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The mineralogy and chemical

composition of the Woodlawn massive
sulphide orebody
a b
D. E. Ayres
a
CSIRO Division of Mineralogy , P.O. Box 136, North Ryde, N.S.W.,
2113
b
Exxon Production Research Company , P.O. Box 2189, Houston,
Texas, 77001, U.S.A.
Published online: 01 Aug 2007.

To cite this article: D. E. Ayres (1979) The mineralogy and chemical composition of the Woodlawn
massive sulphide orebody, Journal of the Geological Society of Australia: An International
Geoscience Journal of the Geological Society of Australia, 26:3-4, 155-168

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 Journal of the Geological Society of Australia (1979), 26, 155-168.
© Geological Society of Australia, Inc., 1979

The mineralogy and chemical composition of the

Woodlawn massive sulphide orebody
D. E. Ayres*
CSIRO Division of Mineralogy, P.O. Box 136, North Ryde, N.S.W. 2113.

ABSTRACT
The main Woodlawn ore lens is a polymetallic, massive sulphide deposit' with
pyrite the major constituent, variable sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite, and minor
arsenopyrite, tetrahedrite-tennantite, pyrrhotite and electrum. The silicate gangue
minerals are chlorite, quartz, talc and sericitic mica. Other mineralization in the
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vicinity consists of footwall copper ore in chlorite schist and several smaller massive
sulphide lenses. The predominant country rocks are felsic volcanics and shales, with
abundant quartz, chlorite and mica, and talc in mineralized zones.
An important textural feature of the massive ore is the fine compositional
banding. Bands, which vary in thickness from a few tens of micrometres to several
millimetres, are produced by variations in the sulphide content. Post-depositional
metomorphism and minor fracturing have only slightly modified this banding.
Apart from the major element constituents—Pb, Zn, Fe, Cu and S—the ore is
characterized by significant (100-1000 ppm) values for Ag, As, Cd, Mn, Sb and Sn,
and lower (1-100 ppm) values of Au, Bi, Co, Ga, Hg, Mo, Ni, Tl. In and Ge.
Variations in the base-metal sulphide content, the gangue mineralogy, and trace
elements, are used to separate the orebody into hanging-wall and footwall zones.
The hanging-wall zone shows a more variable trace element content, with higher
Tl, Sn, Ni, Mn, Ge and Sb, but lower Ag, Cd, and Mo, than the footwall zone.
In general style of mineralization, mineralogy, and chemistry, the Woodlawn
deposit resembles other volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in eastern Australia,
in New Brunswick in Canada, and the Kuroko deposits of Japan.

INTRODUCTION two main classes—complex ore and footwall ore,

The Woodlawn sulphide deposit is contained within
a sequence of felsic volcanics and sediments of
Middle to Late Silurian age which form part of the
Lower Palaeozoic succession in the Lachlan Fold
gejt
In the lower part of the Silurian sequence at Wood-
lawn, a sequence of felsic tuffs, rhyolites, ignimbrites,
agglomerates and felsic volcaniclastics, known as the
Woodlawn Volcanics, is developed. This unconform-
ably overlies Ordovician sediments and is succeeded
by the Currawang Basalt (Felton, 1974). The entire
sequence is deformed and has been regionally meta-
morphosed to the lower greenschist facies and in-
truded by Upper Silurian dolerite sills and Devonian
granite (Malone et ah, 1975, other papers this
series),
The immediate host rock sequence to the deposit
consists of rhyolitic tuffs and flows, black shale,
chloritic schists and rare chert, which is intruded by
sills of tholeitic dolerite. Details of the petrology and
geochemistry of these host rocks are given in another
paper (Petersen & Lambert, 1979).
A number of distinct ore types (Table I) were
recognized as a result of the initial mapping and log-
ging of diamond-drill core during exploration of the
deposit. The ore types were originally separated into
* Present address: Exxon Production Research Company, P.O. Box 2189, Houston, Texas 77001, U.S.A.
with
subdivisions which accounted for most sulphide-
silicate relationships (Malone er a/., 1975). The most
recent data, however, suggest that the deposit consists
broadly of one large and several smaller lenses of
polymetallic massive sulphides, and a zone of pre-
dominantly copper-rich ore, -containing in all about
ten million tonnes of ore
(Malone 1979). This
P r e s e n t s t u d y considers the mineralogy and geo-
chemistry of the large massive sulphide ore lens in
detail,
THE MASSIVE SULPHIDE LENS
Shape and extent
The initial geological mapping and diamond drill-
ing of the Woodlawn deposit showed that the main
massive sulphide (M.S.) lens is a steeply west-dip-
ping, lenticular body with unfolded dimensions of
approximately 420 m x 300 m and 5-45 m thick
(Malone et al., 1975; Malone, 1979). Malone (1979)
emphasizes that this mineralization is largely con-
formable to the bedding, but that only the top surface
of the lens can be identified with reasonable cer-
tainty throughout most of the area. Figure 1 shows
an unfolded plan view of this surface and the posi-
tion of samples from the North shaft and drill holes

MS received 5 July 1978; revised MS received 20 May 1979.

 156 D. E. AYRES

tion of selected hand specimens. The variation in sul-

Approximati limit
Eroded edge
phide mineral content was determined by recalcula-
of M.S. l«ns
of M.S.or. tion of the assay values for Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe and S
to the corresponding sulphides, assuming that there
has been no Fe substitution in sphalerite (it is
actually less than 8% by weight). The variation in
these features is shown on Figure 2, which is the
section through the M.S. lens from footwall to hang-
Approximote limit of ing wall in the North shaft crosscut.
predominantly masiivt
complex o r t I N \ The M.S. lens is a polymetallic sulphide body with
SHAFT-., pyrite the major constituent and variable sphalerite,
galena and chalcopyrite. In this paper it is charac-
terized as Fe-rich if Fe is greater than 67.5%; Pb/Zn-
o C SHAFT / rich if Pb+Zn is greater than 55 and less than 75%;
and Cu-rich if Cu is greater than 4%. The silicate
gangue minerals are chlorite, quartz, talc, sericite and
feldspar. Major variations in the silicate minerals
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have then been used to further distinguish the ore

.«-/ into chlorite, talc, siliceous or feldspar-rich types.
The dominant textural feature of the M.S. ore
horizon is the fine compositional banding distin-
guished by variations in the abundance of particular
W226 sulphide and gangue minerals. The individual bands
vary in width from several millimetres (Fig. 3a)
down to a few tens of micrometres (Fig. 3b). Each
o d. d. hole band is characterized by particular sulphide mineral
• d. d hole sampled associations in the approximate abundance given
IOO below.
metre s
Approximate
Fig. 1. Base-metal distribution of the massive sulphide abundance
horizon in relation to the unfolded ore surface. Mineral association—band type (%)
which were used in the course of the detailed minera- Pyrite-gangue 20
logical and chemical studies of the lens. Pyrite-sphalerite, Pyrite, Sphalerite-pyrite-
gangue 15
Textural features and mineralogy Sphalerite, Sphalerite-pyrite-galena 10
Stratigraphic mineral variation across the ore zone Pyrite-galena, Sphalerite-pyrite-chalcopyrite,
at the North shaft crosscut has been established by a Pyrite-chalcopyrite-gangue 2-5
combination of major element and XRD analysis of Sphalerite-pyrite-chalcopyrite-galena, Tetra-
assay samples, supplemented by microscopic examina- hedrite, Sphalerite-galena, Galena 1-2

TABLE I

Characteristic Sulphide Ore Types at Uoodlawn

Sulphide
Ore Type Dimensions Grade (%) Content Sulphides Sulphide Cangue
(m) Zn Pb Cu Present Textures Present
m
Massive Lenticular 2-30 1-20 0.3-4 75 py si gn cp Fine talc,ch.qtz
sulphide ore 420 x 300 x (ttet.asp.el) banded (ser.bar)
(5 - 45)
Tuff ore Thin lenses n.a. 75 py si gn cp Banded ser.qtz.fel
Chlorite Several 0.2-11 0.1-6 1 25 py si gn cp Augen ch.qtz
schist ore metres parallel
to
schistosity
Chlorite Elongate 3 0.5 3-5 25 - 30 py cp si Augen ch.qtz
schist copper lenses to (gn.tet) parallel (ser.talc)
ore 100 x 50 x to
15 schistosity
Stockwork Veinlets 0.5 0.5 1-5 75 si gn cp Irregular qtz.ch
ore (10 cm)

py • pyrite; si • sphalerite; gn - galena; cp - chalcopyrite; tet • tctrahedrite; el - electrum; asp • arsenopyrite;

ch • chlorite; qtz - quartz; ser - sericite; bar • barite; fel • feldspar,
n.a, - not available
 MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF WOODLAV/N, N.S.W.
NORTH SHAFT
CROSS CUT
PLAN WITH
SAMPLE LOCATIONS
A N D ASSAY
INTERVALS
HANGING WAIL
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Fig. 2. Mineralogy of Woodlawn massive sulphide ore.
In addition to this fine-scale banding, a coarser
banding on a scale of metres can be seen in the
overall distribution of both sulphide and gangue
minerals. The vertical distribution of this coarser
banding and details of the mineral distribution
throughout the M.S. horizon exposed in the North
Shaft crosscut are shown in Figure 2.
A primary depositional origin of the banding is
indicated by the continuity of individual bands, the
repetition of mineral associations, and the occurrence
of monomineralic layers.
157
SPHALERITE F e
CONTENT
However, a post-depositional deformation has
imparted a strong schistosity to the associated
chlorite, muscovite and talc gangue. This is shown
in the ore itself by the development of beard tex-
tures around pyrite euhedra or pyrite aggregates, a
linear brecciation of some pyrites, and the presence
of cross-cutting veins containing recrystallized, more
finely grained sulphides.
Pyrite. Pyrite occurs throughout the M.S. lens and
comprises some 50-75 wt.% of the ore. Both coarse
and fine-grained pyrites occur (Fig. 3a). The coarse-
 158 D. E. AYRES
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Fig. 3. Banding in the massive sulphide ore: (a) banded sphalerite-pyrite ore (lower half of figure) passing into
pyritic ore with chloritic gangue; (b) coarse and fine pyrite (white) in a sphalerite matrix (dark grey) in
banded pyrite sphalerite ore.
grained type has grains 0.1-0.5 mm in size, anhedral
to euhedral in shape, which are commonly moulded
around or cemented by the other minerals. The fine-
grained type has grains less than 0.1 mm in size with
subhedral to euhedral individuals. Both types occur
either singly or in aggregates, with the coarse grains
showing a tendency to fracture and the fine pyrites
tending to be drawn out into trails in the silicate or
sphalerite matrix. In areas where silicate minerals are
abundant and a marked cleavage has developed,
pyrite 'augen' occur fringed by sphalerite or chalcopy-
rite.
Inclusions in pyrite are mostly less than 0.005 mm
in diameter and are of galena, sphalerite and chal-
copyrite or, rarely, pyrrhotite. In some types of pyrite
these inclusions outline zone boundaries (Fig. 4a).
Etching with 1:4 HNO 3 reveals concentric zonal pat-
terns in pyrite and shows the original euhedral grain
boundaries of pyrite which has formed aggregates
(Figs. 4b,c). Some aggregates have a distinct collo-
form texture with marked radial growth of the indi-
vidual pyrite grains (Fig. 4d).
An electron probe analysis of pyrite from the M.S.
horizon is given in Table II and indicates that trace
amounts of Cu, As and Co are present.
Sphalerite. Sphalerite is the most abundant mineral
of economic value; it varies in amount through the
M.S. lens from less than 1 to 40 wt.% of the ore.
The grain shape is commonly anhedral and grain size
ranges from less than 0.005 mm in diameter when
associated with galena in fine intergrcwths, to several
tenths of a millimetre. Etching shows coarser areas,
of millimetre size, to be multigranular.
Sphalerite, where it predominates, contains inclu-
sions or intergrowths of galena, chalcopyrite, and
tetrahedrite. In association with galena it usually
shows reverse caries or caries-type boundaries, with
the grain size varying from coarse to very fine, and
in places appearing almost dendritic (Figs. 4e,f).
Chalcopyrite is common as minute bleb-like inclu-
sions in sphalerite (Fig. 5a), but only rarely forms
the same type of intergrowths with sphalerite as does
galena. Pyrite euhedra included in sphalerite-rich
bands occasionally show corroded boundaries against
sphalerite.
In some sphalerite samples a distinct multiple twin-
ning is apparent in thin sections, and in polished sec-
tions many etched grains also show this feature. The
colour in thin section ranges from colourless or pale
yellow to deep red; this can be related to the iron
and manganese content of the sphalerites, the deepest
red sphalerites having higher iron content and lower
manganese than the paler sphalerites. Compositional
limits within the M.S. lens, as determined by electron
probe analyses, are: Zn 61.1-65.8 wt.%; S 30.5-35.1
wt.%; Fe 0.7-8.6 wt.%; Mn 0.1-0.74 wt.%. In and
 MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF WOODLAWN, N.S.W.
Cd (if present) are below the limit of detection of
the electron probe.
Lateral variation in the iron content of sphalerite
at approximately the same ( ± 5 m) stratigraphic
position in the M.S. lens shows that the highest iron
contents (2.5-7.9 wt.%) are in sphalerite from the
southern and western portions of the lens, and from
near the base of the lens. Sphalerite on the eastern
side of the horizon has a lower iron content (<2.5
wt.%).
A parallel variation in iron content is also apparent
in disseminated mineralization in the host rocks.
Chlorite schist directly below the ore horizon, and
the footwall volcanics, both contain sphalerite with a
high iron content (3-7.3 wt.%). Sphalerite in the
hanging-wall volcanics has a much lower iron content
(0.8-3.7 wt.%). Variation in the manganese content
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of sphalerite is more difficult to establish because of
the generally low values (<0.74 wt.%), but a trend
that is the reverse of iron is indicated.
Galena. Galena, which varies from 0.01-25 wt.% in
the M.S. ore, is most abundant in areas where
sphalerite predominates (Fig. 2). It is texturally simi-
lar to sphalerite and is commonly found associated
with it in intergrowths ranging from the very fine
(grains averaging 0.025 mm across) to coarse
(grains approximately 0.2 mm across) (Figs. 4e,f,
5b). Either sphalerite or galena can be the hosts in
these intergrowths. Less commonly, galena occurs
intergrown with chalcopyrite and, in rare instances,
intergrown with the association arsenopyrite-chal-
copyrite-tetrahedrite (Fig. 5c). Galena is also com-
mon as fracture fillings in brecciated pyrite grains and
as rounded inclusions in pyrite.
Chalcopyrite. Chalcopyrite is the least abundant of
the economically important sulphide minerals, com-
prising some 0.1-20 wt.% of the M.S. ore. Charac-
teristically it is most abundant in association with
pyrite where it occurs interstitial to, or in fractures
within, coarse pyrite aggregates (Fig. 5d).
In other mineral associations chalcopyrite is only
a minor constituent. It occurs as fine blebs or inclu-
sions in sphalerite (Fig. 5c), less commonly as
sphalerite-chalcopyrite bands which show the same
caries texture as the sphalerite-galena bands. It occurs
rarely as a fine intimate intergrowth with arseno-
pyrite and tetrahedrite (Fig. 5e). Some chalcopyrite
occurs in veinlets which traverse the general mineral
banding.
Arsenopyrite. Arsenopyrite is probably the most
abundant of the remaining minerals in the M.S. ore.
Most commonly it occurs as scattered euhedral grains
associated with pyrite, although vein-like areas of
arsenopyrite aligned parallel to the banding have been
noted and skeletal arsenopyrite grains occur in inter-
growths with chalcopyrite and tetrahedrite (Fig. 5e).
Less commonly, it forms rims around anhedral pyrite
grains. Rarely, fractures in arsenopyrite contain
minute grains of gold (Fig. 5f).
Tetrahedrite-tennantite. Members of this group of
Cu-Sb sulphosalts occur sparsely distributed through-
out the M.S. ore. They exist in three typical associa-
tions with other sulphides as: minute blebs or irregu-
larly shaped inclusions in sphalerite grains and at
159
sphalerite-galena grain boundaries; coarse, irregularly
shaped grains or aggregates, occasionally in sufficient
abundance to form distinct bands which parallel the
other mineral banding, and associated with aggre-
gates of pyrite or arsenopyrite euhedra (Fig. 5c);
irregularly shaped intergrowths with galena and chal-
copyrite in the association arsenopyrite-chalcopyrite-
tetrahedrite-galena (Figs. 5e,f). This probably is a
breakdown product of an earlier formed 'fahlore'
mineral.
Electron-probe analyses of 22 of the coarser grains
indicate a range in composition from arsenian tetra-
hedrite to antimonian tetrahedrite, both with a low
silver content (less than 1.28% by wt.). The range
in composition is shown in Table II.
Stannite. Stannite is rare and occurs with coarse
tetrahedrite-tennannite (see Table II for analysis). It
seems likely that many of the minute blebs in spha-
lerite are stannite.
Pyrrhotite. Pyrrhotite is uncommon, being observed
in only a few specimens from approximately five
metres above the footwall chlorite schist zone. In
these specimens it occurs as minute blebs in pyrite
euhedra.
Gold. Native gold, or electrum, is extremely rare and
has been observed as minute grains a few micro-
metres in diameter—in chalcopyrite which fills frac-
tures in pyrite, in sphalerite and in arsenopyrite
grains which are intergrown with chalcopyrite.
Gangue mineralogy
Chlorite is the most abundant gangue mineral and
possibly the most diagnostic silicate associated with
the mineralization. The other gangue minerals are
quartz, sericite, talc and feldspar, which together
form only a minor proportion of the M.S. lens, rarely
up to 40% by weight, and "generally 10-20%.
Variations in the relative proportions of the gangue
minerals were determined from XRD traces of whole
rock samples by measuring the intensities of specific
peaks for each of the minerals chlorite, quartz, talc,
muscovite and plagioclase. .The relative abundances
were then used to categorize the ore types and estab-
lish a stratigraphy v/ithin the M.S. lens (Fig. 2). One
hundred and two representative 1-metre assay pulps
from the North Shaft section through the M.S. hori-
zon were used. These provide an essentially complete
traverse across the ore horizon from the basal chlorite
schist to the hanging-wall dolerite (see Malone, ,1979,
Fig. 3).
The results indicate that the M.S. lens can be
separated into hanging-wall and footwall sections
divided by a thin (1-metre) massive sulphide band
in which plagioclase feldspar and quartz are the only
detectable gangue components. The sequences above
and below this horizon are essentially similar, i.e. a
basal gangue, predominantly of chlorite, passing into
gangue which is predominantly talc/chlorite or talc,
and then to a predominantly quartz gangue at the
top of the sequence.
Malone (1979) has documented the variations in
metal content of the M.S. horizon which have
allowed a stratigrahic comparison of drillhole inter-
sections to be made over the entire ore deposit. Simi-
larly a comparison with equivalent intersections
 160 D. E. AYRES
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Fig. 4. Pyrite textures in the massive sulphide ore: (a) embayed pyrite euhedra (white) showing zonally arranged
inclusions of sphalerite (dark grey) and galena (light grey); (b) medium-grained pyrite cluster etched with
1:4 HNO 3 to show zonal growth of structures within the pyrite grains; (c) cluster of fine-grained pyrites
etched with 1:4 HNO3 to show zonal growth pattern within grains and an increase in grain size, from fine to
coarse outward from centre of cluster; (d) coarse colloform pyrite etched with 1:4 H N 0 3 to show radial
growth of individual pyrite grains; (e) rounded pyrite euhedra (white) in a sphalerite-galena matrix. Spha-
lerite (dark grey) and galena (light grey) show caries texture features; (f) a sphalerite-galena-pyrite band
showing rounded pyrite euhedra (white) set in a sphalerite-galena matrix.

through the M.S. zone (Central shaft, DDH W2, and
DDH W9) shows that gross changes in gangue
mineralogy can also be correlated, at least on the
eastern side of the M.S. lens, to DDH W2 (Fig. 6).
In the Central shaft, Malone (1979) has shown that
a portion of the orebody is cut off by a fault zone,
but it seems probable from the gangue mineralogy
that a siliceous massive sulphide zone separates upper
and lower talc/chlorite zones in all the above three
intersections. Consequently a postulated position of
the bottom of the M.S. horizon is as shown on Figure
6. Similarly, base-metal assay data (Malone, 1979)
indicate that upper and lower copper-rich zones are
present and form convenient marker horizons.
 MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF WOODLAWN, N.S.W. 161
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Fig. 5. Other sulphide mineral textures in the massive sulphide ore: (a) euhedral pyrite grains (white) in sphalerite
(dark grey) with minor galena and chalcopyrite inclusions (both light grey); (b) a sphalerite-galena-pyrite
band with coarser pyrites (white) set in a fine-grained intimate intergrov/th matrix of sphalerite and galena;
(c) large tetrahedrite grain (grey) bordered by galena (light grey) and euhedral arsenopyrite grains (white);
(d) galena and chalcopyrite (both light grey) along subparallel fractures in coarse pyrite (white); (e) inter-
growth relationship of arsenopyrite (white skeletal euhedra), galena (light grey) and tetrahedrite (grey) all
enclosed by sphalerite (dark grey) with scattered coarser pyrites (white); (f) arsenopyrite rhombs (light
grey) with matrix or chalcopyrite (grey) which has almost totally replaced some areas of arsenopyrite to
give a fine-grained replacement intergrowth. Some tetrahedrite (mid-grey) and sphalerite (dark-grey) grains
are also included. Native gold (bright white) is included in cracks in arsenopyrite.

Farther west in DDH W9 the ore zone has a more
uniform gangue mineralogy, with a talc-rich sequence
separating upper and lower chlorite/quartz sequences.
Here also copper values are generally high and only
one copper-rich zone is present.
Examination of drillhole intersections through the
minralized volcanics laterally adjacent to the M.S.
horizon (DDH W12, DDH W226 and DDH W286)
shows that, while chlorite and quartz predominate
in zones where Pb and Zn are greater than 1 wt.%,
 162 D. E. AYRES

TABLE I I

Electron Probe Analyses of Selected Sulphide Minerals

in the Woodlawn Massive Sulphide Ore*

LOCATION DDH2/74.5 DDH2/74.5 N.SHAFT/1.5 DDH219/68.9 DDH2/74.5 DDH208/44 N.SHAFT/4.8 N.SHAFT/12.9 N.SHAFT/10.1

Sphalerite Cha'lco- Arseno- Tetra-

Pyrite Tennantite Stannlte
Element Calena pyrlte pyrlte hedrlte
Low Iron High Iron
(« %)

S 55.7 14.4 32.1 33.1 35.5 20.6 29.1 26.4 28.4

Fe 46.2 1.09 7.3 30.4 33.6 4.2 3.1 10.5
Zn - - 68.8 60.8 _ _ 4.6 4.7 3.6
Pb - 85.3 - - - _ 0.1 0.11
Cu 0.01 - - - 33.7 0.57 41.6 38.6 28.8
As 0.11 - - - 0.21 50.7 15.0 4.6 0.03
Sb n.d. n.d. - - n.d. 0.05 3.5 21.6 0.04
Mn _ - 0.32 0.11 _ _ _ -
Cd - - n.d. n.d. - - - - _
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Ag - n.d. - - _ 0.05 0.27 0.05

Bl - 0.14 - - _ _ _ - -
Co 0.09 - - - 0.07 0.09 - - -
Ni n.d. - - - 0.01 n.d. - - -
Sn - - - - - -' n.d. n.d. 27.6

Total 102.11 99.84 102.39 101.31 99.89 105.61 98.05 99.37. 99.13

Average of 15 points in each sample. n.d. * not detected, - - not sought.

Analyses by J. Corcoran, CSIRO Division of Mineralogy

E-W SECTION N-S SECTION

MUSCOVITE (SERICITEI
CHLORITE
TALC
H U M FELDSPAR
BLANK-MINERALOGY NOT
DETERMINED
J Cu-RCH ORE ZONE/WtRALIZATtON
F FAULT ZONE
*f* DOLERITE

Fig. 6. Silicate mineral distribution and stratigraphic relationships around the massive sulphide ore zone.
 MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF WOODLAWN, N.S.W. 163
TABLE I I I

Chemical Analyses of Selected Silicate Minerals from the Woodlawn Orebody

HOST ROCKS ORE ZONE

MUSCOVITE TALC - CHLORITES -

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
SiO2 43.2 58.4 36.0 28.5 28.2 28.1 28.7 30.3 27.4
A1 2 O 3 28.2 1.81 16.4 20.2 21.0 21.1 20.6 18.7 21.0
TiO2 0.08 0.01 0.42 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.02 0.04
FeO 6.56 1.12 5.79 9.75 11.0 13.1 17.2 7.31 17.3
Fe 2 O 3 - - 1.97 2.06 - - - -
UnO 0.03 0.10 0.34 0.54 0.60 0.04 0.62 0.54 0.42
MgO 3.18 30.2 24.0 24.4 24.5 22.6 22.1 26.6 20.2
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CaO 0.01 0.43 0.45 0.08 - - - - -

Na2O 0.16 - 0.03 0.01 - - - - -
K2O 9.25 0.04 0.52 0.01 - - - - -
H2O+ 4.18 4.22 9.44 11.43 - - - - -
H 2 O" 0.32 0.09 2.05 0.37 - - - - -
P205 0.02 0.02 0.21 0.02 - - - - -
C02 0.66 1.70 0.48 0.42 - - - - -
S 5.16 0.90 2.57 1.70 - - - - -

Total 100.99 100.01 100.67 99.52 85.35 85.58 87.64 83.46 86.28

STRUCTURAL FORMULA (on the basis of 28.0 for chlorites, 24 (0, OH, F) for others)

Si 6.66 7.98 7.91 6.23 6.19 6.31 6.27 6.58 5.62

Al 1.54 0.02 0.09 1.77 1.82 1.69 1.73 1.42 2.38

Al 2.97 0.26 2.74 1.70 1.82 2.04 1.81 1.77 2.68

Mg 0.73 6.00 7.87 7.94 8.03 7.57 7.20 8.62 6.15
Fe 2 + 0.10 0.09 0.53 1.43 2.02 2.46 2.83 1.33 2.95
F e 3+ - - 0.32 0.76 - - - - -
Mn - 0.01 0.06 0.10 0.11 0.12 0.11 0.10 0.07

K 1.82 0.01 0.15 _ _ _ _ _

Na 0.05 - 0.01 - - - - - -

OH 4.30 3.76 13.83 16.77 _ _ _ _ _

Atomic 7.
Fe Fe + Mn
- 10 22 20 24 28 13 32
Mg Fe+Mg+Mn
1. 209/65.6 - massive muscovite with minor pyrite, 5 m in footwall
2. 57/420.6 - massive talc in massive sulphide ore
3. 36907B - green chlorite from hanging-wall volcanics
4. 209/65.5 - black chlorite with minor pyrite, 5 m in footwall
5. 217/58.5 - dark green chlorite in massive sulphide lens, 15 m above base
6. 217/59.8 - dark green chlorite in massive sulphide lens, 9 m above base
7. 217/66.1 - dark green chlorite in massive sulphide lens, 6 m above base
8. 216/83.6 - green/black chlorite in massive sulphide lens, 4 m above base
9. 216/91.0.- black chlorite in footwall chlorite schist ore
Analyses 1 - 4 by conventional wet chemistry
- Si, Al, Na by atomic absorption spectroscopy (W. Godbeer)
- Ti, Mn, Mg, Ca, K, P, Total iron by X-ray fluorescence (S.C. Coadby)
- Ferrous and ferric iron, H 2 0, C0 2 , S by wet chemistry (K. Mizon, G. Waddell)
Analyses 5 - 9 by electron probe analysis (J. Corcoran)
- all iron reported as FeO
 164 D. E. AYRES
UOIIlJl Ollui)
Footwall ^Iconics
u & & i Hanging-wall votconics
Chlorite schist
Hinging -wnll ore zone
— — Footwoll ore lone
O
A
Analysed ore chlorite (Table HI I
Analysed chlorite schist (Table m)
V ^ tncceasmg Fe/Fe -Mo ratio
SO H u l l
SOII7J!
,J0H7ll
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son uli O(IKA)
Fig. 7. I(14A) : I(7A) : I(4.7A) peak ratio plot for
Woodlawn chlorites.
talc is not a major gangue constituent. It occurs only
within the zone of extensive sulphide mineralization.
Chemical composition of gangue minerals
In their initial description of the Woodlawn deposit
Malone et al. (1975) reported chemical analyses
of the host rocks which included one analysis of a
chlorite-rich schist from the footwall volcanics. This
chlorite is a magnesium-rich type (talc chlorite).
The present study has involved a more detailed
examination of the chlorites in the host rocks and
the massive sulphide ore.
The chemical compositions of selected gangue
minerals are shown in Table III. Analyses of both
muscovite and talc (Anal. 1, 2), after allowing for
sulphide impurities, are not unusual in comparison
with reported analyses (Deer et al., 1962). Chlorites,
however, are more variable. A slate-green chlorite
from just above the M.S. horizon is magnesium-rich
(Fe/Mg* = 0.1) whereas a black chlorite from
below the M.S. horizon (Anal. 4) is more iron-rich.
Additional electron-probe analyses were carried out
to note any systematic variation in chlorite composi-
tions around and within the M.S. lens (Anal. 5-9).
These analyses show that ore-zone chlorites are more
iron-rich (Fe/Mg = 0.13 to 0.28) than those in the
hanging-wall volcanics, but less iron-rich than chlorite
from the footwall chlorite schist ore (Fe/Mg =
0.32).
An overall characterization of the chlorites in all
samples of the M.S. lens and the adjacent volcanics
was obtained by XRD analysis of ore and host rock
assay pulps using the method of Oinuma et al.
(1972). The intensities of the three main chlorite
peaks were measured and the normalised I(14A) :
I(7A) : I(4.7A) peak ratios were determined and
plotted using triangular coordinates. These chlorites
were also located in position relative to the M.S. lens.
The results (Fig. 7) show that chlorites from the ore
zone can generally be distinguished by XRD from
host rock chlorites as follows:
(1) chlorites from the hanging-wall chloritic tuffs
show a more intense 7A peak,
* Fe/Mg = Fe + Mn / Fe + Mg + Mn.
(2) chlorites from the ore zone show more intense
4.7A and 14A peaks,
(3) chlorites in footwall chlorite schist ore and
chloritic tuffs are not distinguishable using
peak ratios from the ore zone chlorites, but
can be distinguished from the hanging-wall
chlorites.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION O F T H E
MASSIVE SULPHIDE LENS
Samples for analysis were sized to a nominal —200
mesh using a Sieb Technik mill with a chrome steel
barrel. The only contaminants introduced by this
method are Cr and Fe (Hesp & Rigby, 1973). Ana-
lyses were made of the five major elements Fe, Zn,
Cu, Pb, and S, and of 17 minor or trace elements—
Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Ga, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Sn,
Tl, V, In, Ge, and W.
Using atomic absorption spectrometry, the major
elements Fe, Zn, Cu and Pb were determined, after
complete acid digestion. Sulphur was analysed using
a gravimetric method in which the sulphur, regard-
less of form, is oxidized to the sulphate ion and pre-
cipitated as BaSO4.
The 17 trace elements were determined by semi-
quantitative emission spectroscopy using two ana-
lytical techniques. Tennant's method (Tennant, 1967)
was used for the volatile elements As, Bi, Cd, Ga, In,
Hg, Sb and Tl. The 'total burn' method (Morgan &
Swaine, written comm.) was used to determine all 17
elements for each sample and overlap results from
the two methods provided a useful check on the
accuracy of the results. In most cases, where the
range of standard allowed comparison, the results
showed a favourable agreement.
Base-metal element distribution
The average grade of the Woodlawn deposit as a
whole is 1.76% Cu, 3.4% Pb, 9.0% Zn and 56 ppm
Ag (Malone et al., 1975). The additional analyses
reported above on samples from the North Shaft
cross-cut give an average 27.8% Fe and 38.6% S.
Tabulation of these major element analyses cor-
responds to the elerrient distributions shown by
Malone for drillhole intersections throughout the
whole deposit. His contoured plots of the percentage
grades of base-metal elements (Malone, 1979) show
the Pb and Zn distributions to be essentially similar
throughout the M.S. lens, although Zn is more uni-
formly distributed. The most striking feature, how-
ever, is the contrast in distributions of Cu concen-
trated in the southern portion of the lens and Pb and
Zn farther to the north and east. This compares with
the vertical distribution of ore types (Fig. 2) with a
Cu-rich zone at the base, a Zn-rich zone and finally
Pb-rich ore at the top, i.e. the initial deposition was
more Cu-rich.
Minor and trace elements
The results of the minor and trace analyses, shown
on the section through the ore horizon (Fig. 8),
indicate that the M.S. ore can be separated into hang-
ing-wall and footwall zones at approximately the
level where the gangue changes from essentially
quartz and feldspar-rich to chlorite-rich (Sample
179).
 MAJOR ELEMENTS (%) T R A C E E L E M E N T S ( ppm )
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100 0 10000 1000 0 .'MO «OO0 500 SO 0 50

•I. » ppmi PP»> ppm 1 ppml pp» 1 pp»i
T T T T T T T
0-1 60 60 01 10 01 10 30

68 651 16 11 16 9 729 8 1

Fig. 8. Chemical variations throughout the massive sulphide lens in the North Shaft cross-cut.
 166 D. E. AYRES

GROUP I ( P b - Z n rich) GROUP II ( Fe-rich ) GROUP I I I ( Cu-rich)

No. of SompUs (20) (14) (6)
C O R R E L A T I O N C O E F F I C I E N T
0 0-5 HI 0 0-5 1-0 0 0^ V0
Elsments I T I | T 1
Ag As •(•>
Bi .<•>
Ga
In
Sb • '•) •<•>

As Mn ' (•>
Fe •(•)
Sb •<•> •(•)
Sn •(+>
Tl •<•)

Bi Pb • (-) • (-)
Cd
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Ga — (•)
Mn
Zn — (-)
Tl •<+)

Cd Ga — <•) •(-)
In -(•)
Mo
Fe •(-)
Pb •(•)
Zn •(+)
Tl
Co Cu •(•) •(-)
Ni •(•) •(•)
Tl •(•>

Ga Pb
Mn •(•>
Ge -(•)
Zn •(•)

Mn Cu
Fe
Sb •(•)

In Zn •<•>
Pb •(-)

Mo T l •H
Ni T l •M
Sb Sn •(•>

Zn Pb •(•> -<•>
Fe
Ge •(-)

S Cu
Fe •(•)
Ge
I I I I
Confidence level 95 9899 99-9 95 9899 99-9 95 989999-9
Fig. 9. Significant inter-element correlation coefficients for ore samples from Woodlawn North shaft

The hanging-wall zone shows an irregular trend in
element content, with below-average values for Ag
and Mo and above-average for Tl, Sn, Ni, Mn, Ge,
and Sb. The footwall zone shows an even trend with
below-average values for Sb, Mn, Ni, Sn, Ti and Ge
(not detected) and higher-than-average Cd and Ag,
and possibly Mo. A possible reason for these varia-
tions is that the M.S. lens is composed of two distinct
parts which represent two separate pulses of the
mineralizing fluids.
Statistical analysis of data
The major and minor element variation within the
ore horizon is obviously a function of the mineralogy,
and since the fine-grained nature of the sulphide
minerals limited the amount of sulphide which could
be separated for analysis, a statistical sample classifi-
cation was used to determine element associations
and provide information on the possible host mineral
for specific trace elements. Both of these features are
useful in planning mineral beneficiation and in inter-
preting the surface geochemical expression of the
deposit.
The major elements Fe, Zn, Pb, Cu and S were
used as variables for a Q-mode cluster analysis car-
ried out on the CSIRO Cyber 76 computer using pro-
gramme 'MULTCLAS' (Lance & Williams, 1967),
in which the criterion for similarity was based on the
'Euclidean distance', standardized as defined by Burr
 MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF WOODLAWN, N.S.W. 167
TABLE IV be expected, because of its occurrence as a minor
Mean Chemical and Mineralogical Composition of Ore Groups (Q mode) constituent of tetrahedrite-tennantite.
Arsenic gives high positive correlations with anti-
Group I Group II Group III Total Ore mony in all ore types, which again was to be expected
because of the mutual substitution of these elements
No of Samples 20 14 6 40 in tetrahedrite-tennantite. There is also a strong posi-
tive correlation with tin and manganese in the
Major Elements galena/sphalerite ore, suggesting the possible occur-
S 37.1 42.0 35.7 38.6 rence of tennantite, and with iron in the pyritic ore
Fe
Zn
23.6
19.6
33.0
8.2
29.6
6.0
27.8
13.6
where arsenic is a constituent of arsenopyrite.
Pb 4.8 1.8 1.0 3.2 Antimony also shows significant positive correlation
Cu 0.9 0.7 2.3 1.0
with tin and manganese, which may reflect the physi-
cal association of tetrahedrite-tennantite and stannite.
Trace Elements (ppm) Cadmium shows very high positive correlations
Ag 162 162 173 164
As 1125 750 175C 1086
with zinc, indium, and gallium — which is to be
Bi 60 69 95 68 expected, since all these elements are known to occur
Cd 1000 316 268 651 together in sphalerite.
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Co 17 13 20 16
Ga 15 6 12 11 Cobalt and nickel correlate positively in the pyritic
Ge 1.7 1.3 1.8 1.6
In 11 6 13 9 ore and analyses of pyrite show trace amounts of
Mn 790 504 1050 729 these elements. A very high positive correlation with
Mo 8 8 7 8
Ni 10 10 12 10 thallium is indicated in the pyritic ore, suggesting
St) 234 221 253 232 that thallium is also included in pyrite.
Sn 262 173 217 227
Tl 28 47 32 35 Copper is significantly correlated positively with
sulphur and thus obviously with chalcopyrite in the
chalcopyrite/pyrite ore. It also correlates positively
Mineral (wt.% (calc.)1)
-
with cobalt which has been determined in chalcopy-
Pyrite 52.0 70.7 57.8
Sphalerite 22.6 9.5 6.9 - rite analyses.
Galena 7.2
2.6
2.7 1.5
6.6
- Gallium correlates positively with zinc in the
Chalcopyrite 2.0 -
Remainder 15.6 15.1 27.2 - galena/sphalerite ore, reflecting its known geo-
(lncl. gangue) chemical behaviour in sphalerite. The remaining, and
unexplained, significant positive correlations involving
gallium—with bismuth, manganese and germanium—
(1968). In calculating the 'distance' between two may reflect its occurrence in the associated gangue
samples the difference between standardized variables alumino-silicates.
was squared and summed, and the square root of the
sum was divided by the number of variables. From Although these inter-element correlations are geo-
the 'distance' matrix obtained for all samples, a hier- chemically reasonable, a more complete understand-
archical dendrogram was constructed using the ing, particularly of the behaviour of trace elements
'Group Average' technique (Lance & Williams, in the ore, will be possible only with analysis of indi-
1967). The sample groups established by this ana- vidual mineral separates.
lysis were then further statistically characterized by
calculating mean values and inter-element correla- CONCLUSIONS
tions (Fig. 9) using the programme 'MISTAT' deve- The Woodlawn M.S. lens is characterized by a
loped by D. Rigby, CSIRO. finely banded compositional layering, a laterally and
The ore horizon samples can be divided into three vertically repeated distribution of ore types, and con-
main groups based on the mean values of the major centric and colloform textures within the ore
element constituents (Table IV). These groups minerals. These features are consistent with those
correspond to the Pb/Zn-rich (galena/sphalerite), produced by deposition of sulphides from metal-rich
Fe-rich (pyrite) and Cu-rich (chalcopyrite/pyrite) fluids expelled onto the sea floor.
massive sulphide intervals of Figure 2. Within each The stratigraphic zoning within the lens, from chal-
group, inter-element correlations have been used to copyrite-rich pyritic ore at the base to sphalerite/
evaluate the distribution of elements. to that observed in other volcanogenic massive sul-
Major and trace element correlations. Positive cor- phide deposits in similar geological settings—Cap-
relations between major and trace elements are con- tains Flat (New South Wales), Rosebery (Tasmania),
sidered to be due partly to their substitutions in the Heath Steele Brunswick No. 12 (New Brunswick),
specific sulphide of gangue minerals and partly to the Buchans (Newfoundland), Kuroko (lapan)—as are
intimate association of the fine-grained sulphides, the ore textures and mineral assemblages. Differences
such as galena and sphalerite, in specific bands in the lie in the paucity of sulphate minerals in the Wood-
ore. Thus it is possible to interpret the inter-element lawn system and the lack of a recognizable iron for-
correlations with respect to the chemical composition mation above the ore horizon.
of the known sulphide minerals and the known geo- Preservation of the fine-scale stratification through-
chemical behaviour of the elements. out the M.S. lens, and the fine-grained nature of the
Silver shows a highly significant positive correlation minerals, indicate that the subsequent greenschist-
with antimony and arsenic in the pyritic ore, and facies metamorphism has not significantly affected
with antimony in the galena/sphalerite ore. This is to the original ore fabric. Within individual bands, how-
galena-rich (but still pyritic) at the top, is similar ever, microscopic textures indicate that many grain
 168 D. E. AYRES
boundaries have adjusted in response to interfacial
free-energy effects. Pyrite is less affected than other
sulphides and coarse pyrite grains are noticeably sub-
hedral, or in some cases, euhedral in shape. Minor
later deformation of the ore is revealed by the cross-
cutting veinlets of chalcopyrite or galena.
Mineralogically, the ore consists essentially of
pyrite with lesser amounts of sphalerite, galena and
chalcopyrite, and minor amounts of arsenopyrite,
tetrahedrite and electrum. Gangue constituents are
predominantly chlorite, talc, quartz and muscovite.
Compositional variations occur in sphalerite and
chlorite, both within the ore zone and in the host
rock sequence. The iron content of sphalerite is high
(up to 8 wt.% FeS) in stringer mineralization below
the ore zone and in the underlying chlorite schist.
Within the M.S. horizon the iron content is high at
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the base and towards the southern margin. However,
stringer mineralization above the M.S. zone contains
sphalerite with a lower iron content. Both the iron
and magnesium contents of the chlorites vary, the
ore-zone chlorites and chlorite in the footwall chlorite
schist being more iron-rich than the chlorite in the
hanging wall. These variations in both sphalerite and
chlorite seem to suggest that the ore-forming fluids
were changing in composition with time, as well as
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BURR, E. J., 1968: Cluster sorting with mixed character
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DEER, W. A., HOWIE, R. A. & ZUSSMAN, J., 1962: Rock-
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FELTON, A., 1974: Stratigraphic revisions in the Tarago-
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HESP, D. R. & RIGBY, D., 1973: Granitic rocks—sample
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LANCE, G. N. & WILLIAMS, W. T., 1967: A general
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with distance from the source.
Compositionally, the ore belongs to the iron-
copper-lead-zinc type of Stanton (1972), although
metal ratios throughout the M.S. horizon vary from
Cu/Zn dominant to Zn/Pb dominant, and the aver-
age composition is Zn/Pb dominant. Trace element
contents vary greatly throughout the M.S. horizon,
but overall are similar to those determined for
Kuroko-type ore (Takahashi, 1966), except for
higher average values for As, Bi and Sn and lower
values for Ga, Ge, Mo and Tl. There is a suggestion
from the stratigraphic variation in mineralogy and
trace elements that the M.S. horizon may have been
precipitated from at least two separate pulses of the
ore-forming fluids.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author is grateful to Jododex (Aust.) Pty Ltd
for allowing access to samples from the Woodlawn
deposit and in particular to E. Malone for much use-
ful discussion. He also thanks the staff at CSIRO for
analysis of the many samples; D. Rigby for help in
computer analysis of results; and J. Harris for tech-
nical assistance and, not least, colleagues B. Gulson,
W. Ryall, A. Ramsden and J. Wilmshurst for per-
tinent discussion and for criticism of the manuscript.
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& MCKAY, W. J., 1975: The Woodlawn copper-lead-
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logy of Australia and Papua New Guinea, Vol. I,
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TAKAHASHI, K., 1966: Geochemistry of minor elements in
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