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Mineralization

AMIRA/ARC project P439

Report 1
Novambe r 1 995

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AMIRAlARC project P439

Report 1
November 1995

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Contents

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Structure and management of the project

Volcanic fades module: an outline of aims and objectives

- Jocelyn McPhie and Rod Alien

Volcanic facies alteration in the Cambrian Tyndali Group, Mount Read Volcanics,
western Tasmania - Matthew White

11

Subaqueous silicic volcanism in the Mount Black Volcanics, western Tasmania

- Cathryn Gifkins

19

Regional geochemistry/petrology module

27

GIS report - Nathan Duhig

29

Evaluation of the role of Cambrian granites in the genesis of world-class VHMS

deposits in Tasmania - R. Large, M. Doyle, O. Raymond, D. Cooke,
A. Jones, L. fIeasman

39

Cambrian granites in western Tasmania and their association to volcanic-hosted

copper-gold-bearing massive sulfide deposits

57

Geochemistry of the host volcanics to the Banambra massive sulfide deposits,

Victoria, Australia, and the importance of silicic magmatism in VHMS
;
mineralisation - A.J. Stolz, G. Davies and R. Alien

63

Geochemistry of the Mt Windsor Volcanics: implications for the tectonic setting of

Cambro-Ordovician VHMS mineralisation in northeastern Australia
- A.J. Stolz

93

Mineralisation and alteration module

117

Lithogeochemical exploration for metasomatic alteration zones using Pearce element

ratios: Heliyer case study - eR. Stanley and J. B. Gemmeli

119

Heliyer hangingwall alteration study - R. Fulton and J.B. Gemmeli

123

Rosebery site study - R. Large

127

Textures and origins of carbonate associated with the volcanic-hosted massive sulfide
deposit at Rosebery, Tasmania - Anthea Hill and Karin Orth

129

Volcanic facies relationships and hydrothermal modification of primary volcanic

textures at the Thalanga deposit - Anthea Hill

143

A comparison of volcanic fades architectire and alteration styles of felsic amdmafc

volcanic host sequences to massive sulfide deposits - Thalanga, northern
Queensland and Teutonic Bore, Western Australia - Holger Paulick

147

Preliminary investigation of alteration at the Highway and Reward deposits,

Mount Windsor Volcanics, Queensland - Mark Doyle

149

CODES: AMIRA Project P439 - Studies of VHMS-related alteration:

geochemical and mineralogical vectors to ore. November 1995

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Structure and Management of the Proj ect

Introduction
Volcanic-hosted massive sulphide deposits (VHMS)
provide a significant contribution to the total zinc,
copper, lead, silver and gold production in Australia
and continue to be a major target for most base metal
explorers. However, due to the geological complexity
of andent submarine volcanic terrains, new VHMS
deposits are becoming extremely difficult to discover,
especially deposits that are buried more than a few
tens of metres below the surface. To complement the
conventional multidisdplinary approach utilising
geology, geophysics and geochemistry, a new attack
to the problem is proposed here which involves the
integration of volcanic fades analysis with alteration
geochemical and mineral chemical studies to develop
a set of vectors to guide explorers toward ore-grade
mineralisation. The research will concentrate on three
productive submarine volcanic belts in Australia:
the Mount Read Volcanics (MRV) in western
Tasmania, the Mount Windsor Volcanics (MWV) in
northern Queensland, and the Archean Murchison
volcanic province in western Australia.

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Project objectives

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1. To characterise the mineralogy and geochemistry

for the various styles of hydrothermal alteration

throughout the Mount Read Volcanics (MRV) and
the Mount Windsor Volcanics (MWV). This will
be based on mapping supported by whole-rock
and trace element geochemistry, mineral
chemistry, REE and stable isotope geochemistry.

2. To determine the relationship between geochemical alteration patterns and sub-volcanic

intrusions that are coeval with VHMS formation.
3. To undertake case studies of alteration halos related
to specific VHMS deposits with particular
emphasis on hangingwall alteration, and the
relationship between alteration patterns and
volcanic fades.
4. To develop a set of vectors towards ore, based on
the regional studies and ore deposit specific
studies, that can be applied in the exploration for
VHMS deposits in submarine volcanic sequences
throughout Australia. The vector matrix will
include whole-rock, trace element, mineral
chemistry, REE, isotope and volcanic facies factors.

Research framework
As there has been considerable research on alteration
mineralogy and geochemistry ofVHMS systems, our
research is not to repeat previous work but to break
new ground, utilising a multi-disciplinary approach
at both the regional volcanic belt scale and selected
ore deposit scale, with emphasis on selective
geochemical techniques.
The project consists ofthree research modules as
outlined on page 2.

CODES: AMIRA Project P439 - Studies of VHM5-related alteration: ~

geochemical and mineralogical vectors to ore. November 1995 ~

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Volcanic Facies Module
Team Leader: Jocelyn MCPhie

Regional Geochemist..yl
Petrology Module
Team Leader: Joe Stolz

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Synthesis of alteration
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evolution and d e v e l o p m e n t s :
of ore vectors
Project Leader: Ross Large

Mineralisation and
Alteration Module
Team Leader: Bruce Gemmell

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Structure and management of project

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This report

3. Mineralisation and alteration

This is the first major progress report on the project

and covers the first six-month period from May to
October 1995. Very good progress has been achieved
in all three modules.

Bruce Gemmell provides an overview of the

structure and objectives of the module.

1. Volcanic Facies

Jocelyn McPhie provides an overview of the

structure and objectives of the module.
Matthew White reports on the volcanic fades and
alteration in the Tyndall Group of the Mount Read
Volcanics (MRV).

Ross Large discusses the proposed Rosebery

carbonate case study and potential research at the
Henty deposit, Tasmania.
Karin Orth and Anthea Hill describe their research
on the carbonate alteration at Rosebery.
Anthea Hill and Holger Paulick report on progress
to date on the volcanic fades and alteration at the
Thalanga deposit, Queensland.

2. Regional geochemistry/petrology module

Mark Doyle provides an update on the volcanic

fades and alteration research at the Highway
Reward deposit, Queensland.

Nathan Duhig discusses the geochemical database

for the MRV and preliminary interpretations.

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Ross Large describes a recent model for the

importance of the Cambrian granites to mineralisation in the MRV.
Bill Wyman provides a preliminary report on the
granitoids and associated alteration in the Mt LyellDarwin area.

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Bruce Gemmell describes the Pearce-Element Ratio

lithogeochemical research and hangingwall
alteration study at the Hellyer deposit, Tasmania.

Cathym Gifkins provides a preliminary report on

the Mount Black Volcanics in the Rosebery area.

Joe Stolz provides an overview of the structure

and objectives of the module.

Important data and interpretations are already

emerging from this project which will have
implications for exploration and will be discussed in
detail at the November meeting. Progress in the first
six months of the project has been very encouraging
and I would like to acknowledge the excellent work
by the CODES research team and the cooperation
provided by the sponsor companies.

Ross Large
Director

Joe Stolz gives an update on the volcanic

geochemistry for the Mount Windsor Volcanics
(MWV), QLD and the Benambra Volcanics, VIe.

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CODES: AMIRA Project P439 - Studies of VHM5-related alteration: ~

geochemical and mineralogical vectors to ore. November 1995 ~