Alkalic porphyry

Alkalic porphyry systems form in oceanic and continental magmatic arcs and in continental rifts by similar processes from fluids exsolved from more fractionated alkalic plutons and stocks. Resulting ore deposits tend to be more enriched in Au, Te, Bi, and V.
Color on map:

Deposit types

Name Commodities Critical minerals
Greisen Mo, Bi Bi
S-R-V tungsten W W, Bi, Mn, Sc
Porphyry/skarn copper-gold Cu, Mo, Au PGE, Te, Bi
Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS Au, Ag, Pb, Zn, Cu Ge, Ga, In, Bi, Te
Fluorspar Fluorite Fluorite
Distal disseminated silver-gold Ag, Au Sb, As
High sulfidation Cu, Ag, Au Te, Bi, As, Sb
Low sulfidation Au Te, Bi, V, F
Lithocap alunite Al, K2SO4 (potash) Al, K2SO4, Ga
Lithocap kaolinite Kaolin Ga

References


Source: Hofstra, A.H., and Kreiner, D.C., 2020, Systems-Deposits-Commodities-Critical Minerals Table for the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020-1042, 24 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201042.

List of Earth MRI focus areas with mineral system = Alkalic porphyry

27 focus areas match these criteria.

Focus area Region States Mineral Systems Deposit types Commodities
Seward Peninsula-St. Lawrence Island PorphMo-W Alaska Alaska Alkalic porphyry Porphyry/skarn copper-gold copper; gold; molybdenum
Cuttingsville stock Northeast Vermont Alkalic porphyry Porphyry/skarn copper-gold copper; gold; molybdenum; silver
Bearpaw Mountains-Eagle Buttes Northwest Montana Alkalic porphyry Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Castle stock Northwest Montana Alkalic porphyry Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Challis fluorspar Northwest Idaho Alkalic porphyry Fluorspar; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Judith Mountains Northwest Montana Alkalic porphyry Low sulfidation; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Little Belt Mountains Northwest Montana Alkalic porphyry Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Lowland Creek Volcanics Northwest Montana Alkalic porphyry Low sulfidation copper; gold; silver
Moccasin Mountains Northwest Montana Alkalic porphyry Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
MT-ID Alkalic Belt Northwest Montana Alkalic porphyry Fluorspar; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; feldspar; lead; gold; silver; vermiculite
Yankee Fork fluorspar Northwest Idaho Alkalic porphyry Fluorspar (none)
Zortman syenite Northwest Montana Alkalic porphyry Low sulfidation copper; gold; silver
Bear Lodge District and Broader Region Rocky Mountains South Dakota; Wyoming Alkalic porphyry Low sulfidation; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry/skarn copper-gold copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Central City-Idaho Springs polymetallic veins Rocky Mountains Colorado Alkalic porphyry Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver; uranium
Central Colorado epithermal Au-Ag Rocky Mountains Colorado Alkalic porphyry High sulfidation; Low sulfidation copper; gold; lead; silver
Cripple Creek district Rocky Mountains Colorado Alkalic porphyry High sulfidation; Low sulfidation copper; gold; silver
Jamestown district Rocky Mountains Colorado Alkalic porphyry Low sulfidation; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver; uranium
La Plata polymetallic district Rocky Mountains Colorado Alkalic porphyry Distal disseminated silver-gold; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry/skarn copper-gold copper; gold; lead; silver
Leucite Hills volcanics Rocky Mountains Wyoming Alkalic porphyry Lithocap alunite diamond; diopside; garnet; peridot; spinel
Rattlesnake Hills Alkali Intrusive Complex Rocky Mountains Wyoming Alkalic porphyry High sulfidation; Low sulfidation copper; gold; silver
St Peters dome district (Oligocene) Rocky Mountains Colorado Alkalic porphyry Low sulfidation; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver; uranium
Daisy Mine Southwest Nevada Alkalic porphyry Distal disseminated silver-gold; Fluorspar copper; gold; mercury; molybdenum; silver; thallium
Gold Hill Mining District Southwest Utah Alkalic porphyry Distal disseminated silver-gold; Low sulfidation gold; silver
Nogal-Bonito (Cedar Creek) Southwest New Mexico Alkalic porphyry Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry/skarn copper-gold copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Orogrande Mining District Southwest New Mexico Alkalic porphyry Porphyry/skarn copper-gold; S-R-V tungsten copper; gold; iron; lead; molybdenum; silver; uranium
Texas-New Mexico alkaline belt Southwest New Mexico; Texas Alkalic porphyry Porphyry/skarn copper-gold; S-R-V tungsten copper; gold; iron; lead; silver
White Oaks Mining District Southwest New Mexico Alkalic porphyry Porphyry/skarn copper-gold; S-R-V tungsten copper; gold; molybdenum