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Uranium-copper systems in the Westmoreland region, northern Australia: Fluid inclusion studies and geochemical modelling of basinal fluids

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Created 13/01/2025

Updated 13/01/2025

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The Paleoproterozoic Westmoreland region is located 1250 km southeast of Darwin. The Westmoreland region is flanked on the southeast by the Paleoproterozoic Mt Isa Inlier and the Neoproterozoic South Nicholson Basin and in the northwest it is overlapped by Mesoproterozoic sediments of the McArthur Basin. The northern and southern ends of the McArthur basin share many geologic attributes including correlative stratigraphic rock types, which suggests that there is potential for unconformity-related uranium deposits in the southern McArthur basin and adjacent Westmoreland region. In fact, over fifty occurrences of uranium (some with minor gold) and copper mineralisation have been recorded in the Westmoreland region. Fluid inclusion studies have been carried out on selected uranium and copper prospects on the Northern Territory side of the Westmoreland region. Four types of inclusions have been observed, (Type A) Vapour-rich inclusions containing 30 100 vol.% vapour. Varying amounts of CO2 ± N2 ± CH4 have been detected in these inclusions, (Type B) Liquid-rich inclusions with up to 30 vol.% vapour, (Type C) Liquid-only inclusions, and (Type D) Three-phase (vapour + liquid + solid) liquid-rich inclusions containing a small daughter crystal. Type A, vapour-rich inclusions and some Type B, liquid-rich inclusions homogenised over the range 171 to 385 °C and are thought to be related to early metamorphic events. Other Type B and Type D inclusions typically homogenised between 100 and 240 °C with a mode around 120 °C, while the presence of liquid-only inclusions suggests trapping at temperatures below 50 °C. Eutectic melting temperatures indicate the presence of CaCl2 in the fluids but final melting temperatures show the presence of both high and low salinity brines. This suggests mixing between saline basinal fluids and low salinity meteoric fluids that continued down to temperatures below 50 °C.

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Title Uranium-copper systems in the Westmoreland region, northern Australia: Fluid inclusion studies and geochemical modelling of basinal fluids
Language eng
Licence notspecified
Landing Page https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/0a27c235-6b32-44d4-bbc3-49f59b6ff69e
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 20/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[134.0, -23.0], [142.0, -23.0], [142.0, -15.0], [134.0, -15.0], [134.0, -23.0]]]}
Data Portal data.gov.au