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Bucim, Buchim |
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Macedonia |
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Cu Au
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Super Porphyry Cu and Au
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IOCG Deposits - 70 papers
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All papers now Open Access.
Available as Full Text for direct download or on request. |
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The Bucim porphyry copper-gold deposit is located in the south-eastern Macedonia, some 130 km SE of the capital Skopje, and 13 km from the town of Radovis (#Location: 41° 40'N, 22° 22'E).
The regional geology of Macedonia has been divided into a series of NNW trending zones, related to the Alpine/Tethyan Orogeny and the collision of the European and Africa plates. The three main zones, from NE to SW are:
i). The Serbo-Macedonian Massif composed of Proterozoic, Cambrian and Palaeozoic rocks, comprising a lower complex of amphibolite facies mica-gneisses, mica-schists, amphibolite, quartzite, marble and migmatite; and an upper complex of greenschist facies volcano-sedimentary rocks, mainly chlorite-shales, chlorite-amphibolite, chlorite-sericite and quartz shales. The metamorphic rocks have been intruded by several phases of granitoid complexes, including Neogene (32 to 14 Ma) calc-alkaline volcano-intrusives complexes.
ii). The Varda Zone, the basement of which is composed of the Jurassic ophiolite (gabbro-peridotite) and metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary rocks, overlain by widespread Upper Cretaceous flysch. This zone is separated from the Serbo-Macedonian Massif to the east and the Pelagonian Massif to the west by deep-seated regional structures which have been the locus of Neogene calc-alkaline volcano-intrusives complexes. The Bucim deposit lies towards the eastern margin of this zone.
iii). The Pelagonian Massif comprises basal gneiss and mica-schist overlain by a mixed series of meta-sediments, represented by gneiss, schist, quartzite, marble and dolomite, locally intruded by granitoids and pegmatites.
Mineralisation at Buchim is associated with a number of small (around 200 m diameter) Miocene (27 to 24 Ma) quartz-latite porphyry stocks and associated latititic and andesitic volcanics, intruded into Precambrian amphibolite to granulite facies meta-sedimentary gneisses and meta-andesitic amphibolites.
Mineralisation occurs as disseminations and as a stockwork of sulphide stringers, veinlets and fracture coatings within both the porphyries and country rock gneisses. The ore mineral assemblage includes chalcopyrite, pyrite, native gold, bornite and covellite with chalcocite and native copper in the supergene oxide zone below a limonite cap.
The mineralisation is accompanied by potassic alteration, and a phyllic quartz-sericite phase which has been dated at 23 Ma.
Four separate orebodies have been defined, apparently controlled by the intersection of cross-cutting fault zones. The largest takes the form of a 500 m wide, inverted cone with a vertical extent of at least 250 m. Supergene enrichment is best developed over the smaller bodies.
In 1999 the open pit operation mined and milled 4 Mt of ore to yield 21 000 t of contained copper and 700 kgs of gold in concentrates from reserves and resources totalling 85 Mt @ 0.3% Cu, 0.35 g/t Au in the four discrete orebodies. Slowey (2005) quotes a resource of 150 Mt @ 0.3% Cu, 0.35 g/t Au. Production commenced in 1979.
The information in this summary is largely derived from the GIS/GEODE database
The most recent source geological information used to prepare this decription was dated: 2005.
This description is a summary from published sources, the chief of which are listed below.
© Copyright Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, storage or dissemination prohibited.
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Lehmann, S., Barcikowski, J., von Quadt, A., Gallhofer, D., Peytcheva, I., Heinrich, C.A. and Serafimovski, T., 2013 - Geochronology, geochemistry and isotope tracing of the Oligocene magmatism of the Buchim-Damjan-Borov Dol ore district: Implications for timing, duration and source of the magmatism: in Lithos v.180-181, pp. 216-233.
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Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd (PorterGeo) provides access to this database at no charge. It is largely based on scientific papers and reports in the public domain, and was current when the sources consulted were published. While PorterGeo endeavour to ensure the information was accurate at the time of compilation and subsequent updating, PorterGeo, its employees and servants: i). do not warrant, or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use of the information contained herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency, or otherwise; and ii). expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or conclusions contained herein.
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