Figure 35 above. Isa Craton mineralisation and targeting. Seismic Tomography -300 Km depth.
Why are they specifically located here? What is special about the area that we can use for Exploration targeting?
We will be using the same exploration targeting system of looking at seismic tomography at 300 km depth on the high PT boundaries and at white point sources of high heat flow. For more detail in a webinar visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BbsFImSHBM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BbsFImSHB and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFurQYhWjyk
The Mt Isa craton is one of the world’s biggest producers of copper, lead, zinc (Mt Isa), and has large deposits of gold, uranium and phosphate. It is Proterozoic (1.6 Ga) in age.
This EagleEye enhanced image shows a 300 km diameter ring centered on the Mary Kathleen uranium mine. Where does this and other mineralisation in the Isa block come from? There are also many NNE structures and weaker EW and WNW structures.
Are these the mineralising conduits? Why do the mines lie where they do on these structures and within and on the rim of the ring?
We will travel down to 300 km depth to try and solve this mystery.
Exploration targeting using seismic tomography at 300 km depth.
The 300 km diameter ring centered on Mary Kathleen mine is not apparent at 300 km depth. However, the NNE, EW and WNW structures are observed, suggesting these are the mineralising systems’ transporting structures.
We will be using the same exploration targeting system of looking at seismic tomography at 300 km depth on the high P/T boundaries and at white point sources of high heat flow.
As seen in both the Yilgarn and Pilbara cratons the biggest mines are located on the lighter coloured areas within the grey blue cooler rocks. The orange outlines are right on the high P/T boundary between the brown high heat flow rocks and the cooler remaining cratonic rocks.
For exploration targeting you would need to plot on all the current mines and then look for gaps. Also examine areas even where there are mines but where there are cross cutting structures intersecting these orange target areas. Exploration targeting areas are the orange circles.
These targets should give some legwork to interested geologists!