Characterising the fingerprints and footprints of Cu and Cu-Au deposits using trace element geochemistry of ore and alteration minerals

Project Partners: MIM Glencore, Anglo American Exploration, South32

Project Team: Dr Ioan Sanislav, Dr Melanie Finch, Avish Kumar

This project aims to assess the footprint, fingerprint, and vectoring potential of chalcopyrite, pyrite and albite from Cu deposits in the Mount Isa region.  The project will collect trace element chemistry from co-existing chalcopyrite, pyrite and albite in a suite of well characterised samples from a variety of mineral deposits from Mt Isa region. The role of host rocks and deformation on mineral trace element geochemistry will be investigated in order to assess their influence on the vectoring potential.

Zircon geochemistry as a vector to mineralisation in the Geita Gold deposits, Tanzania

Project Partners: Geita Mine (AngloGold Ashanti)

Project Leader: Dr Ioan Sanislav

Proterozoic metallogenesis in northern Queensland

Project Partners: Geoscience Australia

Project Team: Dr Hoseing Lim, Dr Ioan Sanislav, Dr Helen McCoy-West

This project is assessing the metallogenic potential of the Croydon and southern Etheridge provinces including their potential to host critical mineral resources.

Critical minerals in northeast Queensland

Project Partners: Geological Survey Queensland

Project Team: Dr Ioan Sanislav, Prof. Paul Dirks, Dr Vladimir Lisitsin, Avish Kumar, Alex Edgar, Jonghyun Lee

Critical metal mineralization recognized in northeast Queensland includes Ni, Co and Sc associated with laterites developed on altered ultramafic complexes, and In associated with intrusion-related tin, tungsten and polymetallic deposits.  This project aims to:

• Investigate unexplored ultramafic complexes in northeast Queensland to improve the understanding of their settings, characteristics and potential to host mineralization.
• Investigate the characteristics and distribution of In in selected Sn and polymetallic deposits to identify factors controlling the location and formation of In mineralization.
• Investigate the relationship between late Palaeozoic magmatic activity and critical mineral occurrences in northeast Queensland.

Seismic interpretation in northeast Queensland

Project Partners: Geological Survey Queensland

Project Team: Dr Lauren Waszek, Dr Ioan Sanislav, Dr Melanie Finch

This project will update the interpretation of deep seismic lines across northeast Queensland, from Georgetown to the Thomson and Hodkinson provinces. The project will integrate JCU research on tectonic models for the eastern margin of the north Australian craton with new seismic processing techniques to advance understanding of the fundamental geological and tectonic structure of northeast Queensland.

An improved understanding of the large-scale distribution of geological provinces in three dimensions will underpin other EGRU research into mineral systems in northeast Queensland.

The role of ductile shear zones and structurally controlled fluid flow in the formation of critical mineral deposits

Project Partners: Geoscience Australia

Project Leader: Dr Melanie Finch

Potential for sediment-hosted base metal mineralisation in the southern part of the Western Succession, Mount Isa Inlier

Project Partners: Geoscience Australia

Project Leader: Dr Ioan Sanislav