Predictive Mineralogy

Possible unrecorded species at Cerro Casale Au-Cu deposit, Tierra Amarilla, Copiapó Province, Atacama, Chile

This table is based on statistical analysis of other localities containing similar species to the ones found at this locality.

Possible missing species	Formula	Match %	Due to recorded presence of
Quartz	SiO₂	99.99%	Alunite (61.80 %), Anhydrite (50.95 %), Baryte (60.21 %), Chalcanthite (68.67 %), Chalcocite (63.99 %), Chalcopyrite (67.26 %), Diaspore (52.78 %), Galena (65.16 %), Gold (52.20 %), Hematite (62.61 %), Kaolinite (71.35 %), Magnetite (50.54 %), Molybdenite (66.37 %), Muscovite (80.32 %), Pyrite (67.27 %), Sphalerite (67.53 %)
Malachite	Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂	83.73%	Chalcanthite (62.86 %), Chalcocite (56.20 %)
Calcite	CaCO₃	75.94%	Baryte (51.88 %), Chalcanthite (50.00 %)

Key: Mineral matches key element mineralogy of deposit Key element(s) in mineral not listed for deposit (-20% score)

Predicting paragenetic modes of deposit

Green indicates almost certain match based on minerals unique to a certain deposit type. Yellow indicates a possibly poor match, but should not be entirely discounted. Scores > 100 indicate strong confidence.

Paragenetic Mode	Score
48 : Soil leaching zone minerals	50
22 : Hydration and low-𝑇 subsurface aqueous alteration (see also #23)	50
50 : Coal and/or oil shale minerals	5
54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56)	4
47a : Low-𝑇 subaerial oxidative hydration, weathering (see also #16 and #23) - [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals]	4
45a : Oxidized fumarolic minerals (see also [#11]) - [Sulfates, arsenates, selenates, antimonates]	3
53 : Other minerals with taphonomic origins	3
47b : Low-𝑇 subaerial oxidative hydration, weathering (see also #16 and #23) - [Sulfates and sulfites]	3
16 : Low-𝑇 aqueous alteration of Hadean subaerial lithologies (see also #23)	2
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])	2