Porphyry and Hydrothermal Cu-Au Deposits: A Global Perspective

Large and giant scale copper-porphyry and gold deposits of different genetic styles were discovered in the countries of Central Asia as a result of many years of intensive exploration. The most economically important deposits are the mesothermal Au and Cu-Au porphyry type, and tend to have distinctive geotectonic positions in volcanic-plutonic belts of active continental margins (Cu-Au porphyry), or to be related to collisional granitoids in passive continental margins (mesothermal Au). Giant and large scale deposits demonstrate particular geological settings of these mineralisation styles.
The paper outlines the more important deposits in the Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet union, particularly Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tadjikistan and Kirgizstan, including the porphyry Cu-Au deposits of Kal'makyr (with 20 Mt of contained Cu at grades of 0.5% Cu, 0.3 g/t Au), Kounrad (with 2 Mt of contained Cu at grades of 0.7% Cu), Aktogay-Aiderly (with 12.5 Mt of contained Cu at grades of 0.4% Cu) and the great gold deposits of the South Tien Shan, such as Muruntau (1000 Mt @ 3.5 to 4 g/t Au, -OR- 6000 t of Au at 2 g/t) and Kumtor (80 Mt @ 3.6 g/t Au) as well as Vasilkovskoye (with 350 t of Au at 4.5 g/t Au) further to the north, and many more.

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