Quarterly

Notes
Geological Survey of New South Wales
No 116
February 2004

Contents Mineral deposits and models,

Mineral systems in the
Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet
Cootamundra 1:250 000 area
map sheet area
1
PM Downes, R McEvilly and P.M. Downes, R. McEvilly and N.M. Raphael
NM Raphael
ABSTRACT
The Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area has a history of
metalliferous mining extending back to the early 1850s. The area
Geological Editor – has been a significant gold, silver and magnesite producer. A
Richard A Facer number of different mineralisation styles is present. These include:
A/Manager Publishing Late Ordovician to Early Silurian porphyry copper–gold systems;
and Marketing – epithermal gold–silver and base metal systems of varying ages;
Katie Graves
orogenic gold (and base metal) mineralisation; podiform chromite
Layout and design – deposits and Tertiary lateritic nickel–cobalt and sediment-hosted
Pauline D’Souza magnesite deposits. Minor tin, manganese and alluvial diamonds
Geospatial Information – have also been recovered. In addition, major gold-bearing placer
Philip Carter deposits have been mined in a number of areas, most notably near
Papers in Quarterly Notes are subject to Young and Temora.
external review. External reviewer for this issue
was Associate Professor Phil Seccombe. His A major Late Ordovician–Early Silurian Volcanic Belt, the Junee–
assistance is appreciated.
Narromine volcanic belt, dominates the central western part of the
Quarterly Notes is published to give wide map sheet area. This volcanic belt hosts significant copper–gold
circulation to results of studies in the Geological
Survey of New South Wales. Papers are also porphyry mineralisation at Mandamah and Yiddah, and high
welcome that arise from team studies with sulphidation epithermal systems at Gidginbung and Dobroyde. The
external researchers.
Gidginbung and Dobroyde systems have characteristics of both
ISSN 0155-3410 magmatic–epithermal and mesothermal shear-hosted gold systems
and are located adjacent to the Gilmore Fault Zone.
Structurally controlled or “orogenic” gold and base metal
1
Now: mineralisation is widespread in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map
Consultant
sheet area. The geological setting and style of these occurrences
East Kurrajong NSW 2758 is largely controlled by the geometry of structural elements,
2
Abstract (continued) competency of the host rocks, the depth of burial at the time of
emplacement of mineralisation and the host rock chemistry. The
deposit styles include mineralised zones located in dilatant sites
within faults and shears, and mineralisation located in sites of high
ductility contrast. While some orogenic gold systems are likely to
have formed as a result of the Benambran Orogeny during the Early
Silurian, the majority of systems formed during the Tabberabberan
Orogeny in the Middle Devonian.
The middle to Late Silurian Young Granodiorite hosts significant
gold mineralisation at Young, Wombat, Harden–Murrumburrah,
McMahons Reef and Garangula. The majority of these areas are
east of the Jugiong Shear Zone. While the origin, timing and style
of gold mineralisation in that region are poorly understood, the
majority of the vein mineralisation is spatially associated with
penetrative structures with a west-northwest–south-southeast
trend. It is suggested that much of the mineralisation hosted
by the Young Granodiorite formed during the Middle Devonian
(Tabberabberan Orogeny) or, more likely, the Late Devonian to
Early Carboniferous (Kanimblan Orogeny).
Extensive magnesite and lateritic nickel–cobalt deposits have
formed as a result of prolonged weathering of units of the
Jindalee Group since at least the Tertiary. However, the age of this
weathering is poorly constrained. Uplift and erosion during the
Cainozoic has resulted in the formation of numerous gold and tin
placer occurrences.
This study places the timing of mineralisation, and the varied
mineralisation styles, in the area of the Cootamundra 1:250 000
map sheet into the geological/tectonic history of the area. There is
considerable potential for the discovery of new, significant mineral
occurrences.
Keywords: mineralisation, Lachlan Fold Belt, Cootamundra, gold, base metals, copper–
gold porphyry, epithermal, orogenic gold, sediment-hosted magnesite, lateritic nickel
cobalt, metallogenesis, prospectivity.

with the discovery of shallow gold-bearing placers in

INTRODUCTION
This review outlines the major metalliferous mineralisation
styles present in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet
area. Some mineralisation types, such as tin mineralisation,
are only briefly discussed. Further details about individual
mineral occurrences and districts can be found in
Fitzpatrick (1979a, b), and in the Geological Survey of
New South Wales Metallic Mineral Occurrence (METMIN)
database (Barnes et al 2004).
The Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area has a history
of metalliferous mining extending back to the early 1850s.
The area has been a significant producer of gold, silver
and magnesite. Other commodities produced include
copper, tin, chromite, nickel, lead, zinc, talc, serpentine
and manganese. The distribution of mineralisation within
the map area is shown in Figure 1 (pp 20–21). The first
recorded interest in the mineral potential of the area came
the Harden–Murrumburrah area during the early 1850s.
Hardrock mining of auriferous quartz veins commenced
in the 1860s at Muttama and Coolac. At various times
prior to the First World War, Temora, Barmedman, Reefton,
Cullinga and Harden were all significant hardrock gold
mining centres. More recently, the Gidginbung gold–silver
mine operated from 1987 to 1996 and the Thuddungra
magnesite mine has operated since 1937. In addition, the
area hosts a number of significant resources — including
The Dam (gold–copper), Dobroyde (gold–silver), Young/
Thuddungra (nickel–cobalt) and Thuddungra (magnesite)
deposits. The value of the metalliferous resources and past
production in the map area exceeds $5 billion (A$ 2000
equivalent dollars).
A number of different mineral deposit styles are present.
These include: Late Ordovician to Early Silurian porphyry
copper–gold systems; epithermal gold–silver and base
metal systems; structurally controlled gold (and base

Quarterly Notes 116 2004

 3

147°00’E
148°30’E
34°00’S 34°00’S

Barmedman

GI
LM
OR
E
Reefton

THUDDUNG
FA
U
LT

FAULT
ZO
N Young

RA
E.

GDALE

FAUL
T
SPRIN
Temora

MOONEY M
BERTHO
GI

NG
LM

OO N
OR

Harden
E

E
Sebastopol

FAULT

Y
BE

Cootamundra Cullinga
FA

TH
UL

UN
T

GR
A
FA

FAUL
Junee Reefs
U LT
ZON

T
E

ZON
FAULT

E
Jugiong

Junee GUNDAGAI FAULT

COOTAMUNDRA

35°00’S
147°00’E 35°00’S
148°30’E
0 15 30 km

24682.cdr

Figure 2. Airborne radiometric data obtained by a joint Geological Survey of NSW–Geoscience Australia survey over the Cootamundra 1:250 000
map sheet area, presented as an RGB image.

metal) mineralisation; lateritic nickel–cobalt; sediment-
hosted magnesite and podiform chromite deposits. Minor
tin, manganese and alluvial diamonds have also been
recovered. Significant gold has been recovered from placer
deposits in a number of areas, notably about Young and
Temora.
During this review the mineral occurrence dataset was
significantly upgraded from that compiled by Fitzpatrick
(1979a, b) and Warren et al (1995). The review was
essentially office-based, although some field verification
was carried out. This process has resulted in subdivision of
some previously documented occurrences and the addition
of new occurrences to the original dataset of Fitzpatrick
(1979a). Furthermore, the information about each occurrence
has been reviewed and in many cases substantially revised.
As of June 2003, the METMIN database contained records
for over 550 metallic mineral and approximately 40 gem
and industrial mineral occurrences for the Cootamundra
1:250 000 map sheet area (Barnes et al 2004). The METMIN
database holds information on the location, mineralogy
and host rocks; and past production, published resources
and references for individual mineral occurrences — and
provides a link to the compilation by Fitzpatrick (1979a).
As seen in Figure 1, the majority of mineral occurrences
in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area are located
in areas of outcrop. The extent of the regolith cover in the
Cootamundra area can clearly be seen in RGB (red, green,
blue) images of the airborne radiometric data (Figure 2).
As a consequence many of the geological units that
host significant mineralisation are more extensive than
as mapped by Warren et al (1996). This can clearly be
observed in the airborne magnetic data (Figure 3). Thus this
paper will use the interpretation by Bacchin et al (1999) as
the geological base to illustrate the extent of geological
units highlighted by this study rather than the outcrop
mapping of Warren et al (1996). The digital dataset for the
Cootamundra map sheet area is included in Mackey et al
(1999 — Cootamundra GIS dataset).

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

4

147°00’E
148°30’E
34°00’S 34°00’S

Barmedman

GI
LM
OR

THUDDUNGRA
E
Reefton
FA
U
LT

FAULT
ZO Young
N
E.

GDALE

FAU
SPRIN

LT
Temora

MOONEY
BERTHO
GI

M OO
NG
LM

Harden
OR

NE
E

Sebastopol

Y
FAULT
BE

Cullinga
TH

Cootamundra
UN
FA

GR
UL
T

A
FA

Junee Reefs
ULT
ZON

FA
U LT
E

FAULT

JUGIONG SHEAR ZONE

ZONE
Jugiong

Junee
COOTAMUNDRA
GUNDAGAI
FAULT

35°00’S
147°00’E 35°00’S
148°30’E
0 15 30 km

24681.cdr

Figure 3. Airborne magnetic data obtained by a joint Geological Survey of NSW–Geoscience Australia survey over the Cootamundra 1:250 000
map sheet area, presented as a TMI (total magnetic intensity) sun illuminated image.

GEOLOGICAL SETTING The oldest rocks in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet
area are the metamorphosed distal or flysch-type marine
Warren et al (1995) summarised the geological setting of the sedimentary rocks and mafic to ultramafic rocks of the
Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area and this discussion Jindalee Group and the Wagga Group (Figure 1). Warren et al
is based on that review. The Cootamundra 1:250 000 map (1995) inferred a Cambrian to Early Ordovician age for these
sheet can be divided into four separate zones separated rocks. However, more recently Lyons and Percival (2002)
by major faults (Gilmore Fault Zone, Cootamundra Fault, have established a Mid to early Late Ordovician age based
the Mooney Mooney Fault Zone and Thuddungra Fault on the dating of conodonts from cherts. The Jindalee Group
— Figure 1). These four zones are: the Western or Wagga crops out in the southeastern and eastern parts of the area.
Zone; the Western Central Zone; the Eastern Central Zone;
and the Young Zone. Two sequences dominate the Ordovician to Early Silurian
stratigraphy. The first is (un)differentiated quartz-rich
The Gilmore Fault Zone (or suture) is a major crustal-scale distal flysch-type sedimentary rocks of the Wagga Group
fault system. The suture marks the boundary between that outcrops west of the Gilmore Fault Zone. The second
metasediments and S-type granitoids of the Wagga–Omeo is the mafic to intermediate volcanic rocks, associated
metamorphic belt to the west and a complex sequence of intrusions and volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks of the
Ordovician to Devonian sedimentary and volcanic rocks, Junee–Narromine Volcanic Belt. This island arc formed
intruded by I- and A-type granites, that forms the Tumut as a result of calc-alkaline to shoshonitic magmatism that
Synclinorial zone to the east (Wormald & Price 1990). commenced in the Early Ordovician and waned in the

Quarterly Notes 116 2004

 5

147°00’E
148°30’E
34°00’S 34°00’S
Yiddah

Barmedman
Mandamah

FA
GI ULT

THUDDUNG
LM ZO
O R NE
E

FAULT
Gidginbung The Dam Young

RA
GDALE

FAUL
T
SPRIN
Temora

MOONEY
BERTHO
GI

M OO
NG
LM

Harden
OR

NE
E

Sebastopol

Y
FAULT
BE
FA

Cullinga
TH
UL

Cootamundra
T

UN
ZO

GR
NE

A
FA

Junee Reefs
ULT

FA
Dobroyde

U LT
FAULT

JUGIONG SHEAR ZONE

ZONE
Jugiong

Junee
COOTAMUNDR A
GUNDAGAI
FAULT
Kurrajong
CO AUL
Coolac F
OL T
35°00’S AC
147°00’E 35°00’S
148°30’E
Ordovician (to ?Early Silurian) Mineral Occurrences
Temora Volcanics Boonabah Volcanics Epithermal Au Fault – major

Gidginbung Volcanics Belimebung Volcanics Porphyry Au–Cu Fault – minor

Grogan Volcanics Junawarra Volcanics Town, locality Dyke

Currumburrama Volcanics Lineament

0 15 30 km
Trend line
24364.cdr

Figure 4. Distribution of Ordovician to Early Silurian volcanic-dominated units and intrusion-related copper–gold mineralisation (geology adapted
from Bacchin et al 1999).

earliest Silurian. Significant copper–gold and gold–silver suggested that the Junawarra Volcanics were of probable
mineralisation is associated with that event. Silurian age based on their tholeiitic geochemistry — as
spidergrams of analyses were similar to Silurian tholeiitic
Warren et al (1995) mapped the rocks in the Dobroyde area gabbros and diorites within the Cootamundra 1:250 000
(Figure 4) as part of the Junawarra Volcanics, assigning map area.
the Junawarra Volcanics an Ordovician age. Wyborn
(1996) noted that the rocks in the Dobroyde area were The Wallundry Suite of I-type granitic intrusions is
chemically distinct from the Junawarra Volcanics and probably related (as ?subvolcanic intrusions) to the Late
informally named this unit the Dobroyde volcanics. The Ordovician to Early Silurian volcanic/volcaniclastic units.
Dobroyde volcanics were interpreted by Wyborn (1996) In outcrop, these bodies intrude undifferentiated Late
to be an Ordovician calcalkaline volcanic unit rather Ordovician sedimentary rocks, whereas a similar body, the
than a shoshonitic unit and may not be as prospective as Mother Shipton Monzodiorite, 1.6 km south-southeast of
other Ordovician volcanic rocks since they are lower in Temora, intrudes the (possibly Early Ordovician) Temora
incompatible elements (Wyborn 1996). Wyborn (1996) also Volcanics (Figure 4).

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

6
During the Benambran Orogeny (Early Silurian) the rocks
of the Wagga Group were deformed by a high temperature/
low pressure metamorphic event. In addition, significant
thrusting took place along the Gilmore Fault Zone. This
thrusting may have emplaced small serpentinite bodies,
such as the Eurongilly Serpentinite, which outcrops 18 km
east-southeast of Junee. The Benambran Orogeny may
have remobilised, and possibly introduced, gold and base
metals into structurally controlled sites, particularly in
areas within or adjacent to the Late Ordovician calcalkaline
to shoshonitic volcanic rocks.
During the Early Silurian, S-type granites (eg, Kikoira
Granite and Wantabadgery Granite) were emplaced. Many
of these granites are composite bodies and some parts may
have formed later than during the Early Silurian.
The initial fill of the Early Silurian Tumut Trough is
characterised by bimodal subaerial and submarine volcanism
and shallow to moderately deepwater turbidite units. Other
workers (eg, Stuart-Smith 1990a, b) have suggested that
the Frampton Volcanics (Figure 1) and other Early Silurian
units in the Tumut area were part of the Late Ordovician
Molong Volcanic Arc and are basement to, rather than part
of, the Tumut Trough. The origin and geological history
of the Tumut Trough is poorly understood. Basden et al
(1990) suggested that the basin formed by rifting, which
commenced in the Early Silurian. Other workers suggest a
range of tectonic settings, including an intercratonic rift,
a backarc basin, a pullapart basin, a forearc basin (and
subsequent collision with a continental margin), a suspect
terrane or a para-autochthonous tectonic model (Warren
et al 1995).
On the eastern side of the Tumut Trough are mafic,
ultramafic and serpentinite units (ie, Honeysuckle beds,
North Mooney Complex and Coolac Serpentinite —
included as part of “Mafic and ultramafic rocks”, Figure
1) of probable Early Silurian age. Workers such as Ashley,
Franklin, Brown, Basden and Scheibner have interpreted
these units as part of a dismembered ophiolite suite (Coolac
Ophiolite Suite of Ashley et al 1979) that formed a floor
to the Tumut Trough. Others (eg, Stuart-Smith 1990a, b;
Warner et al 1992) rejected this concept and suggested
that the Honeysuckle beds are later fill interfingering
with or overlying the Blowering Formation and Brawlin
Formation. These workers (Stuart-Smith 1990a, b; Warner
et al 1992) proposed that the Coolac Serpentinite was
emplaced into the Mooney Mooney Fault Zone during
Early Silurian deformation. The Coolac Serpentinite hosts
significant podiform chromite mineralisation and minor
sulphide mineralisation.
The S-type Young Granodiorite was emplaced on the
eastern side of the closed Tumut Trough towards the end
of the Bowning deformation (Late Silurian). The Young
Granodiorite intruded the Coolac Serpentinite as well
as its own volcanic pile (Goobarragandra Volcanics). On
the western side of the Tumut Trough, a number of small
granitic bodies (S- and I-type) intruded the Frampton
Volcanics.
Quarterly Notes 116 2004
The Bowning deformation in the Late Silurian led to closure
of the Tumut Trough and possible obduction of the Coolac
Serpentinite and North Mooney Complex. Alternative
concepts for the ‘ophiolite suite’ involve the emplacement
of Alpine-type ultramafic rocks along a crustal suture
during the Early Silurian or a tectonic slice derived from
the underlying Jindalee Group.
The western and central parts of the Cootamundra
1:250 000 map sheet area were probably emergent during
the late Early Silurian to about the middle Late Silurian,
during which time the Tumut Trough developed further
east. By latest Silurian times the area west of the Frampton
Volcanics (and the Tumut Trough) and east of the Gilmore
Fault Zone had subsided — allowing the deposition of the
Combaning Formation and Yiddah Formation. Bacchin et
al (1999) included the Combaning Formation and Yiddah
Formation as part of the Derriwong Group (Figure 1).
Raymond, Sherwin et al (2000) included the Combaning
Formation and Yiddah Formation as part of the poorly
exposed Jemalong Trough, a belt of sedimentary and
volcanic rocks, which extends from Junee in the south
to east of Nyngan in the north. They proposed that the
Jemalong Trough formed in response to rifting in the
latest Silurian (Pridoli), with sedimentation and volcanism
continuing until late in the Early Devonian (early Emsian
— Raymond, Sherwin et al 2000; Raymond, Duggan et al
2000).
Early Devonian dominantly subaerial felsic volcanism
with lesser nearshore and shallow marine sedimentation
occurred mainly in the central and eastern parts of the
Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area (Cootamundra and
Black Range Groups — Figure 1). This volcanism appears
to have been related to renewed activity along the pre-
existing siliceous magmatic/volcanic rises. In addition, a
number of I-type intrusions were emplaced at that time.
However, the relationship between this intrusive activity
and the felsic volcanism is unknown.
Significant deformation (Tabberabberan Orogeny) took
place in the Middle Devonian, resulting in the remobilisation
and introduction of gold and base metals into structurally
prepared sites across the region.
Following the Tabberabberan Orogeny, widespread molasse
sedimentation in the Late Devonian formed the Hervey
Group and part of the Cocoparra Group. Some igneous
activity also took place at that time.
The Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous Kanimblan
Orogeny resulted in folding in some areas and formed
a cleavage in fine-grained Early and Late Devonian
sedimentary rocks. This deformation may have remobilised
and possibly introduced minor gold and base metals into
structurally controlled sites.
A number of deep-seated structures were active during
the Jurassic. These reached mantle material and tapped
alkali basalt magma — resulting in the emplacement of

lamprophyre dykes. These structures were activated as
a result of the breakup of Gondwana (Scheibner 1974,
1976).
Weathering, minor terrestrial sedimentation (sandstone
occurrences) and ferricrete development occurred during
the Cainozoic, with alkali basalt magmatism (again) in
the Miocene (17.7 Ma — Jones 1986). The prolonged
weathering of the area is important for the formation of the
Thuddungra magnesite deposits and lateritic nickel–cobalt
deposits near Young, as well as forming significant gold
placer deposits.
ORDOVICIAN COPPER–GOLD AND INTRUSION-
RELATED MINERALISATION
Significant porphyry copper–gold mineralisation is
associated with Late Ordovician to Early Silurian island arc
magmatism in central New South Wales. The Ordovician
volcanic units produced by this event are prospective
because they were formed from mantle-derived magmas,
which remained undersaturated with respect to sulphur until
late in the magmatic cycle. This resulted in a concentration
of copper and gold in the late-stage magmatic fluids
(Wallace & Wyborn 1997). The Late Ordovician–Early
Silurian Gidginbung Volcanics host the Gidginbung
gold–silver mine and The Dam, Rain Hill, Mandamah,
Kangaroo Hill and Yiddah prospects. A second parallel belt
of Ordovician volcanic units, the Belimebung Volcanics,
lies under cover, to the east of the Gidginbung Volcanics
(Warren et al 1995) (Figure 4). Those two units form part
of the more extensive Junee–Narromine volcanic belt that
hosts significant gold and copper–gold mineralisation at
Cowal, Marsden and Endeavour 39, in the Forbes 1:250 000
map sheet area to the north.
Mandamah
The Mandamah copper–gold deposit is 30 km north-
northwest of Temora, within the Late Ordovician Gidginbung
Volcanics (Figure 4). MacCorquodale (1997a) described the
deposit as being covered by up to 50 m of alluvium. Below
the alluvium is a partially weathered zone, at least 30 m
thick, developed in diorite. Supergene gold- and copper-
rich zones have formed at the alluvium/saprolite interface
and at the base of oxidation (MacCorquodale 1997a;
De Souza Kovacs et al 2000).
A number of separate events have been identified at
Mandamah (Morrison 1997a; Angus 1998). The initial
mineralising event was porphyry-related and consists
of a mineralised laminated quartz vein system with a
magnetite–bornite–chalcopyrite assemblage within altered
medium- to coarse-grained plagioclase-phyric quartz
diorite porphyries (MacCorquodale 1997b). The alteration
associated with the porphyry-related event includes an
initial magnetite–K-feldspar–albite and biotite–epidote
alteration (potassic assemblage) associated with the
quartz–chalcopyrite and quartz–magnetite veins and a
later assemblage of chlorite–sericite–albite–quartz–pyrite–
chalcopyrite (propyllitic alteration) that overprints the
7
earlier potassic assemblage. MacCorquodale (1997a) noted
that the potassic assemblage was associated with the
principal mineralising event while Morrison (1997a) noted
that the propyllitic assemblage was associated with the
bulk of the low-grade copper mineralisation.
Morrison (1997a) noted that the propylitic assemblage was
intermediate or late (to Stage 1) and it could be compared
with the sericite–chlorite–clay (SCC or intermediate
argillic) alteration noted by Sillitoe and Gappe (1984) in
some Philippine porphyry copper deposits. MacCorquodale
(1997b) noted the presence of bornite in the upper parts
of the system, and that pyrite has replaced magnetite.
Morrison (1997a) recorded the presence of molybdenite.
However, he was unable to establish where molybdenite
occurred within the overall paragenesis of the system.
Morrison (1997a) also observed that bornite was part of the
initial alteration assemblage (quartz–magnetite±bornite)
and that biotite (also part of the initial assemblage) is
largely replaced by later minerals.
Morrison (1997a) and Angus (1998) summarised the
porphyry-related alteration system at Mandamah. The
porphyry-related alteration system is zoned, with the core
of the system being defined by the presence of laminated
quartz veins and fractures hosting magnetite (with texture-
destructive K-feldspar–albite alteration) — and centred on
an altered microdiorite dyke. The intermediate zone is
dominated by chalcopyrite-filled fractures and veinlets and
dark green texture-destructive chlorite–sericite alteration.
The peripheral zone is texture-destructive. The zonation
of the Mandamah system is consistent with an observed
southwest plunge of the mineralising system and is roughly
concentric around an interpreted late-stage porphyry
intrusion (Morrison 1997a).
Structurally controlled massive quartz–chalcopyrite–pyrite
veins crosscut earlier porphyry-related assemblages and are
associated with the high-grade copper mineralisation. This
mineralisation is zoned and changes from a quartz–albite
assemblage (centred on a shear), to a quartz–sericite–pyrite
assemblage and an outer sericite–clay–pyrite assemblage
(Angus 1998). Finally, a strong, shear-related quartz–
sericite–pyrite (sericitic) assemblage has overprinted earlier
(porphyry- and epigenetic-related) assemblages and is only
weakly mineralised (MacCorquodale 1997a; Angus 1998).
The structurally related assemblages are associated with
deformation that postdates the earlier porphyry-related
mineralisation (MacCorquodale 1997a).
In summary, the initial mineralising event at Mandamah
was a porphyry-type copper–gold system that probably
formed in the Early Silurian and appears to be of the
same age as the host unit (K. Lawrie, pers comm 2001).
The porphyry system consists of a zoned alteration system,
together with copper–gold-bearing quartz–sulphide veins.
This initial mineral system was overprinted and modified
by later deformation, resulting in the development of
high-grade copper zones. The timing of this deformation
is uncertain. A second shear-related event may overprint
earlier assemblages and is only weakly mineralised. More
2004 Quarterly Notes 116
8
recently, weathering has remobilised both gold and copper
into supergene zones developed at the base of weathering
and at the saprolite–alluvium boundary.
Yiddah
The Yiddah copper–gold system, 48 km north-northwest
of Temora, lies within the Late Ordovician volcanic
rocks adjacent to the Gilmore Fault Zone (Figure 4).
The system is hosted by feldspar porphyries, hornblende
monzogranite and mafic to feldspathic sedimentary rocks
(possibly tuffaceous) of the Late Ordovician to earliest
Silurian Gidginbung Volcanics. MacCorquodale (1997b)
and Mason (1996) described aspects of the geology of the
area and noted the presence of shoshonitic rocks. The host
sedimentary rocks have undergone contact metamorphism
— resulting in an equigranular plagioclase–hornblende–
(K-feldspar–magnetite–ilmenite–sphene) hornfels (Mason
1996).
Mason (1996) identified a number of different types of
veins at Yiddah that formed prior to deformation. The vein
types include: acid pegmatoidal veins with a K-feldspar–
quartz–plagioclase assemblage; aplite–chalcopyrite–quartz
veins; quartz–calcite–sulphide (chalcopyrite, molybdenite
and pyrite) veins; quartz–pyrite–chalcopyrite veins and
magnetite-rich veins. The alteration selvedges of these
vein types are poorly preserved. Mason (1996) noted the
presence of sericitic alteration assemblages associated with
the quartz-rich veins and evidence for a potassic alteration
event consistent with the interpretation of a porphyry-type
event.
The porphyry-related mineralisation at Yiddah was
subsequently deformed and altered. The deformation
resulted in brittle fracturing and shearing of the wall rocks,
disruption of the early veins and retrogressive alteration.
Pervasive propylitic alteration, consisting of a chlorite–
epidote–calcite assemblage, formed at that time (Mason
1996). Some chalcopyrite also formed and, in places, early
magnetite has been replaced by either pyrite or chlorite
and/or epidote. In some samples, early (inferred) biotite is
completely replaced by chlorite, sometimes with leucoxene
(Mason 1996). The effects of this deformation event are
prominent in all samples and partly to severely overprint
earlier textures and mineral paragenesis (Mason 1996).
The timing of this deformation is unknown. However,
significant structurally controlled gold mineralisation may
be present in dilatant sites hosted by adjacent younger
units of the Yiddah Formation.
In summary, the Yiddah mineral system has the
characteristics of a porphyry copper–gold system that
has been subsequently modified by deformation. The
mineralisation appears to have been generated from
shallow shoshonitic intrusions with early quartz–sulphide
veining and related K-silicate alteration (Mason 1996).
Mason (1996) has suggested that the presence of hornblende
with magnetite and sphene in the intrusions indicated that
the magmas were oxidised and that those magmas would
have generated an oxidised hydrothermal fluid. Later
Quarterly Notes 116 2004
deformation and related propylitic alteration overprinted
the mineral system.
EPITHERMAL MINERALISATION
Two different styles of epithermal mineral systems have
been identified in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet
area. The dominant style is the shear zone-hosted advanced
argillic gold systems found at a number of locations,
including Gidginbung and Dobroyde (Figure 4), while the
second is a silver-lead (polymetallic) type like those found
at Bauloora (Figure 5). It is also possible that some of the
gold–silver occurrences near Coolac, approximately 40 km
south-southeast of Cootamundra, are epithermal.
Shear zone-hosted advanced argillic alteration systems
appear to represent a transitional style of mineralisation,
having features of both epithermal gold systems and
mesothermal, shear-hosted (orogenic) gold systems. These
systems have been identified at Gidginbung, Dobroyde,
Kurrajong and The Dam (Figure 4). The prospect at The
Dam is unusual in that an earlier porphyry system may
have been overprinted by an advanced argillic alteration
system.
Gidginbung
The Gidginbung gold mine (Figure 4) is approximately
16 km north-northwest of Temora. The mine produced
21.07 t of gold with minor silver from 10.23 Mt of ore, at
an average grade of 2.06 g/t Au, between 1987 and the
end of 1996 (Lawrie et al 1997a). Aspects of the geology
and mineralisation have been described by a number of
workers, including Thompson et al (1986), Lindhorst and
Cook (1990); Corbett (1994); Allibone et al (1995); and
Lawrie et al (1997a). There has been significant controversy
about the geology, structural controls and origin of the
mineralisation at Gidginbung — partially because of the
extensive weathering of the upper parts of the deposit
(Photograph 1) and partially due to the intense alteration
that has obscured many features. Observations reported by
Lawrie et al (1997a, b) were based on geological mapping
of the lower (and less-weathered) parts of the Gidginbung
opencut mine, while observations of earlier workers (eg,
Allibone 1993; Allibone et al 1995) were restricted to the
more heavily weathered upper parts of the deposit and to
diamond drillcore.
The Gidginbung deposit is approximately four kilometres
east of the Gilmore Fault Zone (Figure 4). In that area
Quaternary units obscure the Gilmore Fault Zone. The
mineralisation is hosted by altered units of the Late
Ordovician to Early Silurian Gidginbung Volcanics (Perkins
et al 1990). The host rocks are andesitic in character and
consist of probable flow units, dykes, shallow-level
intrusions and fragmental units. The fragmental units
may be debris flows, pyroclastic and/or epiclastic units
(Allibone et al 1995). A number of different breccia
types, including tectonic breccias, hydrothermal breccias
and primary fragmental rocks, have been recognised at
Gidginbung. Lawrie et al (1997a) suggested that many of
 9
these breccias are primary rather than tectonic in
origin and they described the sequence as gently
dipping interbedded breccias (mass flow units) and
mudstones. This is in contrast to the earlier work by
Allibone et al (1995), which suggested that the host
units in the area of the subsequent opencut mine
were steeply dipping. Primary volcanic units have
been noted immediately north of the open cut. These
have been intersected by drilling in areas adjacent
to the open cut and are reported to be interlayered
with epiclastic volcanic lithologies similar to those
described by Lawrie et al (1997a). South of the mine

Photograph 1. Eastern wall of the Gidginbung opencut mine

showing the extent of intense, near-surface weathering. Note
the dump trucks in the right foreground for scale.
(Photographer — David Barnes, Cootamundra 0205C)

147°00’E
148°30’E
34°00’S 34°00’S

Barmedman
THUDDUNG
FA
GI ULT
LM ZO
OR NE
E

FAULT

Young
RA
GDALE

FAUL
T
SPRIN

Temora
MOONEY
BERTHO

Reardons
Hill Wallendbeen
GI

M OO

Mee Mar
NG
LM

Bauloora Harden
OR

NE
E

Sebastopol
Y
FAULT
BE
FA

Cullinga
TH
UL

Cootamundra
T

UN
ZO

GR
NE

A
FA

Junee Reefs
LTU

FA
U LT
FAULT

JUGIONG SHEAR ZONE

ZONE

Jugiong
Booths
Reward
Junee
COOTAMUNDR A
GUNDAGAI
FAULT

CO AUL
F

Coolac
OL T
AC

35°00’S
147°00’E 35°00’S
148°30’E
Early Devonian Mineral Occurrences
Cootamundra Group Au–(Ag) Fault – major Dyke

Zn–Pb–(Cu–Ag–Au) Fault – minor Lineament

Town, locality Trend line

0 15 30 km

24365.cdr

Figure 5. Distribution of post-Ordovician epithermal mineralisation (geology adapted from Bacchin et al 1999).

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

10
are conglomerates, sandstones and siltstones of probable
Late Devonian age overlying the mineralised sequence.
Alteration and mineralisation at Gidginbung are confined
to the older, Ordovician–Early Silurian, rocks.
Rocks in the vicinity of the Gidginbung mine are generally
undeformed, although Allibone et al (1995) recognised an
intense penetrative fabric in discrete northwest-trending
(shear) zones, 50–400 m wide. Lawrie et al (1997a)
downplayed the importance of deformation and suggested
that the fabrics within the open cut are characteristic of
a low-strain environment and noted that only the fine-
grained rocks have been weakly cleaved. Lawrie et al
(1997a) also noted the presence of a number of faults in
the open cut, including a fault parallel to the eastern wall
(of the open cut). This fault defines the contact between
unmineralised pyrophyllite-dominant altered epiclastic
grits to the east and a silica–pyrite-altered bedded sequence
of breccias and mudstones to the west.
Gold and copper mineralisation at Gidginbung occurs as
widespread disseminated mineralisation associated with
various alteration assemblages and in one of two types
of sulphide±barite veins (Allibone et al 1995). Trace
chalcopyrite has been observed by Allibone et al (1995),
associated with potassic alteration, to the west of the
mine. In the mine area significant low-grade gold and
silver mineralisation is coincident with the silica–pyrite
alteration zone, which in turn is preferentially developed
within the mudstone-dominated breccias (Lawrie et
al 1997b). Higher-grade gold zones correspond to the
position of gold-bearing veins that cut the silica–pyrite,
and occasionally the quartz–alunite–pyrite, alteration
zones. Electron microprobe investigations by McDonald
and co-workers (reported in Allibone et al 1995, p. 1587)
identified gold–telluride and native gold with up to 5%
silver as inclusions in pyrite and enargite associated with
the silica–pyrite alteration. Trace galena was also associated
with the silica–pyrite alteration.
Two types of sulphide±barite veins have been described
by Allibone et al (1995). These are a “wispy vein” type
that appears to grade into the silica–pyrite alteration and
contains pyrite and barite with variable enargite as the
dominant minerals and “stylolitic” sulphide veins that
contain massive interlocking pyrite with conspicuous rutile,
barite and trace enargite (Allibone et al 1995). The stylolitic
veins also contain quartz fibres that are perpendicular to the
vein margins, suggesting that these veins are tension veins.
The alteration at Gidginbung has been described by Allibone
et al (1995) and summarised by Lawrie et al (1997a). The
alteration is concentrically zoned about the deposit — with
a central silica–pyrite zone passing progressively outward
to a quartz–alunite–pyrite zone, then a quartz–kaolinite–
pyrite zone, a quartz–illite–pyrite zone and, finally, a
propylitic alteration zone. Lawrie et al (1997a, b) noted that
silica–pyrite alteration and higher gold grades correlate
with the mudstone-dominated breccias and that the fine-
grained (originally ?carbonaceous) mudstone matrix to
the breccias had been preferentially replaced. Lawrie et
Quarterly Notes 116 2004
al (1997a) found evidence for earlier pyrite-precipitating
events. Lawrie et al (1997a) observed that a “sooty” pyrite
predated the earliest “wispy” pyrite veining and pyrite and
chalcedonic silica clasts occur within the mudstones. The
concentric zonation of the alteration suggests that fluids
decreased in temperature and increased in pH away from
the central zone, through which a higher temperature,
more acidic fluid was channelled (Lawrie et al 1997b).
Those authors also suggested that hydrothermal fluid flow
was from depth to the south of the open cut and obliquely
upward to the north within the breccia package. This breccia
package may have contained enhanced permeability and/or
enhanced chemical reactivity.
Lawrie et al (1997b) reported that mineralising fluids
had moderate salinities (around 5% NaCl), with peak
homogenisation temperatures of around 120°C to 130°C.
This contrasts to earlier work reported by Allibone et al
(1995) that suggested significantly higher temperatures
(up to 340°C). Lawrie et al (1997b) also noted that there
was no evidence for fluid boiling and the presence of
mainly all-liquid inclusions in barite indicates low (<50°C)
temperatures. Lawrie et al (1997b) suggested that the final
paragenetic stage of vein evolution was the precipitation
of barite at low pressure from low-temperature, low-
salinity aqueous fluids. In contrast to the earlier work by
Allibone et al (1995), Lawrie et al (1997a, b) suggested
that the alteration and mineralisation formed at shallow
crustal levels and not at crustal depths in excess of 4.5 km
(Allibone et al 1995).
The oxygen (O) and deuterium/hydrogen (D/H) isotope data
for the advanced argillic alteration assemblage suggest
that a dominantly magma-derived fluid, possibly with
some meteoric fluid input (Allibone et al 1995), formed
the alteration. Similarly, the sulphur isotope data are
consistent with the sulphur being sourced from a magmatic
reservoir (Allibone et al 1995). The lead isotope analyses
from Gidginbung give two distinct crustal proportion
populations (Carr et al 1995), suggesting the possibility of
two lead sources. Carr et al (1995), however, considered
it unwarranted to draw any major conclusions from the
data.
In summary the principal ore deposit models for Gidginbung
are:
• a high sulphidation epithermal gold deposit that formed
prior to regional deformation (eg, Thompson et al 1986;
Lindhorst & Cook 1990; Lawrie et al 1997a, b); and
• an orogenic or shear-hosted gold deposit that formed
with or after deformation, at depths possibly greater than
4.5 km (eg, Allibone et al 1995).
Timing of the copper–gold mineralising event at
Gidginbung has been somewhat controversial. However,
recent work by Lawrie and co-workers has established that
both the timing of the mineralising event and the timing
of the emplacement of the host rocks is Early Silurian
(K. Lawrie, pers comm 2001).
 11
Dobroyde

The Dobroyde deposit (Figure 4),

37 km south-southeast of Temora,
contains an inferred resource totalling
926 000 t at 2.1 g/t Au (Register of
Australian Mining 1994/95 1995). The
deposit is less than 1.5 km to the east
of, and on an interpreted splay of, the
Gilmore Fault Zone. Strongly altered
rocks of the Ordovician “Dobroyde 10600mN

volcanics” (informal) (Wyborn 1996)

host the mineralisation. The Dobroyde
volcanics, at Dobroyde, consists
of variably porphyritic andesite to
dacite interlayered with minor lenses
of polymictic matrix-supported
fragmental rocks. The Siluro-Devonian
Combaning Formation (Derriwong
Group — Figure 1), which consists of 10400mN

siltstones, sandstones, conglomerates

and felsic volcanic rocks, surrounds
the deposit. Two large post-
mineralising faults cut the deposit: an
east–west fault at the northern end;
and a north–south, 50° west-dipping
thrust fault that truncates the deposit
to the east and at depth.
10200mN

Argillic and advanced argillic altered

rocks at Dobroyde are in fault contact
with unaltered rocks on the northern
side and propylitic-altered rocks
on the eastern side of the deposit.
On the western side of the deposit,
propylitic alteration grades inwards
10000mE

10200mE
9800mE

to an argillic alteration zone. This

forms a broad halo around advanced
argillic and siliceous alteration zones Quartz–feldspar–biotite– Fault – accurate
in the core of the deposit (Figure magnetite porphyry intrusion
Fault – approximate
6). Allibone (1997) described the Trachyte dyke
geometry of the advanced argillic Largely unaltered basaltic
N

alteration as forming a series of andesite volcanic rocks

individual steeply dipping northwest- Siliceous alteration
h
ort

to north-northwest-trending tabular
grid north

cn

19°
eti

zones. At Dobroyde the advanced Advanced argillic alteration

gn
ma

argillic alteration assemblage is Argillic alteration

quartz–kaolinite–dickite–pyrite, with
or without alunite and pyrophyllite, Propylitic alteration 0 100 200 m
while the argillic alteration includes 24375.cdr
interlayered illite–smectite, quartz,
pyrite, ankerite and/or calcite and
Figure 6. Geological map of the Dobroyde alteration system (adapted from Allibone 1997).
traces of kaolinite (Allibone 1997).
The propylitic assemblages include
albite, chlorite, illite, calcite and/or
ankerite, with less-common zoisite and titanite (Allibone Allibone (1997) described the gold mineralisation at
1997). The siliceous zone at the core of the deposit splits Dobroyde as being generally associated with the siliceous
into narrower slivers up- and down-dip and along strike. alteration zone (Photograph 2) and noted that gold
At its widest part, the siliceous zone shows a 20° change in grades locally correlate with changes in the amount of
strike that corresponds to an increase in mineralised veins disseminated pyrite. Zones of pyrite-dominant and gold-
(Allibone 1997). bearing barite-dominant veins cut the siliceous and locally

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

12
advanced argillic altered rocks. Generally, either
pyrite or barite is the dominant mineral in individual
veins, although quartz is a common (though
volumetrically minor) gangue mineral. The barite-
dominant veins also contain minor to trace gold,
tellurium, calaverite, lead selenide, lead telluride,
chalcopyrite, sphalerite, tennantite–tetrahedrite
and mercury telluride (Allibone 1997). These veins
cut the siliceous core at about 20°–40° to the strike
of the alteration zonation and were interpreted by
Allibone (1997) as having developed in dilatant
fractures during later strike-slip (dextral) movement
on the fault that had already controlled the location
of the siliceous zone. Other interpretations of this
wider part of the siliceous core include a combination
of control by two intersecting structures (Bateman
2000, interpretation based on the gold distribution
itself) and as a kink zone.

The textures in the deposit at Dobroyde indicate

a complex history with successive phases of
brecciation, siliceous alteration, pyrite and later
barite–Au veining, and finally mica-rich advanced
argillic (illite±pyrophyllite) alteration. The restricted
distribution of the barite–gold veins to the central Photograph 2. Low-sulphide silica breccia with visible gold from DOB 16 (63.2 m)
siliceous core has been inferred (Allibone 1997) to — Dobroyde prospect. (Photographer — David Barnes, Cootamundra 0154A)
indicate that this zone acted in a brittle manner
during deformation, thus focusing fluid flow and
resultant gold mineralisation into this zone. Allibone et al (1995) proposed that the Junawarra Volcanics were
(1997) also noted that alteration zones distal to this central probably Ordovician in age. However, Wyborn (1996)
zone remain unmineralised. suggested the unit was more likely to be Silurian in age,
based on their tholeiitic geochemistry spidergrams which
The timing of alteration and mineralisation at Dobroyde are similar to those of Silurian tholeiitic gabbros and
remains uncertain. The deposit is hosted by rocks that diorites within the map sheet area but are inconsistent
Wyborn (1996) suggested are Late Ordovician in age. with Ordovician arc-related rocks. Late Silurian porphyritic
Allibone (1997) proposed that the gold mineralisation dykes intrude the volcanic rocks. Possible Early Devonian
formed during dextral strike-slip movement. Stuart-Smith sedimentary and felsic volcanic rocks and late-stage
(1991) noted that movement on the Gilmore Fault Zone was trachyte/dacite dykes occupy the central part of the
dominantly sinistral during the Siluro-Devonian and mid- prospect (Johnson 1997). Johnson (1997) interpreted the
Devonian and that dextral movement only occurred in the Kurrajong mineralisation as being associated with a north–
Early to mid-Silurian. Perkins et al (1995) dated illite from south fault, and interpreted this fault as a splay of the
the alteration assemblage at 383±4 Ma (K–Ar) — which Gilmore Fault Zone. Northeast-trending faults displace the
they regarded as a minimum age for the mineralising event. mineralised zone with a dextral movement. The alteration
However, illite forms part of the alteration assemblage system appears to be paragenetically similar to, though
that both pre- and post-dates gold mineralisation and larger than, the Dobroyde deposit to the north (Johnson
this date could have been reset by later metamorphism. 1997).
Allibone (1997) acknowledged the uncertainty of timing
and suggested that gold mineralisation may have formed Gold–copper mineralisation at Kurrajong is associated with
in the Early Devonian. It is suggested here that the late-stage quartz–sulphide stockwork veining, advanced
gold mineralisation at Dobroyde formed during dextral argillic alteration and commonly displays elevated barium,
movement along the Gilmore Fault Zone, which supports molybdenum and zinc geochemistry. Barite veins have
the Early Silurian age suggested by Stuart-Smith (1991). been identified. The sulphides are dominated by pyrite,
with traces of chalcopyrite and secondary (supergene)
Kurrajong chalcocite and covellite (Johnson 1997). Traces of
bornite and molybdenite are also present (Barron 1997).
The Kurrajong gold–copper mineralisation, 58 km south- Johnson (1997) also recorded the presence of (otherwise)
southeast of Temora (Figure 4), occurs within a zone unmineralised quartz–carbonate veining as a late phase in
approximately 3000 m long and 300 m wide. A north– younger undeformed dykes.
south belt of intermediate volcaniclastic rocks, intermediate
intrusive rocks and mafic intrusive rocks of the Junawarra Johnson (1997) and Barron (1997) described the
Volcanics (Johnson 1997) hosts the mineralisation. Warren alteration at Kurrajong as an initial stage of propylitic

Quarterly Notes 116 2004


alteration (chlorite–quartz–epidote with or without albite
and gypsum), which was then overprinted by an early
sericitic (silica–sericite) stage. These early assemblages are
overprinted by a north-trending zone of advanced argillic
(kaolin, with or without illite, silica and pyrite) alteration.
In the northern part of the prospect the argillic zone is
strongly silicified and has been interpreted by Johnson
(1997) as a kaolin–pyrophyllite–silica cap. A late-stage
sericite–chlorite–carbonate alteration assemblage that
overprints earlier alteration assemblages was observed
in mafic rocks west of the central sericitic zone. Barron
(1997) suggested that the early propylitic assemblage
was formed by near-neutral fluids at ~250°C, whereas
the argillic assemblage was formed by fluids that were
possibly around pH 5 and ~150°C (?illite with or
without smectite–quartz, kaolinite and Fe-rich carbonate
assemblage). However, the presence of ?pyrophyllite–quartz
suggests that the hydrothermal fluids were more acidic
and had higher emplacement temperatures (~pH 4 and
300°C — advanced argillic). This is supported by the
presence of diaspore with ?pyrophyllite and quartz,
which in turn also suggest acidic (~pH 4) conditions
and elevated fluid temperature (~300°C to 350°C, Barron
1997).
Barron (1997) noted the presence of barite in the
Kurrajong deposit. In one sample, barite is associated with
chalcopyrite–?chalcocite. Barron (1997) suggested that the
barite formed from upwelling saline fluids at temperatures
above 150°C. Similarly, the presence of late-stage carbonate
(probably siderite and/or ankerite) suggested that the late-
stage fluids were meteoric in origin, possibly from a cool
distal environment (Barron 1997).
Whilst the Kurrajong mineralisation is interpreted to be
a shear zone-hosted advanced argillic alteration-related
system, Johnson (1997) has suggested the mineralisation
may also be associated with a concealed porphyry
system — based on strong gold–copper–molybdenum–
bismuth–tellurium anomalism. Wyborn (1996) noted
that the Junawarra Volcanics have a tholeiitic signature,
suggesting the porphyry potential is low. The Junawarra
Volcanics has a similar geochemical signature to the
Bland Diorite and Wallundry Suite intrusions (Wyborn
1996), which are thought to be of Early Silurian age
(Bland Diorite, Duggan 2000; Wallundry Suite, Warren
et al 1995).
The timing of mineralisation at Kurrajong is poorly
constrained. If the Junawarra Volcanics are Early Silurian,
as suggested by the geochemistry (Wyborn 1996), then
the alteration system may have formed about the same
time as either an intrusion-related system or as a result of
dextral movement on the Gilmore Fault Zone. This second
interpretation is based on the premise that the observed
dextral movement that postdated mineralisation at the
Kurrajong prospect is related to dextral movement on the
Gilmore Fault Zone. Stuart-Smith (1991) proposed that this
dextral movement took place in the Early to mid-Silurian
and that later movement on the Gilmore Fault Zone is
generally sinistral.
13
The Dam
The copper–gold deposit at The Dam is 800 m east of
the Gidginbung opencut mine (Figure 4). The mineralised
zone is hosted by variably altered microtonalite, andesite,
dacitic volcanic rocks and volcaniclastic rocks of the
Late Ordovician Gidginbung Volcanics. The zone has a
complex history of overprinting alteration and multi-
generational development of vein systems. The geology
and mineralisation of The Dam prospect has been described
by a number of workers, including Allibone et al (1995),
Perkins et al (1995), Shywolup (1997), Morrison (1997b),
and Rieth and Dredge (1998).
Shywolup (1997) described the initial mineralising phase at
The Dam as a porphyry-type event. Initially, a chlorite, with
or without epidote and carbonate (chloritic or propyllitic),
alteration assemblage and an albite and biotite±quartz
(?potassic) alteration assemblage developed. Subsequently,
a chloritic breccia containing a quartz–silica–chlorite–
pyrite–chalcopyrite assemblage formed, with or without
magnetite/hematite, minor bornite and/or diagenite. This
assemblage overprints earlier assemblages and Shywolup
(1997) suggested that the chlorite breccia core formed
under high-temperature conditions — as indicated by the
presence of quartz–sulphide and quartz–magnetite veins
and bornite. The chlorite breccia zone is surrounded
by, and possibly blanketed by, a sericite–chlorite–clay
alteration zone.
As reported for Gidginbung, Shywolup (1997) noted that
a second mineralising event overprinted earlier porphyry-
related mineralisation. This second event was epithermal
and characterised by a quartz–silica–sericite–pyrite–gold
assemblage, with or without chalcopyrite, kaolinite, alunite,
pyrophyllite, and/or minor sphalerite, galena, tetrahedrite
and barite (advanced argillic). Fluid inclusion data suggest
that the mineralising fluids were high-temperature and
high-salinity (Rieth & Dredge 1998), which P. Seccombe
(pers comm 2003) noted was unusual for an epithermal
event. Shywolup (1997) interpreted that event to be
magmatic in origin.
Deformation, which Shywolup (1997) noted as being
contemporary with or following the formation of the
advanced argillic-mineralising event, has imparted a
penetrative and texture-destructive fabric on the host rocks.
This was accompanied by quartz-poor, sericite/illite–pyrite
alteration that overprints all other earlier assemblages. Late
quartz–carbonate and carbonate veins, probably associated
with later faulting, are also present.
Rieth and Dredge (1998) suggested that the mineralisation
at The Dam is a porphyry–advanced argillic shear-related
system that developed in an Early Silurian high-strain zone
— and was formed by fluids derived from the waning stages
of the Late Ordovician to Early Silurian magmatic events.
Other workers, such as Allibone et al (1995), suggested that
the advanced argillic event crosscuts parts of the older
porphyry-type system and that the advanced argillic-
related mineralisation may have formed significantly
2004 Quarterly Notes 116
14
later than the Early Silurian. Perkins et al (1995)
proposed that K–Ar dates on illite from Gidginbung
of around 423±5 Ma and 413±4 Ma represent the
most likely dates of deformation at Gidginbung
and provide a minimum age to the mineralisation.
More recent work by K. C. Lawrie (pers comm 2001)
on the age of the Gidginbung system supports the
interpretation that The Dam advanced argillic
mineralisation is epithermal in character and that
the system evolved as a porphyry–epithermal-
related system.

Bauloora

The Bauloora lead–zinc–(copper–silver–gold)

deposit is 11 km north-northwest of Cootamundra
(Figure 5) and has been described by Fitzpatrick
(1979b). The mine has a recorded production of
around 5600 t of complex sulphide ore produced
(intermittently) between 1903 and 1957. Rhyolitic
units of the Early to Late Silurian Frampton
Volcanics host the Bauloora system. However, as
discussed below, the system is probably related to
the Cootamundra Group.

The Bauloora mineralisation occurs as a steeply

dipping lenticular zone developed in a fault breccia
that trends 330° magnetic. This zone is over 250 m
Photograph 3. Banded silica–sulphide-filled veins and adjacent breccia textures
long, up to 2.5 m wide and was worked to a depth from the Bauloora lead–zinc–(copper–silver–gold) deposit.
of 60 m. Further minor mineralisation occurs along (Photographer — David Barnes)
strike for about 500 m (Fitzpatrick 1979b). The
ore minerals include argentiferous galena and sphalerite, to Middle Devonian. This mineralisation has formed at
copper carbonates, silicates and oxides, and pyromorphite relatively shallow crustal levels, based on the presence
with minor chalcopyrite, gold and tetrahedrite. The gangue of open-space textures, and appears to be typical of low
minerals include quartz, chalcedony, calcite, chlorite, sulphidation base-metal epithermal systems formed from
fluorite and lesser barite. near-neutral, moderate- to high-temperature fluids with
at least some of the fluids being derived from a magmatic
The initial stages of the mineralising event at Bauloora source. The mineralising system is interpreted to be
include brecciation and subsequent chloritic alteration significantly later in age than the host sequence (ie, younger
of the felsic volcanic rocks, followed by silica veining than the Early to Late Silurian Frampton Volcanics). This is
and alteration. Minor chalcopyrite was then deposited. supported by base-metal mineralisation in conglomerates
Following this the main ore-forming stage of massive of the overlying Early Devonian Cowcumbala Rhyolite
galena–sphalerite was deposited. The ore minerals and (Cootamundra Group). It is likely that the Bauloora base-
silicates infill an altered jigsaw-fit breccia that exhibits little metal system formed at the same time as the extrusive
observed reworking or rounding. The banded silica veins at event that formed the Cootamundra Group.
Bauloora are typical of low-temperature epithermal-style
vein systems (Photograph 3). Minor re-brecciation and STRUCTURALLY CONTROLLED MINERALISATION
veining occurred following ore deposition.
Structurally controlled gold and base metal
Sulphur isotope data for 10 sulphide analyses from the mineralisation is widespread in the Cootamundra 1:250
34
Bauloora mine range from -2.4 to 4.3 δ S per mil (average 000 map sheet area (Figure 7). Significant structures
34
-0.7 δ S per mil). The results suggest that the ore-forming have been identified, with the Gilmore Fault Zone being
fluids were reduced and that sulphur was derived from a the most significant. The Gilmore Fault Zone is a crustal-
magmatic reservoir, either as a direct magmatic contribution scale structure that has a long history of movement
or indirectly through dissolution and recycling of sulphur extending from the Late Ordovician–Early Silurian to
from the host-rock sequence. at least the Carboniferous. Other regionally important
structures include the Coolac Fault, Jugiong Shear Zone,
The lead isotope data for the Bauloora deposit fall within Mooney Mooney Fault Zone, Cootamundra Fault and
the Devonian granite field of Carr et al (1995). In addition, their subsidiary structures (Figure 7). The setting and
Carr et al (1995) reported a model lead age of 385 Ma, style of structurally controlled mineralisation is largely
suggesting the mineralising system formed in the Early determined by the structural competency of the host

Quarterly Notes 116 2004

 15
147°00’E
148°30’E
34°00’S 34°00’S

Fiery Cross
Barmedman Hard to Find
Phoenix

GI
Reefton
LM
Pioneer–Enterprise
OR

THUDDUNG
E
F.

FAULT
Z.
Young

RA
Mother Shipton

GDALE

FAUL
Bourkes Reef
Amelia Reef

T
SPRIN
Richs Hill Reef
Wombat
Temora Hibernia

MOONEY
BERTHO
Reef
Archdeacon Harden
Reef
GI

M OO
NG
LM
OR

NE
Sebastopol Harden
E

Y
FAULT
BE
TH
Cullinga Christmas Gift
Morning Star Reef Cootamundra Cullinga Extended
UN
FA

Democrat
GR
UL
T

McMahons
FA

Junee Reefs Reef

UL
T
ZON

FA
Garangula

U LT
E

FAULT

JUGIONG SHEAR ZONE

ZONE
Jugiong
Muttama
Junee COOTAMUNDRA Reef
GUNDAGAI
FAULT

CO AUL
F
Coolac
OL T
35°00’S AC 35°00’S
147°00’E
148°30’E
Mineral Occurrences
As Au–Cu Barite Fault – major

Au Au–Pb Pb–other Fault – minor

Au–Ag Cu Town, locality Dyke

Lineament
0 15 30 km
Trend line
24366.cdr

Figure 7. Distribution of “orogenic” mineralisation and major structures (structures extracted from geology by Bacchin et al 1999).

rocks, the depth of burial at the time of emplacement
of mineralisation, and the host rock chemistry. Deposit
styles include mineralised zones in dilatant sites within
faults and shears and mineralisation in sites where a
ductility contrast has been important.
Reefton
The Reefton area, 22 km north-northwest of Temora (Figure
7), has a recorded production of 192.6 kg of gold, with the
major producer in the area being the Pioneer–Enterprise
mine. The main period of production was between 1894
and 1901. Interbedded argillaceous sandstones and slates
of the Late Silurian to earliest Devonian Yiddah Formation
host the auriferous quartz reefs at Reefton. The area has
been described by a number of workers, including Gilligan
(1980) and Baillie (1995).
The veins at Reefton are characterised by irregular vugs, a
few millimetres across, representing usually 1% to 3% but
locally up to 10% of the vein. The wallrocks are sericitised
and strongly chloritised, with significant disseminated
pyrite (up to 5%) (Baillie 1995). Comb textures are
relatively common, individual quartz crystals having a
preferred crystal alignment normal to the cavity or vein
wall. Based on these textures, Baillie (1995) suggested that
quartz was precipitated in a static kinematic environment,
with the predominance of cavities reflecting a relatively
low-pressure environment.
Most quartz veins have been emplaced subparallel to the
cleavage and commonly display pinch and swell structures.
Where these occur, foliation in the chloritic wallrocks is
deformed adjacent to the necks of the pinched quartz veins.
By contrast, discordant veins commonly display ptygmatic

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

16
fold structures indicating that the quartz veins were
deformed by pure strain after formation (Baillie 1995).
Barron (1980) identified microcrystalline quartz–chlorite–
albite and carbonate alteration post-dating the sericitisation
at Reefton (location unspecified). Those observations
indicate that the wallrock alteration is associated with the
development of the quartz reefs and the gold mineralisation
postdates the regional schistosity developed in the Yiddah
Formation (Baillie 1995).
Baillie (1995) suggested that the veins were formed in an
extensional tectonic setting and that low-pressure textures
within the veins could indicate that the mineralisation was
epithermal. Baillie (1995) noted the presence of nuggetty
gold and disseminated arsenopyrite, low silver values and
relatively high gold grades in the wallrocks, and that cross-
strike fluid flow was restricted (as indicated by the strong
but narrow chlorite wallrock alteration). These features
are more typical of mesothermal gold vein systems than
epithermal systems.
It is likely that gold was remobilised from the nearby
Ordovician volcanic rocks during the Early to Middle
Devonian Tabberabberan Orogeny. The nature of the
mineralising fluids is not known. The presence of chlorite
within the alteration system suggests mesothermal
conditions and the presence of significant pyrite suggests
that gold precipitation occurred as a result of H2S–wallrock
reactions. The H2S–wallrock reaction would have resulted
in the strong pyritisation of the host units adjacent to the
fluid pathways where gold precipitation was occurring.
The veins appear to be typical of those formed under
mesothermal conditions associated with “orogenic” gold
vein systems.
Barmedman
Barmedman, 36 km north-northwest of Temora (Figure
7), has been a significant gold-mining centre and has a
recorded production of 0.93 t of gold (Mortensen 1981).
Most of the production has been from the Fiery Cross
group of mines (Figure 7), immediately to the north of the
town. Other significant mines include the Hard to Find and
Phoenix Reefs, south of Barmedman. The mines are hosted
by steeply dipping siltstones, sandstone and lensoidal
conglomerate beds of the Late Silurian to earliest Devonian
Yiddah Formation. Diorite of unknown age has been noted
in the Fiery Cross mine workings (Love 1890).
Love (1890) and Wilkinson (1883) have described the
mineralisation at the Fiery Cross group of mines. Gold
occurs in quartz veins, as disseminations in diorite, and
possibly as disseminations in the wallrock. The auriferous
quartz was commonly of a friable nature and noted to be
iron-stained in many places. The veins were generally low
in sulphides. However, minor galena was noted in Jacksons
Reef.
The Hard to Find mine consists of several parallel reefs that
strike 320°T within the Yiddah Formation. The veins consist
Quarterly Notes 116 2004
of massive and vuggy quartz with minor chlorite–silica–
sericite wallrock alteration. Some quartz veins adjacent to
the wallrock display slickensides (Baillie 1995).
Baillie (1995) described the veins at the Phoenix mine as
massive and vuggy quartz. The vugs and cavities may
be lined with acicular quartz crystals and may become
sufficiently dense to produce a porous texture. Minor
laminated quartz is present on the margins of the wider
quartz veins, and some of these laminations are stylolitic.
The strongly cleaved wallrocks (siltstone, sandstone and
grit) are sericitised and strongly chloritised. Fragments of
chloritised wallrock are present within the quartz veins,
indicating that hydraulic fracturing may have occurred
(Baillie 1995).
Minor slickensides (Baillie 1995) suggest the veins are
shear-hosted and that further movement may have taken
place post-emplacement. The local development of very
fractured and brecciated quartz and narrow pressure
shadows adjacent to cubic voids (ex pyrite) provide further
evidence for post-emplacement deformation (Baillie 1995).
Baillie (1995) suggested that the veins at Barmedman formed
at higher pressures than at Reefton. This was based on the
style of fracturing and brecciation of the quartz, presence
of slickensides and interpreted hydraulic fracturing of the
wallrocks. Many of these features, however, are equivocal.
The timing and source of the mineralising fluids at
Barmedman is not known. It is suggested that deformation
remobilised gold from the adjacent Late Ordovician
Gidginbung Volcanics and formed the auriferous quartz
veins within dilatant sites in the Yiddah Formation,
possibly during the Middle Devonian (Tabberabberan
Orogeny). The presence of chlorite and pyrite within the
alteration assemblage suggests that the veins formed under
typical mesothermal conditions and are “orogenic” gold
vein systems. However, further work is required to support
this interpretation.
Temora
Gold was first discovered in the Temora area in 1869, but
it was not until 1879 that significant payable gold was
found (Lishmund 1972). The Temora area (Figures 1, 7)
was both a major alluvial and a hardrock gold-producing
area. The majority of the hardrock deposits (eg, Mother
Shipton Claim, Bourkes Reef, Amelia Reef and Riches Reef)
are near Mother Shipton Hill, part of a 9 km-long zone,
on the western edge of a belt of Early Ordovician Temora
Volcanics. This north-northwest-trending belt passes
through the eastern part of Temora and Lishmund (1972)
noted the presence of mineralisation within the township.
A second belt of the Temora Volcanics, hosting the Hibernia
Reefs mine, extends south from Temora for approximately
20 km. This second belt is surrounded by, and separated
from the eastern belt of Temora Volcanics by, possibly Late
Ordovician, thinly bedded siltstones and minor sandstones
of the Trigalong Formation (Warren et al 1995).
 17
The Temora Volcanics are shoshonitic in composition and
consist of lavas and tuffaceous rocks and include andesites,
trachyandesites, latites, basaltic andesites, volcaniclastic
sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates (Warren et al
1995). In the Mother Shipton area the Temora Volcanics
have been intruded by the Mother Shipton Monzodiorite
which, based on its geochemistry, was interpreted by
Warren et al (1995) and Wyborn (1996) to be Late
Ordovician. Wyborn (1996) also suggested that the Mother
Shipton Monzodiorite was probably the major source of
gold at Temora.

Details of early working of auriferous quartz veins at

Temora are poorly documented. Gold mineralisation was
found in quartz veins with minor pyrite, arsenopyrite,
galena, chalcopyrite and bismutite. The quartz veins are
sub-vertical and strike predominantly east-southeast to
south-southeast, although some veins are known to have a
northeast to east-northeast strike (Lishmund 1972).

The mineralisation at Mother Shipton Hill is associated

with sheeted quartz veins and is hosted by both the Mother
Shipton Monzodiorite and adjacent Temora Volcanics.
Also present are broad zones of silica–sericite±epidote
alteration with subeconomic, possibly disseminated,
gold mineralisation in the Temora Volcanics (Ross 1987).
Adjacent to these units are coarse conglomerates and
fossiliferous limestones of Silurian–Devonian age that
interfinger with the volcanic rocks and probably represent
fault slices of younger units. Beams and Lesh (1996)
described sets of narrow <1 m (often 2–3 cm) quartz veins Photograph 4. Underground workings at the “Sebastopol” (probably
that have a narrow sericite–carbonate alteration selvedge the Morning Star) mine in 1899 (DMR archive photograph No.
within the Mother Shipton Monzodiorite. Cootamundra 0001).

Little is known about the timing and style of the

mineralisation at Temora. The lead isotope data for the
Mother Shipton mineralisation suggest that the lead (and
hence gold) were sourced from Ordovician mantle-derived
rocks such as the Mother Shipton Monzodiorite. Carr et al
(1995) suggested a 400 Ma (Early Devonian) model lead age
for the Mother Shipton mineralisation. This is supported
by a kinematic analysis of Lishmund’s (1972) data that
suggests the mineralised veins formed part of a left lateral
(sinistral) Riedel shear array. Stuart-Smith (1991) noted
that the majority of the movement on the Gilmore Fault
Zone was sinistral transpressional during deformation from
the Siluro-Devonian to the Carboniferous and that dextral
strike-slip movement probably occurred during the Early
Silurian. It is proposed here that the majority of previously
mined structurally controlled gold mineralisation at Temora
formed during deformation and regional dewatering,
probably in the Early to Middle Devonian, as part of a
sinistral strike-slip event. However, the presence of broad
alteration zones with subeconomic gold may indicate that
other styles, such as intrusion-related mineralisation, might
also be present.
Sebastopol–Junee Reefs
Raggatt (1972) described the auriferous quartz veins in the
Sebastopol–Junee Reefs area (Figure 7), to the north of
Junee. The veins at Sebastopol are hosted by knotted mica
and quartz schists and phyllites of the late Early to early
Late Ordovician Wagga Group (Warren et al 1995). The
quartz veins at Junee Reefs are hosted in gneissic granites
of the Junee Reefs Granite (shown as part of “Other Silurian
intrusions, S-type”, Figure 1), which is presumed to be Late
Silurian in age (Warren et al 1995). Both mineral systems
are adjacent to the Gilmore Fault Zone. Raggatt (1972)
noted that approximately 25 quartz veins had been worked
in the area, with the Morning Star reef at Sebastopol being
the most significant producer (Photograph 4). The Morning
Star mine has a recorded production of 0.933 t of gold
(Fitzpatrick 1979a).
The auriferous quartz veins are laminated, with laminations
parallel to vein walls. They contain minor sulphides,
principally pyrite, galena and chalcopyrite. The distribution
of sulphides is largely controlled by the laminations within
the veins. Raggatt (1972) noted the presence of higher-
grade ore shoots within the vein systems. These shoots
are interpreted to be intersection shoots that have formed
within the main vein systems. The structural relationship
between the principal and secondary vein sets, as described
by Raggatt (1972), suggests the veins formed during oblique
sinistral movement.

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

18
The age of the Sebastopol and Junee Reefs mineralising
system is poorly constrained. Raggatt (1972) suggested that
the veins “appear to represent the closing phase of ?late
Ordovician igneous action” (Raggatt 1972, p. 103). Clearly,
if both vein systems were formed by the same mineralising
event and the age of the Junee Reefs Granite is correct
(Late Silurian, according to Warren et al 1995), then the
mineralisation must be Late Silurian or younger.
Stuart-Smith (1991) noted that the Gilmore Fault Zone has
had a long history of movement and proposed that the
fault zone was dominantly sinistral transpressional during
the Siluro-Devonian, mid-Devonian and/or Carboniferous
deformation events. Stuart-Smith (1991) also suggested
that dextral strike-slip movement could be inferred during
the Early Silurian deformation and subsequent extension.
Carr et al (1995) suggested that the Mother Shipton vein
system, to the north at Temora, has a Lachlan Fold Belt
lead model age of 400 Ma. Based on the proposed oblique
sinistral movement that formed the Sebastopol and Junee
Reefs mineral systems, it is probable that these systems
(Sebastopol and Junee Reefs) were formed at the same
time as the Mother Shipton mineralisation — ie, during
deformation in the Early to Middle Devonian. This is
supported by reconnaissance lead isotope data from the
Morning Star mine at Sebastopol, which has a mixed
signature (reflecting both crustal and possible mantle
sources), lies within the Devonian granite field of Carr
et al (1995) and suggests a Middle Devonian Lachlan
Fold Belt lead model age (Tabberabberan Orogeny). The
mineralisation at Sebastopol and Junee Reefs appears
to be typical of shear-hosted gold veins formed under
mesothermal conditions.
Harden–Young area
The Harden–Young area (Figures 1, 7) contains a large
number of auriferous vein occurrences. The more significant
examples include the Wombat, Harden, McMahons Reef,
and Garangula districts. In those areas gold-bearing quartz
veins are hosted by the middle to Late Silurian S-type Young
Granodiorite, with the majority of mineralisation located to
the north of Jugiong and east of the Jugiong Shear Zone.
The Young Granodiorite has been described by Basden et
al (1978) as a coarse-grained, grey, massive to foliated,
biotite granodiorite that grades to quartz monzonite. Little
recorded mineralogical variation has been observed and
there is no evidence for a composite intrusion (Basden et al
1978). Barron (1972) noted that samples of the granodiorite
showed signs of strong tectonism and that the textures
indicated both wet and dry conditions during deformation.
The Wombat area, 15 km south-southwest of Young (Figure
7), contains both alluvial and hardrock workings. There are
historical references to rich reefs worked intermittently near
Sherlock Creek, Wombat and Redbridge (eg, Department of
Mines Annual Reports for 1878, 1887, 1888, 1890, 1894,
etc). The mineralised zones are described as argillic-altered
zones of granite (possibly disseminated mineralisation), or
as auriferous quartz veins that strike approximately 065°T,
and dip steeply north.
Quarterly Notes 116 2004
The Harden mine (Figure 7) was the largest producer in
the Harden area, reaching a depth of 230 m and producing
over 1.7 t of gold, mainly between 1903 and 1913 (Clift
1973). The Harden reefs consist of gold–pyrite–quartz
veins, averaging about 1 m in width, striking about 083°T
and dipping steeply to the north. Within these veins richer
ore shoots pitched to the east.
The principal mines in the McMahons Reef area (Figure 7)
were the Old McMahons Reef and the New McMahons Reef.
The Old McMahons Reef occurs in an argillic alteration
zone within the Young Granodiorite. The lode varies
from 0.5 m to 3 m wide, is 400 m long and strikes 110°T,
dipping steeply south (Clift 1973). Sulphides include pyrite,
chalcopyrite, galena and arsenopyrite, with gold below
the water table present in solid solution within sulphides.
Reconnaissance sulphur isotope data for sulphides from
the Old McMahons Reef returned analyses of 8.8 and 9.1
34 34
δ S per mil for pyrite and 6.0 δ S per mil for galena. The
data are similar to sulphur isotope data for other S-type
granites (eg, the Kikoira Granite, Downes 2004) and suggest
that sulphur was derived from the Young Granodiorite.
Preliminary analysis of the lead isotope data supports the
interpretation that lead was derived from crustal sources
and, based on the lead isotope data, it is suggested that
the Young Granodiorite may be the source of the lead (and
?gold) within the system.
The Garangula Gold Field was mainly an alluvial field,
with some hardrock production. The Young Granodiorite
hosts the mineralisation. Auriferous veins strike northeast,
dip steeply, and are of variable thickness. Most of the
(hardrock) gold was recovered from the oxidised portions
of the veins, with the base of oxidation being around 30 m.
The primary sulphides in the quartz veins include pyrite,
galena and minor sphalerite (Clift 1973).
The origin and style of gold mineralisation hosted by the
Late Silurian Young Granodiorite is not well documented.
Little work has been carried out on the nature of the
mineralising fluids, source of metals and the timing
of mineralising events. Bowman (1975) suggested that
all of the gold is derived from the Young Granodiorite
and therefore gold mineralisation belongs to a plutonic
class of deposits. The presence of some disseminated
gold (Young 1879) in argillic alteration zones within
the granodiorite (as at the Archdeacon Reef — Figure 7)
supports this view. However, most occurrences are discrete
vein systems, suggesting that the Young Granodiorite has
acted as a passive host and that the mineralisation was
emplaced during later deformation. This model has been
proposed for the Adelong deposits to the south (in the
adjacent Wagga Wagga 1:250 000 map sheet area, Beams
& Lesh 1996) and West Wyalong deposits to the north (in
the adjacent Forbes 1:250 000 map sheet area, Downes &
Burton 2000).
The presence of ultrabasic or basaltic dykes within the
Young Granodiorite and their spatial association with gold
mineralisation suggests that the Young Granodiorite acted
in a brittle manner during deformation. Lyons et al (2000)
 19
noted that the majority of structures within the Young
Granodiorite are not apparent from traditional mapping
or airborne magnetic surveys. However, the structures are
clearly visible in gamma ray spectrometric data due to the
presence of potassium alteration envelopes.

The timing of mineralisation in the Young Granodiorite

is poorly constrained. It is likely that gold was emplaced
into structurally prepared sites during west-northwest–
east-southeast compression (giving an apparent sinistral
movement) as part of the Early to Middle Devonian
(Tabberabberan) or Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous
(Kanimblan) deformations. Mapping by Raymond, Duggan
et al (2000) confirmed that post-Late Devonian movement
has occurred along the Mooney Mooney Fault Zone, which
forms the western boundary of the Young Granodiorite, in
the Forbes 1:250 000 map sheet area (to the north of the
Cootamundra map area). Analysis of the lead isotope data
for the McMahons Reef area supports the interpretation
that gold mineralisation occurred during the Kanimblan
Orogeny. The available sulphur and lead isotope data also
suggest that both sulphur and lead were derived from the
host rock (during deformation) rather than being derived
from a magmatic or mantle source. However, it is possible
that some of the gold mineralisation may be related to the
Young Granodiorite, ie, intrusion-related.

Cullinga

The Cullinga area (Figure 7) has been described by Harper
(1915), Richardson (1986) and Schwebel (1998) and
contains a number of gold mines whose origins are poorly
understood. The area was a significant gold-producing
area, having a recorded production of 1.22 t of gold (Clift
1970). The principal producer was the Christmas Gift mine
(Photograph 5), with lesser production from the Democrat
and Cullinga Extended mines (Figure 7).
The majority of gold occurrences at Cullinga are developed
within a narrow 6 km long zone adjacent to the faulted
contact between the Silurian Blowering Formation (Warren
et al 1995) and Mid to early Late Ordovician Jindalee
Group (Lyons & Percival 2002). When the locations of
the gold mines are plotted on the map by Warren et al
(1996) the more significant mines are located within the
Blowering Formation (Figure 1). However, using the more
recent interpretation of the geology by Bacchin et al
(1999), the mines plot within the Jindalee Group. Basden
et al (1978) described the Jindalee Group as consisting of
metamorphosed oceanic sedimentary rocks (now quartzites
and quartz–mica schist, with lesser sandstone, quartz–
magnetite rocks, cherts, slate and rare limestone), basalts,
and other mafic and ultramafic units (Basden et al 1978).
To the east are massive porphyritic dacitic pyroclastic
rocks (ashfall tuffs), slate, siltstone and sandstone of the
Blowering Formation (Schwebel 1998). Schwebel (1998)
also noted that a thin siltstone unit is present at the
contact between the Blowering Formation and the Jindalee
Group, and that a narrow mafic volcanic and volcaniclastic
unit is also present within the Blowering Formation in the
Cullinga area.
Photograph 5. Remains of the stamper battery at the Christmas Gift mine.
(Photographer — Peter Downes)
Silicified, lower greenschist facies calcareous tuffs and
limestones host the mineralisation at the Christmas Gift
mine (Figure 7). Gold (with disseminated pyrite, galena,
minor sphalerite and chalcopyrite) is present in foliation-
parallel quartz–calcite veins with epidote and wollastonite
in the wallrocks (Richardson 1986). Minor chloritic
alteration of the wallrocks has been observed. Harper
(1915) also observed later cross-cutting quartz veins which
contain gold and pyrite and noted the presence of galena,
pyrite, sphalerite and chalcopyrite disseminated through
a “calcareous base” or in irregular bunches. Richardson
(1986) suggested a possible paragenetic sequence — with
pyrite, calcite and gold being deposited first and sphalerite,
galena and chalcopyrite (with pyrrhotite) being deposited
later.
Harper (1915) and Kenny (1924) proposed that gold
mineralisation at Cullinga was related to metasomatic
replacement as a result of the intrusion of a “porphyry”.
However, the “porphyry” mapped by Harper (1915) has
been described by Warren et al (1995) as a sequence
of felsic to intermediate volcanic rocks, dominantly
(pyroclastic) dacite, that forms part of the Blowering
Formation. Richardson (1986) suggested the mineralisation
style and geological setting was consistent with Carlin-
type mineralisation, ie, disseminated, stratigraphically
controlled, epithermal mineralisation. Richardson (1986)
also proposed that hydrothermal fluid flow and ore

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

22
deposition was influenced by the permeability of select with the interpreted timing of gold mineralisation
units (dolomitic limestones and siltstones), with fluids associated with the Young Granodiorite, ie, Middle
migrating along inferred bedding- or cleavage-parallel Devonian (Tabberabberan), or possibly Late Devonian-
faults and with possible subsidiary or secondary migration Early Carboniferous (Kanimblan).
along cross faults. In that model, Richardson (1986)
suggested the ore-forming fluids were meteoric and driven Insufficient work has been undertaken at Cullinga to define
by a local heat source, possibly an intrusion, with gold the timing and controls on mineralisation, or to develop an
being derived from either primary sources or remobilised appropriate geological model for mineralisation in the area.
from the adjacent tuffs. Richardson (1986) also suggested
that more than one episode of mineralisation was likely to RESIDUAL
be preserved.
Sediment-hosted magnesite
Schwebel (1998) proposed that the source of the gold at
Cullinga was stratabound exhalites, which were initially The Thuddungra area, 28 km northwest of Young
deposited in the mafic tuffaceous facies of the Jindalee (Figure 8), hosts significant magnesite mineralisation.
Group. The gold was then remobilised by subsequent Magnesite was discovered there in 1933, with small-scale
deformation into dilatant sites, as shown by quartz and mining commencing in 1937. More than 1 Mt of ore
carbonate being found in dilatant fractures near the faulted has been mined, with significant magnesite reserves and
boundary between the Jindalee Group and the Blowering resources still present in the Thuddungra mine, Noakes
Formation (Schwebel 1998). and Baileys areas. The Thuddungra mine area (Mine or
Main deposit) contains a measured resource of 4.1 Mt at
Preliminary analysis of lead isotope data suggests that lead 47.7% magnesite, the Noakes area contains a measured
associated with the gold mineralisation was mantle-derived resource of 13.1 Mt at 40.1% magnesite, and the Baileys
and that the timing of mineralisation is significantly area contains an inferred resource of 25 Mt at roughly 40%
younger than the host units and may be as young as magnesite (Diemar 1998).
Permian in age (D. Suppel, pers comm 2003). The data
would support the interpretation that lead (and gold) was The Mine deposit is over 1700 m long and up to 600 m
derived from the Jindalee Group. wide, with magnesite averaging 7.1 m thick below 11.9 m
of overburden (Photograph 6). Northwest of the mine
It is suggested that the gold mineralisation in the Cullinga area is the Noakes deposit, which was deposited in a
area is more typical of “orogenic” vein gold deposits than: stream channel extension of the Mine deposit by chemical
epithermal (Carlin-type); or remobilised exhalative type replacement of sediments by magnesium-rich fluids
mineralisation. Ore deposition took place at sites where
a competency contrast occurred, providing zones of
enhanced permeability. The presence of chalcopyrite and
pyrrhotite, in addition to gold, pyrite, galena and sphalerite
and together with chloritic alteration selvedges, suggests
that the ore-forming fluids were mesothermal rather than
epithermal in temperature. The lead isotope data for the
Cullinga area plots below the crustal growth curve for the
Lachlan Fold Belt, as defined by Carr et al (1995), within
the area for evolved mantle-derived lead. This suggests that
gold, at Cullinga, was derived from the Jindalee Group. The
presence of mafic and carbonate-rich wallrocks would have
provided a highly reactive geological environment where
gold deposition could occur by sulphidation reactions rather
than boiling or other epithermal processes. The timing of
mineralisation is unknown. The lead isotope data suggest
that the mineralisation may be significantly younger than
the host units (Blowering Formation and Jindalee Group),
possibly as young as Permian. However, the mantle-
dominated signature, for the lead isotope data, means age
estimates are unreliable. Richardson (1986) noted that gold
mineralisation occurred post-S1 formation.

As the Blowering Formation is probably no younger than

middle Late Silurian, the timing of mineralisation in the
Cullinga area is restricted to the age of the host rocks
or to subsequent deformation or magmatic events. The
mineralising event was possibly related to movement along
the Mooney Mooney Fault Zone and may be coincident
Photograph 6. Massive magnesite in the working face of the Main
deposit, Thuddungra magnesite mine — March 1990. (Photographer
- Diana Russell, Cootamundra 0192A)

Quarterly Notes 116 2004

 23

147°00’E
148°30’E
34°00’S 34°00’S

Thuddungra
West Arm
Barmedman Baileys
Noakes
Thuddungra Thuddungra
East Arm
Ardnaree
FA
GI ULT

THUDDUNG
LM ZO
O R NE
E

FAULT
Young

RA
GDALE

FAUL
T
SPRIN
Temora

MOONEY
BERTHO
Wallendbeen
GI

M OO
NG
LM

Harden
OR

NE
E

Sebastopol

Y
Cullinga

FAULT
BE
FA

TH
UL

Cootamundra
T

UN
ZO

GR
NE

A
FA

Junee Reefs
ULT

FA
U LT
FAULT

ZONE

SHEAR ZONE
Jugiong

JUGIONG
Junee COOTAMUNDR A
GUNDAGAI
FAULT
Vulcan Mine
Coolac
35°00’S Quilters 35°00’S
147°00’E
148°30’E
Silurian Mineral Occurrences
North Mooney Complex Magnesite Cr Fault – major

Coolac Serpentinite Fe–Mn Laterite Ni–Co Fault – minor

Eurongilly Serpentinite Town, locality Dyke

Ordovician Lineament
0 15 30 km
Jindalee Group Trend line
24367.cdr

Figure 8. Distribution of residual magnesite, lateritic nickel–cobalt, chromite and Fe–Mn mineralisation and related mafic and ultramafic units
(geology adapted from Bacchin et al 1999).

(Diemar 1995). The Noakes deposit is 2.5 km long, averages
275 m wide and is up to 8.4 m thick. The dimensions of the
Baileys deposit, which is 6 km north of the Mine deposit,
have yet to be fully delineated.
Magnesite and dolomite deposits in the Thuddungra
area are draped over the Jindalee Group (Figures 1, 8)
and the Bribbaree Formation (included as Ordovician
undifferentiated sedimentary units — Figure 1), as a result
of long-term weathering and erosion of the bedrock, and
dissolution and redeposition of magnesium and calcium ions
in a variety of surficial environments. The Mid to early Late
Ordovician (Lyons & Percival 2002) Jindalee Group forms
a steeply dipping, north-northeast-trending belt some three
kilometres to five kilometres wide (Figure 8). On the eastern
side of the belt, bounded by the Thuddungra Fault, is the
Early Silurian Young Granodiorite. On the western side is
the Late Ordovician to Early Silurian Bribbaree Formation.
The Jindalee Group is a sequence of mafic and ultramafic
rocks and metasedimentary rocks (Warren et al 1995) that,
in the Thuddungra area, include metabasalt, amphibolite,
metaquartzite, chert and intrusive serpentinite and
talc–carbonate rocks (Wambidgee Serpentinite — Jindalee
Group).
Diemar (1998) observed that magnesite at Thuddungra
occurs in three geological settings. These are:
• small rich pockets of cryptocrystalline vein magnesite
within serpentinite (especially dunite) host rocks;

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

24
• within Tertiary palaeochannels as extensive stratiform
fluvio-lacustrine extensions to the serpentinite-hosted
deposits (Mine deposit and Noakes deposit); and
• sheet-like deposits in a Tertiary lacustrine sediment
(Schmid 1987) within a thick Tertiary sequence of
clay and sand (Baileys) — where magnesite lenses
commonly overlie nickel–cobalt-enriched thick laterite
and ferruginised alluvium profiles, above or close to
ultramafic rocks in the basement.
Close to the serpentinite source, magnesite occurs as
small rich pockets or veins within sheared and brecciated
serpentinite and associated mafic and ultramafic rocks.
These deposits commonly formed on the western edge
of a north–south ridge where early mining took place.
Extending to the west from the serpentinite, magnesite
is found in scree slope deposits that grade from coarse
lag magnesite and magnesite–serpentinite conglomerate
to finer-grained sediments. Circulating groundwater
has modified the scree slope deposits by precipitating
magnesite within the associated detritus (Diemar 1998).
Slumping and distortion during consolidation, dewatering
and dehydration then modified the deposits. The magnesite
at Thuddungra exhibits a number of forms, including
rounded or ‘cauliflower’ structures, load fluting, cone-in-
cone and desiccation mosaics (Diemar 1998).
The gangue material within the magnesite deposits
includes serpentinite and its related weathering products,
blue–green clays and red–brown gravels (including
maghemite pisoliths), grits and sandy clays. The clays are
altered, which Diemar (1995) suggested was probably a
post-formation effect. The alteration is easily recognised,
as it is light apple green in colour, whereas the sediments
are either red–brown or dark to olive green. Associated
minerals include quartz, kaolinite, hematite, goethite,
chlorite, mica, zircon and unidentified phases of titanium
and manganese.
The Thuddungra magnesite deposits are overlain by
alluvium that contains laterite-derived material, rounded
nodules of basic rocks and minor fine magnesite. These in
turn are overlain by finely laminated siltstones and then
by a blue–green clay unit. This clay unit contains evidence
of post-depositional interstitial solutions that deposited
carbonate (mainly dolomite).
Diemar (1998) suggested that the composition of the
carbonates within the magnesite deposits reflected the
provenance of the source components and the drainage
patterns developed at the time of their formation. The
major magnesium source was the brecciated serpentinite
immediately east of the deposit, with additional magnesium
and calcium being derived from the amphibolites. Diemar
(1995) had earlier proposed that the formation of the
serpentinite-hosted and stream channel-hosted magnesite
deposits occurred more or less simultaneously.
Diemar (1995, 1998) proposed that the deposits were formed
by the degradation of serpentinite, basic and ultrabasic
Quarterly Notes 116 2004
rocks to form nontronite and beidellite (smectites) — with
nontronite and sepiolite being the dominant clay minerals.
These clays, together with magnesium bicarbonate-rich
waters, were also derived from the degradation of the
serpentinite and were then swept into an ephemeral playa
lake system. In this environment magnesite was deposited
both as beds in a shallow lake and in vertical columns
within clays saturated in magnesium bicarbonate (Diemar
1998). In the latter case the magnesite was deposited
as nodules or vertically growing columns that formed
as the lake sediments compacted and dehydrated. Early
in this process the expanding clays were plastic during
ephemeral flooding and, by a combination of clay heaving
and gravity sliding, slump folds and shears developed.
Progressive dehydration of the magnesite resulted in the
porosity of the magnesite decreasing from around 30% to
40% to a few percent.
Recent observations in the developing opencut faces of the
Mine deposit suggest that episodic ponding of the fluvial
system was at least partially controlled by small-scale
reverse faulting, which is evident in the lower and middle
sections of the Tertiary sequence. A number of faults form
boundaries to various magnesite-rich horizons within the
deposit (M.F. Rangott, pers comm 2002).
The magnesium sources for magnesite formation are the
magnesium-rich minerals found within serpentinites — such
as serpentine, olivine, pyroxene and brucite, with serpentine
and olivine being the most likely sources (Diemar 1998).
Magnesite formation involves the alteration of serpentine
by carbon dioxide in water to produce nontronite and
magnesite. Precipitation of the magnesite in the near-
surface environment can also be attributable to a rise in
the pH as carbon dioxide is released due to lower pressure
near the surface. Diemar (1998) suggested that pH probably
increased into the bicarbonate or carbonate stability field
prior to the initiation of magnesite precipitation.
The Thuddungra magnesite deposits have been classified
as sediment-hosted magnesite deposits — as outlined by
Wilcock (1998). Currently forming and recently formed
analogues of the Thuddungra stratabound deposits are
found at Salda Lake, in southern Turkey, and at Lake
Cargelligo in central New South Wales (M.F. Rangott, pers
comm 2002).
Lateritic nickel–cobalt mineralisation
Significant nickel–cobalt mineralisation occurs over an
extensive area centred approximately 26 km northwest of
Young. Pursell and Jannink (2001), and in Minfo 69 (2001),
have described the mineralisation, which occurs in a series
of lateritic zones with an identified strike length of over
30 km (Figure 8). Three deposits with significant resources
have been identified (Ardnaree, Thuddungra East Arm and
Thuddungra West Arm deposits, Figures 9 and 10) with
a combined “in-situ” resource totalling 126 Mt assaying
0.71% nickel, 0.07% cobalt and significant scandium
(Report by Jervois Mining Limited to the Australian Stock
Exchange, April 2000).
 25
The laterite profile of the Young deposits
consists of an upper hematite (pisolite)

148°00' E

To Grenfell
clay zone, overlying a limonite clay
zone, which in turn overlies a saprolite
(smectite clay) zone and, below that,
weathered serpentinite and fresh 34°00' S
serpentinite (Figure 11). At least two
periods of weathering with resultant
laterite development have been recorded
(Pursell & Jannink 2001). This has
resulted in the development of a complex
regolith profile with repeated hematite/
limonite/saprolite horizons (Figure
10). Nickel appears to be principally
associated with earthy goethite and
limonite in the higher-grade zones and
with smectite in the lower-grade zones
(Pursell & Jannink 2001).
Thuddungra West Arm
The nickel–cobalt mineralisation in the Ga
Thuddungra area has been derived from s Pip
the Ordovician Wambidgee Serpentinite eli
ne
(C
(originally harzburgite) during the Tertiary. oo
pe
Pursell and Jannink (2001), and in Minfo 69 rB
as
(2001), suggested that acidic groundwaters in
Section to
Sy
were generated by groundwater traversing MAIDI–3 dn
ey)
the Young Granodiorite, to the east of the
Thuddungra area (Figure 9). These acidic Thuddungra East Arm
groundwaters leached the serpentinites,
To
removing silica and magnesium and Yo
ung
leaving enriched amounts of less-soluble
material, including iron, aluminium, nickel
and cobalt. An alternative model is that the
Young nickel–cobalt deposits formed as Ardnaree
34°15' S
cool climate laterites (as proposed for the
Monaro area by Taylor et al 1992) due to Tertiary Ordovician
a weathering rate significantly faster than
Laterite resource Bribbaree Formation
the erosion rate, allowing intense chemical
weathering of the source serpentinites. Devonian Kirribilli Formation
These profiles were preserved because of Hervey Group Wambidgee Serpentinite
the tectonic stability of the region and of
Silurian Jindalee Group
the extensive deposition of later alluvium
over the area. Young Granodiorite
Fault
Silurian granite
PLACER MINERALISATION Road
Section MAIDI–3
Significant gold and minor tin has been
0 10 km
recovered from alluvial deposits within
the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet 24376.cdr
area (Figure 12). The majority of the
production has been from Tertiary to Figure 9. Geological setting of the Ardnaree, Thuddungra East Arm and Thuddungra West
Arm nickel–cobalt laterite deposits northwest of Young (from Minfo 69 (2001), figure 8). The
Recent gravels associated with present
cross section is shown in Figure 10.
and former drainage. Although alluvial
tin production is minor, gold production
from alluvial sources throughout the
Cootamundra map area is estimated to be in the order of Subsequently, significant gold-bearing alluvial occurrences
15 tonnes to 18 tonnes of gold. were discovered in a number of areas, including Lambing
Flat near Young in 1860. Over 7.2 tonnes of gold were
Initially, alluvial gold was found at Wombat (Figure 12) in recovered from the Lambing Flat area in the following two
the Harden–Young area during the early 1850s (Littlejohn, years, with the majority of gold coming from deep lead
undated). deposits.

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

26
By 1898 over 14.35 t of
gold (461 400 ounces) THUDDUNGRA EAST ARM: CROSS SECTION MAIDI - 3
had been recovered from RL (AHD)
Lithology
320 m
the Young district (Clift
1975). That production Alluvium
figure includes recorded Limonitic clay
production from Harden, 300 m Hematitic clay
McMahons Reef, Bribbaree
and Garangula, and Saprolitic clay
probably includes some Weathered serpentinite
production from Temora, 280 m

Barmedman and Grenfell. Wambidgee Serpentinite

Estimated production Young Granodiorite
from the area about
Section Resource Outline
Young and Wombat is 260 m

at least 10 t and possibly 10 m Run of mine

up to 15 t of gold from 20 m Low grade
F
alluvial sources, with the 0
V/H 2:1
24377.cdr
majority produced prior
to 1875. Dredging of
Figure 10. Cross section showing a laterite profile at the Thuddungra East Arm deposit (from Minfo 69 (2001),
those areas, from around figure 7). The line of the cross section is shown in Figure 9.
1900, produced only
minor gold.

Another prominent area for alluvial gold was the Temora
district (Photograph 7), which produced over 3 t of alluvial
gold between 1879 and the mid-1880s (Lishmund 1972).
The main producer was a Tertiary deep lead that was
traced from the Mother Shipton area (southeast of Temora,
Figure 7) northwards for 5.6 km to the alluvial flats on
Trigalong Creek. This lead was worked to a depth of 122 m
and contained a significant number of large nuggets
(Lishmund 1972). Three kilometres east of Temora was a
second deep lead, the Deep or Frontage Lead, from which
only minor amounts of gold were recovered.
In the Springdale area, 17 km east-northeast of Temora, the
Exhibition Lead (Figure 12) was worked from 1879 to 1881
and produced 38.8 kg of gold (Fitzpatrick 1979a). Wash
from the Exhibition Lead varied from 0.2 m to 0.6 m in
thickness and averaged about 8.5 g/t.
Alluvial gold was also recovered from the Harden area
in the 1850s, but few records are available. Most of the
alluvial gold produced from that area was included in
records for the Young area. One area, Blind Creek, was
worked almost continuously from 1883 to 1906, with wash
averaging 75 mm to 0.3 m thick at an average depth of 9 m
and the gold grade averaging between 4.6 and 7.6 g/t Au.
TERTIARY LATERITE DEVELOPMENT
Hematitic (pisolitic) clay
Scandium-rich
Limonitic clay
Cobalt-rich
Saprolite (smectitic clay) Nickel-rich
Weathered serpentinite
Fresh serpentinite
The Garangula Gold Field (between Harden and Jugiong,
Figure 12) was a small alluvial field with some hardrock
production. The auriferous wash was patchy and was found
below about six metres of overburden in depressions in a
gully bed and between granite boulders. The average grade
of the very clayey wash was 10.5 g/t Au. Angular quartz
pebbles were indicative of a nearby reef source. The known
production was approximately 240 kg of gold. The majority
of the gold production was recovered from alluvial sources
from 1894 to 1895 (Clift 1973).
The Barmedman, Reefton (Figure 7) and Gidginbung
(Figure 4) areas are unusual in that very little alluvial gold
was recovered despite significant hardrock goldmining
activity. A buried palaeochannel system is adjacent to the
Wyalong Gold Field and Hiawatha Gold Field, approximately
8 km north, and 20 km north, of the Cootamundra
1:250 000 map sheet boundary (65 km and 77 km
north-northwest of Temora, respectively), which Lawrie
et al (1999) suggested may host significant gold placer
mineralisation. Similar palaeochannels are apparent in
the aeromagnetic data for the Cootamundra 1:250 000
map sheet area, and these palaeochannels may also be
prospective for alluvial gold.
Limited tin placer mineralisation has been
found in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map
sheet area. These include the Budigower,
Merool, Mirroll and Tyagong areas (Figure
12). The source of the tin mineralisation is
briefly discussed later. Fitzpatrick (1979b)
described the more important alluvial tin
deposits and reference is made to those
descriptions.

Figure 11. Nickel, cobalt and scandium associations within the laterite profile of the Young Alluvial diamonds and sapphires have
nickel-cobalt deposit (from Minfo 69 (2001), page 12). been recovered from a number of small

Quarterly Notes 116 2004

 27
occurrences south of Jugiong (Figure
12). The occurrence of diamonds and
the proposed hardrock sources are
discussed later.

OTHER COMMODITIES

Podiform Chromite

The Coolac Serpentinite Belt (Figure 8)

consists principally of variably
serpentinised harzburgite and contains
a number of chromite occurrences,
including the Vulcan and Quilters
mines (Photograph 8). Golding (1966,
1969, 1970), Ashley (1969, 1973),
Golding and Johnson (1971), Golding
and Ray (1975), Ashley et al (1979),
Graham et al (1991) and Graham et
al (1998) have described aspects of
the Coolac Serpentinite Belt and its
related mineralisation. Figure 8 shows Photograph 7. Alluvial gold workings at Temora in 1881 (DMR archive photograph No.
the distribution of identified chromite Cootamundra 0073).
mineralisation and related mafic and
ultramafic units.
Graham et al (1991) described the podiform chromite
mineralisation as consisting of massive fractured chromite
surrounded by poorly to unfoliated chromite-bearing dunite.
The podiform bodies are highly variable. Different podiform
bodies show different intensities of fracturing and are
chemically and mineralogically distinct. Although uvarovite
and chromian clinochlore occupy fractures in all chromite
bodies, significant differences exist between individual
bodies with respect to opaque minerals, such as awaruite,
heazlewoodite, polydymite and millerite (Graham et al 1991).
Golding (1966) and Golding and Johnson (1971) have
shown that the composition of the chromian spinel varies
widely. However, a pronounced bimodal distribution
between aluminous and chromian varieties — which is
also characteristic of other ophiolitic podiform chromitite
deposits (Ashley et al 1979) — is present. Individual
chromite bodies appear to have undergone varying degrees
of metasomatism/alteration, and textures are variable. The
chromite bodies also display varying degrees of internal
cataclasis and have marginal slickensides, which Ashley
(1975) regarded as evidence of their origin as tectonic
inclusions. Chromite abuts serpentinised harzburgite at
faulted contacts, or is separated from it by serpentinised
dunite. The range of internal features and varying degrees
of tectonic fabrics are characteristic of podiform chromite
occurrences associated with other ophiolite belts.
Barmedman Granite (included within “Late Devonian
intrusion” classification, Figure 13). Cassiterite occurs as
isolated bungs (masses) up to 0.6 m wide, with siderite,
quartz and chlorite and minor pyrite, chalcopyrite, bornite
and arsenopyrite (Harper 1926).
At Buddigower, Mirrool and Merrool (Figure 13) hardrock
and alluvial tin mineralisation occurs associated with
S–type Silurian granites and Ordovician metasediments in
the northwestern part of the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map
sheet area.
At Dulah (Figure 13), 85 t of tin concentrate was recovered
from 4500 t of ore between 1914 and 1950 (Le Messurier
1963). In a 3 km-long zone, cassiterite, wolframite,
sphalerite, chalcopyrite and fluorite occur in quartz and
granitic/aplitic veins and dykes within metasediments. The
major deposits are the Red Cross and Gwynemma mines.
Limited alluvial tin and gold have been recovered in the
Tyagong area. The mineralisation may be associated with a
separate phase of the Silurian Young Granodiorite, although
Basden et al (1978) found no evidence for a composite
intrusion. Alternatively, the mineralisation may occur within
an alteration zone associated with a remnant greisenised
cupola. The alluvial deposits were up to 30 m thick, with the
wash up to 1.3 m thick (Wynn 1965). A number of hardrock
bismuth, lead, gold and silver occurrences have also been
recorded in the immediate area (Figure 7).

Tin Manganese

Minor tin mineralisation has been identified at a number
of locations in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area
(Figure 13). At the Kalms workings, about 27 km north
of Temora, shafts were sunk on steep to near-vertical,
fine-grained quartz–chlorite bodies in the Late Devonian
Stratiform and stratabound manganese occurrences are
associated with units of the Ordovician Jindalee Group in
the Thuddungra, Wallendbeen and Cullinga areas (Figure 8).
These occurrences consist of clusters of small lenses, often at
or about the same stratigraphic level, over meridional strike

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

28

147°00’E
148°30’E
34°00’S 34°00’S
Bl Tyagong
Buddigower an ngong Creek
d Burra

Cr
ee
k
Barmedman

Merrool

Burrangong
Young

Mirrool
Exhibition Lead
Wombat
Temora
Blind
Creek
Wallendbeen
Harden
Sebastopol
Cullinga
Cootamundra

Garangula
Kin
d ra
Junee Reefs
Creek

Deep
Creek
Jugiong
Gobarralong Red Hill

r
R ive
e ek

Junee Creek Creek

Cr

ee
Cart Road
ns

dg
Coolac Creek

bi
ha

g ru m
ul
a Mur
35°00’S Ho
147°00’E 35°00’S
148°30’E

Regolith Town, locality Mineral Occurrences

Area of outcrop Creek, river Au Diamond
0 15 30 km
Sn Sapphire
24369.cdr

Figure 12. Distribution of placer and placer-related mineralisation.

distances of at least three kilometres. Chert horizons up to
10 m thick are commonly associated with the mineralisation.
Fitzpatrick (1975) suggested that the mineralisation formed
as chemical precipitates on the sea floor.
Fehn (1986) noted that manganese deposits near the Galapagos
Islands are found in a deep marine environment and formed
from low temperature fluids (<200°C) near an oceanic spreading
centre. The geological description of the Galapagos manganese
deposits provided by Fehn (1986) has many similarities with
that for the manganese occurrences and their related host rocks
in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area.
Diamonds
S. Lishmund (pers comm 1998) has reported that in-situ
diamonds have been found within nephelinite near Jugiong.
Barron et al (1996) have proposed that diamonds formed
by subduction-related processes account for the abundance
of diamond occurrences in eastern Australia. It is unclear
whether such a model is applicable to the Jugiong area.
Scheibner (1974) suggested that tensile stresses associated
with the breakup of Gondwana in the Jurassic formed new
fractures and reactivated old ones, with some reaching
mantle material and tapping alkali basalt magma, evidently
allowing intrusion of lamprophyre dykes found in the
Harden–Jugiong area. These magmas could be the source
of diamonds recovered in the Jugiong area.

A few small diamonds have been recovered from alluvial DISCUSSION

deposits near Jugiong (Figure 12) including Deep Creek, Red
Hill Creek, Gobarralong Creek and Cart Road Creek (Hogg Mineralisation in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet
1973a, b). In addition, Hogg (1973a, b) reported that several area occurs in a variety of geological settings ranging in
nephelinite bodies have been identified in the same areas. age from the Ordovician to Recent. An initial mineralising

Quarterly Notes 116 2004

 29
event was probably the formation of stratiform manganese
mineralisation associated with the Jindalee Group. That
mineralisation probably formed as syndepositional,
manganese-rich exhalative deposits during the Ordovician
from low temperature fluids (<200°C) in a deep marine
environment. The silica contained in the adjacent chert
beds may also have been derived from the same source.
Magnetite–quartz rocks in the sequence are also considered
to be chemical precipitates.

Small podiform chromite bodies also occur with the

serpentinites of the Ordovician Jindalee Group. The
serpentinites may represent mantle-derived material, with
the chromite bodies forming as differentiates within the
original magma. Alternatively, the chromite bodies may
represent tectonic inclusions. Both the serpentinites and the
enclosed chromite bodies have been substantially modified
by later deformation during alteration and emplacement of
the serpentinite (Ashley et al 1979).

A widespread Ordovician magmatic event, which lasted

from approximately 480 Ma to 440 Ma (Perkins et al 1995),
is recognised in central New South Wales. Significant
porphyry copper–gold mineralisation, including the
Cadia and Northparkes deposits, is associated with that
magmatic event. The magmatism is interpreted to have
been associated with the development of an island arc (the
Macquarie Volcanic Arc, Glen et al 1998). Work by Wyborn
and others (eg, Wyborn & Sun 1993; Wallace & Wyborn
1997) has shown that, during the Ordovician, strongly
oxidised, potassium-rich and sulphur-undersaturated
magmas were generated in the mantle. Because of these
characteristics the melts were able to retain significant
concentrations of precious metals (gold, platinum and
palladium) until the latter stages of crystallisation,
leading to the development of significant intrusion-related
copper and gold mineralisation. Carr et al (1995) have
demonstrated that mantle-derived lead isotope signatures
are a characteristic of the mineralisation associated with
the Ordovician magmatic event.
A major Late Ordovician–Early Silurian belt of volcanic
rocks, the Junee–Narromine volcanic belt, is present within
the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area. Those rocks
are shoshonitic and have high abundances of incompatible
elements, such as Rb and K (Wyborn 1996). Significant
copper–gold porphyry-type mineralisation is associated
with the Gidginbung Volcanics at Mandamah and Yiddah
(Figure 4), as well as high sulphidation argillic alteration-
related epithermal mineralisation at the Gidginbung gold
mine (Figure 4). Perkins et al (1990) dated zircons from
the Gidginbung Volcanics at 435±2.5 Ma. Associated
intrusions that are possibly comagmatic include the Rain
Hill intrusion (Ar/Ar age of 434.9±2.3 Ma for the “Rain Hill
Quartz Monzonite” — Wormald 1993).
The advanced argillic alteration systems at Gidginbung
and Dobroyde (Figure 4) have characteristics of both
magmatic–epithermal and mesothermal shear-hosted gold
systems. These systems have formed in structures that were
active during or shortly after mineralisation. Regionally,
Photograph 8. Part of the Quilters East chromite workings
(Photographer — Peter Downes).
the Gidginbung and Dobroyde deposits are adjacent to the
Gilmore Fault Zone and are hosted by fault blocks/slices
of Late Ordovician to Early Silurian andesitic volcanic
rocks. The mineral systems are within extensive zones of
argillic to advanced argillic alteration, with the higher gold
grades commonly associated with barite veins. These veins
are generally confined to zones of silica–pyrite alteration.
Evidence for magmatic fluids has been observed in both
systems. At Dobroyde, a significant magmatic fluid
component is indicated by a “complex element association
of Ba, As, Te, Pb, Zn and Se” (Beams & Lesh 1996, p. 39). At
Gidginbung the oxygen and deuterium/hydrogen isotope
and fluid inclusion data suggest that the mineralising
fluid was also dominantly magmatic. This is supported
by mineral stability relationships and sulphur isotope data
that suggest sulphur also came from a magmatic source at
Gidginbung (Allibone et al 1995).
The timing of mineralisation, at both Gidginbung and
Dobroyde, is open to interpretation. Table 1 summarises
the published ages for both Gidginbung and Dobroyde. The
Gidginbung data are not consistent with recent work by
Lawrie and co-workers. Lawrie and co-workers suggested
that the Gidginbung mineralisation formed in the earliest
Silurian, coeval with the host unit (K. Lawrie, pers comm

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

30
Table 1. Age estimates for Gidginbung and Dobroyde deposits
Deposit Age (Ma) — reference
Gidginbung 435 ± 2.5 — Perkins et al (1990)
434 ± 2.3 — Wormald (1993)
401.0 ± 1.3 to 405.8 ± 1.3
411.1 ± 1.3 to 417.3 ± 1.3
— Perkins et al (1990)
413 ± 4; 423 ± 5 — Perkins et al (1995)
Dobroyde Late Ordovician to Early Silurian;
— Warren et al (1995)
383 ± 4 — Perkins et al (1995)
400 — Carr et al (1995)
2001). It is suggested here that the dates obtained by Perkins
et al (1990) and Perkins et al (1995) are the minimum ages
for mineralisation and reflect the timing of deformation
rather than the timing of mineralisation. If the recent
dating determinations are correct then these systems may
be classified as magmatic–epithermal systems that have
undergone significant modification by later events.
The Early Silurian Benambran Orogeny resulted in high-
temperature/low-pressure metamorphism of the Wagga
Basin sedimentary rocks (Wagga Group) and the closure
of the Wagga Basin. The contrast in metamorphic grade
between that for the Wagga and Western Central zones
implies that the Wagga Zone has been downthrust by
at least seven kilometres (Wyborn 1996; Beams & Lesh
1996). It is likely that the Gilmore Fault Zone was active
at that time. Movement along the Gilmore Fault in the
Early Silurian is interpreted to be dextral, although later
movement appears to be mostly sinistral (Stuart-Smith
1991). A deep seismic traverse across the Gilmore Fault at
Temora has shown that the Gilmore structure dips to the
east (R. Glen, pers comm 2001). Significant copper–gold
mineralisation is present within or adjacent to the Gilmore
Fault Zone. Some gold mineralisation may have formed in
the Early Silurian by fluid flow focused along the Gilmore
Fault Zone and deposited in brittle/ductile structures.
The Coolac Serpentinite Belt contains small chromite
lenses similar to those in the Jindalee Group. Scheibner
(1974) interpreted the Coolac Serpentinite Belt as Late
Ordovician–Early Silurian upper mantle material (Coolac
Quarterly Notes 116 2004
Note
Zircons from andesite flow in host Gidginbung
Volcanics; U–Pb
Latite porphyry (“Rain Hill Quartz
Monzonite”) intruding Gidginbung
Volcanics; hornblende, Ar/Ar method
Alunite; Ar/Ar method
Illite; K–Ar method
Inferred age of host Junawarra/Dobroyde
Volcanics on lithological/geochemical
similarities with Gidginbung Volcanics
Illite; K–Ar (minimium age)
Lachlan Fold Belt lead model age
Serpentinite) with oceanic crust (Honeysuckle beds).
Ashley et al (1979) and Graham et al (1998) suggested
that the Coolac Serpentinite Belt, North Mooney Complex
and Honeysuckle beds represent a partially dismembered
ophiolite suite that formed a floor to the Tumut Trough,
and noted similarities between individual serpentinite units
and similar units in other ophiolite sequences. Graham et
al (1998) also proposed that the serpentinite belt formed
as an ‘embryonic’ ophiolite in a backarc basin setting in
the Late Silurian or Early Devonian. The ophiolite “event”
was short-lived, preventing the development of a ‘typical’
ophiolite stratigraphy (Graham et al 1998). However, other
workers have proposed different models. Stuart-Smith
(1990a, b) considered the Coolac Serpentinite to have been
emplaced into the Mooney Mooney Fault Zone during
Early Silurian deformation and interpreted this unit as
either an Alpine-type body occupying a crustal suture or,
more likely, a tectonic slice derived from the underlying
Jindalee Group. In yet a further interpretation, Warner at al
(1992) suggested that the Honeysuckle beds, North Mooney
Complex and Coolac Serpentinite formed at various crustal
levels and that the units were brought together during
deformation and/or obduction in the Late Silurian to Early
Devonian.
Structurally controlled “orogenic” gold and base metal
mineralisation is widespread in the Cootamundra
1:250 000 map sheet area. The geological setting and style
of these occurrences is largely controlled by the geometry
of the structure; competency of the host rocks; depth of
burial at the time of emplacement of mineralisation; and
 31

147°00’E
148°30’E
34°00’S
Buddigower 34°00’S

Tyagong

Barmedman
Kalms
working

Merrool
FA
GI ULT

THUDDUNG
LM ZO
O R NE
E

FAULT
Young

RA
Mirrool

GDALE

FAUL
T
SPRIN
Temora

MOONEY
BERTHO
Wallendbeen
GI

M OO
NG
LM

Harden
OR

NE
E

Sebastopol

Y
FAULT
BE
FA

Cullinga
TH
UL

Cootamundra
T

UN
ZO

GR
NE

Dulah
FA

Junee Reefs
ULT

FA
U LT
FAULT

JUGIONG SHEAR ZONE

ZONE
Jugiong

Junee
COOTAMUNDR A
GUNDAGAI
FAULT

CO AUL
F
Coolac OL T
AC
35°00’S
147°00’E 35°00’S
148°30’E
Devonian Mineral Occurrences
Late Devonian intrusion Sn Fault – major

Silurian Fault – minor

Young Granodiorite Town, locality Dyke
Ulandra, Yammatree and
Mishurley Creek Granites Lineament
Wallundry Suite 0 15 30 km
Trend line
Silurian intrusion (ungrouped)
24368.cdr

Figure 13. Distribution of tin mineralisation and selected post-Ordovician intrusive units (geology adapted from Bacchin et al 1999).

the hostrock chemistry. Deposit styles include mineralised
zones in dilatant sites within faults and shears, and
mineralisation in sites where a ductility contrast has
been important. The mineralisation is typically hosted in
auriferous sulphide–quartz–calcite veins within a variety
of rock types and is commonly associated with brecciated
veins and stockworks. The major ore minerals are gold,
pyrite and arsenopyrite, with minor tetrahedrite, pyrrhotite
and galena. Pervasive wallrock alteration of carbonate,
chlorite, sericite, quartz and pyrite is a common feature of
the more significant systems.
A number of significant structures related to mineralisation
has been identified, with the Gilmore Fault Zone being
one of the most significant (Figure 7). These deep-seated
structures generally have a long history of movement.
Examples of orogenic gold systems associated with the
Gilmore Fault Zone mineralisation include the mesothermal
vein systems at Junee Reefs and Sebastopol, and probably
Reefton and Barmedman (Figure 7).
The age and nature of the fluids that formed the structurally
controlled gold mineralisation at Reefton, Barmedman,
Junee Reefs, Sebastopol and Temora (Figure 7) are poorly
constrained. The timing of mineralisation is uncertain.
However, the available data support the interpretation
that a significant gold-mineralising event occurred during
the Tabberabberan Orogeny in the late Early to Middle
Devonian. This is based on the geometry of the Junee Reefs,
Sebastopol and Temora vein systems all being consistent

2004 Quarterly Notes 116

32
with having formed during sinistral strike-slip movement
(along the Gilmore Fault Zone). Stuart-Smith (1991)
suggested that sinistral strike-slip movement on the
Gilmore Fault Zone occurred during the mid-Devonian
and/or Carboniferous. Also, Carr et al (1995) assigned a
400 Ma (Early Devonian) model lead age for the Temora
mineralisation, which suggests that the mineralisation
formed during the Tabberabberan deformation. The
preliminary lead isotope data for the Morning Star mine
(Figure 7), at Sebastopol, support a Middle Devonian age
of formation. Furthermore, the Adelong gold system,
which is hosted by a sinistral strike-slip shear array
adjacent to the Gilmore Fault Zone (32 km south of the
Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet boundary) has been
dated by Perkins et al (1995) at 391±4.3 (sericite; Ar/Ar
method) — ie, late Early Devonian.
Gold in the Reefton area (Figure 7) is associated with
boudinaged quartz veins within a subvertical shear zone
within the Late Silurian to earliest Devonian Yiddah
Formation. The kinematics of this shear zone and the
geometry of later barren extensional quartz veins are
consistent with gold mineralisation at Reefton also
having formed during the Middle Devonian deformation.
It is probable that much of the gold and minor base
metals associated with many of these systems had
their source in Ordovician volcanic and intrusive units
during metamorphism and deformation related to the
Tabberabberan Orogeny in the Middle Devonian.
Significant gold mineralisation is hosted by the middle
to Late Silurian Young Granodiorite at Young, Wombat,
Harden–Murrumburrah, McMahons Reef and Garangula
(Figure 7). The majority of these areas are east of the
Jugiong Shear Zone. Basden (1974) suggested that the
western block of the Young Granodiorite has risen relative
to the eastern block along the Jugiong Shear Zone, and
that the eastern block has only relatively recently been
unroofed by erosion. Thus the distribution of gold
mineralisation may be indicative of relative erosion
levels.
The origin, timing and style of gold mineralisation
in the Young Granodiorite are poorly understood.
Spatially, the majority of the vein mineralisation is
associated with penetrative west-northwest-trending
structures. It is proposed here that the auriferous veins
are typical “orogenic” gold veins that formed during
regional deformation as part of the Tabberabberan
Orogeny or, more likely, the Kanimblan Orogeny. The
Young Granodiorite has acted as a passive brittle host to
mineralisation. The available isotope data suggest that the
mineralising fluids leached both sulphur and lead from
the granodiorite during the mineralising event and there
is no evidence for sulphur or lead being derived from
magmatic or mantle sources.
Tin and associated gold mineralisation in the Wagga
Zone is associated with fractionated Early Silurian S-type
Wantabadgery Granite and Kikoira Granite. Minor tin
mineralisation is also associated with the Late Silurian
Quarterly Notes 116 2004
Young Granodiorite at Tyagong (Figure 13) and (with
tungsten) with an Early Devonian S-type granite near
Reefton.
Minor zinc–lead–silver and manganese mineralisation
hosted by volcanic rocks is associated with units of
the Early to Late Silurian Brawlin Formation (eg,
Bongongalong base metal occurrences, which are 33 km
south of Cootamundra and 13 km west of Coolac, and the
volcanogenic manganese occurrences at Cootamundra).
The Blowering and Brawlin Formations are dominated by
felsic volcanic and sedimentary lithologies and are part of
the Tumut Trough. The development of the Tumut Trough
and related sequences is poorly understood (see Warren et
al 1995). However, the volcanic event may have formed
gold-silver epithermal-type mineralisation in the shallow-
water to emergent parts of these sequences and volcanic-
hosted massive sulphide (VHMS) type mineralisation
within the deeper marine sub-basins.
Epithermal alteration and mineralisation associated
with felsic volcanism occurred at Bauloora (Figure 5)
during the Early to Middle Devonian. The timing of this
mineralisation is consistent with the development of
epithermal mineralisation of similar age to the north in the
Forbes 1:250 000 map sheet area (eg, Broula King, Claypit
zone and Porters Mount; Downes & Burton 2000). The
development of extensive volcanism of similar age within
the Cootamundra map sheet area highlights the potential
of the area for further epithermal mineralisation.
Scheibner (1974) suggested that tensile stresses associated
with the breakup of Gondwana in the Jurassic formed new
fractures and reactivated old ones. Some of these reached
mantle material and tapped alkali basalt magma, allowing
intrusion of lamprophyre dykes into the Jugiong Shear
Zone and adjacent fractures (Figure 1). Some of these
intrusions may be the source of diamonds found in the
southeastern corner of the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map
sheet area.
Extensive deposits of magnesite near Thuddungra
(Figure 8) have formed from the weathering of
magnesium-rich Jindalee Group rocks through the action
of water containing dissolved carbon dioxide during
Cainozoic times (Diemar 1995). Both lacustrine and fluvial
sedimentary characteristics have been observed in the
various deposits in this area. Extensive deposits of lateritic
nickel and cobalt in the (Thuddungra) area have formed
from weathering and supergene enrichment of unaltered
or serpentinised ultramafic lithologies within the Jindalee
Group. Local or regional cross structures are believed to
play an important role in the formation, in the saprolite
profile, of similar deposits elsewhere (Wilcock 1998) and it
is likely that similar structures will be identified proximal
to the Young nickel–cobalt deposits.
Uplift and erosion have resulted in the formation of
numerous tin and gold placer occurrences. Gibson
and Chan (1999) noted that the process of uplift and
subsequent erosion in the Forbes area to the north

has been ongoing, with the alluviation of the incised
palaeo-Lachlan valley commencing in the Late Miocene
(Martin 1991). This resulted in the concentration of gold
and other heavy minerals adjacent to their source areas.
Further exploration may locate placer gold mineralisation
associated with buried palaeo-valleys on the Cootamundra
1:250 000 map sheet area, particularly in the Temora–
Barmedman area.
CONCLUSION
Over 550 metallic mineral occurrences are recorded
in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet area. These
occurrences encompass a variety of mineralising processes
in a range of geological settings, and extending from
the Ordovician to the Recent. The district contains
numerous structurally controlled gold occurrences, as
well as intrusion-related copper–gold mineralisation,
epithermal-style mineralisation, lateritic nickel–cobalt,
and a number of gold placer occurrences. The recognition
of Ordovician to Early Silurian intrusion-related copper–
gold mineralisation and associated deposits, such as at
Gidginbung and Mandamah, has further highlighted the
mineral potential of the map area. A significant conclusion
arising from recent investigations is that Ordovician
magmatism is probably the primary source of much of the
gold and copper in the Cootamundra 1:250 000 map sheet
area. Subsequent magmatism and deformation has served
mainly to remobilise copper and gold into appropriate
structural sites. It is possible, however, that significant
new copper and gold was introduced by later magmatic
events.
This study has reviewed potential sources of metals, possible
transport mechanism, controls to deposition, mineralisation
styles and timing of mineralisation to provide an updated
model for mineral systems and metallogenic framework
for further exploration. A number of geological units,
together with related magmatic- and deformation-related
events, have been highlighted as having potential to
host significant mineralisation. This has resulted in an
upgrading of the mineral potential of the Cootamundra
1:250 000 map sheet area.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
These notes have drawn extensively on previous work
by Fitzpatrick (1979a, b) and published and unpublished
company reports and university theses. The authors wish
to thank Young Mining Company Pty Ltd and Aurion
Gold for permission to include information relating to
current tenements. We appreciate the careful reviews by
Jim Stroud and Peter Buckley who commented on earlier
drafts of the paper. Max Rangott and Bruce Mowat have
reviewed individual sections and their comments are
appreciated. Thanks are also given to Phil Seccombe for
reviewing the paper for Quarterly Notes. We also appreciate
the contribution made by Philip Carter who drafted the
figures and Richard Facer who edited the manuscript
for publication and made many helpful comments that
considerably improved the paper.
33
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