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Plate tectonic and stress-field modelling of the

North Arm of Sulawesi (NAoS), Indonesia, to
better understand the...

Conference Paper · September 2015

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2037.6720

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 Plate tectonic and stress-field modelling of the North Arm of Sulawesi (NAoS), Indonesia, to better understand the distribution of mineral
deposit styles.
Krisztián Szentpéteri1 PT. J Resources Nusantara, Jakarta 12190, Indonesia
Gáspár Albert,2 Zsuzsanna Ungvári2
2Eötvös Loránd University, Department of Cartography, Budapest 1112, Hungary

1. INTRODUCTION
The North Arm of Sulawesi Island (NAoS) in Indonesia has traditionally been a major focus of exploration and gold mining since
colonial times with an estimated production of >90 Tons (Van Leeuwen & Pieters, 2011). There are currently four gold mines in After Giovanni et al, 2014
operation and it is postulated that there is still >30 Moz Au in geological resource potential residing in >200 mineral occurrences
CH
within the NAoS of mixed economic viability (Fig 1A). Despite intensive modern exploration and mining work in the past two
decades, there is little up-to-date compilation or synthesis of the understanding of the complexity and tectonic control of the 4 ISE
HSE
mineral districts of the NAoS. This paper seeks to address this issue and provide some clarity to that understanding. LSE
Na
ORG
The geology and plate tectonic history of Sulawesi is very complex (Fig 1B, Fig 3A,B,C) since it is situated at a triple junction of the PorpCuAu
Eurasian, Pacific and Australian plates (Fig 3B,C). Considerable research exists on this area by major research groups (Hall R., 2011, Porp Mo
Henning et al, 2014, Giovanni et al, 2015), (Fig 1B, Fig 3,A,B) using seismic and bathymetry profiles, geochemistry and Placer Au
geochronology. Our method however is based mostly on public topography and seismic data as well as archive exploration data Circular
with GIS (Working Lab) and proprietary stress-field processing software (Fig 2A,B) to focus on and understand the distribution of feature
Tectonic
mineral deposits in the NAoS. lineament

2. METHODS Mines:
In this review we have compiled an extensive and systematic GIS database from exploration records and open source data (Fig 1 1. Mesel

1,4,5) to analyze the plate tectonic and large-scale geological features in relation to the geology and mineral occurrences of the
1 2. Lanut
3. Bakan
NAoS. Plate tectonic boundaries and regional structures have been digitized from research publications, geology maps and seismic 4. Toka 1
sections then complemented with our SRTM morphotectonic analyses using various GIS filtering techniques (Fig 1) (see in Working 2 Advanced Prjt.:
Lab). Digitized lineaments have been kinematically annotated in our proprietary stress-field modelling software (Albert et al, 3 3 1. Doup
2014) and iterative models have been created (Fig 2). An extensive database of earthquake hypocentres has been compiled from 2. Tombulilato
3. Pani
various sources (USGS, GTC) and visualized in 3D with Leapfrog mining software (Fig 3, 4 and Working Lab). Subducting slabs have 2 1
been modelled down to 700 km below surface while 2D stress-field models (Fig 3A,D, Fig 4E,D) have been compared with the 3D
model of slabs in order to create a viable plate tectonic proposal. Field verification of structures has been initiated but mostly is in
progress.

FIGURE 1. A: Morphotectonic lineament map of NAoS based on 30m SRTM and 90m bathymetry data processing. Offshore lines are the KML data used for
Stress-field modelling. Highlighted areas are mineral districts with significant >1Moz Au and Cu potential. PB: Pani-Bulagidun, T: Tombulilato, LB: North
Lanut-Bakan, DM: Doup-Mesel.UU: UnaUna Island.

FIGURE 2. A: GUI view of stress-field point cloud generating Java application. B: Coding attributes of KML linear elements as
structures.

WORKING LAB: Virtual Globe, GIS surface processing and 3D visualization and modelling.

21

Google Earth validation

Hall R, 2011

FIGURE 3. A: A: KML line data (digitized from various publications maps and seismic sections) and the calculated horizontal- (arrows) and vertical-component (coloured contours) of the principal stress field. Hall R, 2011
Large scale uplift is apparent in major accretional prisms above the North Sulawesi Trench (1) the Sangihe Trench (2) and in the Molluca collisional thrust/melange complex (3). The neck of Sulawesi (4) is
uplifting continental basement rocks above >2000m asl in a sinistral transpressional regime as well as a number of metamorphic core complexes (Tokorondo, Pompangeo ) are exhumed in Central-East Sulawesi
(5) by major detachment faulting and by fold and thrust belts (peninsula) due to collision of Sula block escaping from the east. The Gorontalo and Tomini Bays (6) are under extension and subsidence and along
with most of NAoS are cut buy east-west oriented grabens and horsts. B: detailed model for the Pani area. C-D: General Plate tectonic model for the region (Hall, 2011).
Leapfrog 3D modelling

“windows”

Area of
focus

Celebes

FIGURE 4. A: KML line data (digitized from various publications maps and seismic sections) plotted in Google Earth along with 1801 earthquake events
Molluca with focal mechanism solutions from the GTC database. Inlet shows 20km distance interpolant of earthquake hypocentres from USGS database. B-C-D:
various visualization of earthquake hypocentres in Leapfrog as distance “spheres” (B), point cloud (C), and slip-disks with Eigen vectors (D). E: Horizontal
component (arrows) and vertical component (coloured contours) of main principal stress interpolated from earthquake focal length data.

Celebes
Molluca Celebes

Molluca

GPS stations 3. DISCUSSIONS 4. CONCLUSIONS

46 Direction and speed of movements, mm/year
1.8N, 126.5E
Intrusions with age and depth of emplacement 3.2 Based on morpho-, plate-tectonic- and stress-field- modelling (Fig 1, 3, 4) we have subdivided the NAoS into five Open source geology, geodetic, topographic and seismic data are extremely useful
89/75 degree/Myear

44 46
blocks from west to east (Fig 1,3,5,6). The block boundaries are defined by the arc-transfer dextral faults for evaluation large scale tectonic processes in 2D and 3D. Our stress-field
supposedly acting as tear-faults on the underlying southward sudbucting Celebes Sea Plate (Working Lab). These modelling (Fig 1,3,4) suggests, in accordance with recent hypotheses (Cottam et al,
44
deep tear faults have been well defined by breaks in the earthquake data and prevalent morphotectonic features 2011, Henning et al, 2014), that despite the well depicted regional collisional-
40 in the NAoS, From west to east the subducting Celebes Plate is getting deeper i.e. 170 km to 330 km as well as subduction setting of most of Sulawesi Island, the land of North Sulawesi as well as
45 33 getting closer to the opposing northward subducting Molluca Plate. The two plates, Celebes and Molluca, collide the Tomini Bay and Gorontalo Bay sea basins is currently subsiding in a dominantly
22
at depth and turn steep to vertical (Working Lab). This morphology may suggest that the lack of deep plates to the extensional stress regime of the upper crust (Fig 2). The earthquake data
2.7 mm/y 10 More rotation
0.42 mm/y than shifting west is a result of break off and sinking of both plates due to roll-back of the western corner of the North Sulawesi modelling from the deeper crust suggests however an overall uplift on the west of
12 Trench. The break off may have triggered asthenospheric upwelling and large scale-extension of the Tomini and NAoS and East Arm of Sulawesi (Fig 3.) The most significant uplifts on land
13 2.9 million years Gorontalo Bays respectively (Fig 3). The margin to this area is the Pani-Bulagidun block the most prospective area occurred in a number of metamorphic core complexes which are associated with
needed to shift the for Au and Cu epithermal-porphyry –type mineralization of large scale (>1Moz Au) (Fig 1,3,5,6). Active volcanism extensional detachment tectonics (Fig 3A). Based on our review it is postulated
coastline at 32 km 11 on Una Una Island is linked to such processes (Cottam et al, 2011, Henning et al., 2011). Pliocene to recent calc- that either slab detachment and/or rollback of the Sulawesi trench is responsible
6 million years to get T2 FIGURE 5. alkaline subduction-related volcanism is shifted from west to east where volcanic centres lay above the merger for regional extension along the NAoS.
completely detached. Compilation of movement
T1 line of the two plates (Working Lab). Across the transfer faults, a number of “windows” (Working Lab) have been
data for the plate tectonic created to tap melts into mega scale caldera-type volcanic activities, Tombulilato, Kotamobagu, Tomohon etc. This Furthermore, the most significant younger (5-1 Ma) Au-Cu mineralized districts
T0 blocks of NAoS based on
line of volcanic fields appears to be the most productive area for Epithermal-Porphyry mineralization of economic (Fig 5) in the NAoS appear to be spatially related to major extensional geologic
GPS stations and thermo-
Geodatic data compiled from; Socquet et al, 2007 and Simmons et al, 2007. barometry. scale, i.e. Tombulilato, Bakan, North Lanut, Doup, Mesel, Toka Tindung (>5 Moz Au total potential) etc.. at the features such as E-W-trending intra-mountain basins and steep grabens, above
Exhumation data is by Maulana et al, 2012. southern margin of Eastern NAoS. colliding sub-vertical slabs at depth, or crustal scale ring structures and their
intersection with trans-tensional arc normal faults which may extend to the lower
5. REFERENCES plate and act as tear faults on the subducting plates, opening a window to the
Block 1. Block 2. Block 3. Block 4. Block 5. mantle. The location of prospecting mineral districts on the southern edge of NAoS
Albert G., Ungvári Zs., & Szentpéteri K., 2014: Stress field modeling of the Carpathian Basin based on compiled tectonic maps – (Fig 6) suggests a spatial link to the northward dipping Molluca Plate rather than
“Toli-Toli, Malala Block” “The Pani-Bulagidun Block” “The Lanut-Tombulilato
“Mesel- Geophysical Research Abstracts 16: Paper EGU201473431.
Corridor”
Doup” the southward dipping Celebes plate.
Cottam, M. A. Hall R., Forster M. A. and Boudagher-Fadel M. K., 2011: Basement character and basin formation in Gorontalo Bay,
NE-trending normal faults, bounding “recent analogy” Sulawesi, Indonesia: new observations from the Togian Islands. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 2011, v. 355, p.
extensional intra- montain basins 177-202

Giovanni P., Hennig J., Advokaat E., Hall R., Peter B., Perez-Gussinye M., 2015: Subsidence in Gorontalo Bay, Sulawesi (Indonesia)
Mixed island Arc Back and metamorphic core complex exhumation on land. EGU General Assembly 2015, held 12-17 April, 2015 in Vienna, Austria. We unlock mineral potential
Arc character id.7476 We build mines
Intrusive-related
carbonate hosted
refractory Au and Hall R, 2011: SE Asian and SW Pacific Plate Tectonics 55-0 Ma, PPT slide show, http://www.gl.rhul.ac.uk/seasia/welcome.html We mine gold >200 Koz/a
polymetallic (base
metal) mineralization Henning J., Advokaat E., Rudyawan A., Hall R., 2014: Large sediment accumulations and major subsidence offshore; rapid uplift
Classic Island Arc character Carlin, Replacement,
Superimposed Miocene to Pleistocene Porphyry, ISE veins
on land: consequence of extension of Gorontalo Bay and Northern Sulawesi. Proceedings, Indonesia Petroleum Association,
Continental/ Island Arc character
Continental Arc basement Compressional early and extensional Complex Porphyry –Epithermal systems, two Thirty-Eight Annual Convention & Exhibition, may 2014.
crustal-scale uplift later tectonism, distinct, crustal scale types:
no deep subducting slab and arc-related 1) Rooted in volcanic complexes
ring/circular feature, above tear fault Leeuwen T.M. & Pieters P.E., 2011: Mineral Deposits of Sulawesi. Proceedings of the Sulawesi Mineral Resources 2011 Seminar
volcanism, UnaUna volcano only marginal to deeper slab. Two distinct 2) “Pencil” Porphyries
extensional exhumation by major detachments, Related to Plio-Pleistocene extensional MGEI-IAGI 28-29 November 2011, Manado, North Sulawesi, 131p.
mineralization systems Bulagidun and
metamorphic basement extensional half graben Pani with regional-scale footprint tectonics (E-W)
basins and rolled/tilted blocks Porphyry CuMo, 3) Partly covered by Pleistocene-Holocene Maulana A., Watanabe K., Imai A., Yonezu K., 2012: Petrology and Geochemistry of Granitic Rocks in South Sulawesi, Indonesia:
CuAu, and Skarn potential (limited Orogenic volcanics.
gold)
Implication for origin of Magma and Geodynamic Setting. Journal of Geology and Civil Engineering, 2012.
Large caldera-type volcanism above deep
collision line of the Mulluca-Celebes Plates,
potentially major windows to mantle Socquet, A., W. Simons, C. Vigny, R. McCaffrey, C. Subarya, D. Sarsito, B. Ambrosius & W. Spakman (2006): Microblock rotations
and fault coupling in SE Asia triple junction (Sulawesi, Indonesia) from GPS and earthquake slip vector data. J. Geophys. Res. 111,
FIGURE 5. Summary proposal of Plate tectonic subdivision of mineral districts of the North Arm of Sulawesi. B08409, 3, p. 1-15.

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