Petrochronology of hydrothermal rutile in mineralized porphyry Cu systems

Hydrothermally formed rutile is a common mineral in porphyry Cu (-Au-Mo) deposits and has the potential to provide versatile information about physical-chemical conditions timing of mineralization. In this study, we investigated trace element composition U-Pb dates hydrothermal by LA-ICP-MS together with its petrographic context, four well-studied systems: Batu Hijau (Indonesia), Bingham Canyon (USA), El Salvador (Chile) Northparkes (Australia). A similar sequence generations occupying comparable textural positions was found be all deposits. We particularly focused on most generation that breakdown biotite temporally closely associated mineralization as demonstrated intergrowth relationships between individual, blocky grains Cu-Fe sulfides well cathodoluminescence imaging mineralized quartz veins. Compositionally, shows large variations within among deposits, indicating compositions both local host rock fluid phase influence rutile. comparison non-hydrothermal various petrogenetic origins, from show characteristic differences regarding their Sn, W, Si Fe concentrations, might used fingerprint porphyry-style Due temporal link mineralization, texturally controlled in-situ dating provides possibility directly determine absolute Despite variable incorporation initial Pb rutile, obtained robust lower intercept overlap uncertainty previously ages for including those based high-precision (ID-TIMS) zircon bracketing intrusions. This demonstrates can accurately predict age deposit formation precision better than 1.5% relative older ca. 10 million years.