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Abstract
This report contains a revised descriptive model of porphyry copper deposits (PCDs), the world's largest source (about 60 percent) and resource (about 65 percent) of copper and a major source of molybdenum, gold and silver. Despite relatively low grades (average 0.44 percent copper in 2008), PCDs have significant economic and societal impacts due to their large size (commonly hundreds of millions to billions of metric tons), long mine lives (decades), and high production rates (billions of kilograms of copper per year). The revised model describes the geotectonic setting of PCDs, and provides extensive regional- to deposit-scale descriptions and illustrations of geological, geochemical, geophysical, and geoenvironmental characteristics. Current genetic theories are reviewed and evaluated, knowledge gaps are identified, and a variety of exploration and assessment guides are presented. A summary is included for users seeking overviews of specific topics.
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Porphyry copper deposit model |
| Series title | Scientific Investigations Report |
| Series number | 2010-5070 |
| Chapter | B |
| DOI | 10.3133/sir20105070B |
| Year Published | 2010 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center, Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center |
| Description | xii, 169 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Report |
| Larger Work Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Larger Work Title | Mineral deposit models for resource assessment (Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5070) |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |