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TLS Roy Kidd - LIHIR GOLD MINE

The document discusses the Lihir Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea. It describes the geological setting and history of the mine including mapping efforts in 1984. It details the alteration stages and mineralization at the mine, including porphyry, K-feldspar, and quartz stages. Structural controls and styles of mineralization are examined. High grade gold assays are noted.

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109 views38 pages

TLS Roy Kidd - LIHIR GOLD MINE

The document discusses the Lihir Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea. It describes the geological setting and history of the mine including mapping efforts in 1984. It details the alteration stages and mineralization at the mine, including porphyry, K-feldspar, and quartz stages. Structural controls and styles of mineralization are examined. High grade gold assays are noted.

Uploaded by

HarisArmadi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lihir Gold Mine,

Papua New Guinea

2003
1984
Mapping and character sampling

Minifie structure
Location
Lihir Island
Solomon Is.

Vanuatu
Pacific plate
Fiji

Papua New Guinea

Lihir
Australian plate
Setting
PNG tectonics
Lihir
Luise volcano
Side looking radar
and off shore seismic
Mt St Helens

Post-collapse

Pre-collapse
Photo 1 Photo 2

Photo 3 Photo 4
Mt St Helens
Photo 5
Photo 6
photos 5-8

Photo 8
Photo 7
Lihir collapse
Poprhyry stage
Porphyry style alteration
Cross section 9390
Stages of alteration and mineralisation

♦ Porphyry related potassic-propylitic alteration –


magnetite, orthoclase, biotite, anhydrite with
minor Au (>300 deg C)
♦ Kfeldspar-pyrite – secondary Kfeldspar -> illite,
pyrite-arsenian pyrite with encapsulated Au
♦ Quartz – chalcedony-pyrite-Au with anomalous
Sb and Ba (150-200 deg C)
♦ Geothermal – continuing advanced argillic-argillic
alteration
Minifie Pit
NS long section
Minifie structure
Stage II
Stage II close up
Lihir diatreme breccia rocks

Tuff ring Carbonised wood

Juvanile intrusion clasts Accretionary lapilli


Cross section 9530
Lihir - structural control

Fluidised breccia dyke


Feeder

Crackle breccia
Mosaic breccia
Minifie section
13.1 g/t Au
Lithological
control
Lihir –
epithermal event

123 g/t Au
Stages of alteration and mineralisation

♦ Porphyry related potassic-propylitic alteration –


magnetite, orthoclase, biotite, anhydrite with
minor Au (>300 deg C)
♦ Kfeldspar-pyrite – secondary Kfeldspar -> illite,
pyrite-arsenian pyrite with encapsulated Au
♦ Quartz – chalcedony-pyrite-Au with anomalous
Sb and Ba (150-200 deg C)
♦ Geothermal – continuing advanced argillic-argillic
alteration
Styles of magmatic arc Au
Stage III close up
Lihir AAA
Advanced argillic
Argillic

Smecite overprints potassic alteration


Lihir –
active geothermal

Kapit hot springs


1984

Minifie pit 1999


Lienetz pit 2006
Conclusion - Character sampling
Stages of alteration and mineralisation

♦ Porphyry related potassic-propylitic alteration –


magnetite, orthoclase, biotite, anhydrite with
minor Au (>300 deg C)
♦ Kfeldspar-pyrite – secondary Kfeldspar -> illite,
pyrite-arsenian pyrite with encapsulated Au
♦ Quartz – chalcedony-pyrite-Au with anomalous
Sb and Ba (150-200 deg C)
♦ Geothermal – continuing advanced argillic-argillic
alteration
Kfeldspar-arsenian pyrite
13.1 g/t Au
Other vughy
Kfeldspar-pyrite
Conclusions
‘boiling zone’
Conclusions
epithermal event

123 g/t Au
Lihir Gold Mine
Role of carefully selected petrology

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