©2004 by Economic Geology

Vol. 99, pp. 543–559

Mine-Scale Structural Controls on the Mount Isa Zn-Pb-Ag and Cu Orebodies

TOBY P. DAVIS†
School of Earth Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia

Abstract
The Mount Isa Zn-Pb-Cu-Ag deposit contained almost 30 million tons (Mt) of base metals, prior to mining,
in spatially separate Cu and Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies. The origin of the Zn-Pb-Ag ores is debated due to apparently
conflicting features at intermediate to microscales. Ambiguity is associated with small-scale features, which can
be interpreted either in terms of syndeformation mineralization or in terms of remobilization of a predefor-
mation orebody when considered in isolation of larger scale characteristics of the orebody. Understanding the
relationship between metal distribution and the structural framework at the mine scale helps to determine
whether the orebody is deformed and leads to a better understanding of its formation.
The deposit contains 10 strata-bound Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies in an en echelon array. The extremities of the ore-
bodies correlate with F4 folds, and high-grade shoots are centred on F4 hinges and short limbs that contain
older F2 folds. Contours of Pb/Zn ratios throughout the orebodies are parallel to F4 hinges and silica-dolomite
alteration fronts. Restoring the large-scale effects of folding by rotating bedding and the orebodies to horizon-
tal indicates that a sedimentary exhalative style of mineralization cannot account for the present geometries of
the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies. This reconstruction places the depositional basin in a compressional setting or places
the ores on topographic highs. These scenarios are considered to be incompatible with synsedimentary
processes.
There are a number of important similarities between the geometries of the Zn-Pb-Ag bodies and the cop-
per orebodies, which are interpreted to have a syntectonic origin. The Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies display the same
structural controls as the syntectonic copper ores and appear to have been emplaced at the same time during
D4. Older F2 folds are preserved on the hinges and short limb areas of F4 folds and are interpreted to have be-
haved as structural heterogeneities during D4, which caused the dilation that led to metal deposition. F4 folds
closest to the copper orebodies contain the highest grade Zn-Pb-Ag ore shoots, possibly indicating decreasing
metal deposition away from the copper ores as fluids became progressively depleted in metals and/or concen-
tration of fluid flow near the copper orebodies. In some areas, Zn-Pb-Ag ores wrap around silica-dolomite al-
teration associated with syntectonic copper mineralization, suggesting a similarly late timing. The continuity of
metal grades and Pb/Zn ratios throughout the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies indicates that the ores are not the result of
local remobilization. Instead, large-scale processes that introduced metals from an external source during D4
must have been involved in the formation of these orebodies.

Introduction
MOUNT ISA is a globally significant base metal deposit, which,
prior to mining, comprised 405 million tons (Mt) of ore in-
cluding 150 Mt at 7 percent Zn, 6 percent Pb, and 150 g/t Ag,
and 255 Mt at 3.3 percent Cu (Forrestal, 1990; McGoldrick
and Large, 1998; Waring et al., 1998). The Zn-Pb-Ag and cop-
per orebodies are spatially separate and, when examined at
the same scales, in most cases display significant differences
in geometry and structure. At the mine scale the Zn-Pb-Ag
orebodies occur as a series of strata-bound sheets, whereas
copper orebodies occur in large nonconformable breccias
hosted in a quartz-dolomite alteration envelope.
Debate over the timing of Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization contin-
ues because of conflicting interpretation of several features of
the deposit (cf. Valenta, 1994; Perkins, 1997; McGoldrick and
Large, 1998; Perkins and Bell, 1998; Chapman, 1999). The
strongly strata-bound nature of the Zn-Pb-Ag ores and the
lack of identifiable channelways, structure, and alteration at
exposure scale appear to indicate a predeformation origin,
whereas microstructures such as sulfide-cleavage overprint-
ing relationships and replacive sulfide textures, as well as tec-
tonic veins, suggest that regional deformation had a strong in-
fluence on mineralization. The difference in style between
† E-mail: Toby.Davis@jcu.edu.au
the copper and the adjacent Zn-Pb-Ag ores has generally
been attributed to different mineralizing events and has
added to the genesis debate by requiring spatially coincident
mineralizing events separated by over 100 m.y. The debate is
further complicated by some field observations that can be in-
terpreted to support either predeformation mineralization
with remobilization or syntectonic mineralization, as shown
by Perkins (1997, 1998).
Most studies of the structure of the ores have been at mi-
croscopic to exposure scales (Grondijs and Schouten, 1937;
Blanchard and Hall, 1942; McDonald, 1970; McClay, 1979;
Perkins, 1997). At these scales some observations are am-
biguous and of uncertain representativity relative to the size
of the deposit. The aim of this study is to determine the in-
fluence of regional-scale deformation on the deposit to define
the large-scale relationship between the Zn-Pb-Ag ores and
the structural framework in the mine. The influence of de-
formation on the metal distributions is discussed in the con-
text of remobilization of preexisting deposits versus syndefor-
mation mineralization as examined by Marshall and Gilligan
(1987, 1993) and Marshall et al. (2000). The geometries of the
Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are compared to those of the copper ore-
bodies, which have been interpreted to be tectono-metamor-
phic in origin (Perkins, 1984; Swager, 1985; Bell et al., 1988;
Waring et al., 1998), and the possible genetic links between
the two ore types are discussed.

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544 TOBY DAVIS

Geologic Background N
a)
Deposit description Townsville

Mount Isa is located on the western margin of the Leich-

hardt River fault trough in the Mount Isa inlier (Fig. 1), a
Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic terrane in northwest Queens- o
20 S
land. The inlier is subdivided into the Western, the Kalka-
doon-Leichhardt, and the Eastern fold belts (Carter et al.,
1961; Blake and Stewart, 1992). It comprises basement Mount Isa
b)
metamorphic rocks unconformably overlain by rift-fill sedi-
mentary and volcanic rock sequences and intrusive rocks of

2500 mE
N
various ages. The rift-fill package is divided into four cover 65
sequences, summarized in Table 1. The Mount Isa deposit
F4
is hosted by the Urquhart Shale, which belongs to the

140 E
o
0 100 Km
Upper Mount Isa Group in cover sequence 4. The Urquhart
Shale comprises a sequence of interbedded dolomitic, F4 Western Fold Belt
Leichhardt River Fault Trough
shales, siltstones, and mudstones with an average bed thick- 53 7000 mN Kalkadoon-Leichhardt Belt
ness of 11.6 mm (Neudert, 1986), which imparts a strong Eastern Fold Belt

Mount Isa Fault

structural anisotropy. 57

Paroo Fault
The deposit is located on the western limb of a regional D2
anticline (Bell et al., 1988), east of the Mount Isa fault (Fig.
1). This reverse fault dips steeply west and juxtaposes amphi-
bolite facies rocks to the west against greenschist facies rocks Mount Isa Fold

to the east and truncates a D2 anticline south of the mine 60

(Bell, 1991). The host rocks have been affected by three

macroscopic folding events; D1 resulted from north-south
shortening and included north to south thrusting (Bell, 1991),
whereas D2 and D4 produced north-south–trending upright
0 500 m
folds in response to east-west compression (Bell, 1983). Lo-
cally at Mount Isa, D4 produced north-northwest-south- Magazine Shale Copper Deposits
southeast–striking folds. Bell and Hickey (1998) recognized a Kennedy-Spear Siltstone Zn-Pb-Ag Deposits
localized deformation, D3, between D2 and D4. The effects of Urquhart Shale Fault
this deformation are generally subtle and recognized by rota- Native Bee Siltstone 60 Bedding Orientation
tion of F2 fold axes into flat orientations and a shallow-dipping Eastern Creek Volcanics
crenulation cleavage. According to Rubenach (1992), pro-
grade Isan metamorphism was synchronous with, and peaked FIG 1. Locality map of the (a) Mount Isa inlier and (b) Mount Isa deposit.
around, the end of D2. Modified after Blake and Stewart (1992) and Perkins (1997), respectively.

TABLE 1. Summary of Cover Sequences

Sequence Description Age (Ma) References

Cover sequence 4 Basal Surprise Creek Formation; conglomerate, sandstone and siltstone; >1652 O’Dea et al. (1997)
thought to be deposited in an alluvial fan or shallow-marine environment;
overlain by the shallow-marine Mount Isa Group (which comprises siltstones
and carbonates)

Cover sequence 3 Basal conglomerate and sandstone of the Bigie Formation overlain 1710–1709 O’Dea et al. (1997)
by the bimodal Fiery Creek Volcanics

Cover sequence 2 Basal Bottletree Formation comprising bimodal volcanic and clastic 1790–1760 or 1720 Blake and Stewart (1992)
sedimentary rocks overlain by the Mount Guide Quartzite, then the O’Dea et al. (1997)
extensive basaltic Eastern Creek Volcanics (up to 6 km thick), and clastic
sediments and carbonates of the Myally Subgroup and Quilalar
Formation

Cover sequence 1 Felsic Leichhardt Volcanics that is coeval with the Ewen and Kalkadoon 1870–1850 Blake and Stewart (1992)
batholiths; related to the Barramundi orogeny rather than rifting

Basement Yaringa Metamorphics in the Western fold belt, Kunbayia Migmatite 1890–1870 Blake et al. (1990)
in the Kalkadoon-Leichhardt belt

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 STRUCTURE OF MT. ISA Zn-Pb-Ag & Cu OREBODIES
Genetic models
Central to the debate about the genesis of Mount Isa is the
timing of mineralization with respect to deposition of the host
rocks and regional deformation and the relationship between
the copper and Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies. The following section
reviews the genetic models that have been proposed for the
Mount Isa deposits.
Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies: A syndeformation model for Zn-Pb-
Ag ores was initially proposed by Blanchard and Hall (1937,
1942) and more recently by Perkins (1997, 1998) and Perkins
and Bell (1998). It is based on replacement textures (Grondijs
and Schouten, 1937; O’Malley and McGhie, 1939; Perkins,
1997), mesoscopic ore relationships to folds and high-strain
zones (Blanchard and Hall, 1937, 1942), and the transgressive
nature of Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies (Perkins, 1997). The syn-D4
timing of mineralization proposed by Perkins (1997) is based
on sulfide-cleavage overprinting relationships. Perkins (1997)
further proposed that Zn-Pb-Ag ores formed contemporane-
ously with the copper orebodies in a zoned system with syn-
chronous deformation and alteration.
Synsedimentary models have been proposed for Mount Isa
by Murray (1961), Stanton (1962), Russell et al. (1981),
Sawkins (1984), Large et al. (1998), and McGoldrick and
Large (1998), based on the lack of evidence for fluid chan-
nelways and wall-rock alteration and the stratiform nature of
the ores at the deposit to exposure scale. It is argued that pri-
mary sedimentary features that are typical of exhalative de-
posits were destroyed by deformation and metamorphism
(McDonald, 1970; McClay, 1979; Betts and Lister, 2002).
Cooke et al. (2000) explained the general lack of an identifi-
able feeder system in the Zn-Pb-Ag deposits in northern Aus-
tralia, including the Mount Isa, Hilton, and McArthur River
deposits, as the result of mineralization from oxidized fluids
that would have required exceptional circumstances to de-
posit sulfides in a feeder system.
A diagenetic origin was proposed by Neudert and Russell
(1981) and Neudert (1984, 1986), who interpreted water
depths during sedimentation as being too shallow for exhala-
tive processes to form these deposits. However, Large et al.
(1998) used sedimentologic data to argue that the host rocks
at HYC (McArthur River), located in the Batten trough north
of Mount Isa, accumulated when water depths were sufficient
for exhalative-style mineralization to occur. A diagenetic tim-
ing is also proposed by Chapman (1999), based on stable iso-
tope signatures of carbonates in the host rocks.
Various authors (e.g., McDonald, 1970; McClay, 1979;
Neudert, 1986; Betts and Lister, 2002) have invoked remobi-
lization of the ores to account for the observed syntectonic
features. Valenta (1994) proposed similar remobilization at
Hilton, 20 km north. McDonald (1970) and McClay (1979),
who examined features at the scale of centimeters to several
tens of meters, found that fold hinges were generally en-
riched in galena relative to sphalerite, but unmetamorphosed
samples could not be identified in these studies.
Copper orebodies: Perkins (1984) and Swager (1985) showed
that copper mineralization, dolomitization, and silicification
(referred to locally as silica-dolomite alteration) at Mount Isa
were coincident with D4. Bell et al. (1988) proposed that min-
eralizing fluids entered the depositional environment across
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 545
545
the Basement fault, which they described as the primary
structural control on copper mineralization. Fluid flow was
facilitated by brecciation caused by differential shearing (op-
posing shear sense) on opposite sides of the Basement fault
during D4.
Myers et al. (1996) and Perkins (1997) proposed that cop-
per and Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization were cogenetic and syntec-
tonic. Perkins (1997) argued for a zoned Cu-Pb-Zn system,
whereas Myers et al. (1996) preferred synchronous copper
and Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization from separate fluids.
Methodology
The geometry and grade distribution of Zn-Pb-Ag and cop-
per orebodies in the northern part of the Mount Isa deposit
were analyzed at the mine scale and in individual exposures.
The copper orebodies examined include the 650, 500, and
200 orebodies in the Lead mine and the 3000 and 3500 ore-
bodies in the Enterprise mine, situated below the Lead mine
(Fig. 2). The geometries of the orebodies are illustrated in se-
ries of plans and sections constructed using grade control
data, including drill core and wall sampling and underground
mapping. Maps of five levels of the Lead mine were compiled
from historical mapping by company geologists and mapping
by the author to establish the mine-scale structural frame-
work. The grade database contains over 514,000 assays of
samples collected from 1927 to 2000. Drilling data came
mainly from underground diamond drill holes, horizontally
and vertically spaced at approximately 25 m and intersecting
the orebody at high angles. Assay data from wall chip samples
and drill core were compared on a log-log plot (Fig. 3). The
plot for this data set is close to a straight line so both sample
types were used in modeling grade distribution, although a
slight bias toward higher Pb + Zn in drill core samples was
found.
Metal distribution was modeled for the mapped levels,
which are spaced at approximately 200 m. Only data from 100
m above and below each level were used. A block model was
created with individual block dimensions of 4 m north-south,
2 m east-west, and 4 m vertically. These dimensions were
chosen to reflect the shape of the orebodies and the sample
spacing. The grade of individual blocks was calculated by in-
terpreting between samples, using the inverse distance
method which weights each sample inversely according to its
distance from the block being estimated (Isaaks and Srivas-
tava, 1989). This method was used because of its simplicity,
the concentration of metals, and the scale of the study.
The Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies defined in this study are different
from those in earlier studies (e.g., Perkins, 1997). Previous
workers used a system of 31 orebodies that are not reflected
in the modeled metal distributions of this study. Individual
orebodies of earlier workers in some cases represent only a
portion of a Zn-Pb-Ag orebody defined here and thereby give
an incomplete picture of the Zn-Pb-Ag distribution. Table 2
lists the correlation between orebody names used in previous
studies and the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies used here. The deposit
was found to be dominated by ten Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies with
Pb + Zn >7.75 percent, which are shown in Figure 4.
Grade distribution in longitudinal sections was determined
using inverse distance weighted contouring of the product of
the average grade and the width of intersections through each
546 TOBY DAVIS

a) Plan

650 OB

500 OB
1500 mE
1100 OB

1900 OB Lead Mine

1100 OB

1900 OB
N
Copper Mine

6000 mN
0 500 m

b) Section c) Longitudinal Section

Facing North Facing West Lead Mine
W Lead Mine E S N
Racecourse
ult

orebodies Level
Paroo Fa

200 OB 5
ce

3000 mRL
rfa
Su

Copper Mine
rm

650 OB 9
Fo
ing
dd
Be

500 OB 12

15

6000 mN
Enterprise Mine
0 500 m
2500 mRL
19
Kennedy-Spear Siltstone Zn-Pb-Ag deposits Paroo Fault

Urquhart Shale Cu deposits Mine scale F4 fold axes

Eastern Creek Volcanics Silica-Dolomite Mine outlines

Enterprise Mine
OB

3000 OB 500 OB: Copper orebody name

00
35

Base
ment
Fault
1800 mE

0 200 m

FIG. 2. Mine layout and mine-scale distribution of copper and Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies at Mount Isa. (a). Level 17 plan, show-
ing deposit-scale separation between copper and Zn-Pb-Ag. (b). Section looking north through 6510 mN, intersecting the
Lead and Enterprise mines and showing the geometry of the Paroo fault (Basement fault portion) below the deposits and
the relationships between the fault, the orebodies, and their associated alteration halos. Note that the Racecourse Zn-Pb-Ag
orebodies are vertically above the 3000 copper orebody. Both are located on the same limb of the Mount Isa fold and have
the same geometries, indicating a common deformation history. (c). Longitudinal section looking west.

Zn-Pb-Ag orebody. The metal distribution was compared to
the geologic structure over the modeled areas.
Structural Framework
The Paroo fault
The Paroo fault is the largest discrete structure associated
with the deposit. It truncates the mine sequence at depth
where it forms the faulted contact between the steeply west
dipping Urquhart Shale above and the shallowly dipping East-
ern Creek Volcanics below (or greenstone basement; Fig. 2).
The Paroo fault has a complex but well-constrained geometry
determined by drilling. Below the mine it dips shallowly to
the east, where it is termed the Basement fault but progres-
sively steepens to the west (Fig. 2b). This geometry was ex-
plained by Bell (1983, 1991) as the result of overturning of
the Eastern Creek Volcanics in the roof sheet on the western
lateral ramp of the Kokkalukkanurker Duplex. There is a
change in the depth of the Basement fault portion of the
Paroo fault in longitudinal section from south to north. Drill
hole intersections show that between 3,200 to 5,970 mN (all
grid references are in mine grid coordinates) the Basement
fault is consistently located around 2,500 mRL. However,
north of 5,970 mN the Basement fault dips steeply to the

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 STRUCTURE OF MT. ISA Zn-Pb-Ag & Cu OREBODIES 547

TABLE 2. Correlations between the High-Grade Zn-Pb-Ag Orebodies

Used in This Study and Orebodies Defined and Used in Previous Studies
1000
Previously defined Value of 80th percentile
Orebody1 included orebodies Pb (%) Zn (%)

B 0001, 0002 5.30 5.60

C 0005 5.80 6.80
Pb+Zn %m (log)

D 0560, 5110 3.60 4.05

Wall Chip

E 5200, 0006 4.60 6.30

100 F 0007, 0720 5.10 5.20
1 G 0008, 0009, 0010 6.10 3.80
e=
op

H 0011, 1130 4.30 5.20

Sl

I 0012, 0013 4.00 5.80

J 1320, 1380 3.30 4.50
K 1312, 1314, 0014, 1410, 1430 5.30 5.95

1 Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are based on 10 Pb + Zn peaks in the modeled grade

10 distribution of level 12 (see Figs. 4, 7)

10 100
Core
Pb+Zn %m (log)
FIG. 3. Log-log plot of wall chip and core samples in percent meters (%
m), obtained by calculating the product of the average grade of individual in-
tersections by the perpendicular width of the orebody. This plot compares
deciles from each data source to determine biases based on the sample type
(Isaaks and Srivastava, 1989). A data set with no biases between the variables
being compared will plot as a straight line with a slope of 1. The deviation
from the straight line demonstrates there is bias for higher grades in drill core
compared to wall-chip samples. There are over 514,000 samples in the data
set.
north so that at 6,600 mN it is at 1,990 mRL, a change of over
500 m (Fig. 2c). The Lead mine is situated above the deeper
parts of the Basement fault in the north.
1000
Folding
The mine-scale fabric is dominated by north-northeast–
south-southwest–striking bedding in the south that progres-
sively rotates to north-south in the north of the mine (Fig. 5).
This fabric is traversed by numerous narrow north-north-
west–south-southeast–striking linear fold zones that are the
short limbs of asymmetric, east-northeast–verging folds
formed in D4. The relative timing of folding was determined
by microstructural studies (Bell and Hickey, 1998; T. Davis,
unpub. data). Folds are correlatable throughout the mine de-
spite their discontinuous nature. The interlimb angle of the
folds generally decreases as the width of the north-north-
west–south-southeast–striking fold zones decreases. The fold
zones have arcuate boundaries within which bedding orienta-
tions vary relative to the dominant fabric outside these zones.

s
old N
rF
Sta
Bl ack

650 C
u OB B
500 Cu OB Black Star Domain

C
ce
u rfa
gS face
op
in
ing
Sur D
1600 mE vel elop
En E nv
200 Cu OB
E F
e
rfac
Su
ing
rm
)
nfo
rm
)
G En
ve lop

ld (
an
tifo
Fo
ld (sy H Racecourse Domain
Fo
650 650
I
lds
J Isa
Fo
s
un
t old
Mo aF
t Is
Pb+Zn >7.75%
old
s K ste
rn
Mo
un
F We
Silica-dolomite rse ds
cou Fol
6800mN

Major fold axis R ace u rse

rn e c o
B Orebody name We
s t e
Ra
c 0 100 m

FIG. 4. Level 12 (2910 mRL) plan of Pb + Zn >7.75 percent and silica-dolomite alteration in the Mount Isa lead mine.
Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are labeled B-K. Orebodies B and C comprise the Black Star domain and orebodies D-K the Racecourse
domain. The silica-dolomite alteration halos to the main copper orebodies in the Lead mine occur on the west-southwest
side of the Zn-Pb-Ag deposits. Major folds are labeled.

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 547

548 TOBY DAVIS

Plan - Level 9
N

one one
e ld Z ld Z
A Zon r Fo
a) 60 5 5 0 Fold ck Sta ta r Fo
6 la S
ern nB ck

70
60
East ster Bla
60 55 73 We 80 71 ne
20 65 70 Zo
30 16 30 80 66 70 old
60 53 65 52 59
r s eF 65
one65
40 ou
60
old Z
65 58 cec
650 F 65
80 74 74 Ra 70
70 60 70 65
45 70

68
1600 mE 33 60 75 60
40 76 70
55 64
60 73 68 76 75
64
60 50
60 72
one 67 80 0 100 m
old Z 68 e
Star F Zon 68

65
66 c k o ld 67 75
rn Bla 68 ar F
Weste k St
Blac 63
70
70
60 62 35 40
60 Section A-A’
60
64 65 80 F old Looking NNW
66 un t Isa
80
59 78 73 Mo
b)
47

40 60
58 62 54 65
75 Level 5
56 58 >10.5
40 65
60 58 A’
46 45 45 3200 mRL
60
60 55

6800 mN
33
>10.5

N Level 9 Orebody B
BS

650 WBS WR R MI
Short limb area Orebody C >9.6
Fold axis (43-335) Level 12
Silica-dolomite outline
Bedding form surface >12.0 Orebody G
40 2800 mRL
Antiform - mapped (plunge measured)
40 Synform - mapped (plunge measured)
>9.6
Level 15
Antiform - mapped (plunge not measured)
Synform - mapped (plunge not measured)
40 Bedding measurement Orebody K

WMI
Best fit girdle 1%
2% >11.0
Level 19
4%
n = 1780

1800 mE
1400 mE

8%
16%
32%

FIG. 5. (a). Bedding plan in the Lead mine at level 9 (3080 mRL). North-northwest–south-southeast–striking fold zones
are defined by bedding orientations that deviate from the dominant north-south to north-northeast–south-southwest–strik-
ing fabric. Fold zones are labeled and can be correlated throughout the mine. The inset lower hemisphere equal-area pro-
jection shows poles to bedding and illustrates a spread of bedding orientation from north-south to northeast-southwest strik-
ing. The girdle and axis are plotted. A modified Schmidt contouring method was used. (b). Section oriented normal to the
fold zones, along A-A'. From left to right the fold zones are 650, Western Black Star (WBS), Black Star (BS), Western Race-
course (WR), Racecourse (R), Western Mount Isa (WMI), and Mount Isa (MI). Silica-dolomite alteration overlaps with the
short limb areas, and high-grade shoots are vertically above or below or overlapping the folds.

The fold zones pinch out along strike and may narrow, bifur- mine. Close examination of the fold zones shows that they
cate, and/or pinch out with depth. An approximately 100 m- contain folds with north-south and northeast-southwest–
wide, north-south–striking corridor of unfolded, north- trending axes (Fig. 6), but consistent orientations are not
south–striking bedding exists in the middle of the mine. clearly distinguishable on an equal-area projection. This is
The short limb areas of the major F4 fold zones have been most likely the result of reactivation and rotation of D2 struc-
named and are shown in Figure 5. Folds along the margins of tures during D4 because of the similar orientations of σ1 dur-
the fold zones are referred to as either the anticline or the ing the two deformations (cf. Adshead-Bell and Bell, 1999;
syncline of the couplet. For example, the fold on the west- Timms, 2002).
southwest margin of the Black Star fold zone is termed the
Black Star anticline. The 650 fold zone is the largest and most Geometric Analysis of the Deposits
southerly in the Lead mine and hosts the 650 copper orebody. The spatially separate copper and Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are
The Mount Isa fold zone at the north end of the mine is a exploited through three main mine workings (Fig. 2). The
large, east-verging, asymmetric fold that can be traced Copper mine, located in the south, is dominated by the 1100
through all levels of the mine and is persistent across the and 1900 copper orebodies, where the Basement fault attains

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 STRUCTURE OF MT. ISA Zn-Pb-Ag & Cu OREBODIES 549

domain contains two Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies (B and C) and the

1950 mE
Level 5 Racecourse domain contains eight (D to K). South of 7,000
(3290 mRL)
F4 mN the domains are separated by barren host rocks and the
50 200 copper orebody. This barren zone is not present between
the domains in the north where the deposits occur continu-
6230 mN
ously over a stratigraphic thickness greater than 500 m.
The Racecourse domain comprises north-northeast–south-
southwest to north-south–striking, Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies, each
F4 typically 30 m across strike (ranging from 10–50 m) and 600
45
F2 F2 m along strike, arranged in an en echelon array with north-
35 48
F4
N
northwest–south-southeast–striking enveloping surfaces (Figs.
50
F4 4, 7). The east-northeast enveloping surface coincides with
50 F2
b
the hinge of the Mount Isa anticline. The west-southwest en-
lim veloping surface coincides with either the hinge of the 650
h ort
l ds anticline or the east-northeast boundary of the silica-dolomite
Fo lin
e
rse orm
co
u
ing
f
0 5m halo around the 200 copper orebody (Fig. 4). The highest Pb
ce d
Ra ed + Zn grades of individual orebodies are situated adjacent to
sb
ros
G
Fold axis
the west-southwest enveloping surface and gradually de-
Shear zone crease toward the north (Fig. 7).
Bedding surface The Black Star domain strikes north-south, has a maximum
across-strike width of 200 m, and extends for more than 1.2
N km along strike. High-grade mineralization terminates near
the Mount Isa anticline to the north and in the short limb of
the 650 fold in the south. The Black Star domain is adjacent
to the footwall of the 650 to 500 copper orebody.
%
Individual Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are sheetlike bodies with a
1
2 long axis up to 1.2 km long and plunging in the range of 23°
4 to 60° toward 323° to 348° (Figs. 8–9). In drill core and un-
8
16 derground exposures the ores comprise semimassive to mas-
sive, sheetlike, nearly conformable sulfide bands and breccias
typically up to 40 cm thick and interlayered with unmineral-
ized siltstones. Bedding in mineralized packages may be
n = 408
straight or exhibit intensive folding (Fig. 10). The intermedi-
ate axes of the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are between 250 and 700
m. This dimension decreases from west to east across the de-
FIG. 6. Crosscut (S61 NE XC) map of the Racecourse fold zone on the 5
level. The fold zone is bounded by north-northwest–striking F4 folds. Within posit. An abrupt decrease in the grade of the Zn-Pb-Ag ore-
the short limb of the large asymmetric fold, folds of various orientations are bodies occurs at the hinge of the Mount Isa anticline in the
preserved. Outside of the fold zone straight bedding persists. At this locality north and the 650 fold in the south. Low-grade ores are pre-
high-grade Zn-Pb-Ag ore is confined to the short limb. An equal-area pro- sent on the north side of the Mount Isa fold couplet, where
jection of fold axes from short limb zones of mine-scale north-
northwest–south-southeast–striking asymmetric folds shows a spread of ori-
drilling has been sporadic.
entations between northwest-southeast to north-northeast–south-southwest The geometries of the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are clearly il-
that reflects the different generations of folds in the area. lustrated in contoured longitudinal sections (Fig. 9). All ore-
bodies are composed of narrow high-grade shoots. These may
have simple shapes, such as the north-northwest–plunging
shoots in orebodies B, C, H, I, J, and K, or complex shapes
its highest structural level at 2,500 mRL, with only minor Zn- where more than one shoot can be identified. Zn-Pb-Ag ore-
Pb-Ag ore (Fig. 2c). Conversely, in the Lead mine, Zn-Pb-Ag bodies that abut the 200 copper orebody (E, F, and G) have
ores dominate and the Basement fault is up to 500 m deeper complexly shaped high-grade shoots, the southern margins of
(at 1,990 mRL). Several small copper orebodies are located at which are concave where they terminate against the 200
the south end of the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies in the Lead mine. silica-dolomite body (Fig. 9e). Here, two north-northwest–
Approximately 100 m vertically below the base of the Zn-Pb- plunging shoots occur along the upper and lower margins of
Ag orebodies in the Lead mine is the top of the Enterprise the Zn-Pb-Ag orebody, with a third plunging down the dip of
mine, which contains the 3000 and 3500 copper orebodies ad- bedding between them and immediately north of the 200 sil-
jacent to the Basement fault. ica-dolomite front (Fig. 9e).
When considered separately in individual Zn-Pb-Ag ore-
Geometry of Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies bodies, zinc and lead display the same grade distribution with
The Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are separated into two groups contours having the same shape as those for the total metal.
based on their arrangement, termed the Black Star and Race- However, the zinc is situated farther from the copper ores
course domains (Fig. 4). These names are not directly related than the lead (Fig. 11). Silver correlates with lead (r = 0.87)
to those of the fold zones already defined. The Black Star so it was not considered individually here.

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 549

 a) Total metal (Pb+Zn) : PLAN b) SECTION BB' (facing north) c) SECTION CC' (facing north) 550

1600 mE

1600 mE
200
Cu OB
650 Cu OB N
3200 mRL 3200 mRL
C
B 650/500
500 Cu OB

6800 mN
Cu OB

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00
B B’ C C’

1600 mE
200 Cu OB

Pb+Zn %

0.00-1.25
1.25-2.75
2.75-5.25
5.25-7.75
C’ 3000
B’ 7.75-14.00 Cu OB 3000
>14.00 Cu OB
Silica-dolomite 0 200 m 0 200 m
0 200 m alteration

d) Metal ratios (Pb:Zn) : PLAN e) SECTION BB' (facing north) f) SECTION CC' (facing north)

550
1600 mE

200
N 1600 mE
TOBY DAVIS

650 Cu OB Cu OB
C
3200 mRL 3200 mRL
B

6800 mN
500 Cu OB
650/500
Cu OB

1600 mE B B’ C C’
200 Cu OB

Pb/Zn (ratio)

0.00-0.33
0.33-0.50
0.50-1.00
1.00-2.00
C’ 2.00-3.00
B’ >3.00 3000
Silica-dolomite Cu OB 3000
0 200 m alteration 0 200 m Cu OB 0 200 m

FIG. 7. Modeled grade distribution plans (level 12, see Fig. 4) and sections that display total metal content (a, b, and c) and the ratio of Pb to Zn (d, e, and f). Total
metal (Pb + Zn) plots demonstrate the strata-bound appearance of the Zn-Pb-Ag ores in these projections, whereas the metal ratio (Pb/Zn) highlights the transgressive
nature of the metal distribution as well as the change in metal ratios in the Zn-Pb-Ag deposit with proximity to silica-dolomite, which envelopes the copper orebodies.
(a). Total metal plan of level 12. (b). Section through the Lead mine that includes the 650, 500, and 200 copper deposits (see Fig. 2b). (c). Section that does not include
a copper deposit within the Zn-Pb-Ag environment, however, copper deposits are located below the base of the section in the Enterprise mine (see Fig. 2b). (d). Level
12 plan of metal zonation. The highest Pb/Zn values are clustered around copper/silica-dolomite bodies. (e) and (f). Sections through Zn-Pb-Ag. Highest Pb/Zn values
are adjacent to silica-dolomite bodies.
 STRUCTURE OF MT. ISA Zn-Pb-Ag & Cu OREBODIES
N that the 1100 orebody is located on the synclinal hinge and
n = 10
FIG 8. Lower hemisphere equal-area projection of long axes of Zn-Pb-Ag
orebodies.
Geometry of copper orebodies
The copper orebodies are dominantly north-northwest
plunging. The largest copper orebodies are situated adjacent
to the Basement fault (e.g., 3000 and 3500 orebodies),
whereas those distal to the fault, such as the 650, 500, and 200
orebodies, are much smaller. Copper orebodies are enveloped
by silica-dolomite alteration that extends to the fault (Fig. 2).
The 650 and 500 copper orebodies are situated in the west-
ern part of the Lead mine in the structural hanging wall of the
Zn-Pb-Ag deposits. It is evident from the plans that these ore-
bodies are bifurcated fingers of a single body with north-
northwest–south-southeast– and north-south–striking por-
tions represented by the 650 and 500 orebodies, respectively
(Fig. 12). The 500 copper orebody is a vertically dipping,
flattened cigar-shaped body that plunges 25°N (Fig. 12b).
The 650 orebody plunges 40° toward 340° and extends for
500 m down plunge (Fig. 12c). Copper grades are highest and
the combined body has its largest downdip and across-strike
extents where the 500 and 650 orebodies intersect. The 200
copper orebody has lower grade and is situated in the center
of the Lead mine along the west-southwest enveloping sur-
face of the Racecourse Zn-Pb-Ag domain (Fig. 4). These ore-
bodies and the Zn-Pb-Ag ores have similar geometries.
The 3000 orebody consists of an en echelon series of north-
south–striking, high-grade shoots with a north-northwest–
south-southeast–striking enveloping surface (Fig. 12). Individ-
ual shoots are up to 80 m wide and extend 220 m updip of bed-
ding from the Paroo fault. They dip shallowly to the west near
the fault and become progressively steeper updip. The overall
plunge of the 3000 orebody is 32° toward 324°. The 3500 ore-
body is a 500-m-long north-south–striking, steeply west dip-
ping body located east of the 3000 orebody (Fig. 12d-e) and
extends updip of bedding for 320 m. Overall the 3500 orebody
plunges 35° toward 339°. Together, the 3000 and 3500 copper
orebodies have the same shape as the combined Racecourse
and Black Star Zn-Pb-Ag domains (cf. Figs. 4, 12d).
Comparison to structure
Copper orebodies: The copper orebodies are located in the
short limbs and hinges of asymmetric folds. Figure 2 shows
0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00
551
short limb of a large fold at the contact between the Mount Isa
Group units and the Eastern Creek Volcanics, as first noted by
Perkins (1984). The 650 and 500 orebodies in Figure 4 are
centered on the short limb of the 650 fold bounded by the as-
sociated antiform and synform. The 200 orebody is located in
the short limb region of the Black Star Fold (Figs. 4, 9g).
Here, silica-dolomite alteration and copper mineralization
were constrained by intrafolial folding of the rocks in the ore-
body between surrounding unfolded and unmineralized rocks.
The 3000 and 3500 copper orebodies are located on the
limbs of mine-scale folds in a manner similar to the Zn-Pb-Ag
orebodies (Figs. 4, 12d). The external geometry of the 3000
orebody is constrained by the Basement fault and the Mount
Isa anticline. The 3000 orebody is located on the southern
long limb of the Mount Isa fold, whereas the 3500 orebody is
located on the northern long limb. High-grade shoots within
the orebody are parallel to the plunge of F4 hinges, but it is
difficult to precisely map fold structures within the orebodies
as the fabrics were destroyed during mineralization.
Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies: At all scales there is a close correlation
between folds and the Zn-Pb-Ag ores (cf. Figs. 4, 9). At the
mine scale, the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies are located between the
anticlinal hinges of the 650 and Mount Isa folds. Overlapping
grade distribution and structural maps show that folds are
also located centrally to north-northwest–plunging high-
grade shoots that host the bulk of the ore, as illustrated in Fig-
ure 9. However, the west-plunging shoots in orebodies abut-
ting the 200 copper orebody are more complicated and
bedding is not folded in them at the mapped scale (Fig. 9g).
East of the 200 copper deposit the H-K orebodies consist
of a single broad north-northwest–plunging shoot hosted in a
large short limb zone in which bedding strikes north-north-
east–south-southwest, whereas in the long limbs bedding
strikes north-south (Fig. 9h-i). The highest total metal grades
are concentrated along the lower margins of orebodies and
there is a rapid decrease in grade where the strike of bedding
changes to north-south, indicating a clear relationship be-
tween bedding orientation and ore grade.
Contours of decreasing metal grade away from the high-
grade shoots are parallel to F4 hinges (Fig. 9a, c, e, h). Low-
grade ores extend onto the long limbs of folds that host the
high-grade shoots. Orebody B demonstrates this where the
northern boundary of high-grade mineralization coincides
with the hinge of the Black Star anticline (Fig. 9a-b). Here
the locus of high-grade ore (>7.75% Zn + Pb) is centered on
a parasitic fold on the southern long limb of the Black Star
fold and has an across-strike width of 70 m. The grade gradu-
ally decreases toward the 650 fold in the south. On the north-
ern long limb of the Black Star fold, high-grade ore occurs in
three narrow orebodies, each approximately 10 m across
strike so the overall grade is much lower. On longitudinal sec-
tions there is a clear boundary to the high-grade ore, which is
coincidental with the folds. Ore in the vicinity of the Mount
Isa anticline has a similar grade distribution but the pattern is
less obvious because the grades are lower.
Zoning patterns
In both cross section and plan, zones of high-grade Pb + Zn
have a tabular, stratiform appearance (Fig. 7a-c). The Zn-Pb-Ag
551
552 TOBY DAVIS

Orebody B
a)
S N

Level 5

MIF (anticline) b)
Level 5 Plan N
RCFZ
2800 mRL Black Star asymmetric fold
650 asymmetric fold
Pb+Zn (%)
6400 mN

BSFZ
3.00-5.50 1600 mE
5.50-7.75 650F (syncline)
0 200m
>7.75 Mount Isa

6400mN
Fold
Pb+Zn (%)
5.25-7.75
7.75 - 14.00
0 200 m
>14.00

Orebody C
c)
S N

Level 12
2800 mRL MIF(anticline) d)
Level 12 Plan N
RCFZ
6400 mN

Pb+Zn (%)
6400 mN

4.25 - 7.25 65
65
7.25 - 9.5 0F 0F BSFZ
(an ( sy 0 200m
>9.5 tic n
lin clin
e) e)
1520 mE

Pb+Zn (%)
5.25-7.75
7.75 - 14.00
0 50 m
>14.00

mapped fold projected fold Fold axis (antiform) Bedding form surface Silica-dolomite alteration
Fold axis (synform) Mapped bedding

FIG 9. Longitudinal sections looking west (left column) and plans of mapped structure superimposed on modeled grade
(right column) that demonstrate the geometries of the Zn-Pb-Ag deposit and grade relationships to the regional deformation
structures. The locations of the plans are indicated on the longitudinal sections. The four Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies shown are rep-
resentative of the variety of external and internal geometries present. Fold axes shown on the sections are MIF (Mount Isa
fold anticline), WMIFZ (Western Mount Isa fold zone), RCFZ (Racecourse fold zone); BSFZ (Black Star fold zone), WBSFZ
(Western Black Star fold zone), 650F (650 fold); anticlines or synclines are indicated. The white arrows indicate measured
fold axes. Percentile values were used to define contours so that Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies of different grades can be compared.
The grade contours for (a), (c), and (e) represent the 20, 40, and 60th percentile values for the modeled data, and for (h),
the 20, 40, 60, and 80th percentile values. Contours of bedding orientation in (h) show the relationship between bedding ori-
entation and the grade of the ores in orebody K.

orebodies are grouped around the copper orebodies with the
highest Pb + Zn grades proximal to them as illustrated by
cross sections through the Lead mine (Fig. 7). Grade con-
tours are parallel to F4 hinges and silica-dolomite boundaries.
Contours of Pb/Zn ratios cut stratigraphy and are also paral-
lel to silica-dolomite boundaries and F4 trends throughout the
Lead mine. The Pb/Zn contours are centered around, and
highest Pb/Zn values are proximal to, the copper orebodies at
either the same structural level or at deeper levels in the En-
terprise mine (Fig. 7d-f).
Distribution of low-grade populations
Cumulative frequency plots of the grades were examined to
determine if multiple populations existed in the data that were
not evident in the grade maps of the deposit. Where a possible
second population was identified the samples were plotted on

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 552

 STRUCTURE OF MT. ISA Zn-Pb-Ag & Cu OREBODIES 553

e) Orebody G
Level 5 Plan )
ine
n ticl
f) F (a
RC N
)
S N yn clin e
IF (s
WM
Level 5

200 OB 1950 mE
Level 9

6400mN
Pb+Zn (%)
2800 mRL BSFZ 5.25-7.75
0 50m
7.75 - 14.00
>14.00
6400 mN

WMIF
(syncline) N
Level 9 Plan West-plunging shoots
RCF
g)
(anticline)
1500 mE E
Pb + Zn (%) WBSFZ
2.40-4.30 650F 200 Cu OB
F
4.30-6.70 (syncline)
0 200m
>6.70 G

6800mN
I
0 50m
NNW-plunging shoots

h) Orebody K
27 0 o
280
290

o
o

S N

Level 12
2800 mRL
270 o

i) Level 12 Plan N
28
0

Pb + Zn (%)
o

3.30-6.20
6.20-8.30
6400mN

28 27 1700 mE
8.30-11.00 0 o 0 o

>11.00 0 200m

Pb+Zn (%)
6.20-8.30
6400 mN

8.30-11.00
0 100m
>11.00

mapped fold projected fold Fold axis (antiform) Bedding form surface Silica-dolomite alteration
Fold axis (synform) Mapped bedding

FIG 9. (Cont.)

indicator maps to determine their spatial distribution. A single in the samples but they are small and overlap with the main
population will plot as a sigmoidal curve when the data is nor- distribution, which makes them difficult to separate (e.g., Fig.
mally distributed (Fig. 13a). Deviations from this may indicate 13a). In orebody B there is a discernible separation between
the presence of multiple populations, which may reflect remo- low-grade samples (<1.2% Pb and <1.2% Zn) and higher
bilization, multiple episodes of mineralization, or other varia- grade samples. Zinc-poor samples group together in a north-
tions in structural or chemical characteristics of the deposit. plunging cluster in the lower part of orebody B (Fig. 13b) and
Most of the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies have grade distributions are dispersed above this cluster. Lead-poor samples cluster in
that indicate the presence of a separate low-grade population the north with a north-plunging upper surface (Fig. 13c).

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 553

554 TOBY DAVIS

Orebody B
a) 1:2 3:1 b)
2:1
1:1
S N S N

1:2
2:1
2900 mRL 3:1 1:1 2900 mRL

1:3
Pb+Zn (%)
3.00-5.50
6400 mN

6400 mN
5.50-7.75
7.75-10.50
60th percentile
>10.50
>4.40 % Pb
1:2 Pb:Zn contour 0 200m
>3.90 % Zn
Silica-dolomite alteration

Orebody C
c) 1:3
d)
S N S N

2900 mRL 1:2 2900 mRL

1:1
Pb+Zn (%) 3:1 2:1
4.25 - 7.25

6400 mN
7.25 - 9.50
6400 mN

9.50-12.00
60th percentile
>12.00
2:1 >4.10 % Pb
1:2 Pb:Zn contour 0 200m
>5.45 % Zn
Silica-dolomite alteration

Orebody G
e) f)
S N S N
1:
3

200 OB
2900 mRL 2900 mRL

1:2

Pb + Zn (%)
2.40-4.30
6400 mN

4.30-6.70
6400 mN

2:1
3:
6.70-9.60 1 1:1
>9.60 60th percentile
1:2 Pb:Zn contour >3.70 % Pb
0 200m
Silica-dolomite alteration >2.70 % Zn

Orebody K
g) h)
S 2900 mRL N S 2900 mRL N

Pb + Zn (%) 1:3
3.30-6.20
6.20-8.30
1:2
8.30-11.00
6400 mN
6400 mN

>11.00 1:1 60th percentile

3: 2:1
1:2 Pb:Zn contour 1
>3.4 % Pb
0 200m
Silica-dolomite alteration >4.75 % Zn

FIG. 10. Longitudinal sections illustrating Pb/Zn zonation patterns throughout the deposit (see also Fig. 12b-c, f-g). Pb/Zn
contours are superimposed on Pb + Zn grade and relative distributions of Pb and Zn (left column). Pb + Zn contours are the
20, 40, 60, and 80th percentile values for modeled data. In the right column longitudinal sections of the 60th percentile out-
lines lead (gray) and zinc (stippled) are used to compare their distributions. The similar shapes of the grade contours for the
two metals suggest there is a systematic relationship between Pb and Zn in all cases.

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 STRUCTURE OF MT. ISA Zn-Pb-Ag & Cu OREBODIES 555

Carbonate Similarities between the geometries of the Zn-Pb-Ag ore-

veins
Fractures bodies and the copper ores, which are interpreted to have
a) formed during D4 (Perkins, 1984; Swager, 1985; Bell et al.,
1988; Waring et al., 1998), suggest that both ore types had
the same structural history. Folds control the overall geome-
tries of the 1100, 650, 500, and 200 copper orebodies as well
as the high-grade shoots in Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies. This is il-
lustrated in Figure 9g, where silica-dolomite alteration asso-
ciated with the 200 copper orebody is restricted to an area
where bedding is folded, similar to the Zn-Pb-Ag shoots (Fig.
9d, f). The 3000 copper orebody and the collective Race-
course Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies exhibit the same geometries in
high- and low-grade areas, notably north-south–striking
high-grade orebodies with north-northwest–striking en-
veloping surfaces (in plan), indicating a strong influence
from the structural anisotropy imparted by bedding. These
deposits are located in the same structural domain (i.e., on
the western long limb of the Mount Isa anticline) with the
3000 copper orebody situated vertically below the Race-
0 20 cm
course Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies. This relationship is evident at a
Facing South
larger scale than the folds hosting the high-grade Zn-Pb-Ag
shoots described above.
Unmineralized mudstone layers Semi-massive sulfide bands Some aspects of the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies indicate that their
(py, gn, sp, po) geometry was established after silica-dolomite alteration. The
b)
Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies abutting the 200 copper orebody, as
Backs
Hangingwall shown in Figure 9e, enfold the silica-dolomite body that
Barren Siltstones
contains the copper orebody. This pattern suggests that the
silica-dolomite alteration, which Perkins (1984) and Swager
F2 (1985) interpreted as syntectonic, predates the Zn-Pb-Ag
shoots, and the geometries of the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies were
locally controlled by the presence of copper ores or more pre-
F4
cisely their enveloping silica-dolomite alteration. This feature
F3
is not the result of localized remobilization around the silica-
dolomite body because the grade distribution that defines it
Wall F4
is continuous through the entire Zn-Pb-Ag orebody. Rather, it
may reflect more widespread fluid-assisted remobilization
0 1m
and/or syntectonic mineralization. The proximity of the Zn-
Floor Ore Pb-Ag ores to copper orebodies, the lack of overprinting be-
Facing South
tween them, their common geometries and association with
FIG.11. (a). Sketch of unfolded Zn-Pb-Ag ore. Semimassive sulfide bands structures, and metal zonation patterns in the Zn-Pb-Ag ore-
(light gray) are interlayered with barren massive mudstones (dark gray). This bodies that are centered about the copper orebodies may be
exposure is within meters of the Mount Isa fold (0012 orebody, M73 decline, interpreted as evidence of syntectonic mineralization or in
17B level, Mt. Isa Lead mine). (b). Sketch of development face (14CA, 2445
mRL, and 6527 mN), showing a high-grade shoot centered on large F2 and terms of remobilization. On one hand, McDonald (1970) re-
F4 folds that are situated between barren unfolded massive mudstones. This ported enrichment of galena in the hinge of a fold exposed in
face is located in a north-northwest–plunging shoot in orebody K and is typ- the underground workings and attributed this to remobiliza-
ical of fold-centered, high-grade shoots that define the internal geometries of tion. However the patchy distribution of the highest grade
the Zn-Pb-Ag ores.
contour of Pb + Zn (%) is not reflected in lower grade con-
tour intervals and the lead distribution, which should be the
most sensitive to the enrichment of galena during folding,
shows no indication of being deformed. Perkins (1997) argued
Discussion and Conclusions that the features described by McDonald (1970) could equally
The observations presented here strongly support a syn-D4 be interpreted as evidence for D4 mineralization because
timing for the development of the present geometries of the there was no corresponding depletion on the limbs of the fold.
Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies. This is indicated by the close spatial cor- The results of this study support the observations of
relation between the ores and F4 folds at all scales, both along Myers et al. (1996) and Perkins (1997), which showed that
the margins of the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies and within them. Zn-Pb-Ag orebody boundaries are parallel and coincident
High-grade shoots are centered on the hinges and short limbs with large D4 folds. Marshall and Spry (2000) and McClay
of north-northwest–plunging D4 folds, and contours defining (1979) alternatively suggest that the D4 trend of the ore-
metal zonation are parallel to F4 hinges and silica-dolomite bodies reflects the structural controls on preexisting syndia-
fronts throughout the mine (Figs. 9–10). genetic mineralization.

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 555

556 TOBY DAVIS

a) 2910 mRL (Level 12) Plan

1400 mE

6600 mN
b) 500 Orebody c) 650 Orebody
Longitudinal Section Longitudinal Section
Looking West Looking West

3000 mRL

Level 12 Level 12

2800 mRL
6600 mN

6600 mN
d) 2100 mRL Plan N
e) Composite RL Plan
N
2050 mRL

e)
lin
tic
2100 mRL (an e)
old lin
eF nc
3000 OB rs ( sy
2150 mRL c ou old
ce aF
3000 OB Ra t Is
un
2200 mRL Mo
2000 mE o ld
eF 1900 mRL
2000 mE
o urs
ec ld 2000 mRL
c Fo
Ra a
t Is
un
Mo 2100 mRL
3500 OB
3500 OB 2200 mRL
6200 mN
6200 mN

f) 3000 Cu Orebody g) 3500 Cu Orebody

Longitudinal Section Longitudinal Section
Looking West Looking West

2200 mRL 2200 mRL

Cu (%)
Paroo Fault plane
6000 mN

1.00-2.00
2.00-3.00
>3
6200 mN

0 200 m

Paroo Fault plane

FIG. 12. Level plans (a, d-e) and longitudinal sections (b-c, f-g) indicating the geometries of the copper orebodies. (a). In-
dividual level plan (2910 mRL) of the 500/650 orebody. (b). Longitudinal section of the 500 orebody (N-S striking). (c). Lon-
gitudinal section of the 650 orebody (NNW-SSE striking). (d). Single-level plan of the 3000 and 3500 orebodies at 2100 mRL
(Enterprise mine). (e). Composite level plan showing the dipping orebody from above. Broken lines are level contours. This
plan differs from (d), which shows the grade distribution of a slice at a specific level through the orebody. (f) and (g). Lon-
gitudinal sections of the 3000 and 3500 orebodies, respectively. The copper deposits have north-northwest–plunging geome-
tries similar to that of the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies. See Figures 2 and 4 for locations of the copper orebodies.

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 556

 STRUCTURE OF MT. ISA Zn-Pb-Ag & Cu OREBODIES 557

a) 100 A synsedimentary origin for the present geometries of the

Division between
possible high and low orebodies can be excluded because reconstructions of the
120 grade populations
predeformation orientations are not consistent with this
mode of formation. The enveloping surface to the initial stack
of orebodies in a synsedimentary setting was determined by

Cumulative Frequency (%)

rotating bedding to horizontal, using a 59º clockwise rotation
Frequency

80 Pb along the rotational axis to 006º and applying the same rota-
50 tion to the present enveloping surface of the en echelon array
Pb of orebodies (Fig. 14a). It was found that this surface would
Zn have dipped 46º to 222º. In this case, the orientation of the
40
enveloping surface would reflect the structural controls on
Zn
basin development in a synsedimentary environment or the
Single population
structures controlling emplacement of the ores during diage-
nesis. The location of the highest total metal grades along the
0 0
0 1 2 3
west-southwest enveloping surface indicates that sulfides
Metal (square root %) would have accumulated on the northeast block of a south-
west-dipping fault that was the conduit for metal-bearing flu-
b) ids. If the orebody formed in a basin then the controlling
structures must have had reverse movement, as shown in Fig-
ure 14b, which is inconsistent with the interpreted synsedi-
mentary rift setting (e.g., Smith, 1969, 2000; Large et al., 1998;
Cooke et al., 2000). Alternatively, if the basin margin faults had
normal displacement then sulfides would have had to accu-
2900 mRL mulate and be preserved on highs, which is unlikely (Fig. 14c).
The preservation of older F2 folds in nearly their original
orientations in short limbs areas (Fig. 6) indicates that these
north-northwest–south-southeast–striking folds formed by
rotation of bedding on the long limbs. This would require lo-
calized progressive shearing on the long limb and around the
high-grade shoots if the orebodies were present in their cur-
6400 mN

Zinc
≤1.2 % 0 200 m rent positions prior to D4. This is inconsistent with the ex-
pected localization of deformation in the massive sulfide bod-
c)
ies rather than around them (Marshall and Gilligan, 1987,
1993).
Orebody formation during deformation can involve either
syndeformation mineralization or remobilization of preexist-
ing massive, semimassive, or disseminated sulfides or a com-
bination of these processes (Marshall et al., 2000). It is ar-
2900 mRL guable whether remobilization can ever be entirely ruled out
in orebody formation (Marshall and Spry, 2000; Marshall et
al. 2000). However, without evidence of a predeformation de-
posit remobilization is difficult to substantiate. In any case,
the results of this study suggest that the Zn-Pb-Ag mineral-
ization was broadly synchronous with the late-stage copper
orebodies.
6400 mN

Lead There is no indication of a source deposit overlapping with

0 200 m
≤1.2 %
the Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies in the large-scale metal distribution
patterns. However, this does not discount the possibility that
FIG 13. (a). Cumulative frequency plots (heavy dashed lines) were exam-
ined to determine if multiple populations existed in the data that are not ev-
a source deposit in the vicinity was of a grade too low to be
ident in the grade maps. The square root of metal values produces a close to recognized in these patterns. A small low-grade population, as
normal distribution. Only the orebody B cumulative frequency curves are il- indicated in Figure 13, may be an indication of an earlier low
lustrated. The deviation of these from the solid curve, representing a single grade and possibly disseminated Zn-Pb-Ag deposit overlap-
population, may indicate the presence of possible multiple populations in the ping with the present orebody. However, this low-grade min-
data. Frequency histograms (light dashed lines) show peaks in the same area.
The division between high- and low-grade populations is located where the eralization follows an F4 trend (Fig. 13b-c) and is only obvi-
histograms indicate the possible intersections of the populations, although ous in one of the ten Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies. It is therefore
there may be considerable overlap. Samples corresponding to a possible sec- more likely that the low-grade population reflects the same
ond population were plotted in indicator maps to determine their spatial dis- structural controls on metal deposition exhibited by the main
tribution. (b) and (c) show the distribution of the low-grade samples (zinc
and lead concentrations ≤1.2%) in longitudinal projections looking west.
orebody.
Zinc-poor samples group as a north-plunging cluster at deeper level and lead- If remobilization processes played a role in the formation of
poor samples cluster in the north with a north-plunging upper surface. the Mount Isa Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies, based on the observations

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 557

558 TOBY DAVIS

N Water surface
a) b)
Zn-Pb-Ag deposits

Brine plume

86 o)
Pole to orebody
enveloping surface

tion (006 o-1

Pole to enveloping post-D4 SW NE
surface predeformation

σ1 σ1
Axis of rota

Orebody enveloping
surface
Feeder fault
Pole to S0

Pole to S0
post-D4 COMPRESSION - REVERSE FAULT
predeformation
P
en red Water surface
ve efo
lo rm
pi a c)
ng it
su on
rfa ore
ce bo Zn-Pb-Ag deposits
dy Brine plume

46o to 222o SW NE

σ3 σ3
Feeder fault Orebody enveloping
surface

EXTENSION - NORMAL FAULT

FIG. 14. Reconstruction of hypothetical predeformation deposit geometries. (a). Equal-area projection of rotations ap-
plied to attain predeformation geometries. The great circle represents the enveloping surface of a hypothetical predeforma-
tion deposit and constrains the orientation of faults that might have controlled mineralization. (b) and (c). Illustrations of the
two possible scenarios for predeformation mineralization taking into account the geometric constraints imposed by deposit
feeder geometry. The scenario in (b) requires compression to form a basin, whereas in (c) accumulation and preservation of
the ores must occur on highs, both of which are considered incompatible with synsedimentary processes.

of this study the source would have been distal to the present the rock producing the stratiform ores at low grades and
orebodies. The termination of the Urquhart Shale against the structural heterogeneities within those units concentrated
Paroo fault below the copper orebodies (cf. Fig. 2b-c) and the metals into high-grade shoots. Where early F2 folds are lo-
lack of zinc or lead anomaly in these orebodies indicate that a cated on the short limbs of the F4 folds, the structural het-
source deposit for the present Zn-Pb-Ag orebodies was not erogeneity likely enhanced fluid flow and promoted the for-
located between the current Zn-Pb-Ag ores and the Paroo mation of high-grade shoots. Where the older F2 folds were
fault. The other possible location for an external Zn-Pb-Ag absent, such as in the Mount Isa fold, there was no hetero-
protore is north of the Mount Isa fold and present Zn-Pb-Ag geneity and high-grade shoots were not developed.
deposit, which requires fluid flow in the opposite direction of
the copper mineralizing fluids (cf. Waring, 1990) to form the Acknowledgments
present Zn-Pb-Ag orebody.
F4 short limbs containing older folds at the center of high- The author gratefully acknowledges his supervisor, Tim
Bell, and associate supervisor, Andrew Allibone, in this study.
grade shoots were important in the localization of metals in the
Tom Blenkinsop and Tim Baker provided valuable comments
Zn-Pb-Ag orebody. These are interpreted to have behaved as
on the manuscript. Funding and data were provided by MIM
structural heterogeneities that were centers of strain incom-
Ltd.; Alice Clarke, Steve Law, Ron Eggins, and the Lead
patibility during D4 and resulted in dilation which facilitated
mine geologists are especially thanked. Micromine Pty. Ltd.
fluid movement into these areas where metals were then de-
and Surpac Software International Pty. Ltd. contributed soft-
posited. These folds occur throughout the Zn-Pb-Ag orebod-
ware used in the study. This paper benefited significantly
ies but those closest to the copper orebodies have the highest
from the reviews and suggestions of Cees van Staal (Geologi-
grade, indicating decreasing metal deposition away from the
cal Survey of Canada) and Mike Solomon (University of Tas-
copper orebodies as fluids became progressively depleted in
mania, CODES) and the additional comments of the editor
ore metals and/or concentration of fluid flow near the copper
and a member of the editorial board; for these the author is
orebodies. Strain localization in less competent units played
an important role in the formation of this deposit in two greatly appreciative.
ways—it permitted the fluids access to only specific parts of September 02, 2003; February 11, 2004

0361-0128/98/000/000-00 $6.00 558

 STRUCTURE OF MT. ISA Zn-Pb-Ag & Cu OREBODIES
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