8. Seismic-Reflection Imaging of the Environment around the Mount Isa Orebodies, Northern Australia: A Case Study

Drummond, B. J.; Owen, A. J.; Jackson, Jacqui; Goleby, B. R.; Sheard, S. N.

doi:10.1190/1.9781560802396.ch8

Cited by 4 publications

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“…The situation is different for geologic bodies with dimensions much larger than the dominating wavelength Clarke and Eaton, 2003;Hobbs, 2003), such as rock-type boundaries or fracture/shear zones (Juhlin and Palm, 2003). Therefore, reflection seismic methods are used most often for structural studies of the formations hosting deposits (e.g., Adam et al, 1997;Perron et al, 1998;White et al, 2000;Drummond et al, 2003;Roberts et al, 2003;Stevenson et al, 2003;), but also direct imaging of massive sulfides has been carried out (Adam et al, 1997Calvert et al, 2003;Dehghannejad et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Delineating ophiolite-derived host rocks of massive sulfide Cu-Co-Zn deposits with 2D high-resolution seismic reflection data in Outokumpu, Finland

et al. 2012

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Seismic reflection data was applied to a study of the upper crustal structures in the Outokumpu mining and exploration area in eastern Finland. The Cu-Co-Zn sulfide ore deposits of the Outokumpu area are hosted by Palaeoproterozoic ophiolite-derived altered ultrabasic rocks (serpentinite, skarn rock, and quartz rock) and black schist within turbiditic mica schist. Mining in the Outokumpu area has produced a total of 36 Mt of ore from three historical and one active mine. Seismic data comprises 2D vibroseis data surveyed along a network of local roads. The seismic sections provide a comprehensive 3D view of the reflective structures. Acoustic rock properties from downhole logging and synthetic seismograms indicate that the strongly reflective packages shown in the seismic data can be identified as the host-rock environments of the deposits. Reflectors show excellent continuity along the structural grain of the ore belt, which allows correlating reflectors with surface geology, magnetic map, and drilling sections into a broad 3D model of the ore belt. Massive ores have acoustic properties that make them directly detectable with seismic reflection methods assuming the deposit size is sufficient for applied seismic wavelengths. The seismic data revealed numerous interesting high-amplitude reflectors within the interpreted host-rock suites potentially coinciding with sulfides.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Delineating ophiolite-derived host rocks of massive sulfide Cu-Co-Zn deposits with 2D high-resolution seismic reflection data in Outokumpu, Finland

et al. 2012

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“…Studies in Australia (Drummond et al 2003) have successfully applied the mineral-system concept, i.e., ore deposition requires a fluid source, a migration pathway, and a trap to provide a framework for strategic use of MCS imaging for base-metal exploration. For example, at Mount Isa, seismic imaging has been particularly effective for mapping structures that constitute favourable locations for discovery of stratabound silver-lead-zinc orebodies.…”

Section: Fig 16mentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing base-metal exploration with seismic imagingThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the themeLithoprobe — parameters, processes, and the evolution of a continent.

et al. 2010

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Commencing in 1988 and continuing for 5 years, Lithoprobe acquired a series of high-resolution seismic experiments within and near base-metal mining camps in Canada, including the Abitibi subprovince of Quebec and Ontario, the world-class Sudbury Ni-Cu mining district, the Buchans mine in Newfoundland, and the Thompson Ni belt in Manitoba. This work, undertaken in close cooperation with the Geological Survey of Canada and major Canadian mining companies, stimulated an intensive and broadened series of followup studies with the common objective of assessing potential applications of multichannel seismic (MCS) imaging for deep mineral exploration and mine development. This research was motivated by a widely recognized disparity between the depths from which ores can be profitably mined (up to 2 km or more) and the resolving depths (typically <500 m) of commonly used geophysical methods for mineral exploration. Initial rockproperty studies established that the expected contrast in acoustic impedance between ores and host rocks should be sufficient to generate observable reflections and (or) scattered waves. For an ore deposit to be directly detectable with MCS, however, it is also necessary for it to meet geometrical criteria including a minimum thickness of 1/8 wavelenth (typically *5 m) and a lateral extent similar to the Fresnel radius (typically *100 m). Both Lithoprobe and followup seismic studies, calibrated with borehole data, reveal that lithologic contacts that are characterized by large impedance contrast and significant lateral continuity, such as igneous intrusive contacts between mafic and felsic rocks, are the most likely features to be imaged with the MCS techniques. In some camps such as Buchans, however, faults and shear zones are better imaged than lithologic contacts. In either case, these studies show that well-designed and carefully processed seismic profiles can provide a valuable geophysical tool for interpreting the stratigraphic and structural framework of mineral systems and, more rarely, direct-detection capabilities for deep ore deposits.Résumé : Débutant en 1988 et se poursuivant pendant 5 ans, Lithoprobe a acquis une série d'essais sismiques de haute ré-solution à l'intérieur et à proximité de camps miniers de métaux de base au Canada, incluant la sous-province de l'Abitibi au Québec et en Ontario, le district minier Ni-Cu de classe mondiale de Sudbury, la mine Buchans à Terre-Neuve et la ceinture de nickel Thompson au Manitoba. Ce travail, entrepris en collaboration étroite avec la Commission géologique du Canada et de grandes compagnies minières canadiennes, a stimulé une série d'études de suivi, intensives et élargies, dont l'objectif commun était d'évaluer des applications potentielles d'imagerie sismique par canaux multiples « MCS -Multichannel Seismic » pour l'exploration minérale en profondeur et le développement de mines. Cette recherche a été motivée par la disparité largement reconnue entre les profondeurs desquelles les minerais peuvent être extraits rentablement (jusqu'à 2 k...

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“…Another successful case study is from Western Australia. Drummond et al (2002) show the efficiency of seismic techniques for imaging the mineral trap stage of ore systems. Based on these experiences and others, high-resolution reflection seismic data were acquired in the fall of 2003 along two north-south trending parallel profiles in the western part of the Skellefte district, one of the largest Paleoproterozoic volcanogenic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) districts in the world (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-profile acquisition and cross-dip analysis for extracting 3D information from 2D surveys, a case study from the western Skellefte District, northern Sweden

Rodriguez-Tablante

Tryggvason

Malehmir

et al. 2007

Journal of Applied Geophysics

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8. Seismic-Reflection Imaging of the Environment around the Mount Isa Orebodies, Northern Australia: A Case Study

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Delineating ophiolite-derived host rocks of massive sulfide Cu-Co-Zn deposits with 2D high-resolution seismic reflection data in Outokumpu, Finland

Delineating ophiolite-derived host rocks of massive sulfide Cu-Co-Zn deposits with 2D high-resolution seismic reflection data in Outokumpu, Finland

Enhancing base-metal exploration with seismic imagingThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the themeLithoprobe — parameters, processes, and the evolution of a continent.

Cross-profile acquisition and cross-dip analysis for extracting 3D information from 2D surveys, a case study from the western Skellefte District, northern Sweden

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