Episodic porphyry Cu (-Mo-Au) formation and associated magmatic evolution in Turkish Tethyan collage

Continental collision between Eurasia and Afro-Arabia in Turkey along the Pontide subduction zone, Izmir-Erzincan-Ankara suture zone, Bitlis-Zagros suture zone, and Aegean subduction zone generated a fertile metallogenic environment with calc-alkalic and alkalic porphyry Cu (-Mo-Au) and magmatic hydrothermal systems emplaced in narrow arc segments over limited time durations within major magmatic events in the late Cretaceous to late Miocene. The major magmatic events represent multiple subduction zones that gradually stepped from north to south as small oceans closed during collisional events and the trench retreated or shifted southward as a result. Based on geological, new geochemical, and 40Ar/39Ar, U-Pb LA-ICP-MS geochronological data presented herein along with published data for igneous and hydrothermally altered rocks, four metallogenic episodes are defined; late Cretacecous, early-late Eocene, late Oligocene- early Miocene, and middle-late Miocene, in four geographically distinct regions, the Pontides in the north, the western Anatolian province in the west, central Anatolian Crystalline Complex, and the Southeastern Anatolian Orogenic Belt in the east central part of Turkey. Within those regions, porphyry Cu and intrusion-related hydrothermal systems begin in the late Cretaceous to the north, and generally young southward. They begin as porphyry Cu-Mo type, and tend to be more Au-rich from late Cretaceous to late Miocene. Published and new ages indicate early-late Cretaceous magmatic rocks in the Pontides were emplaced between ca. 131 and 65 Ma, peaking between ca. 88-76 Ma. Apart from the Re-Os molybdenite ages, published and new ages for porphyry Cu-related rocks and hydrothermal minerals from the Ayder, Konak, Esendal, Borekli, and Derekoy prospects indicate porphyry Cu formation near the end of that magmatic event (ca. 83-76 Ma). Published data indicate a somewhat shorter late Cretaceous magmatic event (86.5 to 70.3 Ma) peaking at ca. 86 to 80 Ma at the southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt with porphyry Cu systems reported to have formed contemporaneously. The latest Paleocene to early-late Eocene magmatism and porphyry-style hydrothermal systems are common across Turkey, with porphyry Cu systems formed in the eastern Pontides (58-37.9 Ma) based on the ages of their host rocks and syn-mineral stocks; in the western Anatolian province in the Tav artli porphyry belt (ca. 49.1-46.7 Ma) and the Biga porphyry belt (40.1-39.5 Ma), and in the Southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt (ca. 47 to 43 Ma). Oligocene-Miocene magmatism (30-18 Ma) and associated hydrothermal systems dominate during ca. 27.4 to 24.8 Ma the western Anatolian province in the Biga porphyry belt, but appear less common in other parts of Turkey except for the Cevizlidere porphyry deposit in the Southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt. Middle-late Miocene magmatism (ca. 16-8 Ma) and associated porphyry Cu systems predominate within the Afyon-Konya porphyry belt in western Anatolia, and contains the youngest porphyry related magmatic and hydrothermal systems (14.4-8.9 Ma). Continental collision between Eurasia and Afro-Arabia in Turkey along the Pontide subduction zone, Izmir-Erzincan-Ankara suture zone, Bitlis-Zagros suture zone, and Aegean subduction zone generated a fertile metallogenic environment with calc-alkalic and alkalic porphyry Cu (-Mo-Au) and magmatic hydrothermal systems emplaced in narrow arc segments over limited time durations within major magmatic events in the late Cretaceous to late Miocene. The major magmatic events represent multiple subduction zones that gradually stepped from north to south as small oceans closed during collisional events and the trench retreated or shifted southward as a result. Based on geological, new geochemical, and 40Ar/39Ar, U-Pb LA-ICP-MS geochronological data presented herein along with published data for igneous and hydrothermally altered rocks, four metallogenic episodes are defined; late Cretacecous, early-late Eocene, late Oligocene- early Miocene, and middle-late Miocene, in four geographically distinct regions, the Pontides in the north, the western Anatolian province in the west, central Anatolian Crystalline Complex, and the Southeastern Anatolian Orogenic Belt in the east central part of Turkey. Within those regions, porphyry Cu and intrusion-related hydrothermal systems begin in the late Cretaceous to the north, and generally young southward. They begin as porphyry Cu-Mo type, and tend to be more Au-rich from late Cretaceous to late Miocene. Published and new ages indicate early-late Cretaceous magmatic rocks in the Pontides were emplaced between ca. 131 and 65 Ma, peaking between ca. 88-76 Ma. Apart from the Re-Os molybdenite ages, published and new ages for porphyry Cu-related rocks and hydrothermal minerals from the Ayder, Konak, Esendal, Borekli, and Derekoy prospects indicate porphyry Cu formation near the end of that magmatic event (ca. 83-76 Ma). Published data indicate a somewhat shorter late Cretaceous magmatic event (86.5 to 70.3 Ma) peaking at ca. 86 to 80 Ma at the southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt with porphyry Cu systems reported to have formed contemporaneously. The latest Paleocene to early-late Eocene magmatism and porphyry-style hydrothermal systems are common across Turkey, with porphyry Cu systems formed in the eastern Pontides (58-37.9 Ma) based on the ages of their host rocks and syn-mineral stocks; in the western Anatolian province in the Tav artli porphyry belt (ca. 49.1-46.7 Ma) and the Biga porphyry belt (40.1-39.5 Ma), and in the Southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt (ca. 47 to 43 Ma). Oligocene-Miocene magmatism (30-18 Ma) and associated hydrothermal systems dominate during ca. 27.4 to 24.8 Ma the western Anatolian province in the Biga porphyry belt, but appear less common in other parts of Turkey except for the Cevizlidere porphyry deposit in the Southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt. Middle-late Miocene magmatism (ca. 16-8 Ma) and associated porphyry Cu systems predominate within the Afyon-Konya porphyry belt in western Anatolia, and contains the youngest porphyry related magmatic and hydrothermal systems (14.4-8.9 Ma). Continental collision between Eurasia and Afro-Arabia in Turkey along the Pontide subduction zone, Izmir-Erzincan-Ankara suture zone, Bitlis-Zagros suture zone, and Aegean subduction zone generated a fertile metallogenic environment with calc-alkalic and alkalic porphyry Cu (-Mo-Au) and magmatic hydrothermal systems emplaced in narrow arc segments over limited time durations within major magmatic events in the late Cretaceous to late Miocene. The major magmatic events represent multiple subduction zones that gradually stepped from north to south as small oceans closed during collisional events and the trench retreated or shifted southward as a result. Based on geological, new geochemical, and 40Ar/39Ar, U-Pb LA-ICP-MS geochronological data presented herein along with published data for igneous and hydrothermally altered rocks, four metallogenic episodes are defined; late Cretacecous, early-late Eocene, late Oligocene- early Miocene, and middle-late Miocene, in four geographically distinct regions, the Pontides in the north, the western Anatolian province in the west, central Anatolian Crystalline Complex, and the Southeastern Anatolian Orogenic Belt in the east central part of Turkey. Within those regions, porphyry Cu and intrusion-related hydrothermal systems begin in the late Cretaceous to the north, and generally young southward. They begin as porphyry Cu-Mo type, and tend to be more Au-rich from late Cretaceous to late Miocene. Published and new ages indicate early-late Cretaceous magmatic rocks in the Pontides were emplaced between ca. 131 and 65 Ma, peaking between ca. 88-76 Ma. Apart from the Re-Os molybdenite ages, published and new ages for porphyry Cu-related rocks and hydrothermal minerals from the Ayder, Konak, Esendal, Borekli, and Derekoy prospects indicate porphyry Cu formation near the end of that magmatic event (ca. 83-76 Ma). Published data indicate a somewhat shorter late Cretaceous magmatic event (86.5 to 70.3 Ma) peaking at ca. 86 to 80 Ma at the southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt with porphyry Cu systems reported to have formed contemporaneously. The latest Paleocene to early-late Eocene magmatism and porphyry-style hydrothermal systems are common across Turkey, with porphyry Cu systems formed in the eastern Pontides (58-37.9 Ma) based on the ages of their host rocks and syn-mineral stocks; in the western Anatolian province in the Tav artli porphyry belt (ca. 49.1-46.7 Ma) and the Biga porphyry belt (40.1-39.5 Ma), and in the Southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt (ca. 47 to 43 Ma). Oligocene-Miocene magmatism (30-18 Ma) and associated hydrothermal systems dominate during ca. 27.4 to 24.8 Ma the western Anatolian province in the Biga porphyry belt, but appear less common in other parts of Turkey except for the Cevizlidere porphyry deposit in the Southeastern Anatolian orogenic belt. Middle-late Miocene magmatism (ca. 16-8 Ma) and associated porphyry Cu systems predominate within the Afyon-Konya porphyry belt in western Anatolia, and contains the youngest porphyry related magmatic and hydrothermal systems (14.4-8.9 Ma).