Resistivity imaging over porphyry copper systems in the Red Mountain district, southwest Colorado, USA

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Abstract

The Red Mountain district in southwestern Colorado produced base and precious metals hosted in breccia pipes and vein structures related to an extensive lithocap that overlies pervasive quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration. A helicopter-borne time-domain electromagnetic survey flown over the district yielded resistivity values that range from tens to thousand or more ohm-m, with lesser resistivity values in the lithocap and greater resistivity values in the rocks with propylitic alteration. A 60 m-thick, low resistivity zone subparallel to topography characterizes the magmatic-hydrothermal breccia pipes. A broad zone of low resistivity that may envelope epithermal deposits spans multiple flight lines and occurs beneath rocks with argillic alteration. A 50 m-thick low resistivity zone occurs beneath quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration and may indicate porphyry deposit at depth.

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Publication type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Title Resistivity imaging over porphyry copper systems in the Red Mountain district, southwest Colorado, USA
Volume 3
Year Published 2023
Language English
Publisher Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits
Contributing office(s) Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Description 4 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Conference publication
Larger Work Title Proceedings of the 17th SGA biennial meeting
First page 343
Last page 346
Conference Title 17th Biennial SGA Meeting
Conference Location Zurich, Switzerland
Conference Date August 28 - September 1, 2023
Country United States
State Colorado
Other Geospatial Red Mountain district, Silverton caldera
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