Geology and mineraization in the western Lachlan Fold Belt: Cupriferous pyrite deposits in the Girilambone Beds, Tottenham, New South Wales

Abstract

Cupriferous pyrite deposits at Tottenham and Albert (19 km to the southeast) occur in poorly outcropping schists and quartzites of the Girilambone Beds. The rocks have undergone greenschist facies metamorphism and are strongly deformed. The schists were originally quartz-rich sediments and basic volcanics. The schists of basic volcanic origin are restricted to the Tottenham area and are folded into the Orange Plains Anticline. This structure has been outlined by surface mapping (Skrzeczynski, 1972; Suppel, 1974) and by an aeromagnetic survey carried out by the Bureau of Mineral Resources (Rees and Taylor, 1973). Drilling in the Tottenham area has revealed a rock type not recognized in outcrop ? a well foliated quartz-albite-muscovite (chlorite) schist which is believed to be the host for many of the pyrite bodies. This rock type has a trace element composition similar to that of the basic schist.