An Appraisal of the Geophysical Effects of the Mount Isa Ore Bodies

Fallon, Gary N.; Busuttil, Stephen

doi:10.1071/eg992133

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Figure 6 shows a gravity profile over the Mt Isa lead–zinc and copper bodies. However, most of the response (centred at ~341100E) is due to the pervasive silica–dolomite, with the lead–zinc sulfides contributing less than one fifth of the response (Fallon & Busuttil 1992).…”

Section: Categories Of Zinc Depositsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Geophysical properties of zinc‐bearing deposits

Bishop

Emerson²

1999

Australian Journal of Earth Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

At present, most, if not all zinc is being produced from the mineral sphalerite. With the exception of its piezoelectricity and in some cases its density, sphalerite has no salient physical properties to routinely allow its direct detection by geophysical methods. Although the mineral usually occurs with other sulfides, which do respond to various geophysical techniques, detection of zinc-bearing deposits is often difficult. In this paper, physical property measurements from numerous, mainly Australian, deposits are presented, together with examples from various geophysical surveys. The results are used to suggest the most effective geophysical technique for the direct detection of the different types of zinc-bearing deposits. Induced polarisation is probably the most effective technique for unmetamorphosed sediment-hosted deposits and for carbonate-hosted deposits, whereas electromagnetics is usually the most appropriate method to use for volcanic-hosted deposits and for sediment-hosted deposits that have been strongly metamorphosed. Magnetics is the best technique for skarn and 'Cobar-style' deposits. However, it must be emphasised that usually more than one geophysical technique is required before a prospect can be considered to have been thoroughly explored.

show abstract

Section: Categories Of Zinc Depositsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The bulk of the response is due to the silica dolomite in the Urquhart Shales. The Pb/Zn mineralisation contributes less than 0.75 mgal (from Fallon & Busuttil 1992 figure 3, reproduced with the permission of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists).…”

Section: Categories Of Zinc Depositsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geophysical properties of zinc‐bearing deposits

Bishop

Emerson²

1999

Australian Journal of Earth Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Elemental ratios are therefore more frequently diagnostic of chemical domains that are relevant to mineral exploration. Elevated levels of potassium and relatively depleted levels of thorium have been observed at the Sullivan deposit (Lowe and others, 2001), but other areas, such as the Mount Isa deposit, do not exhibit significantly enhanced potassium (Fallon and Busuttil, 1992).…”

Section: Radiometric Signaturementioning

confidence: 96%

“…Gravity measurements have similarly been used on Irish-type deposits in the Central Midlands basin of Ireland (Williams and Brown, 1986). In particular, a detailed survey over the Mount Isa orebody found gravity lows associated with oxidation along a fault and a gravity high associated with silica dolomite alteration with some contribution from Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization (Fallon and Busuttil, 1992). An extensive evaluation of geophysical methods at the Red Dog deposit determined that gravity was most effective in delineating the dense sulfide+barite ore.…”

Section: Gravity Signaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Known sulfides and alteration mineralization have been imaged using electrical methods at the Sullivan deposit (Wynn and others, 1977;Lowe and others, 2001), and downhole electromagnetic surveys showing responses directly attributable to orebodies have been done at the Mount Isa deposit (Fallon and Busuttil, 1992). Magnetotellurics have been used to support geologic mapping in the vicinity of the Century deposit (for example, Mutton, 1997;Murphy and others, 2008) but not at the deposit itself.…”

Section: Electrical Signaturementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Sedimentary exhalative (sedex) zinc-lead-silver deposit model

Emsbo¹,

Seal²,

Breit³

et al. 2016

Scientific Investigations Report

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The objective of this report is to develop a model for sedex deposits based on processes critical to their formation. The framework for the model development is a "mineral systems approach" (see Kreuzer and others, 2008) that draws on both descriptive information and genetic consideration. The mineral system schemes have varied in detail, but critical elements of hydrothermal ore-forming processes include (1) source of fluids, (2) source of metal-transporting ligands, (3) source of metals, (4) drivers of fluid movement, (5) plumbing systems or pathways, (6) physical and chemical traps for metal, and (7) discharge zones for spent hydrothermal fluids. Empirical data and a genetic understanding of the physicochemical, geologic, and mass balance conditions required for each of these elements are used to establish a hierarchy of quantifiable geologic criteria that can be used in U.S. Geological Survey national assessments (see Johnson and others, 2008) for sedex Zn-Pb-Ag deposits.

show abstract