Orogeny, crustal hydrogeology and the generation of epigenetic ore deposits in the Canadian Cordillera

Abstract

The Mesozoic-Cenozoic history of the Canadian Cordillera in British Columbia was composed of five major stages: preaccretion island arc development in the Early Jurassic, micro-plate vs. continent collision in the Middle Jurassic, uplift and extension in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, renewed collisional tectonics in the Middle Cretaceous, and extension and strike-slip faulting in the Late Cretaceous to Eocene. All of these intervals except the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous were associated with extensive plutonism and volcanism. An analysis of the age distribution of epigenetic ores (porphyry Cu ± Mo, Au; mesothermal Au; epithermal Au ± Ag; Ag-Pb-Zn veins), however, indicates that only the Early Jurassic, the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, and the Late Cretaceous to Eocene were characterized by widespread development of epigenetic ores. Especially notable is the absence of significant epigenetic mineralization from the Middle Jurassic and Middle Cretaceous periods, even though magmatism and metamorphism were widespread during these time periods.