NORTHERN TERRITORY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Accessing Australia’s Final Exploration Frontier AGES 2006 Record of Abstracts
28-29 March, Alice Springs Convention Centre Incorporating the 2006 Mining Services Expo
Hosted by the NT Geological Survey, Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines Supported by Mining and Petroleum Services, Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development
Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs
RECORD 2006-002 Hanson Training Services (Australia) Pty Ltd is an Australian Registered Training Organisation (RTO) which delivers accredited training and assessment in a range of subjects such as business, IT, driver training (cars and trucks) as well as Senior First Aid, OHS and heavy equipment. Through our training partners we are also able to organise mining specific training such as Search and Rescue and OHS. Recent international training experience in a mining environment, together with the ethos of superior customer service makes HTS a training provider of choice in Australia; and international recognition is certainly gaining strength as our reputation grows.
Ph: (08) 8953 3966 Fax: (08) 8953 3639 Freecall: 1800 287 838 Email: [email protected] 18 Warburton Street, Old East Side, Alice Springs NT 0870 www.hansontrainingservices.com.au CONTENTS
Minister’s AGES 2006 foreword ______2
Program of events ______4-5
Review of the geology and mineral resources of the Ngalia Basin
Christine Edgoose ______6
The Arunta Region: Links between tectonics and mineralisation
Ian Scrimgeour ______7
Industry information services
Tracey Rogers ______11
NT mineral exploration overview 2005
John Dunster ______12
Geophysical models of the Tennant Region
Michael Roach ______17
New insights into the Jervois mineral field
Max Frater ______18
Southeastern Arunta Region: Subdivision and undercover disposition
Dorothy Close, Mark Duffett, Ian Scrimgeour, Kurt Worden and Ben Goscombe ______20
The Tanami Deep Seismic Reflection Experiment: 2006 preliminary results Leon Vandenberg, Bruce Goleby, Leonie Jones, Leon Bagas, David Huston,
Andrew Crispe, Patrick Lyons, Wade Johnston, Tim Smith and Tim Barton ______22
Results of recent stratigraphic drilling in the southwestern Amadeus Basin and implications for petroleum and minerals exploration
Greg Ambrose ______26
Northern Territory regolith project: A successful completion
Mike Craig ______29
New geochronological data from the Tennant Region
David Maidment, Lex Lambeck, David Huston and Nigel Donnellan ______32
Trends in lead isotopes across northern Australia
David Huston, Kelvin Hussey, Max Frater and Leon Bagas ______7 3
Western Pine Creek Orogen (Litchfield Province) – recent advances and regional correlations
Chris Carson, Ian Scrimgeour, Adrian Goldberg, Richard Stern and Kurt Worden ______37
Vein related mineralisation in the western part of the Pine Creek Orogen
Andrew Wygralak and Terry Mernagh ______42
List of authors and key contact addresses ______44
Exhibitor list ______45
Editor’s note: Names of 1:250 000 and 1:100 000 mapsheets are shown in large and small capital letters respectively, eg HAY RIVER, Flynn. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts Minister’s AGES 2006 foreword
Welcome to the Northern Territory, and to the seventh successive AGES, our Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar!
The minerals and energy sector is far and away the major contributor to the economy of the Northern Territory, in accounting for over 20% of GSP in 2004–05, the second largest proportion of any jurisdiction in Australia. It plays a fundamental role in regional development and has enormous potential for supporting the commercial and social development of Indigenous and other communities. The Territory Government recognises that exploration is the lifeblood of the sector, and that discovery success will help underpin the future prosperity of all Territorians.
The Territory is a remote, highly prospective region with an immature exploration history. Our geological environment presents unique technical challenges that make the discovery of new resources difficult. The Territory Government has, since 2003, established a holistic approach to exploration investment attraction through our innovative $15.2 million Building the Territory’s THE HON. KON VATSKALIS Resource Base program. The primary thrust of this program is to assist in mitigating the technical Minister for Mines and Energy risk associated with mineral and petroleum exploration.
AGES is used by my Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines as a key platform to communicate the results and significance of its comprehensive geoscience program. In recent years, this event has been enhanced by incorporating special sessions to discuss and explore Indigenous involvement in exploration and mining. AGES will again be broadened in 2006 by cross-agency cooperation with the Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development, by hosting a Mining Services Expo. This will showcase a number of central Australian businesses and their capabilities to support mining and exploration activity.
In the current resources boom, we find ourselves in an increasingly competitive environment and our challenge is to succeed at differentiating the Territory as a superior investment destination from other prospective jurisdictions in Australia and, indeed, across the world. AGES remains an important part of our strategy to achieve this.
I trust that you will enjoy AGES 2006 and all that central Australia has to offer!
DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY, FISHERIES AND MINES MINISTER: Hon Kon Vatskalis, MLA CHIEF EXECUTIVE: John Carroll
NORTHERN TERRITORY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIRECTOR: Richard Brescianini
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Northern Territory Geological Survey, 2006. Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) 2006. Record of abstracts. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2006-002.
(Record / Northern Territory Geological Survey ISSN 1443-1149) Bibliography ISBN 0 7245 7104 3
EDITORS: TJ Munson and IR Scrimgeour
Northern Territory Geological Survey 3rd floor Paspalis Centrepoint Building Arid Zone Research Institute Smith Street Mall, Darwin South Stuart Highway, Alice Springs GPO Box 3000 GPO Box 8760 Darwin NT 0801, Australia Alice Springs NT 0871, Australia
For further information contact: Minerals and Energy Information Centre Phone +61 8 8999 6443 Website: http://www.minerals.nt.gov.au/ntgs Email: [email protected]
© Northern Territory Government, March 2006
Disclaimer While all care has been taken to ensure that information contained in Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2006-002 is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of its information. The Northern Territory of Australia gives no warranty or assurance, and makes no representation as to the accuracy of any information or advice contained in Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2006-002, or that it is suitable for your intended use. You should not rely upon information in this publication for the purpose of making any serious business or investment decisions without obtaining independent and/or professional advice in relation to your particular situation. The Northern Territory of Australia disclaims any liability or responsibility or duty of care towards any person for loss or damage caused by any use of, or reliance on the information contained in this publication. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts Advanced Delivery Solutions for the Mining Industry
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Contacts: Alice Springs Mark Andresen 08 8953 0011 Darwin Greg Elkins 08 8944 1000 Adelaide Adam O’Halloran 08 8368 3100 Perth Todd Bail 08 9360 8811 Len Singleton 08 8229 5333 Accessing Australia’s Final Exploration Frontier
AGES 2006 28-29 March, Alice Springs Convention Centre Pre-registration and Ice Breaker - Monday, March 27, 5:00pm - 6:30pm - Sponsored by Newmont Tanami Pty Ltd
TUESDAY 28 MARCH
08:00-08:30 Registration
08:30-08:40 Betty Pearce Traditional Welcome to Country The Hon Kon Vatskalis AGES Opening Address Minister for Mines and Energy
Session 1
08:40-08:50 Richard Brescianini Opening remarks 08:50-09:10 Christine Edgoose Review of geology and mineral resources of Ngalia Basin 09:10-09:40 Ian Scrimgeour Arunta Region – links between tectonics and mineralisation 09:40-10:00 Tracey Rogers Geoscience Knowledge Management overview Morning tea 10:00-10:30
Session 2
10:30-10:50 John Dunster NT exploration overview 2005 10:50-11:10 Adelaide Resources Overview of NT exploration projects 11:10-11:30 Mike Roach (U Tas) 3D inversion modeling of the Tennant
Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar Creek area 11:30-11:50 Arafura Resources Overview of NT exploration projects 11:50-12:10 Gravity Diamonds Overview of NT exploration projects
Lunch 12:10-1:00
Session 3
01:00-01:20 Renison Consolidated Mines Overview of NT exploration projects 01:20-01:40 Max Frater New insights into the Jervois mineral field 01:40-02:00 Tennant Creek Gold Overview of NT exploration projects 02:00-02:25 Dorothy Close Eastern Arunta project 02:25-02:45 Olympia Resources Overview of NT exploration projects
Afternoon tea 2:45-3:15
NORTHERN TERRITORY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Session 4
03:15-04:15 The Triple A of exploration: application, approval and accountabilities A panel of Minerals & Energy experts present: • Applying and managing your titles • Submitting reports • Preparing Mining Management Plans
04:15-05:00 Working with Aboriginal land law A panel of experts from the National Native Title Tribunal, the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination and the Aboriginal Land Councils present: • How mediation services can help you with native title negotiations • How changes to the Aboriginal Land Rights Act may affect your business • Working effectively with Aboriginal communities
07:00-late AGES Official Dinner Dinner speaker - Professor Ross Large, Director ARC Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits, University of Tasmania
WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH
Session 1
09:00-09:30 Leon Vandenberg New seismic and gravity data from the Tanami
Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar 0 9:30-09:55 Greg Ambrose Drilling in the Amadeus Basin 09:55-10:20 Mike Craig (CRC LEME) NT regolith-landscape framework
Morning tea 10:20-10:50
Session 2
10:50-11:10 David Maidment (GA) New geochronological data from the Tennant Region 11:10-11:35 David Huston (GA) Trends in lead isotope data across northern Australia 11:35-12:00 Chris Carson Western Pine Creek Orogen – tectonics and regional correlations 12:00-12:20 Andrew Wygralak Vein-related mineralisation in the Litchfield Province 12:20-12:30 Richard Brescianini Closing remarks
12:30 Lunch & Close levels of vanadium. The deposits are hosted in steeply dipping to overturned beds in the lower part of the Mount Eclipse Sandstone Review of the geology and and are syngenetic, having been derived from the same Arunta Region basement provenance as the sedimentary material. mineral resources of the Granite of the 1570 Ma Southwark Suite on the basin’s northern Ngalia Basin margin contains up to 22.5 ppm uranium (Young et al 1996). In the eastern part of the Basin, near-surface calcrete-hosted uranium Christine Edgoose mineralisation occurs 3–10 m from the surface, at a width of 1.5 m. Initial exploration identified 5700–6200 t of uranium oxide within a grade range of 0.036–0.038%. The Ngalia Basin is centred approximately 300 km northwest of Alice Springs. It comprises Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic Minor occurrences of copper, barite, fluorite, galena and pyrite are sedimentary rocks, up to 6 km thick, preserved in an elongate recorded from quartz veins at a few locations in the northern part structure that is the remnant of a much more extensive, polyphase of the basin. intracratonic basin. Seismic data indicates that the basin is an asymmetrical synclinal structure, which preserves a much The Ngalia Basin has been only lightly explored for petroleum, thicker succession on a northern margin marked by northerly- with limited seismic acquisition, two exploration wells drilled, and dipping thrusts and high-angle reverse faults. The southern several shallow stratigraphic holes. It appears that the Basin is margin is a gently north-dipping (basinward) basement–cover more likely to be gas prone. interface disrupted by complex faulting. The maximum reported thicknesses of sediments in the Ngalia Basin are about 3200 m References for the Neoproterozoic, 800 m for the Cambrian, 300 m for the Fidler RW, Pope GJ and Ivanac JF, 1990. Bigrlyi Uranium deposit: Ordovician and 3100 m for the Devono–Carboniferous (Wells in Hughes FE (editor) ‘Geology of the mineral deposits of Australia and Moss 1983). A complete section is not preserved at any one and Papua New Guinea’. Australasian Institute of Mining and location. Exposures of basin sediments are largely confined to Metallurgy, Monograph 15, 1135–1138. narrow zones along the northern and southern margins – the rest Walter MR, Veevers JJ, Calver CR and Grey K, 1995. is obscured by Cenozoic sediments and surficial deposits. Neoproterozoic stratigraphy of the Centralian Superbasin, Australia. Precambrian Research 73, 173–195. At approximately 16 000 km2, the Ngalia Basin is the smallest remnant of the 2 million km2 Neoproterozoic Centralian Superbasin, Wells AT and Moss FJ, 1983. The Ngalia Basin, Northern Territory: described by Walter et al (1995). Other structural remnants of this stratigraphy and structure. Bureau of Mineral Resources, Australia, superbasin include the Amadeus, Officer, Georgina, Savory, and Bulletin 212. more recently described Murraba basins. Young DN, Edgoose, CJ, Blake DH and Shaw RD, 1996. Mount Doreen, Northern Territory (Second Edition). 1:250 000 geological Wells and Moss (1983) reported that the Ngalia Basin succession map series explanatory notes, SF 52-12. Northern Territory records nine alternate periods of both sedimentation and Geological Survey, Darwin and Australian Geological Survey diastrophism. Major unconformities divide the succession into six Organisation, Canberra (National Geoscience Mapping Accord). main packages; four of these comprise a mix of continental and marine sedimentation, and two record later periods of continental sedimentation. The Ngalia and Amadeus basins are interpreted to have been contiguous for most of their history, but the Amadeus Basin preserves up to 14 km of Neoproterozoic and Palaeozoic sediments compared with approximately 6 km for the Ngalia Basin. A correlation of the complete stratigraphy of the two basins at formation level clearly shows large gaps in the stratigraphic record of the latter.
The present-day architecture of the Basin is largely the result of the 400–300 Ma Alice Springs Orogeny. Initial effects of this orogeny involved exhumation of basement, which became a major provenance for the youngest succession, the Carboniferous Mount Eclipse Sandstone, which unconformably overlies the older units. The subsequent peak of deformation (locally known as the Mount Eclipse Movement) terminated deposition in the Basin and initiated major structures such as the Yuendumu and Waite Creek thrusts and associated thrust-related folding (Young et al 1996). Major south-verging thrusting of Arunta Region basement over basin sediments on these major structures points to thick-skinned tectonism along the northern margin, with seismic data indicating displacement in excess of 10 km in places (Wells and Moss 1983). Simultaneous thin-skinned thrusting and folding, related to decollement in the Treuer Member, is also evident from seismic data.
The Ngalia Basin contains proven reserves of uranium in both sandstone-hosted roll front-type deposits and in near-surface concentrations. The largest of the known roll front-type deposits is at Bigrlyi on the central northern margin of the basin. There, sixteen radiometric anomalies related to surface or near-surface carnotite and uraninite mineralisation have been defined over a strike length of 12.5 km. Measured and indicated resources are contained within seven mineralised bodies, which amount
to 808 000 t of ore at an average grade of 0.34 % U3O8 for
2770 t U3O8 (Fidler et al 1990). Bigryli is characterised by relatively high grades and excellent metallurgical recoveries, with the uranium mineralisation accompanied by significant www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts Multi commodity exploration in the Arunta - Northern Territory, Gawler - South Australia, Yilgarn - Western Australia
Projects include NT Johnnies Reward Copper, gold SA Bird in Hand Gold Billa Kilina Copper, uranium, gold WA Narndee Uranium, nickel, gold, platinum, copper Yandal Gold
For further information contact Kevin Wills 20 Boskenna Avenue Norwood South Australia 5067 telephone (08) 8132 7960 email [email protected] www.maximusresources.com
these events is likely to form the source for the extensive turbidite The Arunta Region: packages of this age that occur in the Arunta-Tanami. The first deformation event recognised in the Tanami Region Links between tectonics occurred during the 1830 Ma Tanami Event. This event is associated with upright folding, greenschist-facies metamorphism and mineralisation and no known magmatism. It may be associated with a widespread Ian Scrimgeour unconformity surface across the NAC, although this has not been identified in the Arunta Region. It is interpreted to be an intraplate response to the Halls Creek Orogeny to the northwest, The Arunta Region lies along the southern margin of the North which is thought to reflect the collision of the Kimberley and North Australian Craton (NAC) in central Australia, and underwent Australian Cratons. There is no known mineralisation associated prolonged tectonic activity in a series of events during the period with the Tanami Event in the Arunta-Tanami, although Au-Cu-Bi 1810–1560 Ma. These events have varying structural, igneous mineralisation at Tennant Creek may have occurred at this time and metamorphic characteristics, reflecting changing responses (Maidment et al 2006). to plate margin processes. The southern part of the Arunta is characterised by high-grade, medium- to high-P metamorphism, 1810–1690 Ma – Noth-dipping subduction with evidence for significant burial and exhumation of rocks in southeast in a plate margin setting. In comparison, the northern Arunta is dominated by a series of lower-grade events with localised After 1820 Ma, the main influence on the evolution of the Arunta- higher-grade, high-T, low-P metamorphism, reflecting intraplate Tanami was tectonism that was focused in the southeastern responses to events occurring to the south. Our increasing Arunta. This tectonism, which occurred sporadically over more understanding of the tectonic evolution of the Arunta also allows than 100 million years, is interpreted to reflect an evolving, us to link the evolving tectonic evolution with mineralising events. long-lived north-dipping subduction system off the southeastern In the text below, ages of mineralisation are proposed for various margin of the NAC. In the eastern Arunta, a period of volcanism, deposits and prospects in the Arunta-Tanami. These are based on volcaniclastic sedimentation and bimodal magmatism at 1810– available published data, field constraints and isotopic data, but it 1800 Ma (lower Strangways Metamorphic Complex, Mount Hay should be kept in mind that absolute dates on mineralisation are Granulite) is interpreted to reflect deposition in a back-arc basin rare and often ambiguous, and the exact timing of most deposits environment. A subduction-related back-arc setting is supported remains open for debate. by the geochemistry of mafic magmas associated with this event (Hoatsont al 2005). e This back-arc activity led to the formation 1850–1820 Ma – Influences from northern Australia of numerous small- to moderate-sized VMS Pb-Zn deposits (Utnalanama-type of Hussey et al 2005). The volcaniclastic Prior to 1820 Ma, the geological evolution of the Arunta-Tanami sediments are overlain by more carbonate-dominated sediments was largely influenced by tectonism in northern Australia, including of the Cadney Metamorphics. the 1865–1850 Ma Nimbuwah Event in the Pine Creek Orogen, the 1846–1840 Ma Tennant Event (Maidment et al 2006) and Synchronous with back-arc basin development and VMS the 1830 Ma Halls Creek Orogeny. Topography generated by mineralisation in the eastern Arunta, voluminous granitic and www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts lesser mafic magmatism occurred in the northern Arunta and 1690–1600 Ma: Evolution and accretion of the Tanami, associated with the 1810 –1790 Ma Stafford Event. Warumpi Province Across the northern Arunta, this event is characterised by localised high-temperature, low-pressure metamorphism, with Following the Strangways Orogeny, plate-margin tectonism rapid lateral changes in metamorphic grade and isobaric cooling ceased along the southeastern margin of the Arunta, and activity following the metamorphic peak. Recent work by NTGS in the switched to the southwestern margin. Most of this activity is northern and western Arunta has identified three broadly parallel recorded within the Warumpi Province, which is interpreted to be east-trending belts of high-grade metamorphism associated with exotic to the craton (Scrimgeour et al 2005). Subduction related the Stafford Event in the northwestern Arunta. More localised to this event is interpreted to be south-dipping, and therefore medium- to high-grade metamorphism also occurs at Mount there was little associated magmatism or deformation in the Stafford, Waldrons Hill and The Granites. This localised high- craton. Voluminous felsic magmatism in the Warumpi Province grade metamorphism reflects high heat flow with advection of heat during the – is interpreted by felsic and mafic magmas. The Stafford Event is interpreted 1690 1660 Ma Argilke Igneous Event as being, at least in part, extensional in nature, given its high to have formed in a continental arc, outboard of the NAC. Lower heat flow and bimodal magmatism; however, compressional amphibolite-facies volcanics in the Haasts Bluff Domain of the structures such as upright fabrics and tight to isoclinal folds are Warumpi Province are associated with this event and have also associated with this event, suggesting that distinct, and potential for epithermal or mesothermal Au. Deposition of the Yaya possibly diachronous extensional and compressional events may Metamorphic Complex occurred at 1660–1640 Ma, proximal to exist that have not been resolved by existing geochronology. The the arc, and has significant potential for VMS-style mineralisation, Stafford Event is considered to be the major event associated particularly related to massive cordierite rocks. Transpressional with orogenic gold mineralisation in the Tanami (eg Callie, The accretion of the Warumpi Province onto the NAC is believed Granites), where it is was broadly coeval with the granite intrusion to have occurred in the 1640– 1635 Ma Liebig Orogeny. This and deformation. Potential for similar mineralisation related to accretion was accompanied by deep-crustal granulite-facies this event extends across the northern Arunta to the Napperby metamorphism, magmatism and exhumation in parts of the area (Sabre, Falchion?). Significant mafic magmatism throughout Warumpi Province, and with broadly contemporaneous, localised the Arunta at this time has potential for mafic-hosted Ni-Cu extension and mafic magmatism in the NAC. Evidence for (eg Waldrons Hill, Prospect D, Mount Hay). The deposition of accretion at this time includes rapid, deep burial and exhumation the Mount Charles Formation in an intracratonic rift setting in the Tanami may be a late-stage feature of the Stafford Event. of the Yaya Domain, a linear belt of calc-alkaline felsic to Deformation and magmatism related to the Stafford Event is intermediate magmatism, and a hairpin bend in the apparent polar interpreted to be an intraplate response to plate margin processes wander path for northern Australia. Intrusion of mafic dykes in the occurring to the southeast. Warumpi Province at 1633 Ma reflects a rapid change in tectonics from transpression to transtension in the period 1640–1630 Ma Following the Stafford Event, the belt of granite intrusion (Closet al 2005). e Renewed extension following the Liebig progressed southward, with widespread felsic and lesser mafic Orogeny led to deposition of the Iwupataka Metamorphic Complex, magmatism accompanied by (dominantly) compressional which hosts a number of small calc-silicate-hosted Pb-Zn-Ag deformation. This event, at 1780– 1770 Ma, is known as the prospects (Stokes Yard, Ulpuruta) and an amphibolite-hosted Cu- Yambah Event and may be interpreted as closure of the back- Au prospect (Haasts Bluff). arc basin and development of a continental arc. Metamorphism in this event was generally low grade, although evidence locally exists for higher-grade metamorphism in the central and southern Arunta. Granites along the southeastern margin of the Arunta have a geochemistry that suggests a subduction-related setting (Zhao and McCulloch 1995), whereas granites further north within the During 1690–1610 Ma, the craton have more typical NAC signatures. In the eastern Arunta, felsic magmatism associated with the Yambah Event is associated active plate margin was with skarn (Pinnacles Cu, Jervois Pb-Zn?) and Fe-oxide Cu-Au (Jervois Cu, Johnnies Reward Cu-Au-Pb) mineralisation. in the southwest and this Renewed volcaniclastic sedimentation occurred at about 1770– area remains fundamentally 1760 Ma in the eastern Arunta, possibly in a reformed back-arc basin, forming protoliths to the Oonagalabi domain and Albarta under-explored. Metamorphics (Close et al 2006). In the period 1760– 1740 Ma, magmatism appears to be limited to the southeastern Arunta, in a belt running from near Alice Springs, through the Entia Dome and Albarta Metamorphics, to areas southeast of Jervois. This event was probably also associated with mafic magmatism, and may reflect rollback of the subducting slab, with intracratonic basin 1590–1530 Ma: Cratonisation formation occurring further north (eg the Ledan Package). This North-directed deformation and orogenesis occurred in period includes the timing of carbonate-replacement base-metal the southern and central Arunta during the 1590– 1560 Ma mineralisation at the Oonagalabi deposit (Hussey et al 2005), and . In the southern Arunta, this event involved potential may exist for Fe-oxide Cu-Au or other intrusion-related Chewings Orogeny mineralisation in the far-eastern Arunta at this time. Barrovian-style metamorphism and mylonitic deformation, whereas localised higher-T metamorphism occurred in the central Tectonic activity in the period 1735 –1690 Ma was largely limited Arunta in the vicinity of highly radiogenic granites. The Chewings to the eastern Arunta, where pervasive and long-lived high- Orogeny represents a period of significant tectonism throughout grade metamorphism up to granulite facies occurred during the much of Proterozoic Australia and may reflect an intraplate Strangways Orogeny. The tectonic setting of this event remains response to the collision of the NAC with the South Australian enigmatic, although there is some evidence for west-directed Craton. This event effectively cratonised the Arunta, until a series thrusting. The Strangways Orogeny is the final stage of plate-margin of intraplate reworking events in the Palaeozoic. This time-slice is tectonism in the southeastern Arunta, and thus may reflect the extremely important in the Gawler Craton of South Australia, but collision of a fragment of continental crust with the NAC. Intraplate no mineralisation of this age has been recognised in the Arunta responses to this event include localised granite intrusion and high- Region. No magmatism has been identified during the Chewings T, low-P metamorphism to the north and west. Granites associated Orogeny, but post-tectonic granites with an age of – with the event locally have associated W-Mo (Molyhil) or W-Sn 1570 1530 Ma (Davenport Ranges) mineralisation. This event was also associated (Southwark Suite), in the Mount Doreen region, have minor with fault reactivation throughout much of the craton, and resulted in associated copper and tungsten mineralisation in adjacent likely remobilisation of gold in the Tanami (Fraser 2002). country rocks (Young et al 1995). www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts ALCAN — THE RIGHT WAY
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We deliver 7E ARE INVESTING BILLION IN THE EXPANSION OF OUR !LCAN 'OVE RElNERY IN THE .ORTHERN 4ERRITORY TO INCREASE ALUMINA PRODUCTION CAPACITY FROM MILLION TONNES PER ANNUM TO MILLION TONNES 4HE 4OMAGO SMELTER IN .37 !LCAN OWNS IS UNDERGOING A MILLION TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE TO INCREASE PRODUCTION We do what we say CAPACITY BY TONNES 4HE !LCAN %NGINEERING TEAM IN "RISBANE IS 7ITH MORE THAN PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN OUR USING STATE OF THE ART PROCESS TECHNOLOGY TO !USTRALIAN INTERESTS OUR GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN OUR 'OVE RElNERY EXPANSION HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM %(3 &)234 PUTS THEIR WELFARE lRST /UR GREENHOUSE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 4!2'%4 We partner ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE 7E MAXIMISE VALUE IN !USTRALIA BY PROCESSING OUR 1UEENSLAND AND /UR NEW MILLION 1UEENSLAND 2ESEARCH .ORTHERN 4ERRITORY BAUXITE RESERVES AT OUR 'OVE AND $EVELOPMENT #ENTRE COLLABORATES WITH RElNERY AND AT 1!, IN 'LADSTONE !LCAN OWNS THE #3)2/ AND THE 1UEENSLAND 'OVERNMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALUMINA RElNING TECHNOLOGY 7E SPONSOR KEY COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL EVENTS INCLUDING THE ANNUAL 'ARMA &ESTIVAL AND THE NATIONAL ,ANDCARE !WARDS !LCAN 'OVES 9./43 BEST PRACTICE TRAINING PROGRAM OPENS THE DOORS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR
)NDIGENOUS PEOPLE www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts
ALCAU5521 ad_A4_AGES.indd 1 23/2/06 9:23:32 AM Palaeozoic reworking References The Arunta underwent significant reworking from the Cambrian Close DF, Scrimgeour IR, Edgoose CJ, Wingate MTD and Selway K, 2005. Late Palaeoproterozoic oblique accretion of a 1690–1660 Ma through to the Carboniferous, commencing with extensional magmatic arc onto the North Australian Craton: in Wingate MTD deformation, mafic magmatism and high-grade metamorphism and Pisarevsky SA (editors) ‘Supercontinents and Earth Evolution of the Harts Range Metamorphic Complex (Irindina Province) Symposium 2005.’ Geological Society of Australia, Abstracts 81, 177. in the interval 510–460 Ma. This intraplate rift has potential for Close DF, Duffett ML, Scrimgeour IR, Worden K and Goscombe mafic-hosted mineralisation (eg Hammer Hill Ni-Cr), as well as BD, 2006. Southeastern Arunta Region: Subdivision and undercover metamorphosed sediment-hosted base metal mineralisation disposition. This volume. such as BHT-type mineralisation. Inversion of the rift basin Fraser G, 2002. Timing of regional tectonism and Au-mineralisation 40 39 occurred at 450 Ma along localised shear zones that appear to in the Tanami Region: Ar/ Ar geochronological constraints: have accommodated relatively little fluid flow. Compressional in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) 2002. Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2002-003. deformation continued, probably intermittently, until 300 Ma, during Hoatson DM, Sun SS and Claoué-Long JC, 2005. Proterozoic the long-lived Alice Springs Orogeny. During the latter stages of mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the Arunta region, central Australia. this event, in the Carboniferous, significant amounts of fluid were Part 1; Geological setting and mineral potential. Precambrian Mobilised along shear zones in a belt that trends southeast from Research, 142(3–4), 93–133. the Napperby region through to Arltunga, resulting in significant Hussey KJ, 2003. Rare earth elements mineralisation in the eastern Mobilisation and deposition of gold (eg Arltunga, Winnecke, Arunta Region. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record ?Falchion). The Bruces Cu-Au prospect and much of the uranium 2003-004. and rare-earth mineralisation in the eastern Arunta (eg Nolans Hussey KJ, Huston DL and Claoué-Long JC, 2005. Geology and Bore) can be attributed to large-scale Palaeozoic fluid-flow events origin of some Cu-Pb-Zn (Au-Ag) deposits in the Strangways (Hussey 2003). Metamorphic Complex, Arunta Region, Northern Territory. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Report 17. Maidment DW, Lambeck A, Huston DL and Donnellan NC, 2006. Conclusions New geochronological data from the Tennant Region. This volume. An understanding of the complex tectonic evolution of the Arunta Scrimgeour IR, Close DF and Edgoose CJ, 2005. Mount Liebig, is essential in assessing the relative fertility of various domains Northern Territory (Second Edition). 1:250 000 geological map for mineralisation. Most known Proterozoic mineralisation in the series explanatory notes, SF 52-16. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Darwin. Arunta can be related to a long-lived north-dipping subduction Young DN, Edgoose CJ, Blake DH and Shaw RD, 1995. Mount system in the southeast at 1810–1690 Ma, with base metal Doreen, Northern Territory (Second Edition). 1:250 000 geological and copper-gold mineralisation forming in back-arc basins and map series explanatory notes, SF 52-12. Northern Territory magmatic systems proximal to the plate margin, whereas orogenic Geological Survey, Darwin. gold and granite-related tungsten, tin and base metals formed Zhao Jianxin and McCulloch MT, 1995. Geochemical and Nd distal to the margin within the craton. During 1690–1610 Ma, isotopic systematics of granites from the Arunta Inlier, central the active plate margin was in the southwest and this area (the Australia: implications for Proterozoic crustal evolution. Precambrian Warumpi Province) remains fundamentally under-explored. Research 71, 265–299.
ALCAN – THE RIGHT WAY For Alcan a commitment to sustainability in the positive impact on the Territory well after the last “In addition the experience businesses receive Northern Territory (NT) and leaving a positive legacy piece of new equipment is installed. working on a mega-project like ours will place NT for the future is key to doing things the right way. workshops and suppliers in a great position for the “Alcan is committed to supporting the NT’s long- future,” Mr Thurnherr said. As the largest private sector employer in the NT the term sustainability and maximizing the expertise of Alcan Gove alumina refinery makes a substantial its workforce,” Mr Thurnherr said. An example of this at the local level is Alcan’s and ongoing economic and social contribution to innovative partnership with Traditional Owners to surrounding communities and the NT. “As part of doing business the right way we want develop a sand mine and quarry in Nhulunbuy. to nurture sustainable partnerships that will create Employing approximately 1,100 people, the refinery mutual benefits for the Territory’s businesses, “Together we have secured an extraction licence injects more than $120 million in wages community groups and for Alcan.” to mine and supply sand to the Alcan owned brickworks,” Mr Thurnherr said. every year into the Territory’s economy. From the expansion’s outset, Alcan has been “Local Indigenous people have the opportunity to Alcan Gove spends more than $30 million in committedAlcan to working editorial with the NT’s business work in the sand mine and quarry. Here they can material purchases, contributes $60 million annually community to maximise the involvement of local learn the trade skills necessary to operate both to the Territory and Federal Government revenues suppliers and ensure they share the benefits that facilities in the future,” he said. through taxation and actively supports Indigenous flow from this investment. business development through contracts worth “Alcan has partnered with more than 100 Territory- “Once the project is complete, the Traditional around $10 million with Aboriginal enterprises. based suppliers and contractors, and to date has Owners will have the opportunity to purchase the sand mine and quarry,” Mr Thurnherr explained. Alcan South Pacific President Kurt Thurnherr said invested more than $70 million in purchase orders the company’s commitment to the NT had been and contracts to local businesses. “With a skilled workforce already in place, they further demonstrated by the $2 billion Gove refinery “This figure is in addition to the $40 million that will will have ownership of a viable and sustainable expansion. be invested in NT construction yards over the life of business venture that will be in place for future generations.” “The expansion represents a significant investment the project,” Mr Thurnherr said. in the economic development of the Northern In Darwin the labour force has been stretched to Mr Thurnherr believes partnerships such as these, Territory,” Mr Thurnherr said. capacity with a range of companies producing a and the critical experience gained by businesses and community groups alike, will be the most “As one of the biggest investments in the Territory’s myriad of crucial products for the expansion. important legacy the project will leave. history it has created up to 1,700 jobs with 17 per These companies have engaged around 160 cent of these filled by people from the NT. “While the expansion is already creating a positive employees to work directly on the project, many of impact on the NT’s economy, it’s our hope the flow- “Once complete, the expanded refinery will create them more than doubling their employee base to on effects will create sustainable benefits well into 120 new permanent operational roles.” cope with the increased workload. the future,” he said. According to Mr Thurnherr, the expansion is also Mr Thurnherr said the quality of work produced producing sustainable business opportunities and by NT suppliers has been excellent and of an new training initiatives that will continue to have a international standard. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 10 AGES Record of Abstracts Industry information services Tracey Rogers
Information projects that were undertaken, or started in the last Since listing on the ASX on 26 October, 2005 MXR has utilised year include: the extensive exploration and development knowledge of its experienced team to establish strong positions in gold, • a stocktake of the petroleum reports uranium and nickel through exploration of existing projects. The Company has also secured a major land position for a • an improvement of the content of minerals Industry new uranium project in the Eromanga Basin. Reports Management System (IRMS) records Planned exploration expenditure in 2006 is about $2 million, projects include: • further geochemical data capture • Bird-in-Hand Gold Mine, SA (MXR earning 75%) – Maiden • a major upgrade to the Geophysical Image Web Server drilling program underway with highly encouraging results from first 4 holes. High grade precious and base metal intersection in hole BH-17 (9.04m from 158.5m at 31.2 g/t gold, 58.3 g/t silver, • the compilation of functional specifications for the development 0.4 % copper, 5.8 % lead, & 4.6 % zinc). of an integrated corporate database for spatial data. • Adelaide Hills, SA (MXR100%) – Seven goldfields in MXR tenure A project to check and capture drilling and associated being examined for Bird-in-Hand look-alikes. geochemistry data from the Tennant Creek area resulted in the • Billa Kalina, SA (MXR 100%) – Gravity feature to be drill tested addition of 6476 new open file drill collars to the geochemistry for potential Olympic Dam style uranium-copper-gold style database. Over 38 000 corresponding geochemistry records, from mineralisation on completion of infill gravity and magnetic these and additional closed file drillholes, were also added. Another surveys. project to capture drill collars from the McArthur Basin area • Narndee JV, WA (MXR earning 70%) – Large multi-commodity resulted in the addition of 750 records. These data were included holding with potential for uranium, gold, nickel, copper and in an updated Digital Information Package (DIP 001), released in platinum discoveries. RAB drilling programs to commence in January 2006, and are also available via the geochemistry layers April, 2006. delivered through STRIKE. During 2005, data from newly open filed reports have been regularly captured in standard templates • Yandal, WA (MXR 90%) – Strategic tenement holding in highly and are currently being loaded into the database. Newly open filed gold productive Yandal Greenstone Belt. Includes 5 zones of data will now be added on a regular basis. known low grade gold mineralisation. Data review in progress to be followed up with drill testing. An ongoing project to upgrade the minerals Industry Reports • Woolanga, NT (MXR 100%) – Includes known ironstone hosted Management System (IRMS) database content has resulted in a copper-gold mineralisation with geophysical surveys and follow- significant updating of 900 records. Of an estimated 7000 records up drilling scheduled for second and third quarter, 2006. with no information in key fields in January 2004, approximately 2100 reports have subsequently been reindexed as at the end of February 2006. Another 6000 plus records have experienced endeavouring to maintain the current navigation and links on the some improvement using batch modification techniques. Updated new sites, with minimal changes during the migration. However, records are available via the IRMS searching interface on the we will take the opportunity to update some areas and the new website, which is updated monthly, and via a quarterly CD, template may require some reorganisation of content to ensure released as DIP 005. navigation is efficient and effective. A stocktake of the petroleum report, seismic support data and logs A major upgrade to the Geophysical Image Web Server interface collection is in progress. This stocktake has identified reports, logs was completed in April 2005. The interface to the Territory-wide etc that have not been indexed in the database, as well as items images includes new functions such as linked images, the ability that have incorrect records and others that have been entered to download subsets of the images via email and the ability to twice. Records are being added and amended as necessary and over three hundred legacy petroleum reports have been added to annotate images, as well as improvements to the transparency the petroleum IRMS database in the last twelve months. function. In November, the GIWS software was upgraded and GIWS implemented as an open standard compliant web mapping service (WMS). This means that GIWS can be directly accessed from open standard compliant software such as MapInfo, without plugins.
A major project identified in the NTGS Information Management A major upgrade to the Strategic Plan 2004–2008 (IMSP) is the development of an integrated corporate database for all the spatial data collected Geophysical Image Web by the Geological Survey. The database is to be a phased development over a number of years, but will eventually Server interface was incorporate the existing geochemistry, drilling, core library and completed in April 2005 mineral occurrence databases, as well as field observation and mapping data that are currently not held in a database. It will also provide links to other departmental systems such as IRMS and the Titles Administration System, and to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure’s Integrated Land Information System or ILIS. A The Minerals and Energy and NTGS website home pages were major proportion of 2005 was spent preparing detailed functional redesigned and updated in 2005. The NTGS home page now specifications, resulting in the release of a tender for a proof of provides access to product information via searches of the concept in December. A decision on the tender has yet to be made, library catalogue, which has been renamed GEKO (GEoscience but the project is due to start by the end of March 2006, with the Knowledge Online). The main databases and systems, IRMS, proof of concept phase due to be completed by October 2006. In STRIKE, Geophysical Image Web Server (GIWS) and Titles the short to medium term, the database will primarily impact the Information System (TIS) are now directly accessible via internal processes and efficiency of NTGS, but in the longer term, prominent buttons on the home page. All NT Government websites are to be updated with a new NTG corporate style over the next it will enable public client delivery systems to be directly connected few months, including Minerals and Energy and NTGS. The new to the production database, resulting in more efficient and timely Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines (DPIFM) data delivery and a reduction in duplication. website gives an indication of the new look and feel. We will be www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 11 2.0 g/t Au from 176 m downhole and 3.9 m at 6.3 g/t Au from 99 m downhole. Cosmo Deeps has an indicated plus inferred When it comes to diamond resource of 9.7 Mt at 4.05 g/t Au (1.24 Moz Au).
exploration, who covers every facet? • Other successful drilling programs in the Pine Creek Orogen have resulted in a 22% increase in the Zapopan underground Gravity Australia: key farmins in three diamond gold mine reserve to 247 300 t at 13.1 g/t for 103 700 oz Au. Diamonds: one provinces. FALCON®-aided technology success Zapopan is held by GBS Gold Australia Pty Ltd, who also own with new diamond-bearing kimberlite discovery of the world’s the nearby Union Reefs Mill and other prospects in the Pine at Abner Range in the Northern Territory. Creek Orogen including Moline and Maud Creek. leading explorers, Democratic Republic of Congo: world class with first-class terrain, large strategic land package, detailed • Mount Porter, held by Arafura Resources, is located in the Pine technology and aeromagnetic survey completed and target Creek Orogen about 10 km northeast of the Union Reefs Mill. terrain. drilling underway. Mount Porter has an indicated resource of 300 000 t at 3.1 g/t Au and an inferred resource of 55 000 t at 2.6 g/t Au, calculated Phil Harman – Managing Director using a 1.7 g/t Au cut-off. The total contained gold is 34 200 oz. T/ +61 (0)3 9909 7655 E/ [email protected] The total identified mineral resource using a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off is Visit www.gravitydiamonds.com.au 878 000 t at 1.9 g/t Au or 53 100 oz. The project is approaching the ready-to-mine stage.
• Also in the Pine Creek Orogen, Renison Consolidated Mines NL completed financing arrangements for the development of the Toms Gully mine and mining commenced in October 2005. The project will be a 45 000 oz per annum underground mine, with the first ore expected to be mined in January 2006. A CIL plant is currently being refurbished and is expected to be recommissioned by March 2006. Development and operation of the mine is to be by PT Petrosea Tbk, a subsidiary of Clough Ltd.
• Ord River Developments have rep orted some good grades at gold prospects in their Suplejack Project in the northern Tanami Region. The project area includes nine prospects: Tregony, Thomas, Boco, Donald, Far South East, Crusade South, Normandy Hill, PHD and Burnt Ridge. Best intercepts at the notoriously nuggety Tregony prospect include, in separate holes, 6 m at 28.7 g/t Au, including 1 m at 144.5 g/t; and 6 m at 18.14 g/t and in the same hole 3 m at 69.18 g/t. In 2001, Tregony was estimated to contain an indicated and inferred hard-rock resource of 1.1 Mt at 1.47 g/t Au for 55 300 oz using a 0.3 g/t cutoff. Preliminary evaluation suggests that the resource at Tregony could be more than previously estimated.
NT mineral exploration • At the end of 2005, Centralian Minerals Ltd (formerly Giants Reef) had a substantial landholding in the Tennant Region. overview 2005 Underground mining at Chariot ceased on 26 November 2005; John Dunster the mine is on care and maintenance and the plant has been decommissioned.
Commodity review Copper-gold Most mineral commodity prices increased during 2005, many to • Drilling at Adelaide Resources Ltd’s Rover copper-gold project record levels. Uranium has been climbing steadily since mid 2003 in the Tennant Region has confirmed the potential of the and gold since early 2001. These commodities and copper, lead system. The Rover 12 prospect has returned an intersection and zinc “boomed” during the second half of 2005. Nickel prices of 55 m at 0.31% copper and 0.02 g/t gold, including 15.1 m decreased overall from a peak in May 2005. at 0.57% copper and 0.03 g/t gold from 465.3 m. The area is also prospective for base metals. Competitor Navarre Resources/ Gold (45%) and uranium (20%) accounted for most of the Westgold Resources NL holds other tenements in the Rover area. exploration expenditure in NT during 2005. Diamonds came third with 10%. Despite the decline in the nickel price and the fact that Copper-cobalt-nickel NT has unproven nickel potential, nickel exploration accounted • The Redbank copper project in the McArthur Basin was for 5% of total expenditure. This is in contrast to a meagre 7% acquired by the newly renamed Redbank Mines Limited. The spent exploring for other base metals, such as lead-zinc-silver deposit has a JORC-compliant resource of 4.2 Mt at 1.5% Cu. and copper-cobalt, for which the NT has world-class endowment, SRK valued the project at $14.5 million. active mines and developments under feasibility studies. • Intersections of 20 m at 2.07% Cu, 0.30% Co and 0.37% Ni, and Exploration update 12 m at 2.17% Cu, 0.03% Co and 0.09% Ni were reported by The exploration and mining highlights for the calendar year 2005 Compass Resources NL, from its Browns East oxide prospect, are described below in terms of commodity. 80 km south of Darwin in the Pine Creek Orogen. This oxidised copper-cobalt-nickel mineralisation is the weathered near- Gold surface expression of the Browns East deposit (resource of 30.5 Mt at 1.29% Cu, 1.28% Pb, 0.13% Co and 0.13% Ni). • At the Cosmo Deeps deposit in the Pine Creek Orogen, Northern Gold NL (now GBS Gold Australia Pty Ltd) has • Compass Resources NL have other multi-commodity targets explored beneath the east and west flanks of the old Cosmo in the Batchelor area including the Mouth Fitch oxide deposit. open pit. Best results included 4.1 m at 10.1 g/t Au from 622 m Recent intersections include 18 m at 2.06% Cu, 0.12% Co and downhole and 4.7 m at 7.1 g/t Au from 358 m downhole in the 0.15% Ni. The Mount Fitch copper orebody remains open to the Eastern Lodes. In the Western Lodes, results included 7.5 m at north and is adjacent to a uranium prospect of the same name. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 12 AGES Record of Abstracts • Discovery Nickel defined two Sally Malay-type nickel targets, a 20 km strike length of identified, shallow, potentially open-pit Cobia and Barra, in their Litchfield Project. Drilling was planned mineralisation in several locations. The company will undertake for late 2005. drilling to upgrade the resource base to JORC compliance as rapidly as possible. • Arafura Resources and Mithril Resources have teamed up to explore the Hammer Hill area of the eastern Arunta Region Molybdenum-tungsten-tin for nickel, cobalt and chromium. Previous exploration indicates percent levels of nickel and over ten percent chromium. • Thor Mining PLC/Sunsphere’s Molyhil Project is located 220 km northeast of Alice Springs, within the Arunta Region. A • Mithril Resources announced promising Ni-Cu grades sampling program, which commenced in July 2005, included over narrow zones at its Barrow Creek Project in the the sinking of three shafts to extract bulk samples from the Arunta Region. Four out of five holes intersected sulfides. orebody. The average combined grade over the 26.1 m of the The best grades were 6.8 m at 0.27% Ni and 1.24% Cu first cross-cut is 1.01%, which is well in excess of the current from 133.8 m including 35 cm at 1.22% Ni and 8.27% combined JORC grade. The Molyhil Project currently has an Cu. Mithril has interpreted the results as a thin dyke and indicated resource of 1.53 Mt at 0.32% WO3 and 0.19% MoS2 had planned to follow up with a geophysical survey. (combined grade 0.51%) and an inferred resource of 500 000 t at 0.25% WO and 0.15% MoS (combined grade 0.40%). • AusQuest Limited has used a Noril’sk Ni-Cu-PGE model, based 3 2 on basalt lithogeochemical similarity, to explore the Cambrian • Segue Resources acquired the Coronet Hill project in the Pine Kalkarindji Flood Basalt Province. Work on their project Antrim Creek Orogen from Arafura Resources. The historical copper is focused along the Neave Fault, which is thought to be a major and silver field will be explored for tungsten and tin, with a basalt feeder. Only limited drilling has been undertaken to date. program forecast to cost $1.6 million. Lead-zinc-silver Iron ore • Reward Minerals Australia Pty Ltd obtained further significant • Territory Iron Limited has 13 tenements in the Frances Creek results from the most recent RC drilling program at the Jervois area 23 km north of Pine Creek. Iron ore was produced and project in the eastern Arunta Region, including 6 m at 5.2% exported from 1967 up until 1974, when Cyclone Tracy flooded copper from 65.0 m in hole RJ 29 at Bellbird and 14 m at 9.9% pits and damaged port infrastructure, forcing closure. There lead, 2.8% zinc, 89 g/t silver from 32 m in hole RJ 41 at Green Parrot. are 55 known deposits in the area. The company has acquired geophysical surveys and is drilling to raise the resource status • Tennant Creek Gold worked on the Manbarrum lead-zinc to JORC compliance. Cumulative resources for eight deposits project (formerly Sandy Creek or Legune) in the onshore have been upgraded to 5.77 Mt at 60.0% Fe from the previously Bonaparte Basin. Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) lead-zinc reported 2.42 Mt at 60.7% Fe. This does not include Helene 6/7 mineralisation was outlined in previous exploration during the previously reported at 1.0 Mt at 63.4% Fe. An overall reserve 1970s. Title has now been granted over two tenements covering statement and feasibility study are anticipated early next year. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 13 Mineral sands type was valued at US$4500 per ct and a large white 14.21 ct stone was valued at $1815 per ct or US$25 791. • Matilda Minerals Limited has mining leases over the zircon-rich Andranangoo and Lethbridge Bay mineral sands deposits on the • Tawana Resources NL total diamond recovery from the TC-01 Tiwi Islands, some 60 km north of Darwin. The ore reserve is Timber Creek kimberlite in the Victoria Basin now stands at 4.9 million tonnes grading 4.5% heavy minerals. Construction of 17 387 diamonds weighing 839 ct from 3802 t, representing an the gravity processing plant for the Tiwi Islands is on schedule overall grade of 22 ct per hundred tonnes. Tawana has entered and within budget. Matilda has an off-take agreement with Astron into an alliance with de Beers to form Newco. Limited to purchase the entire production from the project.
Diamonds
• Gravity Diamonds Limited has begun testing the ABN021 Abner Range kimberlite pipe in the McArthur Basin. The pipe, The current resurgence in estimated to cover 1.3 hectares with a separate satellite lobe of 0.3 hectares, was discovered by following an anomaly identified uranium exploration has in a Falcon® airborne gravity gradiometry survey. Both the main pipe and the satellite are diamond-bearing. One macrodiamond seen over twenty companies of 0.147 ct and two other diamonds greater than 0.3 mm become involved in diameter have been recovered from limited drilling. Previously announced drilling returned a total of 147 microdiamonds and exploration in the NT two small macrodiamonds.
• North Australian Diamonds Ltd (formerly Striker Resources NL) began reprocessing sorthouse tailings at its Merlin mine in the McArthur Basin in the middle of the year. Production Rare earths now exceeds 140 000 stones for 12 000 ct at over 460 ct per hundred tonnes. A total of 331 stones larger than 1 ct have • As a result of an 8752 m drilling campaign in July 2005, Arafura been recovered. The company also reported the recovery of a Resources NL has trebled the resource at Nolans Bore to 18.6 Mt at 3.1% REO, 14% P O and 0.47 lb/tonne U O . The 14.21 ct gem-quality clear white diamond, a 10.27 ct light brown 2 5 3 8 gem-quality fragment from a larger stone and a 10.97 ct brown company now predicts that Nolans Bore will have a mine life near-gem. Stage 2 of the development involves the processing of at least 30 years. The resource estimate will lead into a of the remaining tailings, remnant ore from previously mined feasibility study due to start in early 2006. pits and ore minable because of re-optimised pit designs. Bulk Manganese samples have been excavated from the Kaye and Ywain pits for processing. A valuation of Merlin diamonds achieved an • OM Holdings subsidiary, Bootu Creek Resources, has secured average of US$1454 per ct; the most valuable “fancy yellow” funding for the development of its Bootu Creek manganese project, 110 km north of Tennant Creek. The current reserve is 5.6 Mt at 26% manganese with resources of 11.1 Mt at 28% manganese. The mine is expected to produce 550 000–600 000 The AUSTRALIAN Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency tonnes of manganese per annum, comprising 75% lump and (ARPANSA) and the National Occupational Health and Safety 25% fines. Commissioning of the plant is scheduled for March/ Commission (NOHSC) have established radiation protection April 2006. The total project cost has been put at $41.2 million. standards, setting annual, effective dose limits for radiation workers to minimize the risk of adverse health effects. Uranium These standards recommend radiation workers should not be exposed to The current resurgence in uranium exploration has seen over in excess of 100,000 microsievert (pSv) in five years, with no more than twenty companies become involved in exploration in the NT. 50,000 pSv in any one year. Batavia Mining, Bullion Minerals, Crescent Gold, Deep Yellow, Workers who are exposed to radiation over a long period of time can Energy Metals, Fast Scout, Laramide Resources, Marengo Mining, personally monitor themselves using ARPANSA’s Personal Radiation Nova Energy, Polaris Metals/Washington Resources JV, Scimitar Monitoring Service (PRMS). Resources, Uranium Exploration Australia, Uranex NL and Personal monitoring checks the adequacy of radiation protection and can Valhalla Uranium are among the new or spin-off companies with a be used to document occupational doses, especially when a worker is portfolio that includes the NT. They join Cameco who has been the accidentally exposed, and to show inadequate or improper radiation mainstay of uranium exploration in the NT for several years, and protection practices. ERA who operates the Ranger Mine.
Miners and others who continually wear individual badge monitors can • In December 2005, Energy Metals announced that drilling had determine their annual radiation dose. commenced at its 53.3% owned Bigrlyi uranium project in the Unlike its competitors, ARPANSA has access to the people who actually Ngalia Basin. The Bigrlyi project is a joint venture with Valhalla take the radiation measurements and any queries a worker may have Uranium (41.7%) and Southern Cross Exploration (5%). The can be answered by simply calling the organisation’s FREECALL number. area was subjected to significant exploration activity in the (ARPANSA) is not a local agent for an overseas company). period 1974 to 1982, including percussion and diamond drilling, resource calculations and metallurgical testing. A non-JORC- The ARPANSA monitoring badges work in conjunction with a service that compliant overall resource of 808 000 t of ore at an average uses a reliable technology that has been thoroughly investigated over a long period of time. The service fully meets the requirements of all state, grade of 3.43 kg/t U3O8, equivalent to 2770 tonnes of contained territory and federal regulations. U3O8, was established in the late 1980s. Anomaly 15 lies at the eastern end of the deposit and an independent consultant ARPANSA monitors can also detect lower levels of radiation than those calculated a (pre-JORC) resource of 623 400 t at 3.21 kg/t used by some other companies. U3O8. ‘Energy Metals’ current’ drilling program will test a radon ARPANSA operates an IS09000/ geochemical anomaly, located 200 m east of the Anomaly AS17025 quality system and is the 15 deposit. This drilling is the first part of a major campaign only service operating in Australia to designed to infill and extend known uranium mineralisation, as have full National Association of Testing well as locate new deposits buried under shallow sand cover. Authorities (NATA) accreditation. Assay results from the drilling and resampling program should be available in January 2006. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 14 AGES Record of Abstracts D8:D8?FE Fg\e:lk
"OOMING IRON ORE AND COAL INDUSTRIES PROVIDE THE -ACMAHON /PEN #UT $IVISION WITH THE FOUNDATION FOR ITS THRIVING BUSINESS 4HIS BUSINESS IS FURTHER ENHANCED WITH CONTRACTS IN THE DIAMOND MANGANESE GOLD COPPER PHOSPHATE AND LIMESTONE INDUSTRIES
-ACMAHON PLACES SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT OF ITS OPERATIONS WHILE MAINTAINING COST EFFECTIVE SERVICES
4HE /PEN #UT $IVISION CONTINUES TO CONSOLIDATE ITS WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY CLIENTS AT OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT !USTRALIA AS WELL AS IN .EW :EALAND AND -ALAYSIA
-ACMAHON /PEN #UT PROVIDES COMPLETE MINE TO MILL CAPABILITY INCLUDING
s $RILL AND BLAST 0ERTH (EAD /FFICE s ,OAD AND HAUL 4EL s #RUSHING SCREENING AND STACKING OPERATIONS &AX %MAIL INFO MACMAHONCOMAU s (EAP LEACH MANAGEMENT s 4AILINGS DAM CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT "RISBANE s -ATERIALS HANDLING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 4EL s -INE PLANNING WWWMACMAHONCOMAU www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 15
0?-!#?/PEN#UT!!DINDD 0- • Deep Yellow had looked to be set to be the first to a post- Federal intervention JORC-compliant uranium resource in the NT. Deep Yellow acquired their Ngalia Basin Napperby (aka New Well) calcrete uranium deposit from Paladin Resources. CRCLEME The shallow and thin deposit was previously drilled by Uranerz between 1977 and 1981. Uranerz carried out an economic Cooperative Research Centre for orientation study, based on a range of 5700–6200 t contained
Landscape Environments U3O8 within a grade range of 0.036–0.038%. Deep Yellow and Mineral Exploration undertook an air-core drilling program to bring it up to JORC compliance and independent specialists Hellman and Schofield were commissioned to do the resource statement. After a problem with an analytic standard sample was resolved, there CRC LEME assists mineral explorers by was still an apparent discrepancy between recent assays and the original Uranerz data. This was attributed to poor recovery improving the understanding of regolith by air-core in the main mineralised zone and the choice of 1 m composites (Uranerz had used 0.5 m) through the narrow processes, both on a regional and local mineralised intervals. Further drilling will be required.
scale, so current exploration techniques • Deep Yellow also acquired the uranium rights to all of Tanami can be refined and new ones developed. Gold’s tenements in the Tanami-Arunta Province, covering 60 000 km2 in both the Northern Territory and Western Australia. A particular focus of the Centre’s The Tanami-Arunta Province presents a range of uranium targets. Unconformity-related deposits, such as those at Lake research is on landscapes containing Mackay, Browns Range Dome and adjacent areas, are of transported material where traditional particular interest within the area. The tenement package also covers known deposits at Don and Deva in Western Australia. exploration methods are ineffective. • Drilling at Mount Fitch uranium prospect confirmed the presence of uranium mineralisation, as previously identified As part of the 2006 Annual Geoscience by drilling in the 1960s by the Australian Atomic Energy Commission. Some grades initially reported to the ASX by Exploration Seminar (AGES), CRC LEME Compass Resources were later revised down because of “a and the Northern Territory Geological Survey transcription error.” Corrected figures include 66 m at 1.42 lb/ tonne U3O8 from 19 m downhole, including 6 m at 3.74 lb/tonne. will launch their Atlas of Regolith Materials The uranium mineralisation is less than 100 m from, and in the same host rocks as a copper prospect, also called Mount Fitch, of the Northern Territory (Open File Report but the two do not appear to be genetically related.
196, I.D.M. Robertson, M.A. Craig, & R.R. • Laramide Resources entered into an agreement with Arafura Anand). Resources to explore the Lagoon Creek uranium prospect and surrounds in the Westmoreland Conglomerate (Murphy Inlier), near the Queensland border.
Available for purchase at AGES, the • An increased uranium spot price has allowed ERA to increase extensively illustrated Atlas conveys the its reserves and resources, and extend the mine life of the Ranger mine by a further three years. The cut-off grade has appearance, petrographic, mineralogical, been reduced from 0.12% to 0.08% uranium oxide, resulting in a 6285 t increase in reserves to 45 285 t and an increase and geochemical characteristics of a wide in resources by 14 923 t to 42 992 t. The Ranger mine has selection of regolith materials important to operated for 25 years and is the second largest uranium mine in the world, providing 11% of world global output. mineral explorers and is an indispensable field Abrasives reference for those needing to understand • Olympia Resources Ltd has signed a heads-of-agreement the regolith of the Northern Territory. with Branvest Pty Ltd to assist in the production and marketing development of the Harts Range abrasives project in the Arunta Region. The project is located 180 km northeast of Alice CRC LEME is an unincorporated joint Springs and contains 2.7 Mt of garnet and 6.2 Mt of alumino magnesio hornblende (AMH) within 71 Mt of ore reserves. The venture established and supported under project is expected to produce 300 000 tpa of abrasive product. the Australian Government’s Cooperative Coal Research Centres Programme. • Tri-Star Petroleum applied for 4840 blocks of the Crown Point and Purni Formations in the Pedirka Basin to explore for coal. For more information about CRC LEME, Tri-Star has coal seam methane production in Queensland. visit their website at: http://crcleme.org.au • Conarco Minerals Pty Ltd holds ELs 23904 and 23906 on the coastal plains of the southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria region, or telephone (08) 6436 8695. near the town of Borroloola. Research for petroleum discovered a driller’s report of coal being intersected in a 1992 water bore near Manangoora Station. However, no other direct evidence of the existence of coal in the area is known. Following granting of the ELs, Conarco subsequently farmed-out.
Titles and exploration expenditure update Prepared for the 2006 AGES Program Forty-three percent of the NT is considered prospective and explorable for mineral resources. At the end of 2005, 31% was under application, a significant increase over the previous three www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 16 AGES Record of Abstracts years, and 16.3% was covered by granted title. The number of exploration applications rose significantly during 2005 and is currently at a similar level to 2000–2001. The number of exploration titles being granted each year and the total number of titles has remained constant over the past three years. Exploration expenditure increased during 2004–05 to $55.6 million (up 30.8% on 2003–04), but the NT’s share of exploration spending within Australia needs to improve on its current level of 5.4%.
Geophysical models of the Tennant Region Michael Roach
The Tennant Region hosts a large number of small to medium, high-grade, iron-oxide, gold-copper deposits. Many of these deposits have been mined during the last 50 years and the region is currently being actively explored for new resources. A large amount of geological information is available on the deposits and their local geological environments, but due to limited surface exposure, the more regional geological context of the region is poorly understood. Modern systematic aeromagnetic data covering the entire Tennant Region has been used by NTGS for the production of an excellent interpreted solid geology map (Johnstone and Donnellan 2004), but much of this interpretation is untested and the likely three-dimensional distribution of rock units is not defined. Some of the ambiguity in the geological interpretation can be reduced, if geological, magnetic and gravity data can be integrated. NTGS has recently acquired systematic gravity coverage over the Tennant Region and these data, together with data from Geoscience Australia and open-file company data, provide important additional information on the likely sub-surface distribution of major rock units. A combination of constrained 2.5- D forward modeling and unconstrained 3-D inversion has been employed to help define the likely sub-surface distribution of major rock units. expressing the likelihood that each cell in the model belongs to a Geophysical inverse models of the Tennant Region have been particular geological unit in terms of a membership function that created from open file aeromagnetic and gravity data to assist is defined from the statistical variability of selected training areas. in the interpretation of the regional geological setting of gold- The approach that has been adopted is similar to the classification copper mineralisation. Inversions were completed using UBC-GIF approach commonly applied to satellite or other remote sensing software (Li and Oldenburg 1996). An initial regional inversion, data, but in this case, it has been applied to a three-dimensional covering a 300 x 300 km area centred on Tennant Creek, was volume. Training areas for the density and susceptibility volumes completed to investigate the likely geometry of major elements for each major geological class were defined in regions where of the regional geology, including the distribution of magnetic the geology was well understood and likely to be relatively rock units at depth. The results of the large-scale inversion were homogenous. Each cell in the final 3-D model is assigned to the then used to generate residual gravity and magnetic fields for a most likely geological class, but the membership information is more detailed model of a 100 x 100 km area covering the main also preserved for each cell for each class in the model. This new zones of known mineralisation. Independent gravity and magnetic approach recognizes and explicitly records the inherent ambiguity inversions were conducted in each case to define magnetic in the interpretation of the gravity and magnetic datasets. susceptibility and density volumes. For the Tennant Region, the subsurface distribution of granitic Although a large volume of petrophysical information is available rock units is well defined in the models although it is not generally on the ore bodies and their immediate environment, there is only possible to distinguish between different suites of granitic rocks a limited petrophysical database for other units and the properties on the basis of their regional geophysical characteristics. However on many major rock suites are unknown or poorly constrained. there is considerable uncertainty associated with the interpretation Additional petrophysical data were acquired on exploration of the distribution of other rock suites, such as elements of the drill core samples held by NTGS, but these holes intersected Warramunga Formation and Ooradidgee Group, due to their only a limited portion of the overall stratigraphy. An additional overlapping physical property signatures. The final models provide complication in the interpretation of the geophysical data is that a realistically imprecise depiction of the likely three-dimensional there is significant spread in petrophysical properties for individual distribution of rock units. They also provide an ideal basis for more rock units and considerable overlap between units. This means detailed investigations of the subsurface geology of the Tennant that unambiguous identification of individual rock units, based Creek area. The final physical property models can be used on their gravity and magnetic signatures, is not usually possible. directly in the future for regional-residual separation of gravity This variability in properties together with the limited geological and magnetic data for mode detailed local modeling or data available from outcrop and clustered drillholes makes tightly inversion studies. constrained regional forward modeling or inversion a difficult and ambiguous process. References In response to the inherent ambiguity in physical properties Donnellan NC and Johnstone A, 2004. Mapped and interpreted at Tennant Region, a new methodology for interpretation of geology of the Tennant Region. 1:500 000 scale. Northern Territory unconstrained inversion volumes has been developed and trialed. Geological Survey, Darwin. The method attempts to take into account the statistical variability Li Yaoguo and Oldenburg DW, 1996. 3-D inversion of magnetic data. in petrophysical properties of the major rock units. It does so by Geophysics 61(2), 394–408. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 17 the cessation of production, Plenty River Mining continued to explore in joint ventures with Anaconda (1983–1984) and Normandy Poseidon (1991–1996) in geophysical and drilling exploration programs.
Britannia Gold NL acquired the Jervois tenements in 1987. Britannia entered into a joint venture agreement with MIM Exploration in 1999, with MIMEX managers. MIMEX applied high-resolution geophysical techniques and a deep diamond- All profits go to members drilling program to map and test the lode horizon at depth and not to sales agents or along strike from the Reward-Marshal, Green Parrot and Bellbird mineralisation. In all, 36 RC and diamond holes were drilled, with shareholders generally encouraging results. An important development was Strong long-term the recognition of gold mineralisation associated with copper in primary ore. Virtually all holes on the lode horizon intersected investment performance – mineralisation, some of the best intersections being: 42.5 m @ ARF’s Balanced Investment 1.77% Cu, 0.24 g/t Au, 120 g/t Ag (DDH J13); 28 m @ 2.47% Cu, Option has returned an 0.59 g/t Au, 25 g/t Ag (DDH J15); 12 m @ 1.54% Cu, 0.54 g/t Au, 16 g/t Ag (DDH J22); 6.2 m @ 3.29% Cu, 0.09 g/t Au, 37 g/t Ag average annual crediting Further information call (DDH J26); 30 m @ 1.05% Cu, 0.08% Au, 5 g/t Ag and 9.1 m @ rate of 7.4% p.a. for the Darryl Florance 3.21% Cu, 0.24 g/t Au, 17 g/t Ag (DDH J33). five financial years to 30 NT Manager MIMEX withdrew from the joint venture in late 2001, having June 2005. This compares concluded that the mineralisation was depth limited and that 8941 8866 to 5.6% p.a. for the median mineable widths were discontinuous in the mineralised zones. or visit balanced fund over the Drilling had indicated that mineralisation occurred in discontinuous pods controlled by structure and stratigraphy, and neither www.arf.com.au same period was particularly well understood. MIMEX concluded that the (SuperRatings Survey)* mineralisation would not provide a producing mine of an attractive This information is current at the time of preparation. size to MIM. You should consider whether ARF is appropriate for you and read our Product Disclosure Statement, available at www.arf.com.au/downloads.asp or by The recently formed Reward Minerals purchased the Jervois calling 1300 300 273 before making a decision about ARF. *Investments can go up and down. tenements from Britannia in late 2003. The company carried out a Past performance is not indicative of future diamond- and RAB-drilling program in 2004–2005 to fill in gaps in performance. Australian Retirement Fund Pty Ltd the drilling record at shallow levels. Some of the better down-hole ABN 44 006 466 619 AFSL 238134 intersections reported by Reward Minerals included, for Bellbird: ARF181 RMC 4 m @ 7.93% Cu, 6 m @ 5.2% Cu and 12 m @ 2.85% Cu; and for Green Parrot: 7 m @ 14.2% Pb, 7.6% Zn, 1.8% Cu, 415 g/t Ag, 14 m @ 9.9% Pb, 2.82% Zn, 89 g/t Ag, 5 m @ 11.3% Pb, 2.8% Zn, 358 g/t Ag and 10 m @ 3.3% Pb, 2.26% Zn, 100 g/t Ag and 4.9 g/t Au. New insights into the Jervois mineral field Max Frater The recently formed Reward Minerals The Jervois copper-lead-zinc prospect occurs in Palaeoproterozoic Bonya Schist (1807 Ma depositional age), approximately 360 km purchased the Jervois by road northeast from Alice Springs. The outcrop of resistant hills that contains the mineralised horizon is folded in a ‘J’-shape tenements from synform in aerial photographs and satellite images. The ‘J’ fold roughly defines the limits of outcrop. After initial discovery in the Britannia in late 2003 1920s and some small-scale mining of oxide ore, the first modern exploration program was undertaken by New Consolidated Goldfields in the period 1961–1965. Three zones of mineralisation (Reward, Green Parrot and Bellbird) were outlined over a distance of 5 km. This phase of exploration defined a combined ore reserve Acid volcanic rocks of rhyolitic composition occur at the base of of 2.4 Mt at 2% copper to a depth of 95 m. Subsequent exploration the district stratigraphy. The volcanics are deformed and internal by Petrocarb (1969–1973), Union Corporation (1973–1974) and textures destroyed, but at their thickest, they consist of both fine- Plenty River Mining (1980–1983) added substantially to the metal and coarse-grained siliceous rocks, which are massive or coarsely tenor and tonnage. Petrocarb established a ‘reserve’ of 3 Mt at bedded and which contain rounded bombs or clasts of the same 2.5% copper and 50 g/t silver to a maximum depth of 130 m. In composition. These coarse-grained to massive volcanics are addition, a further 300 000 t at 9% lead, 3% zinc and 170 g/t silver interpreted in outcrop as having a high thickness to length ratio were estimated for Green Parrot. that varies considerably laterally. The absence of fine- to medium bedding suggests that they are either lavas or laharic deposits. Plenty River Mining commissioned a treatment plant and mine They are overlain and may lens laterally into quartzite and calc- infrastructure to treat lead-zinc-copper-silver ore from the Green silicate beds that suggest a shallow-marine environment. The Parrot orebody in 1982 at a total cost of A$15 million. The plant Jervois mineralisation is interpreted to occur at this level, though produced 500 t of concentrate in 3 months to June 1982, before distal to the rhyolite/laharic bodies. The latter are represented being placed on care and maintenance for the company to go in the “J” fold by diamictite, containing rounded pebbles of acid public with a share float in March 1983. The plant was again volcanic in a slate matrix. The mineralisation itself occurs in slate, commissioned on Green Parrot oxidised ore in August 1983, but andalusite-quartz-mica schist and calc-silicate rocks. Thick blastic following a sharp decline in metal prices, was again placed on andalusite schist occurs above the mineralised horizon. This unit care and maintenance in December 1983. In the 5 months of narrows and blast become less abundant to the north of Reward production, the plant produced 2000 t of concentrate grading and northeast from Bellbird, on the eastern side of the ‘J’. Slate, 50.4% lead, 5.4% zinc, 0.6% copper and 680 g/t silver. Following www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 18 AGES Record of Abstracts meta-siltstone, fine-grained psammite and calc-silicate rocks country rock adjacent to pegmatite and increased levels of occur above the blastic andalusite schist. To the west of Jervois magnetite and sulfides. Interpretations of textures and fabrics (west of Bonya Bore), this succession passes upward into a thick indicate that the initial influx of magnetite was associated with meta-dolerite sill. Isolated outcrops of meta-basalt intruded by D1 and probably associated with early granite emplacement. The dolerite, 10 km southeast of Jervois, are interpreted as lying above intimate relationship between sulfides and magnetite in skarn the sedimentary succession. Both meta-dolerite and at least two rocks point towards S being present (at least locally) in the generations of pegmatite intrude the stratigraphy in the ‘J’ fold. hydrothermal system, during, or in the later stages of magnetite
Pegmatites are common in mineralised rocks in the Reward- mineralisation (D1). Later folding (F2) and shear deformation
Green Parrot zone, whereas meta-dolerites are not recognised (D3) resulted in vein and breccia structures that remobilised in the workings and are rarely intersected in drilling. Pervasive both magnetite and sulfides. During D3, open space within en magnetite extends the length of the ‘J’ fold and to the east and echelon shear zones formed the sites for base-metal/magnetite north. Magnetite appears to occur in both S1 and S2 foliations, and mineralisation. Cu is the dominant base metal and there is almost it preferentially replaces bedded calc-silicate rocks to produce as much chalcopyrite as pyrite in sulfide intersections in drill core. massive ironstone. Haematite occurs only as a trace replacing MIMEX intersected a Cu-Au(-Ag) mineral association in deep magnetite (martitisation), but haematite and goethite impregnate holes in the Reward/Marshall zone in 2001 and Reward Minerals and form veins in brecciated granite to the north of the ‘J’ fold. reported Ag-Au and Pb-Ag-Au mineralisation at Green Parrot in their 2005 drilling program. Pb-Zn-Ag mineralisation is generally
Three major deformation events are evident. D1 is recognised in confined to Ca-Mn garnet-rich skarn, which is interpreted as regional flat-lying isoclinal folds (F1) that result in close repetition having replaced calc-silicate. The absence of Pb-Zn mineralisation of sedimentary units at Jervois. D2 is expressed in moderately tight at Bellbird appears to be related to the absence of skarns in the to tight folds (F2), with variable fold axes that plunge from shallow prospect. The flushing of many elements, including REE and to vertical. Granites and pegmatites of at least two generations HFSE, from magnetite-rich zones suggests a high fluid/rock (deformed and undeformed) are present in the region. The ‘J’ fold ratio in the hydrothermal system. The dominant gangue mineral
(F3) is interpreted as a drag feature to a regional fault that passes assemblage to magnetite and sulfide mineralisation is chlorite, to the west of Jervois, hidden beneath Adelaidian-aged Georgina quartz and white mica (H+ alteration), with subordinate biotite. In Basin sediments. The regional fault is recognised to the southwest skarn mineralisation, gangue minerals commonly include garnet, of Bellbird in tall ridges of brecciated and altered granite, and can chlorite, quartz (and carbonate). be traced in aeromagnetic images under the Jervois Range. The Jervois mineralisation has many of the characteristics of Mineralisation in the Jervois prospects occurs late in ‘en echelon’ an IOCG system: a large volume of magnetite, elevated Ag, shears, presumably related to D3. There is no close relationship Co, U, P (and Au) and prominent structural control. There has between sulfides and magnetite, whereas magnetite is abundant been no regional geochemistry that might prove or disprove and widespread in the mineralised horizon; the better-developed the presence of extensive alkali-rich alteration, as is typical of sulfide occurrences are restricted to brecciated and mylonitised IOCG systems. The highly oxidised Fe-rich (S-poor) ore fluids rocks, which may be skarn, slate or andalusite schist. In diamond that were responsible for abundant magnetite in the district were drill core from the MIMEX drilling program, it is apparent that there probably magmatic (granite) and basin derived, the Fe++ was is a relationship, although inconsistent, between metasomatised probably derived from abundant meta-dolerite and gabbro that
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Freecall telephone number: 1800 678 112 NATA Accredited www.arpansa.gov.au Laboratory Number 14442 www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 19 Macmahon’s Open Cut Division continues to expand its operations across Australia with a string of new and potential contracts.
In June 2005, Macmahon announced it had The Orebody 18 contract, with a value of term contracts at Dampier Port Bulking and expanded its open cut operations into the approximately $250 million, was the single Argyle Diamonds, both in Western Australia. Northern Territory with the award of a three- largest contract, in terms of value, ever Macmahon has worked at the Dampier iron year contract with Bootu Resources to develop awarded to Macmahon. ore port since July 1993 carrying out iron the new Bootu Creek Manganese Mine. “Macmahon’s operations at Orebody 18 ore blending as part of scheduling to meet The mine is located approximatelyGorey 100km will involve & the Cole full range ofDrillers mining services customer requirements. north of Tennant Creek and the contract including drilling, blasting, loading and The contract was extended for a further three involves mining and processing manganese hauling of iron ore and waste materials. The ad years and the scope of work was expanded ore. The initial production rate is 600,000 ore processing services will include crushing to include blending at both the Dampier and tonnes per year of manganese product. and train loading of iron ore, in addition to the Cape Lambert ports. maintenance of the BHP Billiton owned ore “Manganese will be transported from the processing infrastructure,” Mr O’Reilly said. Macmahon started work at the Argyle mine by road to a rail siding where it will be Diamond mine in Western Australia’s Kimberley loaded onto trains for transport to Darwin region in 1990. The contract, which involves for shipping,” Macmahon Open Cut General tailings dam construction, was extended until Manager Damien O’Reilly said. The booming iron ore sector December 2007. Most recently, Macmahon was notified it continues to provide us with “We are also developing our fleet at the was the preferred proponent for the two contract opportunities,” Eaglefield coal mine in Queensland to continue year mining and processing contract at the meeting our client’s needs on this long-term existing BHP Billiton Jimblebar iron ore mine When fully operational, the new mine is contract,” Mr O’Reilly said. in Western Australia. expected to employ close to 140 people and “Macmahon recently purchased an Hitachi The Jimblebar mine is approximately 60 produce up to eight million tonnes per annum EX5500 which has already started work kilometres east of Newman and has an of iron ore for the duration of the contract. at Eaglefield. The fleet at Eaglefield will be average annual production of seven million “Macmahon continues to strengthen our further supplemented during the year with tonnes of ore. working relationship with BHP Billiton. This several Komatsu 730E trucks with 180 tonne “The booming iron ore sector continues to work complements our open cut contract payloads.” provide us with contract opportunities,” Mr mining work at the Mt Whaleback iron ore O’Reilly said. mine, in Newman, where we have been since November 2003,” he said. “The news of the Jimblebar contract comes after Macmahon was awarded a mining A buoyant resources sector has created further and crushing contract for BHP Billiton’s open cut opportunities across Australia. new Orebody 18 open cut iron ore mine in Last year, Macmahon also extended long- December.”
occur regionally. Contrary to a classic system, however, the sulfide mineralisation is stratabound and confined to a palaeo-strandline in interbedded slate, calc-silicate rocks, marble and andalusite Southeastern Arunta Region: schist (siltstone, some of which is calcareous, limestone and mudstone). This mineralisation occurs at the base of a thick pile Subdivision and undercover of andalusite schist which rapidly thins and becomes a slate (with disposition sparse andalusite) to north and south of the proven mineralisation. The setting in which the sulfide mineralisation occurs is interpreted Dorothy Close, Mark Duffett, Ian Scrimgeour, as being the floor of a palaeo-basin, 8+ km in length (open to the Kurt Worden and Ben Goscombe south), resting on basal acid volcanic rocks. It is possible that the area was still seismically active post-volcanism, at the time of sediment deposition. The pre-deformation setting, in which Introduction sulfide mineralisation might have occurred, would then represent The East Arunta project incorporates ILLOGWA CREEK, HALE a SEDEX or distal volcanogenic deposit. The presence of marble RIVER and HAY RIVER, and covers the Neoproterozoic to and calc-silicate rocks indicate a shallow-water environment Palaeozoic Irindina Province and the Palaeoproterozoic Aileron and preclude the setting as representing an incipient VMS. The Province of the Arunta Region. In 2005, the focus of the East sulfides, which now occur mainly in D3 ‘en echelon’ shear zones, Arunta project was twofold: firstly to acquire detailed field are interpreted here as being sourced from a sulfur-rich horizon, at observational data and analytical results in the Palaeoproterozoic the contact of the acid volcanics with shallow-marine sediments, southeastern region of the Aileron Province; and secondly, to essentially the position in which they now occur. interrogate available geophysical and drilling datasets to provide an interpretation of the depth and nature of the Irindina and Aileron Magnetite dominates the Jervois mineralisation and the provinces that extend beneath the cover of Eromanga Basin and mineralising system is interpreted as belonging to the diverse Cenozoic sediments. Fe-oxide (Cu-Au) type, the base metal-rich horizon being a local footprint. In this model, magnetite is still important in exploration, as Subdivision of the southeastern the dense magnetite bodies represent Fe-replaced calc-silicate at or near the palaeo-strandline and this horizon remains an attractive Palaeoproterozoic Aileron Province target. The difficulty encountered in using magnetics in exploration An informal subdivision of the southeastern section of the is to obtain a resolution that allows the magnetic susceptibility Palaeoproterozoic Aileron Province of the Arunta Region, as of discrete, dense magnetite bodies to be separated from the described below, is defined on the basis of distinct lithological magnetite overprint that envelopes all lithologies. It should be packages, peak metamorphic conditions, and preliminary U-Pb remembered that in most IOCG districts there are far more barren SHRIMP geochronological data. Fe-oxide bodies than there are mineralised bodies, and the model proposed here does not preclude the proposition that other styles Alooarjara domain of IOCG mineralisation may be present in the vicinity. The Alooarjara domain comprises a package of upper amphibolite- to granulite-facies metapelites, metapsammites, abundant mafic www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 20 AGES Record of Abstracts intrusive rocks, and lesser felsic intrusive rocks. These units with mafic to ultramafic units and biotite granite. These lithologies were previously mapped as belonging to the Harts Range Group, have all been pervasively overprinted by an upper amphibolite- as they occur structurally above the Bruna Detachment Zone. facies northwest–southeast-trending fabric. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon However, U-Pb SHRIMP dating of a quartzofeldspathic gneiss dating of the metasediments in this ‘eastern zone’ has yielded an from the Alooarjara metamorphics (Maidment 2005) yielded a interpreted maximum deposition age of 1845 ± 6 Ma, whereas magmatic age of 1760 ± 9 Ma, confirming that this succession dating of a representative sample of the felsic intrusives of this is Palaeoproterozoic. Anomalous levels of Au and Cu within zone has yielded a magmatic age of 1817 ± 3.9 Ma. Sm-Nd ultramafic units of the Alooarjara domain (originally identified by isotopic analysis of the dated granite has yielded a model age Agip Australia Pty Ltd in 1977) have been confirmed with follow- of 2.32 Ga and an εNd value of -1.16. This dating suggests up sampling. A quartzofeldspathic vein or segregation within an that the ‘eastern zone’ of the Casey Inlier contains units that ultramafic unit has yielded elevated Au (71 ppb), Cu (3.4%) and Cr are significantly older than the 1810–1780 Ma Strangways (2150 ppm). Metamorphic Complex to the north.
Albarta domain The ‘central zone’ comprises granulite-facies basement rocks and a greenschist-facies cover succession. Granulite-facies migmatitic The Albarta domain comprises amphibolite-facies metapelites, metapsammite, lesser metapelite and felsic to mafic intrusive metapsammites, calcsilicates and minor quartz magnetite layers rocks form the basement. The cover succession is a succession (Albarta Metamorphics) intruded by granites, granodiorites and of quartzite and porphyroblastic pelitic schist that unconformably lesser mafic units. Preliminary SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of underlies the Neoproterozoic basal Amadeus Basin. Deformation a metasediment with a possible volcaniclastic protolith from the of this succession under peak upper greenschist-facies conditions Albarta Metamorphics suggests a potential correlation with 1770– is east-vergent. The eastern boundary of the central zone is 1760 Ma protoliths of the Oonagalabi base metal deposit. U-Pb defined by a multistage steep dextral strike-slip fault zone that SHRIMP zircon dating of two granite samples within the Albarta was reactivated during the 400–300 Ma Alice Springs Orogeny to domain have yielded preliminary magmatic ages similar to an age offset Amadeus Basin sediments. Abundant quartz-filled tension of 1762 ± 9 Ma that was obtained by Zhao and Bennett (1995) for vein arrays within this cover succession suggest extensive fluid a granite within the Atneequa Granite Complex. This suggests flow and the potential for gold mineralisation. The granulite-facies that the majority of felsic intrusive rocks distributed throughout the basement succession is retrogressed by the same regional Albarta metamorphics are probably contemporaneous. amphibolite-facies NW-SE trending fabric that is seen in the ‘eastern zone’. Casey Inlier The Casey Inlier is a previously unmapped inlier of The ‘western zone’ is a dominantly magmatic domain, with Palaeoproterozoic basement that is exposed within the abundant muscovite-biotite leucogranite and lesser biotite northeastern Amadeus Basin in HALE RIVER. It can be porphyritic granite and mafic rock. No metasediments have been subdivided into three fault-bounded zones based on lithological identified in the western zone. Peak metamorphic grade for this packages and metamorphic grade. The ‘eastern zone’ comprises zone has been interpreted to be amphibolite facies, defining the metasediments that include metapelite, metapsammite, quartz- regional northwest–southeast-trending fabric, as observed in the magnetite layers, and graphite-bearing calcsilicate rocks, together other two zones. GOREY & COLE DRILLERS PTY LTD WATER AND MINERAL DRILLERS
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Phone: 08 8952 2966 Web: www.goreycole.com.au Fax: 08 8952 7017 Address: 66 Smith Street, Alice Springs NT email: [email protected] www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 21 ILLOGWA CREEK, HAY RIVER and much of northern HALE RIVER are much shallower than this, not exceeding 250 m and typically less than 150 m. The relief on the basement unconformity surface appears to be not dissimilar to its exposed westward equivalents, with variations exceeding 100 m over short distances. Some distinct Cretaceous and/or Cenozoic sub-basins are apparent adjacent to outcropping Arunta Region rocks in central ILLOGWA CREEK and western HAY RIVER.
Basement interpretation ALICE HOSPITALITY SUPPLIES Observed magnetic signatures can be classified into several distinct servicing the mining industry with kitchen & cleaning solutions groups, most of which are directly correlatable to outcropping geological units. Highly magnetic (exceeding 10000 x 10-5 SI Kitchen Utensils Cutlery Crockery Glassware Uniforms Chef Knives Bar Accessories Commercial Kitchen Equipmant apparent bulk magnetic susceptibility), convoluted signatures Refrigeration Equipment Cleaning Equipment Chemicals correspond to granulites of the Palaeoproterozoic Strangways Phone: 08 8955 5388 Fax: 08 8955 5380 Mobile: 0418 895 492 Metamorphic Complex. Rocks of the adjacent Irindina Province Unit 1, 2 Ghan Road, Alice Springs NT 0871 (Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic protoliths) are generally much email: [email protected] less magnetic (typically less than 500 x 10-5 SI apparent bulk magnetic susceptibility), but nonetheless, exhibit east-southeast- trending magnetic bands, consistent with isoclinal folding through Future isotopic analysis, using both U-Pb SHRIMP zircon and much of the terrane, occasionally disrupted by faults at very low monazite dating, together with Sm-Nd analysis of the intrusive rocks angles to this trend. Dips are difficult to discern, with few ideally in the central and western zones of the Casey Inlier, will provide isolated anomalies, but a range appears to be present, with insights to the nature of the underlying basement crust, and will allow none predominant. The Alooarjara domain magnetic signature further comparisons with adjacent Palaeoproterozoic domains. is enigmatically intermediate between that of the Irindina and Strangways complexes. East of 137°E, an open-folded magnetic Geophysical interpretation of the undercover marker unit appears to be associated with a particular horizon within Palaeoproterozoic Aileron Province and a largely concealed Neoproterozoic succession, contiguous with the Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic Irindina Province Georgina Basin to the north. Nowhere else in the Georgina Basin does the section contain such a magnetic unit. Cover depth interpretation Both the Aileron and Irindina provinces are interpreted to extend References for considerable distances under cover of Eromanga Basin and Maidment DW, 2005. Palaeozoic high-grade metamorphism within Cenozoic sediments. The thickness of this cover has been defined the Centralian Superbasin, Harts Range region, central Australia. and mapped using a synthesis of government stratigraphic drilling, PhD thesis, Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National water bore, exploration drilling, previous magnetic interpretations, University, Canberra. seismic, new magnetic source depth interpretation and outcrop Whiting TH, 1987. A study of the lithology and structure of the eastern data. ‘Basement’ (defined for this purpose as any pre-Alice Springs Arunta Inlier based on aeromagnetic interpretation. PhD thesis, Orogeny unit) intersections in water bores were interpreted largely Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Adelaide. from lithological descriptions given in driller and (occasionally) Zhao Jianxin and Bennett VC, 1995. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geological logs. geochronology of granites in the Arunta Inlier, central Australia: The principal previous magnetic interpretation in the region is implications for Proterozoic crustal evolution. Precambrian that of a PhD thesis by Whiting (1987). These magnetic source Research 71, 17–43. depth estimates have been supplemented by new work and other interpretations contained in company reports. Interpreted magnetic source depths are generally at least 30 m deeper than outcrops and drill intersections in the immediate vicinity. The average difference The Tanami Deep Seismic is over 60 m, with up to 100 m apparent in some instances. This is interpreted to result from magnetite-destructive oxidative weathering. Reflection Experiment: 2006 Commensurate corrections must therefore be made to inferences of cover thickness from magnetic source depth estimates, bearing in preliminary results mind that some rock types may be more vulnerable than others. Leon Vandenberg, Bruce Goleby, Leonie Jones, Leon Bagas, David Huston, Andrew Crispe, Patrick Lyons, Wade Johnston, Tim Smith and Tim Barton
Summary Magnetite is destroyed The Tanami seismic reflection project is a joint project between Geoscience Australia, Geological Survey of Western Australia, by oxidation to depths Northern Territory Geological Survey, Newmont Australia and Tanami Gold NL. Data acquisition was completed in July 2005 of up to 100 m and preliminary results indicate that the crustal architecture of the Tanami and Arunta regions appears to have been imaged, including several structural anomalies that may control known gold mineralisation. The main crustal-scale features include a major southeast-dipping suture that extends from the surface to Seismic data from petroleum exploration in the Eromanga the Moho (possibly the boundary between the Tanami and Arunta and Pedirka basins (1960s to 1980s) extends to within a few regions); a partitioning of the crust into a less reflective upper crust kilometres of shallow magnetic basement southeast of the Casey and a more reflective middle to lower crust; a series of southeast-, Inlier and in central SIMPSON DESERT NORTH. This has northeast- and northwest-dipping shallow reflectors within enabled interpretation of cover thickness to extend through to the the Tanami Region that are interpreted as thrusts; shallow and southeastern corner of the NT, where it is tied to several petroleum relatively thin granitic bodies that are less than 10 km thick; and a wells. One of these, Beachcomber-1, in eastern SIMPSON DESERT strong association between ore deposits and prospects and the SOUTH, intersected metasediments with possible affinity to the location of crustal structural anomalies, including shallowly-dipping Irindina Province at 1786.5 m. Cover thicknesses throughout thrusts, pop-up structures and ramp anticlines. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 22 AGES Record of Abstracts www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 23 Head Office: T: +61 8 8982 2000 F: +61 8 8941 0412 E [email protected] Frances Bay Drive, DARWIN NT 0801 Logistical solutions. www.perkins.com.au
Introduction and hosts the Callie, Tanami, Granites and Groundrush mine sites, and the Coyote and Bald Hill deposits. The region is considered The Tanami Deep Seismic Reflection Survey is a collaborative highly prospective for further large gold deposits. research project involving Geoscience Australia (GA), the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS), the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA), Newmont Exploration Pty Ltd and Tanami Gold NL. The main objectives of the seismic reflection survey are to investigate the crustal architecture of the Tanami Region and identify the geological features and settings that have led to gold mineralisation in the area.
To achieve these objectives, the seismic reflection survey was designed to:
• image the geometry of the main faults
• determine a deformation sequence for these faults
• identify through-going crustal structures
• determine stratigraphic thicknesses of the Tanami Group and granite body geometries
• determine the relationships of the various stratigraphic packages to controlling structures Figure 1 • investigate the relationship of mineralised domains to Location of the Tanami Region, crustal-scale structures Northern Territory and Western Australia
• identify Archaean basement and its relationship to overlying Tanami Group stratigraphy The oldest rocks in the region are Archaean-aged metasedimentary and meta-igneous rocks (2510 Ma: Page et al • investigate the character of the Tanami–Arunta boundary. 1995), and these are basement to the overlying Tanami Group. The Tanami Group (1850–1830 Ma) is predominantly turbiditic Tanami geology and consists of the Dead Bullock and Killi Killi formations (Cross The Tanami Region is approximately 600 km northwest of Alice and Crispe in press, Crispe et al in press). The Tanami Group Springs and straddles the NT–WA border (Figure 1). The region hosts most of the regions 1800 Ma gold deposits (Cross et al has gold resources and production in excess of 10 million ounces, 2005). Tanami Group sedimentation was terminated by the www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 24 AGES Record of Abstracts Tanami Event, the first major deformation and metamorphic event in the Tanami Region at around 1830 Ma. Sediments and volcanics of the Ware Group and Mount Charles Formation were Newmont is uncovering deposited at 1825–1810 Ma and 1800 Ma, respectively. The period between 1825 and 1790 Ma was characterised by several periods the wealth of the of deformation and granite intrusion. These rocks are overlain by younger rocks of the Pargee Sandstone (<1765 Ma) and Northern Territory Birrindudu Group. The results of geochronological studies in the region indicate that correlates of the Tanami Group extend into the northern Arunta Region to the south (A Cross and J Claoué-Long, Newmont is a leading international gold GA unpublished data). producer with operations on five continents and is also engaged in the exploration for Seismic acquisition gold and the acquisition of properties in Under the supervision of ANSIR (Australian National Seismic some of the world’s best gold districts. Imaging Resource) and through its facilities manager, Terrex Seismic Pty Ltd, the seismic reflection acquisition program ran Employing approximately 28,000 employees and from May to July 2005. During this period, 720 line kilometres contractors worldwide, Newmont operates core assets of seismic reflection data were acquired for a total budget of $1.2 million. The data were acquired using ANSIR’s seismic in North America, Australia, South America, Asia, reflection system, consisting of a 240 channel ARAM24 (24 bit) and Indonesia, and is currently developing new mine seismic reflection recording system with 10 Hz geophones and projects. The long-term success of Newmont as one of 3 x IVI 60 000 lb Vibrators operating at all times. the world’s leading gold producers, depends on creating The Tanami seismic survey consisted of four regional deep seismic value for the communities in which we operate as well traverses, 05GA-T1 through to 05GA-T4 (Figure 2). Traverse as for our shareholders. We insist on high standards 05GA-T1 is a northwest–southeast regional transect whilst Traverses 05GA-T2, 05GA-T3 and 05GA-T4 provide orthogonal for environment protection, good community relations, three-dimensional control on the geometry of the region’s main social responsibility, employee well-being, workplace fault systems. The seismic traverses passed close to, or over the safety, and honest communication, which all contribute Tanami, Groundrush, Callie and The Granites mine sites and the Coyote and Bald Hill deposits, in order to provide crustal-scale to enhancing our reputation with stakeholders as the information on the geological settings of these mineral-rich areas. mining company of choice.
Newmont is one of Australia’s largest gold producers, with interests in five mining operations in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New Zealand.
Newmont Tanami Operations, located 530 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs in the remote Tanami Desert of the Northern Territory, consists of a processing facility at The Granites, the Callie high-grade underground mine and open pits at Dead Bullock Soak, and the Tanami plant which processes Groundrush open pit ore.
Newmont plays a significant role in providing economic benefit to our host communities and governments, through direct and indirect employment, purchasing goods and services, and payment of taxes and Figure 2 royalties. We believe the equitable distribution of Location of the four Tanami seismic traverses (05GA-T1 through to wealth generated from our operations should be 05GA-T4). Background image is the regional Bouguer gravity field with northeast illumination; colours range from pink, for high field leveraged into long-term value for host communities. values indicating dense rocks, to blue, for low field values indicating Wherever we operate in the world we are committed to less dense rocks; spacing of gravity stations ranges from 4 to 11 km (source: Geoscience Australia GADDS website). Locations of mine fulfilling our environmental and social responsibilities, sites and deposits are shown as circles. leaving a legacy of increased prosperity, healthier, better-educated people with quality job skills and improved employment prospects, and improved local In conjunction with the seismic reflection acquisition program, the infrastructure. Northern Territory Geological Survey collected 400 m-spaced gravity data along each of the seismic traverses. Geoscience Australia, through ANSIR, also collected wide-angle velocity data along regional traverse 05GA-T1 to provide additional velocity constraints on the upper crust.
Processing and interpretation Processing commenced in June 2005 and is due for completion by June 2006. Processing utilises the DISCO/FOCUS seismic www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 25 processing package. Major processing steps identified as being Acknowledgments most critical in improving the quality of data include refraction statics corrections, velocity analysis and the correct migration of The seismic data were acquired for the project by ANSIR: the the data. National Research Facility for Earth Sounding. We thank them for their efforts and expertise. We thank Geoscience Australia, the Geoscientists from GA, GSWA, NTGS, Tanami Gold NL and Geological Survey of Western Australia, the Northern Territory Newmont Exploration Pty Ltd met in October/November 2005 to Geological Survey, Newmont Exploration Pty Ltd and Tanami Gold begin interpreting the seismic data. The next joint interpretation NL for assistance during the field operations and input during the workshop is planned for early March 2006, and final results from interpretation of the data. Geoscience Australia provided staff to process the seismic data. the project (including data and interpretations) are to be released to the public at a Tanami Seismic Workshop, scheduled for References June 2006. Crispe AJ, Vandenberg LC and Scrimgeour IR, in press. Tanami seismic survey preliminary results Geological Framework of the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic Tanami Region, Northern Teritory: Mineralium Deposita. Initial assessment of the seismic data indicates that the quality is Cross AJ and Crispe AJ, in press. SHRIMP U-Pb analyses very good and that the majority of the survey objectives appear to of detrital zircon: A window to understanding the early be achievable. Palaeoproterozoic development of the Tanami Basin, Northern Australia: Mineralium Deposita. Large-scale features interpreted from the seismic include Cross AJ, Fletcher IR, Crispe AJ, Huston DL and Williams N, 2005. the following: New constraints on the timing of deposition and mineralisation in the Tanami Group: in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar • The Moho appears to have been imaged on all sections, and (AGES) 2005. Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory Geological ranges in depth from 35–50 km. Survey, Record 2005-001. Page R, Sun Shensu and Blake DH, 1995. Geochronology of an • Changes in Moho topography appear to be coincident with exposed late Archaean basement terrane in The Granite-Tanami significant changes observed in other geophysical data, in Region. AGSO Research Newsletter 22, 19–20. particular, regional gravity. Vandenberg LC and Meixner T, 2004. The Tanami 3D model – 2004 update: in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) 2004. • Many large crustal structures appear to extend from the Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory Geological surface to the Moho boundary. Several are interpreted to be of Survey, Record 2004-001. fundamental significance to the architecture of the crust.
• There appears to be a broad correlation of known mineralised domains and the position of secondary structures associated Results of recent stratigraphic with larger-scale features. drilling in the southwestern • Domains with previously unrecognised complexities in the crustal architecture appear to have been imaged. Several of Amadeus Basin and these domains appear to have considerable mineralisation implications for petroleum potential, and have been subjected to only limited previous exploration. and minerals exploration
• Several granite bodies in close proximity to known Greg Ambrose mineralisation appear to have been successfully imaged. The granite bodies are relatively thin (<10 km). No significant granite Two stratigraphic drillholes were drilled in late 2005 in the far bodies were imaged in the middle to lower crust. southwestern Amadeus Basin. They provide much needed stratigraphic control in this area, with implications for petroleum • A broad correlation appears to exist between the geological and minerals explorers. Full details will be published shortly and relationships in these initial seismic interpretations to those the main conclusions are available on the NTGS website. modelled in the Tanami 3D web-model (Vandenberg and Meixner 2004). Significant refinement and improvement to the The stratigraphic section encountered in drillhole LA05DD01, 3D web-model are anticipated following incorporation of the located 270 km southwest of the Mereenie oil and gas field, new seismic data. spans 621 m of the Cambro–Ordovician Pertaoorta Group. The lowermost part of the drillhole comprises microbial laminated, • In light of our preliminary interpretations, it is anticipated that the pale grey quartzite (Arumbera Sandstone) in sharp contact seismic data will have a significant impact on current and future below with 202 m of red-brown to olive green mottled, dolomitic exploration strategies in the Tanami Region. siltstone/mudstone. The additional presence of overlying enterolithic folding, diapiric breccia, chert and evaporites in this Conclusions section supports a correlation with the Early Cambrian ?Giles The Tanami Seismic Collaborative Research Project, with its Creek Dolostone. The Chandler Formation is disconformably? overlain by an upward-coarsening alluvial succession about 354 km-long ’backbone’ traverse 05GA-T1, and the three cross- 300 m thick (Petermann Sandstone). The latter is dominated lines 05GA-T2, 05GA-T3, and 05GA-T4 are providing a better in the lower part by a prograding, upward-coarsening, partly understanding of the three-dimensional structure of the Tanami channelised alluvial succession, capped by more massive, lithic Region. The project is providing results that will assist mineral sandstone deposited on a braidplain as sediment was swept off explorers in a region that has known gold resources, but where the Musgrave Province to the south. The sandstone is texturally explorers are now facing the challenges of discovering new and mineralogically immature, and has not been metamorphosed. ‘blind’ deposits. Encouraged by the high-quality seismic data The uppermost sandstone records sulfides (chalcopyrite and that has been acquired, negotiations have commenced for the ?bornite) disseminated along crossbeds and subvertical fractures acquisition of Magneto-Telluric data (MT) along sections of the in the interval 271–276 m. This may be classic redbed-style Cu seismic traverse lines. This emerging technology can provide mineralisation, which was focused along relatively permeable supplementary images of deep crustal features which, when zones, including fractures. combined with the seismic data, should further enhance our understanding of the region; in particular the fluid flow zones that The overlying Ordovician Pacoota Sandstone is a pale grey, may have had a considerable influence on mineralisation. kaolinitic, crossbedded, medium- to coarse-grained sandstone, www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 26 AGES Record of Abstracts 25 Watt Mobile Radio
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DARWIN: Lot 1035, Berrimah Road, PO Box 236, Berrimah, NT 0828 Phone: (08) 8984 4098 Fax: (08) 8984 4398 KATHERINE: Victoria Hwy, Katherine Rail Terminal, PO Box 354, Katherine, NT 0851 Phone: (08) 8971 7366 Fax: (08) 8971 7377 TENNANT CREEK: Stuart Hwy, Tennant Creek Rail Terminal, PO Box 1115, Tennant Creek, NT 0861 Phone: (08) 8962 3977 Fax: (08) 8962 3966 ALICE SPRINGS: Goods Shed, Rail Terminal, Lot 9103, Ghan Road PO Box 155, Alice Springs, NT 0870 Phone (08) 8952 6600 Fax (08) 8952 6699 www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 28 AGES Record of Abstracts which has a sharp (disconformable?) contact with the underlying Major project activities and products Petermann Sandstone. Limonite staining after pyrite is common and the sandstone has poor to very good visual porosity. 1. The generation of a regolith-landforms map of the Northern Territory at 1:2 500 000 scale (Figure 1). About 10 km southwest of the initial drillhole, a second stratigraphic drillhole, BR05DD01, intersected 1225 m of Neoproterozoic section. The deepest intersection, the ?Loves Creek Member of the Bitter Springs Formation, is 700+ m thick and comprises mainly dolostone (silty and occasionally oolitic packstone and wackestone) with occasional black shale, chert and sandstone in the upper section; evaporites become more common with depth. Some vuggy carbonates below 900 m have fair visual porosity, but substantial source rocks are lacking. Unconformably overlying the Bitter Springs Formation is 48 m of massive diamictite belonging to the Areyonga Formation. The upper few metres of this succession is shaly and conglomeratic, and grades into silty mudstone of the Pertatataka Formation, which is 480+ m thick. Black shale of the Aralka Formation is missing in this well. The lower Pertatataka Formation comprises pale-dark grey and chocolate-brown silty mudstone interspersed with thin, upward-fining, occasionally sandy layers, interpreted as turbidites, which are 2–10 m thick but have very poor visual porosity. The top 150 m of the intersected section comprises mainly chocolate-brown silty mudstone and evaporites.
Geochemical analysis of the Pertatataka Formation failed to reveal Total Organic Carbon contents above 1%, as is the case in other parts of the basin, and these may represent depleted source rocks. Further work is required to resolve this and also the nature and source of a small, live oil bleed located in the lower Pertatataka Formation.
It is relevant that the most important Neoproterozoic petroleum system in the basin, the Gillen Member of the Bitter Springs Formation, has not been intersected in the western portion of the basin and the extent and significance of this petroleum system remains unknown.
Figure 1. Elements of the NT regolith map, 1:2 500 000 scale Northern Territory regolith project: 2. The conducting of a trans-NT regolith traverse, to set the scene A successful completion for a more detailed investigation of the nature and distribution of regolith and associated landforms throughout the NT (Figure 1). Mike Craig
This abstract outlines the aims, deliverables, scope, major activities, products, achievements and impacts of the recently completed and highly successful collaborative project on the Regolith-Landscape Framework of the Northern Territory. Staff from the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) and the Cooperative Research Centre for Mineral Exploration and Landscape Environments (CRC LEME) began a seemingly mammoth collaborative task of documenting and describing the character, distribution and variability of regolith throughout the Northern Territory, on a regional scale not previously undertaken. It has taken twenty-seven months for the team to reach the goals it set in mid 2003.
Aims The Northern Territory (NT) Regolith Project was designed to establish a regolith-landforms map (1:2.5 million scale), to be supported by a Regolith Materials Atlas, describing how regolith materials vary in appearance, where they can be expected to occur and what their broader identifying characteristics might be. A wide variety of local regolith materials, suitable for addressing the diverse needs of mineral exploration and land management, were to be characterised, and if possible, major landscape domains and their associated weathering history and evolution were to be Figure 2. Trans-NT regolith traverse observation sites. fitted into the emerging broader geochronological framework of the Australian regolith. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 29 3. The study of major regolith terrains to better characterise the regolith and landform variations throughout the NT (Figure 3).
Figure 3. NT regolith characterisation sites. At each site, the regolith is characterised, a photographic record of the immediate landscape Figure 5. context is taken and, for some 600 sites, a whole sample Geochemical regions as defined for the Atlas of Regolith geochemistry has been determined. Materials of the Northern Territory
The conducting of a regolith materials and mapping 4. 6. Using palaeomagnetism in a pilot study, begin to establish a workshop, in Darwin, following on from the NTGS “Gabfest” geochronology of oxidation events using surface and mine (18–21 January 2004), to an audience of NTGS staff and invited exposures of the NT regolith and fitting this information into the industry representatives. The workshop focused on regolith emerging wider Australian regolith geochronology materials and mapping techniques, and was presented by Mike ( Figures 6 and 7). Craig, Ravi Anand and David Gray. 7. Providing, at project closure to NTGS, a copy of the detailed 5. The distilling of a wide range of regolith information from within Geographic Information System (GIS) of regolith-landforms and the project activities, sufficient to construct an atlas of NT material attributes constructed. regolith materials (Figures 4 and 5). 8. Providing a summary project report.
Figure 6. Figure 4. Location of NT regolith samples collected for palaeomagnetic Atlas of Regolith Materials of age determination. Background is the Elevation Map of the NT the Northern Territory (Clifton 2005). www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 30 AGES Record of Abstracts FIELD TECHNICIANS FOR HIRE
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2. The regolith atlas is now complete and is a key milestone in providing critical information in support of the NT regolith- landforms map and the detailed NT regolith GIS. It conveys information to explorers, land use managers and others about the nature and distribution of the NT regolith; how the wide assortment of regolith materials varies in appearance; and broader identifying characteristics, including geochemistry. The atlas will become an indispensable field reference for those needing to know about the Northern Territory regolith.
3. A pilot palaeomagnetics sample program was successfully conducted to help address the issue of a lack of age control in NT regolith materials and landforms. Overall palaeomagnetic ages range from 2 Ma in a weathering profile along the Darwin foreshore to 295 Ma in a road cutting at Tennant Creek. A small cluster of ages occurs around 5–10 Ma, from samples taken from the hinterland of the Darwin coastal plain. A single age of 47 Ma comes from near Glen Helen Gorge west of Alice Springs. Project results generally fall within three major age clusters determined from a very much larger range of samples being Figure 7. amassed by Brad Pillans (pers comm). In view of the results of Reconnaissance palaeomagnetic poles from Northern Territory sites our pilot program, a much clearer understanding of the timing (from Pillans and Craig 2005), Morney Profile (Idnurm and Senior 1978) and Perth Basin (Schmidt and Embleton 1976), plotted on the Australian of NT regolith, weathering and landscape development can be Apparent Polar Wander Path (after Schmidt and Clark 2000). derived from a more focused palaeomagnetic age determination program across the Territory, and would be a welcome addition Project achievements to the understanding of the NT regolith. Formal project work has now ended . The team has achieved the Impacts following significant milestones: The project’s products provide the Northern Territory with the first 1. The NT regolith project has produced a regolith-landforms map comprehensive, structured regional account of: (1:2.5 million scale) of the entire Northern Territory (generated from a more comprehensive working GIS detailing the Northern • regolith-landforms, in terms of variability and distribution, Territory regolith). The hard-copy map is a much needed from 1:300 k to 1:2.5 million scales companion to other Territory-wide maps at 1:2.5 million scale. Note that much more detail can be extracted from the project’s • regolith material characteristics from mesoscale working GIS. through to microscale www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 31 • broader regolith geochemistry Palaeoecology 24(4), 263–277. Pillans B and Craig M, 2005. Reconnaissance palaeomagnetic • the beginnings of a systematic oxidation event geochronology. dating of regolith samples from the Northern Territory: in Roach IC The detailed regolith-landforms GIS and the pictorial atlas of (editor) ‘Regolith 2005: Ten years of CRC LEME.’ Proceedings of regolith materials represent a valuable new source of information the CRC LEME Regional Regolith Symposia 2005, Adelaide and that will help foster mineral exploration and land management Canberra, November 2005, 248–251. decisions within the Territory by providing a better understanding Schmidt PW and Clark D.A. 2000. Paleomagnetism, apparent of its regolith. This work contributes significantly to building polar wander path and paleolatitude: in Veevers JJ (editor) a better integrated and more substantial underpinning for Billion-year earth history of Australia and neighbours in geoscientific work in the Territory. Gondwanaland. Gemoc Press, Sydney, 12–17. Schmidt PW and Embleton BJJ, 1976. Palaeomagnetic results Staff from sediments of the Perth Basin, Western Australia, and their Mike Craig (Leader – CRC LEME/Geoscience Australia), Ian bearing on the timing of regional lateritisation. Palaeogeography, Roberston (CRC LEME/CSIRO), Christine Edgoose (NTGS), Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 19(4), 257–273. Roger Clifton (NTGS). Associated staff: Masood Ahmad (NTGS), Amanda Cornelius (CRC LEME/CSIRO), Ravi Anand (CRC LEME/ CSIRO), Colin Pain (CRC LEME/Geoscience Australia). New geochronological data Acknowledgements The Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Environments from the Tennant Region and Mineral Exploration (CRC LEME) is an unincorporated joint David Maidment, Lex Lambeck, venture between Geoscience Australia, CSIRO (represented by David Huston and Nigel Donnellan the divisions of Exploration and Mining, and Land and Water), Australian National University, Curtin University of Technology, Adelaide University, NSW Department of Primary Industries, The Tennant Region consists of three provinces that record a Primary Industries and Resources of South Australia, and sedimentary, igneous and deformational history spanning the Minerals Council of Australia, established and supported under the interval 1.86–1.71 Ga (Donnellan 2005). The central Warramunga Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program. Province (formerly Tennant Creek Block) is bounded to the north References by the Ashburton Province and to the south by the Davenport Province. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronological data have been Clifton R, 2005. Elevation map of the Northern Territory. 1:2 500 000 scale. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Darwin. collected from the Warramunga and Davenport provinces as part Idnurm M and Senior BR, 1978. Palaeomagnetic ages of Late of a larger project to better constrain the timing of sedimentation, Cretaceous and Tertiary weathered profiles in the Eromanga tectonism and mineralisation, and establish correlations with other Basin, Queensland. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, elements of northern Australia (Claoué-Long et al 2005).
Supporting Northern Territory development
ACIL Tasman is proud to support economic development of the Northern Territory. We provide analysis and advice to government, industry and Aboriginal organisations on applied economics, modelling, business strategy and public policy in a range of sectors:
Resources development Tourism Gas and electricity Telecommunications Water supply and demand Defence Transport and infrastructure Agriculture Remote area and regional development International trade
We have strong local knowledge backed by extensive experience in Australia and internationally. Our skills include:
Investment attraction and facilitation Industry regulation Economic and social impact assessment Organisation development and governance Market modelling and analysis Cost-benefit and real options assessment and risk management
For further information, contact: Barry Chambers in Darwin (08) 8927 8237 or 0401 119 999 Ian Satchwell in Perth (08) 9485 0300 or 0404 822 492 or visit www.aciltasman.com.au www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 32 AGES Record of Abstracts Warramunga Province The Warramunga Province consists of a thick turbidite succession, the Warramunga Formation, which is overlain by sedimentary and felsic volcanic rocks of the Flynn Subgroup. The Warramunga Formation contains numerous ironstone-hosted Au-Cu-Bi deposits that produced 160 t of gold until 2000. Previous geochronology Perkins Shipping Group is Australia’s largest privately indicates that the Warramunga Formation was deposited at owned shipping company providing integrated freight about 1.86 Ga, and intruded by granite and felsic porphyry at service solutions for some of Australia’s leading mining about 1.85 Ga (Compston 1995). Sedimentation, magmatism and companies. deformation of the succession are considered to be coeval with a Based in Darwin, the company operates both liner and charter long-lived phase of tectonism, termed the Tennant Event. SHRIMP shipping services across Northern Australia and into South East zircon geochronology has been carried out on sedimentary rocks Asia. Australia-wide freight links are provided by connecting road and rail transport services. World-wide shipping links are provided by of the Warramunga Formation and associated intrusive rocks to a network of global agents. Perkins Shipping offers truly integrated further constrain the timing of sedimentation, ironstone formation freight solutions. and mineralisation. The company’s success has resulted from developing strong partnerships with clients. Perkins Shipping’s dedicated account Two samples of the Warramunga Formation have been dated by managers focusPerkins not only on service Editorial reliability and capability, but also detrital zircon geochronology; one from the Explorer 28 prospect constantly evaluate the integrated freight service solutions provided to and one from the White Devil mine. The detrital zircon age spectra ensure they are cost effective and provide maximum benefit to their obtained for both samples are very similar, with a dominant cluster clients. of ages at about 1.86 Ga and a scattering of ages as old as 2.6 Ga. As a modern Australian company, the Perkins Shipping Group has Both samples show evidence of near-zero-age Pb loss, and the a first rate Occupational Health and Safety Programme with an youngest group of concordant analyses at 1860 Ma defines the equivalent strong commitment to industry environment protection maximum depositional age. Felsic volcanic rocks in the Junalki standards and the new security requirements. Their operations over the years have proven their ability to major clients that they can Formation (1862 ± 4 Ma: Smith 2000) are a potential local source operate seamlessly with client specific occupational health, safety, for the 1860 Ma zircons. However, these zircons may have also environment protection and security requirements. been derived from the Pine Creek Province to the north, where The company has grown continuously since its formation in 1958, significant felsic magmatism occurred at this time (Carson et al and today operates a highly flexible, mixed fleet of coastal and 2005). Metamorphism of the Pine Creek Orogen at about 1855 Ma international trading vessels. Their freight system is supported by t(Carson al e 2006) might have been linked with regional uplift, dedicated freight depots and terminals across Northern Australia as and may have provided a source for sediments in the Warramunga well as Brisbane and Cairns. Province. A minimum age for the Warramunga Formation has As a fully accredited ISO 9002 and ISO14001 company, Perkins been obtained by dating the Tennant Creek Granite, 27 km Shipping has proven experience and expertise in providing a full range northeast of Tennant Creek, which yielded an age of 1850 ± 4 Ma. of integrated freight services solutions ranging from forward project This age is indistinguishable from the 1849 ± 3 Ma age of the logistics to green-field sites and other difficult locations right through to mass freight volume moved on inter-modal systems. ‘Quarry porphyry’, 15 km northwest of Tennant Creek, which is part of a suite of high-level felsic intrusive rocks, many of which show peperitic textures, indicating that they intruded wet, unconsolidated sediment (McPhie 1993). Ages obtained from the felsic intrusive rocks The Hill of Leaders Granite outcrops in the northern part of are consistent with ages obtained by Compston (1995), and confirm the Davenport Province, where it intrudes folded turbiditic sedimentary rocks that have been correlated with the Warramunga that the Warramunga Formation was deposited between 1.86 and Formation. The turbidites are separated from overlying shallow- 1.85 Ga, during a phase of active tectonism in northern Australia. marine rocks of the 1840–1815 Ma Ooradidgee Group by a A porphyry dyke from the White Devil mine has been dated major angular unconformity. The essentially undeformed Hill of to constrain the timing of formation of the ironstone that hosts Leaders Granite contains deformed metasedimentary xenoliths Au-Cu-Bi mineralisation. The dyke cross-cuts the ironstone, and is nowhere seen in contact with the Ooradidgee Group. The granite is interpreted to have been intruded towards the but is interpreted to predate mineralisation. Zircon from the end of deformation associated with the Tennant Event, which porphyry yielded an age of 1847 ± 3 Ma, similar to that obtained is considered responsible for folding, uplift and erosion of the by Compston (1995), and this indicates that ironstone formation Warramunga Formation (Donnellan 2005). SHRIMP U-Pb dating took place within a relatively short time after deposition of the of zircon from the granite has yielded a concordant 207Pb/206Pb age host sediment. The age constraints are consistent with field of 1846 ± 3 Ma, consistent with an unpublished SHRIMP I age for relationships, and fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies, which the granite of 1848 ± 7 Ma (Page 1995). The ages obtained for indicate that the ironstones were formed from connate brines the granite indicate that deformation associated with the Tennant during deformation of the Warramunga Formation (Donnellan Event ceased after 1846 ± 3 Ma, and was followed by the eruption et al 1999). The 1860–1845 Ma age for ironstone formation is distinct from 40Ar/39Ar ages of 1825–1830 Ma that were obtained from hydrothermal muscovite in gold deposits (Compston and McDougall 1994). Given that Au-Cu-Bi mineralisation postdates Looking for specialised mining vehicles to porphyry intrusion, the 1825–1830 Ma muscovite age might thus get the job done? closely reflect the timing of mineralisation, rather than a later thermal overprint. call 136 139 Davenport Province Or click www.rentacar.com.au The Davenport Province consists of a succession of sedimentary Northern Territory & and bimodal volcanic rocks that were deposited between 1840 and Kimberley locations at ≤1790 Ma: the Ooradidgee and Hatches Creek groups (Donnellan 2005, Claoué-Long et al 2005). The province preserves a record Alice Springs • Ayers Rock • Tennant Creek Darwin • Kakudu • Katherine Broome of shallow-marine to terrestrial sedimentation that records the Kununurra • Gove effects of tectonism through this period. Dating of widespread Toll free 1800626 515 felsic volcanic rocks and later felsic and mafic intrusive rocks has provided relatively tight constraints on the timing of sedimentation, tectonism and mineralisation, providing a reference point the for the Palaeoproterozoic evolution of northern Australia. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 33 Volcanics, might represent the extrusive equivalent of the dolerite, forming part of a bimodal magmatic suite. Bimodal magmatism also occurs lower in the succession, where felsic lavas and pyroclastic rocks of the 1840 ± 4 Ma Epenarra Volcanics are broadly coeval with basalt of the Edmirringee Volcanics. This implies that the Ooradidgee Group and the overlying Wauchope economic advisers to the Territory Subgroup were deposited within an extensional tectonic setting in ACIL Tasman is closely involved in helping to stimulate economic the interval 1840–1815 Ma. Unconformities within this succession development in the Northern Territory. As a national consulting firm with could conceivably be related to uplift associated with extension, an office in Darwin, ACIL Tasman has helped to fill a need in the Territory or may be due to short periods of contraction that separated for rigorous economic analysis and quality advice on policy and strategy. extensional phases. ACIL Tasman utilises local knowledge, backed by its extensive national and international expertise across all of the Territory’s key industry sectors. The firm advises governments, industry and Aboriginal organizations in a Numerous small tungsten deposits occur in the Davenport
range of sectors and disciplines. Province and have yielded 4500 t W concentrate (65% WO3) • Undertaking economic impact assessments of major resources and between 1913 and the early 1970s (Blake et al 1987). In some infrastructure projects, including: areas (eg, the Wauchope tungsten field and the Juggler mine – Blacktip gas development and Trans Territory Pipeline; in the Elkedra area), mineralisation is spatially associated with – Alcan Gove Operations; outcropping granites of the Devils Suite (Budd et al 2001), a – Ranger Mine; group of several, extremely fractionated I-type granites that were – McArthur River Mine; apparently intruded after the major folding events in the province. – Alice Springs and Darwin Airports; Other deposits, such as those in the Hatches Creek tungsten field, – Sunrise gas project. are interpreted to be related to unexposed granites (Blake et al • Analysing gas and electricity demand and supply: 1987). Budd et al (2001) classified the tungsten mineralisation into two types: 1) W-Cu-Bi-Mo-Au-Sn; and 2) W-Sn and related these – Gas supply options for the NT; to Treasure Suite volcanic rocks and the Devils Suite, respectively. – Sunrise gas market studies; However, the multi-element group forms veins that cross-cut – Regional electricity demand; volcanic rocks of the Treasure Suite and it thus seems probable – International LNG markets. that all the tungsten mineralisation is related to emplacement of • Advising on regional development and infrastructure: the Devils Suite. The age of the Devils Suite is relatively poorly – Northern Australia transport infrastructure; known. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating of the Elkedra Granite has – Remote area development of industry; yielded a concordant group of analyses at 1720 ± 6 Ma and – Economic and social development in Indigenous a single concordant analysis at 1633 ± 20 Ma, and the Devils communities and their infrastructure and service needs. Marbles Granite has yielded an age of 1711 ± 4 Ma, based on • Preparing industry development strategies: 4 analyses of 2 zircons (Page 1995). The informally named – Opportunities for development of service industries to the Kaidwalla granite forms part of the Devils Suite and outcrops resources, defence and marine sectors; 15 km north-northeast of Murray Downs Homestead in the western – Construction costs in the NT and strategies to enhance investment competitiveness; part of the province. SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircon from the granite as part of this study has yielded an age of 1707 ± 4 Ma, – Tourism investment policies; including a range of inherited grains between 1.78 and 2.08 Ga. – Energy policy and greenhouse policy; This is similar to ages of about 1700 Ma, obtained from muscovite – Agriculture and fisheries; selvages on mineralised veins in the Hatches Creek field (Fraser – International relations and trade. 2004), further supporting the connection between the Devils Suite Charles Darwin University and ACIL Tasman have formed a partnership to granitoids and tungsten mineralisation. cooperate in joint consulting and research services. Their objectives are to contribute to development of the Territory and to provide opportunities for both organisations to enhance their activities. A lamprophyre dyke from the Mosquito Creek tungsten field has previously yielded an age similar to that of the Devils Suite, with SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age groupings of 1715 ± 11 Ma of the 1840 ± 4 Ma Epenarra Volcanics, which unconformably and 1690 ± 18 Ma (Page 1995). The same dyke within the Hill overlie the lower succession (Claoué-Long et al 2005). of Leaders Granite was re-sampled and yielded a SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of 1711 ± 2 Ma, which is interpreted as the Relatively small lode Au deposits and prospects occur in the crystallisation age of the lamprophyre. The lamprophyre dykes Davenport Province, primarily in the Kurinelli area. Gold-bearing in the Davenport Province appear to be part of a larger suite of quartz veins cross-cut sedimentary rocks of the lower part of dykes that occurs over a wide area of the Warramunga Province the Ooradidgee Group and associated dolerite intrusives. The (Duggan and Jaques 1996), which have yielded K-Ar and Rb-Sr age of this mineralisation is poorly known, with the 1840 Ma age (minimum) ages between 1700 Ma and 1660 Ma (Black 1975, of the Epenarra Volcanics (Claoué-Long et al 2005) providing Compston and McDougall 1994). These lamprophyres were a maximum age constraint. Dolerite intruding the Rooneys interpreted by Duggan and Jaques (1996) to have been sourced Formation in the Kurinelli area has been dated to better constrain from sub-lithospheric mantle that had been modified by addition the timing of mineralisation and to evaluate whether Au deposition of a crustal component by subduction, and by later mantle in the Davenport Province might have been related to Au-Cu-Bi metasomatism. The geochemical evidence for subduction prior systems in the Warramunga Province. Baddeleyite from the to 1711 Ma is consistent with the arc-like composition of magmas dolerite has yielded a 207Pb/206Pb age of 1811 ± 5 Ma, coeval emplaced at 1.76 Ga along the southern margin of the Arunta with mafic magmatism of the Stafford Event in the Arunta Inlier Province (Zhao and McCulloch 1995). If this interpretation is (Scrimgeour et al 2003), and indicates that the Au-bearing veins correct, north-directed subduction along the southern margin that it hosts are significantly younger than the mineral systems of the North Australian Craton might have been the driver for near Tennant Creek. This maximum age for mineralisation raises deformation, magmatism and mineralisation, which extended as the possibility that the Au-bearing veins in the Davenport region far north as the Warramunga Province, between 1.8 and 1.7 Ga. might have formed at the same time as Au mineralisation at the Dodger prospect in the northwestern Aileron Province (Huston et al 2006), and perhaps the Tanami region (Cross et al 2005). Acknowledgements The 1811 ± 5 Ma age of the dolerite is indistinguishable from We gratefully acknowledge the assistance given by Giants Reef ages obtained from the Treasure Volcanics (1815 ± 3 Ma) and Mining Ltd in obtaining samples from the Warramunga Province. the Arabulja Volcanics (1814 ± 3 Ma; Claoué-Long et al 2005). DM, KL and DH publish with the permission of the Executive The Kudinga Basalt, which stratigraphically overlies the Arabulja Director, Geoscience Australia, www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 34 AGES Record of Abstracts References Blake DH, Stewart AJ, Sweet IP and Hone IG, 1987. Geology of the Proterozoic Davenport province, central Australia. Bureau of Mineral Resources, Australia, Bulletin 226. Budd AR, Wyborn LAI and Bastrakova I, 2001. The metallogenic potential of Australian Proterozoic granites. Geoscience Australia, Record 2001/12. Carson CJ, Scrimgeour IR, Goldberg A, Stern RA and Worden K, 2006. Western Pine Creek Orogen (Litchfield Province) – recent advances and regional correlations. This volume. Carson C, Doyle N, Scrimgeour I and Worden K, 2005. Geochronology of the Litchfield Province: new results and preliminary interpretations: in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) 2005. Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2005-001, 29–31. Claoué-Long J, Fraser G, Huston D, Neumann N and Worden K, 2005. Towards a correlation of the earliest Proterozoic evolution in central Australia: in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) 2005. Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2005-001, 32–34. Compston D, 1995. Time constraints on the evolution of the Tennant Duggan M and Jaques L, 1996. Mineralogy and geochemistry of Creek Block, northern Australia. Precambrian Research 71, 107–129. Proterozoic shoshonitic lamprophyres from the Tennant Creek Compston D and Mc Dougall I, 1994. 40Ar-39Ar and K-Ar age Inlier, Northern Territory. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 43, constraints on the Early Proterozoic Tennant Creek Block, northern 269–278. Australia, and the age of its gold deposits. Australian Journal of Huston DL, Hussey K, Frater M and Bagas L, 2006. Trends in lead Earth Sciences 41, 606–616. isotopes across northern Australia. This volume. Cross AJ, Fletcher IR, Crispe AJ, Huston DL and Williams N, 2005. McPhie J, 1993. The Tennant Creek porphyry revisited; a New constraints on the timing and deposition and mineralisation synsedimentary sill with peperite margins, early Proterozoic, in the Tanami Group: in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar Northern Territory; discussion and reply. Australian Journal of Earth (AGES) 2005. Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory Geological Sciences 40, 545–558. Survey, Record 2005-001, 44-45. Page R, 1995. Unpublished SHRIMP I data. OZCHRON database, Donellan N, 2005. A framework for the Proterozoic geology of the Geoscience Australia. Tennant Region: in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) Smith J, 2000, ‘NTGS-AGSO geochronology project report 2.’ 2005. Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory Geological Survey, Australian Geological Survey Organisation, Professional Opinion Record 2004-001, 35–40. 2000/15. Donnellan NC, Morrison RS, Hussey KJ, Ferenczi PA and Kruse PD, Zhao Jianxin and McCulloch MT, 1995. Geochemical and Nd 1999. Tennant Creek, Northern Territory (Second Edition). 1:250 000 isotopic systematics of granites from the Arunta Inlier, central geological map series explanatory notes, SE 53-14. Northern Australia: Implications for Proterozoic crustal evolution. Precambrian Territory Geological Survey, Darwin. Research 71, 265–299.
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PATRICK GENERAL STEVEDORING Phone 08 8984 4701 Fax 08 8984 4798 East Arm Port - Berrimah Road, Berrimah, Northern Territory - 0828 P.O. Box 431, Berrimah, NT 0828 www.patrick.com.au www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 35 XLcom (Aust) Pty Ltd is the longest established access the Internet and corporate networks, send and receive communications company in Central Australia supplying a e-mail with large attachments - in a high-speed, easy-to-use, full range of IT support services, Telecommunications and secure environment that is above all, reliable. And with peace Radio Communications to the mining industry of Australia. of mind that there will be network coverage, wherever they go We supply, install and service equipment from the leading - not just in major cities or at the airport. Australian brands. Standard Communications is a Sydney-based manufacturer of “Codan is a wholly owned Australian communications company two-way radio communications under the well known “GME” specialising in the manufacture of HF, satellite and microwave brand. links products since 1959. Codan’s communications products They produce mobile and handheld radio products in the UHF are sold in over 150 countries worldwide consistently delivering CB and Commercial bands that are built tough to meet the clear, reliable communications combined with unsurpassed demanding Australian conditions of heat, dust and vibration. sales and service” All GME manufactured radio products are designed around Globalstar Australia’s Mobile everywhere® and Data a solid, diecast metal chassis, providing a solid and reliable everywhere®, are high quality services providing reliable voice platform for trouble-free use. These radios can be serviced and data communications right across Australia. With dual locally and are backed by a two year warranty. mode Satellite/Cellular voice and data enabled mobile phones, satellite calls are as low as cellular rates, so now it’s more cost- Standard Communications are also Australasian distributors of effective than ever to have 100% coverage! the popular and reliable Garmin GPS range. BGAN BEGINS - Broadband for a Mobile Planet Equipment from Codan, Globalstar, GME, Garmin and BGAN The Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) offers network is available from XLcom in Alice Springs, and a sample range access at broadband speeds at up to 492kbps. This enables will be on display at the XLcom booth at the AGES Expo. customers to communicate as they would back at the office - www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 36 AGES Record of Abstracts References Cross AJ, Fletcher IF, Crispe AJ, Huston DL and Williams N, 2005. Trends in lead isotopes New constraints on the timing of deposition and mineralisation in the across northern Australia Tanami Group: in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) 2005. Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory Geological Survey, David Huston, Kelvin Hussey, Max Frater and Leon Bagas Record 2005-001. McCready AJ, Stumpfl EF, Lally JH, Ahmad M and Gee RD, 2004. Polymetallic mineralization at the Browns deposit, Rum Jungle Over the last six years, geoscientists from Geoscience Australia mineral field, Northern Territory, Australia.Economic Geology 99, (GA), the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS), and, more 257–278. recently, the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) have collected over 130 new lead-isotope analyses from the Tanami, Sun Shensu, Carr GR and Page RW, 1996. A continued effort to Tennant, and Arunta (Aileron Province and Warumpi Province) improve lead-isotope model ages. AGSO Research Newsletter 24, 20. regions. These new data, in combination with early data from Worden KE, Claoué-Long JC, Scrimgeour IR and Lally JH, 2004. these regions and data collected by NTGS geologists in the Daly Summary of results.Joint NTGS-GA geochronology project: River area of the Pine Creek Orogen (P Ferenczi, NTGS, in litt August 2003–December 2003. Northern Territory Geological 2004), allow for the first time a synthesis of lead-isotope variations Survey, Record 2004-004. across the North Australian Craton. These data also provide insights into the origin of certain base metal and gold deposits in the craton.
Lead-isotope data suggest systematic variations across the North Western Pine Creek Orogen Australian Craton from north to south. The northern part of the craton (Pine Creek, Halls Creek and Tanami regions) appears to (Litchfield Province) – be characterised by relatively uniform lead-isotope growth, with recent advances and virtually all data plotting along the lead-isotope growth curve defined by the CSIRO-AGSO evolution model for shale-hosted regional correlations Zn-Pb deposits of the Mount Isa and McArthur regions (Sun et al 1996). However, in the southern part of the craton, lead-isotope Chris Carson, Ian Scrimgeour, Adrian Goldberg, growth is heterogeneous in space and time, with the southern- Richard Stern and Kurt Worden and easternmost parts having progressively more primitive lead. Values of μ (238U/204Pb integrated to present day) decrease from 12.94–13.04 in the Pine Creek, Halls Creek and Tanami regions; The Litchfield Province (Pietsch and Edgoose 1988) is located 12.86–12.92 in the Tennant region and northern Aileron Province; along the western perimeter of the Palaeoproterozoic Pine Creek 12.76–12.85 in the southeastern Aileron Province; 12.72–12.76 in Orogen (PCO). It is a longitudinal domain of mid- to high-grade the Inkamulla Package; and then to 12.62–12.72 in the Warumpi metasedimentary rocks, extensively intruded by Palaeoproterozoic Province (values calculated using the CSIRO-AGSO model; Sun granites and mafic bodies. A lack of contiguous outcrop across et al 1996). These results are consistent with variations in Nd the Litchfield Province hampers lithostratigraphic correlation both isotopes, and could be explained as the result of more primitive within the province, and with the low-grade central Pine Creek crust formed in a convergent margin on the southern flank of the Orogen to the east and the Halls Creek Orogen to southwest. North Australian Craton. However, these values are significantly This has restricted the development of comprehensive regional higher than values typical of deposits in similar-aged arc tectonic models. Given that the Halls Creek and Pine Creek environments (μ = 12.49 at the 1730 Ma United Verde volcanic- orogens are both well-endowed with diverse mineral deposits, hosted massive sulfide deposit, Arizona). These results suggest such correlations are crucial in assessing the prospectivity that potential for Broken Hill-type and volcanic-hosted massive of the Litchfield Province. This contribution presents recent sulfide deposits increases to the south and east. It is interesting to field-based observations, P-T estimates and SHRIMP in situ note that lead in the Warumpi Province shares some similarities with Broken Hill-type deposits.
In detail, lead-isotopes suggest a local source of lead in gold deposits of the Tanami Region; they indicate that gold mineralisation at the Dodger prospect in the northwestern Aileron Province is of broadly similar age to lode gold deposits in the Tanami Region; and they suggest that the Browns deposit in the Rum Jungle area of the Pine Creek Orogen is epigenetic. In the Tanami Region, analyses of arsenopyrite, whole rock, and pyrite from different lode gold deposits yield different arrays on In the last 15 years Simply Containers has supplied 207Pb/204Pb versus 206Pb/204Pb diagrams, suggesting that in each of the mining and building industries with a wide range of the deposits considered, lead had a slightly different source. The storage and accommodation equipment. This includes data are interpreted to indicate that the lead was sourced locally, and not from a regional fluid which would have homogeneous lead- standard shipping containers, containers modified for isotopic characteristics. accommodation, chemical storage and specialist transport containers for a thousand and one applications. Lead-rich samples from the Dodger prospect in the northwestern Aileron Province yield lead model ages of 1774-1792 Ma using the Our network of Australian offices is complemented with CSIRO-AGSO model of Sun et al (1996). Although this model is not locally controlled in this area, the Dodger data plot close to the overseas design and manufacturing associates to bring CSIRO-AGSO growth curve, indicating that the model age should you the latest in design and innovation. be relatively robust. If so, the age of the Dodger prospect is similar to the age of the Tanami gold deposits (cf Cross et al 2005). No matter what your equipment requirements our friendly and experienced staff would be only too pleased to Lead-isotope data from the Browns deposit (McCready et al 2004) yield CSIRO-AGSO model ages consistently between discuss your best solution. No matter the size of the job 1632 and 1624 Ma. The age of the host to this deposit, the Whites we can offer personal service and knowledge to get your Formation, is constrained to greater than 2025 Ma, as it underlies container equipment cost effectively and at a competitive the 2025 +8/-5 Ma Wildman Siltstone (Worden et al 2004). As the price. accuracy of well determined, locally controlled lead-isotope model ages is, at very worst, 100 million years, the discrepancy between If you have a storage, accommodation or transport the galena model age and the host unit strongly implies that the lead in this deposit is epigenetic and not diagenetic, as suggested problem we can solve it with you so give us a call. by McCready et al (2004). www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 37 monazite geochronological data on metasedimentary units from The regional effects of the transposition of D1 into northwest- st the Litchfield Province, and presents a preliminary discussion on trending D2 shear zones can be observed in 1 VD magnetic potential correlations and plausible regional tectonic scenarios. images, where magnetic trendlines are re-orientated into northwest-orientated corridors. Based on drag folding visible in The Litchfield Province contains three medium- to high-grade the magnetic images, and assuming a sub-horizontal transport
metamorphic units, namely the Hermit Creek, Welltree and direction, D2 shear sense appears to be sinistral. The Wangi Fog Bay metamorphics, and these are the primary foci for Basics do not display any evidence of having been affected by this study. The Fog Bay Metamorphics are known only from either structural event, either due to its emplacement postdating
drillcore, and are characterised by graphitic pelite, psammite the D1 and D2 events, or due to rheological rigidity limiting and mafic volcanogenic sedimentary rocks. They are located in structural reworking, with fabrics anastomosing around rigid the northwest Litchfield Province, and are inferred to be faulted mafic bodies. against the Welltree Metamorphics along the north-trending Tom Turner Fault. The Welltree Metamorphics are comprised of poorly Assessment of the structural evolution of the Welltree and Fog Bay exposed biotite-feldspar gneiss, schist and amphibolite. The metamorphics is hampered by limited outcrop. Thin sections of the Hermit Creek Metamorphics, located in the Daly River region in Fog Bay Metamorphics do not indicate any significant penetrative the southern Litchfield Province, can be further subdivided into deformation. In contrast, the Welltree Metamorphics exhibit a well undeformed granulite-facies migmatitic pelite and psammite, and developed fabric defined by biotite and sillimanite; however, the relationship of this fabric to S and S observed in the southern highly deformed medium-grade pelitic and psammitic ferruginous 1 2 schist, amphibolite and subordinate calc-silicate rocks. Litchfield Province is difficult to assess.
Structure Metamorphic conditions Metamorphic conditions experienced by the Litchfield Province Structural observations presented here were obtained from the were varied, ranging between lower amphibolite and granulite middle amphibolite-facies muscovite-biotite schist of the Hermit facies. Peak P-T conditions experienced by the high-grade Creek Metamorphics, located in the southern Litchfield Province migmatitic Hermit Creek Metamorphics, reached at least 742°C (Daly River). A northeast-trending upright S foliation contains a 1 (± 44) at 5.4 kbar (± 0.5), with the development of garnet-cordierite- moderately developed sub-horizontal mineral extension lineation, K-feldspar-biotite-quartz-plagioclase (±sillimanite, ±hercynite) L . Tight to isoclinal upright co-linear F folds are common. A well 1x 1 assemblages (all calculations via THERMOCALC 3.23). The developed upright S fabric locally transposes the S fabric and 2 1 notable feature of this subunit is that metamorphism appears structures into narrow northwest-trending D2 shear zones. Within to have proceeded statically, with little evidence of penetrative D2 domains, S2 contains a variable, but generally strong lineation deformation. Primary bedding is remarkably well preserved and (L2x), plunging moderately (about 40–45°) to the northwest. graded beds are visible. These observations contrast markedly Several sets of F folds, with variable axial plane orientations, have 2 with the pervasive S1 and S2 development experienced by middle fold hinges co-linear with the L2x lineation. D2 is best observed amphibolite-facies muscovite-biotite schist of the Hermit Creek within mid-grade pelites of the Hermit Creek Metamorphics, Metamorphics elsewhere in the southern Litchfield Province. No but also strongly affected the Fish Billabong Adamellite, which P-T estimates were obtained from this middle amphibolite-facies
displays intense L2x development. schist due to insufficient suitable phases.
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Alice Springs Airport, Alice Springs Northern Territory 0870 website: www.anh.com.au www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 38 AGES Record of Abstracts P-T estimates from the Fog Bay Metamorphics yield temperatures of about 596–617°C at pressures of about 4.6–5.1 kbar, for spessartine-rich garnet (Xspss20–25 mol%)-sillimanite-plagioclase- muscovite-biotite-quartz (H2O-saturated). Estimates from the Welltree Metamorphics on garnet-sillimanite-plagioclase-K- feldspar-biotite-quartz assemblages yield temperatures of about Through its interests in ports, port logistics, comprehensive 727°C and pressure of about 5.9 kbar. Textural observations port linked rail logistics services, interstate and intrastate rail indicate that muscovite + quartz is not stable (ie the reaction line-haul capability and freight forwarding operations both musc + qtz = kspar + sill has been crossed), but K-feldspar-biotite- domestic and international, Patrick is a substantial provider of sillimanite is stable, thus conditions remained below the point of integrated multi-modal logistics in Australia. Current Patrick biotite + sillimanite breakdown (which marks the onset of granulite- operations are directed at containerised and break-bulk facies conditions). cargoes, such as car distribution. Retrograde conditions from all units are difficult to establish. Patrick has recently taken over management of the Minerals P-T estimates from the high-grade Hermit Creek Metamorphics Bulk Loader at the Port of Geraldton. Patrick’s role is to and the Welltree Metamorphics, using garnet rims affected by manage the loading to vessel of all products, unloading of retrograde diffusive exchange, indicate a cooling-dominated post- product from rail wagons and the maintenance of the loader peak path, but this is not quantitatively well constrained. including the conveyor belt systems. This is a new area of operation for Patrick but one that fits into the Patrick overall Geochronology plan to become more involved in logistics support for the SHRIMP II in situ monazite isotopic data was collected on the mining sector. Our goal is to grow with the Port of Geraldton Welltree, Fog Bay and high-grade Hermit Creek Metamorphics and to provide wharf storage and shiploading support in November 2005 at the Research School of Earth Sciences services to all users of the port. in collaboration with Geoscience Australia. In situ U-Pb dating of monazite has recently become fashionable for determining Patrick are further expanding their involvement in the the timing of metamorphic events affecting psammitic and mining sector with the recent appointment as materials pelitic metamorphic rocks, as monazite appears to be handling contractors in Darwin for OM Minerals Bootu Creek more responsive to metamorphic processes than zircon. A manganese project. In addition to our traditional stevedoring critical advantage of the in situ methodology is that the operations in loading the product, Patrick Darwin will manage monazite petrological context is preserved with respect to the train unloading, stockpile management operations and major metamorphic phases and fabrics, enabling enhanced transport of the product to the Port of Darwin shiploader. confidence when interpreting geochronological results within Patrick presence in the mining industry in both Geraldton the context of specific metamorphic textures and fabrics. and Darwin is an important strategic development in our on In all samples, two principle textural locations were targeted, going expansion. specifically monazite inclusions within garnet porphyroblasts (to assess the possibility of preserved older populations within garnet), and monazite residing in the matrix. The Fog Bay Metamorphics The apparent absence of pervasive deformation in the Fog Bay yielded an age of 1853 ± 3 Ma (FB03IRS002B), and two samples Metamorphics and, in particular, the high-grade migmatitic Hermit of the high-grade migmatitic Hermit Creek Metamorphics Creek Metamorphics implies, at least, a passive perturbation of yielded ages of 1854 ± 4 Ma (FE05CJC001) and 1856 ± 2 Ma the geothermal regime of the crust at about 1855 Ma. An advective (FE03IRS001). These dates are statistically identical. There is no heat source is required and a likely candidate, at least in the Daly statistical difference recognized by discriminating analyses on the River region, is the Wangi Basics. The timing of emplacement of basis of textural location of the monazite (ie garnet inclusion or the Wangi Basics is presently unknown (samples are currently matrix), or compositional differences within an individual monazite. being processed by KW), but emplacement is likely to be The monazite data in each sample is therefore interpreted to synchronous with the timing of peak metamorphism in the high- represent a single population reflecting the timing of peak (or near- grade Hermit Creek Metamorphics at about 1855 Ma. peak) metamorphism at about 1855 Ma. The Palaeoproterozoic Halls Creek Orogen (HCO) in Western The Welltree Metamorphics, in contrast, yielded a single Australia has been subdivided into three geologically distinct fault- population of monazite analyses at 1812 ± 3 Ma, significantly bounded northeast-trending linear belts, the Western, Central and younger than results obtained from the Fog Bay and Hermit Creek Eastern zones (Blake et al 2000). One popular tectonic model for Metamorphics. In this case, we interpret 1812 Ma to represent the the HCO broadly involves closure of an oceanic basin between the timing of tectono-metamorphism in the Welltree Metamorphics. Kimberley Craton and the NAC (eg Sheppard et al 1999). Current This is based on the occurrence of monazites aligned in the regional interpretations suggest that the Litchfield Province penetrative fabric, as well as monazite inclusions present represents a plausible geological extension of the HCO. The newly within garnet porphyroblasts, all of which are chronologically acquired geochronological data permits some reappraisal of this indistinguishable. intuitive, but nevertheless, inadequately constrained geological association. SHRIMP monazite ages presented here are significantly older (by about 50–60 Ma) than previously reported electron microprobe Preliminary geochronological data presented here suggest (EMP) ages from the same samples; the same monazite grains that the Litchfield Province shares several important affinities were analysed, and in many cases the SHRIMP site was with the Western Zone of the Halls Creek Orogen. Notably, the superimposed on the EMP site; eg Carson et al (2005). The western zone of the HCO is characterised by the emplacement newly acquired SHRIMP II data presented here supersedes this of layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions aged about 1855 Ma (eg previously acquired EMP data, which will not be considered further. Toby: 1855 ± 2 Ma, Springvale: 1857 ± 2 Ma; Page and Hoatson 2000). These ages correlate with the timing of metamorphism Tectonic implications in the Fog Bay and Hermit Creek Metamorphics at 1855 Ma in the Litchfield Province. Peak metamorphism in these units is Although it is clear that further investigation is required to better estimated to correlate with the timing of emplacement of the Wangi understand the tectonic evolution of the Litchfield Province and Basics. Similarly, the Whitewater Volcanics, Greenvale Porphyry its relationships with adjacent terrains, the data presented here and Paperbark supersuite of the Bow River Batholith, all situated in provides some important constraints and directions for further the western zone of the HCO, are dated at about 1855 Ma and are study. Several important observations can be stressed. similar in age to granites from the Litchfield Province (1850–1860 www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 39 Central Communications Alice SpringsP/L
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Ma: Page et al 1985, KW unpublished data). These data suggest occurred in the Litchfield Province, permitting initial bimodal that metamorphism and bimodal magmatism at 1855 Ma is a magmatism and static metamorphism of the Litchfield Province significant characteristic of both the western zone of the HCO (eg sedimentary protoliths; however, in the subduction model, it Page and Hoatson 2000) and the Litchfield Province, and provides is a challenge to account for the favourable attributes of the a basis for regional correlation models. Whilst there are some extensional marginal basin formation and avoid the effects of a similarities between protoliths and protolith ages in the eastern terminal collision with the NAC at about 1835 Ma (eg Sheppard zone and the Litchfield Province (Blake et al 2000), there is no et al 1999). evidence of the main phase of metamorphism and deformation at about 1835 Ma (Halls Creek Orogeny) that affected the central and An alternative tectonic model for the evolution of the HCO is an eastern zones of the HCO. There therefore appears to be, at this intraplate extensional model, which has been historically applied stage, no strong correlation between the Litchfield Province with to much of Proterozoic Australia (eg Etheridge et al 1987). In the Central and Eastern zones of the HCO. this model, limited crustal extension and rifting, in this case, at 1855 Ma, proceeded without the development or subsequent Correlation between the Litchfield Province and the Western destruction of an oceanic basin, in the Western Zone and the Zone of the HCO is supported by the available data, but is Litchfield Province. Two principle advantages of this model are that clearly tentative at this stage. Bimodal magmatism and a the presence of rocks from an arc and subduction environment lack of observed pervasive deformation during medium- to are not required (and are notably absent in the Litchfield Province high-grade metamorphism in the Litchfield Province at and central PCO region) and it is not necessary for the boundary about 1855 Ma is broadly consistent with an extensional between the Litchfield Province and the central PCO to represent setting with invasion of the crust by mafic magmas (eg Wangi a continent–continent suture. However, this model implies that Basics). It would appear that any viable tectonic model of the Litchfield Province and the PCO is, in some fashion, part of the Litchfield Province and the Western Zone of the HCO necessitates an episode of crustal extension, regardless the Kimberley Craton, rather than the western margin of the NAC, of the nature of the broader regional-scale setting. which is a potentially challenging scenario.
In the subduction model, the Western Zone of the HCO, and by At this stage, it is not possible to fully characterise the nature of the association inferred here, the Litchfield Province represent the the tectonic relationship of the Litchfield Province with adjacent eastern leading edge of the Kimberley Craton, which, following terranes and the relationship is clearly more complex than a destruction of the intervening oceanic basin, collided with the simple extension of the HCO. The present geometry of the NAC. This scenario implies that the boundary between the Litchfield Province, central PCO and the internal zones of the Litchfield Province and the central PCO represents a fundamental HCO is further complicated by the subsequent development of continental suture between the Kimberley Craton and the NAC, upper crustal strike-slip fault systems and questions remain as to a suggestion that is not favoured by the available field evidence. the nature and location of the boundary between the NAC and the According to Sheppard et al (1999), the eastern margin of the Kimberley Craton. Kimberley Craton may have undergone crustal extension as an ensialic marginal basin, prior to terminal collision with the The Welltree Metamorphics record an episode of tectono- NAC, as a means of formation for the protoliths of the Tickalara metamorphism at about 1812 Ma, significantly younger than Metamorphics, a characteristic unit of the Central Zone of the the 1855 Ma recorded by the Fog Bay and high-grade Hermit HCO. A similar style of ensialic rift formation may have also Creek metamorphics, and this is markedly younger than currently www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 40 AGES Record of Abstracts identified episodes of Palaeoproterozoic tectono-metamorphism References in adjacent terranes. The 1812 Ma episode may correlate with Carson CJ, Doyle NJ, Scrimgeour IR and Worden K, 2005. the structural development of D1 and/or D2 in low-grade Hermit Creek Metamorphics in the southern Litchfield Province, but Geochronology of the Litchfield Province: New results and does not correlate with events in either the HCO or central PCO preliminary interpretation: in ‘Annual Geoscience Exploration to the east. The minimum age for pervasive fabric and structural Seminar (AGES) 2005. Record of abstracts.’ Northern Territory development in the low-grade central PCO region is provided by Geological Survey, Record 2005-001. the emplacement of the post-tectonic Cullen Batholith at 1825– Blake DH, Tyler IM and Page RW, 2000. Regional geology of 1835 Ma (Stuart-Smith et al 1993), clearly pre-dating the 1812 Ma the Halls Creek Orogen: in Hoatson DM and Blake DH (editors) fabric development in the Welltree Metamorphics. It is clear that Geology and mineral potential of the Palaeoproterozoic layered further study is required to characterize the nature of the 1812 Ma event within the Litchfield Province and its relationship to other mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the East Kimberley, Western components of the NAC. Australia. Canberra. Australian Geological Survey Organisation, Bulletin 246, 35–62. Economic potential of mafic intrusions in the Etheridge MA, Rutland RWR and Wyborn LAI, 1987. Orogenesis Litchfield Province and tectonic processes in the early to middle Proterozoic of Northern Australia: in Kröner A (editor) Proterozoic Lithospheric Preliminary geophysical interpretation combined with drillhole data evolution. American Geophysical Union, Geodynamic Series from the Litchfield Province suggests the existence of extensive 17, 131–147. non-outcropping areas of mafic to ultramafic varieties of the Page RW, Bower MJ and Guy DB, 1985. An isotopic study of the Murrenja Dolerite throughout the province, west of Tom Turners granitoids of the Litchfield Block, Northern Territory. BMR journal Fault. Geochemical assays of the Murrenja Dolerite were conducted of Australian Geology and Geophysics 9, 219–223. on selected drillcore. The most primitive rocks with a ‘Mg number’ Page RW and Hoatson DM, 2000. Geochronology of the of 80–82 (Hoatson and Blake 2000, 322) exhibited concentrations mafic-ultramafic intrusions: in Hoatson DM and Blake DH (editors) of: 2000–3000 ppm Cr, 320–1000 ppm Ni, 13 ppb Pd, 20 ppb Pt, 34–62 ppm Cu and 78–100 ppm Co. These rocks are the closest Geology and mineral potential of the Palaeoproterozoic layered in composition to their primary melt. The moderate abundance of mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the East Kimberley, Western PGEs may indicate that an early S-saturation event did not occur, Australia. Australian Geological Survey Organisation, Bulletin enhancing the prospectivity for PGE and Ni mineralisation within the 246, 163–172. Murrenja Dolerite, west of Tom Turners Fault. Pietsch BA and Edgoose CJ, 1988. The stratigraphy, metamorphism and tectonics of the early Proterozoic Litchfield Furthermore, on the basis of correlations presented above, the Province and western Pine Creek Geosyncline, Northern Territory. Wangi Basics are interpreted to be a northeastern extension Precambrian Research 40/41, 565–588. of the western zone of 1860–1850 Ma mafic magmatism in the Sheppard S, Tyler IM, Griffin TJ and Taylor WR, 1999. Halls Creek Orogen, including the group II Springvale intrusion Palaeoproterozoic subduction-related and passive margin basalts (1857 Ma), which hosts sub-economic levels of Cr-PGE-Ni-Cu. In in the Halls Creek Orogen, northwest Australia. Australian Journal the Halls Creek Orogen, intrusions are commonly characterized of Earth Sciences 46, 679–690. by Cr-PGE-Ni-Cu mineralisation, associated with stratabound chromitite (Type I intrusions of Hoatson 2000). Although no intrusions have yet been identified that are temporally related to the 1845 Ma Sally Malay intrusion, which hosts the Ni-Cu-Co deposit of the same name, given the scarcity of outcrop and data in the Litchfield Province, the potential for Sally Malay-style mineralisation remains significant. In outcrop, disseminated sulfides were observed in gabbro and pyroxenite varieties of the Wangi Basics, which also locally display decimetre-scale weak compositional layering, possibly magmatic. The Ni-Cu-PGE Northern Territory commercial helicopter operator, Australian potential of mafic rocks in the Litchfield Province is subject to National Helicopters (ANH), is the leading provider of aerial work in Central Australia. Based at Alice Springs Airport in professional ongoing studies, which will continue in 2006. purpose-built office and hangar facilities, ANH has been providing specialised aerial support and lifting services to the mining, gas Summary and telecommunications industries as well as film, television and • Static medium- to high-grade metamorphism in the Litchfield government sectors for more than 13 years. Province (Hermit Creek and Fog Bay metamorphics) is now well During this time, we have specialised in flying mineral and contrained by monazite data at c.1856–1854 Ma. geophysical surveys for mining exploration in remote areas with an unblemished safety record, evidenced by our Safety • The Litchfield Province and the Western Zone of the HCO share Accreditation with major mining companies. We are also a number of similar geological characteristics, including bimodal experienced in aerial spotting and observation including pipeline magmatism and metamorphism at ca. 1855 Ma. and power line surveys, aerial photography, aerial crane work, search and rescue, ambulance work, general charter and scenic • Crustal extension is a plausible mechanism for the evolution of flights. the Litchfield Province at 1855 Ma. Operating versatile and powerful turbine and turbo-charged piston • No evidence has been found for closure of an oceanic basin in engine machines, Australian National Helicopters provides highly the Litchfield Province as postulated in the Halls Creek Orogen. adaptable services to any commercial operation. Our Jetrangers are ambulance-kitted and can quickly be converted in the field to • Based on the available data, there is no clear evidence for carry up to two (2) stretcher patients with a paramedic. correlation of the Litchfield Province with the Central and Whilst most commercial work is undertaken in our Bell 206 Eastern zones of the HCO which experienced metamorphism Jetrangers, we also have available turbo-charged Bell 47G-3B and deformation at c.1835 Ma. helicopters which can be deployed at short notice and to which various mountings and litters can be fitted to accept survey, lifting • A single monazite population with a mean age of c. 1812 Ma in and film equipment. the Welltree Metamorphics suggests the existence of previously Australian National Helicopters focuses on safety, reliability and unrecognized tectono-thermal event of this age. availability. Our helicopters are maintained to the highest standard, pilots professionally trained and skilled and we welcome aviation • Extensive mafic intrusions within the Litchfield Province have safety audits from any organisation. largely untested potential for chromite- and/or sulfide-related mineralisation www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 41 Tin-related pegmatitic veins are hosted almost exclusively by the Soldiers Creek and Allia Creek granites, whereas gold-bearing Vein-related mineralisation in veins occur in clastic metasediments (mostly coarse greywacke) of the western part of the Pine the Burrell Creek Formation. Fluid inclusion work has revealed that the only notable difference Creek Orogen between tin- and gold-bearing fluids is the temperature. The AS Wygralak and TP Mernagh former have a temperature range of 320-440ºC and the latter 160-320ºC. Other differences are less pronounced (Table 1).
Although the Palaeoproterozoic Pine Creek Orogen (PCO) represents a single geotectonic unit, significant geological Ore-stage fluid differences exist between its central and western parts. The central Sn-bearing Au-bearing part is characterised by predominantly greenschist-facies regional veins veins metamorphism and I-type felsic intrusions. It hosts significant gold Temperature (oC) 320–440 160–320 and minor tin mineralisation. Most of the rocks in the western part are metamorphosed to amphibolite grade (Litchfield Province) and Vapour phase CO2 0–96 72–95 contain S-type felsic intrusions. The western part is dominated by tin (mole%)
mineralisation and minor gold occurrences. Vapour phase CH4 1–98 2–24 (mole%) The central part of the PCO has been extensively explored since the 1870s and most of the mineral deposits were discovered by the Liquid phase Na/K 1.7–5.7 1.6–3.2 turn of 20th century. Early exploration there was aided by relatively Liquid phase Na/Ca 1655–6172 808–3863 easy access provided by the construction of the telegraph line (av. 1906) (av. 2483) and by the railway. Larger gold deposits in the central part of Calculated δ 18O (‰) 5.0–6.1 5.5–6.0 PCO (such as Enterprise, Cosmopolitan Howley, Union Reefs and Mount Todd) have been subjected to extensive geoscientific Table 1. studies and there is currently a relatively good understanding of Summary of physico-chemical parameters of the nature of these mineral systems. tin- and gold-bearing fluids.
The western part of the PCO is much more remote. Difficult access hampered early exploration and, as a result, our understanding of In general, Sn-bearing fluids have less CO2 and more CH4, factors controlling tin and gold mineralisation in this region is less indicating their more reduced character compared with the Au- clear. In 2005, NTGS commenced a project involving the study of bearing fluids. Both fluids show evidence for boiling and separation mineral systems in this region. This work is in the early stages. It of vapour phases. concentrates on the delineation of the physico-chemical character, origin and age of fluids responsible for tin and gold mineralisation. Comparison with ore-stage gold-bearing fluid from the central The preliminary results are presented in this abstract. part of the PCO (Woolwonga mine) shows a significantly lower
Four Wheel Drive Hire Service began over situation the Ute rests on the head board and conditions is what makes us unique. operations in Queensland in 1973 and bull bar and this minimises any ‘crush’ on the cabin continues to go from strength to strength. itself. The head board is 300mm above the cabin One of our Key features is the fact of our flexibility With over 900 vehicles on fleet, the company height. We can also fit speed limiting devices in when meeting customer requirements when it is the largest rental provider of 4WD and order to assist with site specific risk assessments comes to the fitting of vehicle extras and vehicle 2WD utilities to the Mining, Construction, that are required due to no Drivers side airbag configuration. A recent request for an exploration Exploration and Pipeline industries in being fitted to these vehicles. company was to have additional Underbody Australia. protection and side protection fitted to one of our Our speciality vehicle Landcruiser Manhaul 8 seater LandCruiser Trayback vehicles. The need was The 900 + strong fleet of vehicles is made up of we have for hire is a modified Toyota Land Cruiser investigated and a solution identified, designed, Toyota LandCruiser 105 series wagon, 79 Series Troop Carrier that has had a third door cut in the manufactured and fitted. The extra Underbody Trayback and 78 series TroopCarrier. The mix of passenger side and the standard sideways seats protection included Radiator Guard, Sump guard, the fleet is changing with the Toyota Hilux Range are replaced with forward facing coach standard Diff Guard, Transmission Guard. of Vehicles now becoming a more prominent part two and three seater seats. of the fleet. All our branches have full mechanical workshop to These are forward facing and come complete with not only service our hire fleet but we also have the We are constantly updating our fleet of vehicles seat belts. We are also able to offer full internal roll capabilities to service our clients owned/leased with different and varying safety features including cages as an option with these vehicles, along with vehicles. In addition we offer mobile service units the new Toyota Hilux range of vehicles which all of our standard extras including: fire extinguisher, as well as a relocatable workshop for longer term now come standard with Dual Air Bags to ensure UHF radios, EPIRB, canvas seat covers, winches projects. Our confidence in our product and our compliance with the various mine site requirements and air jacks. service work is the fact that we allow ALL our 4WD for light commercial vehicles. One of the major vehicles on any gazetted road - most competitors requirements to meet is the BMA (BHP Mitsubishi This configuration eliminates all the WH&S issues confine their vehicles to bitumen on their general Alliance) for all BHP mine sites throughout the of the traditional Troop Carrier, and provides a safe hires. country. and comfortable means of transporting up to eight staff around a mine or project site. Customers also appreciate our flexibility, for Some of these requirements are the standard High instance being able to offer unlimited kilometres mount lights, UHF radios, fire extinguishers, Flags, We are always looking at new innovations including and a complete range of accessories. revolving lights, lights on, and Battery isolators the introduction of Hilux 4WD Single cab Hilux Utes etc. The major factor in this requirement is the (airbag compliant) as an alternative to the traditional For a full range for vehicle and available provision of Roll Over Protection Systems (ROPS). LandCruiser Trayback. This will be of particular options these can be viewed on our website at This requires the fitment of internal or external roll benefit to BMA compliant Mine Sites. www.4wdhire.com.au. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the National bars to our range of Toyota Hilux utes, LandCruiser We have offices around the country and can offer Wagons, LandCruiser Utes, LandCruiser Troop Sales & Marketing Manager, Lyndon Sheather on delivery of vehicles anywhere in Australia. We are 07 3857 9766 or 0413 628 845. We also operate a Carriers and Manhaul (fitted standard) range of able to provide vehicles for long and short term vehicles. The Land Cruiser Tray back is now fitted national contact number 1800 077 353 which will hire and with full vehicle maintenance. Our ability put you in contact with our nearest branch. with a high head board on the tray which in a roll to service and maintain vehicles in harsh operating www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 42 AGES Record of Abstracts (>10 times) Na/Ca ratio. Such a difference probably reflects the presence of carbonates in the central part of the PCO (Koolpin Formation). This is an important observation, which indicates that the chemistry of fluids is altered by the surrounding rocks, reflecting the contact metamorphic nature of the gold-bearing fluids.
40Ar/39Ar ages of muscovite associated with tin- and gold-bearing veins (Table 2) fall in two distinct classes. Veins related to the Allia Creek Granite are older and in the range 1742–1726 Ma. Veins Recently relocated into a $1.5M For your remote camps and offices associated with the Soldiers Creek Granite are younger and in the custom designed premises, Central we will install and maintain a complete range 1707–1703 Ma. Comms has the ability to cater for any array of Satellite Television Equipment communication requirement you may and their distribution systems for your have – we even enjoy the challenging viewing pleasure. ones. 40Ar/39Ar age (Ma) Central Comms even supply Sample Offered are total solutions for Satellite Communications Towers, Rigging and Related to Allia Related to Soldiers number based Internet and Data transmission, Maintenance services. Using top quality Granite Creek Granite Voice over IP or a Virtual Private Network. components or relocating existing 12281 1730 ± 8 Radio Communications infrastructure services or towers can be achieved including Handhelds, Mobiles, Bases, quickly and effectively, but above all 12284 1742 ± 5 Repeaters and Telemetry control safely. systems. Satellite Telephone networks 12285 1742 ± 5 We offer system design and engineering including Optus MobileSat, Globalstar services for all of the above, backed by 12287 1726 ± 6 and Iridium amongst others. qualified staff in a fully equipped service 12294 1730 ± 10 Central Comms can also provide all of centre and installation facility. your GPS needs with a comprehensive 12301 1705 ± 5 Out staff are very experienced at on site range of Garmin and Magellan products installations and repairs and are willing 12303 1705 ± 8 on display. to travel all over the country from our 12304 1707 ± 8 Want to know what the weather is centrally located office in Alice Springs. doing or be able to more accurately 12305 1703 ± 5 For a more detailed overview of our predict your specific area forecast, we operation, please refer to our website can supply you with a great range of at www.centralcomms.com.au There 40Ar/39Ar ages of vein-related muscovites. complete weather stations which can Table 2. is a company profile, portfolio with be logged for data and connected to examples of our workmanship and a the internet for remote access. Brands cross section of our products offered. The above data suggest that tin and gold mineralisation in the such as Oregon Scientific, Kestrel and western part of the PCO has a strong spatial and temporal Lacrosse are on display. relation to reduced granitoids. The zonation from intrusion- proximal/high-temperature tin veins to distal lower-temperature gold-bearing veins is characteristic of intrusion-related gold deposits (Thompson and Newberry 2000). The main precipitation mechanism in both cases was the same and involved boiling. Reduction of gold-bearing fluid by organic matter in the Burrell Creek Formation could provide an additional mechanism for precipitation of gold.
Fluid inclusion work has revealed that a major difference between tin- and gold-bearing fluids is the temperature
Such a scenario has important exploration implications. Several poorly explored areas in the western part of the PCO are located within 1.5–2.0 km-wide contact metamorphic aureoles of felsic intrusions and they could provide promising exploration targets.
A separate generation of younger quartz veins with epizonal features exists in the Litchfield Province. These veins are second- order and are associated with regional-scale structures, such as the Henschke Fault. Preliminary sampling indicates that they also contain gold mineralisation. The best result obtained so far is 0.24 g/t Au, but much further work is needed to fully assess the gold potential of this generation of veining. Reference Thompson JFH and Newberry RJ, 2000. Gold deposits related to reduced granitic intrusions. SEG Reviews 13, 377–400. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 21451_Vincent_Aviation_Ad.indd 1AGES Record of 14/2/06Abstracts 11:44:18 AM 43 List of authors and key contact addresses Ambrose, Greg: Edgoose, Christine: Lyons, Patrick: Geoscience Australia, Northern Territory Geological Survey, Northern Territory Geological Survey, PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. PO Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801. Email: PO Box 8760, Alice Springs NT 0871 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Email: [email protected] Maidment, David: Geoscience Australia, Bagas, Leon: Frater, Max: PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. Geological Survey of Western Australia, Northern Territory Geological Survey, Email: [email protected] 100 Plain Street, East Perth WA 6004 PO Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801. Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Mernagh, Terry: Geoscience Australia, PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. Barton, Tim: Goldberg, Adrian: Email: [email protected] ANSIR c/- Geoscience Australia, Northern Territory Geological Survey, PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. PO Box 8760, Alice Springs NT 0871. Roach, Michael: School of Earth Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 79, Hobart TAS 7001. Close, Dorothy: Goleby, Bruce: Email: [email protected]. Northern Territory Geological Survey, ANSIR c/- Geoscience Australia, PO Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801. PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. Rogers, Tracey: Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Northern Territory Geological Survey, PO Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801. Carson, Chris: Geoscience Australia, Goscombe, Ben: Email: [email protected] PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Email: [email protected] PO Box 8760, Alice Springs NT 0871. Scrimgeour, Ian: Northern Territory Geological Survey, Craig, Mike: Email: [email protected] PO Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801. CRC LEME/Geoscience Australia, Hussey, Kelvin: Arafura Resources, Email: [email protected] PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. Rear unit, Lot 3407 Export Drive, Email: [email protected] Smith, Tim: Tanami Gold NL, Berrimah NT 0828 (formerly Northern 50 Colin Street, West Perth WA 6005. Crispe, Andrew: Territory Geological Survey). Email: [email protected] Northern Territory Geological Survey, Email: [email protected] PO Box 8760, Alice Springs NT 0871. Stern, Richard: Geoscience Australia, Email: [email protected] Huston, David: Geoscience Australia, PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. Email: [email protected] Donnellan, Nigel: Email: [email protected] Northern Territory Geological Survey, Vandenberg, Leon: PO Box 8760, Alice Springs NT 0871. Johnston, Wade: Northern Territory Geological Survey, Email: [email protected] Newmont Exploration Pty Ltd, PO Box 8760, Alice Springs NT 0871. 10 Richardson Street, West Perth WA 6005. Email: [email protected] Duffett, Mark: Email: [email protected] Northern Territory Geological Survey, Worden, Kurt: Geoscience Australia, PO Box 8760, Alice Springs NT 0871. Jones, Leonie: Geoscience Australia, PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. Email: [email protected] PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Dunster, John: Wygralak, Andrew: Northern Territory Geological Survey, Lambeck, Alexis: Geoscience Australia, Northern Territory Geological Survey, PO Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801. Email: PO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601. PO Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801. [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
FCL Interstate Transport Services is a 100% family owned Australian company, employing more than 600 transport professionals across 14 strategically placed branches.
In March 2004, the company celebrated 30 years of premium because FCL believe it will secure a firm foothold in the Northern customer service. Territory through proven service excellence. With an annual turnover of $170 million, FCL is Australia’s largest Operating freight Terminals at Katherine and Tennant Creek privately owned rail freight forwarder, and ranks in the nation’s top make FCL an integral part of the Northern Territory’s intrastate five transport companies. rail network. Assets include 3500 containers, 400 trailers and more than 20 large Did you know FCL is a key player in the longest regular refrigerated fork lifts, with lifting capacity up to 40t. transport run in the world? FCL move full loads of bananas from Tennant Creek to Perth. The bananas originate from Cooktown FCL prides itself on continually innovating and customizing its in far North Queensland they are transported by road to Tennant equipment fleet and services for all types of products, from Creek and are then consolidated into refrigerated containers to go mangoes to steel. FCL’s strengths are in it’s infrastructure, on the rail-a six day, 6500km journey to Perth. equipment and people, which allow it to provide damage free service, commitment to occupational health and safety, and quality This one example of moving goods from one part of Australia to equipment maintenance. the other demonstrates that FCL can make it happen. FCL has the national capacity and corporate commitment to For further information please contact consistently deliver the complex needs of our multi industry client FCL NT Manager Derek Houareau Darwin base. Ph: 08 8984 4098 Email: [email protected] In January 2004 FCL celebrated the Alice Springs-Darwin rail link or Tennant Creek and Alice Springs Area Manager by making a $5.5 million investment in the Northern Territory. This Ricky Holmberg Tennant Creek was done for two reasons to complete the National network and Ph: 08 8962 3977 Email: [email protected] www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 44 AGES Record of Abstracts Services offered include soil and stream sampling, ground mag EXPERIENCED FIELD surveys, logistics, drill rig supervision, rehabilitation, core handling, DGPS surveys, gridding and accompanying lonely geologists on their TECHNICIANS FOR HIRE exploration quests. Exploring in the Northern Territory often means “Our people are experienced, well-trained and above all safe operators” bringing in personnel from interstate, whether says manager Phil Merry. “We’ve seen time and again what can happen geologists or field technicians. when inexperienced people are used by companies in exploration. Our people deliver”. There is sometimes a perception by exploration companies that the Territory does not have a pool of experienced field technicians. This is Typically, an exploration company will provide Arnhem Exploration not true: Arnhem Exploration Services has been providing experienced Services with project specifications, the project will be completed field technicians for over fifteen years throughout the Northern Territory and data reported back promptly to the explorer. All the exploration and Western Australia. company has to do is process the data afterwards without having to organise the field work. Based in Tennant Creek, Arnhem Exploration Services is run by Phil Merry and Guy Pickerin who have a combined total of over 25 Arnhem Exploration Services years in the industry. This experience means that exploration projects can be contacted on are carried out efficiently by a pool of trained and highly competent 08 8962 2337 or 0428 335 006. field technicians using local knowledge of all exploration areas in Their email address is ARNHEM the Territory. [email protected] EXPLORATION SERVICES
Inaugural Central Australian Mining Services Expo 2006 Exhibitors
1. Fleetwood 6. Hanson Training Services 12. Fluid Power – Providers of transportable accommodation Training and assessment in the international Apms - Transalign for resource development, retirement mining environment, in areas of search Multi skilled personnel and specialised and recreation. and rescue, ohs, heavy equipment training, equipment to undertake all hydraulic engineering, in situ machining and Contact Josh King (08) 8952 1699 senior first aid, 4wd and truck training. on site shut downs. Contact Sue Hanson (08) 8953 3966 2. Australian National Helicopters Contact John Joseland (08) 8952 6999 Helicopter aerial services to all mining, 7. Indigenous Business 13. Beaurepairs for Tyres geophysical ang geological services & Industry Services industry plus pipeline and electrical power For all your tyre needs. Delivering services that facilitate access line surveys, sling work and search and Contact Geoff Baronet 132 381 rescue. We are remote area specialists. to land and promoting mineral and energy resource opportunities. Contact Chris or Michelle Collins 14. Newmont Tanami Pty Ltd (08) 8952 9800 Contact Peter G Campbell Newmont supports local business and (08) 8951 5579 communities in which it operates. 3. NT Govt – Minerals & Energy For your procurement enquiries please Supporting exploration and sustainable 8. NT Govt – Mining Support call the supply supervisor (08) 8957 8211 development of NT mineral and energy For information on the central Australian resources by providing a range of mining services network or business 15. Alice Hospitality Supplies strategic services. These include: Servicing the mining and exploration geoscientific information, regulation of Assistance enquiries call Mike Steller industries with kitchen equipment and mining and petroleum tenure, inspections (08) 8951 8576 cleaning solutions. and audits to ensure best practice in environmental management and 9. Central Communications Contact David Heinzel (08) 8955 5388 workplace ohs. For the latest design / installation, sales 16. Prime Industrial Rental Contact (08) 8999 5313 and service in radio communications, telemetry control, towers and rigging and Your national 24 hour a day 7 day a week supplier to exploration for all your generator, 4. Hirex Services satellite internet access contact central compressed air and pumping requirements. Your local retail supplier of geological, Australia’s leading team. drilling and surveying supplies. Our Contact Ted Cordina Contact Marc Woods (08) 8952 2388 expediting service covers a full range of 0417 809 793 Anytime back up services normally provided by a company home base. 10. Alice Springs Watershed 17. Xlcom
Contact Robert & Annie Boyce Water, we can help you move it, pump it, Providers of communication solutions to (08) 8952 2353 store it, with great products to allow you to the mining industry, whether it be radio (hf, soak in it, flush with it and keep the dust vhf, uhf), satellite phones or satellite data down. For all your plumbing, irrigation, connection, or computers and computer 5. Als Chemex networks. dust suppression and water needs call the Global testing services company watershed. Contact Rennie Robinson (08) 8955 5455 specialising in provision of laboratory services to the mining and mineral Contact Simon Worssam (08) 8952 1844 exploration industry. For all your assaying 18. Aboriginal Air Services needs including analysis of gold, pgm’s, 11. Thrifty Specialising in regular public transport and base metals, iron ore, nickel ore, mineral provision of fly in/fly out services for the sands, bauxite or uranium. Fully mine site ready vehicles. mining industry.
Contact Jason Mccluskey (08) 8952 6020 Contact Steve Shearer (08) 8952 9999 Contact Richard Tucker (08) 8953 5000. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 45 SALES
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Hanson Training Services (Australia) Pty Ltd is a Registered industry-qualified staff with a wealth of knowledge in working Training Organisation based in Alice Springs, Northern within a range of culturally diverse mining environments. Territory. HTS provides a range of nationally accredited Additionally, HTS Managing Director Sue Hanson is a training and assessment in areas such as Information qualified geologist who can add mining industry experience Technology, business, Governance, horticulture, driver in the Australian context. training (cars, 4WD, light-rigid, medium- rigid and heavy- rigid trucks), forklifts and a range of heavy equipment (such In addition to mining exposure, HTS also currently has as grader, back hoe, skid steer and so on), as well as Senior contracts in China (English training and assessment) and First Aid. France (Bush Foods export) and will be returning to both countries throughout 2006 and into the future to pursue and HTS works with a range of companies who are experts in grow these projects. their field who can also deliver specific training in areas such as Search and Rescue and Occupational Health and Safety Further information on training courses can be found on geared to the mining industry. Work in a range of mining the company website www.hansontrainingservices.com.au environments during 2004-2005 in Mongolia was very well or by telephoning the head office on 08 8953 3966 or on received and this work will now be an ongoing Project for freecall number 1800 28 78 38. HTS and its partners. HTS is a leader in the training area and this is evidenced by Training can be organised for a convenient time at any stage our recent win in the Telstra Small Business of the Year Award of the year and our experienced trainers and assessors are (2004) and then also winning the NT Training Provider of the available to travel anywhere within Australia or internationally, Year Award in 2005. HTS’s philosophy of superior customer at reasonably short notice. Recent international training service, flexibility and exceeding the clients expectations in experience during 2004, 2005 and 2006 has equipped our terms of training have held us in good steed to continue to grow and prosper. www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 46 AGES Record of Abstracts NOTES www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 AGES Record of Abstracts 47 NOTES www.minerals.nt.gov/ntgs 2006 48 AGES Record of Abstracts Good design creates effective communication
Hall & Jones is a highly experienced corporate design company specialising in:
Corporate Indentity Logos, Branding, Stationery and Signage. 07 3252 7733 Corporate Documents 07 3252 8233 Annual Reports, Prospectuses, Brochures and Catalogues. [email protected] Corporate Advertising Press, Magazine, Print material, Exhibitions and Promotions Corporate Communications Newsletters and Internet www.hall-jones.com.au
Australian Corporate Management Pty Ltd are proud to be associated with the 2006 NT AGES/MINING SERVICES EXPO and would like to thank all Companies that participated in the 2006 NT AGES/Mining Services Expo Program.
Would also like to thank: Richard Brescianini - Director Northern Territory Geological Survey for inviting us to produce this Program
Australian Corporate Management Pty Ltd Tim Munson - for all his help with the abstracts Lisa Mutch - for all her help Phone: 1800 611 193 (freecall within Australia) Mobile: 0437 722 870 Mike Steller - Acting Regional Manager & Mining, Petroleum & Email: [email protected] Defence Support Alice Springs for his contribution of exhibitors