Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit, South Australia
Conference
·
· Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6913044
The Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit was discovered in July 1975. It is located 650 km north-northwest of Adelaide on Roxby Downs Station in South Australia. The first diamond drill hole, RD1, intersected 38 m of 1.05% copper. A further eight holes were drilled with only marginal encouragement to November 1976, when RD10 cored 170 m of 2.12% copper and 0.06% of uranium oxide, thus confirming an economic discovery. The discovery of Olympic Dam is an excellent example applying broad-scale, scientifically based conceptual studies to area selection. Exploration management supported its exploration scientists in testing their ideas with stratigraphic drilling. Geologic modeling, supported by geophysical interpretations and tectonic studies, was used to site the first hole. The discovery also illustrates the persistence required in mineral exploration. The deposit appears to be a new type of stratabound sediment-hosted ore. It has an areal extent exceeding 20 km/sup 2/ with vertical thicknesses of mineralization up to 350 m. It is estimated to contain more than 2000 million MT of mineralized material with an average grade of 1.6% copper, 0.06% uranium oxide, and 0.6 g/MT gold. The deposit occurs in middle Proterozoic basement beneath 350 m of unmineralized, flat upper Proterozoic sediments. The sediments comprising the local basement sequence are predominantly sedimentary breccias controlled by a northwest-trending graben.
- Research Organization:
- Western Mining Corp., Preston, Australia
- OSTI ID:
- 6913044
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8608105-
- Conference Information:
- Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 70:7
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit, Roxby Downs, South Australia
Comparison of the mineralogy of the Boss-Bixby, Missouri copper-iron deposit, and the Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit, South Australia
Occurrence of copper, gold, silver,uranium, tungsten, tin ore deposits in the Late Proterozoic aulacogen mobile melt of southeast China
Journal Article
·
Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983
· Econ. Geol.; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5166039
Comparison of the mineralogy of the Boss-Bixby, Missouri copper-iron deposit, and the Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit, South Australia
Conference
·
Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1984
· Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:6635943
Occurrence of copper, gold, silver,uranium, tungsten, tin ore deposits in the Late Proterozoic aulacogen mobile melt of southeast China
Conference
·
Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1984
· Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:6454236