Lithospheric Controls on

Orogenic Gold Mineralisation

Frank P. Bierlein

Afmeco Mining & ExplorationPty Ltd

Lithospheric Controls on
(insert commodity here)

Frank P. Bierlein

Afmeco Mining & ExplorationPty Ltd

 Outline

what are 'orogenic' gold deposits?

how and where (big) orogenic gold deposits form

principal (1st-order) controls on ore formation

consider aspects of endowment & fertility (incl. SA)

Accretionary Forearcs - Sites of Massive Flow

temporally &
spatially associated
with episodes of
crustal growth

within developing/
growing fore-arc
(to back-arc) Goldfarb et al. (2005)

region of volcanic arc or continental margin

contemporaneous with/post-date (medium P-T)

metamorphism of host rocks (epigenetic)
Accretionary Forearcs - Sites of Massive Flow

crustal thickening
melting
granites

emplaced at 6 to
2 km depth
(exhumation)
Goldfarb et al. (2005)

metamorphic; low-sulphide; mesothermal; mother lode

simple paragenesis (Au-As); extreme vertical continuity;

good preservation potential !
10 microns
Archaean Giants

Timmins - Porcupine (2,100 t)

Kalgoorlie (1,200 t)
 Proterozoic (near-) Giants

Tanami (280 t)

Obuasi (800 t)

from Bagas (2006)

Telfer (650 t)
Homestake (840 t)
Phanerozoic Giants

from Goldfarb (2004)

Linglong (500 t)
Muruntau (>5,000 t)
What makes these highly gold-
endowed provinces so special?

And what, if anything,

went wrong in other places?
courtesy of the Master of Orogenic Creativity,
David Groves
Formation & endowment related to lithosphere-scale processes;
specific pre-mineralisation tectonic history of terrane critical!

from Bierlein et al. (2006)

 Quantifiable lithosphere - terrane scale criteria for assessing
and ranking potential gold endowment
More prospective
1. Lithosphere Short pre-gold history:
proxy for thin lithosphere
2. Subduction Opposing subduction zones:
complex but coaxial stresses
3. Crustal Structure Crustal-scale deformation zones:
lamprophyres to show deep penetration
4. Regional Strain Low strain belts with spaced high strain
deformation zones
5. Regional Geometry Strong gravity gradients:
proxy for granitoid domes and
thickening of greenstones
6. Metamorphism Mainly greenschist facies greenstone
belts
7. Granitoids Granitoid intrusions within belts:
subduction related or crustal melts
8. Lithostratigraphy Sedimentary sequences (seals or cap
above volcanic sequences (trap))
Less prospective
Long pre-gold history:
proxy for thick lithosphere
Simple subduction zone or complex
subduction with non-coaxial stresses
More cryptic regional-scale structures
High strain belts:
schist belts
Weak gravity gradients:
No strong granitoid dome/
greenstone interactions
Amphibolite facies greeenstone belts
Lack of granitoid intrusions:
no subduction or crustal melt
Lack of sedimentary sequences or
occurrence below volcanic sequence
GIS data compilation - parameter input layers

Solid geology

Structural geology

Airborne magnetics
Empirical

Bouguer Gravity

Distance to fault

Strike of nearest fault / contact

Derived
Rheology Contrast

Chemical Contrast

Favourable host rock lithology

Favourable lithology contact

Conceptual
Favourable tectonic environment

after Groves (2006)

EGP, Yilgarn Craton: excellent (2.7 Ga; >8,000 t Au )

1. LITHOSPHERE +

2. SUBDUCTION +

3. CRUSTAL STRUCTURE +
Kalgoorlie (1,200 t)
4. REGIONAL STRAIN +

5. REGIONAL GEOMETRY +

6. METAMORPHISM +

7. GRANITOIDS +

8. LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY +
Abitibi Belt: excellent (2.7 Ga; >10,000 t Au )
Timmins - Porcupine (2,100 t)

1. LITHOSPHERE +

2. SUBDUCTION +

3. CRUSTAL STRUCTURE +

4. REGIONAL STRAIN +

5. REGIONAL GEOMETRY +

6. METAMORPHISM +

7. GRANITOIDS +

8. LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY +
(courtesy of D. Groves & R. Goldfarb)
 Lake Victoria Greenstone Terrane:
(still) pretty good (2.7 Ga; > 1,800 t Au)
1. LITHOSPHERE -

2. SUBDUCTION (+)

3. CRUSTAL STRUCTURE (+)

4. REGIONAL STRAIN (+)

5. REGIONAL GEOMETRY -

6. METAMORPHISM +

7. GRANITOIDS (+)

But: low data density!

8. LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY +

timing of Au mineralisation?
diachronous evolution?
tectonic processes?
Golden Pride
 Pilbara
(3.2 Ga; 100 t Au)

from Geoscience Australia and Haoma Mining

Comet (0.5 t)

Au (Moz)
Orogenic
Au
3 2 1 0.5

Continental
crust growth
curve

3 2 1 0.5
Age ( Ga )

Bamboo Creek (<1 t) wrong time, wrong place

Karelian (Finland) 1: HGB (2.7 Ga; <30 tonnes Au)
right time, wrong place

(courtesy of D. Groves & GTK)

Karelian (Finland) 2: HGB (2.7 Ga; ?? Tonnes Au)
right time, right place

(courtesy of D. Groves & GTK)

Tanami: (probably) very good

1.8 Ga;
300 t Au
(so far)

(courtesy of L. Bagas)
 What about South Australia?

Tarcoola, Challenger, Tunkillia, Barns,

Weednanna, etc.

Total production < 30 tonnes Au (orogenic gold)

1. LITHOSPHERE (-)??
Orogenic/intrusion-
related Au
2. SUBDUCTION +
Substrate??
3. CRUSTAL STRUCTURE +
Complex and
Au long-lived evolution
4. REGIONAL STRAIN (+)
(1590-1575
(1590-1575 Ma)
Ma)
No evidence for
substantial addition 5. REGIONAL GEOMETRY (-)
of juvenile crust
along accretionary
6. METAMORPHISM +
A-type Hiltaba+GRV margin
I-type Hiltaba
I-type Hiltaba 7. GRANITOIDS (+)
A-type Hiltaba+GRV No global Au event!
Undiff GRV
Mafic GRV
Undiff Hiltaba 8. LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY (+)
from Betts
BUT: low data density; OD! et al. (2002)
modified from Budd (2006)
Summary

Formation & distribution of gold-rich provinces defined

by 1st-order controls

Linked to occurrence of major lithospheric instabilities

Formation of juvenile crust

Longevity of crust proxy for syn-gold lithosphere thickness

(but consider NC, Tien Shan; role of intra-oceanic plumes!)

Actual position of (giant) deposits conjunction of critical factors

at province scale, e.g., plumbing, traps, seals
 Process-oriented conceptual targeting includes assessment of:

variations in composition and thickness of the lithosphere

presence and distribution of mantle plumes

target selection
tectonic evolution and architecture of terrane(s)
timing of magmatic, metamorphic & hydrothermal events
proximity to ancient continental margins and suture zones
orientation of, and changes in principal far-field stress
presence of mafic to intermediate igneous rocks
lithostratigraphic sequences with strong rheological contrasts
alteration and fluid flow
scale