mapping mineral system haystacks for finding deep cover
TRANSCRIPT
Mapping mineral system "haystacks" for finding deep cover mineral resource "needles" in South Australia Steve Hill Director Geological Survey of South Australia
OPEN THE DOOR TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Murphy’s “Haystacks” (Photo: S.Hill)
Pre-competitive Geoscience Data… finding mineral system “Haystacks”
Government / Private Drivers of Discovery
Land Access
Human & Intellectual Capital Education and training R&D – new exploration and processing technologies
Precompetitive Geoscientific Data and Information
Capture and Delivery Value-add Research Underexplored / Covered Regions Targeted Programs Discovery
Quality of Exploration
Quantity of Exploration
Geos
cienc
e Aus
tralia
; CSI
RO, U
of A
; SAC
OME;
Gov
Age
ncies
Availability of Finance
GREENFIELDS
Adapted from Derek Carter
Moon Plain, Stuart Shelf, SA (Photo S.Hill)
Deep Cover Exploration Impediment…
South Australia – the state is covered! (from Carmen Krapf, GSSA) 75% is transported regolith!
5
Exploration Challenges…
• Covered areas are “under-explored”: • “Greenfields” Frontiers (WHAT? - we don’t know what is there) • Technical Frontiers (HOW? - we know its prospective but how do we
effectively and efficiently explore there?)
• Provides unrealised potential / opportunity / new search space
• Need to move beyond a single “silver bullet” approach (e.g. single stand alone pre-competitive regional survey) → “geoscience / exploration confetti”
• Need for an integrated deep cover exploration method and
framework
Exploration Through Transported Cover
(From James Cleverley, CSIRO)
Pre-competitive Geoscience workflow
8
Regional Geophysics Regional Geochemistry
Regional Geological Mapping Lithospheric Architecture
Stratigraphic Drilling 250k Geological Mapping
Targeted Geophysics and Geochemistry 4D Geodynamic & Metallogenic evolution
Regional Mineral System Drilling Geophysical & Geochemical Case studies
‘Distal Footprint’ Characterisation
Mineral Occurrence Studies Collaborative / Targeted drilling
Tenement Exploration
COMPETITIVE GEOSCIENCE (INDUSTRY)
PRE-COMPETITIVE GEOSCIENCE
(GOVERNMENT)
Greater Geological certainty
Greater Geological Uncertainty
This presentation… • What are some of things that we are doing to
help provide knowledge and information about the buried mineral system “haystacks” 1. Broad portfolio of activity 2. Gawler and Curnamona IOCG Mineral System
footprints towards regional mineral system drilling 3. Building a new frontier beneath the Eucla Basin 4. A better geological framework for covered frontiers
(Wednesday 8:45 am)
GSSA Portfolio
Government incentives to support investment and bring forward discoveries
PACE Collaborative Drilling • 8.8M Government
spend leveraged over $24M from industry
• New assay results; downhole logs; petrophysics; geophysics;
• DISCOVERIES!
• Funding for further rounds in 2015 and 2017
2013-14 GSSA Project Portfolio 1. Eastern Musgraves
mapping 2. Wintinna 3. Eastern Gawler Alteration
footprints (DET CRC P3.4) 4. WPA Geophysics 5. Cariewerloo Basin U 6. Pt Augusta mapping 7. Mt Painter 8. Curnamona Mapping 9. Statewide Data &
Synthesis 10. Commodity Mineral
Systems and Mindep 11. Non-discretionary
Geoscience (databases, regulation, core library …)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
New Maps • Mt Painter • Cultana • Tieyon • Bimbowrie CP • Wintinna
GSSA New Maps and Reports
New Reports • Copper Porphyry Potential (RB2013/19) • Cultana Geology (RB2014/6) • Tieyon Geology (RB2013/11) • Bimbowrie CP (2014/3) • Migmatites (2013/16) • WPA Data Atlas (2013/20)
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Uranium Occurrences Map (5th Edition)
and Uranium Minerals Systems
Report (2nd Edition)
• Known uranium occurrences and • significant geological parameters • for each deposit type have been • collated and represented spatially • as a ‘key ingredients’ map • Significant number of additions • Updated Classification scheme
Tania Wilson, GSSA
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PALAEODRAINAGE AND CENOZOIC COASTAL BARRIERS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA MAP • Understanding of the distribution
of paleovalleys and paleoshorelines • their morphology and evolution in
the context of their local and
• continental setting, and the factors that control deposition and
• preservation of ore minerals within the sediments.
Hou B., Fabris A., Michaelsen B., Katona L., Keeling J., Stoian L., Wilson T., Fairclough, M. and Zang W. (compilers)
2014 Depth to Crystalline Base package
• New data compilation includes: – Further data
points – Non-
perpendicular holes
– Free download on website
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DRILL CORE REFERENCE LIBRARY
Industry workshops • Pre-competitive Geoscience –Industry Workshop (March 28, 2014) • Regional Drilling Workshop (Friday 9 May, 2014)
• Land Access! • Ongoing PACE support • GSSA regional
mapping & geology • Collaborative Drilling • Drill core library • Geochronology • Regional Geophysics • Open file digital capture
of industry data sets • Regolith Mapping • Regional Geochemistry! • Regional Drilling?
Collaboration & Partnerships - MoUs • New South Wales Geological Survey
(Infrastructure, Regulation, Geoscience – particularly uranium)
• China National Nuclear Centre (CNNC) (Uranium Geology)
• Sernageomin, Chile (Copper) • China Geological Survey (Geological systems) • Saskatchewan Ministry of Resources and Energy,
Canada (Uranium Geology) • Northern Territory Geological Survey (Investment,
Infrastructure and Geoscience) • Geoscience Australia
Collaborations & Partnerships – Research Providers
• Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre (participant sponsor)
• CSIRO • University of Adelaide
• University of Tasmania / CODES (Ross Large, Jacqui Halpin)
• HiSeis
• University of Iowa (Paul Spry and students))
Collaboration & Partnerships - Industry
• Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre (sponsor / affiliates)
• Monax Mining • Punt Hill IOCG study
• Southern Gawler Ranges / Northern Eyre
Peninsula… • Musgraves…
Gawler and Curnamona IOCG Mineral System footprints towards regional mineral system drilling
ADELAIDE
Prominent Hill
Carrapateena
Olympic Dam
Moonta – Wallaroo
Hillside
Staff: Steve Hore, Wolfgang Preiss, Tania Wilson, Georgina Gordon New MoU with NSW Workflow underway especially using sedimentary U systems as ‘footprint’ for deeper IOCG systems
Eastern Gawler Craton Targeted Geoscience: Geophysics
New PACE Gravity
New hi-res magnetic grid
New prospectivity insights
Gravity - Old vs New • GIS-based anomaly extraction technique
• The new gravity grid merge improves positional accuracy of anomalies and gives greater detail when compared to the 2011 State grid.
Eastern Gawler Craton Targeted Geoscience:
Mapping synthesis towards 3D model and prospectivity analysis (S. van der Wielen)
Modelling - Inputs
Source of Metals and Fluids
Heat Sources
Fluid Conduits
Potential Trap Sites
Mineral System Component
Mappable Proxy Weight
Sources of brines, Fe, Cl and S
Fe-rich basins and metasediments Unknown
0.25 0.1
Magmatic Brine Sources
A type felsic magmas Interpreted felsic magmas
0.3 0.15
Sources of Cu /Au
Mafic-ultramafic rocks (Mesoprot) Interpreted mafic magmas (Mesoprot) Older than Mesoprot Mafic magmas
0.5 0.35 0.2
Mineral System Component
Mappable Proxy Weight
Felsic Magmas
A-type felsic plutons (Mesoprot) Interpreted felsic plutons (Mesoprot)
0.3 0.15
Mafic-ultramafic magmatism
Mafic-ultramafic rocks (Mesoprot) Interpreted Mafic-ultramafic rocks (Mesoprot)
0.3 0.2
Mineral System Component
Mappable Proxy
Weight
Fluid Flow along permeable structures
Interpreted faults
0.5
Crustal-scale shear zones permissive of magma/fluid transfer
Domain boundaries and faults >40km length
0.3
Mineral System Component
Mappable Proxy
Weight
Chemical gradients
Iron Formations
0.2
Geophysical signature
Density anomalies Magnetic anomalies residing within a density anomaly
0.4 0.45
Modelling – Results
Data acquired
• Re-assayed 95 dh’s
• Scanned 100’s of dh’s
• Collected 1000’s petrophysical measurements
• Data integrated
• Workflow for characterising alteration.
Alteration can be differentiated
K-spar
albite
Mus
Chl
Emmie Bluff
Emmie Bluff
• Geochemically rate samples
HyloggerTM
• Hylogger – automated hyperspectral scanner. • Wavelengths: VSWIR, TIR. • Enables objective and consistent mapping. • Key minerals – white mica, chlorite, carbonates, and some
silicate, Fe-oxide and sulphate minerals.
Olympic Dam - RU 39 5371
Hematite and granite breccia Altered granite (Roxby Downs Granite)
Hematite breccia
U3O8
Cu
Au
White mica: dominance of muscovite in ore zone and phengite in alteration zone
Chlo
rite:
dom
inan
ce o
f Fe
-end
mem
ber i
n
prox
imal
alte
ratio
n zo
ne
0m 100m 200m 300m
Muscovitic
Phengitic Fe-rich
Mg-rich
2250nm wavelength versus Cu 2200nm wavelength versus Cu
• Relationship of Cu with long wavelength chlorites and intermediate wavelength white mica
Cu ppm Cu ppm
w22
50nm
w22
00nm
• White mica and chlorite chemistry are useful indicators of prospectivity and provide a vectors
Conclusions
• Several methods of highlighting halos and producing vectors
• Footprints of IOCG systems are broad and support regional drill testing
• Once in a system, vector using integrated datasets.
Eastern Gawler Craton Targeted Geoscience: Regional Drilling and Mineral System Mapping
New results from 95 drill holes, including new Punt Hill case study → Breakthroughs in mapping IOCG alteration systems
Mineralogy: Chemistry+spectral
2 km
Emmie Bluff 3D Model
Sericite
Hematite Magnetite Hematite – Magnetite
K-Feldspar Albite
Sericite – Chlorite Chlorite
Previous drilling on the eastern Gawler craton,
‘Olympic Province’ provides example of
current practice under deep cover
Decision to drill based on 2
channels of data
Many false +ves
Expensive
Sparse, inconsistent data
Minimal iterative knowledge to inform follow-up drilling
Image courtesy of Simon van der Wielen
Golden Mile
Mt Charlotte
Kanowna Belle
Binduli
Kundana
Paddington
Mt Pleasant
Data courtesy of Scott Halley, Minmap
Potential roles of industry partner Follow-up on targets of interest Provide existing confidential drill
data for regional selection
Deep Exploration: Mineral System Drilling
SA Mineral Systems Drill Program
Bouger gravity
• GSSA – Key areas of interest highlighted although all proposed locations will be considered
Coiled Tubing Drill Rig
Autonomous Sonde
Lab-at-RigTM
LAR – What Can it Achieve? The Paradigm Shift…!
Standard Company Drilling Program
Co-Funded Drilling Program
DET CRC/DMITRE Research Project*
Access to DMITRE Co-Funding
No Yes, ~50% of drilling costs Yes, ~50% of drilling costs
Tax Deductible Yes (but tax deduction trapped if Company is making tax losses)
Yes (but tax deduction trapped if Company is making tax losses)
Yes, and may be immediately refundable under R&D Incentive
Eligible for R&D Tax Incentive
No, exploration expenditure is excluded under R&D
No, exploration expenditure is excluded under R&D
Possibly, small Co’s 45% refundable offset large Co’s, 40% tax offset
Confidentiality of Data
Confidentiality as per standard exploration regulations
Short confidentiality period (~3 months) then public
Short confidentiality period (~3 months) then public
Analysis of Sample (assay, logging etc)
All costs borne by Company
DMITRE to fund some assay (~10m intervals)
DMITRE to fund some assay (~10m intervals) DET CRC to provide real/near real time data (mineralogy & geochem via Lab-at-RigTM, gamma, mag sus, induction via AutoSondeTM)
Comparison of Possible Drilling Program Scenarios
* Must be a DET CRC Participant /Affiliate Member to participate in Research Project. New applicants welcome!
Standard Company Drilling Program
Co-Funded Drilling Program
DET CRC/DMITRE Research Project
Drilling Spend $500K $250K $250K
Gov’t Co-Funding $NIL $250K $250K
Total Drilling Spend
$500K $500K $500K
Drilling Metres 2,500 metres 2,500 metres 2,500 metres
Tax Refund $Nil, loss is deferred for later income years
$Nil, loss is deferred for later income years
$112.5K (45% refundable credit)
After Tax Cost $500K $250K $137.5K
After Tax Cost Per Metre
$200/metre plus logging/assay costs
$100/metre includes some core logging/assay
$55/metre includes some core logging/ assay + real-
time/near real time geochemistry and
mineralogy
Alternatively, savings applied to extra metres
- + 2,500 metres (100%) + 6,500 metres (260%)
Worked Example 1: Small Loss Making Company (<$20M turnover)
Photo: Steve Hill 51
Western Gawler Craton – Eucla Basin….
South Australian Mineral Exploration Licences
January 2004 September 2013
Pre-competitive Geoscience workflow for western Gawler Craton – Eucla Basin
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Regional Geophysics Regional Geochemistry
Regional Geological Mapping Lithospheric Architecture
Stratigraphic Drilling 250k Geological Mapping
Targeted Geophysics and Geochemistry 4D Geodynamic & Metallogenic evolution
Regional Mineral System Drilling Geophysical & Geochemical Case studies
‘Distal Footprint’ Characterisation
Mineral Occurrence Studies Collaborative / Targeted drilling
Tenement Exploration
PACE FRONTIERS in 2014 • Eucla Seismic Line • Regional MT survey • New airborne geophysics • Regional Biogeochemistry
Western Gawler / Eucla Basin Continental Seismic Transect (TMI backdrop)
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Coompana Anomaly Fowler
Domain Gawler Ranges
Eucla Basin – Gawler Craton MT
Western Gawler / Eucla Basin Regional Geophysics
• Magnetics
• Radiometrics Older airborne surveys
1600-3000 line spacing (did not always collect radiometrics)
Western Gawler / Eucla Basin Geochemistry / Biogeochemistry
• Regional Geochemistry – 2013-14
• Hydrogeochemistry • Soil • Calcrete • Biogeochemistry
~450 plant samples ~170 sample sites
Western Gawler / Eucla Basin Future Program
• Gravity survey • Soil Geochemistry • Integration, Interpretation and value-add • REGIONAL DRILLING
• Coompana Competition?
• Phase I: service provider data acquisition • Phase II: Geological Interpretations • Phase III: Regional Drilling and ‘real time’ reinterpretations
A better geological framework for covered frontiers
• Wednesday 8:45am
Moon Plain, Stuart Shelf, SA
Deep Cover Exploration Impediment…
becomes Exploration Opportunity
Disclaimer The information contained in this presentation has been compiled by the Department for Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy (DMITRE) and originates from a variety of sources. Although all reasonable care has been taken in the preparation and compilation of the information, it has been provided in good faith for general information only and does not purport to be professional advice. No warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness, correctness, accuracy, reliability or currency of the materials. DMITRE and the Crown in the right of the State of South Australia does not accept responsibility for and will not be held liable to any recipient of the information for any loss or damage however caused (including negligence) which may be directly or indirectly suffered as a consequence of use of these materials. DMITRE reserves the right to update, amend or supplement the information from time to time at its discretion.