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Quan, Hongyan, Graham, Ian, Worland, Rohan, Adler, Lewis, Dietz, Christian, Madayag, Emmanuel, Wang, Huixin, French, David (2025) Interpreting the Complexity of Sulfur, Carbon, and Oxygen Isotopes From Sulfides and Carbonates in a Precious Metal Epithermal Field: Insights From the Permian Drake Epithermal Au-Ag Field of Northern New South Wales, Australia. Minerals, 15 (2). doi:10.3390/min15020134

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Reference TypeJournal (article/letter/editorial)
TitleInterpreting the Complexity of Sulfur, Carbon, and Oxygen Isotopes From Sulfides and Carbonates in a Precious Metal Epithermal Field: Insights From the Permian Drake Epithermal Au-Ag Field of Northern New South Wales, Australia
JournalMinerals
AuthorsQuan, HongyanAuthor
Graham, IanAuthor
Worland, RohanAuthor
Adler, LewisAuthor
Dietz, ChristianAuthor
Madayag, EmmanuelAuthor
Wang, HuixinAuthor
French, DavidAuthor
Year2025Volume<   15   >
Issue<   2   >
URL
DOIdoi:10.3390/min15020134Search in ResearchGate
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Not set
Mindat Ref. ID17968211Long-form Identifiermindat:1:5:17968211:7
GUID0
Full ReferenceQuan, Hongyan, Graham, Ian, Worland, Rohan, Adler, Lewis, Dietz, Christian, Madayag, Emmanuel, Wang, Huixin, French, David (2025) Interpreting the Complexity of Sulfur, Carbon, and Oxygen Isotopes From Sulfides and Carbonates in a Precious Metal Epithermal Field: Insights From the Permian Drake Epithermal Au-Ag Field of Northern New South Wales, Australia. Minerals, 15 (2). doi:10.3390/min15020134
Plain TextQuan, Hongyan, Graham, Ian, Worland, Rohan, Adler, Lewis, Dietz, Christian, Madayag, Emmanuel, Wang, Huixin, French, David (2025) Interpreting the Complexity of Sulfur, Carbon, and Oxygen Isotopes From Sulfides and Carbonates in a Precious Metal Epithermal Field: Insights From the Permian Drake Epithermal Au-Ag Field of Northern New South Wales, Australia. Minerals, 15 (2). doi:10.3390/min15020134
InLink this record to the correct parent record (if possible)
Abstract/NotesThe Drake Goldfield, also known as Mount Carrington, is located in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. It contains a number of low–intermediate-sulfidation epithermal precious metal deposits with a current total resource of 724.51 metric tons of Ag and 10.95 metric tons of Au. These deposits occur exclusively within the Drake Volcanics, a 60 Γ— 20 km NW-SE trending sequence of Late Permian volcanics and related epiclastics. Drilling of the Copper Deeps geochemical anomaly suggests that the volcanics are over 600 m thick. The Drake Volcanics are centered upon a geophysical anomaly called β€œthe Drake Quiet Zone” (DQZ), interpreted to be a collapsed volcanic caldera structure. A total of 105 fresh carbonate samples were micro-drilled from diamond drillcores from across the field and at various depths. A pXRD analysis of these carbonates identified five types as follows: ankerite, calcite, dolomite, magnesite, and siderite. Except for three outlier values (i.e., βˆ’21.32, βˆ’19.48, and 1.42 ‰), the Ξ΄13CVPDB generally ranges fromβˆ’15.06 to βˆ’5.00 ‰, which is less variable compared to the Ξ΄18OVSMOW, which varies from βˆ’0.92 to 17.94 ‰. ΞΌ-XRF was used to analyze the elemental distribution, which indicated both syngenetic/epigenetic relationships between calcite and magnesite. In addition, a total of 53 sulfide samples (primarily sphalerite and pyrite) from diamond drillcores from across the Drake Goldfield were micro-drilled for S isotope analysis. Overall, these have a wide range in Ξ΄34SCDT values from βˆ’16.54 to 2.10 ‰. The carbon and oxygen isotope results indicate that the fluids responsible for the precipitation of carbonates from across the Drake Goldfield had complex origins, involving extensive mixing of hydrothermal fluids from several sources including those of magmatic origin, meteoric fluids and fluids associated with low-temperature alteration processes. Sulfur isotope ratios of sulfide minerals indicate that although the sulfur was most likely derived from at least two different sources; magmatic sulfur was the dominant source while sedimentary-derived sulfur was more significant for the deposits distal from the DQZ, with the relative importance of each varying from one deposit to another. Our findings contribute to a greater understanding of Au-Ag formation in epithermal environments, particularly in collapsed calderas, enhancing exploration strategies and models for ore deposition.

Map of Localities

Locality Pages

LocalityCitation Details
Drake district, Buller Co., New South Wales, Australia
West Copper Deeps deposit, Drake district, Buller Co., New South Wales, Australia
Gladstone Hill deposit, Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australia
Mozart deposit, Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australia
Strauss Pit, Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australia

Mineral Occurrences

LocalityMineral(s)
Drake district, Buller Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Acanthite, β“˜ Andesite, β“˜ Andesitic tuff, β“˜ Ankerite, β“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcocite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Covellite, β“˜ Dacitic tuff, β“˜ Digenite, β“˜ Dolomite, β“˜ Electrum, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Hydrothermal breccia, β“˜ Jalpaite, β“˜ Magnesite, β“˜ Monzonite, β“˜ Mudstone, β“˜ Native Gold, β“˜ Pearceite, β“˜ Plagioclase, β“˜ Polybasite, β“˜ Pyrargyrite, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Rhyolite, β“˜ Siderite, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup, β“˜ Tuff, β“˜ Zircon
Red Rock, Drake district, Buller Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Aikinite, β“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Dolomite, β“˜ Electrum, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Marcasite, β“˜ Native Gold, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
West Copper Deeps deposit, Drake district, Buller Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Baryte, β“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Dolomite, β“˜ Magnesite, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
White Rock Mine (Silver Queen mine), Drake district, Buller Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Acanthite, β“˜ Ankerite, β“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Covellite, β“˜ Dickite, β“˜ Dolomite, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Jalpaite, β“˜ Native Silver, β“˜ Pearceite, β“˜ Polybasite, β“˜ Pyrargyrite, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Stephanite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
White Rock north prospect, Drake district, Buller Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Acanthite, β“˜ Ankerite, β“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Covellite, β“˜ Dickite, β“˜ Dolomite, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Jalpaite, β“˜ Native Silver, β“˜ Pearceite, β“˜ Polybasite, β“˜ Pyrargyrite, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Stephanite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
All Nations deposit, Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Digenite, β“˜ Magnesite, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
Gladstone Hill deposit, Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Chalcocite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Covellite, β“˜ Digenite, β“˜ Dolomite, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
Kylo Pit, Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcocite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Covellite, β“˜ Digenite, β“˜ Electrum, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Magnesite, β“˜ Native Gold, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup
Lady Hampden Pit (Lady Hampden Mine), Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Digenite, β“˜ Electrum, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Native Gold, β“˜ Pearceite, β“˜ Polybasite, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
Mozart deposit, Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Acanthite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
Silver King Mine 1 (Silver King), Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Ankerite, β“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Dickite, β“˜ Dolomite, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup
Strauss Pit, Drake, Drake Co., New South Wales, Australiaβ“˜ Albite, β“˜ Bornite, β“˜ Calcite, β“˜ Chalcocite, β“˜ Chalcopyrite, β“˜ Covellite, β“˜ Dickite, β“˜ Digenite, β“˜ Dolomite, β“˜ Electrum, β“˜ Galena, β“˜ Magnesite, β“˜ Native Gold, β“˜ Pyrite, β“˜ Quartz, β“˜ Siderite, β“˜ Sphalerite, β“˜ Tennantite Subgroup, β“˜ Tetrahedrite Subgroup

See Also

These are possibly similar items as determined by title/reference text matching only.

Madayag, E., Graham, I., Quan, H., Worland, R., Adler, L., & Dietz, C. (2021). Mineralization, alteration assemblages and stable isotopes of the intermediate-sulfidation epithermal Strauss deposit, Drake Goldfield, north-eastern NSW, Australia. In Environmental Sciences Proceedings (Vol. 6, No. 1, p. 27). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Graham, Ian T., Adam McKinnon, Khalid Schellen, Angela Lay, Elizabeth Liepa, Lachlan Burrows, Karen Privat, Hongyan Quan, David French, and Christian Dietz. (2021) "Hera: Evidence for Multiple Mineralization Events and Remobilization in a Sediment-Hosted Au-Pb-Zn-Ag Deposit, Central New South Wales, Australia" Environmental Sciences Proceedings 6, no. 1: 28. https://doi.org/10.3390/iecms2021-09345
Quan, H., Graham, I., Worland, R., French, D., Adler, L., Dietz, C., & Greig, A. (2021). Mineralization, Alteration Assemblages, Geochemistry and Stable Isotopes of the Intermediate-Sulfidation Epithermal Kylo Deposit, Drake Goldfield, North-Eastern NSW, Australia: Evidence for a Significant Magmatic Fluid Component. In Environmental Sciences Proceedings (Vol. 6, No. 1, p. 20). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Long, Hua, Liu, Wenyuan, Chen, Jingwen, Qiu, Jianhuan, Li, Jieyi, Chen, Hui, Lai, Xiaodan (2025) Compositional Evolution of Fahlores in the Zijinshan Porphyry–Epithermal Cu-Au-Mo-Ag Ore Field, China, and Implications for Prospecting. Minerals, 15 (4). doi:10.3390/min15040362
Γ–zbaş, Fatih; Bilal, Essaid; Touil, Ahmed (2025) Trace and Rare-Earth-Element Chemistry of Quartz from the Tuztaşı Low-Sulfidation Epithermal Au-Ag Deposit, Western TΓΌrkiye: Implications for Gold Exploration from Quartz Mineral Chemistry. Minerals, 15 (7). doi:10.3390/min15070758
Schellen, Khalid, Ian T. Graham, Adam McKinnon, Karen Privat, and Christian Dietz. (2021) "The Ore and Gangue Mineralogy of the Newly Discovered Federation Massive Sulfide Deposit, Central New South Wales, Australia" Environmental Sciences Proceedings 6, no. 1: 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/iecms2021-09348
Wang, Ning, Dai, Shifeng, Nechaev, Victor P., French, David, Graham, Ian T., Zhao, Fenghua, Zuo, Jianping (2022) Isotopes of carbon and oxygen of siderite and their genetic indications for the Late Permian critical-metal tuffaceous deposits (Nb-Zr-REY-Ga) from Yunnan, southwestern China. Chemical Geology, 592. 120727 doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2022.120727
Heo, Chul-Ho, Kim, Seong-Yong, Oh, Il-Hwan (2021) Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea. Minerals, 11 (10) 1088 doi:10.3390/min11101088
Heo, Chul-Ho, Seong-Yong Kim, and Il-Hwan Oh. (2021) "Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea" Minerals 11, no. 10: 1088. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11101088
Wang, Qian, Dai, Shifeng, French, David, Spiro, Baruch, Graham, Ian, Liu, Jingjing (2023) Hydrothermally-altered coal from the Daqingshan Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, northern China: Evidence from stable isotopes of C within organic matter and C-O-Sr in associated carbonates. International Journal of Coal Geology, 276. 104330 doi:10.1016/j.coal.2023.104330
Hamilton, J. D. (1968) Triphormic clay minerals from the lower hunter permian succession of new South Wales. Journal of the Geological Society of Australia, 15 (1) 9-24 doi:10.1080/00167616808728676
 
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