What are the Fundamental Characteristics of Mineralised (Trans-lithospheric) Fault Systems? Project A1

Total Systems Analysis of the Mt Isa Eastern Succession Project I2+3 Final Report

Final Report Targeting new mineral deposits in western Victoria Project T1

Final Report Projects: M1, M2 & M3 Modelling Program

This address was presented at the Central Australian Basins Symposium, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, 16-18 August, 2005. The Neoproterozoic sedimentary successions of the Centralian Superbasin (Walter et al 1995) in the northwest Paterson Orogen, Western Australia, are host to several major mineral systems including: gold-copper (Telfer, Magnum), base metal (Nifty, Maroochydore) and uranium (Kintyre). Geological mapping of the region by Bagas and others (1991-2003) at 1:100 000 scale is being followed by a new Geoscience Australia and Geological Survey of Western Australia National Geoscience Agreement project, to acquire new airborne geophysical data, and develop an understanding of the depositional history of the Neoproterozoic Paterson stratigraphy, its subsequent deformation(s) and its mineral systems. This project will investigate and integrate sedimentary facies, geophysical properties, structural elements and other post-depositional processes, such as granite emplacement, to understand their relationships to the mineral systems in the region. The suggested links of Bagas et al (1995, 1999) between the Paterson Neoproterozoic succession and the Centralian Superbasin will also be investigated.

Two nearly orthogonal deep seismic reflection profiles acquired in the northern Stuart Shelf, and centred on the Olympic Dam Fe oxide Cu-U-Au deposit, clearly image the cover successions and the structure of the cratonic basement around the deposit. Along the line of the profiles, sequences of the Pandurra Formation, Adelaide Rift Complex, and the Stuart Shelf have total thicknesses varying from ~300 m to over 6 km. Known upper crustal units of the basement, e.g., Burgoyne batholith, Gawler Range Volcanics, Wallaroo Group, and Donington Granitoid Suite, were also clearly imaged. The mid-crust is dominated by a sub-horizontal, internally packaged, partly mafic layer up to ~5 km thick. The lower crust contains a north-dipping transcrustal shear zone, which does not appear to separate crust identifiable as discrete terranes. However, the lower crust farther to the northeast may be a distinct terrane, as it is relatively homogenous and characterised by sub-horizontal, rather than dipping, reflectivity. The seismic Moho occurs at about 40-42 km depth. The upper crust contains dipping seismic events interpreted as thrust complexes, which may have provided first-order fluid pathways for the minerals system. Excepting orthogneisses of the older Donington Granitoid Suite, the only plutonic body imaged is the Burgoyne batholith of the Hiltaba Suite.

Intrusion-related gold-rich systems occur throughout eastern Australia. The last 20 years has seen a large increase in our understanding of the relationships between mineralisation and associated felsic intrusions, in particular, the strong relationship between the oxidation state and degree of compositional evolution of felsic magmas, and potential associated commodity types. This paper reviews recent developments in igneous metallogeny, in particular, with regard to intrusion-related Cu-Au and Au mineralisation, to show that eastern Australia is still prospective for granite-related gold systems. Major potential exists, both under cover and as blind deposits. To aid in discovery, Geoscience Australia is synthesising metallogenic data for both Palaeozoic intrusions of eastern Australia, and local country rock units

This web-enabled system allows researchers to retrieve fluid inclusion data from anywhere in the world. The concept is to build a free and widely available web-based library of fluid properties for a range of geological fluids. The database is being developed as an "open" project, which intends to bring together researchers interested in the properties of geological fluids or fluid inclusions.

Cleverley J.S. & Olver N.H.S, 2005. Fluids project: Applied Geochemical Modelling - The Ernest Henry System

Geoscience Australia and the National Oceans Office carried out a joint project to produce a consistent, high-quality 9 arc second (0.0025° or ~250m at the equator) bathymetric data grid of those parts of the Australian water column jurisdiction lying between 92º E and 172º E and 8 º S and 60º S. As well as the waters adjacent the continent of Australia and Tasmania, the area selected also covers the area of water column jurisdiction surrounding Macquarie Island, and the Australian Territories of Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The area selected does not include Australia's marine jurisdiction off the Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory.