Porphyry Mo and greisen W metallogeny related to the Karamea Batholith, South Island, New Zealand (Note)

Abstract

Porphyry Mo and greisen W deposits in west Nelson-Westland, New Zealand, are associated with the Tuhuan (Lower Paleozoic) phase and Rangitata (Cretaceous) phase respectively of the Karamea Batholith. Porphyry Mo deposits are locally spatially associated with various rocks of the Western Sedimentary Belt, whereas greisen W deposits are found exclusively with Greenland Group rocks and genetically associated with high-level greisenised stocks. In the latter deposits, scheelite is the chief ore mineral. The salient geological features of these deposits are briefly outlined. Metallogenesis reflects a collision-dominated tectonic regime for W and a subduction environment for Mo.

Keywords:

• Karamea Batholith
• porphyry
• molybdenum
• greisen
• scheelite