Geochemical signatures and critical metal contents of key deposit types in the Mount Isa Province, Queensland, Australia

Geological Survey of Queensland undertook a program of geochemical and mineralogical characterisation of key deposit types in the Mount Isa Province in Queensland, Australia. The main objectives of the study included: (1) identification of complete multi-element geochemical signatures of mineralisation for main types of Cu, Zn-Pb-Ag and P deposits in the region, (2) creation of an extensive internally consistent baseline geochemical database, (3) assessing concentrations of critical minerals contained in `traditional' deposit types in the region as potential by-products. Iron Oxide Copper-Gold (IOCG) deposits in the eastern Mount Isa Province are characterised by common significant enrichment in Te, Se and Ag (generally covarying with Cu and Au) but otherwise highly variable geochemical and mineralogical signatures of mineralisation and alteration, with several distinct variants. Sediment-hosted copper deposits in the western Mount Isa Province are generally significantly enriched in Co; IOCG deposits are variably enriched in Co (and only some of them - in light REEs, Re and In). Siliciclastic-carbonate (SEDEX) Zn-Pb deposits are significantly enriched in Ge (In) and phosphorites - in REEs.