GEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND METALLOGENIC REGULARITY OF THE PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS IN CHILE

Chile is well known for its porphyry copper deposits in the world, with the world's largest Chuquicamota and El Teniente deposits of such type, distributed mainly in San Diego-Iquique region, where earthquake, volcanism and intrusion is seriously intensive. The metallogenic epoch is from Early Cretaceous to Paleogene. With study on the regional geology of Chile porphyry copper deposits, as well as metallogenic conditions and geological characteristics of three typical deposits, it is found that the mineralization of Chile porphyry copper deposits is closely related with multi-stage magmatism, distributed in north-south-trending belts and occurring in groups, with new metallogenic epoch, shallow bury and large reserves. The porphyry copper metallogenic model by Lowell-Guilbert and the diorite model by Hollister play important roles in the exploration of Chile porphyry copper deposits.