BELTANA (& Aroona) Zn DEPOSIT


The Beltana deposit is located at lat. 30º41', long. 138º27', 470 km north of Adelaide in host rocks of the Adelaidean Geosyncline, a deformed sedimentary basin of Late Proterozoic to Middle Cambrian age. The Aroona deposit lies11 km NW of Beltana. Both are epigenetic structurally controlled willemite (Zn silicate) deposits within a major NW-trending corridor of Zn-Pb mineralisation. The principal ore mineral is willemite, which is surrounded by an intense hematite-dolomite alteration halo. Other major ore minerals include smithsonite, coronadite, hedyphane and mimetite. The intense alteration halo is zinc-enriched (1-3% Zn) and extends up to 400 m around Beltana, with dolomite alteration detectable for several kilometres. At Aroona, hematite alteration is more restricted. Similar deposits elsewhere include Vazante in Brazil and Kabwe in Zambia. The pre-mining resource at Beltana is estimated to be (Perilya 2001) 863,000 t @ 38% Zn & 2.2% Pb, and at Aroona 150,000 t @ 34.4% Zn & 1.6% Pb.


Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Broad view of the south wall of the pit showing intense hematite alteration and brecciation of the footwall, also low angle structures
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:63.70 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:The Beltana main pit looking south. Note the red hematitic alteration of the host dolomite (right). Red willemite ore occurs adjacent to a thin manganese/silica zone on the faulted boundary with grey Callana Beds (left).
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:56.54 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Thrust fault atop the white quartzite unit dips at 45 degrees and terminates the ore position at surface in the southern wall of the pit
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:72.71 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Low angle thrust fault capping the willemite ore in the central Beltana pit. The grey rock is Callana Beds. Note that the white quartzite unit is often present on structures separating the Cambrian from the Willouran Callana Beds.
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:84.15 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Clay-rich fault trending 150 degrees, which separates the willemite ore (left) from the manganese mega-breccia (right)
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:132.51 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Manganese mega-breccia associated with a 110 degree trending structure which terminates the zinc ore in the northern part of the Beltana pit
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:91.56 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Brecciated dolomite in footwall of the Beltana ore body
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:85.25 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Thrust within the Callana Beds showing brecciated footwall and bedded hangingwall
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:95.56 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Broken outcrops of willemite ore
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:77.64 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Coronadite (black) and mimetite (yellow/orange)
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:113.58 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Zebra textures in banded red and white willemite from the Beltana ore body: note late stage coronadite fractures (black)
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:91.24 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Complex red and white willemite ore textures
Source:Alan Goode
Date:2001
File size:71.24 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Complex red and white willemite ore textures
Source:Alan Goode
Date:2001
File size:79.11 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Fluorescent willemite (green) and Mn-calcite (usually associated with structures and the ore) under long wavelength UV light
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:75.21 Kb
Location:Beltana mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Annotation:Exploration drilling at the south end of the Beltana pit
Source:Perilya Limited
Date:2001
File size:74.21 Kb


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