![[Murrin Murrin Plant]](graphics/murrin.jpg)
TOUR OUTLINE
The Australian Mineral Foundation continued its International Study Tour series of courses by providing a unique opportunity to:
Visit a representative selection of the world's most important nickel resources & mines. Deposits were selected by a 'core group' of senior managers from the World's major nickel producers & explorers.
Compare different settings, styles & ages of nickel deposits around the world - The tour took in a selection of the world's major nickel deposits both primary
sulphide and laterite ores. Primary deposits that were visited were in
rocks ranging from Archaean to Mesozoic in age, in greenstone belt komatiite
flows, to Proterozoic norite-gabbro igneous intrusives to gabbro-dolerite
sills/dykes associated with vast basaltic outpourings.
Lateritic deposits on the itinerary were located in both the tropics, representing a variety
of mineralogical styles and morphologies, from silicate to oxide types,
from highly ferruginous limonite varieties to saprolites. In addition the
newly developed Australian deposits from more temperate climates are also
included.
See up to seventeen classic ore deposits in eight countries, with context setting seminars,
workshops and field traverses - in five optional parts & modules.
The program included:
MODULE 1 - AUSTRALASIA
PART A Yilgarn Sulphides & Laterites - 5 days from May 21.
Full day seminar in Perth & visits to:
- Kambalda - Komatiite hosted massive & disseminated sulphides
- Silver Swan - Very high grade Komatiite hosted massive sulphides
- Leinster - Komatiite hosted massive & disseminated sulphides
- Mt Keith - Komatiite hosted large low grade disseminated sulphides
- Murrin Murrin & Mt Margaret - Silicate laterite, pressure leach
- Cawse - Oxide laterite, pressure leach
PART B South West Pacific Laterites - 5 days from May 28.
Seminar in Noumea
and visits to:
- SLN Thio /Plateau Mine - Silicate laterite large operating mine
- Koniambo Project - Silicate laterite, large evaluation project
- Goro / Prony / Plaine des Lacs District - Oxide laterite deposits
- SMGM Tomo Mine at Tontouta - High grade small mine representative of a lot of New Caledonian production
MODULE 2 - THE AMERICAS
PART A Caribbean Laterites - 6 days from June 4.
Regional overview briefing in Santo Domingo and visits to:
- Falcondo, Dominican Rep. - Ferro-Nickel operation
- Cerro Matoso, Colombia - large high grade deposit
PART B Canadian Sulphides - 6 days from June 11.
Full day seminar in Sudbury including major presentations on:
- Voisey's Bay - Proterozoic intrusive chamber hosted, including core inspection
- Thompson - Strongly metamorphosed Proterozoic komatiite hosted deposit
and visits to:
- Sudbury (2 mines) - Footwall & Contact orebodies, and core display of Offset deposit (Proterozoic intrusive)
- Raglan - Well preserved Proterozoic komatiite flow deposit
MODULE 3 EURASIA
Eurasian Sulphides - 9 days from June 19.
- Visits to:
- Norilāsk -Talnakh, Russia - Immense deposit in Permo-Triassic sill and wall rocks
- Jinchuan, Gansu - China - Large deposit in Proterozoic dyke
Participants were able to take any one or more Parts or full Modules.
The seminars were designed to provide an overview of the regional tectonic, geological and
metallogenic setting of the regions and deposits visited, presented by
local and international experts such as Tony Naldrett & Mike Lesher in Canada and Rob Hill & Charles Butt in Australia.
While the primary focus of the tour was geological, attention was also devoted to the mining,
metallurgical and economic aspects of each operation.
The tour allowed the participants to get Maximum impact, in minimum time. In recognition of the value of the time of key staff, the duration of the tour has been
kept to a minimum. It has also been split into three Modules and five Parts
so they were able to pick that Module or Part in which they were most interested,
or alternatively expose different staff members that can only be
spared for a shorter period.
All mine visits, seminars, workshops, surface and air travel and accommodation on tour were arranged by PGC for the AMF.
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For more information contact: T M (Mike) Porter, of Porter GeoConsultancy (mike.porter@portergeo.com.au)
This was another of the International Study Tours designed, developed, organised and escorted by T M (Mike) Porter of Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd (PGC) in joint venture with the Australian Mineral Foundation (AMF). While the reputation and support of the AMF contributed to the establishment of the tours, after it ceased trading at the end of 2001, PGC has continued to develop, organise and manage the tour series.
Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd
6 Beatty Street
LINDEN PARK 5065
South Australia
Mobile: +61 422 791 776.
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