Duration of Hydrothermal Alteration and Mineralization of the Don Manuel Porphyry Copper System, Central Chile

The Don Manuel porphyry copper system, located in the Miocene–Pliocene metallogenic belt of central Chile, contains spatially zoned alteration styles common to other deposits including extensive potassic alteration, propylitic localized sericite-chlorite and argillic but lacks pervasive hydrolytic typical some deposits. It is one youngest Andes. Timing mineralization hydrothermal system at are consistent with emplacement associated intrusions (ca. 4 3.6 Ma). Two molybdenite samples yielded ages 3.412 ± 0.037 3.425 Ma. 40Ar/39Ar on biotites (3.57 0.02, 3.51 3.41 0.01, 3.37 0.01 Ma) alteration. These younger than intrusion by ~300 k.y. recording cooling below 350 °C. Such a time gap can be explained fluxing hot magmatic fluids from deeper sources.