Special breccias associated with hydrothermal developments in the Andes

"To explain the mechanism involved in the formation of copper porphyries, a new concept is brought forward based on magmatic pulsations providing the forces necessary to drive hydrothermal and mineralizing solutions, and also to produce structures. This mechanism appears to be applicable to all copper porphyries. The basic type of breccia particular to hydrothermal developments is rupture breccia, formed by hydraulic ramming of hydrothermal solutions into overlying rocks. This breccia when heaved up or subsided by magmatic pulsations can be changed . . . into subsidence, heave, kneaded or milled breccias. The burst and late-magmatic breccias are also caused though more indirectly by magmatic pulsations."

This record provided courtesy of AGI/GeoRef.