The Canadian Cordillera contains numerous classic porphyry deposits and several unusual subtypes, including the alkaline
suite of porphyry Cu-Au deposits and the Tombstone magmatic suite and associated AuW deposits. The alkaline suite
formed in collisional settings in island arcs whereas the Tombstone suite was emplaced in an active fold and thrust belt in a
continental arc. In addtion to different regional settings, these suites differ in the type of underlying basement, metallogeny,
and the styles of mineralization. Both magmatic suites were emplaced over short intervals, probably in response to specific
tectonic events. In the case of the alkaline suite, the tectonic event promoted magmatic processes suitable for the formation
of porphyry Cu-Au deposits. The tectonic environment is less well constrained for the Tombstone suite, but the result was
the formation of distinctive porphyry and intrusion-related AuW deposits.