1. MAGMATISM AND HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM OF THE KINGKING PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT: AN INSIGHT INTO THE MINERALIZATION OF THE COPPER-GOLD BELT IN SOUTHEASTERN MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
LEILANIE O. SUERTE, D. Eng.
Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office No. 6
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Iloilo City
MINES AND GEOSCIENCES BUREAU Technical Forum
November

2. APPLICATIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE
OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
METHODOLOGY
RESULTS AND FINDINGS
APPLICATIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE
RECOMMENDATIONS

3. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE MINING SECTOR
2000 VS 2009
The Philippines has abundant mineral resources
1981 to top 5
in gold and top 10 in copper production
MAP AND DATA FROM MGB-DENR

4. IF MINING ---> ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Operating Copper Mines:
PADCAL COPPER MINE (PHILEX)
CARMEN COPPER PROJECT (ATLAS/CCC)
CANATUAN SULPHIDE PHASE PROJECT (TVI)
1970s s s
SOME MINING CONCERNS
Limited data (geology and mineralization), dwindling ore reserves, high cost of prospecting, exploration and mine development
IF MINING ---> ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
HOW CAN WE HELP IN THE REVITALIZATION OF THE MINING INDUSTRY ?
PROVIDE THE INVESTORS/ ---> RELIABLE DATA
MINING COMPANIES EXPLORATION TOOL
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ORE MINERALS

5. Southeastern Mindanao - hosts several porphyry copper deposits/ prospects
PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS - low-grade copper, gold and (or) molybdenum mineralization usually within and around diorites and defined by zones of alteration; provides more than half of the world’s supply for copper and a significant source of gold
From , 26% of the annual gold production of the Philippines came from porphyry copper deposits
Copper - electrical materials and machineries, electronics industry, coinage, etc.
Gold - coinage, jewelry, photography, medical, dental and electronics industry, etc.

6. PORPHYRY COPPER-GOLD MINES
Philex Mining Corporation PADCAL Copper Mine (as of Dec. 2008):
Proved ore reserves (remaining) million MT
Mine life ~ 58 yrs (until 2017)
Current no. of employees - 2,478 persons
Taxes and fees paid (2008) - PhP Billion
Kingking Porphyry Copper-Gold Deposit
2 billion lbs. of copper concentrate
4 million oz. of gold
4 million oz. of silver
Value US $ 14 Billion
Taxes and other fees - > US $ 400 Million
Mine life ~13-15 yrs

7. OBJECTIVES
1. ADDRESS THE SCARCITY OF PUBLISHED DATA (geology and mineralization) in a known and profitable mining area
2. TO KNOW MORE ABOUT PORPHYRY COPPER MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES (characteristics and age of intrusive rocks, hydrothermal system)
3. PROPOSE A GENETIC MODEL ON THE FORMATION OF THE KINGKING DEPOSIT which could provide clues on how to look for porphyry copper deposits

8. METHODOLOGY FORMATION OF THE KINGKING PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT
EXPLORATION TOOL FOR PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS

9. TIOGDAN
CORE HOUSE BENGUET CORP.
KAMPO II

11. LITHOLOGIC MAP OF THE KINGKING PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT

12. ALTERATION
Potassic alteration (biotite/k-feldspar) in Biotite Diorite Porphyry and Hornblende Diorite Porphyry
Most of the copper ores are located in the potassic alteration zone

13. Usual sources of copper and (or) gold - quartz veinlets stockworks and disseminations of copper ores in the diorites Primary copper ores - bornite and chalcopyrite Gold is present in chalcopyrite and bornite

14. A NEW SOURCE OF COPPER ORE IN A PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT?
BORNITE PODS - bornite + chalcopyrite + calaverite
1ST time to be reported in the Philippines; 2ND in the world after Endeavor Mine in Northparkes, Australia
Not related to quartz veinlets stockworks or disseminations
Associated with the Biotite Diorite Porphyry, (brecciated portion)
Larger compared to other copper ores
NEW!
OLD

15. BORNITE PODS
Sulfur isotope analysis - ultimate source of sulfur is identical for bornite pods and sulfides associated with quartz veinlets stockworks
May be xenoliths, representing sulfide melt from earlier mineralized diorites and volcanics rocks formed by compaction-driven sulfide segregation and filter pressing differentiation
Suggests multiple stages of mineralization & efficient natural process of concentrating copper ores

16. CHARACTERISTICS OF MAGMA AND ORE FLUIDS AT THE KINGKING PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT
Fields after Defant and Drummond (1990) and Castillo et al (1999)
Enriched in LREE, depleted in HREE
Mineral chemistry - magnesian composition, XMg = 0.57 to 0.82 and 0.60 to 0.79, SO3 = 55 wt%
Dioritic, genetically related, calc-alkaline, adakitic, hydrous, oxidizing
The magma has potential to generate porphyry copper deposits

17. Hot, metal- and sulfur-rich, hypersaline hydrothermal fluid (~400°C and higher)
Forms potassic alteration, depositing most of the copper and gold

18. NEW AGE DATA FOR INTRUSIVE ROCKS IN SOUTHEASTERN MINDANAO
 Ma
11.37  0.60 Ma
Mineralization can also occur in specific time frames
Oligocene ( million years ago) to Miocene ( million years ago)
Age of rocks/mineralization in an area
--> may search for mineralization in rocks of the same age
31.44  0.78 Ma
46.14  1.58 Ma
 Ma
17.49  0.43 Ma
11.37  0.60 Ma

19. FORMATION OF THE KINGKING PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT
A. Dioritic, calc-alkaline, hydrous, oxidizing and adakitic magma formed HDP and DP
B. Early mineralization episode
C. Intrusion of BDP
D. Formation of bornite pods and fine-grained matrix
E. Hydrothermal alteration and deposition of sulfides
F. Later intrusion of dikes

20. USING RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY, THEN…
WHEN LOOKING FOR A PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT:
A. PRIORITIZE OLIGOCENE TO MIOCENE QUARTZ DIORITE, HORNBLENDE DIORITE, BIOTITE DIORITE PORPHYRY
B. CHECK OR RE-CHECK DRILL CORE DATA/BRECCIATED PORTION OF DIORITE FOR PRESENCE OF BORNITE PODS --> CALCULATE VOLUME
C. POLYPHASE HYPERSALINE FLUID INCLUSIONS AND CALC-ALKALINE, HYDROUS AND OXIDIZING MAGMA + + +
DIORITE (BIOTITE DIORITE PORPHYRY)
OLIGOCENE TO MIOCENE AGE
FAULT/FRACTURE
ZONE
QUARTZ VEINLETS
STOCKWORKS
POTASSIC
ALTERATION ZONE

21. SIGNIFICANCE:
1. Provide much needed and new data on the geology (diorites, biotite diorite porphyry) and mineralization (veinlets/disseminations/bornite pods) and age of diorites (Oligocene-Miocene) in Southeastern Mindanao
2. Identified new and possible alternative source of copper and gold (bornite pods/clots)
3. Outlined an easy to use exploration tool for porphyry copper deposits
4. Results were published in international journals and presented in international conferences

22. RECOMMENDATIONS
Further study on other aspects of porphyry copper mineralization especially and other porphyry copper deposits

25. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Japanese government (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Asso. Prof. A. Imai and Prof. K. Watanabe, Prof. T.Hirajima and Prof. K. Jinno
Econ. Geol. Laboratory, Kyushu University and RWG, NIGS, UP Diliman
Prof. Itaya, Geochronological Laboratory, Okayama Science University
Electron Probe Microanalysis, University of Tokyo
Benguet Corporation, Philco Mining, Privatization and Management Office, Apex Mining Company Limited, Philex Mining
DENR, MGB Central Office and Regional Offices No. XI and VI
PCIERD-DOST
People of Compostela Valley and Davao City