Yilgarn 3/MERIWA Projectpmd CRC Yilgarn 3/MERIWA Project Hydrothermal Alteration Footprints Peter...
Transcript of Yilgarn 3/MERIWA Projectpmd CRC Yilgarn 3/MERIWA Project Hydrothermal Alteration Footprints Peter...
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pmd CRC
YilgarnYilgarn 3/MERIWA Project3/MERIWA ProjectHydrothermal Alteration FootprintsHydrothermal Alteration Footprints
Peter Neumayr1, Steffen G. Hagemann1, John Walshe2, Leo Horn2
1 Centre for Global Metallogeny, UWA2 CSIRO, Division of Exploration and Mining
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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Outline of presentationOutline of presentation
• Camp-scale geological overview• Camp-scale redox variations• Deposit-scale alteration variation
– Paragenetic studies– Whole-rock geochemical analyses– Magnetite compositions
• Exploration implications
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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mapmapGeological map of Geological map of the St. Ives gold the St. Ives gold campcamp
Cross-section
Geochemical traverse
Perth
KalgoorlieKambalda
Modified after Watchorn (1998)Geological OverviewGeological Overview
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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CrossCross--section through section through IntrepideIntrepide
After Karen Connors (2002)
Geological OverviewGeological Overview
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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Detailed GravityDetailed GravityPlaya Fault
Victory Defiance
NorthOrchin
Revenge
After Ned Stolz, SIG (2002)
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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0 5 km
MagnetitePyritePyrrhotite
Playa Fault
Victory Defiance
NorthOrchin
Revenge
Delta Fault
CampCamp--scale scale redoxredox variationsvariations
AB
Oxidized– Hematite– Magnetite– Pyrite– Arsenopyrite– Pyrrhotite– Loellingite
Reduced
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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DCB
KSL
DFDDFD
PBS
PBS
W E
DCB
KSL
KSL?
FP
FP
SC
X-SECTION
A B
Geological OverviewGeological Overview
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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CampCamp--scale scale redoxredox variationsvariations
Mount Blanc Fault
Gamma West Fault
Playa Fault
Victory Defiance
NorthOrchin
Revenge
0 5 km
MagnetiteMagnetite/Pyrite
Detailed gravity data: SIG CampCamp--scale scale redoxredox variationsvariations
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
pmd CRC
kilometres0 1 2
FelsicFelsic Porphyries Porphyries -- MagnetiteMagnetite
VictoryVictory--DefianceDefiance
RevengeRevenge
CampCamp--scale scale redoxredox variationsvariations
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
pmd CRC
PBS
PBS DFD CND BFL BFLDCB
DCB
PBSPBSKAM
KSL
KSLBFL
NautilusBrittania
Repulse
ConquerorFoster
Boulder Lefroy
South AfricaSirius
Intense PorphyryIntrusionsDCB
SN
SN
1km
1000m
Magnetite Alt.Pyrrhotite Alt.
Gold
DFD
KSL
DCB
KSLDCB DFD
DCB
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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1 km
Empirical background for Te after Eilu and Mikucki(1996)
LD7114
X-section modified after Phung (1997)
Dispersion of Te around RevengeDispersion of Te around RevengeGeochemical traverseGeochemical traverse
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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1 km
-10.00
-9.00
-8.00
-7.00
-6.00
-5.00
-4.00
-3.00
-2.00
-1.00
0.00
8.00 10.00 12.00 14.00
del18O
del13
C
LD70426 Playa LD70449 Playa LD7114 Revenge T effect Poly. (T effect)
400C 350C 300C 250C
Fluid composition:18O is +5 and13C is -2
Zonation on Zonation on 1313C and C and 1818OOcomposition of carbonate composition of carbonate
Geochemical traverseGeochemical traverse
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
pmd CRCDifferent generations of Different generations of magnetite:magnetite:•• epidote-magnetite
• magnetite
EpMag
Magnetite pre-dates gold
Mag
Ep bands, qtz-mag-
chpy veins
Hbl-btporphyry
Geochemical traverseGeochemical traverse
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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Revenge Gold Mine Revenge Gold Mine –– Ore PyriteOre Pyrite
Redox switches are important for gold mineralization LD7114 181.6 m
Magnetite
Hematite
10 um10 um
Geochemical traverseGeochemical traverse
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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Magnetite chemistryMagnetite chemistry
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
V2O3
Al2
O3
LD7114 198.5 LD7114 142.6_1 LD7114 315.1 LD51356 104 LD51356 147.6
V2O3/Al2O3=1
V2O3/Al2O3=10
V2O3/Al2O3=0.05
OxidizedOxidized
Red
uced
Red
uced
Geochemical traverseGeochemical traverse
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Temporal and spatial integrationTemporal and spatial integration
• Most magnetite pre-dates gold• Minor hematite-magnetite present at the time of gold
deposition in the central corridor• Oxidized fluids present at the time of gold deposition• Regionally magnetite focused around gravity lows• Oxidized fluids are spatially, and most likely
genetically, related to felsic to intermediate magmaticintrusions
• Reduced fluids present in domains subjacent to magnetite
• Gold mineralization occurs preferentially in zones of greatest redox gradient
IntegrationIntegration
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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Translate preliminary results Translate preliminary results into exploration criteriainto exploration criteria
Exploration criteriaExploration criteria
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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Exploration criteriaExploration criteriaShear zones
Ox. Fluid conduits
Reduced fluid zones?
Gravity Low
Te anomaly
Magnetite halo
Exploration criteriaExploration criteria
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
pmd CRCLocal exploration criteriaLocal exploration criteria
Po domain
Mag anomalies
Redox gradient
Overlay on “traditional” exploration criteria (e.g., structure)
Exploration criteriaExploration criteria
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Project Review 3-4 Dec. 2002, Canberra
Major HighlightsMajor Highlights
• St. Ives camp is zoned with respect to redox conditions of ore fluid
• Hydrothermal alteration forms at different times– seafloor alteration (epidote)– porphyry-related alteration (epidote-magnetite-chalcopyrite) – carbonate alteration (regional fault zone)– pre-gold dispersed magnetite – gold-related alteration (chlorite, biotite, carbonate, feldspar, pyrite)
• Hydrothermal magnetite rims gravity lows on camp scale and has a strong spatial association with abundant porphyries
Major HighlightsMajor Highlights
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
pmd CRC
Project Review 3-4 Dec. 2002, Canberra
Major HighlightsMajor Highlights
• Zones of gold mineralization coincide with zones of greatest redox gradients
• Some faults (e.g., Conqueror) separated reduced from oxidized fluids
• Reduced fluids are diffused whereas oxidized fluid are highly focussed
• Pathfinder elements dispersed >100m around lodes• Te dispersion marks size of hydrothermal footprint
which can be traced to about 3km away from the deposit
• Methodology currently incorporated in the St. Ives targeting strategy
Major HighlightsMajor Highlights
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
pmd CRCProgress on Y3 DeliverablesProgress on Y3 Deliverables
Mineral- and geochemical database
50% completed
Alteration geochemical plots 40% completed
Digital maps of alteration footprints
60% completed
Database of magm.-hydroth. history
Ph.D. project by MherdadHeydari
4D structural-hydrothermal models
50% completed
Microanalytical database of hydrothermal fluids
20% completed
Numerical and chemical models
commenced
Generic chemical and structural targeting criteria
40% completed
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
pmd CRC
Y3 / MERIWA Y3 / MERIWA Exploration Impact at St IvesExploration Impact at St Ives
• A working group established to maximize impact of research results on exploration targeting – research team integral part
• Working group utilising results generated by Y3/MERIWA in exploration targeting
• Expect drilling of targets identified by working group in 2004
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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Y3 Y3 –– MERIWA Progress MERIWA Progress Additional PhDs / PostAdditional PhDs / Post--doc!!doc!!
• Integration of alteration/geochemical data at deposit to district scale
• Defining the relative / absolute timing of chemical events at district scale
• Relating chemical events to deformation events
• Sources of fluids??? – radiogenic isotopes
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pppredictiveredictiveredictive mmmineralineralineral dddiscoveryiscoveryiscovery
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Ongoing/Future Research and Ongoing/Future Research and Exploration TasksExploration Tasks
• Determine extent of hydrothermal magnetite in other lithologies; specified structures
• Distinguish different magnetite types using microanalysis• Identify reduced and oxidized fluid conduits along fault zones
using mineralogy and whole-rock geochemistry• Fingerprint the geochemical characteristics of reduced and
oxidized fluids in the different structural corridors• Integrated geochemical/structural models with real fluid
compositions• Construct 3D/4D geochemical and structural model (Pathfinder
Elements)• Identify exploration targets in 2D/3D
Future WorkFuture Work