Lithological and structural controls on the genesis of the Candelaria-Punta del Cobre Iron Oxide Copper Gold district, Northern Chile

摘要

The Candelaria-Punta del Cobre district is the largest Iron-Oxide Cu and Au (IOCG) district in the Chilean IOCG belt with more than 13 Mt of contained copper. Candelaria is the most important deposit in the district, which includes seven other smaller producers (Carola, Punta del Cobre, Mantos de Cobre, Candelaria Norte, Granate, Alcaparrosa, Atacama Kozan, Las Pintadas). The district, which is characterized by an Early-Cretaceous volcanic. sedimentary arc sequence (similar to 135-132 Ma; Punta del Cobre Formation) overlain by the marine-sedimentary Chanarcillo Group, formed in an extensional back-arc basin (similar to 132-130 Ma). The Copiapo batholith, which occupies the western side of the district, was emplaced between 118 and 110 Ma during the change from extensional to transpressional tectonics.