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Research 

 

VHMS mineralization in the Archean Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia

 

The Archean Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia represents a world-class metallogenic province, hosting considerable resources of Ni-sulfides, Au and iron ore.  Following the 1963 discovery of the giant Kidd Creek Cu-Zn deposit in Canada, the Archean Yilgarn and Pilbara cratons of Western Australia were actively targeted for volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) mineralization throughout most the 1960s and 1970s. The main exploration technique was gossan searching coupled with geophysics.  One substantial find was made at Gossan Hill in 1971 (Golden Grove camp), and a smaller, but higher grade find in 1976 at Teutonic Bore in the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane.  By the early 1980s the lack of success and an increasing gold price saw a change in focus, and VHMS mineralization effectively dropped off the exploration agenda in Western Australia for the next 25 years. This research aims to identify the fundamental controls on VHMS mineralization from the craton to deposit scale, and identify mineralogical, geochemical, mineral-chemical and isotopic halos to ore.

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Previous research projects:

  • Formation of the Ag-Zn-(Au) Nimbus deposit, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia: age, setting, mineralization and geochemical halos to ore

  • Multiple S isotope characteristics of the Nimbus Zn-Ag-(Au) deposit. Research led by Stefano Caruso 

  • Re-Os geochronology of the Nimbus VHMS deposit. Research led by Vitor Barrote

  • Age, setting and formation of Zn-Cu mineralization at Erayinia NW in the Eastern Goldfields

  • Geology and geochemistry of the Gum Creek greenstone belt, western Yilgarn Craton

 

Current Projects include:

  • Hydrothermal alteration associated with the Archean Teutonic Bore VHMS deposit, Western Australia: lithogeochemistry, mineral chemistry and hyperspectral constraints

  • Geochemical and hyperspectral halos applied to the metamorphosed King and King North base-metal occurrences.

  • Geology and mineralogy of the Altair, VHMS deposit, Gum Creek greenstone belt.

 

Application of clumped C-O isotopes to Irish-type deposits

 

Irish-type Zn-Pb ore deposits are the mainstay of the Irish mining industry. There is a consensus that they are mainly epigenetic ores formed by carbonate replacement of Lower Carboniferous limestones. Conditions required for their formation include dense networks of normal faults that allowed ascending, warm, metal-bearing fluids equilibrated with Lower Palaeozoic basement to mix with sinking, cooler, hypersaline brines that carried bacteriogenically reduced dissolved sulphide of ultimate seawater origin.

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It is well established that carbonate mineral crystallization from aqueous fluids causes temperature-dependent mineral-fluid C and O isotope fractionations. Mineral C-O isotope compositions are therefore controlled by crystallization temperature and fluid isotope compositions. However the heavy isotopes of these two elements are now known to bond in carbonate minerals measurably more frequently than expected by stochastic distribution. The extent of this “clumping” of O and C isotopes is also temperature dependent, but crucially is independent of fluid isotope composition and carbonate mineral chemistry. Temperature differences of ~5°C, at carbonate mineral crystallisation temperatures up to at least 200°C, are resolvable and the O-C isotope ratios of the fluid can simultaneously be determined.

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​Our research aims to apply clumped O-C isotope analysis to develop improved metallogenetic models and geochemical exploration techniques for carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb orebodies. Clumped O-C isotope analysis will be used to separate the temperature and fluid d13C and d18O signatures of hydrothermal fluids, to constrain fluid flow in the orebody and its halo.

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Evolution and mineralization of volcanic arc sequences in the British and Irish Caledonides

 

The Tyrone Igneous Complex (TIC) of Northern Ireland represents a structurally dissected arc-ophiolite complex accreted to the composite margin of Laurentia during the Grampian orogeny (ca. 475-465 Ma).  Extensive new field mapping, geochemistry and U-Pb zircon geochronology have greatly improved our understanding of the evolution of the TIC and its place within the orogen.  Stratigraphic horizons favourable for the formation and preservation of VHMS mineralization have been identified, and several new mineral occurrences identified on the basis of this research. This work has assisted Dalradian Resources and Koza Ltd with their regional exploration programmes. 

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Ongoing research includes new:

  • U-Pb zircon ID-TIMS geochronology on the TIC.

  • Mineral chemistry (electron microprobe analysis) and lithogeochemical mapping to aid the discovery of VHMS mineralization.

  • Age and tectonic setting of the Ballantrae Ophiolite Complex, Scotland.

  • Distribution of ultramafic occurrences in the Proterozoic Dalradian Supergroup associated with the opening of the Iapetus Ocean

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Actively forming 'Kuroko-type' VHMS mineralization at Iheya North, Okinawa Trough, Japan

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IODP Expedition 331 drilled five sites at the Iheya North hydrothermal field within the Okinawa Trough backarc basin. At Iheya North, hydrothermal alteration and VHMS mineralisation is hosted in a geologically complex mixed sequence of coarse pumiceous volcaniclastic and fine hemipelagic sediments, overlying dacitic to rhyolitic volcanic substrate. At Site C0016, coring adjacent to the foot of an actively venting sulfide mound intersected massive sphalerite-(pyrite-chalcopyrite)-rich sulfides that strongly resemble the black ore of the Miocene-age Kuroko deposits of Japan – the first time that such material has been recovered from an active seafloor hydrothermal system.

​Projects include:

  • Characterization of multiple S isotopes throughout the Iheya North hydrothermal system with Dr Dr Crystal LaFlamme & Dr Marco Fiorentini (University of Western Australia). – Published

  • LA-ICPMS mapping of pyrite throughout the Iheya North hydrothermal system with Dr Lingli Zhou.

 

 

 

​Project Supervision

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​PhD

  • Mr Philippe Mongeau (yr1) - Lead supervisor, with Mark Cooper (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland), Stephen Piercey (Memorial University, Newfoundland), Ian Butler (Edinburgh) and Sean McClenaghan (Trinity College Dublin): University of Edinburgh. Funded by E4 DTP. "Controls on precious and critical metal enrichment in VMS deposits of the Caledonian-Appalachian orogen". Started September 2023.

  • Ms Isobel Nash (yr1) - Co-supervisor, led by Alan Hastie (Edinburgh), with David Holder and Liz Stock (Barrick Gold): University of Edinburgh. Funded by Barrick Gold. "Enhanced crustal fertility facilitates mineral endowment in Meso- to Neoarchaean cratons" Started August 2023. 

  • Mr Cendi Dana (yr2) - Lead supervisor, with Darryl Podmore (Black Raven Mining), Ian Butler (Edinburgh), Adrian Boyce (SUERC), Florian Fusseis (Edinburgh): University of Edinburgh. Funded by E4 DTP, with top up from Black Raven Mining. “Developing geochemical vectors to aid the discovery of metamorphosed VMS deposits”. Started September 2022.

Completed​

  • Dr Aileen Doran - Co-supervisor, led by Julian Menuge: University College Dublin. Funded by iCRAG/Science Foundation Ireland. “Geochemical investigations of mineralizing processes in the southern Irish Zn-Pb orefield: the combined application of isotope (S, clumped O-C, Sr, H) and mineral chemistry studies to track fluid flow”. ​September 2016 to June 2021 (viva).

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Undergraduate / MSc

2023-2034 AY:

  • Mr Ryan Wilson - "Mineralogy, geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Archean Altair VHMS deposit, Gum Creek greenstone belt, Western Australia."

​2022-2023 AY:

  • Mr Jack Richardson - Supervisor. University of Edinburgh; 5th year dissertation. September 2022 – May 2023 “Au-Te mineralization within orogenic gold deposits of the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia”

  • Mr Conal Rodgers - Supervisor. University of Edinburgh; 5th year dissertation. September 2022 – May 2023. “Hyperspectral and geochemical halos of white mica and chlorite for VMS exploration at King Zinc deposit, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia”

​2022-2023 AY:​

  • Ms Robin Hilderman - Supervisor. University of Edinburgh; Geoenergy MSc dissertation. Feb. to August, 2022. “How did Cashel Rock form? Cu-Au and critical metal enrichment in a silica-flooded rhyolite”

  • Ms Amy Muir - Supervisor. (University of Edinburgh; GeoEnergy MSc). Feb. to August, 2022. ”Pyrite trace element variations across the active Iheya North hydrothermal field, Japan: insights for Cu-Zn deposit formation”

  • Mr Patrick Brown - Supervisor. (University of Edinburgh; GeoEnergy MSc). Feb. to August, 2022. “Copper mineralisation and hydrothermal alteration: implications for VMS activity in the Ballantrae Ophiolite Complex”

Other:

  • Mr Sabri Foury - Supervisor. (from UniLaSalle, France) undergraduate student internship project based at UCD. From 10th July to 18th August, 2017. “Characterizing geochemical halos surrounding the Nimbus Ag-Zn-(Au) VHMS deposit of Western Australia”

  • Mr Jamie Kelly - Co-supervisor (with Prof. Stephen Roberts): 4th year undergraduate project, University of Southampton, UK. Started 1st June, 2017. “Characterization of Cu-Au King North deposit, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia”.

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