A reconnaissance Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb, and K-Ar study of some host rocks and ore minerals in the West Shasta Cu- Zn district, California

The Copley Greenstone, Balaklala Rhyolite, and Mule Mountain stock in the West Shasta Cu-Zn district, California, have Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb, and K-Ar systematics that indicate they are a cogenetic suite of ensimatic island-arc rocks about 400 m.y. Pervasive alteration and mineralization of these rocks, for the most part, was syngenetic and the major component of the mineralizing fluid was Devonian seawater. K-Ar ages of quartz-sericite concentrates from ore horizons and Rb-Sr systematics of a few rock and ore specimens record a later thermal and mineralizing event in the district of about 260 m.y. Contamination of some rocks with pelagic sediments is indicated by the Sm-Nd data.