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Precipitation efficiency controls gold endowments in porphyry deposits

Metal endowments, geochemistry of associated rocks and ore durations of Cu-rich versus Au-rich porphyry deposits. Left Cu (Mt) versus Au (tons) of porphyry Cu-Au deposits. Right ore duration (Ma) versus Au (tons) of porphyry Cu-Au deposits. All deposits are roughly distributed along either one or the other of the two dashed lines allowing the identification of two distinct families of porphyry Cu-Au, the Cu-rich (Au/Cu~4x10-6 and ~100 t Au Ma-1) and the Au-rich (Au/Cu~80x10-6 and ~4500 t Au Ma-1). The dashed lines represent average rates of Cu and Au deposition and are not statistically best-fitted lines.

Paper by Massimo Chiaradia, published in NATURE COMMUNICATIONS link

January 16, 2020
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