A genetic model of the Elatsite porphyry copper deposit, Bulgaria / Генетическая модель медно-порфирового месторождения Элацит, Болгария

The Elatsite porphyry copper deposit is one of the two operating large Bulgarian copper and gold deposits. It is located in the Elatsite-Chelopech ore field, the northernmost part of the Panagyurishte ore district of the Apuseni-Banat-Timok-Srednogorie magmatic and metallogenic belt. The ore mineralization is associated with the Late Cretaceous magmatic activity manifested in the area. It is of vein-disseminated type and builds up a large ore stockwork. The basic industrial mineral is copper and secondary ones are gold and molybdenum. The deposit model reflects the evolution of magmatism, development of the hydrothermal system and tectonic events taking place during its formation. Two types of hydrothermal systems occurred: magmatic and magmatic-meteoric, the magmatic being the dominant one. The model designed reflects the zoning of hydrothermal alterations as well as the relationship between wallrock alterations and ore mineralizations which are relevant characteristics required for constructing the porphyry-copper models. This approach allowed the comparison of the model proposed with the basic models of porphyry-copper systems: Lowell-Gilbert’s quartz-monzonite model and Holister’s diorite model. It was found that the model of the porphyry system at the Elatsite deposit exhibits common characteristics with respect to the main wallrock alterations (K-silicate, sericitic (phyllitic) and propylitic) and mineralizations (pyrite, chalcopyrite, bornite, molybdenite, rarely gold) in the universal model constructed by Lowell-Gilbert. The moderately argillisitic alteration, shown in the Lowell-Gilbert model between the zones of sericitic and propylitic alteration, is not represented in the Elatsite deposit. <...>