Author: Cassady O'Neill
O'Neill, Cassady, 2019 Detecting mineralisation with hydrogeochemistry in western Victoria, Australia, Flinders University, College of Science and Engineering
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The discovery of shallow mineral deposits has slowed, the challenge for mineral exploration is now to find more deeply buried deposits, frequently beneath sedimentary rocks and the groundwater table. Groundwater has the potential to be a powerful exploration tool in this search due to the release of pathfinder elements during mineral dissolution, the ability to detect low concentrations of pathfinder elements in groundwater and the use of computer aided interpretations that facilitate the utilisation of larger datasets.
This study applies the above techniques to an area with thin sedimentary cover, numerous observation bores and proven potential for three mineralisation types: porphyry Cu-(Au-Mo), intrusion-related gold and orogenic gold. principal component analysis of data demonstrate associations between pathfinder elements and mineral occurrences as wells as spatial associations between geology and major ion ratios.
Keywords: Hydrogeochemistry, Porphyry Copper, Principal Component Analysis, Stavely zone, Groundwater
Subject: Engineering thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2019
School: College of Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Ilka Wallis