©2010 Society of Economic Geologists, Inc.

Economic Geology, v. 105, pp. 263–283

Skarn Alteration and Mineralization at Coroccohuayco, Tintaya District, Peru

KIERRAN C. MAHER†,*
Department of Geology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164

Abstract
Coroccohuayco is a porphyry-related copper skarn deposit in the Andahuaylas-Yauri batholith of southeast
Peru with little evidence for the presence of a significantly mineralized hydrothermal system at surface. The
deposit occupies the hinge zone of a synform, hosted by the Cretaceous Ferrobamba Formation. Hydrother-
mal alteration of the carbonate protolith produced skarn between the underlying hornfels-altered Mara For-
mation and an overlying preskarn sill-like diorite intrusion, with the main zone of mineralization generally
below 200 m from the surface. The spatial distribution of skarn was dominantly controlled by permeability vari-
ations in the carbonate protolith. The deposit consists of prograde garnet-dominant calc-silicate alteration with
mineralization of chalcopyrite-bornite ± chalcocite disseminated as grains in calc-silicates. Precious metal min-
eralization occurs as gold and silver minerals mostly associated with bornite-chalcocite mineralization dissem-
inated within more distal granular garnet alteration. Fluids were derived from the crystallization of several por-
phyry phases that intruded into an upper crustal level, possibly as a cupola above an underlying batholith. Fluid
inclusion data from garnet and pyroxene indicate that the prograde skarn alteration formed between 400º to
>600ºC from highly saline fluids. Data from quartz indicate that copper mineralization formed between 250º
to 400ºC, with magnetite deposition over the upper part of this range. Retrograde alteration is generally mag-
netite (+carbonate-silica) replacement of calc-silicates and is locally associated with copper mineralization.
Hydrous retrograde alteration, commonly observed in other copper skarn systems, is of lesser importance at
Coroccohuayco. This is likely related to the geochemical effects of the overlying diorite intrusion which could
have impeded the influx of oxidized meteoric waters into the system or buffered the composition of late-stage
fluids, as well as the oxidized Fe-rich character of the prograde skarn.

Introduction Ly, 1993). The prospect later became part of the Magma pur-
THE COPPER SKARN deposit at Coroccohuayco lies 7 km south- chase of Tintaya in 1996. In 1996 to 1999 a drilling program
east of the Tintaya open pit mine in the Tintaya district, was initiated by Magma and concluded by BHP Tintaya S.A.
Cusco Department, Peru (14° 57' 21" S, 71°15'17" W; Fig. 1). to define the orebody initially investigated by Mitsui in the
This deposit is one of several in the Andahuaylas-Yauri cop-
per belt, a late Eocene-Oligocene belt of igneous rock which 78°
extends for 350 km from Andahuaylas in the north to south- 0° 81°
Andahuaylas-Yauri Belt
east of Yauri (Noble et al., 1984; Perelló et al., 2003). Copper Columbia
Ecuador Andahuaylas
deposits in this belt are hosted by Eocene-Oligocene igneous Abancay Cusco
and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and include the Cu (+Au)
3°
porphyry and skarn deposits at Katanga, Charcas, and the Las Las Bambas
Bambas and Tintaya districts. Perelló et al. (2003) provided a Los Chancas
Katanga
range of K-Ar ages from biotite and hornblende of 30 to 40 Piura Tintaya
m.y. for intrusive rocks of the Andahuaylas-Yauri batholith. 6°
This general age range is contemporary with igneous activity
of the Eocene to early Oligocene volcanic arc in central Peru Coroccohuayco
(Noble et al., 1984) and magmatic activity related to large Trujillo 75° 72° 69°
Pe

porphyry copper deposits in northern Chile (e.g., Chuquica- 9° Brazil 9°

ru

mata, La Escondida; Clark et al., 1990). A thorough regional Huaraz

review of the tectonic context, structure, stratigraphy, petrog- Cerro
err
rro
r de Pasco
raphy, and mineralization of the Andahuaylas-Yauri belt has
been summarized by Perelló et al. (2003) and will not be re- 12° Lima 12°
Huancayo
nccayo
ayo
y
Bolivia

peated here. Other publications have outlined regional Abancay

stratigraphy, age constraints, and tectonic and structural as- Andahuaylas
Pa

Cusco
c

pects of the belt (Noble et al., 1984; De La Cruz B., 1995; Be-
ifi

15° 15°
cO

navides-Caceres, 1999; Jaillard et al., 2000). Coroccohuayco

ce

Coroccohuayco was initially discovered by geophysical re- Arequipa Puno

an

connaissance by Mitsui in 1974 which identified a magnetic Moquegua

anomaly in the southern part of the deposit (Bernstein and 18° Chile 18°

† E-mail, [email protected]
81° 78° 75° 72° 69°
*Present address: School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University FIG. 1. Map of Peru showing the location of Coroccohuayco in the An-
of New England, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia. dahuaylas-Yauri belt (from Maher and Larson, 2007).

Submitted: March 3, 2009

0361-0128/10/3872/263-21 263 Accepted: January 14, 2010
264 KIERRAN C. MAHER

1970s. This work identified a total resource of 155 million Age Formation m Description
metric tons (Mt) at 1.57 percent Cu, 0.16 g/t Au, and 6.3 g/t 50 Alluvial sediments
Ag (0.55% Cu cut-off; BHP Billiton, 2000). This modeled re- Quat
30 Glacial-fluvial seds
source ranks the resource at Coroccohuayco in the upper Plio- Yauri Lacustrine sediments
250
thirtieth percentile for grade and upper fiftieth for tonnage of cene
copper porphyry-related skarn deposits according to Singer {Andesite volcanic

Pleistocene
Casanuma 100

Pliocene-
flows and breccias

Baroso
Group
(1986). The major deposits in the Tintaya district, including Rhyolite and dacite
Huaycha 310
Coroccohuayco, are presently controlled by Xstrata Tintaya tuff and agglomerate
S.A.
This paper addresses characteristics of hydrothermal alter- Mafic dikes
ation of the igneous and sedimentary rocks, structural con-
Limestone
trols over alteration, and the significance of the alteration 300
Arcurquina
zonation in the carbonate protolith. Geochemistry of geneti- (Ferrobamba) to
Skarn
cally related igneous rocks, alteration mineralogy, and miner- 800
(mineralization host)
alization chemistry are presented as well as conditions of the

Lower Cretaceous
skarn forming and mineralizing fluids derived from fluid in-
Murco Siltstone, shale and
clusions in calc-silicate minerals and vein quartz. The impor- 480 sandstone (converted
(Mara)
tance of magnetite in retrograde alteration is also examined. to biotite hornfels)
Coroccohuayco is similar to other deposits in the Andahuay-
las-Yauri belt in its age, geologic context, and alteration style
and is therefore representative of a common exploration tar-
get in this region.

Yura Group
Hualhuani Sandstone

Monzonite
(Soraya) 1000 (quartzite)
Deposit Setting

Monzonite

Diorite
Coroccohuayco occurs at an elevation of 4,100 m in the al-

Diorite
tiplano of Peru. Surface outcrop is poorly exposed and the
majority of the deposit occurs below a depth of 200 m. As a
FIG. 2. Stratigraphic column of the Tintaya district, Peru. Skarn forms in
consequence, the present geologic investigation is based the Ferrobamba Formation. Adapted from De La Cruz (1995) and Zweng et
largely on drill core. The presence of a large hydrothermal al. (1997).
system is only weakly manifested at the surface through out-
crops of altered intrusive porphyries and small outcrops
(<500 m2) of oxidized garnet skarn and weathered massive Coroccohuayco, although elsewhere in the Tintaya district it
magnetite. The Pre-Quaternary outcrop at Coroccohuayco is an important host to vein-style mineralization (e.g.,
consists of mostly unaltered diorite which overlies the major- Quechuas; Perelló et al., 2003).
ity of the deposit. The most important ore host at Coroccohuayco is the Fer-
robamba Formation (regionally known as the Arqurquina
Stratigraphy Formation), which is also the principal host rock to mineral-
Regional stratigraphy in the Tintaya district includes, from ization at Tintaya and Las Bambas (Zweng et al., 1997;
oldest to youngest, Cretaceous clastic to carbonate sedimen- Perelló et al., 2003). The Ferrobamba Formation is Late Cre-
tary units, Tertiary diorite sills, and Eocene-Oligocene intru- taceous (De La Cruz B., 1995) and formed in a shallow back-
sive rocks of intermediate to felsic composition of the An- arc marine environment (Benavides-Caceres, 1999). At
dahuaylas-Yauri batholith (De La Cruz B., 1995). These rocks Coroccohuayco, the Ferrobamba Formation is a thick se-
are unconformably overlain by Cenozoic volcaniclastic, lacus- quence of generally clastic free, locally carbonaceous lime-
trine, alluvial, and glacial sedimentary rocks (Fig. 2). At stone with minor discontinuous lenses or beds of mudstone.
Coroccohuayco the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks consist of The lowest 20 to 30 m of the Ferrobamba Formation has a
fine-grained clastic and relatively pure carbonate rocks of the proportionately greater clastic component, but its contact
Mara and Ferrobamba Formations, respectively. with the underlying Mara Formation is compositionally
The Mara Formation (regionally referred to as the Murco abrupt and possibly disconformable. Bedding structure in the
Formation) comprises shale, siltstone, minor sandstone, and Ferrobamba Formation occurs as planar laminations and
minor rock gypsum and/or anhydrite in the Tintaya district. cross stratification with evidence for local soft-sediment de-
Drill intersections at Coroccohuayco show the Mara Forma- formation. Hornfels is less strongly developed in the thin dis-
tion to consist of mudstone with laterally discontinuous, continuous mudstone zones in the Ferrobamba Formation
lensoidal, sandy to silty beds of variable thickness, and up to than in the Mara Formation.
5 m of laterally discontinuous massive anhydrite and/or gyp-
sum near the Mara-Ferrobamba contact. The formation is Structural geology
metamorphosed to biotite hornfels or quartzite, depending The altiplano of southern Peru has been affected by tec-
on the local composition. Sedimentary bedding is preserved tonic stresses transmitted from the convergent boundary
in some areas, but the biotite hornfels is nonfissile and hard, since the deposition of the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks up
with a dark brown to greenish color. The Mara Formation is to the present. The largest scale structures in the Tintaya
nonreactive and does not host significant mineralization at district are generally gentle folds of large wavelength of

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 264

 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 265

probable Inca I deformation phase (Benavides-Caceres, systems of faults are present in the district. These fault sys-
1999; Espirilla R., 2004). The fold orientations mostly trend tems strike northwest, northeast, east, and north. This fault-
from northwest to southeast in the Tintaya district (Fig. 3). At ing is interpreted to have been produced during and since the
Coroccohuayco, drill core intercepts have documented the later Incaic deformation phases, and the regional intersec-
stratigraphic contact between the Mara and Ferrobamba For- tions of the northwest- and northeast-striking fault systems
mations and show it dipping toward the core of the fold at the controlled emplacement of separate monzonite cupolas
center of the deposit. As such, the contact is synformal in above an inferred large batholith at depth. Locally smaller
geometry (Fig. 4). Much of the mineralization and alteration scale and postskarn intrusions were emplaced following the
at Coroccohuayco occupies the hinge zone and limbs of this structural weakness produced by the east- and northeast -
syncline. striking fault systems. The east-striking fault system was im-
Faults at Coroccohuayco are largely inferred from drill in- portant in controlling postskarn mineralization at Tintaya (Es-
tersections due to the subdued topography and extensive pirilla R., 2004) and also possibly at Coroccohuayco. The
posthydrothermal cover rocks and glacial sediments. Due to earlier fault systems were likely reactivated by subsequent
the lack of oriented drill core the exact character of fault tectonic activity.
zones and their relative ages is uncertain. Structural analysis Small displacement faults at low angles-to-core axis are
by Espirilla R. (2004) at Tintaya indicates that four main common in all rock types at Coroccohuayco. Slickensides

FIG. 3. Generalized geologic map of the Tintaya district, Peru. Adapted from De La Cruz (1995) and Espirilla R. (2004).
Shown is the outline of the deposit at Coroccohuayco and the location of Figure 4 (mine section 1400) and Figure 5.

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 265

 266

Easting 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
13.7
14.5
15.3 15.8 16.1
16.9 17.7 18.1 18.9 19.7 MTC-7

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00
(20.7)20.9
4050 21.7 22.5

3950

?
3850

266
3750
KIERRAN C. MAHER

Elevation (m)
3650

0 20 40 60 80 100 m

Diorite / diorite endoskarn Monzonite M Relatively unaltered carbonate (Ferrobamba Fm) Garnet dominant alteration
Inferred fault
Monzonite B Latite Calc-silicate marble Magnetite with calc-silicates
Monzonite F, H, G (undifferentiated) Biotite hornfels (mostly Mara Fm) Pyroxene dominant alteration Massive magnetite

FIG. 4. Geologic cross section along mine section 1400 at Coroccohuayco, showing the location of drill hole traces (numbered above the ground surface). Note the
general layered nature of the skarn alteration in the Ferrobamba Formation which lies between the overlying massive diorite sill and the underlying biotite hornfels of
the Mara Formation.
 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 267

commonly record dip-slip movement, although oblique-slip deposit is texturally heterogeneous, including fine-grained
movement is also recognized. Many of the small displacement (“microdiorite”) to coarse, mafic-poor leucodiorite, and is
faults and argillized fault zones are postskarn and postminer- generally more coarsely crystalline than diorite at Tintaya. In
alization. Similar features at Tintaya are generally normal in some interceptions diorite abruptly transitions to plagioclase
their sense of displacement (Zweng et al., 1997). Late basaltic cummulate rock containing intercummulate hornblende. In-
andesite dikes were emplaced along these structures and have ternal contacts and apparent layering suggest that the diorite
a north-northeast to south -southwest strike orientation com- may be a series of stacked sills or differentiated magma bod-
parable to similar late mafic dikes at Tintaya (Espirilla R., ies resulting from crystal fractionation. Lateral continuity of
2004). Modeling based on drill core interceptions suggests thin diorite sills is particularly limited in the southern part of
the presence of a few large (>100-m vertical) offsetting struc- the deposit so hole to hole geologic correlation of this rock is
tures, based on the offset of the Mara-Ferrobamba contact unclear, and this area potentially represents a zone of irregu-
(Fig. 4) or by correlation of igneous dikes and sills (Fig. 5). lar interfingering of sills.
Most of these structures are interpreted to have a normal Similar to observations in the Tintaya deposit (Zweng et
sense of displacement. al., 1997; Fernandez B., 2002), various porphyritic rocks in-
trude earlier rocks at Coroccohuayco with at least seven
Igneous rocks mappable monzonitic subtypes, some of which are geneti-
Coroccohuayco records a polyphase intrusive history simi- cally related to skarn formation and/or mineralization. These
lar to that observed at Tintaya (Zweng et al., 1997) and other rocks are as yet undated but are inferred to be similar in age
porphyry-related intrusive centers (Gustafson and Hunt, to monzonitic rocks at Tintaya that yielded K-Ar ages of 33 to
1975; Lanier et al., 1978; Lang and Titley, 1998; Richards et 34 Ma (Noble et al., 1984). Porphyritic intrusions at Coroc-
al., 2001). Igneous rocks at Coroccohuayco are texturally and cohuayco are texturally and mineralogically similar to those
mineralogically similar to intrusive rocks observed at Tintaya at Tintaya and are mainly distinguished by lower quartz and
(Fernandez B., 2002). An early, composite dioritic phase pre- higher K-feldspar modes and a finer grained groundmass
sent throughout the Tintaya district intruded the sedimentary (Fig. 6). These intrusions have been subdivided by timing
package mainly as sills that were later intruded by monzonitic relative to skarn alteration into two main families referred to
dikes. as early synskarn monzonites A-B and late synskarn mon-
Diorite is volumetrically the most abundant igneous rock at zonites F-G-H. All early porphyries are termed “monzonite
Coroccohuayco and occurs as intrusive bodies up to 300 m porphyries” and are compositionally monzonite to granodior-
thick and overlies mineralized skarn zones in the Ferrobamba ite. Postskarn monzonitic rocks consist of the locally miner-
Formation (Figs. 4, 5). Major modal constituents are horn- alizing dike rock called monzonite porphyry M and a similar
blende, oscillatory zoned plagioclase, magnetite, and locally barren monzonitic rock referred to as “latite” for exploration
minor quartz and pyroxene (Table 1). The diorite in the purposes. Fernandez B. (2002) classified most skarn- and

OM OM OM OM OM OM 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600

42 45 40 32 24 39 16.2A 16.9* 15.7 * 16.5 16.1 16.1 16.9* 16.3

100 m

Mara Fm Diorite Monzonite M (post-skarn porphyry)

Inferred major fault
Ferrobamba Fm (marble) Monzonite (undifferentiated, endoskarn) Skarn

FIG. 5. Geologic section showing generalized geology and skarn alteration through Coroccohuayco parallel to the major
fold axes in the district (N23°W) at easting 16.3, from northing 1600 to 500 (approx 1 km). Not shown is approximately 100
m of the overlying diorite sill covering this part of the deposit up to the surface. Drill traces marked with * are projected onto
the section from 70 m; all others are within 50 m of the section.

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 267

 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Igneous Rocks from Coroccohuayco, Peru
268
Potassium
Phenocryst/ Plagioclase Hornblende Biotite feldspar Titanite
Timing Rock type matrix ratio (mode/size) (mode/size) (mode/size) (mode/size) (mode) Magnetite Matrix Alteration Mineralization

Preskarn Diorite Equigranular; 10−80% 20−90%; - - - 6−8%; w/ Minor late Kspar-albite veins ± Dissem born-cpy-
family fine to very subhedral ilmenite qtz (?) axinite (?); plag to magn-py; magn ±
coarse grained to poikilitic ep; pyroxene > garn born in ablite-ep-
endoskarn; hbl to calcite veins;
2nd amphi ± titanite; minor moly dis-

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00
zeolites sem in plag-px
endo; in places
>1.5% Cu

Early Monzonite 55−65/45−35 45−60% 6−8% 3−6% - to 2% to 3% Qtz>Kspar ? Minor potassic: hbl to Usually not min-
synskarn porphyry 2nd bio, minor qtz- eralized by may
A-B 4 mm 2 mm 2 mm Kspar veins; albitization; have dissem cpy
minor endoskarn, weak in mafic sites and
sericitization in qtz veins

Late Monzonite 60-65/40 55−65% 8−12% 3−6% - 0.5−1% 4% Kspar>qtz Hbl to 2nd hbl, bio, Minor dissem
synskarn porphyry −35% commonly (minor); qtz-Kspar ±cpy, cpy-py in mafic
F-H lath shaped magn veins; albitization sites
3−4 mm 4mm 2−3 mm common w/ chl, py;
epidote endoskarn with
albitization; garnet-px-
plag endo common;
weak sericitization

268
Late Monzonite 85−95/15−5 80-83% 8−10% 5−6% in 5% (?) 1−2% 4% Kspar>qtz (?) 2nd amphibole; minor Trace pyrite in
synskarn porphyry G effectively lath shaped euhedral books in matrix 2nd bio; calcite-chl hornblende sites
KIERRAN C. MAHER

equigranular 3 mm 2mm 2mm filled fracts

Postskarn Monzonite 60−70/35−30 45−60% 4−5% 3−6% to 5%, 1−2% 1−3% Qtz>Kspar, 2nd bio replaces bio Cpy-py dissem
mineraliza- porphyry M seriate to near usually <2% often Kspar and hbl; weak to and in qtz-Kspar
tion bimodally 2−3 mm 2 mm to 3 mm to 8 mm flooded pink moderate sericitiza- veins with moly;
porphyritic tion; qtz-Kspar and massive qtz-born-
qtz-Kspar ±cpy-moly cpy ± magn ±cc
veins common; albiti- sheeted veins; in
zation; locally minor places >1.5% Cu
garnet endoskarn

Post-Cu Latite 55−65/45−35 55−60%; 4−5% - <1% - 3−4% Kspar>qtz Hbl to chl/calcite, Pyrite in mafic
mineraliza- tabular and (distinct moderate sites
tion euhedral, 2−3 mm to 4 mm pink) sericitization
seriate to
bimodal

Post-Cu Basaltic 10−15/85−90 - - - - - Matrix Glass to chl Argillized None

mineraliza- Andesite (pyroxene ) alteration
tion

Notes: - = below detection; Abbreviations: amphi = amphibole, bio = biotite, born = bornite, cc = chalcocite, chl = chlorite, cpy = chalcopyrite, dissem = disseminated, endo = endoskarn, ep = epi-
dote, fracts = fractures, garn = garnet, hbl = hornblende, Kspar = potassium feldspar, magn = magnetite, moly = molybdenite, plag = plagioclase, py = pyrite, qtz = quartz; adapted from Maher (1999)
 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 269

A B C porphyry with phenocryst plagioclase having a distinctive se-

alb-chl riate texture. Hornblende dominates the mafic mineral as-
semblage and magnetite may be visually conspicuous because
garnet of the light color of the rock. The basaltic andesite is a weakly
porphyritic rock with phenocrysts of clinopyroxene. It is black
where fresh but is typically argillized as it occupies late fault
zones. These rocks are texturally and mineralogically similar
to rocks observed cutting skarn and mineralization at Tintaya
(Fernandez B., 2002).
px
1cm 1cm 1cm Deposit Alteration
D E F Igneous rocks
px The dominant alteration of diorite is weak propylitization
(chlorite-amphibole-epidote) and small zones of vein enve-
lope-related albite-amphibole ± magnetite alteration in which
plag
secondary amphibole locally replaces primary hornblende.
Endoskarn is locally observed in diorite near the contact with
gn the underlying limestone and consists of an assemblage of
Kspar
epidote ± plagioclase ± pyroxene ± zeolite ± titanite. Up to 20
m of massive texturally destructive epidote (>80% mode) oc-
alb curs locally, usually at the base of the diorite sill. This calc-sil-
1cm 1cm 1cm
icate alteration is not always indicative of massive exoskarn
FIG. 6. Photographs showing textures and alteration in porphyries at below. Alteration fronts are commonly very abrupt in the
Coroccohuayco. A. Monzonite F (synskarn) with weak K-feldspar veinlets diorite-hosted endoskarn zones, occurring over a few tens of
and sericitization. B. Synskarn porphyry F showing a strongly developed al- centimeters. Magnetite locally replaces diorite in areas where
bite-chlorite (alb-chl) alteration front. C. Pyroxene-garnet endoskarn devel-
oped in synskarn porphyry F. D. Fresh sample of postskarn mineralized mon- the calc-silicate alteration is intense although its genetic rela-
zonite porphyry M. E. Quartz-chalcopyrite-molybdenite vein in albitized tionship to the diorite is unclear. Endoskarn in diorite may be
postskarn monzonite porphyry M. F. Weakly developed endoskarn texture in weakly copper mineralized in veinlets or stringers.
synskarn monzonite porphyry F with remnant igneous plagioclase and garnet Alteration in monzonitic porphyries is variable with potas-
with pyroxene.
sic, albitic, and sericitic alteration as the most common types
apart from calc-silicate alteration. Locally, weakly developed
mineralization-related porphyries at Tintaya as monzodiorite secondary biotite alteration of primary biotite and horn-
to monzonite. The latite intrusion is similar to monzonite por- blende is present as well as secondary K-feldspar in and
phyry M in texture but is paragenetically later and lacks evi- around vein envelopes, however, K-silicate alteration is not as
dence for copper mineralization. The timing relationships important at Coroccohuayco as it is in other porphyry skarn
and modal mineralogy for diorite, syn and postskarn mon- systems (Meinert et al., 2005) or in the principal stock at Tin-
zonite porphyries, and later dike rocks at Coroccohuayco are taya (Espirilla R., 2004). Potassic alteration is early but weak
presented in Table 1, with examples shown in Figure 6. in A-B and M rocks and is mostly observed as quartz-K-
Dikes of monzonite porphyry A-B are the earliest synalter- feldspar ± sulfide veinlets. In monzonite porphyries F and H
ation igneous rocks and are primarily found in the southern potassic alteration is uncommon and present only as hairline
part of the deposit. These dikes tend to be irregular or have a K-feldspar veinlets. Pyrite and chalcopyrite locally replace
north-northeast orientation. Dikes of monzonite porphyry mafic minerals in trace amounts in the more intense potassic
family F-G-H are late synskarn dikes found throughout the alteration.
deposit but are more common in the northern half. Mon- The most pervasive alteration in all monzonite porphyries is
zonite G is a large, nearly equigranular intrusion intercepted albitic and weak to moderate sericitic alteration. Albitic alter-
by drilling in the northeastern part of Coroccohuayco and has ation of feldspars is common in monzonite porphyries F, H,
no recognized genetic relationship to skarn or mineralization. and M, is accompanied by chloritization of the mafic miner-
Dikes of monzonite porphyries F-H have an irregular geom- als, with local development of chlorite or epidote in the cores
etry and trend generally north-northwest to northwest. Mon- of albitized plagioclase phenocrysts and minor disseminated
zonite porphyry M is postskarn, volumetrically more impor- pyrite. The matrix is generally resistant to alteration except in
tant in the northern part of Coroccohuayco, and tends to have strong albitic alteration where it takes on a bleached appear-
a west-northwest orientation. Its modal composition and tex- ance (Fig. 6).
ture is similar to the A-B monzonite rocks (Table 1), and it Sericitization is primarily manifested as chloritization of
tends to have stronger sericitic alteration than the early syn- hornblende and biotite, weakly to strongly developed sericit-
skarn rocks (see below). Although monzonite porphyry M ization of plagioclase, and titanite locally altered to rutile,
postdates the formation of skarn, it does locally contribute sericite, and calcite. K-feldspar phenocrysts are mostly unal-
copper to the deposit. tered where present. Calcite is present in more weakly seric-
Dikes of latitic composition as well as basaltic andesite also itized zones. Sericitization overprints the earlier albitic and
occur in Coroccohuayco. Latite is a light-colored fine-grained potassic alteration.

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270 KIERRAN C. MAHER

Endoskarn in porphyries consists of pale garnet, which may and massive skarn, typically with gradational variations be-
be strongly color zoned with late, red-brown rims, and is ac- tween each. The calc-silicate alteration at Coroccohuayco is
companied by minor pyroxene, epidote, and plagioclase (Fig. spatially associated with monzonite porphyries which are typ-
6). Endoskarn is generally zoned from garnet dominant at the ically hydrothermally altered and locally show strong calc-sil-
skarn-intrusive contact to pyroxene and plagioclase into the less icate alteration adjacent to their contacts. There are typically
altered intrusion. Endoskarn is mostly observed in monzonite only a few tens of centimeters of recrystallization and/or
porphyries F and H in the northern part of Coroccohuayco and bleaching with little calc-silicate replacement at diorite-car-
in porphyries A and B in the southern part. No endoskarn de- bonate rock contacts.
velopment has been recorded in later intrusive phases. Bleaching of limestone and/or marble is commonly parallel
to, or on, bedding laminations, and some recrystallization oc-
Hornfels curs in a similar manner (Fig. 7). The carbonate crystal size
Metamorphic alteration has strongly affected the mudstone resulting from recrystallization is typically less than 2 mm in
of the Mara Formation. In each deposit in the Tintaya district diameter. The recrystallization and/or bleaching in marble
mudstone has been metamorphosed to a dense, biotitic horn- may be layered on a scale of 2- to 4-mm layers between less
fels (Zweng et al., 1997). At Coroccohuayco, the metamorphism altered protolith (Fig. 7). In drill core, recrystallization and/or
of the mudstone has made it impermeable so that hydrother- bleaching of limestone may abruptly change to carbonaceous
mal alteration is primarily confined to vein envelopes. Veins dark micritic limestone. In less altered limestone, laminations
present are mostly pyrite or anhydrite and/or gypsum, with are defined by carbon-rich layers, or rarely by 1- to 5-mm lay-
secondary biotite or sericitic alteration envelopes. Some late ers of minor (<2 %) fine-grained clastic material or chert. Ir-
veins contain calcite. No veins have been encountered in the regular bleached patches or bands that cut bedding are also
Mara Formation with significant copper. Hornfels alteration locally present. Trace amounts of disseminated chalcopyrite,
of the Mara Formation is much more extensive than recrys- bornite, and pyrite are locally found within both bleached and
tallization in the Ferrobamba Formation and is well devel- recrystallized layers in limestone.
oped even where the calc-silicate alteration is minor at the Calc-silicate marble is a gray to tan-white rock, similar to
periphery of the skarn alteration. recrystallized limestone but containing fine-grained phyllosil-
icates, calc-silicates, silica, albite, hematite and/or sulfides.
Marble and skarn The most common silicate mineral observed is fine-grained
The alteration within the Ferrobamba Formation at Coroc- disseminated acicular diopsidic pyroxene. This pyroxene oc-
cohuayco can be subdivided into marble, calc-silicate marble, curs in both bleached and unbleached marble (Fig. 7). Rarely,

A B
1cm

ml 1cm
C D bands of pyroxene
parallel to bedding

pyroxene

pyroxene

1cm 1cm
FIG. 7. Photographs of the weaker alteration styles in the limestone of the Ferrobamba Formation. A. Recrystallization
in limestone parallel to bedding laminations. “ml” are remnant micritic carbonate layers interlayered with recrystallized lime-
stone layers. B. Sample showing bleaching effects in limestone parallel to bedding laminations and also a vein-related patch
of bleaching and recrystallization. C. Weakly developed acicular pyroxene in gray marble with bleached bands. Inset shows
magnification of the white pyroxene in the marble. D. Light green pyroxene developed along bedding laminations in calc-
silicate marble.

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 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 271

garnet is observed disseminated in bleached marble. Calc-sil-

A
icate marble represents a transitional alteration between mar-
ble and skarn and may grade into well-mineralized garnet
over only tens of centimeters in drill interceptions.
Skarn is hosted by the Ferrobamba Formation at Corocco-
huayco. Mineralogically, it consists dominantly of garnet, py-
roxene, magnetite, hematite, amphibole, quartz, and carbon-
ate minerals. Early, high-temperature prograde anhydrous
minerals are dominated by garnet and pyroxene, with later,
lower temperature magnetite locally replacing both of these
minerals. A general paragenesis of the alteration and miner-
alization in the Ferrobamba Formation is presented in Figure 1 cm
8. Amphibole, chlorite, quartz, carbonate, Fe oxide, and ser-
pentine minerals are generally found in pyroxene skarn that
has been subjected to retrograde alteration and is not partic- B
ularly widespread. Locally, fine-grained clay-hematite-car-
bonate alteration of skarn is observed around fault zones.
The garnet in skarn is color zoned relative to proximity to
fluid source or principal fluid pathways as in other copper
skarn deposits, with proximal garnet being dark red-brown
and massive and becoming more green and granular in habit
with distance The granularity is defined here as aggregates of
crystals less than 5 mm in diameter (Fig. 9). Massive garnet
tends to lack this texture. Green garnet tends to be granular,
locally replaces early pale pyroxene, and is commonly rimmed
and replaced by later darker red-brown or tan garnet. Garnet 1 cm
skarn contains disseminated mineralization and is the major FIG. 9. Photographs showing the textural difference between the darker
ore at Coroccohuayco. In general, garnet more distal to fluid massive proximal garnet (A) and the lighter colored well-mineralized granu-
sources tends to have a more granular and less massive ap- lar garnet (B).
pearance. Petrographically the cores of distal garnet in some
intersections tend to be more strongly yellow colored and
isotropic and the outer zones tend to be orange-brown to consisting primarily of albite, quartz, chalcedony, magnetite,
white in color in transmitted light and anisotropic under cross- and Cu-Fe sulfides is lower in proximal garnet compared to
polarized light. The proportion of noncalc-silicate material more distal garnet skarn. Zones of massive honey-brown gar-
net occur in deep skarn to the east of easting 22 in the north-
ern part of Coroccohuayco (Fig. 4). Mineralization in this par-
Temperature (ºC) >600 500 400 300 <200
ticular garnet alteration is minor with pyrite, specular
hematite, and chalcopyrite. This is quite different from skarn
marble mineralization elsewhere.
Light-colored pyroxene as patches with garnet is common
white pyroxene
in more distal alteration at Coroccohuayco. However, pyrox-
early

garnet (±hematite-quartz)
ene-dominant skarn is volumetrically less important than gar-
net-dominant skarn. At Coroccohuayco pyroxene skarn is
green pyroxene-albite commonly fine grained (<1 mm crystal size) and mostly light
colored (white to tan). Pyroxene as massive skarn may contain
magnetite (±amphibole-hematite) minor carbonate, quartz, Cu-Fe sulfides, and garnet. A hori-
zon of generally fine-grained pyroxene skarn is found imme-
calcite-quartz (±hematite) in skarn
diately above the Ferrobamba -Mara contact in Corocco-
huayco (Fig. 4). This alteration may have been developed in a
quartz veins
higher clastic or possibly dolomitic zone within limestone im-
chalcopyrite mediately above the Ferrobamba-Mara contact. The only
dark-green pyroxene in the system is present in late over-
bornite (±Au-Ag) printing alteration associated with hydrothermal fluids de-
late

rived from the postskarn monzonite porphyry M.

carbonate-clay
(±serpentine-silica) At Coroccohuayco there are two centers of intense skarn al-
teration observed in the southern and northern parts of the
deposit. The skarn sequence in the southern part is compli-
FIG. 8. Schematic diagram of skarn paragenesis and later alteration at
Coroccohuayco. Data temperatures are general ranges and have been in-
cated by a large mass of endoskarn in monzonite porphyry, as
ferred for nonsilicate minerals from fluid inclusion analysis of calc-silicate well as abundant smaller diorite sills (Fig. 5). The northern
minerals and quartz. part of the deposit shows a thick package of exoskarn, which

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272 KIERRAN C. MAHER

decreases in intensity toward the north. In both areas por- chlorite ± serpentine, but this alteration is not as extensive in
phyry intrusions tend to complicate the zonation trends. The Coroccohuayco as in other shallow skarn systems (Meinert et
north 68º east-oriented mine section 1400 (Fig. 4) shows, al., 2005). The most intense low temperature clay-carbonate
however, some of the general characteristics of exoskarn alteration of calc-silicates is related to large fault zones in the
zonation at Coroccohuayco. This section is both the widest deposit. There is little introduced mineralization associated
zone of skarn (~1 km) and is approximately perpendicular to with low-temperature alteration at Coroccohuayco, although
the major fold axes in the district (Fig. 3). Two massive skarn supergene-related chalcocite exists in and near some fault
zones occur at easting 16 and easting 19 in this section and zones. Meteoric oxidation or weathering of the principal min-
grade into intervening zones dominated by marble and calc- eralized zones is effectively absent.
silicate marble west of easting 14.5, near easting 16.9, and to
the east of easting 21. The skarn zones are characterized by Mineralization
generally massive calc-silicate alteration from the base of the
Ferrobamba Formation to the base of the diorite and contain Igneous rocks
garnet much greater volumetrically than pyroxene. Laterally Most of the intrusive rocks at Coroccohuayco are poorly
to these massive skarn zones the alteration grades from gar- mineralized even though quartz veins may be present. Min-
net dominant into garnet-pyroxene skarn, and pyroxene dom- eralization in the monzonite porphyry rocks A, B, F, G, and H
inant, with increasingly higher volumes of calc-silicate marble is generally less than 0.5 percent Cu, although monzonite B
present in layers between skarn. Locally, garnet-dominant al- may locally contain up to 1.5 percent Cu in short drill inter-
teration abruptly changes to marble or calc-silicate marble cepts as chalcopyrite in veins and disseminated in mafic sites.
without an intervening pyroxene-dominant zone. Interest- Monzonite porphyry M is generally unmineralized except in
ingly, no large intrusive masses potentially responsible for the the northern part of the deposit where it is locally highly
massive skarn alteration in or around easting 16 of this section veined and achieves high copper grades (>5 % Cu) where it
have been identified and only postskarn monzonite porphyry cuts existing skarn. This mineralization originates in the inte-
M dikes are present. rior of the porphyry as finely sheeted quartz-chalcopyrite ±
Trends in garnet color and texture suggest that on a local molybdenite veinlets (1-mm width, with a density up to 4/cm)
scale within a single continuous package of calc-silicate alter- and becomes more massive toward the periphery of the dike
ation garnet zonation occurs vertically over tens of meters with decreasing molybdenite. Quartz-bornite ± chalcopyrite
from proximal to more distal garnet. An example of such veins (up to several cm in width) increase in width and cop-
zonation is observed in drill hole 1400 17.7 from a depth of per content in the same direction. Outside the dike mineral-
315 to 345 m. This interval occurs in a garnet-dominant pack- ization occurs with silicification and overprints earlier calc-
age of alteration, but it contains five distinct zones of red- silicate alteration, locally with magnetite mineralization
brown rimed green garnet interlayered with either red-brown (including retrograde alteration of skarn). Although quartz ±
garnet or green garnet containing pyroxene patches. Com- K-feldspar veinlets occur in most monzonite porphyry M
monly the mineralization in the skarn host increases from dikes in section 1400, only in parts of drill holes 17.7 and 18.9
massive garnet to granular garnet (Fig. 9) as the replaceable has high-grade copper mineralization been encountered. In
material increases. drill hole 1400 18.9 greater than 3 percent copper postskarn
vein-related mineralization occurs in a vertical intercept of
Retrograde and low-temperature alteration about 80 m, although its true width is less than this. Molyb-
Retrograde alteration is manifested by locally intense and denite mineralization in quartz veins is common but weak in
nearly complete replacement of garnet and pyroxene by mas- monzonite porphyry M and not present in other igneous
sive magnetite which may locally exceed 10 m vertically. Drill rocks at Coroccohuayco.
core and petrographic observations show that magnetite min-
eralization occurs with other phases such as quartz, carbon- Skarn
ate, amphibole, or serpentine. Because magnetite replaces The bulk of the mineralization at Coroccohuayco is dissem-
calc-silicate minerals, particularly garnet, and is associated inated in skarn and closely correlates with the distribution
with silica (mostly as quartz) and calcite, it is considered a ret- and style of calc-silicate alteration. As such it has a complex
rograde alteration product of garnet although this reaction as- distribution in the deposit in terms of mineralogy and con-
semblage is not typical of the hydrous silicate (e.g., epidote) centration. Green-tan granular garnet is the most significant
retrograde alteration observed in many skarns (Meinert et al., ore host because it tends to have more bornite than chal-
2005). In some cases the magnetite alteration contains little of copyrite relative to proximal garnet and the sulfides are volu-
the other two retrograde alteration products. Much of the metrically greater. This style of alteration is located between
magnetite is intergrown with copper sulfides and in some the massive dark-colored proximal garnet and skarn-marble
zones of the deposit the magnetite has pseudomorphically re- front or the pyroxene alteration zone if present. Cu grades
placed bladed hematite which itself formed paragenetically greater than 2 percent are common due to the presence of
after honey-brown garnet or white pyroxene. In a few drill more abundant replaceable interstitial carbonate in the green
intersections magnetite is observed as small (<0.5 m) zones granular garnet skarn. In some places a porous or vuggy tex-
near skarn-marble contacts which replaces marble. ture occurs where only part of the calcite was replaced by Cu
The lowest temperature retrograde alteration in garnet is sulfides and the rest was removed.
characterized by calcite-hematite alteration along microfrac- Mineralization in pyroxene is generally bornite-chalcopy-
tures and in pyroxene by patchy calcite-silica ± amphibole ± rite dominant but pyroxene is generally a host of poor grade

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 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 273

and irregular distribution at Coroccohuayco. Mineralized poorly mineralized massive magnetite is also observed at the
veins which cut skarn are generally confined to zones nearest skarn-marble contact.
late mineralizing intrusions and are also observed in biotite
hornfels. Vein-type mineralization is typically of lesser impor- Ore petrography
tance than the disseminated mineralization in skarn, although In thin section the most important ore minerals identified
exceptions exist near some monzonite porphyry M dikes as include chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, and digenite (Fig.
described above. Manto-style or massive mineralization out- 10). It is clear from the ore textures and field relationships
side of skarn is rare and only locally manifested as 10-to 20- that bornite, and the majority of chalcocite and/or digenite,
cm massive sulfide ± specular hematite zones at the skarn- are hypogene in origin. Bornite commonly occurs as inclu-
marble contact with pyrite and minor chalcopyrite. Locally, sions, blebs, stringers, and patches in chalcopyrite grains in

A 100µm B interCuFe
with cpy

magn
cpy
bornite

born

cpy

hem magnetite 50µm

50µm cpy
C D
garnet
cpy
cc cc
bornite
cpy
born

bornite
cpy born cpy

cpy
200µm
E F
bornite cc
cc
bornite
Ag
bornite cc
Ag
Ag
Au
cc
Ag
cc
bornite
50µm Ag 50µm
bornite

FIG. 10. Photomicrographs of sulfide textures locally observed at Coroccohuayco. A. Possible subsolidus exsolution tex-
ture of bornite from chalcopyrite (cpy). B. Bornite (born) grain with zones of crystallographically exsolved intermediate Cu-
Fe sulfides (circled) with chalcopyrite. C. Complex sulfide grain with a chalcopyrite core and bornite-chalcocite (cc) mixed
outer zone. D. Bornite grain with minor chalcopyrite domains scattered along the grain boundary. E. Bornite grain with
minor chalcocite and scattered Ag-Au telluride phases (Ag). F. Bornite-chalcocite grain with electrum (Au) on the rim with
chalcocite. Gangue is garnet-carbonate.

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274 KIERRAN C. MAHER

chalcopyrite-dominant mineralized zones, and chalcopyrite composition in other porphyry systems is their elevated Na2O
occurs as similar textures in bornite in the bornite-dominant contents (Fig. 11). This is manifested in thin section from
mineralized zones. In bornite-chalcocite ± digenite zones high plagioclase albite composition, as well as locally very
there are two main textural styles with chalcocite as inclu- strong albitic alteration (Fig. 6). Porphyry rocks in the Tintaya
sions, blebs, patches in myrmekitic textures, and oriented in- district (Fernandez B., 2002) show similar characteristics in
tergrowths in bornite and locally as late, possibly supergene- alkalis indicating that these chemical features are common to
enriched rims on bornite in zones near fault zones. the district-wide igneous petrogenesis and not simply the re-
Mineralization locally consists of Cu-Fe sulfides with com- sult of local alteration effects. Meinert (1995) has shown that
plex textural intergrowths (Fig. 10). In some locations all of intrusive rocks from different skarn types vary geochemically,
the important ore minerals are present in the same sulfide and relative to other skarn systems the monzonite porphyries
grain. Late bornite ± chalcocite reaction rims on chalcopyrite from Coroccohuayco plot around the average value for Cu
grains are locally observed and represent hypogene upgrad- skarns (Fig. 12). Rare earth element patterns for the mon-
ing of earlier mineralization. Chalcopyrite rims on bornite zonitic rocks are nearly identical and share similarities to the
grains are also locally present and possibly a result of late-sul- dioritic rocks (Fig. 13). In general, these rocks show limited
fidation reactions. Pyrite is an uncommon mineral in the calc- enrichment in REE indicating a relatively primitive source
silicate alteration at Coroccohuayco and is mostly present dis- magma. The monzonitic rocks show slight enrichment in light
seminated in highly albitized zones in igneous rocks. It may rare earth elements and slight depletions in the middle and
be present as patches in short (<0.5 m) zones at the massive heavy rare earth elements relative to two diorite samples.
skarn-marble contacts. Pyrite is also found in certain zones of
honey-yellow garnet skarn with specular hematite. Mineral Chemistry
Gold and silver minerals are observed as small 1- to 5-µm in- Calc-silicate minerals in copper skarn systems are composi-
clusions in other sulfide grains. They tend to be most abun- tionally zoned in major elements such as Fe, Al, Mg, and Mn
dant in the bornite-rich mineralization and occur close to the (Meinert et al., 2005). Garnets from different parts of Coroc-
sulfide grain rim (Fig. 10). Because of the common association cohuayco were analyzed by electron microprobe to quantify
with bornite-chalcocite, gold and silver tend to be highest in spatial and temporal compositional variations and to confirm
the green garnet alteration zones where the bornite is highest. the presence of a metamorphic garnet component. Pyroxene
at Coroccohuayco was also analyzed to identify any elemental
Magnetite trends present, primarily due to the presence of late green
Magnetite occurs in several contexts at Coroccohuayco. It pyroxene locally observed in more proximal skarn zones. Mi-
may occur as very fine grained laminations and bands with croprobe analyses are shown on the calcic garnet and pyrox-
pyroxene with no evidence of it being a replacement phase. ene end-member ternary diagrams in Figure 14.
It more commonly replaces garnet and pyroxene as late al-
teration. In this latter context magnetite alteration may occur Garnet
massively, as patches, or banded in contorted forms which Green, honey yellow, tan, brown, and red-brown garnets all
are unrelated to sedimentary bedding. Magnetite locally re- have highly andraditic compositions (An >90; Table 3) except
places earlier formed bladed hematite, although this is much in the darker optically isotropic cores which tend to have a
rarer than replacement of calc-silicate minerals. Massive higher grossular content. Distinct color zones within the same
magnetite in relatively small bodies (<2-m drill intercept) is
observed near the marble-skarn contact, where pH is likely 8
to increase due to fluid interaction with carbonate. Locally, Coroccohuayco productive porphyries
massive magnetite is brecciated and may contain a calc-sili- 7 Tintaya
monzonites
cate matrix. The matrix of this breccia is locally a two-stage Escondida
6
event, with early calcite matrix being replaced by later calc- El Salvador
silicate minerals. As discussed earlier, magnetite is com- 5
Na2O (wt %)

monly associated with sulfide mineralization. In some cases 4

the sulfide minerals petrographically appear interstitial to
magnetite grains, indicating a slightly later paragenesis. In 3
other cases, the magnetite contains chalcopyrite and bornite 2 Az porph
inclusions, which suggest it formed contemporaneously with
sulfide mineralization. 1
diorite Bingham Cyn
Igneous Rock Geochemistry 0
42 46 50 54 58 62 66 70 74 78 82
Diorite and monzonite porphyry rocks at Coroccohuayco
SiO2 (wt %)
are calc-alkaline in geochemical affinity using the Al2O3 (wt
%) versus normative plagioclase division of Irvine and Bara- FIG. 11. Variation diagram in Na2O vs. SiO2 for igneous rocks from Coroc-
gar (1971), although the most primitive diorite at Corocco- cohuayco and other porphyry systems. Rocks from Coroccohuayco and those
huayco falls in the tholeiitic field on their AMF diagram. from Tintaya tend to be Na-rich relative to rocks from other porphyry sys-
tems. Data from Tintaya (Fernandez B., 2002), Arizona porphyries (Az
There is little difference in major or rare earth elements be- Porph; Lang and Titley, 1998), Escondida (Richards et al., 2001), El Salvador
tween the fresher monzonite rocks (Table 2). The most out- (Gustafson and Hunt, 1975), Bingham Canyon (Bingham Cyn; Lanier et al.,
standing feature of these rocks relative to rocks of similar 1978).

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 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 275

TABLE 2. Chemical Analysis of Selected Intrusive Rocks from Coroccohuayco, Peru

Sample 900-13.9 400-14.6 400-16.8 900-17.8 400-16.05 1400-18.9 1400-22.5 1400-22.5 1400-22.5 900-15.2 400-16.0
186.7 166.8 79 195.1 425.9 156.7 367 412 277.7 155.4 401.5
Rock type Diorite Diorite Diorite Monzonite Monzonite Monzonite Monzonite Monzonite Monzonite Latite Monzonite

SiO2 47.26 54.34 50.46 67.79 62.01 65.65 65.34 65.42 65.77 67.26 63.92
Al2O3 19.44 19.17 17.22 15.91 16.25 17.36 17.58 17.33 17.45 17.44 16.60
TiO2 0.920 0.788 1.324 0.430 0.561 0.439 0.457 0.427 0.437 0.327 0.537
FeO 11.44 8.45 10.54 2.85 3.63 2.46 3.53 3.05 3.34 2.28 3.35
MnO 0.216 0.171 0.150 0.038 0.059 0.023 0.052 0.042 0.044 0.043 0.044
MgO 6.02 3.98 5.34 0.99 2.37 1.20 1.43 1.32 1.05 0.85 1.38
CaO 12.24 8.51 8.97 3.33 4.91 3.31 3.83 4.03 3.73 2.57 4.38
K2O 0.39 0.65 1.03 3.67 2.80 4.28 2.42 2.49 2.47 2.90 2.47
Na2O 1.90 4.02 3.21 4.95 5.25 5.46 5.76 5.74 5.96 6.29 5.74
P2O5 0.042 0.169 0.190 0.185 0.217 0.180 0.171 0.168 0.172 0.146 0.221
Total 99.87 100.25 98.43 100.14 98.06 100.36 100.57 100.02 100.42 100.11 98.64

Trace elements (ppm)

Ni 5 0 0 7 13 9 7 8 8 9 10
Cr 36 12 23 9 24 10 8 10 10 7 15
Sc 33 21 37 10 11 8 10 8 12 4 11
V 364 193 381 75 125 95 92 82 82 65 108
Ba 77 255 203 850 1152 813 921 921 953 1015 804
Rb 12 20 25 53 41 77 65 57 57 75 36
Sr 360 368 318 688 787 682 8561 8481 8341 776 7961
Zr 34 72 82 134 136 141 145 143 142 133 143
Y 6 15 23 12 14 12 12 11 13 8 13
Nb 3.2 5.0 4.0 7.7 6.0 7.6 6.9 7.5 7.3 5.6 7.4
Ga 17 18 21 23 22 24 21 23 23 21 24
Cu 125 35 3141 16 4421 5551 8 0 0 2 8351
Zn 84 49 55 20 37 13 24 18 16 51 28
Pb 6 2 0 3 3 4 3 2 5 12 1
Th 1 3 3 4 4 3 3 2 3 1 5

REE analyses (ppm)

La 2.17 6.68 8.18 12.81 14.72 13.36 13.62 13.00 13.02 9.01 14.66
Ce 4.10 13.65 17.51 25.38 28.37 26.97 26.55 24.63 25.45 17.29 29.23
Pr 0.54 1.80 2.36 3.07 3.46 3.21 3.22 2.96 2.95 2.02 3.50
Nd 2.52 8.48 11.17 12.89 14.90 13.66 13.59 12.47 12.44 8.71 14.99
Sm 0.82 2.63 3.55 2.92 3.47 3.20 3.04 2.81 2.98 1.98 3.50
Eu 0.53 0.94 1.04 0.76 0.87 0.80 0.78 0.72 0.75 0.48 0.87
Gd 0.98 2.88 3.93 2.45 2.95 2.51 2.55 2.33 2.44 1.59 2.95
Tb 0.17 0.50 0.67 0.37 0.46 0.37 0.38 0.35 0.36 0.23 0.44
Dy 1.13 3.09 4.10 2.09 2.75 2.11 2.20 2.01 2.06 1.40 2.58
Ho 0.24 0.62 0.84 0.41 0.56 0.41 0.43 0.40 0.40 0.28 0.52
Er 0.65 1.68 2.21 1.11 1.45 1.11 1.16 1.08 1.11 0.76 1.33
Tm 0.10 0.25 0.32 0.17 0.23 0.17 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.11 0.20
Yb 0.57 1.48 1.93 1.04 1.39 1.04 1.10 1.00 1.04 0.72 1.27
Lu 0.10 0.24 0.30 0.18 0.23 0.17 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.12 0.20

Notes: Major and trace element analyses performed by XRF in the Geoanalytical Laboratory of Washington State University; REE analysis by ICP-MS
(Maher, 1999)
1 >120 percent of highest standard

garnet crystal commonly have similar major element chem- garnets (Table 3). Chemical zonation is more strongly pro-
istry and little systematic compositional variation is recog- nounced and corresponds to iron content with the pale tan
nized in the samples analyzed, apart from the rim-core rela- cores more grossularitic and the darker garnet rims more an-
tionship. The highly andraditic compositions of exoskarn draditic. The pyralspite component of all garnets is generally
garnets indicate that the hydrothermal fluid was oxidized and less than 10 percent.
Fe rich during the replacement of carbonate with garnet.
There is a population of brown garnets with higher grossular Pyroxene
compositions found in the northernmost part of the deposit The early massive pyroxene is white and diopsidic in com-
and it is possible that these aluminous garnets were formed in position with no clear spatial trends. It was confirmed by mi-
a protolith of slightly higher clastic component than the croprobe analysis that the acicular mineral in calc-silicate
others. marble is diopside (Fig. 14). Compositionally the late green
Endoskarn garnet is a pale tan color although commonly pyroxene is more hedenbergitic with elevated sodium con-
with darker rims. The composition of endoskarn garnets is centration indicating that these pyroxenes were a product of
much more aluminous than the great majority of exoskarn less oxidized, Fe- and Na-rich fluids (Fig. 15) that infiltrated

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276 KIERRAN C. MAHER

6 pyralspite
Tintaya
porphyries Zn Sn
5

W Mo
4
Cu
johanssenite
K O

3
2

Fe Au
2
Coroccohuayco
diorites
1 Coroccohuayco
exoskarn garnet
porphyries
endoskarn garnet

45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
7

6 Coroccohuayco grossular andradite

diorites
5 white pyroxene (early)
green pyroxene (late)
4
MgO

Au
Fe
3
Tintaya diopside hedenbergite
porphyries Cu
2 FIG. 14. Ternary diagrams of garnet and pyroxene end members for skarn
Zn minerals from Coroccohuayco. Late pyroxenes are distinctly enriched in
1 Coroccohuayco W hedenbergite component relative to early pyroxene. Skarn garnet is highly
Mo andraditic and typical of other oxidized copper skarns.
porphyries Sn

45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
and locally overprinted earlier skarn. In all types of pyroxene
SiO the johanssenitic component is very low, typical of pyroxene
2
from oxidized Cu skarns (Meinert et al., 2005).
FIG. 12. Major element data graphs of Coroccohuayco intrusive rocks rel-
ative to the labeled average values of igneous rocks from different skarn types Sulfide and precious metal mineralization chemistry
from Meinert et al. (2005). The white and black “x” symbols on each graph
represent the average value for Coroccohuayco and Tintaya porphyries, re- Textural and mineralogical characteristics of disseminated
spectively. and vein mineralization were evaluated by reflected light mi-
croscopy. Colors of bornite and chalcocite and/or digenite
appear to vary between samples in freshly polished sections.
100 Because of these differences, chemical analyses by electron
diorite microprobe of ore minerals were performed at the Geoana-
monzonite porphyries lytical Laboratory at Washington State University. Electron
latite porphyry microprobe analyses were made on polished areas away from
phase intermingling. Table 4 lists representative analyses of
Rock:Chondrite

bornite, “blue bornite,” chalcocite, digenite, and chalcopy-

rite. Two populations of chalcopyrite were identified: those
10 close to ideal chalcopyrite composition and those which were
enriched in Cu relative to S (Fig. 16), although they are vi-
sually similar. The “blue bornite” contains a slightly higher
atomic ratio of copper/sulfur than typical bornite. The bor-
nite compositions as a whole lie closer to ideal bornite than
either the analyzed chalcopyrite or chalcocite-digenite com-
1 positions. When the chalcopyrite-bornite pairs from the
La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu same sample are compared, they show that the samples with
Cu-enriched chalcopyrite have a slightly higher Cu:S in bor-
Element nite, and those with slightly Cu depleted or close to ideal
FIG. 13. Rare earth element plot of Coroccohuayco intrusions normalized chalcopyrite also showed ideal bornite compositions. Chal-
to chondrite values taken from McDonough and Sun (1995). All the mon- cocite and/or digenite generally contains some iron relative
zonite porphyries fall in the thick shaded band, as indicated. to ideal chalcocite, with the lowest Fe bearing chalcocite

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 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 277

0.7

Rb rim, Tan core,

238.20

2.60
31.67
65.73
38.37
15.77
0.64
9.72
0.78
0.23
35.50
0.00
0.00
101.04
monz
endo
1400
16.8 0.6

0.5
238.20

1.91
37.40
60.69
38.30
13.64
0.23
11.88
0.65
0.12
35.23
0.00
0.02
100.08
monz

Fe (atomic %)
endo
1400
16.8

0.4
Yellow,

0.59
92.76
6.65
35.79
1.64
0.00
29.27
0.25
0.00
33.79
0.00
0.00
100.74
388.4
1400

0.3
20.9

rim

0.2
Yellow,

1.16
97.69
1.15
34.60
0.90
0.00
29.55
0.33
0.10
33.52
0.00
0.00
99.00
388.4
1400

core
20.9

0.1 Green px
White px
0.0
335.65

0.84
99.16
0.00
35.46
0.12
0.00
30.57
0.20
0.10
33.67
0.00
0.00
100.12
1400
17.7

0.00 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18
Tan

Na (atomic %)
FIG. 15. Variation diagram of Na vs. Fe for pyroxenes from Corocco-
342.75

2.75
92.82
4.45
35.73
1.49
0.01
29.93
0.64
0.03
32.30
0.00
0.00
100.14
outer
1400
16.1

huayco. Green (more hedenbergitic) pyroxene also contains more sodium.

Rb,

rim

This green pyroxene is a product of late, lower temperature overprinting flu-

TABLE 3. Representative Microprobe Analyses of Calc-Silicates from Coroccohuayco

ids which locally infiltrated existing skarn, probably derived from the same
fluids which produced albitic alteration in late monzonite porphyry M dikes.
342.75

2.54
96.23
1.24
35.36
1.08
0.11
30.93
0.68
0.03
32.30
0.00
0.00
100.51
white
1400

core
16.1

Rb,
Green,
191.25

rb rim

0.99
97.48
1.53
35.68
0.58
0.00
30.81
0.31
0.06
33.17
0.00
0.00
100.62

from minor late, low-temperature supergene chalcocite veins

1400
15.8

cutting bornite in retrograde altered skarn.

Gold and silver mineralization in Coroccohuayco is associ-
Green,
191.25

1.68
82.04
16.28
36.42
3.82
0.03
26.07
0.38
0.20
34.05
0.00
0.02
101.00

ated with bornite-chalcocite ± digenite−dominant hypogene

1400

core
15.8

mineralization. The precious metals occur as electrum and

silver-gold tellurides (Table 4), both of which are very fine
grained, typically <10 µm in size (Fig. 10). As discussed be-
Green,
294.70

rb rim

1.05
95.91
3.04
35.81
0.83
0.01
30.15
0.28
0.10
33.29
0.00
0.00
100.47
1400
14.5

fore, these grains are mostly observed near the rims of sulfide
grains.
Garnets

Green,
294.70

1.11
94.56
4.33
35.62
1.21
0.03
29.27
0.28
0.11
33.71
0.00
0.00
100.23
1400

core
14.5

Fluid Inclusions
1 Pyroxene and garnet end members calculated on the basis of 6O and 12O, respectively

Fluid inclusions are abundant in skarn minerals at Coroc-

Andradite
Pyralspite

Grossular

cohuayco with several different fluid inclusion populations.

The inclusions in this study are classified as primary, pseu-
dosecondary, and secondary principally based on their spatial
relationship to other fluid inclusions and growth zones in
White, Acicular,

0.093
marble marble

55.41
0.30
0.17
0.10
0.02
18.86
26.08
0.01
0.03
100.98

99.31
0.60
264.0
1400

crystals as well as their composition. This includes the pres-

16.1

Abbreviations: endo = endoskarn, monz = monzonite, rb = red-brown

in

ence of daughter minerals and the approximate ratio of the

vapor bubble to inclusion volume.
272.03

0.77
54.78
0.74
0.01
1.53
0.13
17.20
25.75
0.01
0.15
100.32

90.38
8.85
1400

Inclusions interpreted as primary in garnet and pyroxene

20.9

in

are those observed scattered throughout the mineral without

evidence of being part of a trail of inclusions of similar char-
Green,

1.93
51.04
0.35
0.01
18.86
0.44
6.10
20.77
0.00
2.03
99.59

15.92
82.15
340.9
1400

acteristics (Fig. 17). These tend to have a relatively uniform

16.1

rim

vapor/liquid ratio of about 0.25 to 0.4 and are three-phase

consisting of vapor, liquid, and one or more daughter miner-
White

25.94
0.00

1.23
54.85
0.04
0.00
1.66
0.21
17.61

0.08
100.40

89.29
9.48
340.9
1400

als. These daughters are dominated by halite, but sylvite,

core
16.1

hematite, opaque phases, and unidentified anisotropic daugh-

ters may also be present. Primary inclusions in pyroxene and
Green,
345.75

2.41
50.48
0.62
0.03
16.56
0.53
7.71
21.63
0.02
1.46
99.04

23.68
73.91
1400

garnet tend to have more than one daughter mineral. Three-

17.7

rim

phase fluid inclusions are also observed as planar arrays cut-

ting calc-silicate crystals. These are interpreted as pseudosec-
Calculated end members1
Pyroxenes

345.75

0.17
55.84
0.04
0.02
0.22
0.03
18.75
26.24
0.00
0.02
101.16

98.55
1.28
Light,
1400

ondary inclusions based on their context (Fig. 17) and are

core
17.7

considered to have formed contemporaneously with the al-

teration. Pseudosecondary inclusions have similar vapor/liq-
Hedenbergite

uid ratios to primary inclusions observed in the same and

Johannsenite

nearby crystals. These inclusions are grouped with the pri-

Diopside
Sample

context

mary fluid inclusions in data analysis because of their similar-

Fe2O3
Color,

Al2O3

Na2O
MnO
MgO

Total
TiO2

CaO
SiO2

K2O

ity in salinity and homogenization temperatures (Th).

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278 KIERRAN C. MAHER

TABLE 4. Representative Microprobe Analyses of Sulfides and Au-Ag Minerals from Coroccohuayco, Peru

Sample 1400-15.8- 1400-15.8- 1400-15.8- 1400-20.9- 1400-20.9- 1400-20.9- 1400-20.9- 1400-20.9-

249.45 249.45 249.45 184.47 184.47 184.95 184.95 184.95

Context: Cpy interstitial Born in green Cc in sulfide Cpy in Blue born Cpy in late Born in late Cc in late
to garnet garn w/ grain in mixed in magn garn vein garn vein garn vein
with bornite Ag-Au-Te mass. magn sulfide grain cutting magn cutting magn cutting magn

Cu 35.99 64.10 79.47 41.72 63.80 39.54 63.67 79.53

Fe 29.57 10.62 0.89 26.08 10.65 26.73 11.03 0.42
S 34.59 25.11 20.83 31.38 25.37 32.25 25.76 20.39
Total 100.16 99.83 101.19 99.18 99.82 98.51 100.47 100.33

1400-17.7- 1400-15.8- 1400-15.8- 1400-15.8- 1400-15.8- 1400-15.8- 1400-15.8- 1400-15.8-

Sample 325.05 139.45 139.45 139.45 249.45 249.45 249.45 249.45

Context: Cc vein in Cpy inclusion Bornite in Cc alteration Electrum Ag-Au-Te Ag-Au-Te Ag-Au-Te
px-garn in bornite mass. of born
skarn in mass. magn magn

Cu 79.92 43.47 63.46 75.16 - - 4.00 4.24

Fe 0.15 23.82 10.93 2.49 - - - -
S 20.63 31.69 26.01 22.32 - - 0.20 0.28
Au - - - - 70.96 1.73 6.01 4.65
Ag - - - - 22.86 61.02 56.29 57.10
Te - - - - 6.31 36.13 34.76 35.12
Total 100.71 98.98 100.41 99.97 100.14 98.88 101.26 101.38

Notes: Analyzed by the Geoanalytical Laboratory at Washington State University and reported as elemental wt percent (Maher, 1999); - = below detec-
tion; abbreviations: Ag-Au-Te = silver-gold telluride, born = bornite, cc = chalcocite, cpy = chalcopyrite, garn = garnet, magn = magnetite, mass. = massive,
px = pyroxene

Vapor/liquid ratios in primary inclusions in quartz tend to vapor rich, and lack halite daughters. As such the secondary
be less than 0.5 and halite daughter minerals are common. In inclusions are visually distinct from the irregularly dispersed
some samples of vein quartz, however, irregularly dispersed primary inclusions as well as the pseudosecondary inclusions
(primary) inclusions have highly variable vapor/liquid ratios described above. Due to the technical difficulties in obtaining
and many lack halite daughters. The presence of these inclu- data from small and dark fluid inclusions (i.e., vapor rich) the
sions indicates that an H2O-boiling fluid was locally trapped secondary inclusions in calc-silicates and vapor-rich inclusion
in quartz. These types of inclusions are generally rare in calc- populations in quartz were not analyzed.
silicates. Fluid inclusion analyses of primary inclusions in prograde
Secondary fluid inclusions are identified as those present in skarn and quartz were performed on a USGS-style heating-
trails that cut through garnet, quartz, and pyroxenes, are freezing stage at Washington State University, which was cal-
ibrated using synthetic inclusion standards (Sterner and Bod-
nar, 1984). The results represent homogenization
sulfur temperatures and no pressure correction has been applied to
60% the presented data. A pressure estimate of about 25 MPa,
ideal cpy corresponding to a 1- to 3-km depth, is assumed based on the
ideal born generally fine-grained nature of the garnet and pyroxene al-
teration and common hydrothermal brecciation, both of
which indicate relatively shallow depths of formation. The
high salinity of these fluid inclusions and the above pressure
correction would add 25ºC (Potter, 1977) to the Th to give an
ideal cc 30% approximate trapping temperature. Fluid salinity was deter-
copper iron mined from melting temperatures of halite daughter miner-
chalcopyrite als, using the equation of Sterner et al. (1988). Where sylvite
bornite melting temperatures could be determined the ternary dia-
chalcocite gram of Roedder (1984) was employed to calculate fluid salin-
ity.
FIG. 16. Diagram from the Cu-Fe-S ternary with microprobe analyses of Table 5 summarizes data from the fluid inclusion study. Pri-
Cu mineralization at Coroccohuayco. The diagram shows the region between
30 and 60 percent S. End-member compositions are shown by the larger
mary inclusions in both garnet and pyroxene have mean Th of
symbols. Some chalcopyrite analyses are distinctly enriched in Cu relative to approximately 500ºC, although a few inclusions were not ho-
the ideal composition and are associated with the bluer colored bornites mogenized by the temperature limit of the heating stage
which do not significantly differ in major elements from typical bornite. (640ºC). Fluid inclusions from the late, green pyroxene and

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 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 279

A B
vapor bubble halite

2 isotropic daughters

halite

secondary

10µm 10µm
B
C D

ary
nd
ou
halite

lb
sta
cry
10µm 10µm
E F

isotropic daughters

hematite

istropic daughters
10µm halite 10µm

FIG. 17. Photomicrographs of typical fluid inclusions at Coroccohuayco. A. Irregularly shaped three-phase inclusions in
garnet interpreted as primary in origin; note relationship to crystal grow zones. B. Larger isolated primary inclusion in gar-
net, with a trail of secondary inclusions. C. Trail of lower salinity inclusions in garnet interpreted as secondary (parallel to
white line). D. A trail of three-phase fluid inclusions in pyroxene, interpreted as pseudosecondary; note relationship to grain
boundary. E. Multi-phase fluid inclusions in pyroxene with two halides, hematite, and an anisotropic daughter (not visible).
F. Dispersed three-phase fluid inclusions in quartz with a general consistency in vapor/fluid ratios.

earlier light green and white pyroxene partially overlap in Th Discussion

range (Fig. 18), with the green pyroxene extending to lower
temperatures. Average Th for quartz in veins is lower than for Role of igneous rocks
white pyroxene and garnet with the high-temperature initia- The similarities between the REE patterns of diorite and
tion of precipitation of quartz in these veins occurring at monzonite porphyries suggest that the diorite and monzonitic
about 420°C (Fig. 18). Some of the quartz veins analyzed con- porphyry families are petrogenetically related, with the mon-
tained magnetite and chalcopyrite, indicating the general zonites and diorite potentially derived from the same differ-
temperature range of precipitation of these two minerals. entiating parent magma. Hornblende fractionation may have
Quartz interstitial to garnet occupies the same paragenetic preferentially removed the middle to heavy rare earth ele-
position as magnetite and sulfides in skarn and has a Th range ments from the residual magma to produce the monzonite
of 220° to 400°C, similar to that of vein quartz. porphyry magmas. The change in Eu anomalies in the diorite

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280 KIERRAN C. MAHER

TABLE 5. Summary of Fluid Inclusion Analysis from Coroccohuayco, Peru

Salinity range Average salinity

Mineral Th range (ºC) Mean Th (ºC) Number Th (wt % NaCl equiv) (wt % NaCl equiv) Number salinity

Garnet >650−170 495 42 35–58 47 20

Pyroxene 635−410 505 111 38–71 49 21
Vein quartz 450−170 325 134 30–61 43 43

Note: Data from Maher (1999)

samples, from a large positive anomaly in the most primitive with a genetic relationship to skarn. It may, however, have in-
diorite to a slight negative anomaly similar to that seen in the fluenced the formation of magnetite in parts of the deposit
monzonite porphyries, suggests the involvement of plagio- (see below) as well as buffered the effect of any descending
clase fractionation in the diorite sills, potentially at the site of meteoric fluids on the deposit.
intrusion. As the earliest intrusive product, the diorite may The modal and chemical similarities of the monzonitic
have intruded into the upper crust under a convergent stress rocks at Coroccohuayco indicate that the felsic magmatic ac-
regime, with the later monzonitic rocks intruding in an exten- tivity was related. Though with slightly different timing rela-
sional regime caused by a reorientation of principal stresses. tionships, the dikes of various types represent pulses of the
This likely corresponds to a period of upper crustal extension. same magmatic system that produced skarn, as hydrothermal
The diorite may have acted as a heat source for localized fluids emanated into the surrounding carbonate protolith.
limestone recrystallization, but skarn is not generally zoned The petrographic and chemical similarities of rocks from
away from diorite contacts and the diorite itself shows little Coroccohuayco and Tintaya suggest that the intrusive rocks at
anhydrous calc-silicate development that would be consistent both deposits were related to compositionally similar magmas
and the deposits represent upper level loci of intrusive activ-
25 ity associated with a larger differentiating batholithic body
A under the district. One of the important metallogenic fea-
quartz
pyroxene tures from Coroccohuayco is that monzonitic dikes F-G-H lo-
20 garnet cally cut skarn but in other areas form skarn. This feature sug-
gests that skarn formation was a continuing but pulsed
process during the polyphase intrusive history of the deposit.
15
number

Skarn zonation
10 Like many other skarn deposits (e.g., Atkinson and Ein-
audi, 1978; Johnson and Norton, 1985; Meinert et al., 2005),
Coroccohuayco contains mineralogically zoned skarn which
5 can be used to infer direction of fluid flow and proximity to
fluid pathways. Proximal fluid pathways at Coroccohuayco
0 were not only directly adjacent to intrusive contacts but also
160 200 240 280 320 360 400 440 480 520 560 600 640 along lithologic or bedding contacts, higher permeability lay-
ers and/or bedding plane faults within the Ferrobamba For-
homogenization temperature (°C)
mation as described previously.
10
B Green pyroxene The geology of the skarn alteration and mine section mod-
9
White pyroxene eling (section 1400; Fig. 4) indicates that skarn-forming fluids
8 infiltrated the carbonate host rock of the Ferrobamba For-
7 mation by lateral movement along more permeable and/or re-
6 active layers. The weak calc-silicate marble alteration at
number

5 Coroccohuayco may extend hundreds of meters laterally away

4 from the mineralized massive skarn (Fig. 4), although the ver-
3 tical gradation is much shorter. The expression of higher per-
2 meability is shown by the layered nature of the recrystalliza-
1 tion, bleaching, and weak calc-silicate development observed
0
parallel to bedding laminations (Maher, 1999; Fig. 7). This
380 400 420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560 580 600 620 640 layered alteration style is a smaller scale equivalent of the re-
placement of specific carbonate beds by calc-silicate alter-
homogenization temperature (°C)
ation in other skarn deposits (cf. Koski and Cook, 1982). At
FIG. 18. Histograms of fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures (Th) Coroccohuayco this layering is related to the bedding struc-
from Coroccohuayco. A. The combined fluid inclusion data of garnet, pyrox- ture in the protolith, although the large lateral extent of alter-
ene, and vein quartz with distinctly lower Th for quartz interstitial to calc-sil-
icate minerals and quartz veins relative to calc-silicates. B. Pyroxene fluid in-
ation may also be partly related to the reactive infiltration in-
clusion data for different colored pyroxenes showing some overlap in the stability process which tends to focus reactive fluids into
range of Th. specific channels (Ortoleva et al., 1987; Meinert et al., 2005).

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 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 281

In addition to the permeability variations related to original and eventually to the stability of Cu-rich phases, with precip-
sedimentary characteristics, increased permeability may have itation probably commencing around 400°C. This is inferred
been induced by subtle deposit-scale thermal recrystallization from the fluid inclusion data derived from vein and dissemi-
along certain layers and laminations. nated quartz which either occurs with, or occupies, a parage-
The mass of skarn in the northern part of Coroccohuayco netic position similar to sulfides. Textures in some sulfide
(as described above) is volumetrically significant. However, it grains indicate that in certain places copper enrichment or
is not entirely clear what the actual source of the fluid was sulfidation reactions altered originally mineralogically simple
which produced this as few synskarn porphyries are present sulfide grains to multiphase grains, commonly enriching the
in this area, particularly around easting 16. It is hypothesized grains in copper (Fig. 10). As many of these grains are distal
that at least some of the skarn in this zone may have been pro- to known potential fluid sources such as porphyries, this was
duced by fluids derived from a deeper intrusive body. Fluid probably the effect of local fluid chemistry changes during
originating from this intrusion could have ascended hypothe- the mineralization process rather than the effects of later in-
sized faults until it reached the reactive Ferrobamba Forma- troduced fluids. Low activity of sulfur could explain the
tion and spread laterally along the permeable bedding con- paucity of Fe sulfides in skarn. Postskarn intrusive dikes also
duits. Although there is no direct drilling evidence for the introduced locally significant copper mineralization but this
existence of this intrusion, the common presence of pyrite was confined to areas adjacent to monzonite porphyry M
veins with biotitic envelopes encountered in the Mara For- dikes.
mation in the deepest drilling in this area suggest the poten- The mineralization at Coroccohuayco is dominated by dis-
tial for a deeper fluid source. seminated chalcopyrite-bornite hosted by garnet and, to a
lesser extent, pyroxene. The close spatial relationship be-
Skarn-forming conditions tween the alteration and mineralization indicates that the ore-
Fluid inclusion data indicate that both garnet and pyroxene forming process was genetically related to the alteration
commenced precipitation from highly saline fluids at temper- process rather than being unrelated superimposed events. In
atures exceeding 600°C and ended around 400°C, with indi- addition, skarn distal to known dikes and garnet veins in mar-
vidual skarn samples showing the entire range of tempera- ble contains disseminated sulfide mineralization, pointing to-
tures. Several observations indicate that the early prograde ward a genetic link between the calc-silicates and copper
skarn alteration formed under oxidized conditions, including mineralization. The actual initiation of sulfide precipitation in
the highly andraditic composition of garnet and diopsidic com- skarn from an evolved prograde hydrothermal fluid may have
position of early pyroxene, lack of a strongly colored distal py- occurred in the more distal green granular garnet zone, since
roxene zone (Meinert et al., 2005), garnet volumetrically lower temperatures or chemical instability of the transporting
greater than pyroxene, and the presence of hematite daughter complexes would have been encountered here prior to the
minerals in primary fluid inclusions in both garnet and pyrox- more proximal zones during a thermal collapse of the pro-
ene. These features indicate that the primary control over the grade hydrothermal system. The abundance of remnant in-
composition of alteration was the hydrothermal fluid since the terstitial calcite in distal garnet could facilitate metal precipi-
protolith is a relatively clean carbonate. The differences in tation from chloride complexes by consuming acid in a
major element chemistry in garnets from different parts of the decarbonation reaction like,
same alteration package are minor and suggest that there was
CaCO3 + 2H+ = H2CO3 + Ca2+, (1)
little major element compositional difference between the
calc-silicate−producing fluids passing through proximal zones driven by acid-producing sulfide precipitation reactions such
and those which produced less intense (more distal) alteration. as,
Although clastic beds occur in the Ferrobamba Formation,
CuCl–2 + 2H2S(aq) + FeCl4– = CuFeS2 + 4H+ + 6Cl–, (2)
there is little geochemical evidence that they were preferen-
tially replaced by calc-silicates producing a more aluminous thereby resulting in a feedback to the decarbonation reaction.
garnet composition. In addition, the clastic beds are too irreg- With abundant calcite in the green garnet skarn, this process
ular in lateral continuity to have been significant controls over will proceed until the calcite is exhausted, porosity is filled, or
the >100 m lateral flow of hydrothermal fluids. the metallic elements in the fluid are spent.
Wollastonite has not been identified at Coroccohuayco and Some sulfide ore textures probably represent exsolution
its absence may be due to several factors. The most important from higher temperature solid solutions and others from
being that the Ferrobamba Formation in the deposit is a rel- modification of deposited sulfides by evolved hydrothermal
atively pure carbonate unit with little disseminated sedimen- fluids. The myrmekitic and/or lamellar textures of bornite-
tary silicate material or chert present and, to a lesser extent, chalcopyrite and bornite-chalcocite may be due to the exsolu-
that metamorphic heating was not a particularly important al- tion of an originally homogeneous Cu-Fe sulfide phase dur-
teration process in the Ferrobamba Formation. The geo- ing cooling. Other complex sulfide textures are most likely
chemistry and texture of skarn also indicates that metaso- related to fluctuations in fluid chemistry during deposition.
matic reactions dominated over isochemical reactions during Gold and silver mineralization is mostly observed in bornite
genesis of the alteration in the deposit. ± chalcocite grains. This style of mineralization is most com-
mon in the granular green garnet host and thus the higher
Mineralization grades of Cu mineralization in this host also correspond to
Copper mineralization commenced as temperatures de- higher precious metal content. The common occurrence of
creased to the saturation of chalcopyrite ± bornite in the fluid electrum and silver-gold tellurides near the rims of sulfide

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282 KIERRAN C. MAHER

grains indicate that gold and silver were precipitated during zone indicates thermodynamic instability of both the Fe- and
the later stages of copper mineralization at any specific loca- Cu-transporting complexes and high chlorine to sulfur ratios
tion. There is no textural evidence to suggest that precious in the fluid (Barton and Johnson, 2000). Based on fluid inclu-
metal mineralization is genetically distinct from the copper sion evidence in silicates, this likely occurred at 400(±25)°C.
mineralization. Ultimately, the gold and silver deposition was At Coroccohuayco, magnetite is also related to a relatively
likely triggered by instability in gold-bisulfide complexes due reduced postprograde skarn hydrothermal fluid that over-
to changes in temperature, fO2, pH, or consumption of S from printed existing skarn adjacent to the postskarn monzonite
bisulfide complexes to form S-rich copper phases during sul- porphyry M dikes. This unusual alteration is locally associated
fide mineralization. with dark green late pyroxene alteration that overprints ear-
lier white pyroxene. Microprobe analyses of this green pyrox-
Magnetite ene correlate it to a fluid more reduced and enriched in Na
A minor volume of magnetite is observed near skarn-mar- (Table 3; Fig. 15), consistent with a derivation from a rela-
ble contacts, suggesting that the precipitation of magnetite tively reduced hydrothermal fluid with the potential to pro-
was initiated by changes in fluid physicochemical conditions duce albitic alteration and magnetite. The area of influence
resulting from reactions between carbonate protolith and the by these late fluids does not appear to exceed 50 m from the
hydrothermal fluid. However, the majority of magnetite re- dikes and magnetite generally tends to occur as dissemina-
places calc-silicate minerals. Retrograde magnetite alteration tions and patches so this process produced only a small vol-
of skarn likely occurred for several reasons although the ume of the magnetite formed at Coroccohuayco.
processes may not have been mutually exclusive. In many dif- A significant volume of massive magnetite was produced
ferent zones in the deposit magnetite occurs in green garnet near the skarn-diorite contact in the upper parts of the de-
and pyroxene skarn distal to fluid sources. This suggests a posit (Fig. 4). Although diorite is not genetically related to
change leading to magnetite deposition that consistently oc- skarn alteration and mineralization, it may have acted as a
curred in certain zones with similar geochemical conditions barrier to fluid escape, buffering the composition and oxida-
throughout the deposit at both high and low elevations. For tion state of the skarn-forming fluids, and/or acting as a seal
magnetite that replaces more distal skarn minerals, this to the escape of CO2 thereby permitting increases in PCO2 and
change is likely related to changes in temperature and oxida- replacement of existing garnet following a reaction such as (3)
tion state of the fluid during prograde alteration (Johnson and above. The release of ferrous ion from altered primary sili-
Norton, 1985). For example, the oxidation state of the fluid cates in diorite could have also locally contributed to the for-
will change as ferric ion is consumed during early precipita- mation of magnetite. Likewise the sill could have acted as a
tion of andraditic garnet, during cooling, and by fluid interac- barrier or buffer for downward circulating oxygenated mete-
tion with a potential reductant like elemental carbon in lime- oric fluids that potentially could have produced hydrous ret-
stone. Increases in PCO2 resulting from carbonate dissolution rograde alteration common in other copper skarns systems.
could lead to destabilization of garnet following a reaction
like: Conclusions
Coroccohuayco differs from other Cu skarn systems in that
3Ca3Fe2Si3O12 + 9CO2 =
it has only weak potassic alteration in the intermediate ig-
2Fe3O4 + 9CaCO3 + 9SiO2 + 1/2O2. (3)
neous rocks and common albitic and generally weak late
Reaction (3) would require the reduction of some ferric ion sericitic alteration in porphyries. Part of this is likely related
but the associated calcite and quartz (if precipitated) could to the original geochemistry of the monzonitic phases and the
effectively decrease rock permeability and seal the system to stage and/or temperature at which complete crystallization
further reaction (Seward and Barnes, 1997). A reaction in- occurred, but the abundant albitic alteration is probably a
volving the addition of ferrous ion by the fluid and removal of consequence of the petrogenetic character of the parent
silica and carbonate as dissolved species could likewise pro- magma. Polyphase intrusive activity was important in forming
duce massive magnetite in a reaction like: the large extent of mineralization, with several early and late
synskarn porphyries concentrated in a small area. Mineraliza-
Ca3Fe2Si3O12 + FeCl02 + 3CO2 + 7H2O =
– tion in the causative intrusions is inconsistent and generally
Fe3O4 + 3H4SiO4 + 3Ca2+ + 3CO2– +
3 + 2Cl + 2H . (4)
low. Skarn-forming fluids migrated distances greater than 100
A reaction like this is especially favored if the carbonate and m away from fluid sources at several stratigraphic levels be-
silica reaction products are removed, thereby resulting in cause of the incipient protolith permeability and favorable
nearly pure magnetite. Reaction (4) would initiate a feed- geometry of the host structure. Andraditic garnet alteration
back process where further acid production could facilitate predominates in skarn because of the composition of the rel-
decarbonation reactions and then continued magnetite pre- atively pure carbonate protolith and the oxidized iron-rich
cipitation if the evolved CO2 could not quickly escape. Thus character of the prograde skarn-forming fluid. Retrograde al-
magnetite would be expected as a retrograde alteration prod- teration in skarn is dominated by magnetite ± carbonate ± sil-
uct as evolved (more reduced) skarn-forming fluids de- ica with hydrous retrograde alteration of garnet poorly devel-
creased in temperature and PCO2 increased locally during oped. This is probably related to several factors including the
thermal collapse, with the volume of magnetite produced at possibility of the absence of late-stage infiltrating meteoric
any location controlled by the availability of reduced iron in fluids, the geochemical effect on the evolution of hydrother-
the fluid. The precipitation of Cu-Fe sulfides from Cu com- mal and meteoric fluids by the large diorite sill overlying the
plexes nearly contemporaneously with magnetite in the same deposit, and the control by oxidized iron-rich metasomatism

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 SKARN ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION AT COROCCOHUAYCO, TINTAYA DISTRICT, PERU 283

over resulting prograde skarn composition. Copper mineral- Jaillard, E., Herail, J., Monfret, T., Diaz-Martinez, E., Baby, P., Lavenu, A.,
ization is dominantly disseminated interstitial to calc-silicates and Dumont, J.F., 2000, Tectonic evolution of the Andes of Ecuador, Peru,
Bolivia, and northernmost Chile: International Geological Congress, 31st,
and highest where remnant carbonate or porosity was also Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 16−17, Proceedings, p. 481−559.
higher. Magnetite alteration is an important feature at Coroc- Johnson, J.W., and Norton, D., 1985, Theoretical prediction of hydrothermal
cohuayco, as it is in other deposits in the Andahuaylas-Yauri conditions and chemical equilibria during skarn formation in porphyry cop-
belt, such as Tintaya and Las Bambas (Perelló et al., 2003) be- per systems: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 80, p. 1797−1823.
Koski, R.A., and Cook, D.S., 1982, Geology of the Christmas porphyry cop-
cause of its relationship to calc-silicate alteration and miner- per deposit, Gila County, Arizona, in Titley, S.R., ed., Advances in geology
alization. As such, magnetite is a valuable geophysical explo- of the porphyry copper deposits, southwestern North America: Tucson,
ration tool because it appears to be a common product of the University of Arizona, p. 353−374.
retrograde alteration of calc-silicates in oxidized iron-rich Lang, J.R., and Titley, S.R., 1998, Isotopic and geochemical characteristics of
skarn environments as well as being introduced to skarn by Laramide magmatic systems in Arizona and implications for the genesis of
porphyry copper deposits: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 93, p. 138−170.
late Na-rich fluids derived from sodium-rich intrusive phases Lanier, G., Raab, W.J., Folsom, R.B., and Cone, S., 1978, Alteration of
such as those observed at Coroccohuayco. equigranular monzonite, Bingham mining district, Utah: ECONOMIC GEOL-
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Acknowledgments Maher, K.C., 1999, Geology of the Cu-skarn at Coroccohuayco, Peru: Un-
published M.Sc. thesis, Pullman, Washington State University, 133 p.
The author wishes to thank Jeff Brooks and Mike Anglin for Maher K.C., and Larson, P.B., 2007, Variation in copper isotope ratios and
facilitating this study of Coroccohuayco. Significant improve- controls on fractionation in hypogene skarn mineralization at Corocco-
ments to the manuscript resulted from detailed comments of huayco and Tintaya, Perú: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 102, p. 225−237.
Economic Geology reviewers and the Editor. These com- McDonough, W.F., and Sun, S.S., 1995, The composition of the earth:
ments, as well as the analytical support provided by the De- Chemical Geology, v. 120, p. 223−253.
Meinert, L.D., 1995, Compositional variation of igneous rocks associated
partment of Geology at Washington State University, are with skarn deposits— chemical evidence for a genetic connection between
gratefully acknowledged. petrogenesis and mineralization: Mineralogical Association of Canada
Short Course Series, v. 23, p. 401−418.
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