Tectonic evolution and lode gold mineralisation in the Southern Cross district, Yilgarn Craton (Western Australia): a study of the meso- to Neoarchaean missing link. In the December quarter 2008, Gold export earnings increased by 2 per cent to $3.9 billion. Over the past 20 years and despite an increase in exploration expenditure to around $50 million per year, the discovery rates have been declining. Although the easy targets have been found, there remains considerable potential for future ma ....Tectonic evolution and lode gold mineralisation in the Southern Cross district, Yilgarn Craton (Western Australia): a study of the meso- to Neoarchaean missing link. In the December quarter 2008, Gold export earnings increased by 2 per cent to $3.9 billion. Over the past 20 years and despite an increase in exploration expenditure to around $50 million per year, the discovery rates have been declining. Although the easy targets have been found, there remains considerable potential for future major discoveries. This project addresses the pressing need for new data and improved exploration techniques to enable industry to target new discoveries. As the Southern Cross district is located in remote communities such discoveries also have major benefits for regional Australia.Read moreRead less
Minerals replacement reactions: understanding mineral formation under hydrothermal conditions. Many geological processes involve the transformation of one mineral into another. By understanding molecular-level reaction mechanisms, we can predict how fast reactions progress, and what the final product will look like. This project focuses on a reaction mechanism called 'coupled dissolution-reprecipitation', in which the parent mineral is dissolved into a thin layer of fluid at the reaction front, ....Minerals replacement reactions: understanding mineral formation under hydrothermal conditions. Many geological processes involve the transformation of one mineral into another. By understanding molecular-level reaction mechanisms, we can predict how fast reactions progress, and what the final product will look like. This project focuses on a reaction mechanism called 'coupled dissolution-reprecipitation', in which the parent mineral is dissolved into a thin layer of fluid at the reaction front, and the daughter mineral subsequently precipitates. This concept will be applied to sulfide minerals for the first time. The results have many applications for the Australian mining industry, in particular in improving the efficiency of the processing of Ni- and Au-ores.Read moreRead less
Controls on Gold Mineralisation in Central Victoria: Towards New Exploration Models. The proposed project will develop and evaluate new exploration models with implications for gold exploration and mining/investment in Victoria. The frontier research techniques to be employed will ensure that Australian geoscience remains at the forefront of international research. This project will also provide unprecedented research training opportunities for the next generation of Australian Earth Scientists. ....Controls on Gold Mineralisation in Central Victoria: Towards New Exploration Models. The proposed project will develop and evaluate new exploration models with implications for gold exploration and mining/investment in Victoria. The frontier research techniques to be employed will ensure that Australian geoscience remains at the forefront of international research. This project will also provide unprecedented research training opportunities for the next generation of Australian Earth Scientists. As prospective gold terranes are located in regional Australia, enhanced exploration and mining activity in future years may have significant economic and infrastructure benefits for rural and regional communities.Read moreRead less
Exploration potential and implications for stress transfer modelling in fault-related mineral deposits. Following our success in the application of stress transfer modelling (STM) techniques to understand the clustered distribution of upper crustal, Archean gold deposits within crustal scale fault systems, this project seeks to test and develop the application of STM in (1) gold systems formed below the crustal seismogenic regime, (2) for deposit-scale targeting, and (3) in a range of fault-re ....Exploration potential and implications for stress transfer modelling in fault-related mineral deposits. Following our success in the application of stress transfer modelling (STM) techniques to understand the clustered distribution of upper crustal, Archean gold deposits within crustal scale fault systems, this project seeks to test and develop the application of STM in (1) gold systems formed below the crustal seismogenic regime, (2) for deposit-scale targeting, and (3) in a range of fault-related mineral deposits other than Archaean gold systems. The project will also develop methods to evaluate the combined roles of co-seismic stress transfer and post-seismic fluid redistribution in influencing deposit distribution. The approach provides a new conceptual framework in which to develop exploration strategies for deep earth resources.Read moreRead less
What controls trace element levels in ore sulfides? A laser-ICPMS perspective. Sub-surface hydrothermal gold and base metal orebodies are surrounded by aprons of elevated metal concentrations, mainly within micro-sulfides, which is one sign mineral explorers use to widen their target. Here we test whether the hostrock contributes metal in the most distant parts of such halos, and if so, what factors control where hostrock metal begins to be detectable in a given system. We will make better model ....What controls trace element levels in ore sulfides? A laser-ICPMS perspective. Sub-surface hydrothermal gold and base metal orebodies are surrounded by aprons of elevated metal concentrations, mainly within micro-sulfides, which is one sign mineral explorers use to widen their target. Here we test whether the hostrock contributes metal in the most distant parts of such halos, and if so, what factors control where hostrock metal begins to be detectable in a given system. We will make better models of how metalliferous waters react with rock, potentially translating into million dollar savings through more efficient exploration. The ultrafine sampling and precision analyses required for this are possible because of an ARC-funded core program at CODES.Read moreRead less
Order-disorder behaviour in Bi-tellurides: a tool to monitor gold scavenging by Bi-Te melts. This project addresses a group of minerals (bismuth tellurides) that are often part of the exotic assemblages present in gold deposits, yet their potential to model the gold-forming processes is only recently apparent. These minerals also have the capacity to record their genetic history due to crystal modularity. Materials scientists target the analogous synthetic compounds because of the same structura ....Order-disorder behaviour in Bi-tellurides: a tool to monitor gold scavenging by Bi-Te melts. This project addresses a group of minerals (bismuth tellurides) that are often part of the exotic assemblages present in gold deposits, yet their potential to model the gold-forming processes is only recently apparent. These minerals also have the capacity to record their genetic history due to crystal modularity. Materials scientists target the analogous synthetic compounds because of the same structural modularity for applications in nanotechnology. The dataset on the mineral compounds, using the geological environment as a natural laboratory, will serve materials science research, as much as delivering key information relevant to understanding the reasons for gold enrichment in economically important types of ores. Read moreRead less
A mineral systems analysis of Australia's largest gold producing deposit: Sunrise Dam Gold Mine, Western Australia. This project will augment existing mineral resources at Australia's largest current gold producing mine, and guide exploration for additional resources in the surrounding district. By understanding the genesis of this exceptional deposit, the study will spawn a new set of targeting criteria that can be used to explore for other world-class deposits in Western Australia and similar ....A mineral systems analysis of Australia's largest gold producing deposit: Sunrise Dam Gold Mine, Western Australia. This project will augment existing mineral resources at Australia's largest current gold producing mine, and guide exploration for additional resources in the surrounding district. By understanding the genesis of this exceptional deposit, the study will spawn a new set of targeting criteria that can be used to explore for other world-class deposits in Western Australia and similar geological terranes throughout the world. In the context of high and rising gold prices, the project has the potential to generate billion dollar revenues and substantial employment, and it will deliver advanced training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347677
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$750,000.00
Summary
An electron probe microanalysis system to replace an existing 14 year-old instrument. Compositional data determined on inorganic materials by electron microprobe analysis (EPMA) underpins a considerable amount research in Earth/planetary sciences. Spots down to 2/1000mm may be analysed quantitatively for major elements and some trace elements with an accuracy of <1%, and digital composition maps of the elemental spatial distribution can be generated. Increasing downtime on the 14 year-old UTasma ....An electron probe microanalysis system to replace an existing 14 year-old instrument. Compositional data determined on inorganic materials by electron microprobe analysis (EPMA) underpins a considerable amount research in Earth/planetary sciences. Spots down to 2/1000mm may be analysed quantitatively for major elements and some trace elements with an accuracy of <1%, and digital composition maps of the elemental spatial distribution can be generated. Increasing downtime on the 14 year-old UTasmania microprobe, coupled with diverse new and exciting applications in ore deposit research, environmental geoscience and geochronology force us to seek funds to replace the existing EPMA facility, which has logged ~101,000 hours of use involving ~250 researchers, and produced more than 500 refereed papers.Read moreRead less
Experimental studies on hydrothermal reaction processes at the molecular level: the role of mineral replacement reactions in ore formation. Most of the World's supply of metals such as copper (Cu), gold (Au), molybdenum (Mo), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) or uranium (U) comes from hydrothermal ore deposits. The metals were deposited deep below the Earth's surface when hot fluids, carrying minute quantities of the metals, reacted with suitable rocks to form ore minerals. By understanding molecular-level ....Experimental studies on hydrothermal reaction processes at the molecular level: the role of mineral replacement reactions in ore formation. Most of the World's supply of metals such as copper (Cu), gold (Au), molybdenum (Mo), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) or uranium (U) comes from hydrothermal ore deposits. The metals were deposited deep below the Earth's surface when hot fluids, carrying minute quantities of the metals, reacted with suitable rocks to form ore minerals. By understanding molecular-level reaction mechanisms at high pressure and temperature, we can predict the nature of the ore minerals formed for a given set of physical and chemical conditions. This multidisciplinary research project is devoted to understanding these chemical and physical processes and how this knowledge can be applied to improve mineral exploration, mining, and ore processing.Read moreRead less
The Golden Gift gold mineralisation, Stawell, Victoria. The structure and the nature of the fluid flow that produced the mineralisation in the newly discovered Golden Gift orebody at Stawell, Victoria, will be investigated. This project will provide reasons for the distribution of the gold lodes, the distribution of major quartz vein arrays and associated fractures. Using both the existing and new geologic data and numerical models it should be possible to establish the primary setting for the S ....The Golden Gift gold mineralisation, Stawell, Victoria. The structure and the nature of the fluid flow that produced the mineralisation in the newly discovered Golden Gift orebody at Stawell, Victoria, will be investigated. This project will provide reasons for the distribution of the gold lodes, the distribution of major quartz vein arrays and associated fractures. Using both the existing and new geologic data and numerical models it should be possible to establish the primary setting for the Stawell goldfield. The models will be applicable not only to the Golden Gift orebody but will provide insights into the importance of these processes in controlling the localisation of gold mineralisation in other terranes.Read moreRead less