Chapter 26 Copper deposits of Myanmar

Abstract

This chapter presents a brief account of the copper deposits and occurrences in Myanmar. Myanmar has more than 70 copper occurrences, including world-class high-sulphidation Cu ± Au deposits west of Monywa on the west bank of the Chindwin River (Fig. 26.1, Table 26.1). In 1985, Myanmar commenced copper production with the development of the Sabetaung copper deposit at Monywa in central Myanmar. Copper matte was produced as a by-product from the Bawdwin Mine, a volcanic-hosted massive sulphide deposit, at the time the underground ore was being exploited. Copper is associated with epigenetic vein-type and epithermal gold ± silver deposits. Copper-bearing vein and skarn deposits are also present in Myanmar (e.g. Baladokhta, Mandalay region and Shweminbon, Kalaw township, southern Shan State). Myanmar has the potential for discovery of Cyprus-type copper ± gold deposits (e.g. Leymyetna) and porphyry Cu–Mo–Au deposits, such as Shangalon in the Kawlin–Wutho area in Sagaing State, northern Myanmar. Copper is associated with intrusive-related chromite–nickel–platinum deposits in ultramafic–mafic rocks (e.g. Tagaung Taung area, Thabeikkyin township). Copper is also associated with tin–tungsten mineralization in the Tanintharyi Region, southern Myanmar. Fig. 26.1. Locations of copper deposits and occurrences in Myanmar and their geological resource data. View this table: Table 26.1. Characteristics of selected copper deposits and occurrences in Myanmar Copper deposits and occurrences are distributed across five major geotectonic–metallogenic terranes of Myanmar. These five belts are as follows: 1. the Indo-Myanmar Ranges (IMR) or western ultramafic (ophiolitic) belt (Hla Htay et al. 2017; Kyi Khin et al. 2017); 2. the Central Magmatic Volcanic Arc (Myint Soe et al. 2017); 3. the Tagaung–Myitkyina Belt or Eastern Ophiolitic Belt (EOB) of Hla Htay et al. (2017), 4. the Mogok Metamorphic Belt (MMB), also known as the Mogok–Mandalay–Mergui Belt (MMMB) of Searle et al. (2007, 2017); 5. the Sino-Myanmar Ranges or Eastern Shan Highlands. The ore characteristics of the …