Stavely Minerals Exploration Initiative Geoscience
The Stavely Initiative has delivered a major geoscience milestone, which enhances the understanding of the minerals potential of the Stavely Arc, in Western Victoria.
Regional Geology and Mineral Systems of the Stavely Arc Report
This report delivers the latest geoscience research undertaken as part of the collaborative Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Victoria Stavely Project in Western Victoria. It includes analysis and interpretation of the data collected as part of the pre-competitive stratigraphic drilling program within the context of other regional datasets. A geodynamic context is presented for the Stavely Arc, with an assessment of arc-related mineral systems potential.
Some of the key findings outlined in this report are:
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The Stavely Arc is now preserved as 18 structurally dismembered, narrow, fault-bound, poorly exposed volcanic belt segments, interpreted to persist under cover. Removing the effects of deformation events restores the segments to four strike-persistent, sub-parallel volcanic belts that persisted in the Cambrian for a collective strike length of 1160km.
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Geochronological data and geological evidence suggest that any mineral systems associated with porphyry intrusions would likely be preserved upright and may also occur outside of the volcanic belts themselves in the intervening panels of Cambrian sedimentary rock. This greatly expands the minerals exploration search space in the Stavely Arc.
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Re-examination of the geological significance of mineral occurrences located in the small areas of exposure in the Stavely Arc, together with new sulphur isotope data, show features consistent with porphyry, epithermal, and volcanic-hosted massive sulphide styles of mineralisation. It is predicted that additional mineral occurrences occur under cover.
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Since the Devonian, the Stavely Arc has undergone relatively little uplift, which means that potential arc-related mineral systems are likely to have a high preservation potential. Some of the mineral occurrences show evidence for near-surface supergene copper enrichment.
READ THE REPORT
Further information
Information on the Stavely Project, including these publications, can be accessed from Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Victoria.
If you have any questions regarding Stavely geoscience data please contact Cameron Cairns, Manager, Minerals Geoscience, Geological Survey of Victoria. cameron.cairns@ecodev.vic.gov.au
For more information on the Stavely Minerals Exploration Initiative, please contact Fiona Clarke, Manager - Resource Strategy and Industry Investment, Minerals Development Victoria. fiona.clarke@ecodev.vic.gov.au
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