Ore Geology Reviews, 7 (1992) 149-153
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - - Printed in The Netherlands
Book Reviews
Geology of Mineral Deposits of Australia and
Papua New Guinea (in two volumes), ed-
ited by F.E. Hughes. Australasian Institute
of Mining and Metallurgy, Monograph 14,
1990, 1828 pp.
The late H a d d o n King (to whom this vol-
ume is dedicated) once remarked that Aus-
tralia had three great traditions: the Mel-
bourne Cup, the ANZAC Day, and the regular
appearance of the "Geology of Australian Ore
Deposits" series every ten to fifteen years since
1953. The present volumes are the fourth edi-
tion in this series, to follow the previous vol-
umes edited by C.L. Knight (1975), J. Mc-
Andrews ( 1965 ) and A.B. Edwards ( 1953 ).
This is a huge publication: 21 × 30 X 10.5 cm
in size, 6.3 kg in weight, 1828 pages, 263 con-
tributions by 440 authors, high-yield, two-col-
u m n lay-out of about 1000 words per page, i.e.
about 1.85× 106 words. Two colour maps of
mineral deposit are included: one for Australia
(scale 1 : 5 million ), one for Papua New Guinea
( 1 : 2.5 million). The maps have a geological
(stratigraphic-lithologic) base on which are
plotted geographic locations of the mineral
deposits.
The present book follows the framework of
its predecessors. The introductory chapter
comprises general papers on the Australian
mineral industry, global setting of Australian
deposits, Precambrian subdivisions, linea-
ments, national commodity reviews of gold,
diamonds, opal and platinoids. This is fol-
lowed by eight regionally-based chapters. The
latter are organized from the geologically old-
est to the geologically youngest regions which,
0169-1368/92/$05.00 © 1992 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. All rights reserved.
149
in geographic terms, is approximately from the
west to the east.
Each chapter starts with an introductory pa-
per on the regional geology, followed by con-
tributions on individual ore deposits or fields.
The locality papers are all concise descrip-
tions. They are heavily illustrated by line
drawings (maps, sections) but no photos.
Some illustrations are in colour. The length of
descriptions is very democratic, 2 to 6 pages;
not even the "hot" localities received more
(e.g., Boddington-Au: 4.5 pages). The inter-
pretative science is kept to the m i n i m u m and
there are not (what a reliefl ) the pages-after-
pages of analyses and specialist geochemical/
thermodynamic discussions that have by now
almost taken over the mineral deposits litera-
ture. As with the previous editions, the pur-
pose of this series is to document and record
the mines active in the period. For many small
deposits this is going to be the only description
available and a lasting (and indispensable!)
contribution to our growing depository of fac-
tual knowledge. Everyone can analyse and re-
interpret a sample picked from a museum or a
mine site closed fifty years ago at any time, but
it is hard to impossible to piece together the
underground geology unless a good descrip-
tion had been made at the time of operation.
Thanks to this philosophy that emphasizes
public service rather than self-interest of a nar-
row group of specialists, more than 800 Aus-
tralian ore deposits have been concisely de-
scribed in this and in the past three editions of
the present series, some deposits (the long-
lived ones) more than once. This is an envia-
ble record which no other country except South
Africa can match. Congratulations!
Most of the descriptions have been made by
150
mining or exploration geologists rather than
academics and they concentrate on field as-
pects. The detail and understanding of the ge-
ology varies considerably, but this is mostly the
function of exposure and the extent of explo-
ration. Some papers are very preliminary and
their interpretative level rather simple and su-
perficial, but thanks for having them here.
Thorough research will follow.
Since the mineral industry is cyclic, explo-
ration and mining rushes come and go as the
metal prices and markets fluctuate. This is well
reflected in the type of deposits described. Take
the Western Australian shield as an example: it
was "mainly gold" in the 1953 edition, "mainly
nickel" in the 1975 edition, back to gold in the
present edition. This comes as no surprise,
given the increase of the annual Australian gold
production from 17 tonnes in 1979 to 210
tonnes in 1989.
There are 263 contributions in this book, too
many to list every one. The reader is advised
to obtain the list of contents. In the limited
space available here, I can only highlight con-
tributions describing deposits which, for geo-
logical, economic or both reasons, are of more
interest to the international reader than the
rest.
Chapter 2 describes the Archaean gneiss and
granite-greenstone domains of Western Aus-
tralia. The following deposits are of special in-
terest: Coppin Gap Cu-Mo (Jones); a poten-
tially viable Archaean porphyry Mo-Cu ( 102
Mt with 0.105% Mo ). Munni Munni Complex
(Williams et al. ); the largest Australian PGE
accumulation in an Archaean layered intru-
sion (20-30 Mt of 2.9 ppm P G E + A u ) . Bod-
dington (Symons et al. ); 60 Mt of 1.6 ppm Au
in bauxite, and the type locality of the "gold
laterites". Big Bell-Au (Handley and Cary);
23.6 Mt of 3.4 ppm Au of the K-feldspar-seri-
cite-quartz "altered schist" (or Hemlo) type.
Gibson-Au (Gee); another, small "gold later-
ite". Kalgoorlie gold field (Clout et al. ), an up-
dated review of the giant deposit. Kambalda-
St. Ives Au (Roberts and Elias), or "from al-
BOOK REVIEWS
most zero to a resource of 93 tonnes gold".
Cowden and Roberts provide an update of the
frequently described Kambalda Ni deposit;
Mill et al. describe the recently developed
Scuddles Zn-Cu massive sulphide orebody in
the Golden Grove field; and Duncan and Wil-
lett describe the Mount Weld Nb, REE and Ta
regolith over carbonatite near Laverton, much
reminescent of the Brazilian Araxa. Hatcher
and Clynick update our knowledge of the
Greenbushes Li-Sn-Ta pegmatite, until re-
cently mined and known only from its regolith
portion. The newly proven "hardrock" re-
serves now stand at 13.46 Mt of 0.15% Sn and
0.059% Ta205 ore.
Chapter 3 on Proterozoic orogenic domains
and Precambrian cover sequences of Western
Australia opens up a "new frontier" of miner-
alization, previously known for its Hamersley
iron ores only (an extensive update by Harms-
worth et al. ). The flagship of the Paterson Or-
ogen, the very productive Telfer deposit (pro-
duction and reserve 146 t Au) is described by
Dimo. It has been now joined by a representa-
tive of a possibly new "unconformity-U"
province (Kintyre deposit; Jackson and An-
drew) and by several small copper prospect.
The 200 Mt/1.8% Pb and 150 Mt/0.13 ppm
Au deposit Abra in the Bangemall Basin is de-
scribed by Boddington.
Chapter 4 is about Precambrian orogenic
domains and covers sequences of Northern
Australia. There, the supreme highlight is the
East Kimberley diamond province, developed
from nothing ten years ago into producer of
40% of the world's natural diamonds. Boxer
and Jaques describe the Argyle deposit. The
enigmatic Brockman "multi-metal" deposit,
containing disseminated Zr, Nb, Y, Ga and Hf
in what looks like trachytic tuff, is described in
a very brief and preliminary note by Chalmers.
In the Alligator Rivers U province, the PGE-
bearing Coronation Hill breccia deposit (Car-
ville et al. ) is of genetic interest. The U depos-
its (Ranger, Jabiluka, Koongarra) are updated
and so are the numerous small gold deposits in
BOOKREVIEWS
the Pine Creek foldbelt and in the Tennant
Creek district. There are further updates on the
McArthur River Pb-Zn, Mount Isa Cu and Pb-
Zn, Lady Loretta A g - P b - Z n and Dugald River
Zn-Pb.
Volume 2 starts with Chapter 5 on Precam-
brian cratons and covers sequences of South-
ern Australia. Not unexpectedly, the Olympic
Dam C u - U - A u - A g deposit has received spe-
cial coverage by Reeve et al., greatly exceeding
(25 pages) the standard allocation. The last
word on genesis? Polygenetic, but a maar/dia-
treme complex is mostly to blame! The "oldti-
mer" Broken Hill is updated in two papers.
Chapter 6 covers late Proterozoic and Pha-
nerozoic epicratonic basins. The Sorby "Mis-
sissippi-Valley-type" Z n - P b (Jorgensen et al. )
now contains 16.24 Mt/5.25% Pb ore. A new
P b - Z n district discovered SE of Fitzroy Cross-
ing and containing over 25 Mt of 11.5%
P b + Zn is described by Murphy. Following a
long j u m p to Tasmania, the King Island schee-
lite and Mount Bischoff Sn are updated.
Chapter 7 covers the Eastern Australian
Orogenic Province, formerly called "Tasman
Geosyncline". The significant Z n - P b - A g mas-
sive sulphide set Que River and Hellyer in NW
Tasmania are described by McArthur and
Dronseika. Rosebery, Renison Bell and Mount
Lyell are updated. Several of the famous (Ben-
digo) and less known gold deposits of Victo-
ria, some again being mined, received update
and partial re-interpretation. Allen and Barr
describe the Benambra VMS deposits proven
in the 1980s. In the Cobar district, the Elura
"SEDEX" deposit (Schmidt) has a reserve of
25.5 Mt of 8.6% Zn and 5.6% Pb. The very
productive, low-grade "bulk" mineable Kid-
ston breccia gold deposit is updated by Baker
and Tullemans. The rest of the chapter is filled
by descriptions of small- to medium-size gold
and some VMS deposits.
Chapter 8, Post-Palaeozoic platform cover in
Australia, contains updates on the Groote
Eylandt Mn, heavy-mineral beach sands, Yee-
lirrie-U and other Western Australian paleo-
151
channel deposits. Nonmetallics are also treated,
of interest are two papers on alluvial diamonds
in the Kimberleys.
Chapter 9, the last one, reviews the geology
and mineral deposits of Papua New Guinea
(Niugini). This is the most extensive review
so far, a book in itself. As expected, the large
young epithermal Au and porphyry C u - A u de-
posits are given prominence: Frieda River
(Hall et al. ); Porgera (Handley and Henry);
Misima Island (Lewis and Wilson); Ok Tedi
(Rush and Seegers); Kerimenge (Hutton et
al.); Hidden Valley (Nelson et al.); Lihir Is-
land (Moyle et al. ). Several small new Au dis-
coveries are described, and the Panguna por-
phyry Cu updated.
There are no significant errors here, the ed-
iting has been meticulous. The book is a treas-
ury of factual information, something which
practicing exploration geologists ask for (e.g.,
in the Society of Economic Geologists opinion
survey) and which the Australians now deliv-
ered. There are many precedents to follow in
international exploration, and there are many
updated descriptions of the internationally fa-
mous deposits for classroom and academic
reading. For Australian economic geologists
and exploration offices, this a bible. For the rest
of the world, this should be a part of holdings
of every geological survey, university and min-
ing company library.
References
Edwards, A.B. (Editor), 1953.Geologyof Australian Ore
Deposits. 5th Empire Min. Metall. Congr., Mel-
bourne; and Aust. Inst. Min. Metall.
Knight, C.L. (Editor), 1975. EconomicGeologyof Aus-
tralia and Papua New Guinea, 1. Metals. Monogr.Ser.
5. Aust. Inst. Min. Metall., 1126 pp.
McAndrew,J. (Editor), 1965. Geologyof Australian Ore
deposits. 8th Commonwealth Min. Metall. Congr.;
Aust. Inst. Min. Metall.
Peter Laznicka
(Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)