1887
Geophysical Signatures of Base Metal Deposits in Victoria
  • ISSN: 2202-0586
  • E-ISSN:

Abstract

Victoria provides the best exposed section across the Lachlan Fold Belt, which extends from eastern Tasmania through central and eastern Victoria into New South Wales. Western Victoria also contains the eastern parts of the Delamerian Fold Belt. The rocks include the late Proterozoic to Lower Carboniferous sequences that were folded in the Palaeozoic up to the Early Carboniferous Kanimblan Orogeny. The rocks are traversed by thrust faults more or less parallel to the north-south structural grain. The largest faults separate rocks with different ages and structural histories, and have been used to subdivide Victoria into seven structural zones.

The oldest mapped rocks are Late Proterozoic or Cambrian and are either calc-alkaline island arc-type volcanics (mainly in the west) or mid oceanic ridge basalts (mainly in central Victoria). The island arc-type volcanics have potential for major volcanic-hosted massive sulphide deposits (VHMS) deposits. The Wickliffe and Hill 800 prospects are in this environment. Small copper-gold deposits are hosted by tholeiitic basalts. An example is the Mount Ararat Prospect which contains an inferred resource in excess of 1 milhon tonnes of 2.7% copper, 10 g/t silver and 0.6 g/t gold. Electrical exploration methods were ineffective due to a conductive surface layer. Magnetic induced polarization defined anomalous responses coincident with the mineralisation.

In eastern Victoria, two cycles of transtensional rifting generated and preserved voluminous silicic volcanics and marine sediments. The Silurian cycle formed the Cowombat Rift, host to significant base metal deposits. These include the Wilga and Currawong VHMS deposits near Benambra. Both were geophysical discoveries. The time-domain electromagnetic surveys showed the massive sulphides were associated with conductivity responses and the aeromagnetic data showed discrete magnetic responses over the minerahsation. The total reserves at Wilga were 3.93 million tonnes of 3.64% copper and 5.44% zinc. The unmined Currawong orebody resource is 8.9 milhon tonnes of 1.9% copper and 4% zinc.

Early Devonian transtension formed the Buchan Rift and smaller basins, into which volcanics and/or marine sediments were deposited. These host the possible Irish-style carbonate-hosted lead-zinc mineralisation at Back Creek, and possible Tennant Creek style minerahsation at Nowa Nowa. The Nowa Nowa deposits were identified from intense magnetic responses and led to the discovery of magnetite-haematite±chalcopyrite mineralisation.

The minerahsation within the Cambrian Mount Stavely Volcanic Complex at Thursdays Gossan, while low grade and uneconomic, is significant because it is the first porphyry copper style identified in western Victoria. It offers the possibility of mineralised porphyry systems being formed in a favourable environment potentially equivalent to other high-gold VHMS deposits in southeastern Austraha. In eastern Victoria mixed I-, S- and A-type granites were intruded in the Early Devonian; several broke through to the surface and formed calderas. Some of the granites around the Buchan Rift, at Dogwood and Sunday Creek, are host to porphyry mineralisation.

Major government initiatives to encourage mineral exploration have led to the collection of regional semi-detailed geophysical data and so improved the quality and speed of geological mapping. For the first time, the explorer now has access to low cost, high-quality regional scale magnetic, radiometric, digital terrain and gravity data to include in a modern exploration program and to help determine mineral exploration targets. For base-metal exploration, they are particularly valuable. In the highlands of eastern Victoria outcrop is generally good but access can be difficult while in western Victoria geophysical techniques are required to focus exploration beneath cover. In both regions, the new data have highlighted new potential.

© ASEG 1999
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1071/ASEGSpec11_02
1999-12-01
2026-01-14

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1071/ASEGSpec11_02
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Arne, D.C., Cromie, P.W., Webb, J.A. & Richards, J.R., 1994. The genesis of Pb-Zn sulphide occurrences in the Lower Devonian Buchan Group, Victoria. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences41, pp. 75-90.
  2. Asten, M.W., 1996. Drillhole EM – A strictly scientific hokey-pokey. Exploration Geophysics27, pp. 41-50.
  3. Bishop, J.R. & Lewis R.J.G. (eds.), 1996. DHEM special volume. Exploration Geophysics27.
  4. Blevin, P.L. & Chappell, B.W., 1995. Chemistry, origin and evolution of mineralised granites in the Lachlan Fold Belt, Australia: The metallogeny of I- and S-type granites. Economic Geology90, pp. 1604-1619.
  5. Brescianini, R.F., Asten, M.W. & Mclean, N., 1992. Geophysical characteristics of the Eloise Cu-Au Deposit North-West Queensland. Exploration Geophysics23, pp. 33-42.
  6. BROOKES, D.J., 1997. Mineral exploration history of the Ararat and Grampians 1:100 000 map areas. Victorian Initiatives for Minerals and Petroleum Report40. Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 204 p.
  7. Brookes, D.J. & Boyle, R.J., 1996, Mineral exploration history of the Bairnsdale 1:250 000 map area. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report36, Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 238 p.
  8. Caluzzi, J., 1995. Mineral exploration history of the Tallangatta 1:250 000 sheet. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report11. Department of Agriculture, Energy & Minerals, Victoria. 126 p.
  9. Cayley, R.A., 1995. Recent advances in understanding the structural evolution of Western Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria, Results of recent CSV project work, 1995. Mapping Section, Geological Survey of Victoria (unpubl.).
  10. Cayley, R.A. & Taylor, D.H., 1996. Geological evolution and potential of the Grampians area, Victoria. In M.J. Hughes, S.E. Ho, & C.E. Hughes (eds), Recent developments in Victorian geology and mineralisation. Australian Institute of Geoscientists Bulletin20, pp. 11-18.
  11. Cayley, R.A. & Taylor, D.H., VandenBerg, A.H.M. & Moore, D.H., In prep. Proterozoic rocks in central Victoria and their tectonic implications. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences.
  12. Chappell, B. W., White, A. J. R. & Hine, R., 1988. Granite provinces and basement terranes in the Lachlan Fold Belt, southeastern Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences35, pp. 505-521.
  13. CoCHRANE, G.W., 1982. Copper, lead, zinc and barium deposits of Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Bulletin61, 166 p.
  14. Cox, R., Ebsworth, G.B., Forsythe, D.L. & Simopoulos, A., 1988. Benambra Project, feasibility report, geology. Roy Cox and Associates, 1988. Department of Natural Resources and Environment expired mineral exploration licence confidential file (unpubl.).
  15. Cox, D.P. & Singer, D.A (eds) 1986. Mineral deposit models. USGSBulletin1683.
  16. Crawford, A.J., Corbett, K.D. & Everard, J.L., 1992. Geochemistry of the Cambrian volcanic hosted massive sulfide rich Mount Read Volcanics, Tasmania, and some tectonic implications. Economic Geology87, pp. 597-619.
  17. Crawford, A.J., Donaghy, A.G., Black, L.P. & Stuart-Smith, P.G., 1996. Enhancing the prospectivity of Victoria: identifying Mt Read correlatives in western Victoria: Geological Society of Australia Abstracts41, 100 p.
  18. DENEHURST Limited, 1996. An Overview of the Benambra Project (Unpubl.). Department of Natural Resources and Environment expired mineral exploration licence reports confidential file (unpubl.).
  19. DRANSFIELD, M.H., 1998. Black Range and Vernon Hill: A comparison of two airborne EM surveys in south east Australia. Exploration Geophysics29, pp. 218-224.
  20. Fergusson, C.L., Gray, D.R. & Cas, R.A.F., 1986. Overthrust terranes in the Lachlan fold belt, southeastern Australia. Geology14, pp. 519-522.
  21. Foster, D.A., Gray, D.R. & Offler, R., 1996. The western subprovince of the Lachlan Fold Belt: structural style, geochronology, metamorphism, and tectonics. Specialist Group in Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Petrology Field Guide1, 87 p.
  22. Gray, D.R., 1988. Structure and tectonics. In J.G. Douglas & J.A. Ferguson, (eds), Geology of Victoria. Victorian Division of the Geological Society of Victoria, pp. 1–36.
  23. Gray, D.R. & WILLMAN, C.E., 1991a. Deformation in the Ballarat Slate Belt, central Victoria and implications for the crustal structure across southeast Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences38, pp. 171-201.
  24. Gray, D.R. & Willman, C.E., 1991b. Thrust-related strain gradients and thrusting mechanisms in a chevron-folded sequence, southeastern Australia. Journal of Structural Geology13, pp. 691-710.
  25. Gray, D.R., Wilson, C.J.L. & Barton, T.J., 1991. Intracrustal detachments and implications for crustal evolution within the Lachlan Fold Belt, southeastern Australia. Geology19, pp. 574–577.
  26. Gray, D.R, Foster, D.A., & Bucher, M., 1997. Recognition and definition of orogenic events in the Lachlan Fold Belt. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences44, pp. 489-501.
  27. HAYDON, S.J., 1999a. Recent base metal discovery at the Hill 800 Prospect. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 49-66.
  28. Haydon, S.J., 1999b. Geophysics and exploration of the volcanic hosted massive sulphide prospect near Wickliffe, western Victoria. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 67-80.
  29. Haydon, S.J., 1999c. Geophysical exploration for base metals in the carbonates of the Buchan Rift, eastern Victoria. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 137-148.
  30. Haydon, S.J. & Slater, K.R., 1999. Copper occurrences in the Heathcote Greenstone Belt. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 99-111.
  31. HENDRICKX, M.A., 1993. The geology of the Jamieson River greenstone segment, part of the Mt Wellington Greenstone Belt, Victoria. BSc Honours thesis, LaTrobe University, Melbourne (unpublished).
  32. HUTCHINSON, D.F., 1997. Mineral exploration history of the Heathcote and Nagambie 1:100 000 map area. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report45. Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 112 p.
  33. Huston, D.L., Bolger, C. & Cozens, G., 1993. A comparison of mineral deposits at the Gecko and White Devil Deposits: Implications for ore genesis in the Tennant Creek District, Northern Territory, Australia. Economic Geology88, pp. 1198-1225.
  34. KlLLEN, P.G. 1997. Borehole geophysics: exploring the third dimension. In A.G. Gubins (ed) Proceedings of Exploration 97: Fourth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration, pp. 31–42.
  35. Large, R.R., 1975. Zonation of hydrothermal minerals at the Juno Mine, Tennant Creek Goldfield, Central Australia. Economic Geology,70, pp. 1378-1413.
  36. Maher, S., 1994. EL 3012 Breakfast Creek, Victoria, Final report on CRAE activities, Annual reporting period to 16th December 1994, CRA Exploration Pty Ltd. Department of Natural Resources and Environment expired mineral exploration licence reports file (unpubl.).
  37. Maher, S., Brookes, D.J., Boyle, R.J. & Hendrickx, M.A., 1996. The geology and prospectivity of the Bairnsdale 1:250 000 map sheet area. Victorian Initiative for Minerals & Petroleum Report 37. Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 99 p.
  38. Maher, S., Moore, D.H., Crawford, A.J., Twyford, R. & FANNING, CM., 1997. Test drilling of the southern margin of the Murray Basin. Victorian Initiative for Minerals & Petroleum Report52. Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 275 p.
  39. Marquis, P., Hubert, C, Brown, A.C. & Rigg, D.M., 1990. Recent developments in the study of Archaean gold deposits. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences27, pp. 1651-1671.
  40. Mcneill, J.D., 1995. Optimal detection of TDEM anomalies under conductive overburden. Technical Note TN-28. Geonics Limited.
  41. Moore, D.H., 1996. A geological interpretation of the geophysical data for the Horsham 1:250 000 map sheet area. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report 24. Department of Agriculture, Energy and Minerals. 34 p.
  42. Moore, D.H., 1997. A geological interpretation of the geophysical data for the Ouyen 1:250 000 map sheet area. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report 39. Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 42 p.
  43. MOORE, D.H. & Maher, S.M., 1998. Lessons from a case study of a geophysical interpretation in Western Victoria. Exploration Geophysics29, pp. 524-530.
  44. Moore, D.H., VandenBerg, A.H.M., Willman, C.E. & Magart, A.P.M., 1998. Palaeozoic geology and resources of Victoria. AGSO Journal of Australian Geology & Geophysics17(3), pp. 107-122.
  45. Morand, V.J. & Gray, D.R., 1991. Major fault zones related to the Omeo Metamorphic Complex, northeastern Victoria. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences38, pp. 203-221.
  46. MURRAY, A. & Wynne, P., 1995. Fundamental gravity network in Victoria 1995 re-establishment survey. Australian Geological Survey Organisation Record1995/70.
  47. Newcrest Mining Staff, 1998. Cadia gold-copper deposit. In D.A. Berkman, & D. H. Mackenzie (eds), Geology of Australian and Papua New Guinean Mineral Deposits. The Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Melbourne, pp. 641–646.
  48. Nott, R.J., 1988. Sedimentary Copper. In J.G. Douglas & J.A. Ferguson (eds), Geology of Victoria. Victorian Division of the Geological Society of Victoria, pp. 595-596.
  49. Offler, R. & Whitford, D.J., 1992. Wall-rock alteration and metamorphism of a volcanic hosted massive sulphide deposit at Que River, Tasmania: petrology and mineralogy. Economic Geology87, pp. 686-705.
  50. Oppy, I.D., Cayley, R.A. & Caluzzi, J., 1995. The geology and prospectivity of the Tallangatta 1:250 000 sheet. Victorian Initiative for Minerals & Petroleum Report10. Department of Agriculture, Energy and Minerals. 156 p.
  51. ORANSKAIA, A.N., 1997a. Geological interpretation of geophysical features Bendoc 1:100 000 sheet. Victorian Initiative for Minerals & Petroleum Report47. Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 45 p.
  52. ORANSKAIA, A.N., 1997b. Geological interpretation of geophysical features Cann, MaUacoota and Victorian part of Eden 1:100 000 sheets. Victorian Initiative for Minerals & Petroleum Report 48. Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 42 p.
  53. Orth, K., VandenBerg, A.H.M., Nott, R.J. & Simons, B.A., 1995. Murrindal 1:100 000 map geological report. Geological Survey of Victoria Report100. 237 p.
  54. RAJAGOPOLAN, S., 1999a. Porphyry-type copper deposits, eastern Victoria. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 113-127.
  55. RAJAGOPOLAN, S., 1999b. Thursdays Gossan Prospect. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 129-136.
  56. RAJAGOPOLAN, S. & Haydon, S.J., 1999. The Benambra volcanic hosted massive sulphide deposits. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 23-47.
  57. Richards, J.R. & Singleton, O.P., 1981. Palaeozoic Victoria, Austraha: igneous rocks ages and their interpretation. Journal of the Geological Society of Australia28, pp. 395-421.
  58. ROONEY, S.R., 1995. Mineral exploration history of the North West VIMP area. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report 5. Department of Agriculture, Energy and Minerals. 121 p.
  59. Shives, R.B.K., Charbonneau, B.W. & Ford., K.L., 1997. The detection of potassic alteration by gamma ray spectrometry–recognition of alteration related to minerahsation. In A.G. Gubins (ed) Proceedings of Exploration 97: Fourth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration, pp. 741–752.
  60. Simons, B.A., Oranskaia, A., Haydon, S., Mcdonald, P., Slater, K.R., Twyford, R. & Bibby, D., 1997. Eastern Victoria: A New Exploration Frontier? Exploration Geophysics28, pp. 281-285.
  61. Simons, B.A. & Moore, D.H., 1999. Victoria 1:100 000 Pre-Permian Geology. Geological Survey of Victoria.
  62. Simpson, C.J., Fergusson, C.L., Woodfull, C.J., Hendrickx, M.A., Bibby, L.M., Page, D.J., Allen, R.J., Carney, CM. & Boothroyd. D.R.W. (in prep). Corryong and parts of Kosciuszko and Rosewood 1:100 000 map geological report. Geological Survey of Victoria Report.
  63. Smith, P. & Hall, D., 1995. Application of geophysics to the White Devil deposit, N.T.. Exploration Geophysics26, pp. 116-123.
  64. Soessoo, A., Bons, P.D., Gray, D.R. & Foster, D.A., 1997. Divergent double subduction: tectonic and petrologic consequences. Geology25, pp. 755–758.
  65. Suppel, D. W. & Scheibner, E., 1990. Lachlan Fold Belt in New South Wales – Regional Geology and Mineral Deposits. In F. E. Hughes (ed.), Geology of the mineral deposits of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Monograph14, pp. 1321-1327.
  66. TlTLEY, S.R. & Beane, R. E., 1981. Porphyry copper deposits. Economic Geology 75th Anniversary volume, pp. 214-269.
  67. VandenBerg, A.H.M., Willman, C.E., Hendrickx, M.A., BUSH, M.D. & Sands, B., 1995a. The geology and prospectivity of the 1993 Mount Wellington Airborne Survey area. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report2, Department of Agriculture, Energy and Minerals. 165 p.
  68. VandenBerg, A.H.M., Hendrickx, M.A., Willman, C.E., Magart, A.P.M., Rooney, S. & Oranskaia, A.N., 1996. The geology and prospectivity of the Nowa Nowa-Tyers and Orbost-Hartland 1:50 000 geological maps, eastern Victoria. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report25. Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 158 p.
  69. VandenBerg, A.H.M., Hendrickx, M., Willman, C.E., Magart, A.P.M., Simons, B.A. & Ryan, S.M., 1998. The geology and prospectivity of the Benambra 1:100 000 map area, eastern Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report114.
  70. VandenBerg, A.H.M., Willman, C.E., Morand, V.J., Moore, D., Simons, B.A., Maher, S., Cayley, R.A., Taylor, D.H. and Radojkovic, A., 1999. The Tasman Fold Belt System in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Special Publication, (in prep).
  71. White, A.J.R. & Chappell, B.W., 1988. Granites. In J.G. Douglas & J.A Ferguson (eds), Geology of Victoria. Victorian Division of the Geological Society of Victoria, pp. 427-439.
  72. WiLKE, J.R., & BROOKES D.J., 1997. Mineral exploration history of the Wangaratta 1:250 000 map area. Victorian Initiative for Minerals and Petroleum Report49. Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
  73. Wilkinson, D., 1996. Register of Australian Mining 1996/7. Resource Information Unit Ltd, 197 p.
  74. WILLIAMS, P.K., 1997. Towards a multidisciplinary integrated exploration process for gold discovery. In A.G. Gubins (ed) Proceedings of Exploration 97: Fourth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration, pp. 1015-1028.
  75. WlLLMAN, C.E., MORAND, V.J., HAYDON, S.J., HeNDRICKX, M.A., VandenBerg, A.H.M., 1999a. Deconstructing the Bindian Deformation in eastern Victoria. In M. Jessell (ed), Last Conference of the Millenium. Geological Society of Australia Abstracts Series53, pp. 269-271.
  76. WlLLMAN, C.E., MORAND, V.J., HENDRICKX, M.A., VandenBerg, A.H.M., Haydon, S.J. & Carney, C, 1999b. The geology and prospectivity of the Omeo 1:100 000 map area, eastern Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report118.
  77. WlLLOCKS, A.J., 1999a. Geophysical responses over the Mount Ararat Prospect. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 81-98.
  78. WlLLOCKS, A.J., 1999b. Geophysical responses of copper mineralisation associated with iron deposits at Nowa Nowa. In A.J. Willocks, S.J. Haydon, M.W. Asten & D.H. Moore (eds) Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11, pp. 149-162.
  79. Willocks A.J., Haydon, S.J., Asten, M.W. & Moore, D.H., 1999. Geophysical signatures of base metal deposits in Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Report119 and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Special Publication11. 162 p.
  80. Wilson, C.J.L., Will, T.M., Cayley, R.A. & Chen, S., 1992. Geological framework and tectonic evolution in western Victoria, Australia. Tectonophysics21. pp. 93-127.
  81. Worrall, L., Munday, T. & Green, A., 1998. Beyond bump finding – airborne electromagnetics for mineral exploration in regolith dominated terrains. Exploration Geophysics23, pp. 199-203.
  82. Wyborn, D., Turner, B.S. & Chappell, B., 1987. The Boggy Plain Supersuite: A distinctive belt of I-type igneous rocks of potential economic significance in the Lachlan Fold Belt. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences34, pp. 21-34.
/content/journals/10.1071/ASEGSpec11_02
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): airborne geophysics; base metals; Benambra; Buchan Rift; Currawong; geophysics; granite; greenstone; Heathcote Volcanics; iron; Lachlan Fold Belt; lead; mineral exploration; Mount Stavely Volcanic Complex; Nowa Nowa; porphyry copper; Snowy River Volcanics; Thursdays Gossan; Victoria; volcanic hosted massive sulphides; Wickliffe Prospect; Wilga; zinc

Most Cited This Month Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error