1. Rapid mineralogical and geochemical characterisation of the Fisher East nickel sulphide prospects, Western Australia, using hyperspectral and pXRF data
- Author
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Stephen Barnes, Marco L. Fiorentini, Lauren L. Burley, Margaux Le Vaillant, David R. Mole, and Carsten Laukamp
- Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Geochemistry ,Metamorphism ,Hyperspectral imaging ,Geology ,Igneous textures ,010502 geochemistry & geophysics ,01 natural sciences ,Talc carbonate ,Shortwave infrared ,Mineral exploration ,Geochemistry and Petrology ,Nickel sulphide ,Facies ,Economic Geology ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
The use of Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) and Thermal Infrared (TIR) hyperspectral data in mineral exploration has been well documented in many mineralisation types, but is limited in komatiite-hosted nickel sulphide deposits. This project combines hyperspectral, Portable X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF) and whole-rock geochemical data to assess different analytical techniques in the exploration of these deposits. We use the Fisher East nickel sulphide prospects, Western Australia for our case study. The Fisher East prospects lie in an area of the eastern goldfields that has historically been underexplored and understudied. The rocks have undergone intense deformation with primary igneous textures being destroyed, along with strong alteration to talc carbonate assemblages. Combining different analytical tools allowed for differentiation of A and B-zones of original komatiite flows, and the reconstruction of original volcanological facies in a setting where whole rock chemistry as well as igneous textures have been substantially modified by metamorphism. By using different lithogeochemical techniques including pXRF, this study shows the Fisher East prospects are hosted within channelised komatiite flows, and have similar characteristics to Kambalda style deposits.
- Published
- 2017
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