metallogenesis
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Comparison of Pb and Nd isotopes from Neoarchean provinces in Canada and Australia implies that volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) endowment in Archean terranes is controlled by crustal character. The Abitibi-Wawa Subprovince in Canada contains mostly primitive crust formed in a wide extensional environment. High heat flow, which is promoted by thin crust and high level intrusions, and extensional structures, which characterize primitive extension environments, encouraged the formation of extensive VHMS deposits. In contrast, primitive extensional environments are limited to relatively narrow zones in the Youanmi Terrane and Eastern Goldfields Superterrane in Australia. Although these zones contain VHMS deposits, the deposits are not abundant enough to create high overall endowments. The Slave and western Superior Provinces of Canada, which contain less primitive crust (relative to the Abitibi-Wawa Subprovince), are also characterized by low VHMS endowment. These relationships suggest that VHMS endowment is directly related to crustal processes and are not an artefact of exploration impediments. Preliminary assessment of data from younger terranes suggests that these relationships may have more general application.
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This report presents new geochronological results for five uranium deposits in Australia, detailing the timing of uranium mineralisation in relation to regional geological events. The purpose of the study is to better constrain ore genetic and exploration models for these uranium mineral systems, and ultimately to improve understanding of the uranium resource potential of the Australian continent. The work was carried out under the auspices of the Onshore Energy Security Program. Each of the five uranium deposits represents a different style of mineralisation within three broad families of uranium mineral systems: magmatic-related, basin-related, and metamorphic-related. The results contribute to the current paucity of age data for uranium deposits in Australia, and for most of the deposits the new dates are the first reported direct ages for mineralisation or associated alteration.
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Presented at the Evolution and metallogenesis of the North Australian Craton Conference, 20-22 June 2006, Alice Springs. The Tennant Creek goldfield, the third largest goldfield in the Northern Territory, producing over 150 tonnes of gold (Wedekind et al., 1989), was only discovered in the mid-1930s due to the association of gold with ironstone rather than quartz veins. Over the last two decades ironstone-hosted gold deposits have been included in the group of deposits termed iron-oxide copper-gold (IOCG) deposits (Hitzman et al., 1992). Elsewhere in the Northern Territory, prospects with IOCG characteristics have been recognised in the southeastern Arunta (Hussey et al., 2005), and potential for these deposits has been recognised in the Mount Webb area of the Warumpi Province (Wyborn et al., 1998). <p>Related product:<a href="https://www.ga.gov.au/products/servlet/controller?event=GEOCAT_DETAILS&catno=64764">Evolution and metallogenesis of the North Australian Craton Conference Abstracts</p>
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Shared geological and geochemical processes are involved in the formation of particular groups of uranium deposits. Three families of uranium mineral systems are recognised: magmatic-, metamorphic- and basin-related. End-member fluids in each family are magmatic-hydrothermal, 'metamorphic' (including fluids reacted with metamorphic rocks at elevated temperatures), and surficial fluids such as meteoric water, lake water and seawater. Most well known uranium deposit types can be accommodated within this tripartite framework, which explicitly allows for hybrid deposit types.
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A metallogenic map depicts concentrations of deposits of metals within their geological framework, and attempts to relate one to the other. The more familiar mineral deposits map, on the other hand, is designed to show the geographical distribution of mineral deposits, possibly with indications of their size, state of exploitation, and other factors.The exact nature of the legend for a metallogenic map is governed by the relationships assumed to exist between the concentrations of metals and their settings: map design can be used to emphasize the more important facts and employs symbols each of which incorporates several parameters. Metallogenic maps are not simple and easily read documents, but are complex representations of complex relationships, and so should convey a great deal of information. In 1956, at the 20th Session of the International Geological Congress in Mexico, the Commission for the Geological Map of the World set up a Sub-Commission for the Metallogenic Map of the World. After studying available maps showing mineral deposits, the sub-commission recommended that although countries should continue experimentation towards suitable presentation of data, an Editorial Committee for the Metallogenic Map of Europe should be set up; this committee would work towards firstly a legend for metallogenic maps in general, and secondly a Metallogenic Map of Europe. The committee was fortunate in that the compilation of the Tectonic Map of Europe was well advanced when it began its work. In 1964 a legend reflecting the basic philosophy of the Metallogenic Map of Europe was prepared and compilation begun. The first two sheets of the Metallogenic Map at a scale of 1:2 500 000 were published in 1969. Australia was represented on the sub-commission from 1960 onwards. The presentation of the legend for the map of Europe paved the way for the Australian compilation. A suitable area was selected for a pilot compilation early in 1965 and the main study began in 1966. A suitable geographical base map of Australia at 1:5 000 000 was available and a geological map on this base was in the final stages of publication. The second edition of the Mineral Deposits Sheet of the Atlas of Australian Resources (scale 1:6 000 000) was published during 1965. In that year the Tectonic Map Committee of the Geological Society of Australia began work on a Tectonic Map of Australia, and the philosophies and preparation of that and the Metallogenic Map were developed together.
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The minerals industry presently provides 49% of Australia's export income. Although most of this income is derived from the bulk commodities, the earliest mining in Australia was of precious and base metals. The first major mining boom in Australia, the Victorian gold rush, and later rushes to silver-lead deposits at Broken Hill and gold deposits at Kalgoorlie, laid the foundations of Australia's wealth in the latter half of the 1800s. These mining booms had major consequences in the founding of provincial cities such as Bendigo, Ballarat and Kalgoolie and funding early growth of Melbourne and Perth. These and subsequent mineral discoveries were major drivers in opening up regional and inland Australia, not only for mining, but also for agriculture and tourism. Analysis of major Australian mineral provinces indicate that despite differences in metallogeny and geological setting, these provinces share many common features, including an association with margins of crustal blocks; an association with (inverted) extensional faults, many of which penetrate the crust; a common association with mantle-derived magmas or fluids; a temporal association with plate reconfigurations; localisation of ores by chemical or physical gradients; and an association with major fluid flow caused by either thermal or tectonic events. Major mineral provinces are products of the supercontinent cycle and developed preferentially along the margins of crustal blocks. Localisation of deposits is controlled by the basinal, structural and chemical architecture developed during these processes. Formation of major provinces may be the consequence of unusual processes or events that overprint the supercontinent cycle. The Eastern Goldfields gold province is related to amalgamation of the first supercontinent, Kenorland, and the Australian zinc belt Olympic Cu-Au-U province relates to the first break-up after to GOE. The Victorian goldfields appear to be associated with Au-enriched sources.
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This address was presented at the 2008 Australian Nickel Conference held in Perth, 22-23 October 2008. Geoscience Australia has released a detailed, web-based colour map (at 1:5 000 000 and 1:10 000 000 scales) 'Australian Proterozoic Mafic-Ultramafic Magmatic Events (Sheets 1 and 2)'. This new map is the third and final component of the Proterozoic magmatic event series that show, for the first time, the geographic extent and age relationships of Proterozoic mafic and ultramafic rocks, and associated mineral deposits throughout the continent. The maps (`Proterozoic mafic-ultramafic magmatic events of Western Australia' and 'A Synthesis of Australian Proterozoic Mafic-Ultramafic Magmatic Events. Part 2: Northern Territory and South Australia') were produced in close collaboration with the State and Northern Territory geological surveys.
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This paper reviews recent developments in igneous metallogeny, in particular, with regard to intrusion-related copper-gold and gold mineralisation, to show that eastern Australia is still prospective for granite-related gold systems.
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Comparison of Pb and Nd isotopes of the well-endowed Abitibi-Wawa Subprovince with the poorly endowed Eastern Goldfields Province implies that volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) endowment in Archean terrains is controlled by crustal character. The Abitibi-Wawa Subprovince contains mostly primitive crust formed in a wide extensional environment. The high heat flow, promoted by thin crust and high level intrusions, and the extensional structures that characterize such an environment encouraged the formation of extensive VHMS deposits. In contrast, extensional environments are limited to a relatively narrow zone in the Eastern Goldfields Province. Although this zone contains VHMS deposits, they are not abundant enough to create high endowment. Provinciality of Pb isotopes in lode Au deposits from near Leonora in the Eastern Goldfields Province supports the concept of a rift-like zone.
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Legacy product - no abstract available