Veins, breccias & mantos
Precious-metal mineralization consists of a series of veins, breccias and mantos principally with a north–south orientation; secondary NE–SW and NW–SE trends are also important.
02 · Geology
On the central spine of the Cordillera.
The Igor Project sits within the Oligocene–Pliocene Gold-Silver Epithermal Belt of the Western Cordillera, with the Miocene Gold-Copper Porphyry Belt to the east — an interpretive bullseye of Peru's precious-metal geology.
Western CordilleraAu-Ag Epithermal BeltSandstone-Hosted AuAnticline 3 × 2 km
Regional Geology
Lower Cretaceous Chimú over Upper Jurassic Chicama.
The regional stratigraphy and Tertiary intrusives that frame the Igor Project — and its place within Peru's precious-metal belts.
The Igor Project is located on the central spine of the Western Cordillera of the Peruvian Andes. The regional geology consists of the Lower Cretaceous Chimú Formation (quartz arenite, black shale and local coal seams) overlying shale and intercalated sandstone, quartzite and mudstone of the Upper Jurassic Chicama Formation.
Intermediate to felsic intrusive rocks of Mid to late Tertiary age are common and are responsible for most of the significant mineral deposits in the area.
Metallogenically, the Igor Project is part of the Oligocene–Pliocene Gold-Silver Epithermal Belt. To the east lies the Miocene Gold-Copper Porphyry Belt, which includes Minas Conga, El Galeno and Magistral.
Peru's Precious-Metal Belts
Igor at the centre.
Important Au-Ag epithermal deposits flank the project north and south. The Au-Cu porphyry belt sits to the east.
North · Au-Ag Epithermal
- Yanacocha40M Oz Au
- Shahuindo1M Oz Au
- La Arena2M Oz Au
- SayapulloAg polymetallic
PPX
Igor Project
Western Cordillera · La Libertad
South · Au-Ag Epithermal
- Lagunas Norte10M Oz Au
- Pierina3.5M+ Oz Au
- QuiruvilcaAg-Pb-Zn
- SalpoAu district
- PashpapCu-Mo porphyry
East · Miocene Au-Cu Porphyry
- Minas CongaCu-Au porphyry
- El Galeno2.8M Oz Au · Cu
- MagistralCu-Mo
Exploration Thesis
Sandstone-hosted gold, in the CHA region.
A second exploration target type at Igor — distal sandstone-hosted gold deposits, with Shahuindo and La Arena as nearby analogues.
The original Igor and Tesoros mines are included in a group of disseminated gold deposits, found in the Cajabamba–Huamachuco–Angasmarca (CHA) region of northern Peru — known as distal sandstone-hosted gold deposits (Montoya, et al., 1995). The Shahuindo and La Arena gold-and-silver deposits are nearby examples of this deposit type.
The Igor project exhibits most of the major sandstone-hosted gold deposit characteristics including host-rock lithology, structural setting, hydrothermal alteration and geochemistry. This large-scale, potentially bulk-mineable target type has not seen significant exploration focus in the past at Igor — but it is an important exploration target for PPX. Our geologists believe that the Portachuelos target area also shares these same geologic characteristics.
01
Host-rock lithology
02
Structural setting
03
Hydrothermal alteration
04
Geochemistry
Local Geology
The main rock types at Igor.
The lithology that hosts the gold-silver mineralization at Callanquitas.
- Formation
Chimú Formation
Quartzite, arenite and shale.
- Formation
Callanquitas
Arenite, quartzite and carbonaceous shale with syngenetic pyrite.
Structural Geology
Folded, thrusted, and intruded.
Anticline
3 × 2 km
Alteration
Quartz–Sericite–Pyrite
The sedimentary sequence has been extensively folded, thrusted and dissected by major faults. The structure is dominated by an anticline some 3 kilometres long and 2 km wide.
Intruding the sedimentary rocks are numerous dacitic dykes, stocks and sills that are typically altered to a phyllic hydrothermal assemblage (quartz–sericite–pyrite). Minor granodiorite is present in some deep drill holes.
Mineralization Profile
Five characteristics of the Igor system.
From geometry to classification — the precious-metal mineralization at Igor as understood today.
Au + Ag dominant
Gold and silver are the most important metals. Arsenic and antimony commonly accompany precious-metal mineralization. Weak localized lead-zinc base metals are also present.
Cu increases with depth
Copper grades are generally low but frequently increase with depth — especially in the Portachuelos area.
Pervasive oxidation
Oxidation, especially along structures, is pervasive and commonly extends to depths of several hundred metres.
Intermediate-sulphidation epithermal
Gold and silver mineralization appears to belong to the Intermediate-sulphidation epithermal class. There are indications of a deep porphyry copper-gold system underlying the Igor District.
Strategic Focus
PPX will concentrate on the Callanquitas structurally-controlled high-grade Au-Ag mineralization while simultaneously evaluating the bulk-mineable, low-grade potential at Tesoros and Portachuelos.
The Igor Project is a district-scale project with the potential for multiple gold and silver deposits.
PPX Mining Corp.
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The geology underpins the project.
See the operating mine on the ground, the technical reports, or the Igor Project as a whole.