Proceedings

International
Conference on Iron
Ores and their host
rocks: genesis,
exploration, mining,
mineralogy, processing and environment in the
new millennium

IRON
ORE
2002
9 – 11 September 2002
Perth, Australia

PRINCIPAL SPONSORS
Veining and Fluid Flow in the Area Surrounding the Mount
Whaleback Microplaty Hematite Ore Deposit — Constraints on
Fluid Dynamics Before, During and After Ore Genesis
M C Brown1 and N H S Oliver2
ABSTRACT
Five major veining events have been identified within the area
surrounding the Mount Whaleback microplaty hematite deposit. These
veining events can be directly correlated to the established deformation
history of the Hamersley Province (Brown et al, in press). Vein formation
temperatures of 203 to 231°C have been obtained from primary fluid
inclusions within veins which formed around the postulated time of ore
formation. Preliminary proton induced x-ray emition (PIXE) analysis of
these inclusions indicates KCl is the dominant salt species with varying
levels of Ca, Fe, Ti, Mn present. It is suggested that some of these veins
may have formed from feeder or effluent fluids from microplaty hematite
ore formation.
INTRODUCTION
The Hamersley Province, Western Australia (Figure 1) contains
some of the largest known iron deposits ore in the world. The
giant microplaty hematite orebodies, Mt Whaleback and Mt Tom
Price (Figure 1) have formed where the original banded iron
formation (BIF) has been converted to microplaty hematite in the
southern most deformed part of the province.
Until recently the most widely accepted model for the
formation of these deposits was the supergene enrichment model
(Morris, 1980, 1985, 1987; Harmsworth et al, 1990). The
supergene model requires the supergene hydration of magnetite
to martite-geothite during a period of uplift and erosion, then a
second stage of metamorphic upgrading to microplaty hematite.
Recently several hydrothermal models have been suggested
(Powell et al, 1999; Oliver and Dickens 1999; Hagemann et al,
1999; Barley et al, 1999; Taylor et al, 2001). These models
imply combinations of warm salty basinal brines and descending
heated meteoric fluids contributed to the formation of the
microplaty hematite orebodies.
Our recent, work into the hydrothermal history of the area
surrounding one of these giant microplaty hematite ore deposits
(Mt Whaleback) has descriminated a correlatable sequence of
veining (Brown et al, in press). This paper is concened with
demonstrating that some veins have timing relations similar to
that of ore, and thus may be linked.
STRATIGRAPHY AND STRUCTURE
The Hammersley Province consists of a 15 km thick sequence of
siliciclastic rocks, BIF, dolomite, mafic and felsic volcanics.
These rocks were deposited in a marine and fluvial environment
between ca 2775 Ma (Mt Roe Basalt) and ca 1843 Ma (Upper
Wyloo Group) (Arndt et al, 1991; Pidgeon and Horwitz, 1982).
Within this province the majority of microplaty hematite ore is
contained within the Dales Gorge Member of the Brockman Iron
Formation. The Province has been deformed by two main
orogenic events, the Ophthalmian Orogeny (ca 2450 Ma to ca
1. Economic Geology Research Unit, James Cook University, School
of Earth Sciences, Townsville Qld 4811.
E-mail: matthew.brown@jcu.edu.au
2. MAusIMM, Economic Geology Research Unit, James Cook
University, School of Earth Sciences, Townsville Qld 4811.
Iron Ore Conference Perth, WA, 9 - 11 September 2002
2209 Ma) (Martin et al, 1998; Tyler and Thorne, 1998) and the
Capricorn Orogeny ca 1700 to 1650 Ma due (Tyler and Thorne,
1990). The Ophthalmian Fold Belt formed response to the
north-south collison between the Pilbara and Yilgarn cratons.
This comperession produced the dominant north verging
east-west trending folds within the southern portion of the
province. Other Ophthalmian structures include south dipping
east-west striking thrust faults (Figure 1), a slaty cleavage in
shales and in some places a spaced, differentiated cleavage
within BIF (Oliver and Dickens, 1999).
Following the Ophthalmian Orogeny was a 400 Ma period
which contained multiple extensional episodes, dolerite dyke
intrusion and a compresional event. This period began with the
collapse of the mountain range produced during the Ophthalmian
Orogeny producing large, low angle north-west trending normal
faults such as the Central Fault at Mt Whaleback deposit and the
Southern Batter Fault at Mt Tom Price. These faults have been
implicated in the genesis of both Mt Whaleback and Mt Tom
Price (Oliver and Dickens 1999; Powell et al, 1999, Barley et al,
1999; Taylor et al, 2001). This was followed by a compressional
event (D3) which formed Panhandle Folding in localised
north-west fold corridors (Taylor et al, 2001). Futher extension
ensued along with the intrusion of the WNW and NNW trending
dolerite dykes. It is at this time that ore formation at Mt Tom
Price is thought to have occurred (Taylor et al, 2001).
The Capricorn Orogeny (D4) ca 1700 to ca 1650 Ma was
produced by the oblique (north-east south-west) cratonic
collision. This compression refolded D2 folds and reactivated
normal faults (Tyler and Thorne, Taylor et al, 2001).
Following the Capricorn Orogeny was a period of dextral
wrench faulting forming the Ninjilgardy Fault System which can
be seen throughout the south and south-western potion of the
province.
VEINING AND FLUID FLOW
Five main stages of veining and fluid flow have been established
for the area surrounding the Mt Whaleback deposit (Brown et al,
in press) (Table 1). These veins have been grouped A through to
E and show geometries that can be directly related to previously
documented structural features.
Group A veins formed on the limbs of F2 folds during the early
stages of D2. Layer parallel massive quartz veins have formed
where flexural slip induced dilation.
Group B veins are found almost exclusively on the north,
overturned limbs of F2 folds. These veins are hosted within and
show geometries consistent with shearing associated with F2 fold
formation. Group B veins contain elongate fibrous quartz,
reibeckite, and stilpnomelane and are commonly surrounded by a
hematite selvage.
Group C veins occur parallel to F2 fold axis. These veins are
filled with massive quartz and often microplaty hematite (both
infill and alteration). It is likely that group C veins formed during
the early stages of post D2 extension where a plane of weakness
parallel to S2 has been exploited by over pressured fluids when
D2 compression was relaxed.
77
M C BROWN and N H S OLIVER

Port Hedland

21o S

Ar

Ft
o
22 S
Wittenoom

Hm
Ft MAIN STUDY AREA
o
23 S

o
117 E 119o E
Hm Hamersley Group Syncline Wrench fault
Ft Fortescue Group
Anticline Thrust fault
Ar Archean
P Precambrian sediments & Major microplaty 0
Proterozoic granites hematite
(km)

FIG 1 - Regional location, main study area outlined. Note locations of some major fold axis, faults major structures and occurrences of major
microplaty hematite orebodies. Major fold axis and faults marked.

TABLE 1
Major veins within the Newman Area.

Vein group No. veins
A 319
B 283
C 85
D 41
E 130
Orientation Timing Structural location and Mineralogy
cross-cutting relationships
Bedding parallel Early D2 Limbs of F2 folds, folded by F2 Quartz ± hematite rims
Approximately So. parallel, Late D2 Shear associated vein northern Quartz, riebeckite
N block up shear (short) limb of F2 folds ±stilpnomelane hematite rims
S2 parallel Early D3 Hinges and south limbs Quartz + Mpty hematite
of F2 folds ± hematite rims
40 >292 Late D3 Cross-cuts F2 folds, and group C Quartz
71> 292 veins, spatially associated with
normal faults
48> 035, 62 >113 D5 Cross-cuts F2 folds, A, B and C Quartz ± hematite
76 >040 type veins. Near D5 dextral faults
81 > 151

78 Perth, WA, 9 - 11 September 2002 Iron Ore Conference

 VEINING AND FLUID FLOW IN THE AREA SURROUNDING THE MOUNT WHALEBACK MICROPLATY HEMATITE ORE DEPOSIT

Group D veins are large, massive quartz veins commonly
found in association with south dipping normal faults formed
during post D2 extension. These veins cross-cut group C veins
and commonly occur en-echelon.
Group E veins are closely associated with and have
orientations parallel to the faults of the Ninjilgardy fault system.
These veins contain massive milky white quartz and cross-cut all
other vein groups.
10
Wt % NaCl Equiv.
Of these veining events group D shows the closest relationship
to structural features implicated in ore formation. The spatial
association with the south dipping normal faults is suggestive as
faults of the same orientation and apparent timing occur in both
major microplaty hematite deposits and have been implicated as
crucial fluid pathways for ore formation (Barley et al, 1999;
Powell et al, 1999; Taylor et al, 2001).
The observed salinity trends coupled with the low temperature
range in primary fluid inclusions from group D veins indicates
these veins have most likely formed through mixing of a
moderate salinity (brine) and a low salinity fluid (meteoric). The
similarity between this data and data obtained from the Mt Tom
Price’s Southern Batter Fault lends weight to the hypotheses that

group D veins may represent evidence of the up flow (down T,

8 down P) path of hematite stable silica rich fluids generated by
ore formation at Mt Whaleback. Although silica is lost during
6 ore genesis, those veins and their trapped fluid inclusions may be
representative of the exhaust fluids which become saturated with
silica during pressure and temperature drops accompanying
4 extension.

2 REFERENCES
0 1991. The age of the Fortescue Group, Hamersley Basin, Western
205 215 225 235
Temperature
FIG 2 - Fluid inclusion data obtained from heating freezing
experiments, salinity vs vein formation temperatures (pressure
corrected). The linear array may represent mixing between
moderate salinity brines and low salinity meteoric fluids.
FLUID CHARACTERISTICS
Vein formation temperatures and fluid salinities have been
obtained from primary fluid inclusions within group D veins
(Figure 2). Fluid inclusion heating experiments indicate that
group D veins formed at temperatures between 203°C and 231°C
(pressure corrected). Salinity obtained from freezing experiments
indicate that fluid salinities ranged between one to 11 wt per cent
at the time of vein formation. This data is similar to salinity and
homogenisation temperature data obtained from normal fault
related quartz veins in the Mt Tom Price deposit (Hagemann et
al, 1999).
Proton induced x-ray emission analyses of the same sample
indicates that trapped fluid contained ~14 000 ppm Cl,
~1600 ppm K, ~650 ppm Ca, ~675 ppm Ti and varying amounts
of Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Sr, Y.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
A sequence of veining has been established for the area
surrounding the Mt Whaleback microplaty hematite ore deposit.
Five major veining events (A through to E) have been
discriminated, two during Ophthalmian compression (A and B),
two during extensional events between the Ophthalmian Orogeny
and Capricorn Orogeny (C and D) and one during the faulting of
the Ninjilgardy fault system (E).
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Province, Western Australia, Economic Geology, 96:837-875.
Tyler, I M and Thorne, A M, 1990. The northern margin of the Capricorn
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Iron Ore Conference Perth, WA, 9 - 11 September 2002 79