Quartz Pods

- An Exploration Guide to Iron Oxide-Copper-Gold Mineralisation?

Prepared by: Alberto Lobo-Guerrero S. Geologist, M.Sc., MinEx Economic Geology Research Institute University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, September, 2004

Quartz Pods - Exploration Guide to IOCG?

Contents
1. Description 2. Environment and Extension 3. QP and Mineralization 4. Studies to be Done 5. Practical Applications 6. Hypothesis on Origin

-Goatscommon sight during field work in arid regions

Goats with testicles hanging from their neck

That man is crazy!

Hes definitely nuts!

Ive seen them.

Now youve seen them too.

I discovered they are associated to specific mineral enrichment in soils. Mapping goats appendices helps explore for mineral deposits Its a bit of animal geochemistry

Quartz pods are another strange feature that I noticed during field work for doctoral research in Zambia & Namibia.

Quartz Pods 1
Quartz pods = particular feature identified in most of Lufilian Arc study region quartz pod = informal name for massive or sugary QP of varying dimensions Features differ from vein qtz & pegmatitic qz bodies most different = geometry shape appears roughly cylindrical outcrops of undeformed bodies = round to elliptical diameter varies from few to several hundred meters some mapped bodies exceed 4 km geophysical evidence of even larger bodies

Quartz Pods 2
Occur near intrusive bodies (at times just small apophysis) around iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) mineralized systems Most pods made of white qz, but color may vary greatly Examples show change from milky white to dark gray smokey tones and to light pink or yellow tints colors probably due to: abundant gas salt micro-inclusions of: Fe oxide Sulfides

Quartz Pods 3
Both translucent + milky qz varieties occur together Different portions of single body may be saccaroidal and/or massive QP seldom mapped in published geological maps

Field identification & particular physico-chemical features may aid in exploration of IOCG mnzn

1km

QP surface expression E Solwesi, Zambia. Areal extension = few hundred m diameter

3.5 m

Typical QP outcrop in Zambia. Areal extension = 200 meters diameter

Typical QP outcrop in Zambia. Areal extension = 200 meters diameter

QP Outcrop

Host rock = Katangan carbonates

Surface expression of very large QP. Way to Oas farm, Khorixas inlier, Namibia. Ground exclusively made of quartz. Suface extends for tens of km.

Interpreted airborne magnetometry + radiometrics, east of Kitwe, Zambia.

Expression of quartz pods

10 km

QP Environment and Extension QP Environment and Extension

QP = particular characteristic of Lufilian Arc -may be related to rift environments -occur in many rk types: ls, dol, gtds, various schists & gneisses

ZAMBIA

NAMIBIA 500 km

QP

500 km

Quartz pod outcrop

QP outcrops in the Greater Lufilian Arc, Africa

QP Environment and Extension QP Environment and Extension

QP occur in an extense region roughly 2000 km by 300 km QP expected to be found in: SE Angola, Katanga province D.R. Congo, NW Botswana

ZAMBIA

NAMIBIA 500 km

QP

500 km

IOCG deposits and prospects in the Greater Lufilian Arc, Africa

Quartz Pods 5
Several dozen QPs were intersected along roads Points of intersection were recorded = simple measument of QP size & abundance in Lufilian Arc -chance sampling -not representative, but is all available now -some perimeters mapped QP sampled to find particular chemical/physical features of use in exploration
100m

Preliminary results = by-product of field sampling for regional project on granitoids in portions of Lufilian Arc

Sometimes country rock is deformed upward around QP in a fashion similar to diapirs

QP

-differential compaction? -disolution? Some published geological sheets map QP few references describe QP Maybe they were considered to be just qz veins of minor importance

Four Rock Association

Four-fold rk association observed in many parts of Lufilian Arc made up by small bodies of: -massive Fe oxide bodies (mag and/or hem) -red-tinted felsic intrusive rocks -gabbro or diorite -qz pods

1km

Four Rock Association

Association seems to occur in rift environments Their origin is not yet completely understood Explaining ubiquitous presence of these 4 rk types -ideas for origin of Lufilian Arc IOCG mineralization -more importantly, clues for mineralisation elsewhere
1km

QP and Mineralisation
QP host IOCG mnzn in many locations At times QP act as brittle rocks to hold massive mag and/or specular hem mnzn w/ accompanying sulfs

Braided veins w/ hem + oxidized sulfides hosted by QP Several fracture generations intersect each other
B

A = outcrop surface B = slabbed surface

From Oas farm Khorixas inlier, Nm

Particles Enclosed in QP
On some locations, large QP contain isolated spherical FeOx (hem and/or mag) inclusions from 10 cm to 1.5 cm . Also perfect cubic FeOx crystals xenoliths of any rk type also included within QP

QP and IOCG 1
Brittle character of qz allows it to host braided or sub-parallel sheeted veinlet systems filled by hem+sulfs. Numerous field examples: braided veins stockworks various breccias
Hydrothermal bx from Tevrede, Nm

Sheeted FeOx veins in QP

qz is both host rk & single clast component in Tevrede, NW Namibia rich Cu+Au IOCG prospect

Dense network of mag-pycp veinlets in QP outcrop at least 150m

Portion of cp-py rich, mag-filled stockwork in QP

Slab of Cu sulf-rich, mag stwk hosted in QP Brown stains = hem after py

Surface expression of bo-cp-mag enriched stwk in QP. Secondary Cu sulfs (bk) Cu carbs (gn-bl)

Slab of mineralised QP. Massive hem +minor py overprint qz

Large QP, NE of Otjiwarongo, Namibia in environs of Otjikoto Au deposit 500m and over 350m deep contains minor diss py & mag cubes associated to Otjiwarongo batholith

QP and IOCG 2
Kombat Cu mine also related to batholith Both = IOCG deposits

Quartz Pod

50 km

Fig 26

QP Studies to be done
QP investigations might help to guide IOCG field exploration in southern Africa

detailed macroscopic analysis radioactivity & fluorescence, various wavelengths cathodoluminiscence studies detailed specific gravity chemical analysis (halogens, REE) H & O isotopes Fluid inclusions: salinity & emplacement T 3-D geometry of a few sites using geophysical techniques

Practical Applications of QP
QP are related with Fe oxide-Cu-Au mineralized systems. May be major breakthrough in mineral exploration

If QP detailed chemical signature from mnzd IOCG systems is characteristic

= new exploration tool

Abundant white qz float in circular area = detected easily on arid regions QP outcrops offer good color contrast w/ country rock B/W air photos may help in location large outcrop areas identifiable in ASTER images

Hypotheses About QP Origin

1) type of silicification alteration, not well documented 2) hyper-alkaline fluids, disolve SiO2 & produce QP space problem 3) HF-rich extremely alkaline fluids disolve SiO2 replacing it by Fe oxides SiO2 migrates further out & precipitates QP space problem How to detect F in qz?
Silica displaced by FeOx

Silica deposited as Quartz Pod Silica transported by alkaline fluid

Pregnant IOCG intrusive body

FeOx

4) Intrusive evidence of some QP Could QP be a qtz-only magma? (Quartzolites?)

Call to Other Geologists

Call attention of researchers who might have come across similar QP in other parts of the world The author welcomes comments & contributions to solve questions

Now youve seen the quartz pods too.

Conclusions 1. QP = massive/sugary qz body roughly cylindrical in shape round to elliptical outcrop diameter = few to 100s meters some >4 square km 2. occur on or around IOCG 3. probably related to hyperalkaline, F-rich hydrothermal fluids 4. may be new exploration tool for IOCG mineralization

Quartz Pods
- An Exploration Guide to Iron Oxide-Copper-Gold Mineralisation?
Prepared by: Alberto Lobo-Guerrero S. Geologist, M.Sc., MinEx Economic Geology Research Institute University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, September, 2004

IRON OXIDE-COPPER-GOLD MINERAL DEPOSITS

IOCG = recently-identified type of ore deposits in zones of extensional tectonics mainly along past rift zones or aulacogens situated along major structural zones Most related to anorogenic intrusive rocks No direct relationship w/ intrusive rocks -in small deposits -distal portions of mineralized systems Mineralized deposits contain Fe oxide nucleus (mag and/or hem) replaced by py and cpy

Simplified Geological Map Salobo Deposit, Brazil From Requia et al, 2000

500 m

N
e r V a l y e r t d t e p e y f m o i n e a a r l i z i n o t M e u m a i d e r t l d t e p e y o m f i n r a e a l i z n i o t

Very altered type of mineralization Medium altered type of mineralization

IOCG MINERAL DEPOSITS, 2

Mag might have been demagnetized into martite and/or hem and later, part or all of the FeOx replaced by sulphides May contain economic Au & light rare earth elements (LREE) U content might be significant other metals may be economic: Ag, Co, Mn Cu mnzn seems related to meteoric fluids & redox reactions on/around FeOx LREEs may be associated with apatite

Th K U

Au Cu Ag

Simplified Geochemical Log drill hole ALM-FD09 Alemao Deposit Carajas, Brazil
FeOx (stars) acts as nucleus for Cu, Au, Ag, U, F mineralization From Ronze et al, 2000

IOCG MINERAL DEPOSITS, 3

Uncertain issues: -origin of Au + LREEs -causes of hydrothermal alteration silicate dissolution metal transportation Source of halogens for highly alkaline and/or F-rich solutions -evaporites formed in sabkha, playa or salt lake environments -basinal brines and/or mixing with sea water

IOCG MINERAL DEPOSITS, ALTERATION

Zoned hydrothermal altn in most mineralized IOCG deps Altn patterns depend on depth of emplacement & host rk chem Gral alteration (shallow to deep): -albitization -scapolitization -K-alteration -sericitization -silicification

Widespread massive hematitization, so-called red-rock altn Large-scale Na altn around mnzd rocks Textural replacements of rock constituents are common Alkaline and/or F-rich fluids seem to play important role in hydrothermal altn, metal transportation & silicate disolution.

IOCG MINERAL DEPOSITS, 5

Common textural replacements of rock constituents General order of hydrothermal altn/mnzn: Country rock albitization High T FeKCa altn (Biot-garnet-Kfelds-amphybolite-cpx-mag) Mnzn+low T altn (sulphsmaghem-carbser/chl) w/ CuAu

Explosive bxn in most known deposits Multiple explosive fragmentation in largest orebodies

IOCG MINERAL DEPOSITS, 6

Geometry of mineralized bodies varies substantially -Commonest deposits are veins -Some are massive replacements that grade into stockworks -Bx pipes or diatremes -Tabular bodies that run concordant w/ rock foliation or stratification Composite deposits comprising veins, bxs, stockworked zones & replacement mantos are common.

Major IOCG Deposits (from Pollard, 2000)

Major South American Deposits