Summary of results. In situ Rb-Sr geochronology constraints on the tectono-metamorphic history and base metal mineralisation of the Rover field, Warramunga Province

Abstract

The Rover field in central Australia contains copper–gold–bismuth mineralisation (Rover 1, Explorer 142 deposits) and base metal mineralisation (Explorer 108 deposit and Curiosity prospect) hosted by entirely undercover, prospective Palaeoproterozoic rocks. The Palaeoproterozoic rocks are dominated by volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the ca 1.85– 1.84 Ga Yungkulungu Formation (Huston et al 2020, Valenta et al 2020, Cross et al 2021, Cross et al 2022, Farias et al 2022b). These rocks have been folded and metamorphosed to lower greenschist facies (Huston et al 2020, Farias et al 2021), but the timing of this event is unknown. In situ Rb–Sr geochronology results from four samples (BW20PG090, GS20PGF132, GS19DLH0056-1, -2) collected from two deposits and one prospect has helped to constrain the age of tectonic-metamorphic and mineralising events that occurred in the Rover field after deposition of the Yungkulungu Formation.