The Gosowong Goldfield – A World-class

Epithermal Gold-silver District in Indonesia

N Fitzpatrick1, A Harris2, F MacCorquodale3 and D Wardiman4

ABSTRACT
The Gosowong epithermal Au-Ag deposits, located on the island of Halmahera, North Maluku
Province, Indonesia, are owned and operated by PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals, a joint venture
between Newcrest Mining Limited (75 per cent) and PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (25 per cent).
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Mineralisation primarily occurs in multistage veins, breccias and stockwork veins, with at
least four texturally- and mineralogically-distinct vein events, including: banded crystalline
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INTRODUCTION
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growth of this district into multiple mining fronts at Gosowong, Toguraci and Kencana
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Cu-Au mineralisation (Carlile et al7KH*RVRZRQJGHSRVLWZDVGLVFRYHUHGLQ0D\
after a program of reconnaissance exploration including stream sediment, rock chip and trench

1. Senior Geologist – Exploration, Newcrest Mining Limited, Level 8, 600 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Vic 3004. Email: nicholas.fitzpatrick@newcrest.com.au
2. Principal Geologist – Exploration, Newcrest Mining Limited, Level 8, 600 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Vic 3004. Email: anthony.harris@newcrest.com.au
3. General Manager – Exploration, Newcrest Mining Limited, Level 8, 600 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Vic 3004. Email: fraser.maccorquodale@newcrest.com.au
4. MAusIMM, Assistant Manager Minerals – Exploration, PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals, The Manhattan Square Mid Tower 3rd Floor Jl, TB Simatupang Kav,
1-S Cilandak Timur, Jakarta Selatan 12560, Indonesia. Email: dadanw@nhm.co.id

PACRIM 2015 CONGRESS / HONG KONG, CHINA, 18–21 MARCH 2015 235
N FITZPATRICK et al

FIG 1 – Location map: Halmahera Island and Gosowong Operations.

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mineralisation overprinting porphyry mineralisation at Toguraci, the latter being the original
focus of exploration. The Toguraci deposit was discovered as a result of careful resampling
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continues today. The Kencana discovery in 2002 involved detailed geological and geochemical
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continues, applying knowledge gained through discovery.

236 PACRIM 2015 CONGRESS / HONG KONG, CHINA, 18–21 MARCH 2015
 THE GOSOWONG GOLDFIELD – A WORLD-CLASS EPITHERMAL GOLD-SILVER DISTRICT IN INDONESIA

FIG 2 – Geology map: Gosowong, Toguraci and Kencana deposits.

REGIONAL AND DISTRICT GEOLOGY

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were considered prospective for epithermal deposits. Also, the presence of the younger cover
rocks was interpreted to indicate that deposits, which formed near the syn-mineral surface at
destructive plate boundaries where rapid uplift and erosion occur, would have a better chance
of being preserved (Carlile et al
Epithermal mineralisation occurs in arc-related host rocks, including the Gosowong
Formation, that are dominated by basaltic to andesitic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks, and
are intruded by dioritic intrusions. At Gosowong and Kencana, epithermal mineralisation
occurs at or immediately adjacent to the contact between andesite-dominated and underlying
basalt-dominated units of the Gosowong Formation. At Toguraci, mineralisation is hosted
entirely within the basalt-dominated units and commonly at the contact with diorite porphyry.
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whereas $U$UGDWLQJRIK\GURWKHUPDODGXODULDIURP.HQFDQD\LHOGHGDPHDQDJHRI0D
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of the Kayasa Formation unconformably overlie the upper Miocene Gosowong Formation.
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Formation rocks overlap within analytical uncertainty those of the Gosowong Formation

PACRIM 2015 CONGRESS / HONG KONG, CHINA, 18–21 MARCH 2015 237
N FITZPATRICK et al

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cover part of the Gosowong district.
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the bulk of mineralisation with subordinate, shallowly dipping faults. High-grade Au-Ag
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of the high-grade mineralisation occurs in shoots up to 500 m long by 250 m vertical extent,
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MINERALISATION AND ALTERATION

Mineralisation at each deposit includes at least four types of texturally- and mineralogically-
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lesser galena, sphalerite, bornite and pyrite. Molybdenite and rare bismuth minerals also
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Mineralisation primarily occurs in multistage overprinting veins, breccia, stockwork and
sheeted veins, which provide a measure of the degree of dilation along the structure. A broad
spatial transition occurs in texture and mineralogy towards the centre of the mineralisation,
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to mineralisation continues to be important for exploration in the district.
Fluid inclusion microthermometric studies reveal systematic changes in temperature and
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positions of each deposit relative to the host stratigraphy, including the well-developed
andesite-basalt contact in the Gosowong Formation and lower contact of the syn- to post-
mineralisation Kayasa Formation.
Hydrothermal alteration at the Gosowong deposits is characterised by discrete vein haloes
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occurring in the hangwall and chlorite-epidote-albite-calcite-pyrite (propylitic) alteration
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238 PACRIM 2015 CONGRESS / HONG KONG, CHINA, 18–21 MARCH 2015
 THE GOSOWONG GOLDFIELD – A WORLD-CLASS EPITHERMAL GOLD-SILVER DISTRICT IN INDONESIA

FIG 3 – Interpreted alteration zonation from the Gosowong deposit, cross-section 9800 mN. The
advanced argillic alteration (kaolinite-dickite±alunite) is restricted within a fault-bounded block of
Kayasa Formation directly above the Gosowong vein zone (modified after Olberg, 2001).

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occurs above and to the south of the vein within a faulted block of Kayasa Formation.
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Formation. At Togurarci, epithermal alteration overprints an earlier porphyry Cu-Au alteration
characterised by biotite-magnetite and chlorite-epidote-calcite-pyrite. The juxtaposition of
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time of ore deposit formation.

GEOCHEMISTRY
Exploration in the Gosowong district has long applied a robust geochemical toolbox developed
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composition of fractionated volcanic units from basalt to andesite in the Gosowong Formation
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PACRIM 2015 CONGRESS / HONG KONG, CHINA, 18–21 MARCH 2015 239
N FITZPATRICK et al

grade porphyry Cu-Au mineralisation from the high-grade epithermal Au-Ag mineralisation.
The earlier and more widespread low-grade porphyry Cu-Au mineralisation is characterised
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FIG 4 – Mineralogical and geochemical zonation from the Gosowong deposit (schematic representation). The advanced argillic
alteration noted in Figure 3 is not shown as it has been eroded away on this section. Small up and down arrows indicate an increase or
decrease in respective element concentrations or alteration index. Abbreviations: qtz = quartz, ill = illite, adul = adularia,
alb = albite, cal = calcite, ChlFe = iron-rich chlorite, ChlMg-Fe = magnesium-iron-rich chlorite, ChlMg = magnesium-rich chlorite,
ep = epidote, py = pyrite, sm = smectite; Alt Index = alteration index, CCP Index = chlorite-carbonate-pyrite index (Gemmell, 2007).
The large footprint, advanced argillic alteration observed at the southern end of the
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base metals such as Cu-Pb-Zn.

GEOPHYSICS
Multiple generations of airborne magnetics, radiometrics, ground magnetics, induced
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conducted over the life of the project. Although none have directly led to discovery, they have
returned signatures from the known deposits that are being used to assist exploration in the area.

240 PACRIM 2015 CONGRESS / HONG KONG, CHINA, 18–21 MARCH 2015
 THE GOSOWONG GOLDFIELD – A WORLD-CLASS EPITHERMAL GOLD-SILVER DISTRICT IN INDONESIA

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alteration, including advanced argillic alteration, characterised by magnetite destruction.
Many of the structures observed in outcrop and drill core can be seen in airphotos, the digital
terrain model and airborne magnetics.
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including the andesite and basalt of the Gosowong Formation, dacite of the Kayasa Formation
and recent Quaternary cover, making it an important tool in identifying structural offsets
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vein can be distinguished, along with a distinct conductivity anomaly in the hanging wall
that is interpreted to represent clay-pyrite alteration. This anomaly is also evident in the
IP, where a coincident chargeability and subtle resistivity anomaly is also observed and
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outcropping vein can also be traced with a linear resistivity anomaly and distinctive ‘bulls
eye’ chargeability anomaly from IP over the broadest outcropping portion of the deposit.
At Toguraci, low-grade porphyry Cu-Au mineralisation produces a distinct magnetic high
obscuring the magnetic signature of the discrete high-grade epithermal Au-Ag mineralisation,
which is magnetite destructive at a vein scale.

FIG 5 – Resistivity inversion model of controlled source audio-frequency magnetotellurics from the Kencana
(K1) deposit, cross-section 9400 mN. The outline of the Kencana (K1) deposit and T-Fault are shown and these
displace stratigraphy (andesite and basalt) in this location. The conductivity anomaly immediately above,
in the hanging wall to Kencana (K1), is interpreted as a response from clay-pyrite alteration.

CONCLUSIONS
A history spanning more than 20 years involving exploration, discovery and mining
has resulted in a constantly evolving understanding of the geological, geochemical and
geophysical characteristics of this world-class epithermal district. The tectonic setting and
regional geology led to the initial ground selection, while careful reconnaissance exploration
mapping and sampling led to the original Gosowong discovery. A detailed review of extensive

PACRIM 2015 CONGRESS / HONG KONG, CHINA, 18–21 MARCH 2015 241
N FITZPATRICK et al

knowledge bases, combined with targeted resampling, led to the Toguraci discovery and later
rediscovery. The use of subtle geological and geochemical signatures of the deposits resulted
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Key exploration criteria including stratigraphy, structural architecture, geochemistry and
geophysics continue to evolve and drive ongoing exploration in the area, including the
recognition of alteration styles not commonly thought to coexist.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank the many Newcrest geologists, past and present, who have contributed to
the discovery and understanding of the Gosowong deposits over the last two decades. The
authors also thank the many researchers and consultants who continue to contribute to the
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Tambang for permission to publish this paper.

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of the Gosowong epithermal gold deposit, Halmahera, Indonesia, Journal of Geochemical Exploration,
²
Clark, / 9  7KH JHRORJ\ DQG JHQHVLV RI WKH .HQFDQD HSLWKHUPDO $X$J GHSRVLW *RVRZRQJ
*ROGÀHOG+DOPDKHUD,VODQG,QGRQHVLD3K'WKHVLVXQSXEOLVKHG&HQWUHIRU2UH'HSRVLW5HVHDUFK
&2'(68QLYHUVLW\RI7DVPDQLD
Coote,-$5)LHOGDQGSHWURORJLFDOVWXGLHVRIWKH*RVRZRQJHSLWKHUPDOJROGGHSRVLW+DOPDKHUD
$36UHSRUWXQSXEOLVKHGUHSRUWIRU373XQFDNEDUX-D\DWDPD
Gemmell,-%+\GURWKHUPDODOWHUDWLRQDVVRFLDWHGZLWKWKH*RVRZRQJHSLWKHUPDO$X$JGHSRVLW
Halmara, Indonesia: mineralogy, geochemistry, and exploration implications, Economic Geology,
²
Leach, 7 0  &RPPHQWV RQ WKH DOWHUDWLRQ DQG PLQHUDOLVDWLRQ LQ WKH *RVRZRQJ SURMHFW DUHD
Halmahera, unpublished report for PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals.
Olberg,'-2UHVKRRWWDUJHWLQJLQWKH*RVRZRQJYHLQ]RQH+DOPDKHUD,QGRQHVLD06FWKHVLV
XQSXEOLVKHG&HQWUHIRU2UH'HSRVLW5HVHDUFK&2'(68QLYHUVLW\RI7DVPDQLD
Olberg,'-*HRFKHPLFDODQDO\VLVRI.HQFDQDDQG7RJXUDFLXQSXEOLVKHGUHSRUWWR373XQFDNEDUX
Jayatama.
Richards,7+%DVXNL'DQG3UL\RQR0''LVFRYHU\RIWKH7RJXUDFLHSLWKHUPDO$X$JGHSRVLWV
*RVRZRQJ *ROGÀHOG +DOPDKHUD ,VODQG (DVW ,QGRQHVLD LQ Proceedings PACRIM 2004 SS ²
(The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).
Richards, 7 + .HWXW *HGH 6X\DGQ\D , 7\DVPXGDGL 1 'DUPDZDQ ' DQG 0XU\DQWR $  7KH
GLVFRYHU\ RI WKH .HQFDQD ORZ VXOÀGDWLRQ HSLWKHUPDO GHSRVLW *RVRZRQJ JROGÀHOGV +DOPDKHUD
Island, East Indonesia, in Proceedings NewGenGold Conference SS ² 3D\GLUW 0HGLD 3W\ /WG
Perth).

242 PACRIM 2015 CONGRESS / HONG KONG, CHINA, 18–21 MARCH 2015