Distribution of indium, germanium, gallium and other minor and trace elements in polymetallic ores from a porphyry system: The Morococha district, Peru

We report indium, germanium, gallium, and other minor trace elements contents in sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, tetrahedrite-tennantite occurring skarn skarn-free (“Cordilleran”) polymetallic mantos vein ore bodies the Miocene porphyry-related Morococha District, Central Peru. Among investigated minerals, LA-ICP-MS measurements indicate that In Ga concentrate mostly sphalerite (Inter-Quartile Range [IQR] 217–2.7 ppm up to 4608 In; IQR 61–2.0 2137 Ga) chalcopyrite (IQR 109–32 1070 62–1.5 630 Ga). coeval generations of are at least two times higher than chalcopyrite. Germanium content is generally low four analyzed minerals 1.2–0.19 ppm), although late Fe-poor may yield much values 129–74 ppm). Certain element appear correlate with (i) evolving characteristics hydrothermal fluids during individual mineralization events, (ii) location studied relative feeders. The highest found high-sulfidation assemblages Cordilleran veins and, lower amounts, low-sulfidation bodies. intermediate-sulfidation mineralization, decreases from early while Ge increases. Spatial trace-element trends replacement formed so-called “Morococha district-scale event” include, porphyry-distal porphyry-proximal locations: i) Cu, a lesser extent Ga, enrichment sphalerite; ii) Se Hg Sn Ag depletion chalcopyrite; iii) galena; iv) tetrahedrite-tennantite. Our dataset suggests incorporated crystal lattice via coupled substitutions involving Cu subordinately also Ag. Availability mineralizing therefore key sphalerite. Progressive dilution metal-rich magmatic-hydrothermal precipitation probably account for progressive distal-to-porphyry Zn-Pb-Ag Ag-Pb assemblages.