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Updated:
26 August 2005
North Australia Project: Commodities
IntroductionThe commodities in the region include gold, copper, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, diamonds, uranium, molybdenum and tungsten. GoldOutside of the Yilgarn Craton, the Tanami region has emerged as one of Australia's major gold provinces. Since the early 1980s, total resources in excess of eight million ounces of gold have been outlined from the Tanami, The Granites and Dead Bullock Soak districts, with the Callie deposit, which contains total resources in excess of five million ounces, one the world's premier Proterozoic gold deposits. Gold deposits in the Tanami region are generally inferred to be closely related to granite intrusion (Tunks and Marsh, 1998, AusIMM Mon. 22, 443-448; Smith et al., 1998, AusIMM Mon. 22, 449-459) and relatively late in the structural evolution of the Tanami region (Hendrickx et al., 2000, Northern Territory Geological Survey Record NTGS 2000/13). Recent dating indicates mineralisation occurred mostly at ~1800 Ma, although geological data may indicate two separate events. Gold deposits are hosted by basalt, banded iron formation and (decarbonated) carbonaceous sediments. Although individual gold deposits in the Tennant Creek field are relatively small (mostly <0.5 MOz), cumulatively this district has produced in excess of 5 MOz, making it the third largest gold producer in the Northern Territory. Tennant Creek Iron oxide Cu-Au deposits tend to be high grade (many averaging over 15 g/t) and have been major producers of Cu, Bi and Se in addition to Au. Copper, Zinc and LeadThe eastern Arunta province contains of number of small, stratiform Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag deposits, the largest of which are in the Jervois district, with the Green Parrot deposit having identified resources of 3 Mt grading 3.1% Cu and 558 g/t Ag, and 0.76 Mt grading 9.6% Pb and 247 g/t Ag. Other prospects in the eastern Arunta include Oonagalabi, which has a resource of 25 Mt grading 0.5% Cu and 1% Zn, and Edwards Creek. Geological and geochronological data suggest three periods of mineralisation: 1810-1800 Ma VAMS (e.g. Edwards Creek), 1790-1780 Ma IOCG (e.g. Johnnie's Reward and Jervois) and ~1750 <a carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb (e.g. Oonagalabi). Rare earth elementsRare earth element (REE) deposits are also known in the eastern Arunta province. At the Nolans Bore prospect, two groups of east-northeast-trending fluorapatite veins have been identified by Arafura Resources. Although relatively low in REE, carbonatites are known at the Mud Tank vermiculite mine. A mineral resource of 5.81 Mt grading 3.9% REO, 16.5% P2O5 and 0.031% U3O8 has been identified at this deposit, and other similar prospects are being assessed elsewhere in the Arunta. DiamondsAlthough diamond deposits are not known to occur in the NAP project area, diamond-bearing pipes are known to the north in the McArthur and Victoria basins. The Merlin deposit in the McArthur Basin is presently being exploited. This potential is perceived to extend south into the project area, including the Wiso and Georgina Basins. Further information can be found at the NTGS Diamonds page.
Uranium, molybdenum, and tungstenAlthough no mines or adanced prospects have been identified, uranium prospects are scattered through the Tanami, Tennant Creek and Arunta regions. However, the most significant prospects are located in the Ngalia Basin and in the northern part of the Amadeus Basin. These prospects are sandstone-hosted, and unconformily-related prospects are known in the Tanami region in the Killi Killi Hills area. Tungsten and molybdenum deposits are known in both the Davenport Province and the eastern Arunta. Tungsten was mined intermittently until the 1970s from quartz veins in the Wauchope and Hatches Creek districts, and tungsten and molybdenum were mined from the Molyhil skarn in the 1980s. Recent work at Molyhil has identified a resource of 2 Mt grading 0.5% WO3 and 0.2% MoS2. Mafic intrusions in the west Arunta, including the Andrew Young Hills deposit, have potential for orthomagmatic Ni-Cu deposits, and narrow (1-10 m) Ni-Cu-Ag zones have been intersected near Barrow Creek in association with a gabbro dike. The Mordor Complex in the eastern Arunta hosts small stratiform Ni-Cu-PGE deposits in a layered alkaline ultramafic complex.
Exploration updateA summary of recent exploration activities and results can be accessed through the NTGS Exploration News Database (updated quarterly). Related links |