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The giant mid-Miocene Cerro de Pasco Cordilleran polymetallic (Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu-Bi) deposit in central Peru formed during three successive mineralization stages resulting in low- to high-sulfidation mineral associations emplaced at a paleodepth from <500 to 1,500 m: (1) pyrrhotite pipes grading outward to sphalerite and galena replacement bodies (stage A), (2) deep quartz-pyrite veins (stage B₁) and a funnel-shaped massive replacement body of pyrite-quartz (stage B₂) with quartz-sericite ± kaolinite alteration, and (3) well-zoned Zn-Pb-(Bi-Ag-Cu) carbonate-replacement orebodies (stage C₁) and E-W–trending Cu-Ag-(Au-Zn-Pb) enargite-pyrite veins (stage C₂); stages C₁ and C₂ are accompanied by advanced argillic alteration. Field evidence indicates that the epithermal polymetallic mineralization has formed in the shallow part of a porphyry system.

A detailed microthermometric and laser ablation …