The geophysics of the Red Dome gold mine and surrounding areas

Abstract

The Red Dome deposit is within a Siluro?Devonian shallow marine sedimentary sequence approximately 250 km west of Cairns (Figs 1, 2). The sequence, known as the Chillagoe Formation consists of limestone, sandstone, cherts and mafic volcanics. Rock strata within this sequence are generally steeply dipping. Approximately one kilometre west of the deposit is the Palmerville Fault which separates the Chillagoe Formation from the Pre-Cambrian Dargalong Metamorphics. Approximately 20 km to the east, the sequence is unconformably overlain by the relatively flat lying Featherbed Volcanics. The whole region is extensively intruded by granitic and porphyritic rocks.