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Porphyry and epithermal deposits in Greece: An overview, new discoveries, and mineralogical constraints on their genesis

Voudouris P, Mavrogonatos C, Spry PG, Baker T, Melfos V, Klemd R, Haase K, Repstock A, Djiba A, Bismayer U, Tarantola A, Scheffer C, Moritz R, Kouzmanov K, Alfieris D, Papavassiliou K, Schaarschmidt A, Galanopoulos E, Galanos E, Kołodziejczyk J, Stergiou C, Melfou M (2019)

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Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Book Volume: 107

Pages Range: 654-691

DOI: 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2019.03.019

Abstract

Greece hosts a variety of magmatic-hydrothermal ore deposits/prospects with porphyry- and epithermal styles playing a major role in its total gold endowment. These deposit types are mainly clustered in two areas, the Rhodope- and Attico-Cycladic massifs, and formed from about 33 Ma to the Pleistocene, as a result of back-arc extension in the Aegean Sea, metamorphic core complex formation, and contemporaneous post-subduction and arc magmatism. In the Serbo-Macedonian massif, porphyry Cu-Au deposits include Skouries, Fisoka, Tsikara, Vathi and Gerakario. Causative intrusives are Oligocene to Miocene granodiorites to monzonites. Gold and PGE mineralization is associated with potassic alteration of the intrusives. In the eastern Rhodope massif and the NE Aegean islands, porphyry prospects occur at Pagoni Rachi, Konos Hill, Myli, Melitena (west Thrace), Fakos, Sardes, and Kaspakas (Limnos island) and Stypsi (Lesvos island). Mineralization is associated with Oligocene to Miocene subvolcanics of calc-alkaline to shoshonitic affinity. Feature of these prospects, which they share in common with several porphyry Au-only systems, is their shallow depth of emplacement, the presence of potassic/sodic-calcic and/or phyllic alteration, a strong epithermal overprint, their low Cu content, an extreme Re-enrichment, the multistage introduction of Au, the presence of banded quartz veinlets, and the local presence of tourmaline. New discoveries of porphyry-style mineralization at King Arthur, St. Philippos and Aisymi, increases the gold potential in west Thrace. High-intermediate sulfidation epithermal Au-Ag polymetallic deposits/prospects overprint and/or occur laterally from porphyry-style mineralization, where they are spatially associated with lithocaps of advanced argillic alteration. High-intermediate sulfidation Au-Ag epithermal mineralization at Perama Hill, Mavrokoryfi and Pefka in west Thrace, and at Pterounda, Mesotopos and Megala Therma on Lesvos island is controlled by steeply-dipping extensional faults within volcanic rocks, without any obvious genetic relationship to spatially-related porphyry-style mineralization. Polymetallic epithermal deposits and prospects contain critical and energy critical metals (e.g., Te, Se, Bi, Sb, In, Ge and Ga), which may be considered as by-products. In the Attico-Cycladic area, porphyry Mo-W mineralization occurs as sheeted quartz veins and stockworks cutting a potassic- to sericitic-altered Miocene granodiorite stock in the Lavrion district. Bonanza grade Au- and/or Ag-rich veins with epithermal affinities crosscut metamorphic rocks at Lavrion, and on Syros, Tinos, Antiparos and Anafi islands. Milos island is characterized by shallow submarine volcanic-hosted IS-HS epithermal Au-Ag-Te and base metal deposits. Antimony-As-Ag-Au deposits/prospects on Chios, Samos and Kos islands in the eastern Aegean Sea, indicate the potential for Carlin-style mineralization in Greece. Several factors played a role to the metal endowment of the Aegean porphyry-epithermal systems: magma fertility in the source regions, depth of emplacement of causative intrusives, relative contribution of mantle versus crustal material, redox state of subduction-related magmas, and physico-chemical fluid conditions at the site of ore deposition.

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APA:

Voudouris, P., Mavrogonatos, C., Spry, P.G., Baker, T., Melfos, V., Klemd, R.,... Melfou, M. (2019). Porphyry and epithermal deposits in Greece: An overview, new discoveries, and mineralogical constraints on their genesis. Ore Geology Reviews, 107, 654-691. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2019.03.019

MLA:

Voudouris, P., et al. "Porphyry and epithermal deposits in Greece: An overview, new discoveries, and mineralogical constraints on their genesis." Ore Geology Reviews 107 (2019): 654-691.

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