Geology
The Ariel Project comprises an eastward-tilted sequence of Late Cretaceous andesitic to rhyolitic rocks of the Tarahumara Formation intruded by Paleocene (ca. 57 Ma) quartz monzonite and granodioritic porphyries comparable to the age of the La Caridad Porphyry main mineralization event. Post-mineral Miocene regional tectonic events caused down-faulted blocks to the west where basalt and conglomerate cover from the Baucarit Formation developed.
Surface expression includes:
Feeder veins: Quartzâbearing structures that served as conducts to mineralizing fluids. Possible vectors toward concealed source. The veins walls display visible amounts of advanced-argillic alteration and sulfosalts and are target for gold-bearing deposits.
Dickite-Alunite angular breccias: Corresponds to coarse-grained (>2 mm), monomictic breccia with angular fragments of volcanic rocks highly altered to dickite and alunite. These breccias are interpreted as hydraulic to phreatic breccias with a dominant High-sulphidation component and directly linked to a concealed porphyry target.
Sericite-Pyrite pebble breccias: Corresponds to pebble-size (>20 cm), polymictic breccia with milled fragments of porphyritic rocks. The clasts display porphyry-style stockwork of quartz-jarosite. The breccia matrix is composed of rock flour and juvenile fragments. This constitutes one strong evidence of porphyry copper system activity.
