Intrusion-Related Gold Systems of North Queensland, Australia

An extensive intrusion-related gold province in north-east Queensland is genetically related to the Permo-Carboniferous Kennedy Igneous Association. The province includes more than 130 distinct mineral camps and 6 deposits with >1 Moz of contained gold, with almost 20 Moz of total identified gold endowment. Significant known deposits formed at the original emplacement levels ranging from >5 km to <0.5 km, but mostly at the intermediate porphyry levels, associated with sub-volcanic intrusive complexes peripheral to regions of most intensive magmatism. Individual camps of intrusion-related gold systems are characterised by distinct lateral and vertical geochemical zonation around mineralising intrusions, with an overall common signature of enrichment of Au, Ag, As, Sb, Cu, Zn, Pb, Bi, Te (+/- Mo, W). The challenge of more effective future exploration in the region can be addressed by focusing on camp-scale signatures of hydrothermal systems, rather than on much smaller individual orebodies.