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PREFACE
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you on behalf of the Board of Masyarakat Geologi Ekonomi
Indonesian Society of Economic Geologists (MGEI) to the eight Annual MGEI Convention in
Bandung, which themed Unconventional Exploration Targets & Latest Techniques and New Tools
in Mineral and Coal Exploration, and present to you the proceedings of this event to share
knowledge, experience, update the activities in exploration, development, technology including
introduction to new concepts and ideas of metallic mineral and coal including UCG deposits.
This event is one of a series of annual events of MGEI. Series of this event consists of three sessions;
pre-convention workshop, seminar and field trip to Krakatoa.
We believe that we have invited the best experts in the field where they will share their rich and
extensive knowledge and experience with us; all that we believe will deliver and bring enormous
benefits to the world of economic geology in Indonesia and the surrounding region
We warmly thank all authors and reviewers, and the editorial board for their invaluable
contributions. We also thank our industry sponsors who made publication of the proceedings
possible. We furthermore acknowledge and thank management of the companies who allowed
sharing of knowledge of their projects. We are particularly grateful to the Organizing Committee
whose hard work and dedication have played a major part in making this convention a success.
We look forward to meeting you again at the 9th MGEI conference in 2017!
iii
Table of Contents
PREFACE
Table of Contents Paper Title
Table of Contents Author
The decline in Indonesias Exploration
Performance-what can we do about it
Exploring in lithocaps and green rocks new
methods to aid discovery of porphyry and
epithermal deposits
Successful Techniques in Exploring the Lithocap
Environment of the Sunda Magmatic Arc,
Indonesia
Orogenic Gold Deposits - From Hypozonal to
Epizonal Systems
Advances in understanding various ore deposits
in ultramafic rocks in Indonesia
Characterisation of Coal Deposits for
Underground Coal Gasification
Successful application of spectral analysis in
lithocap exploration and ore deposit discoveries
New Determination of alteration zonations using
SWIR in Kyisintaung high sulfidation copper
deposit, Monywa district, Central - Western
Myanmar
Ore Pathfinders and Fertility Assessments in
Lithocaps: a Case Study of the Pascua-LamaVeladero High-Sulfidation Epithermal Au-Ag
district, Argentina and Chile
The structure evolution of Zijinshan high
sulfidation epithermal deposit, Fujian Province,
China
Drones (UAVs) in mining and exploration. An
application example: Pit Mapping and
Geological Modelling.
The Power of Geology Model Supported by 3D
Geophysical Inversion and Database System as
A Tool to Generate Exploration Target in
Mined Exploration Area: Case Study of COW
A Geology Model at PT Freeport Indonesia
Fuzzy Logic and Weight of Evidence Approach
for Mineral Discovery Tool
Geobotanical Remote Sensing for Mineral
Exploration in Thick Vegetation Areas
An update of key characteristics of Awak Mas
mesothermal gold deposit, Sulawesi Island,
Indonesia
Discovery, Geology and Origin of the Lakuwahi
Volcanogenic Au-Ag-Pb-Zn Deposit, Romang
Island, eastern Indonesia.
iii
iv
v
1 Richard Schodde
David R. Cooke, Noel White, Lejun Zhang,
Michael Baker, Nathan Fox, Jennifer
Thompson, J. Bruce Gemmell, Jamie
5
Wilkinson, Pete Hollings and Huayong
Chen
Adi Maryono, Rachel Harrison, Iryanto
7
Rompo, Eddy Priowasono and Malcom
Norris
15 Franz Michael Meyer
19 Ade Kadarusman
23 Dr. Len Walker
29 Rachel L. Harrison
45
79 Joseph Ogierman
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INTRODUCTION
Indonesia has a long history of mining - dating back
over one thousand years (Van Leeuwen, 1994). However,
large scale exploration and mining really only took off in
the 1970s. In detail, half of all of Indonesias known
significant deposits (totaling 260 to date) have been found
since 1983.
Of significance and concern is the observation that,
in spite of large expenditures on exploration, the rate of
discovery has slowed downed in the last decade (see
Figure 1).
This paper reviews the causes behind the decline in
discovery performance and suggests possible ways to
improve it.
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due to high fixed costs (for staff, offices and access fees),
much of the cut-back has been directed to less field work.
However, if you dont drill, you wont discover.
Some of these challenges are cyclical (and so should
improve over time), whereas others (such as the depth of
cover issue) are structural.
Indonesia also faces additional challenges of its own
making. These include;
1) UIP Moratorium which creates uncertainty over the
security of title as existing tenements reach the end of
their lives
2) Restrictive Forestry classifications which may
contain prospective areas for exploration
3) Delays in issuing Forestry Permits which slows
down the companys ability to carry out field
activities
4) Requirement for minerals to be processed in-country.
For many metals, and companies with small projects,
this adversely impacts on the project economics
5) Divestment
requirements
for
foreign-owned
operations. The current arrangement appears to result
in mines being sold for less than fair value, thereby
impacting on the incentive to explore in the first-place
As a result, Indonesias share of the Worlds
exploration expenditures has halved from 2.1% in 2012 to
1.1% in 2015. Over the same time period the number of
foreign companies actively exploring in Indonesia
declined from 51 to 35.
It should be noted that the foreign companies play a
key role in discovery. Over the last 30 years they
accounted for 65% of the countrys non-bulk mineral
discoveries.
According to the latest survey of mining companies
active in Indonesia (Fraser Institute, 2016), the four main
issues inhibiting investment in the country are;
1) The legal system
2) Regulatory duplication
3) Administration of regulations, and
4) Disputed land claims
Historically the exploration industry has generated
considerable wealth for the country. It is estimated that
over the period 1986-2005, the industry created $5.00
worth of wealth for every Dollar spent on exploration.
However, over the last decade (2006-2015), this has
dropped to just $0.61 per Dollar spent. In other words,
exploration is currently not generating wealth for the
investors. This is driven by the lack exploration success
particularly for the (high-value) Tier-1 and -2 deposits.
For the long-term prosperity of Indonesia, it is
imperative that the Government find ways to stimulate
exploration and discovery in the country.
The solutions to the above are fairly self -evident.
However, their implementation can be challenging.
In the first instance, efforts should be made to
encourage foreign companies come back to Indonesia as
they have historically found most of the countrys
deposits. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to
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CONCLUSIONS
The international mining industry is facing several
challenges on many fronts and central to this is the need
to improve its discovery performance. In addition,
Indonesia has its own special challenges and
opportunities.
Given the fact that only around half of all discoveries
are converted into mines, and that there is (on average) a
decade delay between discovery and development,
Indonesia is facing a real risk that mineral production (and
associated revenues) declining in the future.
To redress this imbalance, the Government needs to
put in-place policies that will stimulate exploration and
boost the number of significant discoveries.
REFERENCES
Fraser Institute, 2016, Survey of Mining Companies,
published by the Fraser Institute, Vancouver.
Schodde, R.C., 2013, The impact of changes in gold price on
exploration activities and strategies presented at the
NewGenGold Conference, Perth.
Schodde, R. C., 2014, Key issues affecting the time delay
between discovery and development, presented at PDAC
Convention March 2014.
SNL and MEG, various years, Corporate Exploration
Strategies, annual survey as published by SNL and the
Metals Economics Group, Halifax.
Van Leeuwen, T. M, 1994, Journal of Geochemical Exploration,
50, 13-90
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Exploring in lithocaps and green rocks new methods to aid discovery of porphyry
and epithermal deposits
David R. Cooke1,2, Noel White1,3, Lejun Zhang1,2, Michael Baker1,2, Nathan Fox1, Jennifer Thompson1,2, J. Bruce
Gemmell1,2, Jamie Wilkinson4, Pete Hollings5 and Huayong Chen1,6
1
CODES, the Australian Research Councils Centre for Excellence in Ore Deposits, University of Tasmania, Private Bag
79. Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
2
Transforming the Mining Value Chain, an ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub, University of Tasmania,
Private Bag 79. Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
3
Ore Deposit and Exploration Centre (ODEC), School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of
Technology, Hefei 230009, Anhui, China
4
Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United
Kingdom
5
Geology Department, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada P7B 5E1
6
Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 511 Kehua Street, Tianhe, PO Box 1131,
Guangzhou, China, 510640.
ABSTRACT
Porphyry-related copper, gold and molybdenum deposits and related deposits continue to be major exploration targets for
many exploration companies. For cost-effective exploration, field campaigns need to maximize the information that can be
garnered from early exploration stages so that deposits are discovered quicker and at less cost by reducing the amount of
drilling required for discovery. This is particularly relevant in regions of poor outcrop (e.g., jungle, desert, young cover),
where an added disincentive to continue after initial results can be management fatigue. Geochemical exploration tools are
particularly challenged in tropical weathering environments, where geochemical dispersion during weathering can obscure
or destroy the geochemical anomalies associated with porphyry and epithermal mineralisation.
CODES, and in recent times the TMVC Industrial Transformation Research Hub, and their international research partners
have conducted a series of AMIRA International research projects aimed at developing new geochemical and geological
techniques for the exploration of lithocaps and green rocks associated with porphyry and epithermal deposits. A series of
four AMIRA projects have been conducted over the past twelve years: AMIRA P765 (Transitions and Zoning in Porphyry Epithermal Districts: Indicators, Discriminators and Vectors: 2004 2006), P765A (Geochemical and Geological Halos in
Green Rocks and Lithocaps Developing the Explorers toolbox: 2008 2010), P1060 (Enhanced Geochemical Targeting
in Magmatic-Hydrothermal Systems: 2011 2014) and P1153 (Applying the explorers toolbox to discover porphyry and
epithermal Cu, Au and Mo deposits: 2015 2018). These projects have developed and validated new geochemical
techniques that can help to predict the likely direction and distance to mineralised centres (vectors), either in the deeply
eroded green rock environment, where propylitic alteration predominates, or in the intensely clay-altered lithocap
environment, where porphyry or high sulfidation-style epithermal mineralisation may be hidden in a sea of intense clay and
silicic alteration.
Primarily based on advances in laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma microanalysis, the AMIRA International
research programme has demonstrated that subtle hypogene geochemical dispersion halos can be detected several
kilometres beyond the limits of geochemical anomalies that are detected by conventional rock-chip sampling techniques,
thereby extending the detectable geochemical footprint of porphyry mineralised centres. The team also developed
geochemical tools that discriminate between environments (porphyry, epithermal, metamorphic), and made significant
progress towards developing and testing fertility indicators (i.e., discriminating large, small and barren systems). In the
lithocap environment, a combination of short wavelength infrared analyses with high quality whole rock geochemical data
and mineral chemistry analyses of alunite, quartz and/or pyrite can help to identify domains of high temperature alteration
that are prospective for porphyry and/or high sulfidation epithermal mineralisation. In the green rock environment, chlorite
and epidote are now well-established as tools that aid in vectoring and fertility assessments. Magnetite, quartz, tourmaline
and calcite also show promise as aids to exploration in more deeply eroded porphyry-epithermal districts. In this
presentation, we will demonstrate how the combination of epidote and chlorite chemistry with grass-roots geology can be
used to help successfully detect the location of a giant, high-grade porphyry deposit.
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J Resources, Equity Tower, 48th Floor, SCBD, Jl. Jend Sudirman, Kav 52-53, Lot 9, Jakarta, 12190 Indonesia. Email:
adi.maryono@jresources.com
2
Independent Consultant Geologist, Borobudur
3PT Buena Persada
4
PT Newmont Nusa Tengggara
5
Avalon Minerals Limited
ABSTRACT
This paper attempts to document successful exploration techniques that have been employed during recent discoveries of
major Au-Ag (+5 Moz Au) and Cu-Au (+10 Moz Au and +5 Mt Cu) deposits concealed beneath barren or mineralized
lithocap bodies along the Sunda magmatic arc. There are at least four discoveries of potentially large porphyry Cu-Au
deposits in the last 10 years including Elang in Sumbawa in 2005 and Tumpangpitu in East Java in 2009. Tumpangpitu is
the most recent discovery, containing 28 Moz Au and 8.6 Mt Cu. Recent major discoveries with economic potential have
been reported from Brambang in Lombok in 2010 and Huu in Sumbawa in 2015.
The integration of state of the art exploration techniques (geology, geochemistry and geophysics), and excellent teamwork
have been thought to be key ingredients to exploration success. BLEG (bulk leach extractable gold) drainage geochemical
surveys have proven to be more effective than other stream samples (-#80 silt and pan concentrate/PC samples) to locate
sizeable altered areas at regional-district scales and early exploration stages. A combination of lithocap-porphyry
mapping-logging techniques and application of spectral data (ASD) has been very powerful in providing vectors to ore, and
for delineation of both epithermal and porphyry targets in the Elang, Tumpangpitu and Brambang districts. Both mapping
techniques involve observation of aspects of intrusions, alteration mineralogy, sulfide mineralogy, hypogene oxides, vein
types and density, supergene Fe-Cu oxides, rock textures, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and structures.
Delineation of the lateral surface extent of lithocaps and understanding alteration zoning is crucial, as they can be used as
a proxy suggesting the size of the underlying mineralized porphyry intrusions. Key spectral parameters towards causative
intrusions include increasing crystallinity and changes in composition (wavelength) of white micas, position of the
wavelength feature between 1480 and 1490 nm for alunites (Na/(Na+K) ratio/high Ca alunite), high Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios of
chlorites and distribution of iron oxides.
The combination of soil geochemistry (low level Mo anomalies) and ground-airborne magnetic data (small discrete subtle
magnetic anomalies) has provided direct tools to delineate mineralized porphyry zones and to define drill targets under
large lithocap bodies at Tumpangpitu. The latest 3D modeling of the airborne magnetic data indicates potassic-altered
porphyry targets at depth at Elang, Tumpangpitu, Brambang and Huu. Application of 3D inversion pole-dipole resistivity
modeling and airborne time domain electromagnetic (HoisTEM) and magnetic surveys has been very successful in mapping
lithocap bodies as well as surface mineralized quartz ledges at Martabe and concealed porphyry targets at Elang.
delineation of drill targets resulting in world class
discoveries.
INTRODUCTION
This paper emphasizes successful exploration
techniques that have been employed during recent
discoveries of major Au-Ag and Cu-Au deposits
concealed beneath barren or mineralized lithocap bodies
along the Sunda magmatic arc. Major porphyry Cu-Au
deposits that crop out at Batu Hijau, Elang and Selodong
were discovered in the early 1990s, but porphyry Cu-Au
targets concealed under large lithocaps along the same
magmatic arc have only been identified during the past 10
years.
Recent discoveries of world-class Au-Ag (+5 Moz
Au) and Au-Cu deposits (+10 Moz Au and +5 Mt Cu)
along the Sunda magmatic arc and elsewhere have been
attributed to new understanding of lithocap formation and
state of the art exploration techniques. Previous explorers
have failed to identify potentially large resources, due to
barren to weakly mineralized surface geochemical and
weak geological signatures of large lithocaps. Integration
of geological, geochemical and geophysical techniques, as
well as good teamwork have played a key role in the
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SUMMARY
The key ingredients to exploration success along the
eastern Sunda magmatic arc have been attributed to the
integration of geology, geochemistry and geophysics, and
excellent teamwork. These successes have employed
systematic exploration approaches and applied state of the
art exploration techniques and used experts in multiple
disciplines. Delineation of the lateral surface extent of
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Fig. 1. Major Au-Ag and Au-Cu deposits recently discovered along the Sunda magmatic arc, including the most recent, Tumpangpitu
(containing 30.1 Moz Au and 19 billion lbs of Cu; Intrepid Mines Ltd., 2012; Maryono et al., 2012).
Fig. 2. Drilling in 2010 (GTD-10-163) intersected a large concealed porphyry Cu-Au deposit under a large lithocap body at Tumpangpitu,
just 100m away from previous drill hole GTD-001 drilled in 1997 (Norris, 2011)
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Fig. 3. A schematic section showing conceptual exploration model of overlying lithocap with high-sulfidation Au-Cu deposits over
porphyry Cu-Au deposits along the Sunda magmatic arc (modified from Maryono et al., 2012)
Fig. 4. Integration of geology, soil geochemistry (low level Mo anomalies) and geophysical magnetic data (small subtle discrete magnetic
anomalies) has been very powerful in the delineation of altered areas and locating drill hole targets at Tumpangpitu (modified from
Norris, 2011)
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INTRODUCTION
This paper reviews research carried out on orogenic
gold deposits by staff and students of the Institute of
Mineralogy and Economic Geology, RWTH Aachen
University (references [1]-[12]). Case studies include the
following mines and mining districts (in order of
decreasing mineralization ages): New Consort, Barberton
Greenstone Belt, South Africa; Cuiab, Rio das Velhas
Greenstone Belt, Brazil; Ajanahalli, Chitradurga
Greenstone Belt, India; Renco, Limpopo Belt, Zimbabwe;
Hutti/Hira, Hutti-Maski Greenstone Belt, India; Pilgrims
Rest, Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa; Lega Dembi,
Megado Belt, Ethiopia; Navachab, Damara Belt, Namibia;
Mindyak, Urals, Russia; Kochkar, Urals, Russia; Awak
Mas, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia.
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New
(HZ)
Consort
Cuiab
Ajjanahalli
Ajjanahalli
BIF
Renco
Enderbite
Hutti (HZ)
Pilgrims's Rest
Hutti (HZ)
Pilgrims's Rest
Siliciclastic sediments
Marble; calc-silicates; biotite
Navachab (HZ)
shist
Mindyak
Tectonic melange
Composite granitoids
Awak Mas
Flysch-type meta-sediments
shear
Navachab (HZ)
Mindyak
Kochkar
Synkinematic granitoids
Awak Mas
Synkinematic intrusions?
Deposit
New Consort
(HZ)
Cuiab
Ajjanahalli
Renco
Hutti (HZ)
Pilgrims's Rest
Lega-Dembi-Aflata
zone
Lega Dembi
Kochkar
Renco
Lega Dembi
Figure 2: Pressure-temperature conditions of mineralization
(modified from [12])
Timing relative to
Metamorphism
2
stages,
post-peak
metamorphism
syn- to late-peak metamorphism
post-peak metamorphism
post-peak metamorphism
2
stages,
post
metamorphism
intrusion-related
peak
Lega Dembi
Navachab (HZ)
syn-peak metamorphism
Mindyak
post-peak metamorphism
Kochkar
peak-metamorphism
Awak Mas
intrusion-related?
Host Structure
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Mindyak
Kochkar
Awak Mas
Alteration Assemblage
1st stage: garnet, diopside, hornblende, KNew
feldspar, quartz, calcite, biotite.
Consort
2nd stage: hornblende, plagioclase, K-spar,
(HZ)
biotite, titanite, quartz
chlorite,
carbonate,
sericite,
quartz,
Cuiab
zoisite/clinozoisite
Ajjanahal
chlorite, stilpnomelane, minnesotaite, sericite,
li
ankerite
Renco
garnet, biotite, K-feldspar, quartz
Hutti
1st stage: biotite, chlorite, plagioclase. 2nd
(HZ)
stage: chlorite, K-feldspar
Pilgrims's
ferroginous carbonates, quartz, chlorite,
Rest
sericite, rutile
Lega
actinolite, biotite chlorite, epidote, calcite,
Dembi
sericite
Navachab
1st stage: garnet, diopside, quartz, K-feldspar.
nd
(HZ)
2 stage: garnet, biotite
Mindyak
quartz, albite, sericite, chlorite, carbonates
mafic dykes: biotite, actinolite, albite, Kfeldspar, quartz, epidote,
Kochkar
tourmaline, sericite; granitoids: quartz,
sericite, calcite, epidote
Awak
quartz, albite, sericite, carbonate
Mas
Cuiab
Ajjanahalli
Renco
Hutti (HZ)
Pilgrims's
Rest
Lega
Dembi
Navachab
(HZ)
Fluid Source
Mixed magmatic-metamorphic
Metamorphic
Ajjanahalli
bismuth tellurides
pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite
pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, galena,
tetradymite, tellurobismuthite
pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena
Ore Mineralogy
pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, loellingite
pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite,
sphalerite
Pyrite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, arsenopyrite,
chalcopyrite, sphalerite
pryrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite
molybdenite, cubanite,
magnetite ilmenite rutile, native bismuth,
bismuth alloys
pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite
pyrite, arsenopyrite, fahlores, chalcopyrite,
bismuthinite, bismuth
pyrite,
pyrrhotite,
arsenopyrite,
chalcopyrite, galena, gersdorffite, sphalerite,
tellurides, niccolite, bournonite, silvertetrahedrite, molybdenite
pyrrhotite,
chalcopyrite,
sphalerite,
arsenopyrite, bismuth, bismuthinite,
Kochkar
Awak Mas
I. CONCLUSIONS
The above summary of salient properties of 11
orogenic deposits allows formulating a number of
statements: There are common attributes that occur
systematically in deposits from different terranes with
different
ages.
Orogenic
gold
deposits
are
characteristically associated with deformed and
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I. INTRODUCTION
The ultramafic rocks or peridotite are present in the
Earths interior as the Upper Mantle constituent beneath
the continental crust or the oceanic crust. The poor
knowledge about ultramafic rocks is leading us to
underestimated contribution the ultramafic rock to the
understanding local and regional geological setting, and
their potential to economical ore deposits. In Fact,
Indonesian region, especially Eastern Indonesia is one of
largest in the world of exposed ultramafic rock on the
land. This paper describes the distribution the ultramafic
rocks in Indonesia and their advances in understanding
various ore deposits in ultramafic rocks.
The upper mantle is a peridotitic metamorphic complex
dominated by olivine with increasingly lesser amounts of
orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and an aluminous phase
(plagioclase, spinel or garnet depending on pressure). The
stability fields of plagioclase, spinel and garnet peridotite
in the upper mantle are dependent on bulk composition.
There exist compositional distinctions between continental
and oceanic crust and so by analogy there is likely to be
compositional differences between the lithosphiric mantle
underlies the continent and that beneath to the oceans.
Orogenic Massifs
These consist of large, several to hundreds of square
kilometer bodies composed dominantly of perodotite with
layers and lenses of pyroxenites. The best localities of the
Alpine type peridotites are found in the Mediterranean
such as Ronda and Beni Bousora. In the Asia, the wellknown example is Haroman Massif in Japan. Dominant
rock types in orogenic massif are lherzolites, with less
than abundant harzburgite and pyroxenite.
Mantle Xenoliths
Xenoliths of upper mantle origin occur in a variety of
host volcanics, of which alkali basalts and ultrapotassic
magma (kimberlites and lamproites) dominate.
Ultrapotassic host erupts prefentially through stable
cratons, whereas alkali basalts generally found in the
younger, tectonically active regions of the continents (e.g
Western USA, Eastern Australia). In the stable cratons,
the ultramafic rocks were sampled by kimberlite-like rock
from the minimum depth of 40 km and later brought up to
the surface as mantle xenoliths. Dominant rock types in
mantle xenoliths are lherzolites, with less than abundant
harzburgite, pyroxenite and eclogite.
Oceanic Peridotites
The oceanic peridotite, uplifted in ophiolite sequences
associated with marginal basin onto continental margin,
island arc or subduction complex. In the other words, the
ophiolites are fragment of fossil oceanic lithosphere,
which are found in most mountain ranges of the Earth.
Ophiolite is present because the oceanic lithosphere
escapes from the normal fate (to return to the deep of
mantle, through subduction zone). The ophiolites which
consist of crustal and mantle rocks, and their overlying
sedimentary cover are commonly underlying tectonic
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REFERENCES
Kadarusman, A., Parkinson, C. D., 2000. Petrology and P-T
evolution of garnet peridotites from central Sulawesi,
Indonesia, Journal of Metamorphic Geology special issue
on Garnet Peridotites and Ultradeep Minerals (editor: J.G.
Liou, D.A. Carswell), v.18, 193-209.
Kadarusman, A., 2001, Geodynamic of Indonesian region; a
petrological Approaches, unpublished PhD Thesis, Tokyo
Institute of Technology, 456p.
Kadarusman, A., Miyashita, S., Maruyama, S. Ishikawa, A.,
Parkinson, C. D. 2004. Petrology, Geochemistry and
Paleogeographic Reconstruction of the East Sulawesi
Ophiolite, Indonesia. Special Issue on Continental Margins
of the Pacific Rim". Editors: Yildrem Dilek, Ron Harris,
Tectonophysic v. 392, 55-83.
McDonough, W.F., Rudnick, R.L., 1998, Mineralogy and
composition of the Upper Mantle, Ultrahigh-Pressure
Mineralogy: Physics and Chemistry of the Earths Deep
Interior, Mineralogical Society of America.
Monnier. C. , M. Polve, J. Girardeau, M. Pubellier, R.C.
Mauryd, H. Bellond, H. Permanaa, 1999, Extensional to
compressive Mesozoic magmatism at the SE Eurasia margin
as recorded from the Meratus ophiolite (SE Borneo,
Indonesia), Geodinnmica Acta (Paris), 12, I, 43-55.
Wakabayashi, J., Dilek, Y., 2001, Emplacement of Ophiolites, In
Ophiolite in Earth History, eds, Y. Dilek and P.T Robinson,
p. 425-431.
Yumul, G.P., Balce, G.R., 1994, Supra-subduction ophiolites as
favorable hosts for chromite, platinum and massive sulfide
deposits.
CONCLUSIONS
The ultramafic rocks or peridotite are present in the
Earths interior as the Upper Mantle constituent beneath
the continental crust or oceanic crust. Three principle
sources of ultramafic rocks exposed on the Earths surface
as (i) orogenic peridotite massifs, ii) oceanic peridotite;
and (iii) peridotitic xenoliths.
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Note 1:
All projects are from the Former Soviet Union,
apart from:
Chinchilla and Kingaroy Australian Projects
Huntly West New Zealand Project
Majuba - South African Project
Alberta Canadian Project (proposed)
Alaska US Project (proposed)
Note 2: 4000kcal/kg = 16.8 Mj/kg
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REGULATORY PROCESSES
UCG has been accepted by the Indonesian
Government as being regulated under Mining Law.
Relevant references are as follows:
Law No.4 of 2009 Mineral and Coal Mining
Defines coal mining efforts to include mining,
processing and purification of coal. Processing and
purification is defined as mining activities to improve
mineral and/or coal quality, as well as to exploit and
obtain any derivative materials
GR 77 of 2014 - Article 94 Sub-article (1):
Coal Value Added
Defines processing or value added by the holder of
Production Operation IUP and IUPK to include coal
gasification including underground coal gasification
Law No. 30 of 2007 on New and Renewable
Energy
Provides for a variety of concessions for New
Energy Sources which includes gasified coal.
With this position established, the procedures
required for approval of a commercial UCG project would
follow those established for conventional mining projects,
viz.
Provision of a Resource and Reserve statement
Submission of AMDAL
Submission of a Feasibility Study
The formats and requirements for the AMDAL and
Feasibility Study follow closely their conventional mining
counterparts, however the preparation of the resources and
reserves statements are not so straightforward due to the
nature of the technology involved.
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CONCLUSIONS
The conversion of coal into a useable gas using the
UCG process has a long history in many countries,
although there exists very limited experience in the
development of commercial projects. While introduction
of the technology into Indonesia can substantially increase
the domestic energy resource base, there is much work to
be undertaken before this objective can be achieved.
The immediate emphasis must be on the
establishment of all necessary regulatory procedures,
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INTRODUCTION
Candrian is located 2.2 km east of the Tumpangpitu
high sulfidation Au-Ag-Cu and porphyry Cu-Au-Mo
deposit, part of the Tujuh Bukit project, SE Java,
Indonesia (Fig. 1). A 50 x 50 m infill geochemical soil
sampling survey was conducted by Intrepid Mines
geologists at Candrian from December 2010 through
2011, after a prior regional 200 m x 50 m geochemical
survey in 2009 identified Cu-Au-Mo anomalies to the east
of Tumpangpitu. Magnetic anomalism in RTP geophysical
datasets identified subtle magnetic highs trending
northwest along a structural corridor, possibly reflecting
shallow level hydrothermal magnetite alteration around
porphyry apophyses. The geochemical assays from the 50
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AIMS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
RESULTS
SWIR spectra from the advanced argillic alteration
zone at Candrian
The surface expression of advanced argillic
hydrothermal alteration at Candrian has been defined over
an area of 2.5 km (northwest-southeast) by 1 km
(northeast-southwest) using SWIR spectral analysis of
alteration minerals in soil samples (Fig. 1). Advanced
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Candrian indicates fluid temperatures in the range of 280 360 C; dickite - bearing samples most likely formed at
lower temperatures (120 - 280 C; Hedenquist et al.,
2000). At Candrian, a clear spatial distribution between
dickite and pyrophyllite has been determined by SWIR
alteration mapping. Dickite occurs in-situ at shallow
levels occupying topographic highs, whereas pyrophyllite
is more abundant down-slope.
This spatial distribution of shallow level, dickitedominant alteration and deeper level pyrophyllitedominant alteration is a characteristic feature at
Tumpangpitu. Pyrophyllite is absent from surface soil and
drillhole data in high-sulfidation state oxide ore Zones A
and C (Harrison, 2011). This suggests that Candrian may
have been subjected to deeper erosion levels than
Tumpangpitu, and therefore may have weaker potential
for the preservation of significant volumes of highsulfidation mineralization.
The advanced argillic
alteration at Candrian is spatially associated with
northwest-trending ledges associated with resistive quartz
- rich bodies in the Candrian lithocap. The advanced
argillic alteration remains open to the west of the Candrian
prospect and may be continuous towards Tumpangpitu. It
may be that the Candrian lithocap amalgamates with the
Tumpangpitu lithocap, which is preserved at higher
elevations. The lithocap at Candrian resembles that of
Tumpangpitu in terms of size, alteration types, zonation
patterns and orientation (Fig. 1) suggesting that it may be
associated with a significant, large mineralized porphyry
deposit similar to Tumpangpitu. Further deep drilling is
required to test this concept.
DISCUSSION
SWIR spectral analysis - mapping the advanced
argillic alteration zone
Significant occurrences of high temperature, acidstable alteration minerals typical of advanced argillic
alteration have been identified. These minerals were
detected in spectra beneath the overwhelming abundance
of weathering-related minerals (characteristic of soil
samples) including poorly crystalline kaolinite and
smectites (mainly montmorillonite).
The high
temperature, acid-stable minerals include alunite,
pyrophyllite, dickite, hypogene, well crystalline kaolinite,
minor diaspore and topaz. Coherent advanced argillic
hydrothermal alteration zones have been defined on
surface maps in Figure from alteration minerals that have
significant abundances (i.e. more than 5%) in the SWIR
soil dataset. They include pyrophyllite, dickite, alunite,
hypogene kaolinite, white mica, diaspore and nontronite dominant zones.
Pyrophyllite alteration occurs within the core of what
are inferred to be roots of the advanced argillic altered
lithocap at Candrian. The persistence of the pyrophyllite
AlOH absorption features, even in samples that contain
only a few percent pyrophyllite, have allowed the
distribution of this alteration type to be mapped
effectively. Abundant pyrophyllite in samples from
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CONCLUSIONS
Exploration success at Candrian using SWIR data
SWIR spectroscopy on soil samples at Candrian has
proven highly effective at delineating the surface
alteration footprint of the hydrothermal alteration system,
particularly the acid/high temperature - stable
hydrothermal clays of the advanced argillic alteration
assemblage. By using the extendable motorized auger
technique, perfected at the Tujuh Bukit project, soil can be
sampled from greater depths (up to 2 m) adjacent to
altered bedrock. This study has shown that this is a very
effective and low cost technique to create alteration maps
over large forested areas with limited outcrop.
This study has also shown a positive correlation of
early potassic alteration with nontronite after chlorite,
which when correlated with magnetic highs and soil
geochemistry, can be used to vector towards porphyry
mineralization. The identification of nontronite from
Candrian soil data after secondary biotite and shreddy
chlorite and white micas (paragonite, muscovite and
illites) using SWIR spectral analysis are key aspects of
delineating porphyry targets using SWIR data. The
presence of Cu - Au ore - bearing potassic alteration zones
in many cases are masked and obliterated by later weakly
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during
hydrothermal
activity,
combined
with
identification of the zones of paleofluid flow through
alteration mineralogy can greatly assist with the
generation of drill targets towards ore. The directional
indicators and mineralization signatures found in this
study have the potential to indicate the likely direction to
the intrusive center during exploration of similar porphyry
- epithermal districts.
REFERENCES
Chang, Z., Hedenquist, J.W., White, N.C., Cooke, D.R., Roach,
M., Deyell, C.L., Garcia, J., Gemmell, B.J., McKnight, S.,
and Cuison, L., 2011, Exploration tools for linked porphyry
and epithermal deposits: example from the Mankayan
intrusion-centered Cu-Au district, Luzon, Philippines:
Economic Geology, v. 106, p. 1365-1398.
Cooke, D.R., and Simmons, S.F., 2000, Characteristics and
genesis of epithermal gold deposits: Reviews
in
Economic Geology, v. 13, p. 221-244.
Harraden, C.L., Mcnulty, B.A., Gregory, M.J., and Lang, J.R.,
2013, Shortwave infrared spectral analysis of hydrothermal
alteration associated with the Pebble porphyry copper-goldmolybdenum deposit, Iliamna, Alaska: Economic Geology,
v. 108, p. 483-494.
Harrison, R.L., 2011, The practical application of spectral
analysis in geological modeling andregional exploration at
the Tujuh Bukit project, East Java, Indonesia: Conference
presentation IAGI Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia, 32 p.
Harrison, R.L., and Maryono, A., 2012, Tumpangpitu porphyryhigh sulfidation epithermal deposit,
Tujuh
Bukit
Project, Indonesia - geology, alteration and mineralization:
Red Metals Symposium Presentation, CODES, University
of Tasmania, 51 p.
Harrison, R.L., 2014, The application of short wave infrared
(SWIR) spectral data in exploration for the Candrian
porphyry Cu-Au-Mo and high-sulfidation epithermal
prospect, Tujuh Bukit district, southeast Java, Indonesia:
Masters of Economic Geologic thesis, CODES, University
of Tasmania,126 p.
Hedenquist, J.W., Arribas, A.R, and Gonzalez-Urien, E., 2000,
Exploration for epithermal gold deposits: Reviews in
Economic Geology, v.13, p. 245-277.
Hehnke, C., Ballantyne, G., Martin, H., Hart, W., Schwarz, A.,
and Stein, H., 2012, Geology and exploration progress at the
Resolution porphyry Cu-Mo deposit, Arizona: Economic
Geology Special Publication, v. 16, p. 147-166.
Herrmann, W., Blake, M., Doyle, M., Huston, D., Kamprad, J.,
Merry, N., and Pontual, S., 2001, Short wavelength infrared
(SWIR) spectral analysis of hydrothermal alteration zones
associated with base metal sulfide deposits at Rosebery and
Western Tharsis, Tasmania, and Highway-Reward,
Queensland: Economic Geology, v. 96, p. 939-955.
Hoschke, T., 2012, Geophysical signatures of SW Pacific
porphyry deposits: Presentation, Red Metals Symposium,
CODES, University of Tasmania, 8 p.
Intrepid Mines Ltd., 2011, Tujuh Bukit Technical Report, 169 p.
http://intrepidmines.com.au/wpURL
content/uploads/2012/06/
NI43-101-Technical-ReportTujuh-Bukit-Mineral-Resource-PDF.pdf
Intrepid Mines Ltd., 2012, Tujuh Bukit Technical Report, 152 p.
(URL:
http://intrepidmines.com.au/reports-andpresentations/tujuh-bukit-technical-report-november-2012/)
Maryono, A., Setijadji, L.D., Arif, J., Harrison, R.L., and
Soeriaatmadja, E., 2012, Gold, silver and copper
metallogeny of the Eastern Sunda Magmatic Arc Indonesia:
Conference paper MGEI BESA (Indonesian Society of
Economic Geologists, Eastern Sunda Banda Arc) resources
seminar Malang, E. Java, Indonesia, 18 p.
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2010b, Exploration and discovery of base- and preciousmetal deposits in the circum-Pacific region
a 2010 perspective: Resource Geology Special Issue No. 22,
139 p.
Simmons, S.F., White, N.C., and John, D., 2005, Geological
characteristics of epithermal and base metal deposits:
Economic Geology 100th Anniversary Volume, p. 485-522.
Thompson, A.J.B., Hauff, P.L., and Robitaille, A.J., 1999,
Alteration mapping in exploration: Application of shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopy: Society of Economic
Geologists Newsletter 39, p. 1, 16-27.
White, N.C., 1991, High sulfidation epithermal gold deposits:
Characteristics and a model for their origin: Geological
Survey of Japan Report 277, p. 9-20.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This paper reports selected results from a Masters of
Economic geology thesis completed in 2014 at CODES,
University of Tasmania. Completion of this paper has
been possible with the support, assistance and
encouragement from many individuals and parties. It is
also a milestone in pursuing a passion in gold-copper
deposit exploration and discovery. Therefore, I would
like to express my gratitude to the Tumpangpitu discovery
team members; Adi Maryono, Malcolm Norris, Bruce
Rohrlach, Damien Lulofs, Chris Moore and David Gray
whose strong focus on technical knowledge ultimately led
to the discovery of the Tumpangpitu porphyry deposit in
2008. Special thanks go to my Supervisor Dave Cooke
and all local geologists who contributed to this study
including Mbak Elfina, Pak Rizfan and Paulo Renata.
Additional thanks to logistical support by Mbak Nunung,
Pak Sigit, Mbak Susie and Pak Maruf. Finally thanks to
Intrepid Mines Ltd for initial funding this study.
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INTRODUCTION
The Monywa copper district is located in the CentralWest of Myanmar, and 115km WWN of Mandalay city.
Over 2 billion tonnes of ore contain 7Mt Cu which are
hosted in this district. There are four high-sulfidation
epithermal deposits in Monywa copper district:
theSabetaung, Sabetaung-South, Kyisintaung deposit, and
Letpadaung 7km to the southeast (Mitchell et al., 2010).
Very limited SWIR analyses have been conducted on less
than 20 drill cores for all of the 4 deposits before (Pontual,
2001; Lazo, et. al., 2006). The results indicated alunite,
pyrophyllite, illite and kaolinite are the predominant
alteration minerals. It also revealed that most pyrophyllite
and illite, unless with moderate to abundant concentration,
were very difficult to identify with petrography studies
(Simpson, et. al., 1996). In this study, we mainly discuss
about the systematically SWIR results on the drill cores of
the ongoing Kyisintaung development project, to examine
the relationships between the alteration and mineralization
types.
METHODS
Half-cut drill core samples were collected from the
ongoing drilling project in the Kyisintaung deposit, with
2-20m intervals based on the variations of alteration
minerals in the drill core logging. Blast hole sludge and pit
rock chips were also sampled to make the cross-validation
during mining.
Shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopy is a
fundamental method to identify the phyllosilicates and
some sulfates. It can help to identify the alteration types in
the porphyry-epithermal systems (Thompson, et al.,
1999). The absorption features observed in SWIR are the
results of the combinations and overtones/harmonics
signals of all the fundamental lattice vibrations in the
mineral molecule which typically occur at longer
wavelengths (Clark et al., 1990; Hunt and Salisbury, 1970;
Hunt et al., 1971).
These samples have been scanned by Portable
Infrared Mineral Scanner (PNIRSTM) with scanning
wavelength ranging from 1300 to 2500nm. The
PNIRSTM instrument was made by Nanjing Institute of
Geology and Mineral Resources and Nanjing Zhongdi
Apparatus Co. Ltd. in China. The spectral result was
interpreted by using Mineral Spectral Analyses system
(MSA) version 3.6 software which was developed by the
same institute. All the data interpretation has been done
manually after the software to prevent any misreading.
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Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits (CODES), University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001
Transforming the Mining Value Chain, an ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub, University of Tasmania,
Private Bag 79. Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
3
Ore Deposit and Exploration Centre (ODEC), School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of
Technology, Hefei 230009, Anhui, China
4
Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Guangzhou, China 510640
5
Barrick Gold Corporation, Santiago, Chile 222
2
ABSTRACT
The Pascua-Lama-Veladero district is located in the Central Andean Cordillera Frontal of Argentina and Chile, at the
northern end of the El Indio-Pascua Au-Ag-Cu belt, from 3950 to 4450 m above sea level. The results from this study
explains how combining SWIR (short wavelength infrared) and vis-NIR (visible near infrared) data, along with whole rock
geochemical data, alunite, pyrite and quartz trace element chemistry and an understanding of breccia and quartz
paragenesis can be used as effective tools to define HS (High Sulfidation) mineralization targets and indicate the potential
source intrusive centre in a lithocap environment.
and 674.8 Moz Ag (Barrick Gold Corporation, 2013).
Host rocks of Pascua-Lama HS ore are structure
controlled intensely altered Mesozoic granitic rocks and
small stocks of dacite porphyry and granodiorite. The
Veladero deposit hosts 13.8 Moz Au and 226.2 Moz Ag
(Barrick Gold Corporation, 2008). Host rocks of Veladero
HS ore are intensely altered tuffs and polymict breccias of
the Cerro de las Trtolas Formation (16.0 0.2 to 14.9
0.7 Ma) and the Vacas Heladas Formation (12.7 0.9 to
11.0 0.2 Ma; Holley et al, 2012). Two adjacent ore
bodies at Veladero, Filo Federico and Amable, strike
NNW over a combined length of approximately 3 km
(Charchafli et al., 2007).
INTRODUCTION
Porphyry deposits that are not deeply eroded may be
associated with thick and laterally extensive subhorizontal
zones of silicic and advanced argillic alteration named as
lithocaps (Sillitoe, 1995). High sulfidation (HS)
epithermal Au-Ag (Cu) deposits may be hosted in
lithocaps in zones of residual quartz (vuggy quartz,
massive quartz), particularly in their fracture-controlled
roots. The large areal extents of lithocaps, coupled with
the fact that not all lithocaps host HS mineralization,
makes it difficult to predict and define the location of HS
mineralization and to determine whether porphyry-style
mineralization occurs in the underlying intrusive complex.
To enhance and assess the geochemical exploration
tools in lithocap environments, were built by the AMIRA
projects P765, P765A and P1060, Barrick Gold
Corporation provided Pascua-Lama-Veladero district as a
case study site to AMIRA project P1060. The results from
Pascua-Lama-Veladero study site explains how combining
SWIR (short wavelength infrared) and vis-NIR (visible
near infrared) data, along with whole rock geochemical
data, alunite, pyrite and quartz trace element chemistry
and an understanding of breccia and quartz paragenesis
can be used as effective tools to define HS mineralization
targets and indicate the potential source intrusive centre in
a lithocap environment.
DISTRICT GEOLOGY
The Pascua-Lama-Veladero HS Au-Ag district is
located in the Central Andean Cordillera Frontal of
Argentina and Chile, at the northern end of the El IndioPascua Au-Ag-Cu belt, from 3950 to 4450 m above sea
level (Fig. 1). The Pascua-Lama deposit hosts 17 Moz Au
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CONCLUSIONS
SWIR (short wavelength infrared) data, along with
whole rock multi-elements data and alunite trace element
indicate a hidden intrusive centre located in Penelope at
Pascua-Lama. Quartz can provide vectors to porphyry
centres beneath lithocaps, some elements and ratios
indicate proximity to HS mineralization.
REFERENCES
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Holley, E., Monecke, T., and Bissig, T., 2012, Alunite and
jarosite geochemistry and ages at the Veladero highsulfidation epithermal Au-Ag deposit, Argentina. 2012 SEG
Conference Poster.
Williams, D. K., and Kerkvoort, G. V., 2001. Geology of the
Pascua-Lama project, Chile and Argentina.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to Lucio Molina, Federico Wendler and all
who helped us with site access and logistical support from
Barrick Gold Corporation. We also thank all AMIRA
P1060 sponsors and other team members of those projects.
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ARC Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits (CODES), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 79, Hobart, Tasmania,
Australia 7001
2
TMVC (Transforming the Mining Value Chain), Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Research Hub,
University of Tasmania, Private Bag 79, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
3
Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Austral de Chile, EdificioPugn, Av. Eduardo Morales Miranda,
Valdivia, Chile
ABSTRACT
The Jurassic to early Cretaceous Yanshanian period (180 - 90 Ma) was characterized by major magmatic and
mineralization events in southern China. Subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the Eurasian plate produced large volumes
of volcanic and intrusive rocks. The Zijinshan ore field in southwest Fujian province, southeast China formed at that time,
and is currently one of the largest Cu and Au producers in southern China. The Zijinshan high-sulfidation deposit is located
in the middle of the Zijinshan ore field, and contains 305 t Au and 1.9 Mt Cu. The deposit is hosted in the Zijinshan lithocap,
which developed primarily within the Zijinshan granite complex (157-165 Ma; Jiang et al., 2013). High sulfidation Cu-Au
mineralization is Cretaceous (103 4 Ma; Jiang et al., 2017) and associated with dacite porphyry dykes (105 Ma 2.2 Ma;
Hu et al., 2013).
Keywords: Fujian, Zijinshan, High sulfidation, porphyry
evolution of the Zijinshan deposit have been calculated
using the Multiple Inverse Method (Yamaji, 2000).
INTRODUCTION
The Jurassic to early Cretaceous Yanshanian period
(180 - 90 Ma) was characterized by major magmatic and
mineralization events in southern China. Subduction of
the Pacific plate beneath the Eurasian plate produced large
volumes of volcanic and intrusive rocks. The Zijinshan
ore field in southwest Fujian province, southeast China
formed at that time, and is currently one of the largest Cu
and Au producers in southern China. The Zijinshan highsulfidation deposit is located in the middle of the
Zijinshan ore field, and contains 305 t Au and 1.9 Mt Cu.
The deposit is hosted in the Zijinshan lithocap, which
developed primarily within the Zijinshan granite complex
(157-165 Ma; Jiang et al., 2013). High sulfidation Cu-Au
mineralization is Cretaceous (103 4 Ma; Jiang et al.,
2017) and associated with dacite porphyry dykes (105 Ma
2.2 Ma; Hu et al., 2013).
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
The syn-mineralization faults that controlled the
emplacement of dacite porphyry and hydrothermal
breccias are mostly northwest-trending normal faults that
dip moderately to the northeast. Sinistral strike-slip faults
that dip steeply to the southwest were also active during
mineralization, although to a much lesser extent than the
normal faults. The normal and sinistral strike-slip faults
typically have dickite and alunite fault fibres, which
preserve evidence of normal and strike-slip senses of
displacement. Sinistral strike-slip movement post-dated
normal fault movements, based on the horizontal mineral
fibres overprinting the oblique fibres on individual fault
surfaces. The kinematic and dynamic analysis shows a
NNE direction of extension (3) and very high angle
plunges of 1.
Post-mineralization northeast-trending dextral strike
slip faults dip steeply to the northwest. They truncated and
disrupted mineralized veins and breccias. Strike-slip
senses of displacement have been recorded by hematite,
jarosite and minor goethite mineral fibres. This fault
activity relates to WNW-oriented 1 and NE- oriented 3.
DEPOSIT GEOLOGY
Systematic Anaconda-style mapping of the Zijinshan
open pit has been conducted by this study in order to
obtain detailed information about lithotypes, structures,
breccias, veins and alteration mineral assemblages. The
dacite porphyry intruded the Zijinshan granite as dykes,
mostly in the southern part of the deposit. Dykes are either
north-west or east-trending, and steeply dipping.
Mineralized faults controlled the emplacement of dacite
porphyry and tectonic-hydrothermal breccias.
CONCLUSIONS
North-west trending normal faults controlled the
emplacement of the dacite dykes, tectonic-hydrothermal
breccias and mineralized veins at Zijinshan during the
Yanshanian period. The regional-scale fault ShanghangYunxiao fault is NW-trending, located in the south-west
part of the Zijinshan district and was active as a major
normal fault during the late Yanshanian period (Tao and
METHODOLOGY
The dominant fault plane orientation statistics were
analysed by the StereonetTMsoftware (Allmendinger et al.,
2012). The kinematics of fault-slip data was analysed for
variety of lithotypes by the FaultKinTM software
(Allmendinger, 2002). Dynamic analysis of the structural
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REFERENCES
Li, Z.-X., and Li. X.-H., 2007, Geology, v. 35, p. 179-182.
Mao, J., Cheng, Y., Chen, M., and Pirajno, F., 2013, Mineralium
Deposita, v. 48, p. 267-294.
Piquer, J., Cooke, D.R., and Chen, J., 2016, Syn-extensional
emplacement of porphyry Cu-Mo and epithermal
mineralisation: the Zijinshan district, SE China: Economic
Geology, submitted.
Pirajno, F. and Bagas, L., 2002, Ore Geology Reviews, v. 20, p.
109-126.
Qi, J.-P, Chen, Y. -J., and Pirajno, F., 2005, Tectonic setting of
epithermal deposits in mainland China. Mineral deposit
research: Meeting the global challenge, v. 1, p. 577-580.
Tao J. -H. and Xu, C. -L., 1992, Geology of Fujian, v. 11, p.
186-203.
Yamaji, A., 2000, Journal of Structural Geology, v. 22, p. 441452.
Zhou, X., Sun, T., Shen, W., Shu, L., and Niu, Y., 2006,
Episodes, v. 29, p. 26-33.
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The name drone, for the wider public, generally refers to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in military applications.
Commercial drones are however light (1-5 kilograms) and small-sized (0.3-1 metres) remote controlled aerial vehicles
made of plastic or carbon fiber and capable of carrying 0.5-10 kilograms payload. They are generally electric motor-driven
and have four- (quadcopter), six- (hexacopter) or eight- (octocopter) propellers or they have the body of a miniature
airplane (fix-winged design). Drones are getting a lot of attention in mainstream media in the past few years and have
numerous commercial applications; most commonly aerial filming and photography, industrial quality control, search-andrescue, security, safety, anti-poaching and trial postal delivery systems.
Commercial drones are also a new toolbox of innovative methods for transforming mining companies as a response of huge
market change in recent years. Typical applications of drones in the mining industry include; aerial surveying, stockpile
management and surveillance of mining installations, leach pads etc.
The application of drone photogrammetry for aerial surveying is also a rapidly developing field in science, natural resource
management and mining. This method was first described by Eisenbeiss 2009 for photogrammetry computer processing of
images acquired by a digital camera attached to a small commercial drone. Since then numerous researchers have used
drone-based photogrammetry for geological mapping of outcrops (Vollgger & Cruden 2016, 2014, Bemis, et. al, 2014,
Vasuki et al., 2014).
However reports on using drones for pit mapping and geological modeling in open-cut mines are still rare, probably
because it is still an ongoing in-house development program for most mining companies.
In this paper we summarize our results using a miniature low cost consumer drone; a quadcopter in open pit mining
environments to create high-resolution pit and bench maps and 3D photo-realistic geological models. The models are
integrated into state-of-the-art 3D geological modeling software platforms. We demonstrate how first order geological
features, on the deposit-scale, can be mapped and digitized into geological models from drone mapping. Such drone models
can supplement typical geological tasks in open pit mining environment such as pit surveying, geotechnical surveying,
geological and structural mapping, bench mapping and various other tasks.
INTRODUCTION
ACQUISTION.
METHODS
The methodology includes three major parts; 1.)
Acquiring images while flying the drone, 2.) Processing of
images and building 3D models with dedicated software
3.) Importing 3D surfaces and imagery into 3D geological
software and digitized geological elements.
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Fig.1 Typical flight pattern and camera setting for the drone
aerial survey. With single camera flight path is flown two times,
with double camera it is flown only one time
PROCESSING.
Processing of images and building the 3D surface
model is taken place by using Photogrammetry software.
There are a number of cloud-based and desktop-based
software available on the market with a price tag from
US$3,000-15,000. We are using the Agisoft PhotoScan
(Agisoft, 2015). Typical number of images of a survey
varies between 100 and 600. In our case the Garmin
camera will have nearly two times more images than the
DJI. The benefit of the Garmin images being geo-tagged
with the correct Z value is that it will correct the Z value
of the DJI images when the pictures are aligned. The
resulting model will have a forward- 45 degree and
downward 90 degree looking image pair for nearly each
point (Fig. 1, 2). The software will process these images
into various outputs, most typically into a Digital
Elevation Model (DEM) surface and an orthophoto. The
outputs are in Latitude/Longitude format so before using
the more common UTM based geology models they must
be transformed using Global Mapper or any similar
packages. The outputs are; a UTM-rectified 3D point
cloud format (Fig. 3), surface (Fig. 4), mesh and/or an
image with typical resolution 0.01m/pixel to 1m/pixel
(Fig. 3). The quality/details of image and surface are the
function of processing time that can take 1 hour to 8 hours
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and usually require powerful desktop computers with nonintegrated graphic cards. The most significant
achievement of this processing is a 3D image i.e. a 3D
point cloud with RGB values attached each point. The
denser the cloud the better the spatial resolution. The
importance of this 3D color image resides in the
subsequent 3D modeling (Fig. 3).
GEOLOGICAL MODELLING.
In our experimental setup we use Leapfrog 3D
geological modeling software to visualize the resulting 3D
surface model and the 3D image. Leapfrog can import the
surface as various mesh or point formats those can be final
or processed in Leapfrog to build the final surface. Then
the image is imported and draped onto the surface, to
create a photo-realistic 3D model (Fig. 5).
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intrusiv
DRONES IN EXPLORATION.
It appears that the most obvious application of drone
photogrammetry-based geology modeling is in the mining
environment to brownfield exploration near the mines.
However we emphasize that drone photogrammetry
surveys are equally useful for regional and greenfield
exploration. Regional exploration requires a lot of
planning based on satellite surveillance, so far mostly
using Google Earth. However a quick drone survey over
the area of interest can be generated in less than an hour.
Using those models, access to points of interest, usually
large outcrops or rocky-river banks, can be find quickly
saving time and money. Also in areas, covered by less
vegetation, numerous sub-crops and outcrops can be
mapped instantaneously. The aerial image and derived
topographic contour map to be used as a base map for
geology mapping. Even the topo survey would be better
resolution than the currently public worldwide 30m
SRTM. In Indonesia illegal mining activity is a growing
challenge on many exploration projects. However, the
location of mine shafts can be easily mapped and activities
of illegal miners monitored, any time, using these highly
agile, light weight and portable drone quadcopters like the
Phantom 3.
FUTURE PROSPECTIVE
We believe that application of drones in geological
modeling is a great opportunity in mining and exploration,
and it will gain further attention in the industry soon.
Although professional services for aerial mapping at least,
already exist we prefer developing of our in-house
technical knowledge base. In this way surveying is more
economic and can be made many times in one year.
Commercial drone technology advances so quickly,
that mostly influences the payload and fight time of the
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drone platforms. This will open the way, very soon, for
quadcopter-based geophysical drones that will be able to
carry gamma spectrometers and magnetometers in
example. Such systems already exist but still in an
experimental stage. Another quickly emerging opportunity
is the quadcopter-based LIDAR which will likely surpass
the recently so popular photogrammetry method, but
currently still highly-priced.
.
REFERENCES
Agisoft LLC, 2015. Agisoft Photoscan Professional. URL:
www.agisoft.com.
Eisenbeiss, H., 2009. UAV Photogrammetry. PhD thesis. ETH.
Zurich.
Sean P. Bemis S.P., Micklethwaite, S., Turner D., James M.J., ,
Akciz S., , Thiele S.T. , Bangash H.A., 2014. Ground-based
and UAV-Based photogrammetry: A multi-scale, highresolution mapping tool for structural geology and
paleoseismology. Journal of Structural Geology, Vol. 69,
Dec 2014, p. 163-178.
Vasuki, Y., Holden EJ., Kovesi P., Micklethwaite, S. 2014.
Semi-automatic mapping of geological structures using
UAV-based photogrammetric data: An image analysis
approach. Computers and Geosciences 69, p. 22-32.
Vollgger, S. and Cruden, A.R., 2014. The future of structural
fieldwork - UAV assisted photogrammetry. 2015.
Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 17, EGU2015-373,
2015 EGU General Assembly 2015.
Vollgger, S. and Cruden A.R. 2016. Mapping folds and fractures
in basement and cover rocks using UAV photogrammetry,
Cape Liptrap and Cape Paterson, Victoria, Australia,
Journal of Structural Geology, Vol. 85, April 2016, p. 168187.
3750
11258.
33
CONCLUSION
In our experimental setup we have managed to create
meaningful drone-based photogrammetry 3D models of
open pit mines and exploration areas by using inexpensive
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INTRODUCTION
The primary source of information is from drill holes,
the accuracy of the interpretation is primarily dependent
on the number and accuracy of drill holes and their spatial
distribution. In the Ertsberg Mining district, deposits are
located at depths between 2500m and 4200m. Delineation
drilling of these deposits is done to achieve the confidence
level in the resource and reserve estimates that is required
for a mine feasibility study and carried out effectively
both by surface and UG drillings. To improve the quality
of drill hole, location from UG is chosen to reduce the
length of drill hole and drill cost. An advance delineation
program is required involving more detailed drilling,
deposit mapping and bulk sampling.
The mine design is created based on the deposit
model and errors in the model can have significant effect
on mine operating and capital costs. Establishing an
accurate deposit model is key to the accuracy of project
evaluation and has to be started since exploration stages
by applying a high quality of down hole surveys. The
application of advance technology in downhole survey is
always updated since the application of maxibor in 1993
to gyro in 2014 and quality control of the data by project
geology in 2012. Quality control of geology data
preparation as data validation of pre geology modeling
increases the confidence level in geology modeling stage.
GEOLOGY MODEL
Geology model process involves three stages: data
collection and data validation, geological interpretation
and geology modeling. Each stage requires a distinct set
of control procedures and quality of results at successive
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GEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION
In general geology of the Ertsberg district was
formed by homoclinal north limb of the Mapenduma
Anticline dipping to the north on the south side of the
Ertsberg diorite, changing to tight fold at the centre of
Grasberg Intrusive rock, followed by reverse fault and
strike slip fault, and then intruded by 2 major and smaller
intrusions which varied in ages from 4.4 Ma to 2.5 Ma.
Geology Structure
Regional faults in COWA are used to build fault
block domains. Not all regional faults in COW A model
have fault relationships due to structural geology
complexity. A current geologic interpretation based on
current geology understanding and concept are visualized
in COW A Geology Model. A challenge of current
geology model to be applied for geotechnical application
need further review in geology mechanical process. A
collaboration work with structural geology consultant was
set up to review fault framework, horizon interpretation
and intrusion mechanism.
Regional structures which have NW-SE and NE-SW
orientations in the Ertsberg District which cut across
Miocene age of New Guinea Limestone Group are
products of reactivation of Neoproterozoic basement
faults ( MVE report - 2014) which have similar trend with
seismic data in Money Soul Basin in Arafura sea. The
Mapenduma Fault (Foreland Frontal Fault or Foreland
Thrust Zone) is a deep detachment fault which cut
basement through the Cenozoic rocks. This fault is
required to explain the thick skin tectonics where the
folding from mile 50 area to Darewo Fault Zone on the
north part was driven by this basement fault reverse
movement due to subduction along the Darewo Fault
Zone. The thrusting mechanism of this basement fault is
followed by reactivation of Neoproterozoic basement
faults (NE-SW and NW-SE structures). Possibly
reactivated during extensional collapse after delamination
of the Australian Plate. These basement Neoproterozoic
faults are reactivated as left lateral strike-slip faults during
the Central Range Orogeny (CRO).
Intrusion
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Geology Modelling
COW A Geology model was built in Vulcan in
July 2002 with dimension 13,500m x 13,500m x 5,100m,
rotated 128 for X axis, block size for parent is 300m x
300m x 300m and subblocking is 15m x 15m x 15m. The
current COW A interpretation is highly uncertain below
1500m level due to no drill data. A total of 64 fault block
domains created based on 25 regional faults and 1 fault
block domain of GIC-Limestone boundary. Each fault
block domain is separated by surface triangulation of
regional faults and produce each one as a solid
triangulation and tight each other. A total of 44 variables
including text values are generated in this geology model
(Figure 6).
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Slice Variables
Slice variables are provided to show combination of
some variables appearance when a block model is sliced
vertically or horizontally. This sliced variables are named
as FORM and there are 6 FORMS in current COW A
geology model (table 1).
Table 1: slice variables in COW A Geology Model
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CONCLUSION
Establishing an accurate deposit model is key to the
accuracy of project evaluation and has to be started since
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Fuzzy Logic and Weight of Evidence Approach for Mineral Discovery Tool
Harman Setyadi1, Budi Santoso, STJ2
1
Doctorate Student, Mine Engineering Study Program Faculty of Mine and Petroleum Engineering, Institute
Technology Bandung, Jl. Ganesa 10, Bandung 40132 INDONESIA. e-mail: Harman.Setyadi@yahoo.co.id;
Harman_Setyadi@jresources.com
2
J. Resources Nusantara, Equity Tower, 48th floor, SCBD. Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav 52-53 Jakarta 12190.
ABSTRACT
Mineral Exploration is a high risk and uncertain business. To reduce the risk, exploration should be done carefully and
thoughtfully step by step. Decision should be thoroughly assessed properly, not proper decision due to lack of proper data
analysis will lost the opportunity to discover a new economic ore deposit. Fuzzy logic and weight of evidence (WofE) was
implemented widely on the industry such as for a controller and predictive tool to improve the decision making. This method
also was used widely for mineral exploration prospecting tool, however it is practicaly not simple due to the data
processing complexity and software specific requirement.
This study was proposed to implement simplified fuzzy logic and WofE for alteration mapping and mineral prosperity
modelling, using the geophysical data. Fuzzy logic is the method to simplify the exploration data classification included the
anomaly level determination. WofE is the probabilistic method using the Bayesian roles, which is widely used for the
predictive modelling. The combination of the Fuzzy logic and WofE is take the light table geologist prospecting method
in the past. By implement this method mineral discovery should be more effective by reducing the subjectivity assessment
and able to cover all area quickly.
Key words: geophysical; fuzzy logic; weight of evidence (WofE); Mineral Discovery
other information such as geophysics and geochemistry
data are available.
Another issues in the exploration decision making is
the data readiness. Most of the (previous) exploration data
are not well stored in a standard and proper format and
centralized location. When exploration team does the drill
target delineation and/or run a drilling program,
sometimes they make decision by using partly ready data
only. The presence of an adequately stored and proper
existing data sets are critical for the identification of
prospective ground (Scott and Dimitrakopoulos, 2001).
Accordingly, the data management with assured quality is
very important and is one of keys of success in
exploration (Setyadi, 2012).
Discovery of new mineral resources is not an easy
task and yet the probability is quite low. The challenge of
current and future mineral exploration is to discover new
economic mineral deposits which are not well exposed
(deep) and only have weak anomaly signatures (Setyadi,
2013a, 2013b). Beside high cost, it requires more data
with better technique to process and interpret combined
with better understanding in geology conceptual model.
Exploration geophysics and geochemistry have been
considered to be very powerful and proven mineral
exploration tools, they usually generate large data set.
Proper quantitative data analysis and evaluation effort are
required to generate viable exploration targets in both
regional and prospect level in exploration stage. The
power of utilization large dataset and implementation of
some techniques in regional scale exploration work have
been done by several parties/companies and They have
proven to be very successful in delineating exploration
target, but for smaller scale such as prospect scale is
INTRODUCTION
Mineral ore body is a dynamic entity which is prone
to fluctuation of the metal price. The current situation with
the declining metal (gold in particular) price has severely
affected the (metal) gold exploration and mining business
sector. Computer with special designated software should
be helpful to recalculate/re-simulate the economic
parameters/calculation (Sinclair, and Blackwell, 2004).
Computer; with special software and specific yet creative
geological approach will also help to make better decision
in the exploration activity, such as delineating, ranking
drill target and optimizing drilling program.
The depletion of ore mineral in the world has become
a very big issue, exploration is the only the way to
replenish but those near surface deposits have probably
been mostly discovered whereas to explore and discover
deeper ore mineral deposit is not easy and very
challenging and costly. One of the reason the decline of
mineral exploration discovery is thought due to the
exploration decision that is taken only based on the
qualitative interpretation based on partial information
rather than quantitative analysis (Barnett and William,
2012). It is particularly dealing with the fact that the most
if not all of near surface and easy to find deposits have
already been found. Often exploration regional
geochemistry program missed the target and drilling
program delineates unsuccessfully the sub-surface/deep
ore deposit that is commonly due to similar
aforementioned approach. Field geologist tends only to
use partial information combined with the very subjective
and limited geological knowledge to delineate the possible
mineral deposit continuation and/or location, although
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METHODOLOGY
GIS prospecting for mineral discovery has same
logical approach of the map analysis over the light table
by geologist in the past. Map overlaying is the map
integration method to figure where the potential of
mineral deposit based on the existing data and geological
knowledge. Geologist will assessing the anomaly level
and boundary, assessing the favourable geological data
such as structure, lithology and alteration. Geologist
should be identify the known mineral deposit both from
mapping or drilling, use the similar anomalies feature to
see the mineral occurrence extent or to search the similar
mineral occurrence which is not discover. On the virgin
area which has limited known mineral occurrence,
geologist will use their knowledge and experience to
discover new deposit based on the combination of
exploration data (map) what they have.
Fig.2
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anomaly.
Posterior probability
Weight of Evidence
Store the criteria and model on his brain and/or paper. Some time is
bias and subjective.
1B
SUM,
(}
{}
CASE STUDY
The study was taken over the Seruyung gold mining,
North Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Seruyung is a high
sulphidation ephithermal gold (HSE-Au) deposit, operated
by J Resources Nusantara. Mostly the area was covered by
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CONCLUSION
Posterior Probability
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0
0 1.00
0
0
0
0
0
0 0.66 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.28 0.37 0
0
0.45 0.48 0
0
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to say thank to the J. Resources
Nusantara management, PT Sago Prima Pratama
geologists who have given the opportunities to review and
evaluate as well as to publish their data for this study case.
Appreciate MGEI committee to the opportunity for
present and publish this paper. Appreciation are also to the
anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.
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Earth Resources Exploration Research Group, Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Institut Teknologi
Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia. Corresponding author: naftali@mining.itb.ac.id
2
Department of Urban Management, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura C1-2-215, Kyoto 6158540, Japan
3
Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8306, Japan
4
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
10191 N.
5
Blaney Ave., Cupertino, CA 95014, United States
ABSTRACT
Remote sensing optical sensors onboard satellites have been effectively used in geological fields to identify minerals and
rocks via reflectance and emissivity spectral characteristics of earth surface materials. However, as for the spectral
applications, traditional remote sensing for mineral exploration researches has been mostly limited to arid and semi-arid
areas where vegetation is sparse or absent. Vegetation is the most critical barrier for geologic identification and mapping
because reflectance spectra of vegetation conceal the spectra of underlying soils and rocks. One key factor of geobotanical
remote sensing for mineral exploration is the presence of unusual vegetation in mineralized areas, which can be identified
from the reflectance spectral pattern of plants. Based on this background, this paper discusses a vegetation index (VI) for
detecting vegetation anomalies using reflectance data at several bands in the visible to near infrared and shortwave
infrared regions so that the VI was sensitive to vegetation stress which may be caused by metal absorption. At first, a set of
laboratory experiments was undertaken to clarify the relationship between metal contents in soils and reflectance spectra of
a selected plant species. The new VI was applied to Landsat ETM+ images of two mineralized areas containing
hydrothermal copper deposits and kuroko deposits. Through these case studies, a new level of understanding of
geobotanical remote sensing and the method that was successfully applied for detecting latent ore deposits in a wide, dense
forest area. is discussed.
1987). Metal-induced vegetation stress interferes with
chlorophyll activity and inhibits water absorption from
soils and the supply to leaves (Barcel & Poschenrieder,
1990). Furthermore, an understanding of the relationship
of plant formations to geological conditions and metal
content in soils is essential. In the optical region, the
wavelength ranges from visible to near infrared (VNIR),
4001,400 nm, in which the effect of absorbed metal on
the reflectance spectra is easy to identify; this approach
has been used in GBRS. This effect has also been
observed at longer wavelengths, in shortwave infrared
(SWIR) bands of 1,4002,500 nm as the vegetation stress,
and it is likely to be enhanced by combining VNIR and
SWIR (Horler et al., 1980).
Vegetation index (VI) is considered an important
approach to analyzing vegetation stress using remote
sensing (Slonecker, 2011), which is a mathematical
manipulation of a digital number used to quantify and
detect vegetation conditions. The VI is used to emphasize
the change in reflectances at bands selected for estimating
the magnitude of stress. Common to numerous proposed
VIs, most use VNIR data only. However, SWIR
reflectances are sensitive to leaf water content and thus
can be used to detect vegetation stress by water supply
interference. Therefore, a VI derived from reflectance data
in the VNIR and SWIR regions is expected to enhance
detection accuracy of vegetation anomalies. Based on this
expectation, the Vegetation Index considering Greenness
and Shortwave infrared (VIGS) is proposed (Hede et al.,
2015). This index is aimed at wide availability to general
INTRODUCTION
The consumption of mineral resources has
experienced rapid growth in many countries in recent
years which has led to a higher demand and resulted in
considerable needs for innovation in natural resource
exploration. Remote sensing is one of the most popular
tools for indirect exploration and is commonly used
during the prospecting phase as it can provide a rapid
assessment at a low cost and with minimal risk. As for
spectral applications, the validity of remote sensing is
limited to arid and semiarid areas where vegetation is
sparse or absent. Because the reflectance spectra of
vegetation conceal the spectra of underlying soils and
rocks, vegetation is the most critical barrier to geological
identification and mapping in the application of remote
sensing.
However, vegetation can be an essential part of
geological researches. The scientific study of the
relationship between vegetation and geological condition
is called geobotany. Traditional geobotany is an extension
of geochemistry and biogeochemistry, resulting in a field
able to fully examine botanical phenomena related to
geological influence (Sabins, 1999). In recent years, the
integration of geobotany with remote sensing technology,
geobotanical remote sensing (GBRS), has allowed for the
study of spectral response patterns relating to
morphological and physiological changes resulting from
the absorption of metals (the term metal in this study
refers to heavy metals) in vegetation (Bruce & Hornsby,
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G + R
N +R
N + S1
N + S2
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category, for all three metals (Fig. 4b); large VIGS values
are associated with high metal contents, and small values
with low contents. This trend confirms the satisfactory
VIGS correspondence to metal soil contamination and the
applicability of VIGS to mineral exploration in areas with
thick vegetation using the CA model.
Figure 4: (a) Distribution of (I) low, (II) medium, and (III) high
density categories of VIGS anomaly values from the C-A model,
overlaid by). The content classifications follow the C-A model in
Fig. 5. (b) Relationships of Cu, Pb, and Zn contents with VIGS
categories, shown by box plots (Hede et al., 2015).
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CONCLUSIONS
A new vegetation index VIGS, combining
reflectances in the VNIR and SWIR regions, was
proposed for detecting vegetation stress caused by metal
soil contamination in densely vegetated and mineralized
areas. A set of laboratory experiment using Japanese
mustard spinach is undertaken to investigate the change in
reflectance spectra depending on the concentration of
selected four metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd) in soils. The
results demonstrate that the VIGS values can enhance the
stress difference depending on the metal contents in soils.
VIGS was furthermore examined for two mineralized
areas containing hydrothermal copper deposits in Jambi,
central Sumatra, Indonesia and kuroko deposits in the
Hokuroku district, northern Japan. In the Jambi area, the
Cu, Pb, and Zn contents were found to be strongly
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Awak Mas is located within the metamorphic belt of Sulawesi island forming part of the Creataceous Latimojong formation
consists of flysch sequence that is locally intruded by diorite dykes, transected by NNE-SSW trending, parallel to subparallel and sub-vertical fault zones.
At the cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au, Awak Mas was estimated to contain a measured and indicated resources of 45.1 Mt at
1.30 g/t Au and additional inferred resources of 6.5 Mt at 1.13g/t Au for a total resource of 2.13 Mi Oz gold with proven
and probable reserve of 20.2 Mt at 1.58 g/t Au equals to 1.03 Moz
The Awak Mas gold deposit is hosted by phyllite and schist that represent the metamorphic products of shale, Fe-rich shale
and wacke protoliths. Metamorphic chlorite thermometry indicates that metamorphism conditions reached up to 300oC,
which correspond to lowgrade greenschist facies.
Mineralized quartz-ankerite-albite veins are enveloped by zones of hydrothermal alteration with a proximal albite-ankeritepyrite assemblage and distal zone comprising muscovite-albite-chlorite. Muscovite occured finely distributed as sericite
while quartz, albite, and ankerite form continuous and discontinuous veins and/or veinlets.
Two main styles of mineralization include quartz veins and hydraulic breccias with sulfides and a sodium-rich fluid
alteration assemblage. Euhedral pyrite is the most abundant sulfide and disseminated in the albite-quartz-ankerite
alteration zone with variable grain sizes of up to 1 mm. Galena and chalcopyrite commonly occurred as inclusion in pyrite.
Assay data of drill core samples reveal gold grades in the mineralized phyllites and schists ranging from 0.02 to 0.54 g/t
and from 0.2 to 3.8 g/t, respectively. Elevated Au values are generally found in the hydraulic brecciated schist. Micron-size
gold grains were detected as inclusion in pyrite and interstitial between pyrite grain boundaries have the gold fineness of
92.56 which implies the characteristics of common orogenic gold deposit.
Fluid inclusion phases are dominated by aqueous fluids with additional scarce monophase CO2 inclusions.
Microthermometry analysis of primary aqueous fluid inclusions gives an estimated salinity of 2 to 5 wt.% NaCl eq. and
homogenization temperatures of 200 to 300oC. The oxygen isotope composition of the ore fluid yielded 18O values ranging
between 9 and 11.2 which is not indicative of a definite fluid source. The fluid halogen Br/Cl and I/Cl ratios appear to confirm the
presence of a metamorphic fluid derived from original marine sediments. Thus, the characteristics of the Awak Mas gold deposit
are consistent with those of the mesothermal orogenic gold concept.
Keywords: Awak Mas, metamorphic fluid, mesothermal,
orogenic gold
flysch sequence that is locally intruded by diorite dykes.
Tectonically, the area is transected by NNE-SSW
trending, parallel to sub-parallel and sub-vertical fault
zones (Querubin&Walters,2012).
The Awak Mas hosts the Salu Bulo, Tara and Awak
Mas gold prospects. At the cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au,
Awak Mas gold prospect was estimated to contain a
measured and indicated resources of 45.1 Mt at 1.30 g/t
Au and additional inferred resources of 6.5 Mt at 1.13g/t
Au for a total resource of 2.13 Mi Oz gold with provent
and probable reserve of 20.2 Mt at 1.58 g/t Au equals to
1.03 Moz
INTRODUCTION
For many decades, exploration and extraction of gold
in Indonesia is focused on the volcanic rock-hosted
deposits. Based on Indonesian Metallogenic Map
(Harahap 2014), from approximately 194 well known
gold deposit types in Indonesia, more than 90 % are of
epithermal gold deposits hosted by volcanic rock, 6.2 %
porphyry and skarn, the rest are VHMS and Carlin types.
Present-day, however, gold exploration activities are more
emphasized on the metamorphic rock-hosted deposits
particularly in the eastern part of Indonesia. One of the
metamorphic rock-hosted gold deposits discovered in
Indonesia is Awak Mas prospect.
Awak Mas is located within the metamorphic belt of
Sulawesi island forming part of the Creataceous
Latimojong formation. This is made up by phyllites,
slates, mafic to intermediate volcanics, limestones, and
schists representing a platform and/or fore arc trough,
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Gold Mineralization
Two main styles of mineralization include quartz
veins concordant and discordant to the foliation and
hydraulic breccias with sulfides and a sodium-rich fluid
alteration assemblage. Euhedral pyrite is the most
abundant sulfide and occurs disseminated in the albiteankerite-pyrite alteration zone with variable grain sizes of
up to 1 mm. Galena and chalcopyrite are commonly in
form of inclusions in pyrite. Micron-size gold grains were
detected as inclusion in pyrite and interstitial between
pyrite grain boundaries (Fig. 3).
Assay data of drill core samples reveal gold grades in
the mineralized phyllites and schists ranging from 0.02 to
0.54 g/t and from 0.2 to 3.8 g/t, respectively. Elevated Au
values are generally found in the hydraulic brecciated
schist. There is no clear relationship between gold and
base metal contents. However, samples with high gold
values tend to contain low copper, lead and zinc.
The elemental composition of 90 m long sized
fracture filling gold grain has 92.35% Au and 7% Ag with
Au-Ag ratio 13.2 and gold fineness of 929.56. The gold
fineness is an indicative of common orogenic gold
(Grooves et al,2003)
Hydrothermal Alteration
The mineral quantification from selected phyllite
representing the alteration zone from the least altered rock
in distal to proximal zone shows the mineral assemblages
of muscovite-albite-chlorite-quartz of least altered distal
rock in distal zone. Albite-chlorite-calcite typifies the
middle zone and in the proximal comprising albite-
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aqueous fluid inclusions from discordant quartz-ankeritealbite veins yielded ice melting temperature of -0.7 to 3.7oC gives a calculated salinity of 2 to 5 wt.% NaCl eq.
The homogenization temperatures vary from 200 to
300oC.
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CONCLUSIONS
Gold mineralization of Awak Mas prospect is hosted
by sequences of sedimentary rocks subjected to a low
grade metamorphism as phyllite and schist, associated
with pervassive hydrothermal alteration overprint resulted
in proximal alteration zone with albite-ankerite-pyrite
assemblage. The oxygen isotope and halogen composition
of fluid inclusions suggest that hydrothermal fluids were
predominantly sourced from metamorphic dewatering
reactions of marine sediments. The alteration
asssemblages, mineralogical composition of gold, and ore
fluid characteristics suggesting that the Awak Mas gold
deposit are consistent with those of the mesothermal
orogenic gold deposit.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This paper is written in frame of the first author PhD
work at RWTH Aachen University. PhD Scholarship is
provided by Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of
The Republic of Indonesia. Those are appreciated and
deeply thankful. A deep gratitude goes to the management
of PT. Masmindo Dwi Area, the owner Awak Mas
prospect for their permission to access study area and
data.
REFERENCES
Goodwin,N.R.J., 2010, PhD Thesis, University of Manchester.
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Indonesia is well known for epithermal Au and porphyry Cu-Au deposits in island arc settings but less known for island arc
VMS mineralisation such as the Au-Ba-rich volcanogenic deposits on Wetar and Romang Islands in the Banda Arc. Au/Ag
mineralisation was discovered on south Romang by Billiton in the 1990s in a large magnetic anomaly, outlined by aerial
surveys and interpreted to reflect intense hydrothermal alteration. Mapping and soil sampling defined a Au-Ag-Ba anomaly
which was tested by 14 diamond drillholes. Although several significant intersections were returned they chose not to
proceed with the project. PT GBU were granted tenements on Romang in 2006 and since then has outlined a large
polymetallic mineral resource at Lakuwahi of 82Mt with 1Mozs of gold, 68 Mozs silver and just over 1 Blbs of both lead
and zinc (JORC reporting standard). In addition, the polymetallic deposit is partially overlain by a high-grade manganese
oxide deposit of 711 kt @ 43.5% Mn (JORC).
Lakuwahi consists of a cluster of mineral deposits hosted by andesitic Lakuwahi Volcanics formed in a caldera atop a
shallow submarine volcanic edifice. Each deposit is associated with one or more sub-vertical barite-rich breccia feeder
zones. Multiple hydrothermal events are evident beginning with widespread silicification. Subsequent brittle deformation
created zones of high permeability, allowing hydrothermal fluids to deposit Au + Ag + barite + base metal sulphides in
breccias and stockwork veins within feeder zones and along sub-horizontal zones, below the seafloor surface. Fluids also
vented onto the seafloor to form barite-rich exhalative layers, variably mineralised with Au, Ag and base metals. Lakuwahi
Volcanics and exhalites were subsequently covered by volcaniclastics and a reef limestone. The hydrothermal system then
re-activated, with fluids replacing limestone with Mn / Fe Oxides +/- As-Sb-Tl. The system is still weakly active with small
sulphur fumeroles venting at two locations.
Continued uplift in the past 1-2Ma has caused the volcanic edifice to became emergent to form Romang Island. Block
faulting resulted in some deposits becoming exposed by erosion while others were down-faulted and covered by lagoonal
sediments. Near-surface deposits have an Au-Ag rich oxide zone. Preliminary economic assessment indicates a viable
mining project with conventional CIP treatment of the oxide and transition zones over a 10 year mine life producing 20,000
ounces Au and 600,000 ounces Ag per annum. Metallurgical and process modelling is currently being finalized with a plan
to start mine construction in late 2016. Due to prevailing Indonesian mining regulations including restrictions on the export
of metal concentrates, it is currently uneconomic to develop the larger, underlining sulphide polymetallic deposits.
the whole of south Romang Island, only 6 rock chip
samples were collected, one of which returned 610 g/t Ag
but no further work was undertaken and the tenement was
relinquished in 1992.
Billiton, operating as PT Prima Wetar Mining, arrived
in 1997, looking to expand the resource base of their gold
mine on nearby Wetar Island. They flew an aerial
magnetic survey, outlining several magnetic lows,
interpreted to reflect hydrothermal activity. The largest of
these became the Lakuwahi Project (fig 1). Billiton had
discovered gold + barite-rich VMS-style mineralisation on
Wetar and were able to recognize barite-rich outcrops on
south Romang as potentially representing a similar
geological setting.
Billiton followed up the Lakuwahi Anomaly with
CSAMT resistivity surveys, detailed soil geochemical
surveys and finally with a scout drilling program of 14
drill holes. The program was largely successful with every
hole except one intersecting either >1 g/t Au or >100 g/t
Ag with the most significant intersection of 47m @ 1.45
g/t Au + 26 g/t Ag from surface. Even so, when mining
finished on Wetar, Billiton ceased all gold exploration in
the Banda Arc.
The prospect lay dormant until 2006 when Jakartabased PT Gemala Borneo Utama (GBU) were granted
IUP exploration tenements covering north and south
Romang. GBU entered a JV with ASX-listed Robust
Resources in early 2008 allowing exploration activities to
INTRODUCTION
Precious metal-bearing volcanogenic massive sulphide
(VMS) deposits are a sub-type of VMS deposit
(Hannington et al. 1999). Only one example of this style
of deposit in Indonesia, on Wetar Island, has been
described in the literature. A second significant deposit
can now be added, the Lakuwahi Deposit on nearby
Romang Island.
This paper describes exploration history including
techniques used and documents mineralization styles and
mineralogy of Lakuwahi through drill core analysis,
petrography and preliminary fluid inclusion and
geochronology work. Similarities and differences between
Romang and Wetar deposits are noted and genetic models
are proposed to explain the differences between the two.
EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY
Discovery of the Lakuwahi deposit is a case of
exploration persistence. Anomalous Au/Ag samples were
first collected on Romang Island in the early 1990s but it
has taken 25 years for a mining project to reach feasibility
study stage.
The first company to undertake modern exploration, PT
Nailaka Marhila Mining, focused on the north half of
Romang in 1991. Using reconnaissance geochemical
sampling they discovered a narrow Au-Ag-Pb-Cu
epithermal vein, tested by trenching and 18 drillholes. For
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GEOLOGY - LITHOLOGY
Romang consists of twin volcanic edifices at the
eastern end of the Sunda-Banda Arc where the Australian
Plate, moving northwards at 7cm per year, meets the
Eurasian Plate and becomes subducted beneath it, creating
island arc volcanism along its length. However, volcanic
activity in the Wetar Collision Zone, a 400 km long
segment extending from Alor to Romang Islands, ceased
between 8 - 3 Ma due to incorporation of less dense
continental crustal material from the Australian Plate into
the subduction zone. (Elburg et al, 2005). Herrington et al
(2011) observed that progressive incorporation of
continental crust into the Wetar Zone from collision with
the Australian Plate is coincident with formation of Aurich volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits on Wetar and
Romang.
Major rock types on Romang consist of an early
andesite-dacite sequence (lavas, pyroclastic agglomerates,
crystal/ lithic tuffs + intrusives) and a late daciticrhyodacitic succession, best exposed in north Romang. In
south Romang, basement andesites, known as Lakuwahi
Volcanics, are host to Lakuwahi mineralisation, they are
thought to consist of lavas, agglomerates and tuffs but
petrographic studies highlight the difficulty in identifying
original rock types due to intensity of hydrothermal
alteration which has invariably destroyed or overprinted
original texture and mineralogy. Volcanic activity was
submarine and although data is sparse, Lakuwahi
Volcanics, are thought to be between 1.4 2 Ma.
Lakuwahi Volcanics are unconformably overlain by
Upper Volcaniclastics, a series of lithic/lapilli tuffs, tuff
breccias, conglomerates. They are in turn overlain by Reef
Limestones varying from 1 to 20m in thickness containing
fossils such as corals and bivalves. The limestones are
characterised by karstic textures of varying degrees. No
work has been done yet on obtaining paleontological ages.
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`CONCLUSIONS
The Lakuwahi deposit on Romang Island is an
important new large VMS discovery in eastern Indonesia.
It has many similarities with nearby Wetar Island but also
significant difference such as dominance of Pb-Zn over
Cu and precipitation of majority of sulphides in subseafloor environment both of which suggest cooler
hydrothermal fluids were present and/or a shallow depth
of the system at Romang compared to Wetar (Figure 2).
This is supported by the presence of overlying reef
limestones at Romang (suggesting <200m depth) which
contrast with Wetar which is overlain by Globigerinabearing limestone which indicate a depth of up to 2km
(Scotney et al, 2005).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to the Lakuwahi exploration teams for
their contributions to bring the exploration prospect at
Lakuwahi towards the reality of a producing gold-silver
mine.
REFERENCES
Elburg, M. A., 2005. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal
Research, Volume 140, Issue 1-3, p. 25-47.
Hanington et al 1999, Economic Geology, 8, p. 324356
Herington et al, Gondwana Research, 19, Issue 3, 583593
OKane, L 2013, Honours Thesis University of Qld
Scotney et al., 2005 Mineralium Deposita 40: 7699
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ABSTRACT
In Indonesia, gold is commonly mined from epithermal-, porphyry-, and skarn-type deposits that are commonly found in
volcanic belts along island arcs or active continental margin settings. Numerous gold prospects, however, were recently
discovered in association with metamorphic rocks. This paper focuses on metamorphic rock-hosted gold mineralization in
Eastern Indonesia, in particular the Bombana (SE Sulawesi) and Buru Island (Maluku) prospects. At Bombana, goldbearing quartz-veins are hosted by the Pompangeo metamorphic complex. Sheared, segmented veins vary in thickness from
2 cm to 2 m. Gold is mainly present in the form of free gold among silicate minerals and closely related to cinnabar,
stibnite, tripuhyite, and in places, minor arsenopyrite. The gold distribution is erratic, however, ranging from below
detection limit up to 134 g/t. At least three generations of veins are identified. The first is parallel to the foliation, the
second crosscuts the first generation of veins as well as the foliation, and the late-stage laminated deformed quartz-calcite
vein represents the third mineralization stage. The early veins are mostly massive to crystalline, occasionally brecciated,
and sigmoidal, whereas the second-stage veins are narrower than the first ones and less subjected to brecciation. Gold
grades in the second- and third-stage veins are on average higher than that in the earlier veins. Microthermometric and
Raman spectrometric studies of fluid inclusions indicate abundant H2O-NaCl and minor H2O-NaCl- CO2 fluids.
Homogenization temperatures and salinities vary from 114 to 283 C and 0.35 to 9.08 wt.% NaCl eq., respectively. Crushleach analysis of fluid inclusions suggests that the halogen fluid chemistry is not identical to sea water, magmatic or
epithermal related fluids, but tends to be similar to fluids in mesothermal-type gold deposits.
In Buru Island (Gunung Botak and Gogorea prospects), two distinct generations of quartz veins are identified. Early quartz
veins are segmented, sigmoidal discontinuous and parallel to the foliation of the host rock. This generation of quartz veins
is characterized by crystalline relatively clear quartz, and weakly mineralized with low sulfide and gold contents. The
second type of quartz veins occurs within the mineralized zone of about 100 m in width and ~1,000 m in length. Gold
mineralization is intensely overprinted by argillic alteration. The mineralization-alteration zone is probably parallel to the
mica schist foliation and strongly controlled by N-S or NE-SW-trending structures. Gold-bearing quartz veins are
characterized by banded texture particularly following host rock foliation and sulphide banding, brecciated and rare
bladed-like texture. Alteration types consist of propylitic (chlorite, calcite, sericite), argillic and carbonation represented by
graphite banding and carbon flakes. Ore mineral comprises pyrite, native gold, pyrrhotite, and arsenopyrite. Cinnabar and
stibnite are present in association with gold. Ore chemistry indicates that 11 out of 15 samples yielded more than 1 g/t Au,
in which 6 of them graded in excess of 3 g/t Au. All high-grade samples are composed of limonite or partly contain limonitic
material. This suggests the process of supergene enrichment. Interestingly, most of the high-grade samples contain also
high concentrations of As (up to 991ppm), Sb (up to 885ppm), and Hg (up to 75ppm). Fluid inclusions in both quartz vein
types consist of 4 phases including L-rich, V-rich, L-V-rich and L1-L2-V (CO2)-rich phases. The mineralizing hydrothermal
fluid typically is CO2-rich, of moderate temperature (300-400 C), and low salinity (0.36 to 0.54 wt.% NaCl eq). Based on
those key features, gold mineralization in Bombana and Buru Island tends to meet the characteristics of orogenic,
mesothermal types of gold deposit. Metamorphic rock-hosted gold deposits could represent the new targets for gold
exploration particularly in Eastern Indonesia.
Keywords: Characteristics, orogenic gold, Bombana, Buru Island, Indonesia
.
currently gold is not only found in volcanic terrain, but
also many discoveries of placer (secondary) and primary
gold mineralization are genetically occurred in association
with metamorphic rocks, for instance, Awak Mas
mesothermal (Querubin & Walters, 2011), Poboya LSepithermal (Wajdi et al., 2011) and Rampi (North Luwu)
(Idrus et al., 2016). Gold-bearing quartz veins are also
recognized in Derewo metamorphic belt at northern and
northwestern part of Central Range Papua. Some
exploration reports categorized the Derewo metamorphic-
INTRODUCTION
During last few decades, in Indonesia gold has mostly
been extracted from volcanic-hosted hydrothermal
deposits, including LS epithermal type e.g. Pongkor in
West Java, Gosowong in Halmahera Island, HS
epithermal type e.g. Martabe (Sumatra), Cijulang (Jawa)
and Lanut, Doup (Sulawesi), skarn type e.g. Erstberg, Big
Gossan, Kucing Liar, Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) in Papua and
porphyry type e.g. in Grasberg (Papua), Batu Hijau
(Sumbawa Island) and Tombulilato (Sulawesi). However,
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Bom
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Gogorea
Gn
Botak
Figure 4. Gold-bearing
orogenic
quartz
vein
characteristics:
Fig. 3 Geological map of Buru Island (Tjokrosapoetro et al.,
1993). Gunung Botak and Gogorea are occupied by Pzw
(Wahlua metamorphic rock complex).
Buru Island
Field and hand specimen observation indicates that
gold-bearing quartz veins are characterized by vuggy,
banded texture particularly colloform following host rock
foliation and sulphide banding (Fig. 5a) and brecciated
texture. Bladed-like texture is also observed, but it is rare
(Fig. 5b). Those textures are more like developed in
classic LS epithermal vein deposits.
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Buru Island
As outlined above, gold mineralization zone is
intimately associated with argillic-altered mica schist
delineating an obvious high Au grade zone of about 100 m
width and 1,000 m length. Clay mineral types
characterizing argillic alteration zone are unknown.
Petrographic analysis shows host rock is also
propyllitically altered typified by the presence of chlorite,
calcite and sericite. Carbonation alteration style
represented by graphite banding and carbon flakes is a
typical alteration type occurred in metamorphic-related
hydrothermal ore deposits. Ore mineralization is
characterized by pyrite, native gold, pyrrhotite and
arsenopyrite. As found in Bombana, cinnabar and stibnite
are also identified in association with gold. In general,
sulphide minerals are rare (<3%). This is consistent with
mineralogical features of other metamorphic rock-hosted
gold mineralizations worldwide (cf. Groves et al., 1998,
2003).
ORE MINERALIZING FLUIDS
Bombana
A total of 6 quartz veins/reefs from three different
generations were prepared for fluid inclusion analysis.
This study has enabled to understand the characteristics
including temperature, salinity and composition of
mineralizing hydrothermal fluids that formed the three
generations of quartz veins. The data show that Tm of
fluid inclusions hosted by first generation of quartz veins
(that are parallel to the foliation) tend to be lower ranging
from -2.3 to -10 C (mean -3.2 to -5.9 C) corresponding
to relatively higher salinity ranging from 5.26 to 9.08
wt.% NaCl eq.) in comparison to those of other
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Fig. 8 Fluid inclusion study: (a) and (b). CO2-rich L-V fluid
inclusions hosted by quartz veins, and (c). Raman spectrometric
analysis of carbonic fluid inclusion containing dissolved CO2
with certainty up to 92.73%.
Fig.7 Temperature of homogenization (Th) vs salinity of fluid
inclusions from three different quartz vein generations at
Bombana metamorphic-hosted gold deposit. The hydrothermal
fluid evolution of the three types of quartz veins are also shown
and discussed in the text. Schematic model of fluid evolution is
adapted from Shepherd et al. (1985).
Buru Island
A total of 5 quartz veins/reefs from two different types
were analysed for fluid inclusion study. Four samples
contain measurable fluid inclusions, and those of one
sample (B05VA) are too small to be measured. The data
in Table 1 show that Tm of fluid inclusions hosted by first
type of quartz veins (that are crystalline, clear, weak
mineralized and parallel to the foliation) tend to have Tm
ranging from -0.1 to -0.3 C (average -0.22 C)
corresponding to salinity ranging from 0.18 to 0.53 wt.%
NaCl eq.(average 0.36 wt.% NaCl eq.), relatively lower
than those of second quartz vein type (Tm = -0.2 to 0.3
C; average -0.27 C) which correspond to salinities of
0.36 to 0.54 wt.% NaCl eq., averaging 0.48 wt.% NaCl eq.
The temperature of homogenization (Th), interpreted to be
the formation temperature of the first type of quartz vein
varies from 234 to 354 C, that are relatively lower than
those of second quartz veins type (Th = 321 to 400 C).
Petrographic study indicates that fluid inclusions in
both quartz vein types consist of 4 phases including Lrich, V-rich, L-V-rich and L1-L2-V (CO2)-rich phases. In
addtion, Sample B05VB is characterized by abundant Vrich and L-rich inclusions which may imply a boiling
condition with an elevated temperature of 400 C. In fact,
this sample was taken from Gunung Botak where the
artisanal and smal-scale mining (ASGM) situated. Crushleach analysis of fluid inclusions from Bombana and Buru
Island gold veins suggests that the halogen fluid chemistry
(Br/Cl vs I/Cl plot) is not identical to magmatic or
epithermal related fluids, but tends to be similar to fluids
in mesothermal-type gold deposits (Fig. 9).
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-2
log (Br/Cl)
-2.5
Sea water
-3
-3.5
QV_ WB
Capitan
Magmatic
QV_KB
QV_B
-4
-7
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
log (I/Cl)
0.10000
b
Mesothermal gold
0.01000
Br/Cl
Epithermal Au
0.00100
AM_Unmin.
Sea water
AM_Min.
QV_ WB
QV_KB
Porphyry Cu
QV_B
0.00010
0.000000
0.000001
0.00001
0.0001
0.001
0.01
I/Cl
Fig. 9 Crush-leach analysis of halogen content (I/Cl and Br/Cl
ratios) in fluid inclusion showing mineralizing fluids are not
identical to magmatic fluid (a), epithermal (meteoric waterdominated) and porphyry Cu (b), but tends to be similar to fluids
in mesothermal-type gold deposits.
In addition, the observable characteristics of goldbearing quartz veins/veinlets have met with the criteria of
orogenic gold type, i.e. sheared/deformed, segmented,
brecciated and occasionally sigmoidal, which are the key
indications for brittle condition of the epizonal-mesozonal
transition. The quartz veins/reefs are commonly
characterized by massive and crystalline textures.
However, druzy and pseudomorph bladed carbonate
textures are also occasionally recognized. Although it is
uncommon, but bladed carbonate could be present in
orogenic quartz veins/reefs if the hydrothermal fluids
forming the deposit have the right phase separation
situation (personal comm., Richard J. Goldfarb, 2011).
Ore mineralizing fluid is characterized by moderate to low
salinity ranging from 5.26 to 9.08 wt.% NaCl eq., 3.555.86 wt.% NCl eq. and 0.35-4.03 wt.% NaCl eq. as well as
moderate to low temperature of homogenization (Th)
varying from 185 to 245 C, 132 to 283 C, and 114 to 176
C for first, second and third generation veins,
respectively. CO2-rich fluid inclusion is present in small
portion, but its presence is well confirmed by Raman
spectrometric data. Crush-leach analysis of fluid inclusion
shows that mineralizing fluid characteristics are not
identical to both epithermal (meteoric water-dominated)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to express a gratitude to the
Directorate of Higher Education, Department of National
Education, Indonesia, for International Competitive
Grant
2009
with
contract
number
of
694/SP2H/PP/DP2M/X/2009 granted to the first author as
a principal researcher. We are also indebted to the Energy
and Mineral Resources Agency of Southeast Sulawesi and
Bombana Regency, respectively for their permission. The
supports and permission from Management of PT. Panca
Logam Makmur are much acknowledged. Some field
data/ report provided by PT. AGC Indonesia are
acknowledged. This study is also made possible through
financial support from Barry Smith and Research
Cooperation Program 2013 between the first author with
Geological Resources Research Center (PSDG) Bandung.
Prof. Victor Okrugin (Kamchatka University, Russia)
provided an ICP-MS single analysis. Crush-leach analysis
of fluid inclusion was done in Leoben University, Austria.
Those supports are highly acknowledged. Fadlin Idrus and
Satriadin Abdullah are thankful for their fieldwork
assistances and data processing.
REFERENCES
Gebre-Mariam, M., Hagemann, S. G., and Groves, D. I., 1995, A
classification scheme for epigenetic Archaean lode-gold
deposits. Mineralium Deposita 30: 408-410.
Groves, D. I., Goldfarb, R. J., Gebre-Mariam, M., Hagemann, S.
G. and Robert, F., 1998, Orogenic gold deposit: A proposed
classification in the context or their crustal distribution and
relationship to other gold deposit types. Ore Geology
Review 13: 7-27.
Groves, D. I., Goldfarb, R. J., and Robert, F., 2003, Gold deposit
in metamorphic belts: Overview or current understanding,
outstanding problems, future research, and exploration
significance. Economic Geology 98: 1-29.
Hagemann, S.G., Groves, D.I., Ridley, J.R., Vearncome, J.R.,
1992. The Archaean lode-gold deposits at Wiluna, Western
Australia. High level brittle-style mineralisation in a strikeslip regime. Econ. Geol. 87, 10221053.
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Lesson Learnt from Nickel Sulfide Exploration in Latao Block, Southeast Sulawesi:
A Geological and Geometallurgical Perspective
Budhi Kumarawarman, Gde Handojo Tutuko, and Moh. Erwin Syam Noor
PT Vale Indonesia
ABSTRACT
A comprehensive nickel sulfide exploration had been undertaken in Latao between years 2008 to 2012. The nickel sulfide
mineralization in Latao is not primary magmatic origin. It is more low-grade disseminated nickel sulfide type, similar with
the nickel sulfide deposit in Dumont (Canada) and Ronnbacken (Sweden) which typically large in tonnage but low in nickel
grade. The ore bodies were predicted to be large. Unfortunately, result of metallurgical testwork was far below expectation.
If the Ronnbackens samples were reported to be able to produce concentrate with a grade of 28% at 80% recovery, no
nickel upgrading was resulted from Lataos samples in the metallurgical testwork. The primary reason was because not all
of the Lataos pentlandites are able to liberate. Despite Latao has similar nickel grade with the Ronnbackens, pentlandite
grains of Latao are smaller than the Ronnbackens. Moreover, these fine pentlandite grains are found mostly as inclusion in
serpentines, or locked by the serpentine. Mineral examination on feed samples of the flotation test also suggested highly
nickel oxidized serpentine rock. The trace amounts of nickel sulfide minerals that are present are secondary alteration
products from primary nickel sulfide (pentlandite) of which no longer exist in its original form of chemical composition.
This highly oxidized ore does not respond well to sulfide flotation.
Overall, Latao is an example of new-frontier for nickel exploration in Indonesia. Aside to Latao, PT Vale Indonesia, Tbk
also found trace of nickel sulfide occurrence in Sorowako, South Sulawesi. These two findings show that it is likely possible
to find another type of nickel sulfide deposits in Indonesia. Nevertheless, a lesson learnt can be taken from Latao
exploration result. It is suggested that exploration shall not only focus on the nickel grade, but the nature of the sulfide
minerals shall also be the primary consideration when exploring a nickel sulfide deposit. Geological structures also play
important role in mineralization processes, particularly when dealing with the non-primary magmatic nickel sulfide deposit.
Thus, detail structural geology study must be carried out as well to recognize the position, orientation and dipping of the
hydrothermal fluids channels. These parameters are important to define the proper exploration method, including the
sample handling and sample preparation method.
Keywords: Latao, nickel sulfide, metallurgical testwork, grain size, locking, liberation
INTRODUCTION
Latao is located in the Batuputih subdistrict of North
Kolaka Regency. It is situated approximately 150 km
southwest of Sorowako, or about 2.5 hours drive from
Sorowako (Figure 1). During 2008 2012, a
comprehensive nickel sulfide exploration was carried out
in this area by PT Vale Indonesia, Tbk (PTVI), or
formerly known as PT INCO, Tbk. Totally, 53 diamond
drillholes of total length 7,911.8 meters were drilled in
Latao to confirm the nickel sulfide mineralization body,
supported with ground-magnetic and IP-resistivity data.
Nickel sulfide minerals were recognized from the core
samples, mostly occurring as fine-grained millerites and
pentlandites.
To obtain information regarding the geometallurgical
properties of the deposit, a series of metallurgical testwork
was also performed in 2012 and 2013. Partial extractions
were done for Lataos core samples using brominemethanol dissolution method to figure the amount of
sulfide nickel and silicate nickel proportion of respective
samples. Moreover, series of flotation tests were also
conducted to understand the geometallurgical properties
of the ores. The flotation tests were subsequently followed
by mineral locking and liberation analysis to further
recognize the mineralogical characteristics that may
influence the mineralogical testwork result.
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GEOLOGY OF LATAO
Despite most nickel sulfide occurs as magmatic
deposit, nickel sulfide occurrence in Latao is somewhat
different. The deposit is more low-grade disseminated
nickel sulfide type, similar with the nickel sulfide deposits
in Dumont (Canada) and Ronnbacken (Sweden). Like the
Dumont and Ronnbacken (Royal Nickel, 2012; SRK
Consulting, 2011), nickel grades in Latao are about 0.2%
with amount of sulfide nickel around 0.1%. No massive
sulfides are found in Latao. Based on the ratios of Ni/Cu
in Latao, Lightfoot and Vandenburg (2013) wrote that
nickel sulfide mineralization in Latao is unlikely to have
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METALLURGICAL TESTWORK
Further studies were performed to figure out the
geometallurgical properties of Latao mineralized rocks.
First metallurgical testwork was conducted by PT
Sucofindo in Cibitung, West Java within two stages, i.e,
the stage 1 bulk flotation test work and stage 2
optimization testwork. In general, the stage 1 bulk
flotation test consists of standard rougher and cleaner
flotation at P80 105m (Figure 10, 11, 12). While, the
stage 2 optimization testwork consists of optimization
based on result from stage 1. The goal of optimization test
is to describe the recovery parameter of reagent testing
and relationship of grind versus recovery, grade versus
recovery, and time versus recovery kinetic test
(Sucofindo, 2012).
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The results of these metallurgical testworks were offcourse far below the company expectation. If the
Ronnbackens samples were reported able to produce
concentrate with a grade of 28% at 80% recovery, no
nickel upgrading was resulted from Lataos samples in the
metallurgical testwork.
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CONCLUSION
Finally, lesson learnt can be drawn from Latao nickel
sulfide exploration are:
1) So far, primary magmatic nickel sulfide deposit is
still the most interesting target for nickel sulfide
exploration. When dealing with other type of deposit
than the primary magmatic, detail structural geology
study must be carried out to understand the
channeling behavior of the hydrothermal fluids and
predict the ore body geometry.
2) Aside to nickel grade, nature of nickel sulfide
mineralogy shall also be the primary consideration
when exploring a nickel sulfide deposit, particularly,
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3)
4)
5)
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ABSTRACT
Bauxite is the principal raw material for the production of alumina and aluminium metal. The exploration and mining
activities for Bauxite deposits are known in Indonesia since pre-World War II. A smelter grade alumina (SGA) refinery is
built in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan by PT. Well Harvest Winning (WHW) as a purpose of increasing the valueadded to bauxite mineral through domestic Bayer alumina processing. The specification of certain bauxite quality is
required by WHW and a beneficiation and mineralogical study is required to meet metallurgical criteria that support
economic Bayer refinery processing.
The bauxite deposits in Ketapang are a lateritic blanket of weathering product from Early to Late Cretaceous of granite
monzonite-diorite plutonic and volcanic series which are rich in alumino-silicate minerals. The combination of PSD, XRF,
wet chemistry and semi quantitative XRD mineralogical data is effective to assess grain sizes and mineralogical behaviors
during screening and washing process. At screen size +1 mm boundary the values of total Al2O3, available Al2O3, LOI and
Tal2O3/TSiO2 ratio are significantly increased while TSiO2, RSiO2 and Fe2O3 values are decreased. The identified minerals
by XRD in each fraction size are gibbsite, goethite, magnetite, hematite, anatase, quartz, kaolinite, illite and paragonite.
The principal bauxite mineral found is only gibbsite while boehmite and diaspore are not identified. The 2014 and 2016
beneficiations studies shown that the washing and screening processes are still not optimum in separating fine grained
gibbsite and interlocked kaolinite minerals. For long-term economic benefits, mapping of bauxite ore types are quite
important, then the beneficiation plant at mine fronts can be optimized and impacting for low cost Bayer processing.
the washing plant to produce metallurgical grade bauxite
(MGB). A certain number bauxite deposits have been
found to meet the stringent physical and chemical
specifications expected of smelter grade alumina in CITA
Air Upas and Sandai mine concessions. A preliminary
beneficiation study was made in 2014 (LAPI ITB) with
samples taken from mine faces, mine washed bauxites and
tailings. The 2016 study is covering more representative
areas based on drillhole samples. The specification of
certain bauxite quality is required by WHW and a
beneficiation and mineralogical study is required to meet
metallurgical criteria that can support economic Bayer
refinery processing.
This paper is a compilation and more focus on
beneficiation and mineralogical assessment in Air Upas Sandai areas by CITA geologists to investigate bauxite
specifications required for Bayer process under PT. WHW
operation.
INTRODUCTION
Bauxite was first discovered by French geologist
Pierre Berthier in 1821, near the village Les Baux-deProvences in the French Alpilles (Gendron et al, 2013). It
is a principal raw material for the production of alumina
and aluminium metal. In Indonesia, the initial discovery of
bauxite in Southeast Bintan was made in 1924
(Bemmelen, 1940 in Rodenburg, 1984). Bauxite
production in Indonesia was started in 1935 by the
Netherlandsch Indische Bauxite Exploitatie Maatschappij
(Rodenburg, 1984) and continue by several companies
until now. The major bauxite deposits in Indonesia are
reported from Riau Archipelago and West Kalimantan.
The geology and genesis of Indonesian bauxite deposits
were described by Bemmelen (1949), Rodenburg (1984),
Surata et al (2010) and Toreno et al (2012).
From an industrial perspective, bauxite is a raw
material that can be economically processed to high purity
alumina (>98% Al2O3) in the Bayer process. A mandatory
domestic minerals processing is required under Law No. 4
of 2009 in Indonesia. Under this obligation, a smelter
grade alumina (SGA) refinery is built in Ketapang
Regency, West Kalimantan by PT. Well Harvest Winning
(PT. WHW) as a purpose of increasing the value-added to
bauxite mineral through domestic processing. PT. WHW
requires consistent bauxite supply from several mines in
Ketapang under agreement with PT. Cita Mineral
Investindo Tbk. (CITA) as a bauxite miner. Currently
CITA is mining and beneficiates the bauxite ore through
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GEOLOGICAL SETTINGS
Regional Geology
The island of Borneo (or Kalimantan of Indonesian
part) presently lies upon the southeastern margin of the
greater Eurasian plate. It is bounded to the north by the
South China Sea marginal oceanic basin, to the east by the
Philippine Mobile Belt and the Philippine Sea Plate and to
the south by the Banda and Sunda arc systems. It is
bounded to the west by the Sunda Shelf and ultimately by
Paleozoic and Mesozoic continental crust of the Malay
Peninsula. The Greater Kalimantan Block is surrounded to
the north, east, and south by plate boundaries and arc
systems which are presently active or which have been
active during the Tertiary and it is bounded to the west by
an underexplored shelf region which possibly conceals a
terrane boundary (Darman & Sidi, 2000).
Kalimantan can be divided into several roughly E-W
trending tectonic provinces (Fig. 4). The northern portion
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Alumina
Impact if Inadequate
Increases casutic usage, a critical operating cost factor
Increases capital and operating costs for mining, processing, and especially mud disposal (larger
equipment, bigger containment dams, and increased materials handling
Increases operating costs by reducing plant efficiency and lowers product quality. Alternatively
increases capital costs by adding organics removal facility
Precludes low-temperature processing that can increase capital and operating costs
Slows clarification, lowers product quality, and increases alumina loss via mud circuit. Increases
capital (equipment size) and operating costs (plant efficiency)
Aluminium
Available Alumina (AA)
Bauxite
Low moisture (can create dust nuisance if too low) Increases capital costs (larger evaporation facility), fuel consumption, and shipping costs
Iron content (ideally > 5% - < 15%)
Low iron can lower product quality. High iron dilutes alumina content of bauxite
Low quartz
Increases maintenance costs (pipe wear). Increases caustic usage in high-temperature plants
Can lower process efficiency (sulfur, chlorine, calcium) and metal quality (gallium, zinc,
vanadium, phosphorus
Low impurities and trace elements
Soft and friable
Increases mining and grinding costs
Increases capital (larger digestion equipment) and operating costs (reduces plant efficiency,
longer residence times)
Dissolves readily
Low titania
Can increase caustic usage in high-temperature plants
Low carbonates
Can require special processing
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Figure 10. Average recovery vs each screen size for Air Upas
(top) and Sandai (bottom).
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Fig. 15. Air Upas: fine-grained gibbsite minerals are still exists
in finer 2 mm fractions after washing screening while
kaolinite minerals are also exists in +2 mm coarse fractions.
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DISCUSSION
The main objectives of this beneficiation study are
assessing the optimum methods to reduce silica, increase
alumina content effectively and get optimum tonnage
recovery. Additionally, the study results can support
washing plant improvements at mine fronts. The bauxite
beneficiation is a quite challenging process as the types of
bauxites are various, depending on bedrock chemistries
and lateritization processes.
The combination of PSD, XRF, wet chemistry and semi
quantitative XRD mineralogical data is effective to assess
grain sizes and mineralogical behaviors during screening
and washing process. The data from 2014 and 2016
studies show that the existing beneficiation methods both
at lab scale and washing plant are not optimum to recover
fine-grained gibbsite and potentially loss to tailing (Fig.
18). On the other side, some kaolinites are also locked in
coarse-grained bauxite and potentially include in bauxite
feed for Bayer process. The kaolinite clays are identical
with reactive silica and can cause caustic soda losses in
the Bayer Process, this situation can impact to higher
processing cost. This study is strongly support for
beneficiation improvement at mine sites with main
objectives to increase alumina content and lowering
deleterious elements such as silica. For further study,
crushing, scrubbing and washing methods are need to be
considered to remove kaolinite with more efficient.
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INTRODUCTION
Concession of PT Sebuku Iron Lateritic Ores (SILO),
approximately 11,000 ha area, occurs in the North East
portion of Sebuku Island. SILO has produced iron lateritic
ores since 2004 and in construction period to produce
direct reduction iron and reduced nickel from detrital iron
and Fe-Ni bearing laterite ores. Since 4th quarter of 2014,
SILOs exploration and mining development aims to
explore mineral potential in laterite and primary
ultramafic complex unit.
Sebuku island is a small island located in SE corner of
South East Kalimantan, approximately 5 kms toward east
of Laut island. The island is administered by Kotabaru
Regional District within South Kalimantan. The easiest
access to the island from Jakarta, the capital city of
Indonesia is through one and a half hours flight to
Banjarmasin, followed by half an hour flight to Kotabaru
and followed by one hour of speedboat from kotabaru port
to Tanjung Nusantara port or Sungai Bali port.
GEOLOGY OF SEBUKU ISLAND
Geology of the area (Fig. 1) is covered by the youngest
quartenary unconsolidated sediment materials in most of
north west part and further south east by a coal bearing
sediments of Eocene-age Tanjung Formation and the rest
mostly occupies by ophiolite complex unit includes
pelagic sediment, gabbro dykes, cumulus ultramafic and
detrital iron ore unit, ages late Triassic to early
Cretaceous, except, to some extent, North South trending
of volcanoclastic of late Cretaceous Haruyan formation in
the central part of the island. Throughout pre Tertier,
several plutonic rocks intruded the units include gabbro,
diorite and andesite plutons.
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DISCUSSION
Schulz, K. J. et. al., 2010, mentioned that at present
there is no economic magmatic sulphide deposit generated
in pure MORB and Ophiolite complex environment.
Further study is carried out especially to follow up
remnant metamorphism in talc carbonate assemblages in
attempt to discover potential partial melting plume
magmatism which responsible to magmatic sulphide
occurrence in SILO.
GEOCHEMICAL DATA
CONCLUSION
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to SILO geologist who done most of
hard works in the field, Dr. Ade Kadarusman for
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ABSTRACT
Scandium (Sc) and rare earth elements (REE) are an important element in the green technology application. An
investigation on the scandium and rare earth element potential in Sulawesi was conducted using geochemical data. Sc is
concentrated in limonite layer of the Soroako ultramafic rocks as a result of Fe3+ site substitution of mafic minerals
(pyroxene, amphibole, etc) during laterization processes. REE are enriched in association with clay mineral in B horizon
from heavily weathered granitic rocks in Palu and Masamba, suggesting the possibility of ion-adsorption style
mineralization. The lateritic soil of the ultramafic rocks and the weathered crust of the granitic rocks in Sulawesi could be
the potential source for scandium and rare earth elements, respectively.
Keywords : Scandium, rare earth element, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
show decreasing content of SiO2 and MgO, and increasing
trend of Fe2O3 and Sc from bedrock to limonite layer.
SiO2/MgO ratio and Sc show a slightly increasing trend
from bedrock to soft saprolite but significantly enriched in
yellow limonite layer. Overall, West Block weathering
profiles shows similar pattern to Petea profile. SiO2 and
MgO are significantly decreased whereas Fe2O3, Sc and
SiO2/MgO ratio are enriched toward the upper part of the
weathering profile. These two variations suggest the
enrichmentment of Sc in the limonite horizon as shown in
profile pattern.
Sc occurrence in Sulawesi was firstly reported by
Kadarusman et al. (2004) and Maulana et al. (2015) from
bulk rock composition of ultramafic rocks. It is reported
that Sc content is abundant in pyroxenite from Bantimala
Complex, South Sulawesi (Maulana et al., 2015). Wholerock geochemical data of the laterites from Soroako
ultramafic rocks suggest that Sc is likely to exist in Fe
oxides and pyroxene-rich bedrock (harzburgite in
composition). Notably, Sc tends to be enriched in limonite
layer. Sc is unlikely to be adsorbed on minerals and
amorphous materials in the laterites. Sc is more distributed
in pyroxene rich bedrock than in olivine since coefficient
value of scandium is hosted in orthopyroxene and
clinopyroxene as listed in Table 1. The enrichment of Sc
will be mainly concentrated in the weathering product of
pyroxene-rich bedrock, particularly in limonite layer with
low to medium Ni-content. Based on this, large potential
of Sc resources is expected in Sorowako because of large
weathered pyroxene-rich ultramafic rocks distribution as a
source of nickel (Ni)-laterite deposit.
INTRODUCTION
Scandium (Sc) and rare earth elements (REEs) are an
important element in the green technology application.
An investigation on the scandium and rare earth element
potential in Sulawesi was conducted using geochemical
data. Sc is concentrated in limonite layer of the Soroako
ultramafic rocks as a result of Fe3+ site substitution of
mafic minerals (pyroxene, amphibole, etc) during
laterization processes. REE are enriched in a s s o c ia t io n
w it h c la y m i ne r a l in B ho r izo n fr o m heavily
weathered granitic rocks in Palu and Masamba,
suggesting the possibility of ion-adsorption style
mineralization. The lateritic soil of the ultramafic rocks
and the weat hered crust of t he granitic rocks i n
S u l a w e s i could be the potential source of scandium
and rare earth elements, respectively.
DATA AND METHOD
The weathered ultramafic rocks were taken from
Soroako whilst granitic rocks samples were taken from
Palu and Masamba area. They were analyzed for
concentration of major elements using X-ray fluorescence
spectrometer (XRF) RIGAKU RINT-300 both in Advance
Institute of Science and Technology (AIST) Laboratory,
Tsukuba and in the Department of Earth Resources
Engineering, Kyushu University. Rare earth element and
trace element including scandium composition for both
samples groups were determined using ICP-MS following
lithium metaborate/ tetraborate fusion and nitric acid total
digestion at ALS Mineral, North Vancouver, Canada.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
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CONCLUSIONS
Sc-bearing laterite Ni deposit in Sulawesi could be a
predominant Sc resources in the near future. Sc is likely
to substitute Fe3+ site of mafic minerals in weathering
product of pyroxene-rich ultramafic bedrock; it this case,
further study is required.
REE resources in Sulawesi can be extracted from ionadsorption type deposit from heavily weathered I-type
granitic rocks in Sulawesi.
As weathered ultramafic and granitic rocks in Sulawesi
are widely distributed, it is expected that Sc and REE can
be economically extracted in the future.
Further detail study on the occurrence of these critical
metals (Sc and REE) therefore should be conducted
intensively in order to maximize the potential of these
materials for better development.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to
KLN DIKTI research scheme 2015 for field work budget
and JICA C-BEST UNHAS Research Grant 2015. PT
Vale Indonesia, Soroako is greatly acknowledged for
their facility and permit during field work.
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Centre for Nuclear Mineral Technology, National Nuclear Energy Agency, INDONESIA.
e-mail: sukadana@batan.go.id
ABSTRACT
Uranium exploration was conducted since 1978 covering almost all of Sulawesi Area including Banggai and Sula Islands.
Granitic rocks and aluvial placer deposit was targeted as the source and host rock of radioactive minerals deposits in
Sulawesi. Alkaline rock also became exploration target of radioactive minerals exploration recently. The methode that was
applied in uranium exploration are combine the geological data, radioactivity measurement and geochemical analysis.
Some area has high content of uraium, such as Masamba, Pasangkayu, Banggai, Sula, Barru and Mamuju. Uranium
content in exploration area usualy not to high except in Mamuju. Uranium minerals can be occurs in rocks as its own
minerals, as a substitute element in accessory minerals, adsorbed on Fe and Fe-Ti hydroxides-oxides and clay minerals
adsorbed by organic matter, in crystal defects of major rock forming minerals, and dissolved in geologic fluids and fluid
inclusions. Uranium also generally low concentrations (1 to several ppm), most of the uranium is substituted in the
structure of one or several accessory minerals such as apatite, zircon, monazite, xenotime, and titanite, which represent
refractory uranium sources for mobilization by most types of geologic fluids. Radioacive minerals was found in Sulawesi
such as monazite, allanite, thorianite and titanite group (davidite). Exploration of uranium in Mamuju area is associaeted
with rare earth elements (REE). Development of uranium minerals exploration was focused in Mamuju Area West Sulawesi.
Key words: Uranium, exploration, Granitic, Alkaline rocks, Sulawesi.
INTRODUCTION
Uranium exploration in Sulawesi has been conducted
from 1978 to 1984 (Ngadenin et al. 2010). The activity
was slow down in 1984 and begin in 2012 in Mamuju
Area. Granitic rocks, acid volcanic rocks and aluvial
deposits has been the target of uranium exploration.
Uranium minerals naturaly can be formed in plutonic,
metasomatic,
hydrothermal,
basinal
diagenetic,
metamorphic, and volcanic to sedimentary and superficial
environments with the calcretes (Bruneton and Cuney
2016). The aim of the research are to define the
distribution of the potential rocks and potential deposits in
Sulawesi base on uranium exploration data.
Sulawesi can be divided into four (4) tectonic
provinces namely (1) the Western and North Sulawesi
Pluto-Volcanic Arc, (2) the Central Sulawesi
Metamorphic Belt, (3) the East Sulawesi Ophiolite Belt
and (4) the Banggai-Sula and Tukang Besi continental
fragments (Maulana et al. 2013). Uranium exploration was
conducted in all area except the East Sulawesi Ophiolite.
The exploration step are various from early/previous
study, general prospection and detailed prospection
(Figure 1).
Preliminary study conducting by literature and
previous report and general geology and tectonic setting
of some area. The results of preliminary study will follow
up by general prospection completed by geological
information, regional data colection (geochemistry and
rock sampling) also completed by radiometric mapping
with regional scale. That methode will be resulting the
radiometric map and uranium content from every sampel.
The result of this step will be follow up by detailed
prospection.
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Rock Type
Average
o
(c/s)
SPP 2NF
Late
Tertiary
Sediment, and part of
Quartenary sea sediment
Midle
Late
2 Tertiary Volcanic
Felsic
Intermediete Tertiary
Intrution
4
Early Tertiary
Cretaceous
Clastic
Sediment
5
Triassic
Metamorphic
Anomal
y
(c/s)
SPP 2NF
40
100
100
300
125
300
40
100
75
150
Anomaly
Location
Pasangkayu
,
Polewali
Mamasa
Masamba
Hulu, Polewali
Mamasa
Bantimala and
Maros Gowa
Bangkir,
Sabang
and
Masamba
Masamba
Hulu
Masamba
and Kulawi
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Sample Code
U (ppm)
Th ( ppm)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1
MJU/03
MJU/06
MJU/07
MJU/09
MJU/20
MJU/21
MJU/30
MJU/45
MJU/56
MJU/61
1104,0
1729,0
2291,1
1662,0
426,7
366,1
224,4
1354,0
713,9
1113,0
216,8
133,7
209,7
518,4
13.240,0
9919,0
163,7
814,4
618,3
212,5
CONCLUSION
Uranium exploration in Sulawesi was conducted since
1978 1984 with the object of uranium exploration area
are granitic, metamorphic and its related sedimentary
rocks. Recently uranium exploration was expans to
alkaline volcanic rocks such as in Mamuju Area. The
significant content of uranium was found in Adang
volcanic rock in several places in Mamuju, West
Sulawesi.
DISCUSSION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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PENDAHULUAN
Indonesia menjadi produsen yang signifikan untuk
sejumlah komoditi meliputi: batubara,tembaga, emas,
timah, dan nikel (Winzenried dan Halim, 2015: 1). Khusus
untuk timah, Indonesia bahkan mampu menduduki
peringkat negara produsen dan eksportir timah terbesar
kedua di dunia PT Timah (Persero) Tbk., 2015: 1) dengan
total produksi mencapai 27.431 ton pada tahun 2015.
Namun demikian harga timah terus merosot semenjak
2013; bahkan mencapai 16.186 USD/ton di tahun 2015
(P.T. Timah (Persero) Tbk., 2015: 13). Rendahnya harga
jual logam timah dapat disiasati dengan cara
mengeksploitasi komoditi ikutan timah lainnya. Menurut
Setijadji dkk. (2003) dan Szamalek dkk. (2013) komoditi
ikutan timah yang telah terbukti hadir adalah unsur tanah
jarang (UTJ). UTJ hadir dalam wujud mineral-mineral
berat (xenotime dan monazite) yang bercampur dengan
plaser mineral berat (cassiterite) yangmengandung timah.
Sebagaimana diketahui bersama penggunaan REE
europium,gadolinium sangat luas dan erat kaitannya
dengan produk industri teknologi tinggi, seperti industri
komputer, telekomunikasi, nuklir, dan ruang angkasa. Di
masa mendatang diperkirakan penggunaannya akan
meluas, terutama REE tunggal, seperti neodymium,
samarium,, dan yttrium.
Kebutuhan akan logam tanah jarang (LTJ) seiring
dengan pertumbuhan industri menunjukkan trend yang
makin meningkat. Perkembangan industry chemical, metal
alloys, catalys menjadi angin segar bagi keberlangsungan
penggunaan REE. Cina dan Amerika Serikat telah sebagai
salah satu negara yang memiliki cadangan REE,
memanfaatkan celah ini sebagai importir tetap dengan
volume penjualan yang semakin meningkat. Kebijakan
reformasi penggunaan sumber energy dalam Konferensi
Perubahan Iklim Paris, mengakibatkan kebijakan green
energy menjadi program negera maju dan berkembang.
Sehingga optimalisasi pembangkit listrik bertenagakan
non fossil menjadi kesempatan unsur tanah jarang dan
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Karakteristik REE
REE dalam sistem periodik unsur berada dalam
golongan lanthanida yang terdiri atas 15 unsur (Gambar
8), mulai dari lanthanum (No atom 57) hingga lutetium
(No atom 71). Yttrium, scandium, dan thorium
dimasukkan
kedalam
kelompok
REE
dengan
pertimbangan kesamaan sifat. Unsur tanahjarang
mempunyai sifat reaktif tinggi terhadap airdan oksigen,
bentuk senyawa stabil dalam kondisioksida, titik leleh
relatif tinggi, serta sebagai bahanpenghantar panas yang
tinggi. REE bersifat tidak tergantikan. Hal ini disebabkan
sifatnya yang sangat khas, sehingga sampai saat ini, tidak
ada material lain yang mampu menggantikannya. Jika ada,
kemampuan yang dihasilkan tidak sebaik material REE.
Sifat REE yang digunakan sebagai material berteknologi
tinggi dan belum ada penggantinya, membuat logam tanah
jarang manjadi material yang vital dan mempunyai potensi
strategis. Berdasarkan variasi radius ion dan susunan
elektron, REE diklasifikasikan ke dalam dua subkelompok, yaitu :
1) REE-ringan, atau subkelompok cerium yang meliputi
lanthanum hingga europium
2) REE-berat, atau subkelompok yttrium yang meliputi
gadolinium hingga lutetium dan yttrium.
Monazite((Ce,La,Y,Th)PO3)
merupakan
senyawa
fosfat-REE yang mengandung 50-70% oksida REE.
Monazite memiliki kandungan thorium yang cukup tinggi
sehingga bersifat radioaktif. Thorium memancarkan
radiasi tingkat rendah, dengan menggunakanselembar
kertas saja akan terhindar dari radiasi yang dipancarkan.
Monazite terbagi menjadi 3 tipe seperti terlihat pada Tabel
1.1.
Tabel 1 Tipe monazit dan rumus kimianya
Mineral REE
REE tidak ditemukan di bumi sebagai unsur bebas
melainkan paduan berbentuk senyawa kompleks.
Sehingga untuk pemanfaatannya, REE harusdipisahkan
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Pemodelan Endapan
Sumberdaya Monazite
serta
Perhitungan
Potensi
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3)
4)
5)
Hasil Perhitungan
Berdasarkan hasil perhitungan, potensi terbesar REE
berada di wilayah Bangka, baik onshoremaupun offshore.
Tabel 6 di bawah ini merupakan rekapitulasi sumberdaya
seluruh wilayah IUP, untuk rincian masing-masing daerah
dapat dilihat pada lampiran. Tentu saja hasil perhitungan
lebih besar jika dibandingkan dengan perhitungan
terdahulu karena cakupan wilayahnya lebih menyeluruh
serta cara pendekatannya yang berbeda.
Tabel 6 Rekapitulasi Sumberdaya Monazite dan Thorium REE
di wilayah IUP PT Timah (Persero) Tbk.
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Kesimpulan
Sumberdaya hipotetik mineral RE di wilayah IUP PT
Timah sekurang-kurangnya yaitu : 180.323 ton monazite,
21.876 ton xenotime, dan 1.226.268 ton zircon. Dengan
besar sumberdaya hipotetik Th orium 8.710 Ton
Perlu kajian lebih mendalam terkait REE di Bangka,
Belitung, Kundur serta tingkat keekonomisannya
berdasarkan sumberdaya yang ada. Sebagai catatan bahwa
dominasi REE di wilayah tersebut termasuk dalam
kategori light REE, seperti cerium (Ce) yang harganya
hanya sekitar $ 5000 diatas harga timah sehingga
sumberdaya nya pun harusnya hampir sebesar sumberdaya
timah.
Kebijakan eksplorasi tentang tindak lanjut REE harus
jelas, karena saat ini pemboran ketika sudah tidak ada
timah akan distop. Apakah diperlukan eksplorasi yang
khusus menangani REE ataukah hanya sebagai by
product saja. Hal ini akan menentukan rencana jangka
panjang terkait REE akan seperti apa.
Regulasi nasional tentang REE pun belumlah jelas,
sehingga PT Timah dalam hal ini dapat berperan sebagai
pihak yang support bagi pemerintah atau badan
berwenang dalam menentukan regulasi.
Tindak Lanjut Eksplorasi
a)
123
Geologi
Eksplorasi,
Melakukan
kegiatan
eksplorasi secara menyeluruh terhadap semua
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DAFTAR PUSTAKA
Chappel, B. W., dan White, A. J. R.. 2001. Two Contrasting
Granite Types: 25 Years Later. Australian Journal of Earth
Sciences. Hal. 489 499.
Cobbing, E. J., Pitfield, P. E. J., Darbyshire, D. P. F. and
Mallick, D. I. J. (1992). The granites of the South-East
Asian Tin Belt. British Geoloical Survey OverseasMemoir,
10: 369p.
Darmawan, B., 2012, Rare Earth Potential Indonesia in Tin
Belt, Presentasi pada FGD tentang REE, Badan Geologi,
Bandung.
Environmental
Magnetics
Business
Dept.
Mitsubishi
Corporation, 2014, Study Results of Technical Appraisal
for Extraction of REEs Based on the New Approach,
Presentasi di PT. Timah, Pangkalpinang, Bangka.
Hall, R., (2014). The origin of Sundaland. In Proceedings of
Sundaland Resources 2014 MGEI Annual Convention, 1718 November 2014, Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia:
p1-25.
Ishihara, S., (1981). The granitoid series and mineralization.
Economic Geology, 75th Anniversary Volume, 458-484.
Setijadji, L. D., Warmada, I. W., Imai, A., dan Sanematsu, K.,
2009, Investigation on Rare Earth Mineralisation in
Indonesia, dalam: Proceedings of The 2nd Regional
Conference Interdiciplinaries Research on Natural
Resources and Materials Engineering, Yogyakarta, p.
Soetopo, B., Subiantoro, L., dan Haryanto, D.,2012, Studi
Deposit Monasit dan Zirkon di Daerah Cerucuk Belitung,
Pusat Pengembangan Geologi Nuklir-BATAN, Jakarta
Selatan.
Sujitno, S., Rachmat, A., dan Harsono, Raf. 1973, Perspektif
Mineral-Mineral Ikutan dalam Lingkungan Timah dan
Mineral-Mineral Economic Lainnya di Bangka, Dinas
Eksplorasi-Geologi, P.N. Timah.
Suprapto, S.J., Tinjauan Tentang Unsur Tanah Jarang, Bidang
Program dan Kerja Sama Pusat Sumber Daya Geologi,
Bandung.
Suwargi, E., Pardianto, B., dan Ishlah, T., 2010, Potensi Logam
Tanah Jarang di Indonesia, Buletin Sumber Daya Geologi
Volume 5 Nomor 3 2010, Bandung.
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HVSR passive seismic surveying for mineral, coal or shallow quarry materials
exploration: three mineral exploration case studies.
David Stannard1*, Jayson Meyers1
1
The passive seismic method has been commonly applied to earthquake hazard mapping studies, engineering and structural
analysis applications, and sub-soil site characterisation investigations. An innovative seismometer developed by MoHo s.r.l
(Italy), the Tromino, has also proven itself as a rapid and inexpensive geophysical survey tool for assisting with regolith
and basin thickness mapping for exploration of mineral deposits, shallow sedimentary basin mapping and shallow quarry
materials by removing the requirement for large seismometer arrays, heavy and complicated instruments, and associated
long set up and recording times. In some instances, the Tromino assists by direct exploration by measurement of target
sediment thickness (e.g. ironsand), but typically indirect exploration by measuring low velocity and density regolith and
sedimentary cover thickness to help interpret and process other geoscientific datasets, such as gravity, electromagnetics
and for seismic static analysis, and to reduce drilling costs by providing infill information between holes and predicting
cover thickness ahead of drilling. The Tromino seismometer is a self-contained, lightweight survey instrument that is
highly portable and very simple to use.
The Tromino exploits the horizontal over vertical (H/V) spectral ratio (HVSR) technique, whereby the spectral ratio of the
averaged horizontal (H) and vertical (V) seismic velocity component data are used to determine the resonant frequency of
near surface layers over a strong basement acoustic impedance contact, which is also the seismic amplification frequency of
the sub-soil, at the recording location. This resonant frequency is related to the shear wave velocity and thickness of the
resonating layer by the formula: 0 = (4), where f0 is the fundamental frequency (in Hz) of the observed HVSR peak,
Vs is the shear wave velocity (in m/s) of the upper layer, and H (in m) is the depth to the acoustic impedance contrast. For
exploration purposes, the main acoustic impedance contrast of interest is commonly the regolith and sedimentary cover to
fresh rock interface or the base of a sedimentary basin, and lower modes are often related to impedance contrasts in the
sedimentary and regolith cover.
Resource Potentials Pty Ltd (Australia) are the Oceania representatives for geophysical equipment developed by MoHo,
and have utilised the Tromino for passive seismic surveying in Australia and abroad. The following paper briefly presents
the results of some passive seismic survey case studies using the Tromino for an REE oxide deposit and potash brine
project in Australia, and at an ironsand deposit in New Zealand. Additional case studies will be shown in the presentation.
acoustic impedance contrast boundaries in the sub-surface.
For mineral, coal and construction material exploration,
this strong acoustic impedance contrast is typically due to
low velocity and low density sediments overlying higher
velocity and denser bedrock.
MoHo s.r.l (Italy) addressed the restrictions of
traditional passive seismic arrays for widespread
exploration purposes, essentially total survey time, when
they developed the innovative Tromino seismometer
primarily for HVSR surveying. The Tromino is a highly
sensitive seismometer that addresses exploration industry
needs by incorporating all of the equipment required for
passive seismic array surveying within a small and highly
portable instrument that is easy to deploy in the field. The
Tromino ENGY 3G houses 3 velocimetric channels, 3
accelerometric channels, 1 analogue channel, inbuilt GPS,
inbuilt radio transmitter / receiver, internal A-D and data
recorder, and it is powered by 2x AA batteries that last all
day.
Resource Potentials Pty Ltd (Australia) are the Oceania
representatives for the innovative geophysical equipment
developed by MoHo s.r.l, including the Tromino
seismometer, and have used it to carry out passive seismic
survey case studies for exploration projects within
Australia, New Zealand and abroad. Three case studies
from passive seismic surveys carried out by Resource
Potentials using the Tromino instruments are briefly
presented in this paper to highlight some of the potential
INTRODUCTION
Passive seismic surveying is not yet commonly used as
a surveying method for mineral, coal or construction
material exploration, but the technique has been used for
decades for earthquake hazard mapping studies,
engineering
applications,
site
characterisation
investigations, and seismic mapping research studies. The
term passive seismic is given to the method, which is
really the recording of ambient seismic energy that exists
everywhere on the Earths surface, and is caused by
microseismic events, wind, waves, cultural sources, etc.
No external source, such as a hammer, weight drop,
explosives or vibroseis, is required to generate seismic
signal, and only a broadband receiver and survey location
is needed. Historically, the seismometers used for passive
seismic studies were typically set up in large complex
arrays (e.g. SPAC or FK), requiring several large
seismometers (>2) with substantial accompanying
equipment, long set up times, and very long recording
times (>4 hours per reading), and difficult data processing
and modelling approaches, thereby reducing the
attractiveness of the technique for exploration mapping
applications. The HVSR technique is a simple and
relatively rapid passive seismic method that provides
information on the resonant frequency and shear wave
velocity of near surface layers, and this information can be
used to provide a proxy for estimating the depth to strong
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Equation 1:
0 =
,
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REFERENCES
Bard, P-Y., and SESAME participants, 2004, The SESAME
Project: An overview and main results, 13th World
Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Paper No. 2207.
Bonnefoy-Claudet, S., S. Baize, L. Fabian Bonilla, C. BergeThierry, C. Pasten, J. Campos, P. Volant, and R. Verdugo,
2008, Site effect evaluation in the basin of Santiago de
Chile using ambient noise measurements, Geophysics
Journal International, 1-13.
Nakamura, Y., 1989, A method for dynamic characteristics
estimation of subsurface using microtremor on the ground
surface. Q. Rep. RTRI, 30(1), 25-33.
Nakamura, Y., 2000, Clear identification of fundamental idea of
Nakamuras technique and its applications, Proc. 12WCEE,
No. 2656, 177-402.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Fig. 5: Normalised HVSR cross section overlain with processed
GPR traverses and drilling information. The passive seismic
survey was able to detect the basalt unit that underlies the
ironsand deposit, and confirmed by drilling. Subtle HVSR
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