ABSTRACT
A tectonic model that is potentially useful for estimating the occurrence of undiscovered porphyry copper and polymetallic vein systems has been developed. This model is based on the manner in which magmatic stocks intrude and hydrothermal fluids flow and are trapped in structures that develop as far-field stress is released in tectonic strain features (e.g. strike-slip fault systems) that develop along an active plate margin above a subducting plate. The structural traps include preferred locations for stock emplacement and tensional-shear meshes within the duplexes that localize porphyry- and vein-style deposits. The application of the model is illustrated for the porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits in the Metaliferi Mountains, Romania.
