Reorientation of early biotites during schistosity formation in andalusite schists, Mount Franks area, Broken Hill, N.S.W.

Study of schistosity formation in andalusite—grade mica schists from part of the Pre-cambrian Willyama Complex in New South Wales is facilitated by the coarse grained nature of the rocks, and by the presence of deformation indicators provided by pre-S₂ biotite. S₂, the dominant schistosity, is generally domainal. It is defined by the alternation of mica (M) and quartz + mica (QM) domains. M domains are dominated by biotite aggregates with a very marked shape (but not a crystallographic) orientation parallel to S₂, and by S₂ muscovite laths. QM domains are dominated by kinked biotite grains, biotites aligned across S₂, and biotite lozenges and grains in which (001) traces are aligned oblique to S₂. Biotite grains in these domains are less elongate than those in M domains. Individual biotite grains have been reoriented by kinking and corrosion; some homo- geneous glide on (001) may also have taken place. The variation in these deformation effects indicates that M domains represent zones of high strain with respect to the QM domains. M domains have undergone a history of shortening, rotation, diffusive mass transfer, volume reduction and syntectonic crystallization of muscovite. QM domains have also undergone syntectonic crystallization of muscovite, but their history is marked by less rotation, shortening, mass transfer and volume reduction than that of M domains. The greater activity of mass transfer mechanisms in M domains suggests that they are strain dependent, and proceed more easily in more highly deformed grains. Metamorphic driving forces associated with chemical reaction may play a part in the generation of these mass transfer mechanisms.     

Petrology of the Nandewar Volcano,N.S.W., Australia

The Nandewar Mountains, N.S.W., Australia, are the remains of a Miocene continental alkaline volcano whose products range from olivine basalts to comendites and alkali rhyolites. Intermediate hawaiites, mugearites and benmoreites predominate in the shield, in which olivine basalts are rare, and the trachytic rocks form many intrusions into the shield. The Nandewar alkaline series shows extreme fractionation of a relatively differentiated alkali olivine basalt magma, saturated with silica, to yield extremely oversaturated peralkaline comendites and peraluminous alkali rhyolites. The nature of the ferromagnesian phases forming was controlled by low oxygen fugacities. Throughout the series clinopyroxenes range from diopsidic augite, through sodic ferrohedenbergites to hedenbergite-acmite solid solutions. Riebeckite-arfvedsonite solid solutions appear in the trachytes and comendites, and aenigmatite appears in some of the peralkaline rocks. The feldspars in the series fractionate from calcic labradorite through potash oligoclase and calcic anothoclase towards the minimum melting alkali feldspar composition, Ab₆₅Or₃₅. The compositions of the alkali rhyolites approach the minimum in the system SiO₂-KAlSi₃O₈-NaAlSi₃O₈. All the mineralogical and chemical evidence points to the development of the Nandewar series by the processes of extreme crystallization differentiation of an alkali olivine basalt parent magma. No significant contamination occurred, xenoliths and xenocrysts are absent, and volatile transfer and metasomatism played a minor role.     

Polymetamorphism of the sulphide ores of Broken Hill,N. S. W., Australia

Two main periods of metamorphism have effected the Broken Hill base metal deposit. The first, at granulite grade, occurred at 1,700 m.y., the second, at lower amphibilite grade, occurred at 500 m.y. The earlier metamorphism correlates with two stages of intense regional folding; the latter occurs as narrow shears across the orebody. The prograde metamorphism caused intense brecciation, development of an ore mush with ore movement, formation of ore-bearing parapegmatites and boudins and much recrystallization of ore and gangue minerals. The orebody parallels an axial plane schistosity in the wall rocks with numerous ore piercement structures causing local discordancies. Ore in retrograde zones is again brecciated with galena further recrystallizing after destruction of prograde recrystallization. Gangue minerals remain essentially as brecciated fragments without further recrystallization. Secondary hydrothermal veins with rare silver minerals derived from the orebody transect the retrograde zones. Galena is plastically injected into fractures in the retrograde wall rock schists. Prograde ore shows co-recrystallization of various sulphides and gangue minerals yielding characteristic annealed textures. Quartz, garnet, hedenbergite, roepperite and apatite co-recrystallize with galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite with balanced surface tensions. Retrograde ore shows mainly fragments of gangue and sphalerite set in a matrix of further recrystallized galena or schistose galena with a superimposed sub-grain structure. The significance of the ubiquitous sub-structures within galena is considered in terms of retrograde effects upon high grade metamorphic textures.

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Zusammenfassung Das Erzvorkommen in Broken Hill, N.S.W., Australien, unterlag zwei Hauptphasen regionaler Metamorphose. Die erste Phase, die eine Granulitfacies erreichte, fand vor 1700 Millionen Jahren statt; die zweite Phase, vor 500 Millionen Jahren, zeigt einen Amphibolit-Grad. Die frühere Metamorphose korreliert mit zwei Stufen intensiver Faltungen, die spätere trat in Form enger Scherungen quer durch den Erzkörper auf. Die prograde Metamorphose verursachte intensive Breccienbildung, die Entwicklung eines Erzbreies mit begleitender Erzbewegung, die Bildung erzführender Parapegmatite und Boudinagen sowie reichliche Rekristallisation des Erzes und der Gangmineralien. Der Erzkörper liegt parallel eine axial-plane-schistocity im Nebengestein mit zahlreichen Erzdurchdringungen, die zu örtlicher Diskordanz führen. In retrograden Zonen wurde das Erz ein zweites Mal brecciert, was von einer weiteren Rekristallisation des Bleiglanzes unter Zerstörung der prograden Rekristallisation begleitet wurde. Die Gangmineralien bleiben in der Hauptsache im breccierten Zustand ohne weitere Rekristallisation. Sekundäre hydrothermale Erzgängchen mit seltenen Silbermineralien, die vom Erzkörper stammen, durchschneiden die retrograde Zone. Bleiglanz ist in plastischem Zustand in die Spalten des retrograden Nebengesteines (Schist) hineingedrückt worden. Progrades Erz zeigt Co-rekristallisation der verschiedenen Sulphide und Gangmineralien mit charakteristischen Temperungs gefügen. Quarz, Granat, Hedenbergit, Roepperit und Apatit co-rekristallisieren mit Bleiglanz, Zinkblende und Kupferkies mit ausgeglichenen Oberflächenspannungen. Retrogrades Erz zeigt hauptsächlich zerstückelte Gangmineralien und Zinkblende in einer Grundmasse weiter rekristallisierten oder schiefrigen Bleiglanzes mit einer überprägten Sub-grain Textur. Die Bedeutung der allgegenwärtigen Sub-Textur im Bleiglanz wird im Sinne eines retrograden Effektes auf hochgradige metamorphe Strukturen gedeutet.

     

Rare earth element investigation of the Cliefden Outcrop,N.S.W., Australia

The effect of low grade hydrous burial metamorphism (prehnite-pumpellyite facies) upon the rare earth elements (REE) has been studied by using samples from the Cliefden Outcrop, New South Wales. The REE, together with other reputedly immobile elements, have been mobilised during the metamorphism. Although mobile, the REE have behaved remarkably coherently with little light rare earth (LREE) fractionation. This is reflected in the chondrite normalised patterns which are sub-parallel to parallel in shape. High correlations of REE with other elements can be used to predict the maximum likely variation of these elements in the studied outcrop. The high correlations do not necessarily mean that, for similarly metamorphosed terrains, crystallisation-differentiation processes have operated but may rather have resulted from strong geochemical coherence during post-crystallisation elemental redistribution. The REE do not appear to be strongly domain controlled within the Cliefden Outcrop.     

A spessartite-rich alteration assemblage from the Bega Granite,N.S.W., Australia

Pipe deposits of quartz-bismuthinite-molybdenite in the roof zone of a granitic pluton metasomatised to a leucocratic soda syenite are surrounded by concentric spessartitic and sericitic alteration zones. Chemical and petrographic data on the alteration zones are presented. It is suggested that the alteration has formed from laterally moving acidic hydrothermal solutions which changed in composition as a result of reaction. The lateral change in MoS₂ from the 2H polytype of the pipes to mixtures of the 2H and 3R polytypes in the surrounding altered rocks may reflect the lateral changes of solution chemistry.     

The shoshonite porphyry Cu-Au association in the Goonumbla District,N.S.W., Australia

Summary The Goonumbla porphyry copper-gold deposit in N.S.W., Australia, is hosted by late Ordovician (439.2 ± 1.2 Ma)shoshonitic igneous rocks. In terms of their petrography, the rocks vary from andesitic to dacitic lavas and tuffs which are partly intruded by monzonite stocks; they are characterized by high and variable Al₂O₃ (13.4–19.9 wt%), very high K₂O values (up to 6.8 wt%), and high K₂O/Na₂O ratios (0.58–1.48), which are typical for the shoshonite association. The rocks also have enriched LILE concentrations (Ba up to 1200 ppm, Sr up to 1350 ppm), low HFSE (TiO₂ < 0.67 wt%, Zr < 125 ppm, Nb < 10 ppm, Hf < 3.4 ppm), and very low LREE (La < 22.4 ppm, Ce < 31 ppm), which are typical for potassic volcanic rocks formed in alate oceanic-arc setting.Mineral chemistry of selected magmatic mica and apatite phenocrysts from host rocks reveals relatively high SrO and BaO contents (micas: 0.15 wt% and up to 0.28 wt%, respectively; apatites: up to 0.28 wt% and 0.19 wt%, respectively) and very high halogen concentrations. Micas are characterized by up to 3.9 wt% F and 0.14 wt% Cl, whereas apatites have up to 3.6 wt% F and 0.68 wt% Cl. These very high halogen contents compared to those from barren intrusions imply that the shoshonitic magmatism was the source of mineralization.Copper-gold mineralization consists mainly of bornite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite and minor pyrite and tetrahedrite. Native gold occurs mainly as minute grains within silicates of the host rocks, and more rarely as fine inclusions in the sulphides. Mineralization is accompanied by wallrock alteration comprising a spatially restricted potassic type and a regional propylitic alteration type.Thus, the porphyry copper-gold deposit in the Goonumbla district can be viewed as an additional example of a worldwide association between potassic/shoshonitic magmatism and base- and precious-metal mineralization. More specifically, it appears to be the oldest recorded example of a shoshontie-associated porphyry Cu-Au deposit from a late oceanic-arc setting, a possible modern analogue being Ladolam at Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea

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Die Shoshonit Porphyry Cu-Au Assoziation im Goonumbla Distrikt, N.S.W., Australien

Zusammenfassung Die Porphyry Cu-Au Vererzung im Goonumbla Distrikt in New South Wales, Australien, sitzt in oberordovizischen (ca. 439.2 ± 1.2 Ma) Shoshoniten auf. Das petrographische Spektrum dieser Gesteine reicht von andesitischen bis dazitischen Laven und Tuffen, die lokal von Monzonit-Stöcken intrudiert werden; die Gesteine besitzen hohe, aber variable Al₂O₃ Gehalte (13.4–19.9 Gew%), sehr hohe K₂O Gehalte (bis zu 6.8 Gew%) und hohe K₂O/Na₂O Verhältnisse (0.58–1.48), die typisch sind für Shoshonite. Außerdem weisen sie hohe Konzentrationen an LILE Elementen (Ba bis 1200 ppm, Sr bis 1350 ppm) auf und geringe Konzentrationen an HFSE (TiO₂ < 0.67 Gew%, Zr < 125 ppm, Nb < 10 ppm, Hf < 3.4 ppm) sowie an LREE (La < 22.4 ppm, Ce < 31 ppm), die als typisch gelten für potassische Vulkanite von ozeanischen Plattengrenzen.Die Mineralchemie von repräsentativen Glimmer- und Apatit-Phänokristallen ist charakterisiert durch hohe SrO und BaO Gehalte (Glimmer: 0.15 Gew%, bzw. bis 0.28 Gew%; Apatite: bis 0.28 Gew%, bzw. 0.19 Gew%). Sie enthalten ferner sehr hohe Halogen-Konzentrationen. Die Glimmer enthalten beispielsweise bis zu 3.9 Gew% F und 0.14 Gew% Cl, während Apatite bis zu 3.6 Gew% F und 0.68 Gew% Ci aufweisen. Dies erscheint nicht ungewöhnlich, weil Glimmer und Apatite von vererzten Mag matiten zumeist deutlich höhere Halogengehalte besitzen, als solche von unvererzten Magmatiten. Die hohen Halogen-Gehalte in Phänokristallen aus den Shoshoniten legen nahe, die Vulkanite als den Ursprung der Vererzung zu interpretieren.Die Cu-Au Vererzung besteht überwiegend aus den Sulfiden Bornit, Kupferkies, Kupferglanz und vereinzelt auftretendem Pyrit und Tetrahedrit. Gediegen Gold wird in der Regel nur als kleine Partikel innerhalb von Silikaten der shoshonitischen Wirtsgesteine und seltener als feine Einschlüsse in Sulfiden gefunden.Die Vererzung wird von hydrothermaler Alteration der Wirtsgesteine begleitet und zwei Alterationsarten lassen sich unterscheiden: eine potassische sowie eine regional zu beobachtende propylitische Alteration.Die Porphyry Cu-Au Lagerstätte im Goonumbla Gebiet ist ein Beispiel für die weltweit beobachtete Assoziation von Bunt- und Edelmetallvererzungen und potassisch/shoshonitischem Magmatismus. Der Goonumbla Distrikt stellt die älteste bisher bekannte Porphyry Cu-Au Lagerstätte aus einerspätgenetischen ozeanischen Plattengrenze dar. Einmodernes Beispiel für eine Cu-Au Lagerstätte vergleichbaren Typs ist Ladolam auf Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea.

     

A cordierite-bearing granite suite from the New England Batholith,N.S.W., Australia

A suite of cordierite-bearing biotite-muscovite intrusive granites in the New England Batholith, New South Wales, outcrops over 3400 sq km and is the largest reported occurrence of granites of this type. Compositionally the granites are close to the low temperature minimum and display only limited chemical variation. The corundum-normative nature of the granites suggests a pelitic sedimentary parentage. Cordierite with an average 100 Mg/ Mg + Fe of 55 occurs as large tabular crystals and is considered to be a refractory phase brought up from the zone of partial melting. The presence of cordierite and the absence of garnet in these granites suggests a partial melting at a pressure maximum of 6 kb, equivalent to 22 km depth.     

Major's Creek,N.S.W., Australia — A Devonian epithermal gold deposit

Mineralized veins at Major's Creek consist of preponderant quartz and carbonate gangue with gold, Au-Ag tellurides and base metal sulphides within silicified and sericitized dykes or granodiorite of the Braidwood Granite. Fluid inclusion studies indicate deposition throughout the range 350–80°C by low salinity fluids. Significant Au-Ag telluride mineralization took place at a temperature of about 155°C. Mineral deposition was due to the separation of a liquid CO₂ phase from an originally CO₂-rich aqueous fluid. Observed argillic alteration is a consequence of acid leaching above the boiling zone. Mineralization is epithermal in character and probably formed during the existence of a hydrothermal convective system. A relationship with similar epithermal gold deposits in the adjacent Eden-Yalwal Rift zone is inferred.     

Exploration rock geochemistry for Pinnacles-type mineralization at Broken Hill, N.S.W., Australia

Geochemical responses in weathered and oxidized surface metasedimentary rocks associated with stratiform lead-zinc mineralization at Stirling Hill (6 km west of Broken Hill) are compared with the geochemical responses in fresh drill core from an equivalent lithostratigraphic section with stratiform lead-zinc mineralization at the Pinnacles Mine (8 km south of Stirling Hill). Mineralization is interpreted as being volcanic exhalative and it lies within highly metamorphosed (sillimanite grade) rocks of the Willyama Supergroup.Surface rocks were classified into groups by discriminant analysis using drill core data from the Pinnacles Mine as the initial training set. The behaviour of elements in surface rocks varies with the rock group but Zn, Pb, Mn, Fe, and Co are leached from all surface rocks relative to fresh drill core.Nothwithstanding the leaching effects of weathering, common geochemical responses to mineralization have been identified in drill core and surface rocks. Coincident positive anomalies for Zn/Ba and Fe/(Na × Ba) ratios and negative anomalies for Na/(Mn × Ca) ratios uniquely define mineralization in both weathered surface rocks and in fresh drill core.The results demonstrate that the pattern of geochemical responses to Pinnacles-type stratiform volcanic-exhalative mineralization in surface rocks has survived the intensive weathering regime in the Broken Hill region.     

Mercury in the Broken Hill (N.S.W., Australia) lead-zinc-silver lodes

In the Pb-Zn-Ag lodes at Broken Hill, significant Hg remains located in sphalerite and in tetrahedrite inclusions in galena, despite prograde granulite facies regional metamorphism that has resulted in recrystallization of the ore. The stratigraphically uppermost No. 3 lens has the highest Hg content, with sphalerite and galena concentrates containing up to 149,000 ppb and 198,000 ppb Hg, respectively, in Ag-Sb-rich parts of the lode.The No. 2 and 1 lenses and A lode have generally low Hg contents, but narrow tetrahedrite-rich sections contain up to 83,000 ppb Hg in sphalerite concentrates and 82,000 ppb in galena concentrates. The stratigraphically lowermost B lode has a moderately high Hg content with sphalerite concentrates containing from 4400 to 41,000 ppb Hg and galena concentrates from 30 to 21,000 ppb Hg.Programmed heating determinations showed Hg in sphalerite concentrates to be contained principally in the sphalerite structure, with subordinate amounts in tetrahedrite inclusions. Mercury in galena concentrates is almost wholly contained in tetrahedrite inclusions, with lesser amounts in dyscrasite and pyrargyrite.Piercement bodies show increased Pb, Ag, Sb, As and Hg contents due to preferential migration of galena and tetrahedrite. The Hg content of sphalerite in these bodies is approximately doubled relative to the source lode, and the Hg content of galena concentrates is increased sevenfold, due to an increase of tetrahedrite inclusions.Coarse-grained sulfide-gangue pods and pegmatites, which reflect partial melting and remobilization of parts of the lode, have a mean Hg content less than the same volume of host lode. Within these bodies Hg is strongly partitioned into sphalerite, which contains from 14,000 to 33,000 ppb Hg, whereas galena contains only from 10 to 570 ppb Hg, due to the absence of Hg-bearing tetrahedrite inclusions.Within the lode environment, trace amounts of Hg in veins formed during retrograde metamorphism are located in sphalerite which contains up to 29,000 ppb Hg.The presence of significant amounts of Hg in Ag-Sb-As minerals in a siderite-rich vein within the main lode and in the Consols lode (located 700 m from the main lode) indicates that Hg remains associated with these elements over a wide range of conditions.In the wall rocks, there is no Hg halo which is exclusive of disseminated sulfide minerals. Under high-grade regional metamorphism, trace amounts of Hg in the Broken Hill lode are retained within pre-metamorphism host minerals. However, mobilization of Hg does take place in veins associated with retrograde metamorphism after localized breakdown of tetrahedrite.     

A Rubidium--Strontium Geochronological Study of the Willyama Complex, Broken Hill, Australia

Rubidium-strontium isotopic measurements are reported for total-rockand minerals from igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks fromthe Willyama Complex, Broken Hill, Australia. The results ofmeasurements on total-rocks and some minerals from the high-gradegneisses indicate that nearly complete strontium isotopic redistributionoccurred within individual rock units 164040 m. y. ago. Thisage is interpreted as that of the high-grade regional metamorphismwhich recrystallized the Willyama rocks to gneisses in the BrokenHill area. Analyses of total-rocks and some minerals from intrusivemuscovite granites and pegmatites give consistent ages of 154O5Om. y. indicating that these rocks were emplaced soon after thehigh-grade regional metamorphism. Rubidium-strontium isotopic analyses of all biotites, and ofmuscovites from pegmatites concordant in schists at Thackaringareveal a 500 m. y. metamorphic episode of lesser intensity accompaniedby pegmatite emplacement. This metamorphism was not of sufficientstrength to open the total-rock systems significantly to rubidiumand strontium isotopes. Biotites, however, appear to have losttheir radiogenic strontium almost completely at this time andit is probable that this event accounts for the observed disturbanceof the potash-feldspar rubidium-strontium systems in most gneissand muscovite granite samples investigated. There is a close similarity between the rubidium-strontium ageresults and the Broken Hill model lead ages. This supports thehypothesis of two-stage lead development and, with the strontiumisotope evidence, suggests that the region has evolved largelyas a closed chemical system since at least the high-grade metamorphism.     

Structural analysis of Bermagui area,N.S.W.

The Ordovician rocks exposed along the N.S.W. coast, near Bermagui, comprise a sequence of alternating greywacke and shale and a less abundant sequence of alternating chert and detrital beds. The only lithological boundary that can be mapped is the contact between the two sequences and it sheds little light on the large scale structure. However, due to continuity of outcrop, well‐defined vergence zones and abundant younging evidence it is possible to interpret the regional structure.

Two generations of folds (B1 and B2) are recognized and the regional folds, a N/S trending anticlinorium to the east and synclinorium to the west, are interpreted as second generation structures (B2). First generation folds (B1) are refolded by B2 on the limbs of the large B2 structures and are commonly recumbent. In the hinges of the regional B2 folds, B1 axial planes are steeply dipping and the folds instead of being refolded by B2, are more tightly appressed than elsewhere. A model is described to explain these observations.     

The origin of the albite-rich rocks enclosing the cobaltian pyrite deposit at Thackaringa,N.S.W., Australia

A stratabound disseminated and massive cobaltian pyrite deposit at Thackaringa, 30 km SW. of Broken Hill occurs in banded albite-quartz-biotite rocks which are conformable with regional structure and stratigraphy. The albite rocks are associated with pelitic and psammitic metasediments, amphibolite and minor quartzgahnite rocks. The deposit has undergone granulite facies metamorphism and there is no evidence that pyrite has reacted to form pyrrhotite. It is suggested that the albite rocks were an analcimized tuffaceous rock in which disseminated pyrite formed by a volcanic exhalative process. A massive cobaltian pyrite body is enclosed by a metamorphosed hydrothermal alteration zone characterised by an increase in quartz, magnesian fluorobiotite and Rb.     

Regional retrograde metamorphism of a high grade terrain: the Willyama Complex,Broken Hill,Australia

Retrograde metamorphism has been a major influence in the development of the presently observed lithologies of the Willyama Complex, Broken Hill. Two broad types of retrogression are distinguished: pseudomorphous and kinematic retrogression. The former type of retrogression involves replacement of prograde phases without complete loss of the high grade fabric; hence the prograde assemblage can frequently be inferred. Kinematic retrogression involves the development of a new schistose fabric and, like pseudomorphous retrogression, is commonly related to F₃ deformation. Retrogression was initiated during the waning stage of prograde metamorphism and was accompanied by an influx of aqueous fluid at similar pressure, but lower temperature conditions than prograde metamorphism. The source of the water is believed to be the crystallization of cooling partial melts. The regional nature of this ‘Willyama-style’ of retrogression is attributed to the metasediment-rich nature of the sequence, the high geothermal gradient and the considerable amount of in situ partial melting.     

Structural analysis of a small area in the Wagonga beds at Narooma,N.S.W.

The small area surrounding Narooma provides an example of a departure from the ideal geometry of superposed fold systems. Three systems of folds are recognized, the second set being by far the best developed. Axial planes of these folds lack a preferred orientation so that the fold style is polyclinal and B‐axes are variable. Evidence of extension parallel to B is widespread. Some dynamic aspects of the second deformation are discussed.     

Unmasking multivariate anomalous observations in exploration geochemical data from sheeted-vein tin mineralization near Emmaville, N.S.W., Australia

Previous interpretations of surface-rock geochemical data from the sheeted-vein tin mineralization in the Emmaville district have been carried out using classical statistics. These investigations revealed low-contrast geochemical patterns of 3 to 5 ppm Sn, supported by 80 to 160 ppm F, block-average contours defining four of the six known mineral occurrences. Principal component scores for the association dominated by F-Li-Rb have defined the same four mineral occurrences. For the prospecting of similar deposits it is highly desirable to improve the data processing techniques to achieve more acceptable geochemical contrasts between anomalous and background levels. Minimum volume ellipsoid (MVE) estimation, a high-breakdown method (capable of accommodating up to 50% outliers) recently developed in robust statistics is applied to a subset of the data from the northeastern part of the Emmaville district. The anomalies related to mineralization in this part of the district are not as well developed compared to those in the west. The data set used in this study consists of 133 observations with 6 elements, namely Cu, Li, Rb, F, As and Sn.The detection of multivariate outliers (anomalous observations) by Mahalanobis distance calculation was carried out on the surface rock geochemical data. The robust Mahalanobis distances computed from MVE estimates of location and scatter shows little variation over background areas but are sharply enhanced over mineralization. In contrast, the usual Mahalanobis distances either fail to indicate the presence of mineralization altogether, or, at best, respond with feebly enhanced values that do not satisfactorily indicate the presence of mineralization.Graphical display of results from classical RQ-PCA performs poorly, revealing only 6 weakly anomalous observations related to mineral occurrences. Several additional observations from these occurrences have also gone undetected. On the other hand, results from MVE-robust RQ-mode principal component analysis show that the background observations cluster tightly within the 95% tolerance ellipse while the anomalous observations (related to mineral occurrences) are greatly enhanced and the variables that characterize them are clearly indicated. Results are consistent with those of robust Mahalanobis distance procedure; both techniques indicate essentially the same observations as being anomalous.     

Integrated mineralogical and geochemical exploration for tin in the bygoo region of the ardlethan tin field, Southern N.S.W., Australia

In the Bygoo region of southern N.S.W. (Australia), the Ardlethan Granite is commonly deeply weathered and has sparse outcrop. It contains small, structurally controlled tin lodes and buried disseminated mineralization which is associated with intense alteration (silicification/greisenization). Although disseminated Sn mineralization may be associated with F and peripheral As, Pb and Zn anomalies in bedrock, these geochemical associations are not consistently developed.The intensely altered zones, however, which are characterized by topaz and abundant muscovite development, can be readily mapped mineralogically. Comparison of geochemical and mineralogical data suggested that the distribution of F reflects its occurrence in the alteration minerals (topaz and muscovite) and the primary igneous minerals (biotite and muscovite) and does not necessarily indicate alteration/mineralization. Therefore, mapping of mineralogical zonation can be important when direct observation of alteration is difficult, e.g. in areas of deep weathering and/or transported overburden.