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Breccias
Breccias - definition
Broken rock sometimes associated with mineralisation Breccias include
– Sedimentary bx– Volcanic bx (often host rocks)– Magmatic bx (often pre-mineral mineralised magmatic
hydrothermal) – Tectonic bx (mineralised tectonic hydrothermal)
Relationships of breccia
types
Breccia terminology Descriptive terminology based upon the
appearance of the rock using features such as fragment type and rounding and relationship to matrix etc
Genetic terminology relates to the interpreted mechanism of breccia formation and uses conceptual geological models to provide a link between the breccia and mineralisation
Genetic Summary
Intrusion Breccias
Associated with emplacement of intrusions with no hydrothermal activity
Magmatic hydrothermal breccias Combination of intrusion and hydrothermal
activity generally at depth without venting to the surface
Alteration as early chlorite and later silica-sericite + pyrite
Common in:– Upper portions of porphyry Cu deposits (pebble dykes)
and – Breccia pipes in deeper level sub volcanic terrains – Breccia pipes in batholith terrains (Cu-Tourmaline
breccias)
Magmatic Hydrothermal Bx
Pebbledykes/breccias
Kidston NE Australia
Kidston map
Kidston
Mixed breccia
Kidston
Marginal breccias:
Metamorphic bxGranodiorite bx
Kidston
Felsic fragment breccia
Spherulitic rhyolite
Kidston Intrusion features
KidstonSheeted veins
Kidston map
Kidston setting
Kidston Interp
Tourmaline Bx – Model
Cu-Tourmaline breccias
Occur in batholith terrains probably at apophyses Cu>Au in association with tourmaline, pyrite,
chalcopyrite Initial collapse produced by venting of volatiles
promotes collapse and development of:– flat dipping sheeted fractures and associated shingle
breccias– Steep dipping ring fractures at pipe margin
Later mineralisation exploits plumbing system
Tourmaline Bx - rocks
Shingle bxMt Terrible
Shingle Bx - Mexico
Shingle breccias - Tooloom
Phreatomagmatic Bx
Phreatomagmatic breccias Formed by explosive activity involving magma
and water turned to vapour Of interest here associated with high level
typically felsic intrusons commonly in flow dome complexes
Rising intrusion becomes depressurised and may come in contact with groundwaters in same fault
Vent with tuff rings and endogenous domes Mineralisation later high and low sulphidation Characterised by clay-pyrite alteration
Milled matrix breccia
Acupan, Philippines Lihir, PNG
Cripple Creek, USA Veladero, Argentina
Bedded breccias –Tuff rings
Pascua, ChileNauti, Wau, PNG
Sumbawa, Indonesia
Surficial features
Wood Fragments,Lihir, PNG
Accretionary Lapilli, Lihir, PNG
Bedded, lapilli,Kelian, Indonesia
Juvenile intrusion fragments
UpperRidges, Wau, PNG
Veladero, Argentina Yanacocha, Peru
Mineral Hill, Australia Namie Breccia, Wau, PNG
Domes
Wau Diatreme, Papua New Guinea
Crumple breccia
Namie Breccia
Mineralisation
Mineralisation at pipe margin - Acupan
Mineralisation at pipe margin – Lepanto
Mineralisation outside pipes – Kelian
Mineralisation within pipes
Mt Leyshon, Australia
Yanacocha, Peru
Veladero, Argentina
Phreatomagmatic breccias
Fluidised injection breccias
Smaller scale emplacement of sulphides into fractured rocks
Characterised by significant transport of matrix and lesser transport of host rocks fragments
Matrix of sulphides and rock flour Characterised by dyke-like forms grading to more
marginal crackle breccias Common in high sulphidation and some quartz-
sulphide low sulphidation deposits
Injection Bx
Fluidised injection breccias
Rotational breccia
Fluidised brecciaKelian, Indonesia Lihir Is., Papua New Guinea
Crackle and fluidised crackle breccias
Bowdens, AustraliaLihir, PNG
Goonumbla, AustraliaLama Argentina
Phreatic or Eruption breccias
Explosions result from depressurising of hot water to form steam
Near surficial breccia pipes No magmatic component Common where circulating cells of
geothermal fluids Cap quartz veins and silicified breccias Fluid outflows for sinter deposits
Ebx
Champange Pool Champagne Pool
Eruption breccia
Fluid outflows
Pamukale sinter terrace Turkey
Lihir Is - Phreatic/eruption
brecciaIntrusion related
hydrothermal system
Silicified breccias
Twin Hills, Australia
Toka Tindung, Indonesia
Puhipuhi, New Zealand
McLaughlin crack seal
breccia-sinter
Twin Hills – breccias
Twin Hills dismembered dyke
Ebx
Tectonic-hydrothermal brecciasincluding dilational (open space)
breccias
Form in open space faults Common infill of hydrothermal minerals Common sub surface sedimentary structures Local milled, floating clast breccias, many
with bonanza ores
Dilational Bx
Dilational /open space / expansion breccias
Mt Kare
Mosaic breccias
Kidston, Australia
Porgera, Papua New Guinea
Floating clast breccias
Hishikari
Viento El Indio DistrictTwin Hills Australia
Milled floating clast breccias
Subsurface sedimentary structures in open space faults
Mineralised Fault
Breccia
Tectonic-hydrothermal
breccias
Vera Nancy, rucked up vein fragment led to discovery
Rucked up fragments
Bilimoia, pebble dyke with rucked up shale fragments
Fault Breccia
Exploration significanceBreccias
Importance of descriptive classifications in the field Analysis of field data to produce genetic
classification which allow the application of prospects to geological models
Breccia types vary with deposit type and display distinct relationships to mineralisation
Barren eruption breccias overly sheeted and fissure vein systems while ore may occur marginal to, or at depth within, phreatomagmatic breccia pipes.
Lepanto rucked up
breccia fragment
Breccia matrix
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