PROCEEDINGS – YOGYAKARTA CONVENTION 2001

The 30th IAGI Annual Conference and Exhibition

A Low-Sulphidation Epithermal Quartz-Adularia Gold-Silver Vein System

at the
Cibaliung Gold Project, Banten, Indonesia

by

Ciceron A. Angeles1, Sukmandaru Prihatmoko2 and James S. Walker3

1
PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya, Graha Irama, 3rd Floor, Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav. 1-2, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
2
PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya, Graha Irama, 3rd Floor, Jl. HR Rasuna Said, Kav. 1-2, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
3
Post Office Box 50713, Tucson, Arizona 85703, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT

The Cibaliung gold project is located at the western portion of the Neogene Sunda-Banda magmatic
arc. Gold-silver mineralization in the area is hosted in a thick sequence of sub-aqueous basaltic
andesitic volcanics with intercalated sediments intruded by subvolcanic andesite to diorite plugs and
dikes, and subsequently cut by a cluster of diatreme breccias. These host rocks are unconformably
overlain by post-mineral dacitic tuffs, younger sediments and basalt flows.

The gold prospects in Cibaliung occur within a NW-trending structural corridor that is 3.5 kilometers
wide by at least 6 kilometers long. It is fault-bounded and is considered to be a graben. Two aligned
NNW-trending sub-vertical shoots, Cikoneng and Cibitung, host the currently defined resource within
the steeply dipping vein system with a minimum strike length of 1,300 m. As of July 2001,
exploration has defined an inferred + indicated mineral resource of approximately 1.3 million tonnes
at 10.42 g/t gold and 60.7 g/t silver at a 3 g/t Au cut-off, containing about 435,000 ounces of gold and
2.54 million ounces of silver.

Gold-silver mineralization occurs as quartz veins characteristic of the low-sulphidation adularia-

sericite epithermal style. Progressive dilation with general increase in gold grade has produced multi-
stage veining and brecciation that grades from early to late as: pre-mineral fluidized breccia, quartz
vein stockwork, massive vein, crustiform vein, colloform-crustiform vein with progressive increase in
chloritic clay bands, clay-quartz milled matrix breccias with a progressive increase in clay content,
and syn- to post-mineral fault gouge with vein clasts. Wallrock alteration is characterized by
prograde chlorite+adularia flooding that is locally overprinted by a low temperature argillic alteration
(smectite, illite & mixed layered clays). Generally, the argillic alteration decreases with depth.

The major mineral constituents of the veins are quartz, adularia and clay. In the early gold-poor
hydrothermal stages, quartz and adularia dominate with only minor calcite and clay (smectite, poorly
crystalline chlorite, interlayered chlorite-smectite and illite-smectite). In the later gold-rich
hydrothermal stages, clay with variable amounts of carbonate increases whereas the abundance of
quartz and adularia decreases. Gold occurs mainly as electrum while silver occurs as argentite-
aguilarite-naumannite and electrum and rarely as native silver, sulphosalts and tellurides. Sulphides
generally comprise <1 volume % of the vein, with pyrite as the most common species. Together with
pyrite, traces of very fine grained base metal sulphides dominated by chalcopyrite, sphalerite and
galena are in most cases intimately associated with electrum and silver minerals. Partial supergene
oxidation generally extends down to about 200 meters below the surface at Cikoneng and further
down to more than 300 meters at Cibitung.

The hydrothermal system responsible for the gold-silver mineralization in the area is postulated to be
related to rhyolitic magmatism focussed on a volcanic intrusive center during back arc rifting that has
formed a graben or pull-apart basin. The dominant mechanism for the higher grade gold deposition is
fluid mixing of up welling metal-bearing hydrothermal solutions with relatively near surface cool,
oxygenated condensate and/or steam-heated meteoric fluids, as opposed to retrograde boiling. The
strongly focused dilational structural environment is thought to have been the mechanism for focusing

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The 30th IAGI Annual Conference and Exhibition

fluid flows, both up welling and descending, forming pipe-like mineralized bodies in the rhomboidal
dilation zones. It is interpreted that mineralization took place under low temperature conditions
(<150-220oC) at a minimum depth of around 200-250 meters below the paleo-water table.

____
Key Words: Epithermal Gold, Low Sulphidation, Cibaliung, Indonesia

INTRODUCTION

The Cibaliung Gold Project is located at the regency of Pandeglang, Banten Province, about 150 km
southwest of Jakarta (Fig. 1). Cibaliung area has the largest known gold deposit in western Java area
outside of the Bayah Dome where Gunung Pongkor and Cikidang mines are located. This paper
describes the geology, alteration-mineralization characteristics and mineral resources of the Cibaliung
gold project area.

INDONESIA

Jakarta

Cibaliung

Fig.1. Location map of the Cibaliung gold project

TENEMENT STATUS

The Cibaliung gold project is currently 70% held by Austindo Resources Corporation NL (“ARX”), a
publicly listed Australian affiliate of the Indonesia-based PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya; and 30% held
by International Antam Resources Ltd. (“IAR”) and PT Aneka Tambang (Persero) Tbk. (“Antam”).
IAR is a publicly listed Canadian company owned 82% by Antam. Antam is a public company
controlled by the Indonesian Government and is listed in both Indonesian and Australian stock
exchanges. Antam is a diversified company that owns and operates nickel, gold, bauxite and iron
sand mines in Indonesia, including the Gunung Pongkor and Cikidang gold mines. ARX is
responsible for ongoing management of the project through PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya (“CSD”), an
Indonesian-registered mining services company.

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The mineral title at the Cibaliung Gold Project is a Kuasa Pertambangan (Mining Authority) KP
KW96PP0019 held by Antam for the exclusive benefit of the joint venture. The KP encompasses an
area of 15,710 hectares and is in the exploration stage.

LOCAL GEOLOGY

The Cibaliung area (Fig. 1) is located in the western portion of the Neogene Sunda-Banda magmatic
arc (Carlile and Mitchell, 1994). In the drilled area, the rock units are divided into pre- and post-
mineral rock sequences of probable Late Miocene to Quaternary age (Figs. 2 & 3).

0
SCALE

Basalt flows
Sediments Post-Mineral
Cibaliung tuff
Honje volcanics Pre-Mineral

Vein
Fault
Circular pattern

Modified from Marjoribanks (2000)

Fig.2 - Regional geology of the Cibaliung project area

The oldest pre-mineral rock unit is the Honje Formation of probable Late Miocene age (Sudana and
Santosa, 1992). It is a volcanic pile consisting of a thick sequence of basaltic andesitic volcanic flows
and volcanic breccias with occasional intercalated tuffaceous sediments. The volcanic flows are
massive while the volcanic breccias are autobrecciated flows and hyaloclastites, the latter showing
chill/quench textures. The presence of hyaloclastites as well as pepperites in the intercalated
sediments are indicative of extrusion of lavas into a sub-aqueous environment which results to
“quench shattering” (APS, 2000a). Minor intercalations of dacitic tuff, some ignimbritic or welded,
have also been noted within the basaltic andesitic rocks.

Several subvolcanic andesite to diorite plugs and dikes intruded the Honje Formation at the vicinity of
Cibitung (Fig. 9). The diorite and porphyritic andesite are considered to be facies changes as
evidenced by their gradational contacts.

Heterolithic milled matrix breccias (HMMBs) with diatreme affinities have been recognized intruding
the andesite to diorite intrusives. They occur in several clusters of plug-like to dike-like bodies (Figs.
8 & 9), generally 1 to 120 m wide x 20 to 120m long with depth extensions from 20 to >200 m. They
are more prevalent in the southern part of the drilled area (Fig. 4). The breccias consist of angular to
rounded clasts of pre-mineral rocks set in rock flour or detrital volcanic

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matrix. The breccias vary from mosaic to slab breccias, to rotational breccias and to fluidized milled
matrix breccias. Carbonized wood clasts are identified in some of the breccias. This indicate that the
breccias have vented to the surface incorporating wood fragments into the interior of the breccia
bodies after the eruptive phase of the diatreme formation.

EPITHERMAL
VEINS NE
SW V V V V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V

+
+ +
+ + +

+ + +

+ + + + +
+
+ +
+ + + + +
+ + +
+ + ++
+ +
+ + ++
+ +
+
Intrusive Intrusive
complex complex
NOT TO SCALE

Post - Mineral Sequence Pre - Mineral Sequence

V
V
V Basalt flows Honje volcanics
Sediments +
+ + Intrusives
CibaliungTuff Diatreme Breccia
Fault
Modified after Marjoribank (2000)

Fig. 3 - Schematic geologic section

The HMMBs are spatially and genetically associated with the andesitic intrusives. They are emplaced
right after the intrusives but before the development of epithermal veining. They are definitely pre-
mineral but some later ones are possible precursors of epithermal vein mineralization as evidenced by
the presence of fluidized milled pryrite-rich breccias cut by the veins (Leach, 2000) and breccias with
a hydrothermal matrix of quartz and sulphides.

All of the above pre-mineral rocks are unconformably overlain by a thin veneer of the post-mineral
Cibaliung Tuff (Marjoribanks, 2000), generally covering the NW-trending graben area. The tuff is
dacitic in composition and generally a few metres thick at the drilled area, but may reach up to 30 m.
A thin layer of unconsolidated colluvium/alluvium consisting of pre-mineral rocks and quartz vein
material is common at the base of the tuff. This is indicative of erosion of the pre-mineral rocks
including the veins prior to the deposition of the tuff.

Circular patterns within the Cibaling Tuff as interpreted from aerial photos are located northeast and
northwest of the drilled area (Fig. 2). These patterns can be interpreted as evidence for volcanic
cauldron collapse structures, and may be the vents from which the tuff was derived (Marjoribanks,
2000). It is also probable that the Cibaliung Tuff is co-genetic and co-eval with the latest stage of
diatreme formation.

A sequence of younger easterly dipping sedimentary rocks overlie the above rock units
(Marjoribanks, 2000). They are more or less equivalent to the sedimentary units shown on the
existing geological map, namely - the Late Miocene Bojongmanik Formation and the Pliocene
Cipacar Formation (Sudana and Santosa, 1992). The lower unit is composed of conglomerate,
calcareous sandstone and claystone, and limestone with some lignite intercalations. Bedding dips are

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steepest, around 20-30o, in the extreme west, and are sub-horizontal in the east. The upper unit sits
upon the lower unit with a pronounced scarp consisting of various tuffaceous sediments and tuffs.

There are isolated thin sheets and erosional remnants of basalt flows of probable Quaternary age in
the north and northeast of the KP area (Marjoribanks, 2000). The unit thickens towards the east and
was probably derived from volcanic centers located east of the KP area. The basalts unconformably
overlie all of the above rock units.

LOCAL STRUCTURE

The gold prospects in Cibaliung occur within a NW-trending structural corridor that is 3.5 km wide by
at least 6 km long (Fig. 4). It is fault-bounded and is considered to be a graben (Marjoribanks, 2000)
or pull-apart basin that was subsequently filled up by post-mineral dacitic tuffs (Leach, 2000). The
two aligned sub-vertical shoots, Cikoneng and Cibitung, are located on the southwestern edge of the
graben as dilational jogs on a NNW-trending, steep dipping oblique-slip fault zone, hosting the
currently defined resource.

570200 mE
569400 mE

9254600 mN

N
Cikoneng
Shoot

0 200m
SCALE

Ci
9253800 mN te luk Cibitung
Vein zone
Ri Shoot
ve
r Hole Location

Cibeber

Melinjo

Fig. 4 - Cikoneng – Cibitung vein zone & drill location

Ore shoots in the Cikoneng-Cibitung area occur in complex dilational jogs and sigmoid bends formed
at intersections between NW, NNW and NNE fault systems (Walker, 2000). Mineralized zones are of
considerably greater vertical than lateral extent, a feature not commonly found in epithermal vein
deposits. The unusual geometry is thought to result from the combined dilation effects of the three
major fault sets. During the early relatively gold-poor hydrothermal stages, the right-lateral arc-
parallel NW fault sets dominated, thereby creating large-scale NNW dilational vein jogs (Fig. 5).
During the later gold-rich hydrothermal stages, the left-lateral NNE set predominated, creating the
two high-grade shoots where the NNE set forms jogs on the early relatively gold-poor NNW vein
structures. Syn- to post-mineral fault movement offsets mineralization. These offsets occur along
subvertical causative jog structures cutting the Cikoneng and Cibitung shoots at low-angles, and also
along conjugate, subvertical NNW faults cutting the Cikoneng shoot at high-angles.

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MINERALIZATION

Gold-silver mineralization in Cibaliung is hosted in quartz veins, characteristic of the low-

sulphidation epithermal adularia-sericite style (Hayba et al., 1985; Bonham, 1986) or the epithermal
quartz gold-silver vein style (Corbett and Leach, 1998; Leach and Corlett, 2000). A successive
sequence of hydrothermal stages has been defined (Leach, 2000; Leach and Corlett, 2000). Although
based on the Cikoneng shoot only, drill data to date indicate that this sequence is applicable also to
Cibitung and Cibeber/Melinjo vein zones. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the stages are as follows:

1. Pre-mineral Fluidized Breccia - this event is occasionally present near the veins. This style
of polyphasal crackle to fluidized brecciation, that grade from early clay to later
quartz/silica/pyrite-rich breccias, are common precursors to many epithermal vein systems
(Corbett and Leach, 1998), and are interpreted to be associated with the venting of magma-
derived volatiles from a degassing magma at depth. These fluidized breccias, usually narrow
and discontinuous, are perceived to be later than the bigger bodies of HMMBs which are
generally altered to weak chlorite±epidote±carbonate.

2. Polyphasal Vein Development - the fluidized breccias are cut by a later epithermal vein
system that grade from early stockwork/sheeted veins, through massive, crustiform and
crustiform-colloform (early dominated by quartz-adularia to later dominated by quartz-clay)
veins, to late stage clay matrix breccias. During the later stages, the abundance of clay
minerals and carbonates increases whereas the abundance of quartz and adularia decreases.
This sequence of events reflects a change from a hydrothermal system dominated by up
welling hot hydrothermal fluids, to one dominated by cool condensate or surficial steam
heated waters (Leach and Corlett, 2000). It is to be noted that not all vein zones have all of
the stages shown below.

a. Stockwork to Sheeted Quartz-Calcite-Adularia Veins (<0.5 g/t Au)

b. Massive Quartz-Adularia-Calcite Vein (<2 g/t Au)
c. Crustiform Banded Quartz-Adularia Vein (<3 g/t Au)
d. Crustiform – Colloform Quartz-Adularia-Clay Banded Vein (~ 1->30 g/t)
e. Clay Matrix Breccia (~5-30 g/t Au).

3. Post-mineral Fault Gouge (<1-10 g/t Au) - cuts many of the earlier vein stages as either
sizeable gougy highly fractured zones or clay (smectite)/pyrite-filled fractures extending into
the adjacent mineralized veins. When adjacent to a mineralized vein intercept, the fault
gouge may contain vein material, thereby termed fault-vein. Locally, fault-veins can carry
significant mineralization. Although mostly post-mineral, fault-vein commonly grades into
smectite/chloritic clay-matrix dominated vein breccia and is therefore partly syn-mineral
also. Faulting along the edge and interior of the shoots is common, as would be expected
because the mineralized structure facilitated transfer of fault movement across the jog.

The early prograde stages 2a, 2b and 2c quartz veins display considerably longer lateral dimensions
than the mineralized shoots (retrograde stages 2d, 2e and 3) contained within them (Walker, 2000).
The early, massive to banded quartz veins are effectively the host rocks for the mineralized shoots,
readily fracturing in response to crosscutting NNE right-lateral strike-slip faulting. Shoots formed
when movement on the NNE faults became dominant and jogs formed where they crossed the NNW
faults (Cikoneng), and WNW faults (Cibitung).

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The 30th IAGI Annual Conference and Exhibition

1 Early Hydrothermal Stages 2 Late Hydrothermal Stages

Cikoneng Shoot
Cikoneng Vein
(Sigmoid Bend)

Dominant Left-
Lateral NNE
Dominant Right- Faults
Lateral WNW &
Extensional
(Right-Lateral)
Cibitung Shoot
NNW Faults

Cibitung Vein

Fig. 5 - Schematic model of the Cikoneng – Cibitung shoot development

Increasing Dilation

Clay - Matrix
Breccias
Mosaic Milled

100
Au g/t

10
1
0
Modified after Leach (2000)

Fig. 6 - Sequence of hydrothermal stages

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The 30th IAGI Annual Conference and Exhibition

Potential ore-grade material is almost invariably carried in the retrograde stages 2d, 2e and 3, with the
bulk hosted by stage 2e rocks. In general, the highest grades are hosted in the vein-breccias where the
matrix is quartz dominated. Significant Au grades are occasionally hosted by stockwork directly in the
hanging wall contact of the shoots, and in stockworked wall rock horsts within the shoots. Both the
Cikoneng and Cibitung shoots display a central core of maximum dilation, defined by grade
multiplied by thickness contours (Connolly diagram), with a steep southerly rake within the
mineralized structure (Fig. 7).

Both the Cibitung and Cikoneng shoots appear on deposit scale to contain continuously mineralized
zones consistent with the shoot-scale nature of the deposit-controlling dilational jogs.

Syn- to post-mineral fault movement offsets mineralization. Offset occurs along subvertical causative
jog structures cutting the Cikoneng and Cibitung shoots at low-angles, and also along conjugate,
subvertical NNW faults cutting the Cikoneng shoot at high-angles (Fig. 4).

Shoot Geometry

Cikoneng and Cibitung which host the currently defined resource occur as sub-vertical shoots within a
NNW-striking vein system of considerable width, ie. <5 to 18 m, steeply dipping to the east (Figs. 8
& 9). The Cikoneng is located at the northern end while Cibitung shoot is at the southern end, about
400 m away (Figs. 4 & 7). Most of the gold is confined at +120 to 0 m RL at Cikoneng and at +120
to –140 m RL at Cibitung (Fig. 7). Silver generally increases at depth, reaching >80 g/t at +40 to 0 m
RL at Cikoneng and 0 to –40 m RL at Cibitung.

The widths for both shoots are almost the same. Cikoneng is about 2 to 10 m wide while Cibitung is
1 to 8 m wide. In terms of strike length, Cikoneng is 200 m while Cibitung is 140 m long. Both
shoots extends down to >300m and are still open at depth. Cibitung is relatively simple in geometry,
ie. one main vein with no splays and splits. Cikoneng is more complex. It has one main vein at the
central portion and splays to several narrower veins to the north and south. The main vein also has
several hanging wall splits (Fig. 8). The largest vein split is about 2-4m wide and located at Section
Lines 5120 - 5240N.

The two shoots, together with their peripheral vein and stockwork zones define a known
vein/stockwork system with a minimum strike length of 1,300 m. North of the Cikoneng shoot, the
vein structure appears to split into several lower grade veins and pinch out at depth. South of
Cibitung, the vein flares into a zone of stockworking at surface and consolidate into several gold-poor
fault vein zones at depth.

Discontinuous gold-silver mineralization is also recognized in two other vein systems, the NE-striking
Cibeber and N-S-striking Melinjo, located about 600m WSW of Cibitung. They comprise several
sub-parallel 1 to 2 m wide veins with minimum strike lengths of 200 to 300 m. Both systems have
been tested up to about 130 m below the surface.

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The 30th IAGI Annual Conference and Exhibition

SSE 4500mN 5000mN NNW

Cibitung Shoot Cikoneng Shoot

200mRL
12.93 38.67 43.65 46.20
24.58 8.16 0.00 0.00 8.53
25.31 0.00 51.40 6.87
2.87 106.53 0.00
42.37 112.34 12.76
0.00 34.48 104.73 93.75
30.05 0.00 102.8014.61 2.27
41.24
0.00 51.11
0.00 12.01 8.59 0.00 14.55 206.84 47.47
145.27
134.19 100.42 35.35
0 mRL 16.39 37.06
0.00 16.86 32.96 0.00
0.00 4.43 3.29
157.75 25.47 1.65
0.00 70.90
31.46
64.44 11.66 33.57
30.14 5.88 0.00

Axis t
9.01

o
Sho
Axis t

-200mRL

5200N
o

4490N
Sho

45.27

Fig. 7 Cikoneng – Cibitung Connolly diagram (True width in meters x Au grade at 3 g/t cut-off)

AC-001
AC-020
AC-040
CD
C
D

DH
D
H

_0
_0

02
10

80mRL
++

0mRL

+ + +
+ +
+
- 80mRL

5000mE ?
5200mE

Fig. 8 Cikoneng geological section 5200N

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AC-013

7A
0
160mRL

-03

-02
AC

AC
24
_0
DH
80mRL

CD

2
_04
DH

018A
CD

AC-
0mRL

8
-01
AC
- 80mRL

- 160mRL

?
5100mE 5300mE

Fig. 9 Cibitung geological section 4490N

Vein Mineralogy

The major vein mineral constituents are quartz and adularia, especially in the early prograde
hydrothermal stages. Nil to minor amounts of carbonate is also present, mainly as calcite and
occasionally as rhodochrosite. Rhodonite may also be present with rhodochrosite (Leach, 2000). In
both the later retrograde hydrothermal stages and at the deeper portions of the vein system, clay
(smectite, poorly crystalline chlorite, interlayered chlorite-smectite and illite-smectite), chlorite and
carbonate are locally significant vein constituents. At Cibitung, paragonite (Na analogue of illite) was
detected in hole AC-07/244.6m (Leach and Corlett, 2000).

There is no apparent zonation in clays at Cikoneng, with smectite and minor interlayered chlorite-
smectite being the only clay minerals detected, even over depth intervals of 160m. These clays
indicate that precious metal mineralization took place at temperatures of less than 150ºC and near
neutral pH conditions (pH 5-6) (Leach and Corlett, 2000). On the other hand, mineralization
associated with illite and interlayered illite-smectite at the upper parts of Cibitung implies higher
mineralization temperatures of around 180-220ºC at slightly lower fluid pH (~5). The difference in
mineralization temperatures is inferred to be caused by different hydrological regimes rather than any
fault displacement between the two vein systems. The higher temperatures of mineralization at
Cibitung may reflect closer proximity to the source of mineralized fluids, or lower proportion of
surficial waters during mineralization.

The occurrence of illite at 66.7m in hole CDDH-23 (at 50m from the current surface) at Cibitung
indicates a minimum of 200-250m erosion since mineralization (Leach and Corlett, 2000).

Gold-silver mineralization with associated base metal-bearing sulphides are generally associated with
the later hydrothermal stages 2d, 2e and 3. Precious metal deposition is mainly associatedwith clay-
rich bands where they alternate with late stage quartz-adularia bands. Gold and silver also occur in

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trace amounts in early quartz-adularia bands and extends into the late stage formation of clay-matrix
breccias (Leach and Corlett, 2000).

Sulphides generally comprise <1 volume % of the vein, with pyrite as the earliest and most common
species. Besides pyrite, micron-sized arsenopyrite (Williams, 1997) and marcasite had been noted
(Leach and Corlett, 2000; Williams, 1997). Very fine grained sulphides, usually only tens of microns
in diameter, had been identified by ore microscopy and microprobe work to be a mixture of base
metal sulphides together with electrum and silver minerals (Leach and Corlett, 2000; APS, 2000c).
The base metal sulphides are mainly chalcopyrite, sphalerite and galena, and minor to trace amounts
of bornite and tennantite-tetrahedrite. Sphalerite is generally iron-poor and may contain appreciable
Ag (to 1.3 wt%) and Cd (to 2.2 wt%). Pyrite, chalcopyrite, bornite and sphalerite commonly host
inclusions of electrum. Intergrowths of electrum have been noted with chalcopyrite, bornite and
galena. Intergrowths with Ag sulphide/selenides are noted also with galena, bornite and sphalerite.
Altaite (PbTe) is also suspected as inclusions in bornite in hole AC-02/89.8m.

Gold occurs mainly as electrum, with a close spatial association with silver minerals (APS, 1999,
2000b, 2000c; Leach and Corlett, 2000; Corlett, 2000). It occurs as free grains intergrown with clays
and carbonate that, in places, fill cavities in quartz-adularia bands; as intergrowths and overgrowths
on quartz-adualaria; and as inclusions in, overgrowths on, and intergrowths with sulphide minerals,
especially in the clay-rich bands (Leach and Corlett, 2000). Most of the electrum occurs as
overgrowths or intergrowths with other sulphide minerals while very little is free in clays or
carbonates. Rarely, Ag sulphide/selenides and hessite are intergrown or host inclusions of electrum
(APS, 2000c). Grain size ranges from <1 to up to 260 µm, but generally average about 25 to 50 µm.
It is finer grained, about 7-10 µm, where it occurs as inclusions in sulphides and coarsest where it
overgrows sulphides and fills cavities in quartz-adularia bands. The mean gold fineness ranges from
422 to 670 which is typical of epithermal deposits (Corlett, 2000; APS, 2000c).

Silver occurs mainly as Ag sulphide/selenide and electrum and rarely as native silver, polybasite,
hessite and stromeyerite. Scout electron microprobe studies (Williams, 1997; APS, 2000b; Corlett,
2000) had shown that some if not most of the argentite (Ag2S) identified microscopically is actually
aguilarite (Ag4SeS) and naumannite (Ag2Se). Aguilarite is described in the literature as an
intermediate member of the solid solution series with acanthite/argentite and naumannite as end
member phases. Microprobe work showed that there is considerable substitution of Ag in aguilarite
by Pb, Cu and Au (Corlett, 2000) and partly Se by Te (APS, 2000c). Ag sulphide/selinides may occur
as intergrowths with chalcopyrite, sphalerite and rarely pyrite, polybasite and galena. Inclusions of
electrum in Ag sulphide/selinides is also common. Native silver has been identified especially in the
deeper portions of the shoots where Ag grades are very high. It is usually associated with galena and
sphalerite. Polybasite [(Ag, Cu)6Sb2S11], a Ag sulphosalt, was noted together with chalcopyrite,
tennantite-tetrahedrite and Ag sulphide/selenide in hole AC-01/222.44m together with visible
electrum (Leach and Corlett, 2000). Microprobe work on tetrahedrite also confirms presence of Ag,
ie. 1.3-8.6 wt.% (Corlett, 2000). Hessite (Ag2Te) usually occurs as free grains, sometimes containing
inclusions of electrum. Although they occur in close proximity, hessite has not been seen intergrown
with chalcopyrite, sphalerite and galena (APS, 2000c). There is also some Au substitution in hessite
at the expense of Ag (APS, 2000c). Stromeyerite (AgCuS) was noted also in hole AC-01/222.44m. It
is associated with late carbonate fill, locally intimately intergrown with aguilarite (Corlett, 2000).

Wallrock Alteration

Prior to epithermal vein mineralization, weak thermal metamorphism to metasomatic alteration has
affected the Honje volcanic pile due to the intrusions of the andesite to diorite plugs and dike (APS,
2000a). This is evidenced by petrography done on hole CDDH-48/123.3m at Cibitung. The
replacement assemblage comprising albite/K-feldspar-quartz-magnetite-garnet-epidote-clinopyroxene
is indicative of conductive heat transfer while an associated quartz-magnetite-albite-epidote vein
mineralogy indicates a metasomatic component to this stage of alteration.

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 PROCEEDINGS – YOGYAKARTA CONVENTION 2001
The 30th IAGI Annual Conference and Exhibition

During the early hydrothermal stages (2a, 2b and 2c), prograde alteration of the wallrock lithologies is
characterized by pervasive chlorite and adularia with variable minor amounts of quartz and zoisite
and/or epidote. Minor overprints of later smectite-illite and/or smectite is common including sporadic
occurrence of laumontite (zeolite) ± calcite. From considerations of the crystallinity of the illitic clay
and the presence of zoisite and laumontite, temperatures of prograde hydrothermal alteration (and
mineralization) are considered to be in the order of 220 °C to 250°C (APS, 1999).

During the later retrograde hydrothermal stages (2d, 2e and 3), pervasive smectite-dominant alteration
overprints the prograde chlorite+adularia alteration. This alteration type comprises variable amounts
of smectite, interlayered illite-smectite and chlorite-smectite, poorly crystalline chlorite, carbonate and
rare occurrence of prehnite and anhydrite.

In terms of zonation, smectite dominant alteration forms an envelop around the vein zones. At
Cikoneng (Fig. 10), it is generally wide at near surface (~300 m at +160 m RL) and narrows down at
depth (50 m at –80 m RL). At Cibitung (Fig. 11), it is narrower and irregular in shape, ie. <5-15 m at
the hangingwall side and <10-40 m at the footwall side. Away from the smectite dominant zone,
chlorite+adularia alteration predominates. It also occurs as remnant patches within the smectitic
zones (Fig. 10) and may also be in direct contact with the vein zones (Fig. 11). Due to insufficient
petrographic work, it is not clear how far laterally the chlorite+adularia zone extends away from the
vein zone. This alteration zone is quite extensive though as all rocks within the drilled area. This
may be due to the permeable nature of the volcanic pile (APS, 1999). It is inferred that further away
from the smectite dominant and chlorite+adularia zones, the alteration fades away as weakly
developed chlorite-calcite and then to unaltered rocks.

It is to be noted that at the hanging wall side of Cibitung east of the main shoot, there is another wide
zone of smectite dominant alteration containing irregular sub-zones of quartz-illite (Fig. 11). The
relationship of this alteration zone with respect to the main shoot is not clear. Perhaps it indicates
another vein zone further to the east.

SUPERGENE ALTERATION

Weathering with attendant supergene oxidation is generally shallow, about several metres below the
surface. Within the vein zones, however, complete supergene oxidation generally reaches down to
40-80m. The base of partial oxidation is deeper in Cibitung (>300 m) than in Cikoneng (~200 m).
The major change in the depth of oxidation occurs at the southern end of the Cikoneng shoot
(Micromine Consulting, 2001). The weathering profile follows the surface topography until it crosses
the fault zone where it extends at depth following the fault zone. Clearly, weathering has permeated to
greater depths exploiting the fracture zones. The reasons for Cibitung having deeper oxidation is not
yet clear. Possible explanations are that it is nearer to the main river or the fault zone is more intense
compared to Cikoneng, or a combination of both. It is most likely that there is not much change in the
vein mineralogy during oxidation except for the replacement of the minor amounts of sulphides by
limonite and concomitant leaching out of the base metals and silver. There seems to be no major
supergene re-mobilization and enrichment of gold in the oxidized portions of the mineralized veins.

RESOURCES

A total of 54 out of a total of 89 holes were included in estimating the resources of Cikoneng and
Cibitung shoots. The normal drill spacing is 40 m along strike and 80 m vertically, with some having
narrower spacings of 20 x 40 m and sometimes even less (Fig. 12). Geological interpretation of the
shoots was conducted in section and is the basis for the three-dimensional block modelling
(Micromine Consulting, 2001). Interpolation of data points was done using the inverse distance
weighted cubed algorithm.

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AC-001
AC-020
AC-040

CD
C
D

DH
D
H

_0
_0

02
10
80mRL

0mRL

- 80mRL

5000mE ?
5200mE

Fig. 10 Cikoneng alteration section 5200N

AC-030 AC-027A AC-013

4
_02
DH

160mRL
CD

80mRL
42
H_0
D
CD

0mRL
018A
AC-

- 80mRL
8
-01
AC

- 160mRL

5100mE ?
5300mE

Fig. 11 Cibitung alteration section 4490N

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 PROCEEDINGS – YOGYAKARTA CONVENTION 2001
The 30th IAGI Annual Conference and Exhibition

SSE 4500mN 5000mN NNW

Cibitung Shoot Cikoneng Shoot
200mRL

0 mRL

-200mRL

5200N
4490N

Fig.12 Longitudinal projection of the mineral rsources blocks

The resource was classified according to the guidelines defined by the Australasian Code for
Reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (1999 JORC Code), a classification accepted and
widely understood by the minerals industry in Asia-Pacific. Application of these guidelines resulted
in all Cibaliung resources being classified as Indicated Resource for the zones of the deposit where
drillhole section spacing was 20 m and interpolated blocks are within 20 m of the samples. All
remaining material was defaulted to Inferred Resource status.

The summary of the resource statement as released in July 2001 is provided in Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1. Resource by category (3 g/t Au Cut-off)

Category Tonnage Au (g/t) Au (oz) Ag (g/t) Ag (Moz)

Indicated 476,000 10.34 158,000 60.6 0.93
Inferred 823,000 10.47 277,000 60..8 1.61
Total 1,299,000 10.42 435,000 60.7 2.54

Table 2. Resource (Inferred and Indicated) by shoot (3g/t Au Cut-off)

Shoot Tonnage Au (g/t) Au (oz) Ag (g/t) Ag (Moz)

Cikoneng 546,000 12.57 221,000 75.5 1.33
Cibitung 753,000 8.86 214,000 50.0 1.21
Total 1,299,000 10.42 435,000 60.7 2.54

The resource at 3 g/t Au cut-off equates to 435,000 ounces of gold and 2.54 million ounces of silver
or 476,000 ounces gold equivalent. 36.32% of the resource was classified as Indicated and 63.68% as
Inferred.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors express their appreciation to the management of Austindo Resources Corporation NL and
Antam International Resources Ltd for allowing us to present and publish this paper. Special thanks
are extended to John Carlile for his steadfast encouragement. We are indebted to all the technical staff
who have in one way or another helped in the data collection, discussions and interpretations. Special
mention is extended to Terry Leach, Roger Marjoribanks, Graeme Corlett and Anthony Coote, our
consultants who formed the core of the ideas presented in this paper. Constructive reviews by Terry
Leach and Drew Henry are also gratefully acknowledged.

REFERENCES

APS (Applied Petrological Services), 1999, Petrological studies of diamond core and surface samples
from the Cibaliung Project: Internal PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
APS, 2000a, Petrological studies of diamond core from the Cibaliung Project, West Java: Internal PT.
Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
APS, 2000b, Microprobe studies of opaque minerals from the Cibaliung Project, West Java: Internal
PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
APS, 2000c, Petrological studies of diamond core and surface samples from the Cibaliung Project:
Internal PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
Bonham, 1986, Models for volcanic-hosted, epithermal precious-metal deposits – a review:
International Vocanological Congress, Hamilton, New Zealand, February 1986, Symposium V
Proc., p. 13-17.
Carlile, J.C. and Mitchell, A.H.G., 1994, Magmatic arcs and associated gold and copper
mineralization in Indonesia, in van Leeuwen, T.M., Hendenquist, J.W., James, L.P. and Dow,
J.A.S., eds., Indonesian mineral deposits – Discoveries of the past 25 years: J. Geochem.
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Corbett, G. and Leach T., 1998, Southwest Pacific gold-copper systems: structure, alteration and
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Corlett, G., Dec. 2000, Electron microprobe analysis of three drillcore samples from the Cibaliung
Project, West Java: Internal PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
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Leach, T., 2000, Field report on the alteration and mineralization in the Cibaliung Project, West Java:
PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
Leach, T. and Corlett, G., 2000, The petrology of twenty-nine drillcore samples from the Cibaliung
Project, West Java: Internal PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
Marjoribanks, R., 2000, Geology of the Honje-Cibaliung area, West Java, Indonesia – An air photo
interpretation based study: Internal PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
Micromine Consulting, 2001, PT. Cibaliung Sumberdaya modelling and resource estimation: Internal
PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.
Sudana, D., and Santosa, S., 1992, Geology of the Cikarang Quadrangle, Java. Geol. Res. and Dev.
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volumes.
Walker, J., 2001, Geological Model – Cikoneng and Cibitung prospects: Internal PT Cibaliung
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Williams, S., 1997, Untitled letter: Internal PT Cibaliung Sumberdaya file.

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