The Tanami Deep Seismic Reflection Experiment: a look under the surface of a major gold province in northern Australia

Abstract

Results from the Tanami Seismic reflection survey are extremely encouraging for researchers and explorers working in the Proterozoic Tanami region of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The Tanami seismic reflection project, a joint project between Geoscience Australia (GA), the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS), the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA), Newmont Exploration Pty. Ltd. and Tanami Gold N.L., has defined the crustal architecture of the Tanami region and Proterozoic Arunta region, identified structural anomalies, which appear to control gold mineralisation and generated exploration targets. Main crustal-scale features include a major SE dipping suture that extends from the surface tothe Moho and is interpreted as the boundary between the Tanami region and the Arunta Region; a partitioning of the crust into a less reflective upper crust and a more reflective middle to lower crust; a series of SE, NE and NW dipping shallow reflectors within the Tanami region that are interpreted as thrusts; shallow and relatively thin granitic bodies that are less than 10 km thick and a strong association between ore deposits and prospects and the location of crustal structural anomalies, including shallowly-dipping thrusts, pop-up structures and ramp anticlines.