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Research 

 

Mineral chemical halos to 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.

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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.

  • Use of zircon trace element geochemistry and Hf-isotope signatures to identify VMS-fertile felsic volcanic rocks across the Irish Caledonides and Newfoundland Appalachians.

  • 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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