GL3206 Exploration Geology

Regional Exploration
Semester 1 2020/2021
Safety induction

https://www.grainger.com/product/SAFETYPOSTER-COM-Simpsons-Safety-Poster-35LK79
Resources vs Reserves
• Resources:
“... resources are ores that may potentially
be extracted at some time in the future.”

oil, gas, coal, etc

• Reserves :
“... reserves are ore that is economically
feasible to mine and for which there are no
legal or engineering impediments to
mining.”
Ridley, J. (2013). Ore deposit geology. Cambridge
University Press.
(Ridley, 2019)
Exploration stages
No Phase
1 Conceptual planning
2 Detailed planning
3 Reconnaissance exploration
4 Target generation
5 Exploration drilling
6 Assessment drilling
7 Mine development
8 Mining
9 Post-mining
Stage
Literature review
Field visit, Data review
Remote sensing, Regional geophysics, Regional geochemistry
Mapping, Detailed geochemistry, Ground geophysics
Assays, Early metallurgical study
Test mining, Metallurgical study
Stripping, Shaft sinking
Rehabilitation
Exploration stages: cost&risk vs time

modified from Groves, D. I., & Santosh, M. (2015). Province-scale commonalities of some world-class gold deposits: implications for mineral exploration.
Geoscience Frontiers, 6(3), 389–399. and Marjoribanks, R. (2010). Geological methods in mineral exploration and mining. Springer Science & Business Media.
 Please keep in mind that the
concept of plate tectonics has
changed the way we explore
geological resources
Regional exploration
• Plate tectonics consideration
• Metallogenic province consideration
• Remote sensing analysis
• Regional gephysical data acquisition/analysis
• Regional geochemical data acquisition/analysis (soil, stream, BLEG)
• Key sites visit/ground check
Plate tectonics
Nowadays plate configuration

Is the earth always like this?

Where should we explore?

Ridley, J. (2013). Ore deposit geology. Cambridge University Press.

Metallogenic province
Metallogenic province
“a region characterized by a particular assemblage of mineral deposit
types.”

Metallogenic epoch
“a unit of geologic time favorable for the deposition of ores or
characterized by a particular assemblage of deposit types.”

Robb, 2004
Metallogenic province
Example:
Metallogenic map of New
South Wales

*you may check “Peta Metalogeni

Indonesia” (Badan Geologi, 2013) for local
information
Downes, P. M., Blevin, P., Reid, W. J., Barnes, R. G., & Forster, D. B. (2011). Metallogenic map of New South Wales—1: 1 500 000 Map. Geological Survey of
New South Wales. Geological Survey of New South Wales, Resources and Energy NSW, Maitland, Australia.
Remote sensing
“acquisition of information about an
object without being in physical contact
with it”
Elachi & Van Zyl, 2006
• It is one of the cheapest* yet powerful
method
• It is able to show surficial level clues*

Di Tommaso, I., & Rubinstein, N. (2007). Hydrothermal alteration mapping using ASTER data in the Infiernillo
porphyry deposit, Argentina. Ore Geology Reviews, 32(1–2), 275–290.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2006.05.004
Regional exploration: remote sensing

Rowan, L. C., Hook, S. J., Abrams, M. J., & Mars, J. C. (2003). Mapping Hydrothermally Altered Rocks at Cuprite, Nevada, Using the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), a New Satellite-Imaging
System. Economic Geology, 98(5), 1019–1027. https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.98.5.1019
Geophysics
• Each commodity has different
physical properties
• The properties might be reflected in
geophysical measurement
• e.g. metal deposits usually show
magnetic anomaly or igneous body
might have positve gravity anomaly
Geophysics
examples of regional geophysical
method:
• airborne magnetic

airborne magnetic map of Easter

Australia (Geoscience Australia, 2015)
Geophysics
examples of regional geophysical
method:
• airborne magnetic
• airborne gravity

Airborne gravity map of Easter Australia

(Geoscience Australia, 2015)
Regional geochemistry: stream sediment
sampling
Stream sediment
X
• Targets active sediment on the
stream bed (-80 mesh fraction) from
active mechanical weahtering
• Approach the source of transported
sediment
• Done at primary drainage with
relatively small catchment (up to 4th
order stream)
Regional geochemistry: heavy mineral
conventrate sampling
Heavy mineral concentrate
X
• Targets accumulation of heavy
mineral in aluvial or colluvial
• Positive result can be followed
up by upstream sampling
• Approach the source of
transported sediment
Regional geochemistry: soil sampling
Soil sampling
in situ weahtering products may reflect the characteristics of their
original or underlying bedrocks

After Butt et al. (2000) in Robb, L. (2004). Introduction to ore-forming processes. Blackwell Publishing.
Regional geochemistry: soil sampling
Regional soil sampling
• Samples B/clay-ric horizon
• Done in grid of hundreds of meter interval (>200m for regional)
• Returned data are calculated for anomaly
Regional geochemistry: BLEG
Bulk Leach Extractable Gold
A method to extract very small amout of
metal content (usually gold) from large
amount (2-5 kg) of sample
• sample usually is in silt-clay size fraction
• sample is digested for several days in
sodium cyanide
• the solution is to be assayed
Ground check
• It is important to check key sites with sign of anomaly* from
conducted methods or previous report(s)
• Make sure we are not trapped by false positives
Any question?
 Practice: prepare your PCs,
parchment paper, and stationery
• Parchment paper delineations must be collected and marked as
practical component (1/total submitted pracs)
• Report must be collected as assignment component (5%)
• Meaningful complementary data will get extra point
Data provided
• Geological map
• Airborne gravity map
• Airborne magnetic map
• Surface geochemistry data points
• Metadata
Task
• Delineate area of possible anomaly from geophysical data
• Calculate geochemical background from the data and delineate the
anomalous area
• Combine the delineated areas and suggest possible prospect(s) and
detailed survey need to be carried out in the area

Note:
1. most of the area is covered by thick loose sediment
2. consider the bedrock geology of the area in your interpretation
Thank you