Possible controls of base- and precious-metal mineralization associated with Tertiary detachment faults in the lower Colorado River trough, Arizona and California

Base- and precious-metal mineralization occurs along and adjacent to Tertiary detachment faults in W Arizona and SE California. Mineralization is characterized by the sequence Cu and Fe sulphides → massive specular hematite → fracture-filling chrysocolla and malachite. Mineralization occurred during...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geology (Boulder) 1986-03, Vol.14 (3), p.195-198
Main Authors: Spencer, Jon E, Welty, John W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arizona
base metals
Basin and Range Province
California
Cenozoic
controls
decollement
displacements
economic geology
faults
Freshwater
geochemical controls
geothermal gradient
hydrothermal alteration
hydrothermal processes
metal ores
metals
metasomatism
mineral deposits, genesis
Mohave County Arizona
neotectonics
North America
ore-forming fluids
oxides
precious metals
San Bernardino County California
southeastern California
structural controls
structural geology
sulfides
tectonics
Tertiary
United States
west-central Arizona
Yuma County Arizona
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Description
Summary:Base- and precious-metal mineralization occurs along and adjacent to Tertiary detachment faults in W Arizona and SE California. Mineralization is characterized by the sequence Cu and Fe sulphides → massive specular hematite → fracture-filling chrysocolla and malachite. Mineralization occurred during faulting and was associated with a high geothermal gradient, primarily due to juxtaposition of hot, lower-plate rocks with cool upper-plate rocks. Movement of the redox interface down normal-fault ramps at the same rate as displacement of hanging-wall rocks resulted in continuous mineralization at some upper-plate sites over a significant period of geological time; this produced the largest orebodies.
ISSN:0091-7613
1943-2682
DOI:10.1130/0091-7613(1986)14<195:PCOBAP>2.0.CO;2