Geological characteristics and metallogenic model of the Skouries porphyry copper-gold-platinum group element deposit, Greece

The Skouries porphyry deposit is located in Chalkidiki peninsula, Serbo-Macedonian metallogenic belt. It is hosted in alkaline rocks which intruded in Vertiskos units in Paleogene-Neogene. The distribution of intrusions is controlled by Stratoni-Varvara and Megali Panaghia-Gomati deep fault. The deposit contains more than 5.2×108t copper with Cu 0.5%, Au 0.8×10-6, Pd 110×10-9 and Pt 17×10-9. Mineralization of the deposit mainly consists of vein type, stockwork type and dissemination type, and occurs in the altered porphyry and country rocks. Ore minerals mainly include chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite and magnetite. Alterations related to mineralization are mainly potassic alteration, propylitization and silicification. Considering the consistency of U-Pb age of zircon and Ar- Ar age of whole rock, and the characteristics of petrology and geochemistry, it is concluded that the emplacement of the Paleogene-Neogene intrusions played an important role in the ore-forming process, and the deposit was formed at 19Ma. It is worth noticing that the deposit has high content of Pd-Pt. And there are also some reports on PGE enrichment in porphyry Cu deposits in China, such as Dexing and Yulong. Therefore, the investigation of the characteristics and the metallogenic regularity of the Skouries deposit summarized in this paper will offer valuable reference for the exploration of the similar deposits in China.