MT TOM PRICE IRON ORE DEPOSIT


The Mount Tom Price orebody is located at long. 117º45'E, lat. 22º45'S in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia, 1130 km north of Perth. Unmined, it represented the second largest (after Mt Newman) known accumulation of high grade hematite in the Hamersley province. It sits near the keel, and at the eastern extremity of, the regional E-W trending Turner Syncline. The orebody consists mainly of hematite in a sequence of Brockman Iron Formation. It is approximately 7.5 km long and up to 1.6 km wide. It occupies two local synclines and part of the intervening anticline. Later cross-folding is present. Two south-dipping normal faults parallel, and in part limit, the ore. The base of the northern syncline is higher than that of the southern, giving an overall southerly dip and apparent thickness of 150 m, extending to a depth of 250 m below surface. Most (~90%) ore occurs in the Dales Gorge Member of the Brockman, with local enrichment in the Joffre where in fault contact with mineralised Dales Gorge. Remaining ore is associated with the Colonial Chert and Whaleback Shale Members. High grade mineable reserves at Mount Tom Price are of hematite ore. Generally porous, this yields high lump, is low in contaminants, and preserves remanent BIF banding. It is formed from randomly oriented fine-grained platy hematite and martite. Small quantities of ultra-fine earthy hematite fill voids. Shale macro-bands, partially replaced by iron oxides (up to 50% Fe) are present. The orebody is capped by low grade, mainly goethitic, hydrated material averaging 18 m in thickness (< 50 m in synclinal troughs) which has an irregular distribution. Minor deposits of 'canga' - 1 to 20 cm fragments of hematite and/or BIF cemented by goethite - occur as scree deposits and hillside wash in streams. Mt Tom Price commenced production in 1965. Initial reserve totalled about 900 Mt @ 64% Fe with a high lump to fines ratio, and low impurities. The impurity content of the high grade ore reserve in 1990 was 0.053% P, 3.5% SiO2 and 1.9% Al2O3.

Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:McCrae Shale. Approximately 1/3 of McCrae shale is pyritic. Blebs & spots of pyrite are confined to discrete horizons, with one thin band of fairly massive pyrite. Quite high silica and 8-10% iron.
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:50.47 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Exposure of the Southern Batter fault in the Mt Tom Price mine: view looking west
Source:Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd
Date:circa 2001
File size:72.55 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Hematite 'Christmas trees' (dark colour) in otherwise barren jasperoidal banded iron formation (light colour) at Southern Ridge, Mt Tom Price
Source:Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd
Date:circa 2001
File size:55.93 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Marra Mamba hydrated iron formation: approximately 63% Fe.
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:79.25 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Marra Mamba hydrated iron formation: approximately 63% Fe.
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:84.99 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Marra Mamba hydrated iron formation: approximately 63% Fe.
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:56.96 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Marra Mamba hydrated iron formation: approximately 63% Fe.
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:46.49 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Canga: minor deposits of cemented scree and hill-wash have been given the Brazilian term 'canga'. They occur along the southern margins in a topographic low separating Mt Tom price from the Southern Ridge. Their distribution has been controlled by drainage. The ore consists of fragments of hematite &/or BIF cemented by goethite.
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:52.41 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Canga: detail
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:62.88 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Canga: detail
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:54.39 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Variegated iron cemented scree
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:58.68 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Aerial view north-west. Primary crusher, middle distance left of centre. Low grade stockpile, near distance extreme left. Mt Nameless in middle distance right.
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:43.77 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Primary crusher
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:46.10 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Primary crusher
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:55.68 Kb
Location:Mt Tom Price, Hamersley Province, Western Australia
Annotation:Screening and concentrator
Source:Kerry O'Sullivan
Date:September 1985
File size:92.67 Kb

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