Mc Arthur Pb - Zn - Ag Deposit

Prospect in Northern Territory*, Australia with commodities Lead, Zinc, Silver
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Host and associated rocks
  8. Nearby scientific data
  9. Geologic structures
  10. Ore body information
  11. Controls for ore emplacement
  12. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  13. Mining district
  14. Reserves and resources
  15. Links to other databases
  16. Bibliographic references
  17. General comments
  18. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10073053
MRDS ID W018859
Record type Site
Current site name Mc Arthur Pb - Zn - Ag Deposit
Alternate or previous names H.Y.C. Deposit

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 136.0823, -16.49701 (WGS84)
Relative position 128 KM FROM GULF OF CARPENTARIA. 592 KM NW OF MT ISA.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Northern Territory*(province)

Australia(country)

Australia(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Australia Northern Territory*

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Primary
Silver Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Galena Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Chalcocite Gangue
Chlorite Gangue
Covellite Gangue
Illite Gangue
Kaolin Gangue
Marcasite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Analytical data

Result ORE IS TOO FINE GRAINED. BEST RECOVERIES TO DATE HAVE BEEN 55% FOR ZN, 45% FOR PB IN LAB TESTS. ORE IS 9.5% ZN, 4.2% PB

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff
    Rock unit name Tuffites
    Rock description Tuffites
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
    Rock unit name Bituminous Shales
    Rock description Bituminous Shales
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff

Nearby scientific data

(1) 136.0823, -16.49701

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Local
Structure description Bulburra Depression, Bald Hills Fault, Emu Fault.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Sedimentary Deposit

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1955
Discoverer Mt. Isa Mines

Mining district

District name Mc Arthur River Area

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1975
    Total resources 190000000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lead Pb 4.2 wt-pct Lead Major 1975
    Zinc Zn 9.5 wt-pct Zinc Major 1975
    Silver Ag 44 g/mt Silver Major 1975

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • EARLIER SOURCES (IE MINING MAGAZINE 10-74 P 321) STATE RESERVES AS 190 MIL MT AVG. 9.5% ZN, 4.1% PB, 44 G/MT AG.
  • LOW RECOVERY RATES DUE TO FINE GRAINED NATURE OF ORE MAKE DEPOSIT UNECONOMIC.

Comments on development

  • MILL.CAP: 16 MET TONS ; ECON.YEAR: 1976 ; ECON.COM: $A 6 MIL FEASIBILITY STUDY UNDERWAY (MIM HOLDINGS)

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    CROXFORD, N.J.W., JEPHCOTT, S., 1972, THE MC ARTHUR LEAD - ZINC - SILVER DEPOSIT, N. T.; AUST. INST. MIN. MET. NO. 243, SEPT. 1972, P 1 - 26

  • Deposit

    CROXFORD, N.J.W. ET AL, 1975, THE MC ARTHUR DEPOSIT: A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT SITUATION; MINERALIUM DEPOSITA, V 10 NO 4 P 302 - 304

  • Reserve-Resource

    MINING MAGAZINE 11-75 P. 335

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit AT LEAST HALF OF THE ORE IS ACCESSIBLE BY OPEN PIT. MC ARTHUR RIVER MUST BE DIVERTED BEFORE MINING CAN START.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUL-1976 Schruben, Paul G. U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.