Exploration in the House 2015: A commodity and mineral system approach to mineral potential mapping in NSW by Phillip Blevin

1. A commodity and
mineral system
approach to mineral
potential mapping in
NSW
Phillip Blevin
on behalf of
the MinSysNSW team
State Library; www.northparkes.com

2. End of an era….
• Warwick-Tweed Heads: last of the 250k 1st edition
series.
• 21 maps, >30,000 occurrences, 30 years. Extensive
explanatory notes and datasheets.
• State-wide 1.5M synthesis.
• Bathurst 2nd edition.
• Broken Hill 250k special (new geological base, and
time space plot, and metamorphic reinterpretation.
• Going from the “Where”, “When” through to “Why”
and finally “Where Else?”

3. Broken Hill

4. Metallogenic Mapping to Mineral Potential
Studies
• Need to understand mineral system drivers
– Age of mineralisation
– Source of metals
– Traps
– Broken Hill, Cobar, Mac Arc/Ord Sil, New England
• Need to define realistic mineral potential
tracts that are geologically and politically
defensible.

5. NSW metal endowment
• How much known metal is
there and how much
remains to be mined?
• How big really are NSW
systems and mineral camps?
• Large systems and/or
regions with high potential
will attract large explorers.
• Where did the metal come
from, where else are the
sources. Ages, structures,
traps.

6. Value of metallic commodities
• Present day resources
• Historical production
• Reserves – unmined
• Calculated at $AUD 2009
• Total contained metal
• Reconciliations
Broken Hill
Cobar Basin
East Lachlan
Eastern
Lachlan Basins
New England
Orogen
Ordovician
Basement
Kanimblan
Macquarie Arc
Murray Basin
Wagga
Tin Belt
Coastal System
Tabberabberan
Koonenberry

7. Calculated at $AUD 2009
(State Metallogenic Map).
1 $AUD was 1.47 $USD
Previous base point was 1967 when Au was $30 an
ounce.
NSW metal endowment
Commodity Jan 2009 May 2015 %
Ag 369000 660000 79
Au 42700000 48100000 13
Cu 4890 8100 66
Pb 1765 2725 54
Sn 17700 20650 17
Zn 1850 3000 62
AU$ value (per tonne)

8. ~ $400 billion
AUD2009
Metal endowment
=
(Production + Resources)

9. Broken Hill
Cobar Basin
East Lachlan
Eastern
Lachlan Basins
New England
Orogen
Ordovician
Basement
Kanimblan
Macquarie Arc
Murray Basin
Wagga
Tin Belt
Coastal System
Koonenberry
Tabberabberan
Production vs Resources
Au Cu Pb Ag
Zn Sn HM

10. Production vs Resources
63% of NSW’s mineral
endowment comprises
unmined resources.
Resources
Production
40
80
120
160
Billions
$AUD2009

11. Production vs Resources
Broken Hill
Cobar Basin
East Lachlan
Eastern
Lachlan Basins
New England
Orogen
Ordovician
Basement
Kanimblan
Macquarie Arc
Murray Basin
Wagga
Tin Belt
Coastal System
Koonenberry
Tabberabberan
Value of Broken Hill
production by deposit
type.

12. Au endowment

13. Gold endowment for NSW
classified by deposit type
Gold production for Vic
classified by deposit type
Total endowment >3160t
Total production ~2300t
Others
Au endowment

14. Cu endowment

15. Pb and Zn

16. Billions
Endowment by Basin
$ 2009 equiv

17. • Will be compiled for
metallics and
industrials.
• Tips of data icebergs
as all background data
is refreshed.
Commodity Flyers

24. • Existing series: 1959
to 1979
• Comprehensive data
instantly available for
government,
promotional and
general enquiries.
• Input to policy and
data requests, e.g.
asbestos, silica/marine
aggregate, uranium.
Mineral Industry Resource Series

25. • MetIndex: >30,000
occurrences.
• Deposits have been
given “size” and
classified.
• DIGS – source of
exploration and Survey
reports. Can search on
expl’n history.
• Map explanatory notes
have mineralization
chapters.
Mineral Industry Resource Series

26. Applications

27. Applications

28. COBAR NEO
ORD-SIL

29. Industrial Minerals Map
replaces 2004 edition

30. New Discoveries Map
Industrial Minerals Map
Mineral System Classification
Statewide Metallogenic Map
Mineral System Models
METINDEX, DIGS
Production & Resources
250k Metallogenic Map
Explanatory Notes
Mining Histories
Time Space
Commodities: a new approach
500K Metallogenic
Synthesis and Potential
Studies
Commodity Flyers
Promotional
Mineral Industry Series

31. New Discoveries Map
Industrial Minerals Map
Mineral System Classification
Statewide Metallogenic Map
Mineral System Models
METINDEX, DIGS
Production & Resources
Mineral Industry Series
250k Metallogenic Map
Explanatory Notes
Mining Histories
Time Space
Commodities: a new approach

32. MinSysNSW Outputs
“in press” or submitted
• Mineralisation in the Braidwood project area. David B. Forster, Peter M. Downes
• A HyLogger™ case study of regional metamorphism and the
alteration in Nymagee area. Peter M. Downes, David B. Tilley, Joel Fitzherbert and Meagan E. Clissold
• New lead isotopic and geochronological constraints on
mineralisation in the Macquarie Arc – NSW — Insights from the
Lake Cowal District, New South Wales. David B. Forster, Paul McInnes, Peter M. Downes,
Roland Maas and Phillip L. Blevin
• Metallogenesis and geodynamics of the Lachlan Orogen: new
(and old) insights from spatial and temporal variations in lead
isotopes. Huston D.L., Champion D.C., Mernagh T.P., Downes P.M., Jones P., Carr G., Forster D. & David V.

33. • Application of metamorphic facies/isograd maps to the
understanding of a regionally stratified anatectic/igneous
complex and its associated mineralisation, Broken Hill. Joel Fitzherbert and
Peter M. Downes
• Towards a greater understanding of the Central Lachlan, Peter M Downes,
Phil L Blevin, Carol J. Simpson, Richard Armstrong, Lawrence Sherwin, David B. Tilley and Gary R. Burton
• 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the mineral systems in the southern
Cobar Superbasin: implications for metallogenesis in the central
Lachlan Orogen, New South Wales. Peter M. Downes and David Phillips
• Isotope signatures of selected Silurian to Devonian mineral
systems in the Nymagee area — Central Lachlan Orogen, New
South Wales. Peter M. Downes and Simon Poulson
MinSysNSW Outputs