Proterozoic sediment-hosted base metal deposits CODES/AMIRA Project P.384 Report No. 5, June 1994

Abstract

This is the fifth major report on the project and comes at the end of just over two years of research. In this report emphasis is given to further development of the lithogeochemical halo studies and their application to exploration for stratiform lead-zinc deposits. In this regard a database of lithogeochemistry for the McArthur Basin sediments has been established and background distributions for alteration vectors have been determined for the major stratigraphic units. The alteration index approach to exploration has been tested in a number of case studies; including several sub-basins in the McArthur Basin and the Kamarga Prospect on the Lawn Hill Platform. The results of this work are very exciting and confirm the importance of lithogeochemistry in exploration for sedex deposits. In parallel with our applied studes on alteration vectors we report on the results of more fundamental research on iron carbonate formation and its relationship to ore genesis, and fluid flow studies along the Tawallah Fault. This work will be presented at the mid-year field meeting in Darwin on 14-15 June followed by a field trip through the McArthur basin to visit areas relevant to the previous and on-going research program. Particular thanks are extended to AMIRA, the sponsor companies, NTGS and AGSO for their continued support in the planning and execution of this research program. Ross Large Director, CODES