The epithermal-porphyritic system of Au-Cu San Nicolás - El Pilar - Gaspar, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba

Abstract

With the present article we have considered to demonstrate the telescopic character of the low sulphidation epithermal-porphyry type of the San Nicolás-El Pilar-Gaspar gold and copper mineralized system, considered until now as of high sulphidation epithermal, originally known as a result of the 1988 work on terrestrial verification of aeromagnetic and geochemical anomalies in the Gaspar sector, Ciego de Ávila Province. In addition to these, there are three other research stages, between 1995-1998, 2002-2003 and a current one from 2022 to the present. The objective of the study is based on the updating of current real knowledge and the generalization of the results obtained to conclude on the type of expected deposits. The descriptive method of scientific research has been applied, which is based on the review, analysis, synthesis and generalization of the available geological information, on the establishment of geological, geochemical, geophysical conditions and mineral alterations and metallic mineralization. The level of knowledge reached, allows to establish the presence of a group of porphyry intrusions that show an epithermal - porphyry telescopic assembly, where the epithermal facies is of the low sulphidation type interpreted as of gold - copper bonanza type. This system potentially extends for 9-10 Km in a NW-SE direction, and depths of 500-800 m to the porphyry, in the vicinity of outcrops partially covered for younger sediments, with hypabyssal - subintrusives acidic to intermediate bodies, embedded in volcano-sedimentary sequences of the Caobilla Fm, from the Upper Cretaceous Coniacian - Campanian.