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Lithospheric-scale controls on zinc–lead–silver deposits of the North Australian Zinc Belt: evidence from isotopic and geophysical data  


Authors / CoAuthors

Huston, D.L. | Champion, D.C. | Czarnota, K. | Hutchens, M. | Hoggard, M.J. | Ware, B. | Richards, F. | Gibson, G.M. | Carr, G. | Tessalina, S.

Abstract

The North Australian Zinc Belt is the largest zinc–lead province in the world, containing 3 of the 10 largest individual deposits known. Despite this pedigree, exploration in this province during the past two decades has not been particularly successful, yielding only one significant deposit (Teena). One of the most important aspects of exploration is to choose regions or provinces that have greatest potential for discovery. Here, we present results from zinc belts in northern Australia and North America, which highlight previously unused datasets for area selection and targeting at the craton to district scale. Lead isotope mapping using analyses of mineralised material has identified gradients in μ (238U/204Pb) that coincide closely with many major deposits. Locations of these deposits also coincide with a gradient in the depth of the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary determined from calibrated surface wave tomography models converted to temperature. In Australia, gradients in upward-continued gravity anomalies and a step in Moho depth corresponding to a pre-existing major crustal boundary are also observed. The change from thicker to thinner lithosphere is interpreted to localise prospective basins for zinc–lead and copper–cobalt mineralisation, and to control the gradient in lead isotope and other geophysical data. <b>Citation:</b> Huston, D.L., Champion, D.C., Czarnota, K., Hutchens, M., Hoggard, M., Ware, B., Richards, F., Tessalina, S., Gibson, G.M. and Carr, G., 2020. Lithospheric-scale controls on zinc–lead–silver deposits of the North Australian Zinc Belt: evidence from isotopic and geophysical data. In: Czarnota, K., Roach, I., Abbott, S., Haynes, M., Kositcin, N., Ray, A. and Slatter, E. (eds.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, 1–4.

Product Type

document

eCat Id

134276

Contact for the resource

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Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)  
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia

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Digital Object Identifier

http://dx.doi.org/10.11636/134276

Keywords

theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf
  • EARTH SCIENCES
( Project )
  • EFTF
( Project )
  • Exploring for the Future
  • Mineral Systems
( Theme )
  • lead isotopes
  • gravity
  • surface wave tomography
  • reflection seismic
  • lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary
( Process )
  • sediment-hosted zinc deposits
( Place )
  • North Australian Zinc Belt
( Place )
  • Northern Cordillera
  • Published_External

Publication Date

2020-06-19T06:37:09

Creation Date

2020-02-07T10:00:00

Security Constraints

Australian Government Security ClassificationSystem    

Classification - unclassified

Legal Constraints

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence    

Access - license

Use - license

Status

completed

Purpose

EFTF abstract

Maintenance Information

asNeeded

Topic Category

geoscientificInformation

Series Information

EFTF abstracts

Lineage

The North Australian Zinc Belt is the largest zinc–lead province in the world. Zinc exploration not been particularly successful over the last two decades, with very few major discoveries. One of the most important aspects of exploration is to choose regions or provinces that have greatest potential for discovery. Here, we present results from zinc belts in northern Australia and North America, which highlight previously unused datasets for area selection at the craton to district scale. Lead isotope mapping has identified gradients that coincide closely with many major deposits. Locations of these deposits also coincide with a gradient in the depth of the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary and gradients in upward-continued gravity anomalies. These datasets reflect changes from thicker to thinner lithosphere that localise prospective basins for zinc–lead and copper–cobalt mineralisation.

Parent Information

Extents

[-25.00, -14.00, 132.00, 144.00]

Reference System

GDA94 / Geoscience Australia Lambert (EPSG:3112)

Spatial Resolution

Very

Service Information

Associations

Downloads and Links

Extended Abstract for download (pdf) [3.1MB]  

Source Information



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