Porphyry and Epithermal Deposits of the Macquarie Arc, New South Wales

This field trip will provide an overview of the porphyry, epithermal, and skarn Cu-Au deposits of the Ordovician to Early Silurian Macquarie Arc including the Cadia alkalic porphyry Cu-Au deposits, Cowal epithermal gold deposits and Trundle Cu-Au skarn. 

The program will include visits to major active mine sites, and reviews of significant advanced exploration projects and drill core, together with an overview of the current understanding of the geological and geodynamic evolution of the Macquarie Arc and the conditions that led to the formation of Australia's premier porphyry Cu-Au province. We will also examine post-mineralization uplift, burial, deformation and segmentation, and the challenges these processes pose for exploration in this Paleozoic porphyry and epithermal mineral province. 

Additional sites of interest that we plan to visit and/or review drill core from include the Northparkes alkalic porphyry Cu-Au deposits, Copper Hill calc-alkaline porphyry Cu-Au prospect, Boda porphyry Cu-Au prospect, Spur/Cargo porphyry and epithermal Cu-Au prospect, Myall porphyry Cu-Au prospect and Peak Hill high sulfidation Au deposit.