NICKEL: Geophysical response of the Rocky's Reward nickel sulphide deposit, Leinster, Western Australia

Abstract

The Rocky's Reward nickel sulphide deposit is located in the Agnew-Wiluna greenstone belt, about 2 km north of the Perseverance (Agnew) nickel mine. The belt lies within the northern portion of the Eastern Goldfields Province of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. Ore-grade mineralisation was discovered at Rocky's Reward in 1984 as a result of drill testing a geochemically anomalous gossan. Geophysical surveys (airborne and ground magnetics, induced polarisation/resistivity) had been carried out over or in the vicinity of the deposit well before the discovery of mineralisation. However, even though a magnetic anomaly was clearly delineated over the Rocky's Reward deposit, the target was not selected for follow up at that stage as the surface geological expression did not fit the existing conceptual geological model. A large amount and variety of geophysical work, including airborne and surface time-domain electromagnetics, induced polarisation/resistivity, controlled source audiomagnetotellurics, gravity and downhole surveys was subsequently completed following the discovery of mineralisation at Rocky's Reward. The object of these surveys was to map and characterise the deposit geophysically, in order to assist in the delineation of the extent and geometry of the mineralisation, and to evaluate geophysical techniques applicable to further exploration in the area. The deposit represents an excellent target for several geophysical techniques because of its shallow depth, geometry, and physical property contrasts of the ore and its host with surrounding rocks. A combination of ground magnetics and time-domain electromagnetics proved to be the most definitive and economical for detecting and mapping the deposit.