Lithogeochemical exploration for komatiite-associated Ni-sulfide deposits: Strategies and limitations

Mineralogy and Petrology

Volumn 82, Issue 3-4 SPEC.ISS., 2004, Pages 259-293

  Barnes, Steve J ^a   Hill, R E T ^a   Perring, C S ^a   Dowling, S E ^a  

^a CSIRO   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CARBON DIOXIDE; CRUSTAL STRUCTURE; CUMULATE; IGNEOUS GEOCHEMISTRY; KOMATIITE; METASOMATISM; NICKEL; RARE EARTH ELEMENT; SILICATE MINERAL; SULFIDE (ORGANIC); ZIRCON;

EID: 9444254015     PISSN: 09300708     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s00710-004-0051-7     Document Type: Review

References (64)

1. Archibald NJ, Bettenay LF, Binns RA, Groves DI, Gunthorpe RJ (1978) The evolution of Archean greenstone terrains, Eastern Goldfields Province, Western Australia. Precamb Res 6: 103-131
2. Arndt NT (1977) Ultrabasic magmas and high-degree melting of the mantle. Contrib Mineral Petrol 64: 205-221
3. Arndt NT, Nisbet EG (1982) What is a komatiite? In: Arndt NT, Nisbet EG (eds) Komatiites. George Allen and Unwin, London, pp 19-28
4. Arndt NT, Jenner GA (1986) Crustally contaminated komatiites and basalts from Kambalda, Western Australia. Chem Geol 56: 229-255
5. Arndt NT, Nisbet EG, Cameron WG (1988) Geochemistry of extremely fresh komatiites from the Belingwe belt, Zimbabwe. Chem Geol 70: 140
6. Arndt NT, Teixeira NA, White WM (1989) Bizarre geochemistry of komatiites from the Crixas greenstone belt, Brazil. Contrib Mineral Petrol 101: 187-197
7. Barnes SJ (1998) Chromite in komatiites 1. Magmatic controls on crystallization and composition. J Petrol 39: 1689-1720
8. Barnes SJ, Brand NW (1999) The distribution of Cr, Ni, and chromite in komatiites, and application to exploration for komatiite-hosted nickel sulfide deposits. Econ Geol 94: 129-132
9. Barnes SJ, Gole MJ, Hill RET (1988a) The Agnew nickel deposit, Western Australia, part I. Stratigraphy and structure. Econ Geol 83: 524-536
10. Barnes SJ, Hill RET, Gole MJ (1988b) The Perseverance ultramafic complex, Western Australia: Product of a komatiite lava river. J Petrol 29: 305-331
11. Barnes SJ et al. (1988c) The use of mantle normalisation and metal ratios in discriminating between the effects of partial melting, crystal fractionation and sulphide segregation on platinum group metals, gold, nickel and copper: Examples from Norway. In: Prichard HM, Potts PJ, Bowles JFW, Cribbs SJ (eds) Geo-Platinum '87. Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd, London, pp 113-139
12. Barnes SJ, Lesher CM, Keays RR (1995) Geochemistry of mineralised and barren komatiites from the Perseverance Nickel Deposit, Western Australia. Lithos 34: 209-234
13. Beswick AE (1982) Some geochemical aspects of alteration and genetic relations in komatiitie suites. In: Arndt NT, Nisbet EG (eds) Komatiites. George Allen and Unwin, London, pp 281-308
14. Bickle MJ, Martin A, Nisbet EG (1975) Basaltic and peridotitic komatiites and stromatolites above a basal unconformity in the Belingwe Greenstone Belt, Rhodesia. Earth Planet Sci Lett 27: 155-162
15. Brand NW (1999) Element ratios in nickel sulphide exploration: Vectoring towards ore environments. J Geochem Expl 67: 145-165
16. Campbell IH, Griffiths RW, Hill RI (1989) Melting in an Archaean mantle plume: Heads it's basalts, tails it's komatiites. Nature 339: 697-699
17. Cowden A (1986) The geochemistry, mineralogy and petrology of the Kambalda iron-nickel sulphide deposits,Western Australia. Thesis, The University of Western Australia, Perth, 325 pp (unpublished)
18. Cowden A (1988) Emplacement of komatiite lava flows and associated nickel sulphides at Kambalda, Western Australia. Econ Geol 83: 436-442
19. Donaldson MJ (1981) Redistribution of ore elements during serpentinisation and talc-carbonate alteration of some Archaean dunites, Western Australia. Econ Geol 76: 1698-1713
20. Dowling SE, Hill RET (1992) The distribution of PGE in fractionated Archaean komatiites, Western and Central Ultramafic Units, Mt. Keith region, Western Australia. Aust J Earth Sci 39: 349-364
21. Dowling SE, Hill RET, Barnes SJ (2001) Plumose inclusions and primary contacts, Silver Swan Nickel Deposit. In: Cassidy KF, Dunphy JM, Van Kranendonk MJ (eds) 4th International Archaean Symposium 2001, Extended Abstracts. AGSO-Geoscience Australia Record 2001 / 37, pp 146-148
22. Duke JM (1986) The Dumont nickel deposit: A genetic model for disseminated magmatic sulphide deposits of komatiitic affinity. In: Gallacher MJ, Ixer RA, Neary CR, Prichard HM (eds) Metallogeny of basic and ultrabasic rocks. The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, pp 151-160
23. Evans DM, Cowden A, Barrett RM (1989) Deformation and thermal erosion at the Foster nickel deposit, Kambalda St. Ives, Western Australia. In: Prendergast MD, Jones MJ (eds) Magmatic sulphides - the Zimbabwe Volume. Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, pp 215-219
24. Fan J, Kerrich R (1997) Geochemical characteristics of aluminum depleted and undepleted komatiites and HREE-enriched low-Ti tholeiites, Western Abitibi Greenstone Belt - a heterogeneous mantle plume convergent margin environment. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 61: 4723-4744
25. Fisher D (1979) The petrology of the Mt. Edwards nickel sulphide deposit, Widgiemooltha, Western Australia. Thesis, University of Toronto, 280 pp
26. Frost KM (1992) The role of ground melting in the genesis of komatiite hosted nickel sulphide deposits at Kambalda and Widgiemooltha, Western Australia. Thesis, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia, 185 pp
27. Frost KM, Groves DI (1989) Ocellar units at Kambalda: Evidence for sediment assimilation by komatiite lavas. In: Prendergast MD, Jones MJ (eds) Magmatic sulphides - the Zimbabwe Volume. Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, pp 207-214
28. Gole MJ, Hill RET (1990) The refinement of extrusive models for the genesis of nickel deposits: Implications from case studies at Honeymoon Well and the Walter Williams Formation. Minerals and Energy Research Institute of Western Australia Report 68: 93 pp
29. Gole MJ, Barnes SJ, Hill RET (1987) The role of fluids in the metamorphism of komatiites, Agnew nickel deposit, Western Australia. Contrib Mineral Petrol 96: 151-162
30. Groves DI, Barrett FM, McQueen KG (1979) The relative roles of magmatic segregation, volcanic exhalation and regional metamorphism in the generation of volcanic-associated nickel ores of Western Australia. Can Mineral 17: 319-336
31. Gruau G, Chauvel BM, Arndt NT, Cornichet J (1990) Aluminum depletion in komatiites and garnet fractionation in the early Archean mantle: Hafnium isotopic constraints. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 54: 3095-3101
32. Gruau G, Tourpin S, Fourcade S, Blais S (1992) Loss of isotopic (Nd Os) and chemical (REE) memory during metamorphism of komatiites: New evidence from eastern Finland. Contrib Mineral Petrol 112: 66-82
33. Herzberg CT, O'Hara MJ (1985) Origin of mantle peridotite and komatiite by partial melting. Geophys Res Lett 12: 541-544
34. Hill RET (2001) Komatiite volcanology, volcanological setting and primary geochemical properties of komatiite-associated nickel deposits. In: Butt CRM (ed) Geochemistry: exploration, environment, analysis. Geological Society, London, pp 365-381
35. Hill RET, Gole MJ (1990) Nickel sulphide deposits of the Yilgarn Block. In: Hughes FE (ed) Geology of the mineral deposits of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Melbourne, pp 557-559 (Aust Inst Mining Metallurg Monogr)
36. Hill RET, Barnes SJ, Gole MJ, Dowling SE (1995) The volcanology of komatiites as deduced from field relationships in the Norseman-Wiluna greenstone belt, Western Australia. Lithos 34: 159-188
37. Hill RET, Barnes SJ, Thordarson T, Dowling SE (2001) Volcanic evolution of the Black Swan succession and contained orebodies. In: Cassidy KF, Dunphy JM, Van Kranendonk MJ (eds) 4th International Archaean Symposium 2001, Extended Abstracts. AGSO-Geoscience Australia Record 2001 / 37, pp 158-160
38. Howe JM, Easton EC, Grunsky LS, Jensen LS, Thurston PC (2002) Komatiite database. Ontario Geological Survey, Sudbury, 202 pp
39. Hudson GR (1973) Talc carbonate alteration and nickel mineralisation of the extrusive ultramafic complex, Torquata, St. Ives, Western Australia. Thesis, Queens University, Kingston, Canada, 237 pp
40. Lahaye Y et al. (1995) The influence of alteration on the trace-element and Nd isotopic compositions of komatiites. Chem Geol 126(1): 43-64
41. Lesher CM (1983) Localisation and genesis of komatiite-associated Fe-Ni-Cu sulfide mineralization of Kambalda, Western Australia. Thesis, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia
42. Lesher CM (1989) Komatiite-associated nickel sulfide deposits. In: Whitney JA, Naldrett AJ (eds) Ore deposition associated with magmas. Economic Geology Publishing Company, El Paso, pp 44-101 (Rev Econ Geol)
43. Lesher CM, Arndt NT, Groves DI (1984) Genesis of komatiite-associated nickel sulphide deposits at Kambalda Western Australia: A distal volcanic model. In: Buchanan DL, Jones MJ (eds) Sulphide deposits in mafic and ultramafic rocks. Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, pp 70-80
44. Lesher CM, Burnham OM, Keays RR, Barnes SJ, Hulbert L (2001) Geochemical discrimination of barren and mineralized komatiites associated with magmatic Ni-Cu-(PGE) sulphide deposits. Can Mineral 39: 673-696
45. McDonough WF, Sun S-S (1995) The composition of the Earth. Chem Geol 120: 223-253
46. McLean RN (1984) Embayments and the volcanic controls on nickel mineralization at Widgie 3, Western Australia. Thesis, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, 107 pp
47. McQueen KG (1979) Metamorphism and deformation of volcanic associated nickel deposits: a study of mineralization around the Widgiemooltha Dome, Western Australia. Thesis, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, 280 pp
48. McQueen KG (1981) Volcanic-associated nickel deposits from around the Widgiemooltha Dome, Western Australia. Econ Geol 76: 1417-1443
49. Naldrett AJ, Turner AR (1977) The geology and petrogenesis of a greenstone belt and related nickel sulfide mineralisation at Yakabindie, Western Australia. Precamb Res 3: 43-103
50. Nisbet EG, Bickle MJ, Martin A (1977) The mafic and ultramafic lavas of the Belingwe Greenstone Belt, Rhodesia. J Petrol 18: 521-566
51. Ohtani E (1990) Majorite fractionation and genesis of komatiites in the deep mantle. Precamb Res 48: 195-202
52. Parker P (1984) The role of contamination in the formation of the nickel sulphide ores at Wannaway and Mt. Edwards, Western Australia. Thesis, University of Western Australia, 144 pp
53. Pearce TH (1968) A contribution to the theory of variation diagrams. Contrib Mineral Petrol 19: 142-157
54. Perring CS, Barnes SJ, Hill RET (1995) The physical volcanology of komatiite sequences from Forrestania, Southern Cross Province, Western Australia. Lithos 34: 189-207
55. Perring CS, Barnes SJ, Hill RET (1996) Geochemistry of Archaean komatiites from the Forrestania Greenstone Belt, Western Australia: Evidence for supracrustal contamination. Lithos 37: 181-197
56. Prendergast MD (2001) Komatiite-hosted Hunters Road nickel deposit, central Zimbabwe: physical volcanology and sulfide genesis. Aust J Earth Sci 48: 681-694
57. Pyke DR, Naldrett AJ, Eckstrand RO (1973) Archaean ultramafic flows in Munro Township, Ontario. Geol Soc Am Bull 84: 955-978
58. Redman BA, Keays RR (1985) Archaean basic volcanism in the Eastern Goldfields Province, Yilgarn Block, Western Australia. Precamb Res 30: 113-152
59. Rollinson HR, Roberts CR (1986) Ratio correlations and major element mobility in altered basalts and komatiites. Contrib Mineral Petrol 93: 89-97
60. Ross JR (1974) Archaean nickel sulphide mineralisation, Lunnon Shoot, Kambalda, Western Australia. Thesis, University of California, Berkeley, 283 pp
61. Smith HS, Erlank AJ (1982) Geochemistry and petrogenesis of komatiites from the Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa. In: Arndt NT, Nisbet EG (eds) Komatiites. George Allen and Unwin, London, pp 348-393
62. Smith HS et al. (1988) Komatiite flows, Barberton Greenstone Belt: Geochemical comparison of GI and GII types. Chem Geol 70: 148-149
63. Williams DA, Kerr RC, Lesher CM, Barnes SJ (2001) Analytical / numerical modeling of komatiite lava emplacement and thermal erosion at Perseverance, Western Australia. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 110: 27-55
64. Williams DAC (1971) Determination of primary mineralogy and textures in ultramafic rocks from Mt. Monger, Western Australia. Geol Soc Aust Spec Publ 3: 259-268