Wallrock alterations in the porphyry copper deposits of the Panagyurishte ore district and formation-facial belonging of the metasomatites

The Panagyurishte ore district in Bulgaria includes three significant porphyry copper (-gold) deposits (Medet, Elatsite and Assarel), and several small ones (Vlaikov Vruh, Tsar Asen, Petelovo and others). The porphyry copper deposits in the district were objects of intensive investigations during the last decades and numerous studies provide data about these hydrothermal systems and their mineral composition (Strashimirov et aI., 2000).
   The aim of the present paper is to summarize and determine correctly the hydrothermal alteration of the host rock according to the two most preferable genetic classifications: 1) the classification given by Meyer and Hemley (1967), which is used in the USA, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, UK, Spain, France, Italy, etc., and 2) the classification on a formation-facial basis given by Жариков, Омеляненко (1978), which is used in the East and Central European countries, Sweden, China, etc...