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GoldGold andand CopperCopper DisseminationDisseminationin in
thethe IgneousIgneous--VolcanicVolcanic
SaldaSaldaa a FormationFormation, Colombia, Colombiaandand
ExtensionExtension ofof thethe Mineral Mineral ProvinceProvince
in in thethe AndeanAndean CordilleraCordillera
Prepared by:Prepared by:Alberto LoboAlberto Lobo--Guerrero
S.Guerrero S.GeologistGeologist, , M.ScM.Sc., ., MinExMinEx
EconomicEconomic GeologyGeology ResearchResearch
InstituteInstituteUniversityUniversity ofof thethe
WitwatersrandWitwatersrand
JohannesburgJohannesburg, , SouthSouth AfricaAfrica, , JuneJune,
2003, 2003
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CONTENTS
Introduction Saldaa Formation
LocationDescriptionLithologyPetrographyExtensionEnvironment of
EmplacementStructural Geology
MineralizationTypes KnownPotentialProspects
Extension of ProvinceIn Colombian AndesPerij ChainIn Andean
CordilleraInto Mexico
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INTRODUCTION-1
Saldaa region constitutes
one of the best exploration targets
for large-tonnage Au + Cu disseminationsin Colombian Andes,
South America
Saldaa Formation =Jurassic hypabissal + volcanic rocks
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INTRODUCTION-2
Aulacogen extends throughout the Andes
from Venezuela into Argentina
Mineralization known all along
conformscontinent-wide metallogenic province
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INTRODUCTION
SALDAA FORMATION-1
Natagaima region =isolated stretch of Colombian Central
Cordillera
complex vulcano-sedimentarysequence of faulted blocks
Saldaa Formation composed by:
tuffs, agglomerates, lava flows,continental + shallow marine
sedimentary rocks
+ small subvolcanic porphyritic bodies
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GENERALIZED LITHOLOGIC UNITS, NATAGAIMA, COLOMBIA
UNIT NAME AGE LITHOLOGY/ENVIRONMENT
RELATEDINTRUSIVES
MINERALIZATION
Volcaniclasticdeposits
Q Continental clastic andvolcanic deposits
Not exposed Au placers, exotic Cu
HondaFormation
TContinental shales,siltstones, sandstones,mudflows and volcanic
ash
T porphyriticstocks
Gypsum veinlets, exotic Cu
Cretaceous toTertiary
sedimentarysequence
K-T
Marine to continentalsiliciclastics:conglomerates,sandstones,
shales,limestones
None known
Au placers, Paleoplacers(Gualanday Fm.)Exotic Cu
SaldaaFormation
JContinental volcanic rocks,sediments, shallow marinedeposits,
lava flows
J stocks,batholiths, dikes
+ sills
Low+high sulf. Epithermal Au veins;low sulfidation Au diss. in
stkwks;Au+Cu porph., Fe oxide-Cu-Au,Sediment-hosted Au,
gypsumveins, Mo-Cu porph.
PayandFormation J-TR
Limestones, sandstonesand shales
None known Sediment-hosted Au; Cu skarnAu veins + skarn,
Replacementdeposits
LuisaFormation
TRContinental red beds:conglomerates,sandstones and
shales,(evaporites)
Mafic smallbodies
Sediment hosted Au, Manto typePb-Zn, evaporites, Sediment-hosted
Cu, Sabkhas
TierradentroGneiss &Granulites
pEHigh grade metamorphicrocks (granulites andgneisses)
Pz stocksShear zones with Au,Mesothermal Au
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LOCATION
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INTRODUCTION
LOCATION
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Isolatedwedge ofColombianCentralCordillera
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SALDAA FORMATION-2
size of andesitic-daciticporphyritic bodies seldom >4km2
Most outcrops of intrusive rocks =apophysis of larger bodies
too small to map at 1:100,000 scale
porphyritic bodies composed bywell-formed plagioclase
phenocrystals
up to a few centimeters longthat occur in gray-green aphanitic
matrix
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SALDAA FORMATION-3
PETROGRAPHY
composition varies from tonalite togranodiorite and
quartzmonzonite
some rocks grade into diorite + basaltfew = syenitic
Numerous augite phenocrystals + abundantamygdules filled by
chalcedony, calcite, chlorite, epidote, zeolites and native Cu are
evident in the matrix
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GeneralizedGeologicalMap
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GeneralizedGeologicalMap
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SALDAA FORMATION-4
In t/ region of study, extends for 1200 km2
evidence of fertile intrusive rocks, hydrothermalalteration and
mineralization occur throughout
15,400 hectares within region have high potentialto host
disseminated Au associated with the upperportion of Cu-Au porphyry
systems
study area = approx.1/3 of total known Saldaa outcrops in
Colombian Andes
= 1/10 of similar age/composition rocks in country
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SALDAA FORMATION-5
ENVIRONMENT OF EMPLACEMENT
deposited in aborted rift basin
overlying Triassic continental red beds andcarbonate
platform
Jurassic subductionproduced magmatism + vulcanism
Unconformably overlain by thick pile of Cretaceous+ Tertiary
sediments
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INTRODUCTION
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SALDAA FORMATION-6
Mineral deposits = result of Jurassic, porphyriticforced
intrusions emplaced along weak zones oftuffs and other Saldaa
units
Repetitive intrusion == overprinting of hydrothermalalteration +
mineralization
Extensional faults run parallel to main branches ofaulacogen =
offered sites for fluid migration + mineral deposition
circular structures are not uncommon
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INTRODUCTION
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MINERALIZATION-1
Several types of mineralization are knownin region
world-class Au placersabundant sub-vertical high and low
sulphidation Au- & Cu-rich qtz veinsAg, Cu, barite,
fluorite, Sb, Fe +
gypsum deposits exploited at smallscale since pre-Columbian
times
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MINERALIZATION-2
Au + Cu diss. mineralization detected in:
-stockworks-breccioid qtz veins-individual porphyritic
bodies-hydrothermal bxs along contact
between intrusive + volcanic rocks
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MINERALIZATION-3
Region has significant potential forexploration of various
mineral deposit types
-high and low sulfidation epithermal Au-Au porphyry-Cu
porphyry-sediment-hosted Au
(so-called Carlin type)-Fe Oxide-Cu-Au-REE-exotic Cu
accumulations
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INTRODUCTION
MINERALIZATION-4
Primary Cu mineralization generally associated w/ local intense
sericitization and silicification
large portion of Saldaa Formation = covered by secondary Cu
minerals + epidote
Numerous gossans with high contents of free Auhave been
mapped
>22 zones of interest with potential large-tonnageAu + Cu
mineralization identified to date
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Zooming in on amineralized
stockwork
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Intense argillizationoverprints mineralizedstockwork
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MINERALIZATION-5
Few prospects have been studied in detail, mapped or explored
under moderntechniques.
Old, small-scale Au miners only workedrock deposits
>6gAu/tplacers >5gAu/m3
No disseminated deposits were sampledbefore 1990s
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EXTENSION INTOCOLOMBIAN ANDES
Geological environment and associated Auand Cu mineralization of
Saldaa Formation
extends thoughout Colombian Andes
from Guajira to Putumayo
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INTRODUCTION
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EXTENSION INTOANDEAN CORDILLERA
Saldaa Formation equivalentsextend furthermore
along Andean Cordillera
from Venezuela to Argentina
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Venezuela:Perij and Mrida
Argentina: Patagonia
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WORLD-CLASS DEPOSITS
occur in correlatives of Saldaa Formation
and fall within similar age spanin continent-wide metallogenic
province
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WORLD-CLASS DEPOSITS
COLOMBIAEl Silencio, Antioquia ~1500 ton AuAngostura, Santander
>700 ton AuSerrana de San Lucas, Bolvar >>500 tonAu
ECUADORNambija, Serrana del Cndor >300 ton AuSan Carlos, Sna
del Cndor >~5x10^6 ton Cu
ARGENTINACerro Vanguardia, Patagonia ~500 ton Au
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EXTENSION INTOANDEAN CORDILLERA
Serrana de Perij(stretches between
Colombia + Venezuela)
contains numerous,under-explored Au + Cu depositsassociated to
Saldaa-typeJurassic events
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EXTENSION INTOOTHER REGIONS
Part of this provinceextends into Mexico
Guerrero and Oaxaca terranes
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GoldGold andand CopperCopper DisseminationDisseminationin in
thethe IgneousIgneous--VolcanicVolcanic
SaldaSaldaa a FormationFormation, Colombia, Colombiaandand
ExtensionExtension ofof thethe Mineral Mineral ProvinceProvince
in in thethe AndeanAndean CordilleraCordillera
Prepared by:Prepared by:Alberto LoboAlberto Lobo--Guerrero
S.Guerrero S.GeologistGeologist, , M.ScM.Sc., ., MinExMinEx
EconomicEconomic GeologyGeology ResearchResearch
InstituteInstituteUniversityUniversity ofof thethe
WitwatersrandWitwatersrand
JohannesburgJohannesburg, , SouthSouth AfricaAfrica, , JuneJune,
2003, 2003