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Alteration patterns related to copper mineralization in dioritic rocks at the Dara area, north Eastern Desert, Egypt

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Abstract

The Dara copper mineralization is one of more than 15 copper occurrences distributed in the Neoproterozoic crust of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. The mineralization is hosted by calc-alkaline diorite and granodiorite rocks of I-type affinity and occurs as disseminated grains within NW trending veins and shear zones. Hydrothermal and supergene alteration signs were observed around the mineralized quartz veins. Major oxide and selected trace element analysis combined with textural relations and mineral associations was used to characterize and quantify the alteration processes in the Dara occurrence and to shed light on the nature of the invading hydrothermal fluids. Sericite-pyrite and chlorite-sericite alteration zones were recognized. Based on mass balance data, two successive hydrothermal stages were suggested. Initial fluids characterized by high aH+ and K+ activity are suggested for both stages. However, the first hydrothermal stage is characterized by fluids enriched in Cu content, whereas the second hydrothermal stage is characterized by fluids of higher Fe2+ and Mg2+ activities. Magmatic- rather than metamorphic-related fluids can be suggested based on the physicochemical conditions of formation of the hosted rocks and alteration products. Copper may be leached from the gabbro-diorite country rock that contains up to 0.9 wt.% Cu. The copper mineralization of the Dara area may belong to the magmatic-hydrothermal iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposit category rather than to the porphyry copper system.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority (EMRA) for the immense support of this study and assistance with sample processing and analysis. The fruitful discussion with Prof. K.I. Khalil is greatly appreciated. The authors would like to thank Mr. M. Moheb for technical assistance with thin and polished sections preparation. The authors also thank the reviewers Prof. S. Al-Khirbash and Prof. I.A. Abboud for their constructive and valuable comments and advising.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Moharram B, Alexandria, ey-21511, Egypt

    Hossam A. Helba & Sobhy O. Khalil

  2. Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority (EMRA), Cairo, Egypt

    Mohamed A. Ghonaim

  3. Biological and Geological Sciences Department, Faculty of Education, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

    Ahmed M. El Makky

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  1. Hossam A. Helba
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ESM 1

Fig. 1 An isocon diagram compares the average composition of least altered samples with altered ones for the diorite (a) and granodiorite (b) host rocks in the Dara copper mine area. Notice that Al2O3 and TiO2 are the most suitable immobile elements for monitoring the alteration process. Fig. 2 Composition-volume diagrams constructed for the sericitized and chloritized rock varieties in the Dara copper mine area. (DOC 370 kb)

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Helba, H.A., Ghonaim, M.A., Khalil, S.O. et al. Alteration patterns related to copper mineralization in dioritic rocks at the Dara area, north Eastern Desert, Egypt. Arab J Geosci 14, 1138 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07495-4

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