Abstract
New geochronologic data from the El Arco porphyry copper deposit, Baja California, Mexico, yield a Middle Jurassic crystallization U-Pb age of 164.7 ± 6.5 Ma for zircons from a granodiorite porphyry that hosts the Cu-Au-(Mo) mineralization, and four Re-Os molybdenite ages yield a weighted average age of 164.1 ± 0.4 Ma. These ages disagree with previous K-Ar age determinations that suggest a correlation of the intrusive rocks of El Arco-Calmalli area with the eastern Peninsular Ranges batholith of Cretaceous age. Instead, the volcanic-plutonic rocks of the El Arco-Calmalli area are more properly associated with the San Andres-Cedros volcanic-plutonic complex (∼166 Ma). El Arco-Calmalli block likely was part of the intraoceanic arc system described in the Vizcaino-Cedros region and accreted to the continent during the Cretaceous (98-110 Ma). The presence of a continental Jurassic magmatic arc in the mainland and the occurrence of El Arco-Calmalli (San Andres-Cedros) volcanic-plutonic complex indicate two Jurassic magmatic arcs at this latitude (continental and oceanic).
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 39-51 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Journal of South American Earth Sciences |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2006 |
Keywords
- Baja California
- El Arco
- Jurassic magmatism
- Porphyry copper deposits
- Re-Os
- U-Pb
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geology
- Earth-Surface Processes