Basement interpretation of the Tennant Creek region

Abstract

A basement interpretation of the Tennant Creek region, incorporating modern semi-regional airborne magnetic data and recent geological mapping, is helping to unlock some of the secrets of the Tennant Creek Au-Cu-Bi mineral field. A GIS based environment facilitated the effective integration of several geological and geophysical datasets. Five different magnetic signatures are associated with mineralised Warramunga Formation. The major deposits of the Tennant Creek mineral field are hosted by the magnetic siltstone dominated lithofacies. Several of these deposits are adjacent to areas with a ?washed out? magnetic response, possibly caused by destruction of magnetite by hydrothermal alteration. The new magnetic data defines previously unrecognized structures and faults that may be related to mineralisation.