Orogenic Archean Lode-Gold Mineral System

MDSG-2003
 Tectonic Setting Gold Deposits

UnB-2004 CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

 Migration of Fluids: Pathway Architecture
Largest Au provinces: Spatial proximity of world-class deposits to
large-scale deformation zones (e.g., Destor-Porcupine: Abitibi;
Boulder-Lefroy: Yilgarn) - commonly mark boundary between
volcano-sedimentary domains

Camp-scale: deposits hosted in second- & higher-order structures

Fluid focusing towards zones of low mean stress - Stress Mapping

Structural and hydraulic connectivity of faults important for fluid

focusing and effective transport
shear systems with high connectivity generate dispersed flow
dangling structures are sites of localized fluid discharge and highest
Au potential - draw fluids from backbone (first-order) structures

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

Yilgarn Craton: Shear zones & gold deposits
links between structure
and prospectivity well
known
strong spatial
association with major
shear zones
strong spatial
correlation with
greenstones
EG domain:
~1 Au occurrence per sq
km of g/s outcrop
~11% of g/s outcrops
755 kg/sq km g/s outcrop

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting
Hodgson, 1993

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

Eisenlohr et al., 1989

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

 Migration of Fluids: Fluid Evolution
Limited understanding of links between first-order and higher-order
structures

Preliminary fluid evolution model established for Cadillac Tectonic

Zone, Abitibi subprovince (Neumayr et al., 2000):

evolution from low-moderate salinity aqueous-carbonic fluids in early

structures to dominantly carbonic fluids in gold-associated structures

model invokes progressive phase separation at depth within first-

order structures with preferential vapor loss into upper parts of fault
system

Au associated with secondary phase separation within second-order

structures

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Schematic Model
 Migration of Fluids: Pathway Architecture
Fluids generally at lithostatic to supralithostatic fluid pressures - related to
volume changes associated with metamorphic devolatilization?

Fluids easily trapped beneath regional seals resulting in overpressuring and

promoting hydraulic fracturing

Y-front model (Hall, 1998; Ord et al. 1998):

based on interpretation of seismic profiles for eastern Yilgarn Craton
development of regional hydrothermal cells
role of linked transcrustal fault zones that link entire crustal sections
thermal and fluid flow modeling suggests fluid convection along major structures -
able to transport large volumes of fluid from deep sources
model is simplistic but is one of first interpret regional 3D fluid flow

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CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting
CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting
 Northern
Kalgoorlie Terrane

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3D Model of the northern Kalgoorlie Terrane

Surface Geology and Seismic Lines

N

Detachment
Surface
Ida Fault
Bardoc Shear

Moho

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

 Greenstone
Layer

e ar
Sh
o c
a rd
B

Ida
Fa
Y Front ult
Model
Courtesy CSIRO

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

 K A LG O O R LIE T ER R A N E
Kalgoorlie Terrain
K a lg o o r lie L a m in g to n / M y s te r y / M t C h a r l o tte / R e w a r d / M a r i t a n a / H a n n a n s S ta r F a u l ts
A n ti c l in e
K a lg o o rlie
A n ti c l i n e

Surface map

M t C h a r l o tt e
M t P e rc y G o ld e n P ik e G o ld e n M ile
F a u lt S u p e r P it

B la c k F la g B e d s E u r e k a & F e d e r a l D o le r ite T h r u s t fa u lt

P a r in g a B a s a lt G o ld e n M i le D o l e r ite N o r th t r e n d i n g
o b liq u e fa u lt
K a p a i S la te A b e r d a r e D o le r ite
N o r th t r e n d i n g
D e v o n C o n s o ls B a s a lt W illia m s to w n D o le r ite c r o s s fa u lt

H a n n a n s L a k e S e r p e n ti n i te 2 km A n tic lin e , s y n c lin e

S H s 0 3 5 - 9 9 .c d r
M o d i fi e d a f t e r B a t e m a n ( 1 9 9 8 )
 K LGOORLIE
C O N S O L I D A T E D
GOLD MINES

Aeromagnetic imageCET-Centre
of the Kalgoorlie district
for Exploration Targeting
CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting
AGSO/KCGMs 1997 seismic traverses:

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

N S

Co So Bo
nq Re Na Bri u th A u ld e
Fo pu u tta
ste ue r
or ls e t i lu
s nia Sirius f r ic
a
rL
ef r
r oy
DCB
N PBS
DFD KSL
DCB KAM
PBS
PBS
BFL CND
BFL BFL S
DFD
KSL PBS
KSL DCB
DCB

DFD
1km
DCB
Intense Porphyry
KSL DCB Intrusions
Pyrrhotite Alt.
Magnetite Alt.
Gold

1000m
 Trap Site - Camp Scale
First-order (transcrustal) fault zones and associated hydrothermal
alteration zones
Large-scale structural inhomgeneities such as anticlines, synclines, and
bends along strike in major structures

Regional carbonation elongated zones in gold camps around major, first-

order fault systems:
Magnesite, dolomite in komatiitic sequences
Calcite, ankerite or dolomite in mafic and felsic rocks

Spatial extent: several orders larger than individual gold deposit

Carbon source: mantle origin
Timing: post-volcanism until or during peak metamorphism

Examples: Red Lake Camp, Timmins Camp

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting
Distribution of Alteration Assemblages
Hollinger-McIntyre Mines
Smith and
Kesler (1985)

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Contour of CO2 Content for Fluid Inclusions
Hollinger-McIntyre Mines
Smith and
Kesler (1985)

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Oxidized
Redox Variations
Hematite
Magnetite
Pyrite
Arsenopyrite
Pyrrhotite
Loellingite
Reduced

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

Redox Variations Interflow Sedimentary
Rocks
Basalt undifferentiated
Black Flag Beds
Granitoid
Kalg. Group, Komatiite, Lunnon
Kalg. Group, mafic rocks
Lefroy Fault Zone Kapai Slate
Merougil Beds
Revenge
6538000 m N
py
70
20
mag
mag-py
po-py
Delta Island Playa Fault po

Fault, movement

Merougil Fault l Fault, inferred

l

Fault, thrust
45

North Orchin 70 Bedding

70 Fault,dip

l
Fault listric
6534000 m N

30
Victory-Defiance
l

Foster Thrust

Conqueror Fault
0 0.75 1.5
3800 00 mE

388 000 mE
kilometres

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

 Detailed Gravity
376000 mE

380000 mE

384000 mE

388000 mE
Anticline

Fault, movement
Lefroy Fault Zone
Revenge Fault, inferred

6538000 mN 6538000 mN
Thrust Fault

Delta Island Playa Fault

0 1 2

kilometres
Merougil Fault

North Orchin

6534000 mN 6534000 mN

Victory-Defiance

Foster Thrust

Conqueror Fault
376000 mE

380000 mE

384000 mE

388000 mE
CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting
 Basalt undifferentiated

Kambalda
Black Flag Beds
0 1.5 3 Granitoid
Kalg. Group, Komatiite, Lunnon
kilometres Kalg. Group, mafic rocks, KSL
Merougil Beds

Gold Camp 6545000 mN

Fault, movement

Fault, inferred
Redoutable
Thrust Fault
Bahama/Santa Ana Intrepide Anticline, Syncline

70 Bedding
Mars
Fault, foliation
Revenge
70
Fault, listric
l
Minetor 70
20

l
Delta l

6535000 mN 45 North Orchin

Orchin Britannia/Sirius
l
30

Victory/Defiance

Argo

6525000 mN
370000 mE

380000 mE
Junction

 Biotite-chlorite in mafic rocks

Revenge

Delta

Victory-Defiance

0 1.5 3
kilometres

CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

 Carbonate in mafic rocks

Revenge

Delta

Victory-Defiance

0 1.5 3
kilometres

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EW-Section Central Corridor
1 km

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Local
Dispersion
Around Ore
Shoot
30 m

90 m
> 120 m

Diamond Core LD7114,

Revenge, W66 surface

CET-Centre forHydrothermal
Exploration Targeting
footprint
 1 km

Empirical background for

Te after Eilu and Mikucki
(1996)

Dispersion of Te LD7114

around Revenge CET-Centre for Exploration Targeting

Hydrothermal footprint
Crustal Continuum Model
Extra Slides

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Moho

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