Search

Little was known about submarine hydrothermal activity in Indonesian waters until 2001. The paper presents the preliminary results of investigations into potentially ore-forming hydrothermal systems in a range of tectonic systems. Three new sites were discovered in the Sanghbe arc of northern Sulawesi. A possible isolated anoxic, brine-filled basin in the Tomini basin was found to be open to adjacent deep ocean circulation without evidence of massive base-metal sulphide mineralisation. Subdued evidence of hydrothermal activity was found in the Sunda Strait associated with the Krakatau volcano and the extension of the active Semangko Fault. There is also evidence of recent hydrothermal activity and epithermal sulphide mineralisation in the Banda arc in eastern Indonesia. Future discoveries of seafloor hydrothermal activity, sulphide mineral deposits and associated biological systems are most likely to be made within Indonesian territorial waters., Little was known about submarine hydrothermal activity in Indonesian waters until 2001. The paper presents the preliminary results of investigations into potentially ore-forming hydrothermal systems in a range of tectonic systems. Three new sites were discovered in the Sanghbe arc of northern Sulawesi. A possible isolated anoxic, brine-filled basin in the Tomini basin was found to be open to adjacent deep ocean circulation without evidence of massive base-metal sulphide mineralisation. Subdued evidence of hydrothermal activity was found in the Sunda Strait associated with the Krakatau volcano and the extension of the active Semangko Fault. There is also evidence of recent hydrothermal activity and epithermal sulphide mineralisation in the Banda arc in eastern Indonesia. Future discoveries of seafloor hydrothermal activity, sulphide mineral deposits and associated biological systems are most likely to be made within Indonesian territorial waters.