Skip to main content

The AusIMM office is closed for the end of year break until Monday 6 January 2025. Please note members can pay their renewals online at ausimm.com/renew, and hardcopy publication orders will be processed on our return. We wish you a safe and happy festive season.

Conference Proceedings

PACRIM 2004

Conference Proceedings

PACRIM 2004

PDF Add to cart

The Controls on Element Distribution in the Regolith at the Portia and North Portia Prospects, Curnamona, South Australia

The Portia Au and North Portia Cu-Au-Mo prospects are located on a magnetic structure called the Benagerie Ridge Magnetic Complex, comprising varying pyrite-bearing Proterozoic albitite, phyllite and carbonaceous phyllite. The prospects are covered by up to 75 m of Cainozoic sediments, which comprise from top down, surface soils, Quaternary sediments, the Miocene Namba Formation and the (Late-Oligocene?) Portia Unit.The Portia Unit is dominantly clay-rich with local sand-rich base and it fills palaeo-topographic lows and a palaeo-valley that incised into the weathered basement rock (saprolite). This sedimentary unit hosts the majority of the Au grains found at Portia, with additional Au grains also present in the underlying saprolite. The North Portia prospect comprises saprolite hosted Cu-Au-Mo, with elevated concentrations of As-Pb-V present in the northern part of the prospect. These two groups of elements are delineated using factor analysis, and are regarded as the pathfinder elements for the North Portia mineralisation.Secondary Cu minerals including covellite and native Cu are present in the lower saprolite, and are stable under reducing conditions in the saturated zone.In the upper saprolite (unsaturated), Cu, Au, As, Mo and Pb are associated with Fe-oxides, mainly goethite and hematite. Saprolite leached of Fe generally contains low pathfinder elements concentrations.
Return to parent product
  • The Controls on Element Distribution in the Regolith at the Portia and North Portia Prospects, Curnamona, South Australia
    PDF
    This product is exclusive to Digital library subscription
  • The Controls on Element Distribution in the Regolith at the Portia and North Portia Prospects, Curnamona, South Australia
    PDF
    Normal price $22.00
    Member price from $0.00
    Add to cart

    Fees above are GST inclusive

PD Hours
Approved activity
  • Published: 2004
  • PDF Size: 1.399 Mb.
  • Unique ID: P200405038

Our site uses cookies

We use these to improve your browser experience. By continuing to use the website you agree to the use of cookies.