite and illite

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Sample 2239.004, .005, .006 #11, #12, #13 ARGILLIZEDVOLCANICS
OVERPRINTED WITH SERICITE-ANHYDRITE ALTERATION

These samples show biotite, minor chlorite and illite.

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D M Smpl # ext Chl Biot Ill Smec Musc Kaol Jaro Goeth Haem Description
15 .007 2334 Light grey green porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm
16 .008 tr 2325 tr Light to dark grey porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm
17 .009 ? 2324 2204 tr Light grey porphyry #14-#17 quartz monzodiorite dike swarm

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DM Samples 18 and 19 propylitic alteration?

These are biotites and illite. References are plotted in red.

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BIOTITE MIXTURES
References are in red
2239.047 illite/biotite mix

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http://www.portergeo.com.au/publishing/superporphyry/Abstract95sp.asp

Grasberg Cu-Au Deposit, Papua, Indonesia:

1. Magmatic History.
by
John Paterson, Mark Cloos, Department of Geological Sciences, University of
Texas at Austin, USA.
in - Porter, T.M. (Ed), 2005 - Super Porphyry Copper & Gold Deposits - A Global
Perspective; PGC Publishing, Adelaide, in press.

ABSTRACT
The Grasberg Igneous Complex which formed at ~3 Ma is host to one of the
largest copper and gold porphyry-type ore deposits discovered on Earth. This
study focuses on the magmatic characteristics of the three main phases of
intrusion at the level of the open pit mine: the Dalam, subdivided into the Dalam
Andesite, Dalam Volcanic and Dalam Fragmental, the Main Grasberg Intrusion
(MGI), and the Kali (Early and Late). A sample suite consisting of 225 polished
slabs and thin sections shows all units contain plagioclase and biotite as the
overwhelmingly dominant phenocryst phases. The Dalam Andesite, MGI and
Late Kali contain(ed) hornblende as well. The Late Kali and the MGI also
contained minor amounts of clinopyroxene. Apatite is ubiquitous as a trace
phase. Magmatic magnetite is identifiable in the Late Kali. The magmatic
groundmass in the Kali, MGI, and Dalam Andesite was potassium feldspar, albitic
plagioclase, quartz and biotite. A similar groundmass assemblage probably
existed in the other Dalam phase rocks, but hydrothermal alteration caused
complete replacement. The phenocryst assemblages record no profound
changes in magma chemistry over time, but it is probable that the parent
chamber was recharged at least twice, and probably several times.

The porphyritic Dalam Andesite, comparatively equigranular MGI, and porphyritic

Kali units are texturally distinct. The Dalam Volcanic and Dalam Fragmental units
are, respectively, polymict and monomict matrix-supported breccias, typically
containing 5 to 10%, but locally up to 30% clasts. Broken phenocrysts are
common in the Dalam phase rocks. Dalam phase magmas only became volatile-
saturated and explosive when intruded to near the surface. The monomict
fragmental unit formed near the center and the polymict volcanic unit along the
edges. The geologic setting is interpreted to be a maar caldera. The MGI
passively intruded as a cone shaped plug into the still hot core of the Dalam. The
volumetrically minor Early Kali appears to be a small plug into the center of the
MGI whereas the Late Kali is a large wedge-shaped dike that cuts all units.

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Graham S., Pearson N., Jackson S., Griffin W., and S.Y. O'Reilly, 2004, Tracing
Cu and Fe from source to porphyry: in situ determination of Cu and
Fe isotope ratios in sulfides from the Grasberg Cu-Au deposit.
Chemical Geology, 207, 147-169
Porphyry copper-gold deposits of the south-west Pacific; Andrew R L - 1995;
Mining Engineering, Jan 1995, pp 33-38, plus references.
Sketch plans showing the location and reserves of the main Cu & Au
prospects and mines in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines,
Malaysia and Burma; from Tyrwhitt D, 1996, and Indochina Goldfields,
1996.
Geology and mineralisation of the Grasberg porphyry copper-gold deposit,
Irian Jaya, Indonesia; van Nort S D, Atwood G W, Collinson T B, Flint D
C, Potter D R - 1991, Min Eng, v43, pp 300-303.
Geological and geochemical zoning of the Grasberg Igneous Complex,
Irian Jaya, Indonesia; MacDonald G D, Arnold L C - 1994, Jour.
Geochem. Expl., v50, pp 143-179.
What makes Grasberg anomalous, implications for future exploration;
Potter D R, 1996 - in Porphyry Related Copper and Gold Deposits of the
Asia Pacific Region, Conf Proc, Cairns, 12-13 Aug, 1996, AMF, Adelaide,
pp 10.1-10.13.
Mathur, Ryan; Ruiz, Joaquin; Titley, Spencer; Gibbins, Stacie; and Margotomo,
Widodo, 2000, Different crustal sources for Au-rich and Au-poor ores of
the Grasberg Cu-Au porphyry deposit: Earth and Planetary Science
Letters, v. 183, p.7-14.
Friehauf, K., Soebari, L., and Titley, S., 2000, Porphyry style mineralization in the
Ertsberg Diorite, Gunung Bijih (Ertsberg/Grasberg) district, Irian Jaya,
Indonesia, in, Proceedings of Freeport-Insitut Teknologi Bandung,
Indonesia (ITB) Geological Symposium, July, p.26-31.
http://www.westpapua.net/cases/enviro/freeport/freeport2.htm

http://www.westpapua.net/cases/enviro/freeport/freeport2.htm

http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content-nw/full/32/9/761/F02

Van Nort, S.D., Atwood, G.W., Collinson, T.B., Flint, D.C. and Potter, D.R.,
(1991) Geology and mineralization of the Grasberg porphyry copper-gold
deposit, Irian Jaya, Indonesia: Mining Engineering 43, 300-303.
Taylor, D. and van Leeuwen, T. (1980) Porphyry-Type Deposits in Southeast
Asia. Mining Geol. Spec. Issue, 8, 95-116.
Sillitoe, R.H. (1993) Gold-rich porphyry copper deposits: Geological model and
exploration implications, in Kirkham, R.V. Sinclair, W.D., Thorpe, R.I. and
Duke, J.M., eds., Mineral exploration modeling: Geological Association of
Canada Special Paper, v. 40, 465-478. Sillitoe, R.H. (1994) Erosion and
collapse of volcanoes; Causes of telescoping in intrusion-centred ore
deposits: Geology 22, 945-948.

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Lambert, Cori A. 2000 Subsurface meso-scale structural geology of the Kucing
Liar and Amole Drifts and petrology of the heavy sulfide zone, South
Grasberg Igneous Complex, Irian Jaya, M.Sc. Thesis, Department of
Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin.
Meinert, L.D., Hefton, K.K., Mayes, D. and Tasiran, I. (1997) Geology, zonation,
and fluid evolution of the Big Gossan Cu-Au skarn deposit, Ertsberg
district, Iriyan Jaya. Econ. Geology, 92, 509-526.
Carlile, J.C. and Mitchell, A.H.G. (1994) Magmatic arcs and associated gold and
copper mineralization in Indonesia, Jour. Geochem. Explor. 50, 91-142.
Carten, R.B., White, W.H. and Stein, H.J. (1993) High-grade Granite-
elated Molybdenum Systems: Classification and Origin, in Kirkham, R.V.,
Sinclair, W.D., Thorpe, R.I. and Duke, J.M., eds., Mineral Deposit
Modeling: Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper 40, 521-554.
http://www.e-sga.org/news7/art1.html
Copper and Gold Exploration in Southeast Asia, Craig A. Feebrey , Metal Mining
Agency of Japan, Tokiwa Bldg., 1-24-14, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
105, Japan
http://www.papuaweb.org/dlib/s123/lambert/_rk.html
Lambert, Cori A. 2000 Subsurface meso-scale structural geology of the Kucing
Liar and Amole Drifts and petrology of the heavy sulfide zone, South
Grasberg Igneous Complex, Irian Jaya, M.Sc. Thesis, Department of
Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin.
Gibbins, S.L., 2000. Alteration in the Southwest Wall Rocks of the Grasberg Cu-
Au Porphyry Deposit. M.S. Thesis, Unpub.
Penniston-Dorland, Sarah C., 2001, in press, Illumination of vein quartz textures
in a porphyry copper ore deposit using scanned cathodoluminescence:
Grasberg Igneous Complex, Irian Jaya, Indonesia: American Mineralogist.
Penniston-Dorland, Sarah C., 1997, Veins and alteration envelopes in the
Grasberg Igneous Complex, Gunung Bijih (Ertsberg) District, Irian Jaya,
Indonesia: M.S. thesis, The University of Texas at Austin, 402 p.
Penniston-Dorland, Sarah C., 1997, Scanned cathodoluminescence and
interpretation of textures in quartz veins of the Grasberg igneous complex,
Irian Jaya, Indonesia: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with
Programs, v. 28, no. 1, p. 58.
Penniston-Dorland, Sarah C., 1997, Scanned cathodoluminescence of quartz
and interpretation of textures in quartz-sulfide veins in the Grasberg
Igneous Complex, a porphyry copper ore deposit: Geological Society of
America, Abstracts with Programs, v. 29, no. 6, p. 61.
Penniston-Dorland, Sarah C. and Cloos, Mark, 1996, Veins and associated
alteration halos in the Grasberg Igneous Complex, Irian Jaya, Indonesia:
Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, v. 28, no. 7, p.
334.
Cloos, Mark, Sapiie, Benyamin, and Penniston-Dorland, Sarah C., 1995,
Formation of the Grasberg Cu-Au orebody, Irian Jaya, Indonesia: Strike-
slip faulting, cupolas, and bubbling magma chambers, v. 27, no. 6, p. 65-
66.

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Porphyry-Style Mineralization in the Ertsberg Diorite, Gunung Bijih

(Grasberg) District, West Papua
Friehauf, Kurt C., Dept. of Physical Sciences, Kutztown University, Kutztown PA
19530, Soebari, Lasito, PT Freeport Indonesia, P.O. Box 51777, New Orleans,
LA 70151-1777, and Titley, Spencer, Dept. of Geosciences, University of Arizona,
Tucson AZ 85721. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Reno,
NV, November 14-16, 2000, v. 32, no. x, p. Axx.

Newly-recognized porphyry-style mineralization within the Ertsberg diorite

displays significant differences from porphyry mineralization at Grasberg.
Ertsberg porphyry-style mineralization is spatially associated with 5-15 m wide E-
striking dikes of porphyritic diorite that cut equigranular Ertsberg diorite. The
porphyry contains phenocrysts of 1.5-3 mm plagioclase, 1-3 mm hornblende,
and 1.5 mm biotite set in an aplitic groundmass. Hornblende abundance greater
than biotite, the much greater abundance of sphene, a paucity of broken
phenocrysts, and the aplitic groundmass distinguish the porphyry from the finer-
grained groundmass Kali dikes of the Grasberg deposit.

Feldspar-stable mineralization pre-dates the Ertsberg porphyry dikes, but

feldspar-destructive alteration post-dates the porphyry. Hairline bornite veinlets
and zones of pervasive shreddy biotite alteration of hornblende cut equigranular
diorite, but not adjacent porphyry. The margins of the porphyry dikes are
commonly altered to garnet-bearing endoskarn. Bornite-anhydrite-quartz
veinlets have magnetite-bearing halos where they cut endoskarn and quartz-
green sericite selvages in diorite. Quartz-sericite-pyrite ± chalcopyrite veins
follow a similar trend. Very late barren anhydrite veins crosscut all rock types.

Compared with rocks from the nearby Grasberg deposit, the Ertsberg porphyry
deposit's coarser grained groundmass of porphyritic phases, much weaker
development of hydrolytic alteration styles, absence of high sulfidation state
mineralization / advanced argillic alteration, and absence of breccias suggest the
Ertsberg porphyry deposit may have formed at a greater depth than the Grasberg
deposit. The calcic nature of the vein endoskarn in the porphyry suggests that
vertical fluid flow interacting with calcic limestones characteristic of the upper
part of the section may have dominated, rather than lateral fluid flow from the
nearby dolomitic carbonate wall rocks to the north where the highly magnesian
forsterite-monticellite skarns of the GBT/IOZ/DOZ deposit occur.
November 14-16, 2000 Kurt C. Friehauf

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http://faculty.kutztown.edu/friehauf/cv/abstracts/gsa-00b.htm

Unusual Advanced Argillic Alteration of the SW Rim of

the Grasberg Cu-Au Porphyry Deposit, Irian Jaya,
Indonesia
Gibbins, S. L., Titley, S., Mathur, R., Eastoe, C., University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
85721 Friehauf, K.C., Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA 19530 Geological
Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Reno, NV, November 14-16, 2000,
v. 32, no. x, p. Axx.

The Grasberg Cu-Au porphyry deposit in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, is one of the
largest Cu-Au deposits in the world, and manifests a range of alteration types
that extend from potassic to advanced argillic. Three intrusive stages form the
Grasberg Intrusive Complex (GIC): the early Dalam Fragmental and Diorite, the
Main Grasberg Intrusion and the late Kali Intrusion. These intrude intensely
deformed Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary units.

On the southwestern margin of the GIC two stages of anomalous advanced

argillic alteration are localized within the Dalam that appear to be
associated with gold concentrations exceeding 9 g/t. These stages of
alteration consist of: (I) a pyrophyllite-kaolinite-(sericite-amorphous clay)-
quartz mineral assemblage with associated sulfide phases of pyrite (marcasite)-
covellite-enargite, followed by (II) a dickite-(illite)-quartz mineral assemblage
with associated sulfide phases of massive pyrite and trace chalcopyrite-bornite.

Stage I is ubiquitous in the area studied, whilst stage II alteration occurs at the
contact zone between the GIC and the sedimentary wall rock. A Re/Os isotope
study of the mineralization associated with stages I and II indicate they contain
metals from different sources, allowing the inference that fluids responsible each
stage could also be different. The initial Os ratios for stage I mineralization
corresponds with values obtained from the 'typical' porphyry style mineralization
in the GIC. This allows interpretation that metal for the typical porphyry style
mineralization and stage I may have similar metal sources. The range of initial
Os ratios from stage II mineralization allows interpretation that the fluids
responsible for this event scavenged metals from a non-magmatic source,
possibly the subjacent Proterozoic and Phanerozoic section.
Preliminary results from a sulfur isotope study are reported here. All of the pyrite-
covellite samples from stage I and II show (34S values to range between 2.2 and
3.4 , suggestive of a magmatic source for sulfur, with the exception of one
covellite-marcasite sample from stage I with (34S between 9.3 to -20.3 . This
sample allows interpretation of a sedimentary origin for the sulfur.
November 14-16, 2000 Kurt C. Friehauf

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Grasberg
2004 Denver Annual Meeting (November 7–10, 2004) GSA wednesday
Paper No. 222-4
Presentation Time: 2:15 PM-2:30 PM
GRASBERG PORPHYRY CU-AU DEPOSIT, PAPUA, INDONESIA: PERVASIVE
HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION
CLOOS, Mark and PATERSON, John T., Department of Geological Sciences,
Univ of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, cloos@mail.utexas.edu

The Grasberg Igneous Complex (GIC) is host to one of the largest copper and
gold porphyry-type ore deposits discovered on Earth. Much of the rock volume in
the GIC has been pervasively altered by the infiltration of hot, magmatic fluids. In
parts of the deposit, alteration destroyed all igneous phases. Petrography reveals
that two zones characterize almost the entire complex at the level of the open pit
mine.

The 1 km-wide core of the deposit is dominated by biotite + magnetite with an

inner ~ 500 m-wide subzone containing andalusite. The exterior annular zone, ~
500 m across, is dominated by sericite + anhydrite + pyrite with small amounts
of kaolinite.

Pockets of rock contain epidote with chlorite in the distal portions of the GIC.
The pattern of hydrothermal alteration indicates an intense episode of pervasive
fluid flow post-dated the Main Grasberg Intrusion and predated the Late Kali
Intrusion. The overall pattern indicates the interior was hot and acid-producing
and the exterior was cooler and acid-consuming. In the core of the GIC, the
precipitation of abundant magnetite caused outwards moving fluids to become
acidic. In the cooler, outer parts of the complex, these acidic fluids caused the
hydrolysis of plagioclase and other minerals into sericite.

The cooling of outwards flowing fluids also caused the hydrolysis of SO2 to H2S
and H2SO4 which, in turn, caused the precipitation of sulfide minerals and
anhydrite. The overprint of sericite + anhydrite + pyrite upon the biotite +
magnetite zone is limited in area and of minor intensity. Compared to most other
porphyry copper deposits, the pervasive infiltration of magmatic fluid ended
rather abruptly

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Harrison, Jeffrey S. 1999 Hydrothermal Alteration and Fluid Evolution of the
Grasberg Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit, Irian Jaya, Indonesia, M.Sc. Thesis,
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin.

© Jeffrey S. Harrison, 1999. Use of any part of this thesis for any purpose
must be acknowledged.

Abstract

The Grasberg is a gold-rich porphyry copper deposit located at the crest of the
Central Range of Irian Jaya and is the largest orebody of the prolific Ertsberg
District. The deposit is hosted within a nested suite of 3 Ma quartz monzonite to
quartz monzodiorite intrusions. Currently the units of the Grasberg are divided
into three groups of intrusions. From oldest to youngest, these are the Dalam, the
Main Grasberg Intrusion and the Kali.

The units are all porphyritic and very similar petrographically. To date, textural
criteria regarding the percentage and character of phenocryst phases serve as
the best manner to differentiate between units. Major-oxide and trace-element
analyses of the least altered samples available for each unit show strong genetic
ties between the rocks of the Grasberg and also document an evolution to
slightly more evolved/fractionated compositions with the increasingly younger
units.

Two distinct types of alteration affect the rocks of the Grasberg that show
consistent spatial arrangements throughout the deposit. The very center of the
deposit is relatively unaltered but surrounded by an alteration type which consists
of pervasive magnetite+biotite+K-spar. Towards the margins of the complex,
an alteration assemblage dominated by quartz+sericite becomes increasingly
well-developed and overprints K-silicate alteration. These expressions of
alteration are interpreted to be similar to or variations of the K-silicate and phyllic
alteration styles described in other porphyries. Other frequently recognized
alteration types noted in similar deposits, such as propylitic and advanced
argillic alteration, are largely absent but may have been better-developed in
the eroded or excavated portions of the complex.

The history of vein formation appears to have been closely related to the
development of alteration at Grasberg, as the paragenetically earliest vein
phases (magnetite+biotite) correspond with the earlier alteration assemblages
observed in the center of the deposit. Temporally late veins are strongly
associated with sericite-rich selvages suggesting that the conditions of late

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vein-forming fluids were similar to the fluid conditions responsible for the phyllic
alteration pervasive at the margins of the complex. If fluids responsible for vein
formation and the development of pervasive wall-rock alteration can be linked,
than mineralizing veins appear to occur temporally between the development of
the two alteration styles identified.

Alteration at Grasberg is arranged concentrically and symmetrically

around the youngest Kali intrusion. Note however that pervasive alteration
and high-grade Cu-Au mineralization are observed within the Kali near contacts
with other lithologies. Major-oxide and trace-element analyses of altered
samples, when compared to average unaltered compositions, generally show
that samples affected by K-silicate alteration are enriched in Fe 2 O 3 , MgO and
K 2 O, while SiO 2 concentrations were elevated overall within phyllic-altered
samples. The trace-element data generally mimicked trends observed in the
major-oxide data and secondary mineral abundance is believed to exert the
strongest control on compositions of altered samples. The exception to
secondary mineral abundance controlling the compositions of altered rocks is Na
2 O which likely reflects the relative preservation of plagioclase phenocrysts
rather than an alteration phase.

Based on the phase relations between alteration minerals and fluid inclusion
measurements in quartz veins associated with specific alteration types, the K-
silicate alteration preserved in the center of the complex appears to have been
the result of high temperature (>700°C), iron-rich oxidizing brines (~70 wt% NaCl
equiv.). The zonation observed within the K-silicate alteration at Grasberg, from
magnetite in the center of the deposit to biotite outwards, may have been
produced by a slightly less oxidizing fluid with decreased iron activity, perhaps
also at lower temperatures (~500°C), as suggested from fluid inclusion data.
Phyllic alteration appears to have been produced by fluids that were increasingly
cooler (200-500°C), less saline (~30-50 wt% NaCl equiv.), and more acidic.
Stable isotope measurements performed on mineral separates prepared to
represent major expressions of alteration suggest that Grasberg's hydrothermal
system was predominantly magmatic throughout the course of its development.

Ringkasan

* Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Indonesia belum tersedia.

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