PROGRESS

REPORT

NOVEMBER 1986Australian Mineral Industries Research Association Limited

CONTROLS ON GOLD AND SILVER

GRADES IN VOLCANOGENIC

SULPHIDE DEPOSITS

(84/P210)

GEOLOGY DEPARTMENT

UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA

.AMIR~Australian Mineral Industries Research Association Limited

DT

17th November, 1986

11th Floor. 63 ·ExrHDlll0n StreetMelDOlJrne. 3000 Australia

Talaonona (03) 654 8844 Tale' AA 38530"., (03; 654 886'

CONTROLS ON GOLD AND SILVER GRADES IN VOLCANOGENIC SULPHIDE DEPOSITS(84/P210)

TOWN HOUSE139 wrLSON STREET

BURNIE TAS 7320

MONDAY 17TH NOVEMBER, 1986, AT 8.00 P.M. AT THE TOWN HOUSE'l.'lm>DAY 18TH & WEDNESDAY 19TH NOVEMBER, 1986 ON WEST COAST TASMANIA

ATTENDANCE LIST

CITICO

Aberfoyle Limited

Balcooma Joint Venture

The Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd.

Billiton Australia Limited

BP Minerals Australia

CSR Limited

Department of Mines, TAS

Electrolytic Zinc Company of A/AsiaLimited, C/- North Broken HillHoldings Limited

Pancontinenta1 Mining Limited

Gold Fields Exploration Pty. Limited ,

University of Tasmania

AMIRA

R. PatersonD. WallaceG. McarthurD. Jack

B. StainforthK. Harvey

P. GregoryA. ClarkeD. Windrim ..1)"- ...._

D. Hall

C. Laughton

R. FountainR. Williams

A. McNeilR. BottrillG. Green

S. Tay10rI. Mathison

K. Airas

P. RobertsL. Newnham

F. FitzgeraldT. Cartwright

R. LargeP. McGo1drickP. RuxtonS. AdrichemKihn ZawD. HustonS. HunsI. GordonR. Wedekind

J. D. Bailey

\

:8530

Universityof Tasmania

~~.

. CONFIDENTIAL

AMIRA REPORT

NOVEMBER 1986

CONTROLS ON GOLD AND SILVER

GRADES IN VOLCANOGENIC

.SULPHIDE DEPOSITS

(84/P210)

CONTENTS

Page No.

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. SUMMARY OF PROJECTS 3

3. PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE FOOTWALL PRECIOUS METAL ZONE, 7QUE RIVER: Peter McGoldrick and Ross Large

4. ROSEBERY STUDY-oF LENS DEEP DRILLING: Khin Zaw 17

5. STERLING VALLEY PROJECT: lan Gordon 19

6. LAKE SELlNA PROSPECT: Steve Hunns 29

7. PRIMARY ALTERATION CHEMISTRY OF THE MOUNT READ VOLCANICS: 38. Ross Large, Anthony Crawford and Sharon Adrichem

8. GOLDEN GROVE--WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Peter Ruxton 46

9. TEUTONIC BORE--WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Peter Ruxton 72

~

10. A PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTION OF THE STRATIGRAPHY AND STRUCTUREOF THE BALCOOMA PROSPECT, NORTHERN QUEENSLAND: David Huston 84

11. GOLD AND SILVER RELATIONSHIPS IN AUSTRALIAN MASSIVE SULPHIDES: 90Ross Large

APPENDIX I: GOLD IN WESTERN TASMAI\IIA--prepared for the Aus IMM BicentenialVolume .

APPENDIX 11: FIELD EXCURSION GUIDES

1

INTRODUCTION

.Restatement of Aims:

To investigate the geological and geochemical controls on the distribution of precious metals within

'volcanic hosted massive sulphide deposits, with the objective of developing exploration models useful for

the discovery of further precious metal-rich deposits.

Background:

Due to the high concentration 0' gold and silver in the Western Tasmanian volcanogenic deposits, the

r project has initially concentrated on the documentation and study of gold-silver accumulation along the Mt.

Read Volcanic Arc. A four pronged approach has been adopted on the Tasmnanian deposits.

1) Detailed studies of pretious metal geology and geochemistry at Rosebery and Que River, the two

richest deposits.

2) Geology and geochemistry of a barren sulphide system, Lake Selina , to evaluate why some volcanic

hydrothermal systems are devoid of precious and base metals.

3) A study of gold mineralisation along the Henty Fault Zone, a major structure which dislocates the Mt.

Read Volcanic Arc and has been the focus of hydrothermal activity.

4) Researcr into the chemistry of the Mt. Read Volcanics to determine whether there is a relationship

between gold mineralisation and volcanic rock chemistry (either primary or alteration chemistry).

To compliment the Tasmanian studies, three Western Australian Archean volcanogenic deposits (Gossan

Hill, Scuddles, and Teutonic Bore), and a Queensland deposit (Balcooma) have been included in the

project for comparative purposes.

This Report.:

This second major report marks 15 months of research since commencement of the project in August

1985. The first report (April 1986), dealt mainly with research on;

- geology, structure, and metal distribution of the PQ lens and P-north lens at Que River.

- a chemical data base for the Mt. Read Volcanics.

This report covers further research developments on the Tasmanian deposits plus a comprehensive.

section on the Archean massive sulphides. Progress this year has been excellent and I would like to give

special thanks to all the AMIRA team members at the University of Tasmania for their dedication, support,

and fine standard of research.

RossLarge

Project Leader