Kosyguin Institute of Tectonics and Geophysics, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Khabarovsk, Russia:

V. G. Nevstruev, Senior Researcher, Candidate of Geologo-Mineralogical Sciences, nevstruevvg@mail.ru

Many volcanic zones and their plutonogenic homologs appeared in the outer Pacific mobile belt during Mesozoic tectonogenesis, including substantial subvolcanic and hypabyssal porphyry intrusions. The direct correlation is observed between the gravity minimums, three-dimensional positions of magmatic dome folds (plume heads or diapires) and ore formations and occurrences. The zones between the dome folds and the strata above the dome folds are highly promising in terms of porphyry deposits with chalcophylic elements. The ore provinces and locuses revealed in the southern Khabarovsk Territory offer great opportunities to discover porphyry copper ore with precious metal mineralization. The accepted concept of porphyry ore genesis allows distinguishing fourteen metallogenic zones and ore provinces with porphyry mineralization potential. This article presents the exploration, appraisal and geological drilling data for the most valuable objects. The potential reserves of copper, molybdenum, gold and silver are evaluated for each ore province. According to the studies, the largest reserves of copper are expected in few zones and provinces, including such groups of contiguous strata as (Cu is given in thousand tons): Ust-Amur – 6280 Cu and 771 t Au; East Sikhote-Alin – 4370 Cu and more than 200 t Au; Mukhtel –1288 Cu and 384 t Au. The underevaluated ore provinces are Tuguro-Ulban and Mukhtel. Tuguro-Ulban ore province contains Andyk zone of quartz veins with the gold content up to 344.6 g/t. Enclosing granodiorites are subjected to potassium metasomatism and contain up to 10.9 g/t Au. No systematic studies into the content of Cu, Au and other elements of the enclosing rock mass have been carried out, and the specifi ed object is assumed as promising and evidently underevaluated. Mayak ore deposit in Mukhtel province contains molybdenum (0.01–0.35%), copper (0.01– 0.15%), tungsten oxide (0.01–0.08%), bismuth (0.01–0.1%) and antimony (to 0.1%); percentage of zinc, arsenic and lead are just hundredth parts. Gold content is from 1 to 38.2 g/t, silver content is to 70 g/t. The area of the mineralization makes 6.8 km². The feasibility study in the late 20th century, at the relatively low prices of the metals back then, showed potentiality of profitable development of the deposit. Based on the available geological information, the overall resources of porphyry copper objects with noble metals in the southern Khabarovsk Territory are evaluated as: Cu – 36145 thousand tons, Mo – 4009 thousand tons, Au – 2385 tons and Ag – 5452 tons. The low level of the study of the most objects within the ore provinces and zones allows suggesting an increase in the useful reserves after detailed evaluation and more comprehensive analysis of geological information.

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