Whole-rock regional oxygen-isotope depletion patterns as a guide to epithermal gold exploration in north Queensland

The recognition of regional oxygen-isotope depletion patterns in high-level igneous rocks provides a means to discriminate areas potentially prospective for low sulphidation epithermal gold mineralisation. The coincidence of an extensive regional oxygen-isotope depletion pattern over most of the northern Drummond Basin with a recently discovered epithermal district is consistent with a similar association for younger, world-class epithermal districts in the US. Data suggest that the northern Coen Inlier is a region of high epithermal potential worthy of more systematic exploration. In contrast, extensive exploration within and around the Featherbed Cauldron Complex has failed to define any significant epithermal mineralisation. -from Authors