Revealing the porphyry copper-gold potential in granitoid complexes of the Russian Federation based on Porphyry Indicator Zircons (PIZs)

The paper discusses new data from the regional metallogenic surveillance of the Russian Federation territory for porphyry gold-copper mineralization after the authors analyzing the distribution patterns of trace elements (REE+Y, Ti, Hf, U, Th, Pb) in accessory zircons. They correspond to their indicative geochemical parameters — Porphyry Indicator Zircons (PIZs): 1) Ce/Nd; 2) Eu/Eu*; 3) (Ce/Nd)/Y; 4) Dy/Yb; 5) (10000xEu/Eu*)/Y; 6) Th/U and 7) To C (Ti-in-zircon thermometer), which H. Pizarro et al. proposed to sort the granitoid complexes of different ages into potentially orebearing and barren. The SHRIMP-II secondary ion microprobe studied 317 samples belonging to 255 granitoid complexes. They relate to either intrusive complexes or separate granitoid massifs (or their separate intrusion phrases) as prospective for porphyry mineralization.
Most of the studied granitoid complexes were found to show a negative result, while only every eighth met the highest degree of productivity, when the values of all seven PIZs correspond to their reference values. The findings justify 15 new localities from the unlicensed subsoil fund out of more than 200 prospective sites, which will contribute to applying for new licenses in Russia.

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