Evolution of the Tasmanides,eastern Australia

The Beltana zinc‐lead deposit, the largest of several such small deposits in the Beltana area, owes its formation to intense localised marginal faulting and brecciation of Ajax Dolomite at its contact with the Beltana Diapir. Considerable frictional heat was generated by the upward movement of this diapir. The enormous stresses set up in it squeezed out hot interstitial saline mineralising fluids into the brecciated dolomite footwall to form initially a prominent lead arsenate‐rich horizon containing hedyphane, finnemanite, vanadinite and several minor components. Sporadic, but significant manganese mineralisation also occurred during this phase resulting in the precipitation of coronadite and hollandite. During the final and most prominent stage in the paragenetic sequence, the mineralising fluids became more siliceous and zinciferous leading to extensive replacement of earlier arsenates and precipitation of willemite. Late‐stage alteration is largely confined to the earlier arsenate‐rich zone, which has been carbonated and leached by meteoric waters.