Porphyry–Copper Mineralization of Talnikovoye Ore Field (Okhotsk Segment of the Okhotsk–Chukotka Volcanogenic Belt)

Abstract

The Talnikovoye ore field, where previous academic research and exploration works revealed porphyry copper mineralization, is described. Our data show that the mineralization is confined to the Turonian granodiorite and quartz diorite intrusions (91 Ma, U–Pb metohod) and accompanying hydrothermal–explosive breccias. Biotite–epidote–chlorite propylites are widespread within the ore field; in the southern part, quartz–sericite phyllic alteration is superimposed on the K-feldspar alteration halo. The ore occurs in zones of intense quartz, chlorite–epidote–quartz (with chalcopyrite and molybdenite), sulfide-potassium feldspar–quartz (with chalcopyrite and bornite), and sulfide–quartz–sericite (with chalcopyrite) stockwork veining with copper–molybdenum mineralization. They have moderate concentrations of Cu (0.1–0.3%, reaching 1.1%) and Mo (up to 0.1%), low concentrations of Au (up to 0.1 g/t) and Ag (up to 2.6 g/t), and have a Cu–Mo–(Au, Ag, Pb, Zn, Sb, and As) geochemical signature. Fluid inclusion data suggest the formation of quartz in mineralized veinlet during the magmatic–hydrothermal transition (430–150°С) with solutions at high (50 wt % NaCl equiv.), medium and low concentrations (5–18.9 wt % NaCl equiv.) involved under the cooling–dilution scenario. The values of the main geochemical indicators, such as Cu/Mo (30–60) and Cu/Au (>1 × 10⁵) ratios allowed us to assign the Talnikovoye ore field to the porphyry copper–molybdenum type characteristic of continental-margin volcano-plutonic belts formed on the mafic island-arc basement. The geochemical parameters of ore-bearing porphyry granitoids indicate their formation in a setting of a subduction-to-transform plate boundary transition.