Architecture, evolution and fertility of the Delamerian Orogen: Insights from zircon

<div>Magmatic arcs represent a critical source of modern civilisation’s mineral wealth, with their importance only enhanced by the ongoing global transition to a low-carbon society. The ~830-495 Ma Delamerian Orogen, formed at Australia’s eastern cratonic margin, represents rocks ascribed to rift/passive-margin, convergent margin arc, orogenic, and post-orogenic settings. However, poor exposure has limited exploration activity across much of the orogen, despite demonstrated potential for numerous mineral systems. To address this issue, an orogen-wide zircon Hf-O isotope and trace element survey was performed on 55 magmatic samples to constrain the crustal architecture, evolution, and fertility of the Delamerian Orogen, and in turn map parameters that can be used as a guide to mineral potential. These new data define two broad magmatic episodes at: (1) ~585-480 Ma, related to rift/passive margin, convergent arc, orogenic, and post-orogenic activity (Delamerian Cycle); and (2) magmatism associated with the ~490-320 Ma Lachlan Orogen, with peaks at ~420 Ma (onshore, Tabberabberan Cycle) and ~370 Ma (western Tasmania). Isotopic and geochemical mapping of these events show that the ~585-480 Ma Delamerian Cycle has significant orogen-wide variation in magmatic Hf-O isotopes and oxidation-state, suggesting a spatial variation in the occurrence and type of potential mineral systems. The ~420 Ma magmatic event involved predominantly mantle-like Hf-O and oxidised magmatism, whilst the ~370 Ma magmatism shows opposing features. In general, The potential to host Cu-Au porphyry and VMS mineralisation (e.g., Stavely, Koonenberry) is present, but restricted, whereas signatures favourable for Sn-W granite-hosted systems (e.g., Tasmania), are more common. These new data constrain time-space variations in magma composition that provide a valuable geological framework for mineral system fertility assessments across the Delamerian Orogen. Furthermore, these data and associated maps can used to assess time-space mineral potential and facilitate more effective exploration targeting in this covered region.</div>

<b>Citation:</b> Mole, D., Bodorkos, S., Gilmore, P.J., Fraser, G., Jagodzinski, E.A., Cheng, Y., Clark, A.D., Doublier, M., Waltenberg, K., Stern, R.A., Evans, N.J., 2023. Architecture, evolution and fertility of the Delamerian Orogen: Insights from zircon. In: Czarnota, K. (ed.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, <a href+" https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/148981">https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/148981</a>

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Identification info

Date (Creation)
2023-10-21
Date (Publication)
2023-11-30T04:12:43
Citation identifier
Geoscience Australia Persistent Identifier/https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/148981

Citation identifier
Digital Object Identifier/https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/148981

Cited responsible party
Role Organisation / Individual Name Details
Publisher

Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)

 Voice
Author

Mole, D.

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Author

Bodorkos, S.

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Author

Gilmore, P.J.

 External Contact
Author

Fraser, G.

 Internal Contact
Author

Jagodzinski, E.A.

 External Contact
Author

Cheng, Y.

 Internal Contact
Author

Clark, A.D.

 External Contact
Author

Doublier, M.

 Internal Contact
Author

Waltenberg, K.

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Author

Stern, R.A.

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Author

Evans, N.J.

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Editor

Czarnota, K.

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Name

Exploring for the Future Extended Abstracts

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Exploring for the Future Extended Abstract

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Completed
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Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division

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Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)

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Mole, D.

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  • Geoscientific information

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N
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W


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Not planned

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Title

Product data repository: Various Formats

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Data Store directory containing the digital product files

Data Store directory containing one or more files, possibly in a variety of formats, accessible to Geoscience Australia staff only for internal purposes

Project

  • EFTF – Exploring for the Future

Project

  • mineral potential assessment (DCD)

Project

  • Australia's Resource Framework (ARF-EFTF)

Project

  • Darling- Curnamona-Delamerian (DCD)

Keywords

  • zircon

Keywords

  • Delamerian Orogen

Keywords

  • U-Pb geochronology

Keywords

  • O-isotopes

Keywords

  • Hf-isotopes

Keywords

  • zircon trace elements

Keywords

  • Lachlan Orogen

theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf

  • Isotope geochemistry

Keywords

  • Published_External

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

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CC-BY

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4.0

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https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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© Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia) 2023

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Title

Australian Government Security Classification System

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2018-11-01T00:00:00
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https://www.protectivesecurity.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

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Unclassified
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Australian Government Security Classification System

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English
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UTF8

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Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)

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Download Abstract (pdf) [1.0 MB]

Download Abstract (pdf) [1.0 MB]

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  • pdf

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Download GeoTiffs (zip) [5.6 MB]

Download GeoTiffs (zip) [5.6 MB]

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  • zip

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    unzip

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<div>Initial data from the zircon Hf-O isotope and trace element survey conducted as part of the EFTF DCD project.</div>

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Title

Australian Government Security Classification System

Edition date
2018-11-01T00:00:00
Website

https://www.protectivesecurity.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

Classification
Unclassified

Metadata

Metadata identifier
urn:uuid/57358269-f001-456f-9be9-bec81a865f6b

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GeoNetwork UUID

Language
English
Character encoding
UTF8
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Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)

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Mole, D.

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GA Abstract / Fact Sheet

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Geoscience Australia - short identifier for metadata record with

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eCatId/148981

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https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/57358269-f001-456f-9be9-bec81a865f6b

Date info (Creation)
2023-11-27T23:41:34
Date info (Revision)
2023-11-27T23:41:34

Metadata standard

Title

AU/NZS ISO 19115-1:2014

Metadata standard

Title

ISO 19115-1:2014

Metadata standard

Title

ISO 19115-3

Title

Geoscience Australia Community Metadata Profile of ISO 19115-1:2014

Edition

Version 2.0, September 2018

Citation identifier
http://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/122551

 
 

Spatial extent

N
S
E
W


Keywords

Australia's Resource Framework (ARF-EFTF) Darling- Curnamona-Delamerian (DCD) EFTF – Exploring for the Future mineral potential assessment (DCD)
theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf
Isotope geochemistry

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