The Punta del Cobre Formation, Punta del Cobre–Candelaria area, northern Chile

The Punta del Cobre Formation hosts the iron oxide-rich Cu–Au(–Zn–Ag) deposits of the Punta del Cobre belt, Chile. Hydrothermal alteration associated with mineralization and/or contact metamorphism caused by the Coastal Batholith exposed in the west resulted in new mineral assemblages and significant changes in the geochemical composition of its rocks. This paper presents a redefinition of the Punta del Cobre Formation and discusses its geologic context. The Punta del Cobre Formation is subdivided, from bottom to top, into: (1) the ‘Geraldo–Negro Member’, composed mainly of massive andesitic volcanic rocks (>300 m) and locally dacitic rocks (up to 200 m) that overlie the latter, and (2) the ‘Algarrobos Member’ (up to >800 m) comprising mainly volcaniclastic rocks, basalt andesitic and basaltic flows, and volcanic breccias. The Punta del Cobre Formation is overlain by the Chañarcillo Group, the lowest part of which is represented by alternating carbonate and volcaniclastic beds of the Abundancia Formation, which pass vertically and laterally into limestones of the Nantoco Formation. The contact between the Punta del Cobre Formation and the overlying Abundancia Formation is transitional and defined by the first continuous bed of massive limestone or its metamorphosed equivalent. A pre-upper Valanginian age for the Punta del Cobre Formation is suggested by ammonites of Berriasian age found in the upper part of the Algarrobos Member and Late Valanginian–Early Hauterivian fauna in the overlying Abundancia Formation. Despite the intense alteration, immobile element compositions of the volcanic rocks of the Punta del Cobre Formation enable the recognition of a calc-alkaline suite with a trend to more primitive, less differentiated magmas towards the top of the stratigraphic sequence, reflecting initial stages of basin development. The transgressive nature of the sedimentary part of the Punta del Cobre Formation marks the onset of increased subsidence that eventually culminated in the Early Cretaceous marine backarc basin south of Copiapó (Chañarcillo Group). The present investigation shows that the Punta del Cobre Formation could be considered as the lower part of the Bandurrias Group, both having similar lithologies and geochemical affinities and occupying similar paleogeographic positions.