New Constraints on the Main Mineralization Event Inferred from the Latest Discoveries in the Bor Metallogenetic Zone (BMZ, East Serbia)

Abstract

This study aims at better constraining the link between magmatism and metallogeny in the south-easternmost sector of the Bor Metallogenetic Zone (BMZ), where the world-class copper and gold deposit of Čukaru Peki was recently discovered. The obtained U/Pb zircon ages confirm the earlier knowledge that the major Cu–Au porphyry and epithermal mineralization in the BMZ is genetically related to the first volcanic phase (‘Timok andesite’; 85–90 Ma). However, the data also suggest that during this phase, two subgroups of andesite porphyry were formed; they are named volcanic phase 1A (V1A) and volcanic phase 1B (V1B). The V1A andesite (89–90 Ma) is plagioclase-hornblende phyric, holocrystalline and ubiquitously hydrothermally altered and/or mineralized, whereas the V1B (85–86 Ma) is hornblende-plagioclase phyric, holo- to hypocrystalline, fresh, and non-mineralized. According to our simplified model, the contrasting productivity of the V1A and V1B is explained by fluctuations during AFC (assimilation-fractional crystallization) processes of water-rich parental magma, which have controlled the order of crystallization of hornblende and plagioclase in the V1A and V1B andesite.