An Overview of the World's Porphyry and Other Hydrothermal Copper & Gold Deposits and their Distribution
by
T M Porter, Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd., Adelaide, Australia.
in Porter, T.M. (Ed), 1998 - Porphyry and Hydrothermal Copper and Gold Deposits: A Global Perspective; PGC Publishing, Adelaide, pp 3-17.
ABSTRACT
Hydrothermal copper & gold deposits associated with felsic intrusives, particularly porphyry related and epithermal ores, are found in a series of extensive, narrow, linear metallogenic provinces throughout the world. These are predominantly associated with the great Mesozoic to Cainozoic orogenic belts. Major deposits however, are also found within Palaeozoic orogens, while a few are known from the Precambrian. The style and setting of these deposits is variable and diverse, although many common features emerge from a global comparison.
Contributions on major new discoveries, mines and lesser known important deposits from more remote locations make up this conference. They are equally divided among the four most important of the great orogenic belts that embrace porphyry and other hydrothermal Cu and Au deposits around the world, namely the Cordillera of the Americas, the Asia-Pacific, the Tethyan Belt and Central Asia.
This paper provides a global context to those contributions by discussing and comparing the distribution and characteristics of these orogenic belts and their mineral deposits, both geologically and geographically, including reserve/resource details for the major deposits in each. It also discusses the progress made this century in understanding the porphyry orebodies in particular, and the importance of comparing deposits from around the world to better understand the potential and possibilities for major new discoveries and developments.
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