| A |
| "2D/3D
spatial datasets" |
Two
dimensional and three dimensional (down-drill hole) data all
of which have geographic coordinates |
| “air-core” |
A
method of obtaining rock-core by a reverse circulation drilling
technique whereby sample material is carried to the surface
from an open face drill bit through the drill tube |
| “anisotropy” |
Literally
not isotropic, a substance having different physical properties
when measured in different directions |
| "anastomosing" |
Branching
and joining irregularly to produce a net like pattern |
| "aeromagnetic
data" |
A
survey made from the air that records variation in the earths
magnetic field |
| "alluvial" |
Pertaining
to detrital processes with transport by a river and deposition
at points along the river |
| "alluvium" |
Material
that is alluvial, commonly composed of sands and gravels. |
| "alteration
zones" |
Chemical
changes in the composition of a rock or mineral due to passage
of a fluid through the rock, commonly associated with mineralization
and/or weathering |
| "anomaly" |
A
value higher or lower than expected, which outlines a zone
of potential exploration interest but not necessarily of commercial
significance |
| "Archaean
(Yilgarn Craton)" |
The
oldest rocks of the Precambrian era, earlier than 2,500 Ma
and prior to most life-forms; the Yilgarn Craton is an extensive
terrain comprising south Western Australia and of Archaean
rocks |
| "assay" |
The
analysis of samples of minerals, rocks and mine product to
determine and quantify their constituent parts |
| "Au" |
Gold |
| "autocorrelation" |
A
geometrical method for the analysis of pairs of spatial data
based on the relationship of two directional arrow between
each pair |
 |
| B |
| "banded
iron formation" or "BIF" |
A
finely balanced siliceous iron - bearing rock, mostly of Precambrian
age |
| basalt",
"high-Mg basalt", "metabasalt" |
basalt:
fine-grained basic igneous rock comprising the minerals plagioclase,
pyroxene with or without olivine, magnetite, quartz and hornblende
High-Mg basalt: A basalt with a high magnesium composition,
typically comprising plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine
metabasalt: a basalt that shows evidence of having undergone
metamorphism |
| "basement
gneisses" |
Banded
rocks that formed during high-grade regional metamorphism
which are covered un-conformably by un-metamorphosed sediments |
| "batholith" |
A
large intrusive mass of igneous rock |
| "bedrock" |
A
mining term for the un-weathered rock below the oxidised near
surface material |
| "below
pit" |
Literally
anything beneath an open pit |
| "bimodal" |
Pertaining
to volcanism, two chemically distinct and separate styles
of volcanic rock |
| "breccia" |
Coarse
grained rock composed of broken, angular fragments of rock |
| "brown-fields" |
In
the context of mineral exploration, brown-fields are those
adjacent to and near an existing or historic mine |
|
| C |
| "calcite-chlorite" |
A
rock with the minerals calcite and chlorite commonly but not
always as a result of alteration |
| "carbonate" |
Rocks
rich in calcium and/or magnesium - the limestone minerals |
| "carbonated
ultra-mafic" |
An
ultramafic rock that has undergone alteration with the addition
of carbonate |
| "chert" |
A
cryptocrystalline form of quartz occurring in bands in sedimentary
rock |
| "clays" |
Near-surface
rocks comprising clay or layer-lattice minerals, usually fine
platy minerals |
| "competent
blocks/rocks" |
A
relative term for a rock layer which during deformation resists
flow, shape change and cleavage development |
| "cross-cut" |
The
relationship of one structure to another |
| "cross-fault" |
A
fault that cuts across a predefined feature such as bedding |
|
| D |
| "decline" |
Sub-vertical
development from surface from which the orebody is accessed |
| "deposit" |
Coherent
geological body such as a mineralised body |
| "dilational
sites" |
An
opening in a rock usually induced during rock deformation
and into which (mineralising) fluids may flow |
| "dilution" |
Rock
containing little or no valuable material but which is mixed
with ore during the mining process due to the complex nature
of the orebody contacts and/or the non-selectivity of the
mining method used |
| "dip" |
The
angle at which layered rocks, foliation, a fault, or other
planar structures, are inclined from the horizontal |
| "dissemination" |
Fine
particles of a mineral or other rock feature dispersed throughout
the enclosing rock |
| "dolerite" |
A
medium grained intrusive igneous rock of basalt composition |
| "drill
core" |
Rock
samples recovered by diamond drilling |
| "drill
hole" |
Hole
drilled in the ground |
| "drill
spacing" |
The
distance between drill holes |
"drilling",
"aircore drilling",
"diamond drilling",
"infill drilling",
"RAB drilling",
"RCdrilling",
"reconnaissance drilling",
"scout drilling" |
drilling:
exploration drilling - creation of test holes in the ground
produced by mechanical means
aircore drilling: see "air-core" above
diamond drilling: colloquial term for diamond core drilling
- see "drill core" above
infill drilling: see "infill drilling" below
RAB drilling: a drilling method used in relatively soft rocks
by means of a rotary bit and compressed air which carries
the sample to the surface on the outside of the drill tube
RC drilling: a drilling technique employing a rotating or
hammering action on a drill bit which returns a sample to
the surface inside the rod string by compressed air
Reconnaissance drilling: initial drill testing of ground
Scout drilling: like reconnaissance drilling
|
|
| E |
| "EM" |
Electromagnetic |
| "extensions" |
Continuous
or discontinuous additions to known mineralisation |
|
| F |
| "fault" |
Fracture
in a rock along which there has been an observable amount
of displacement |
| "feldspar" |
A
group of rock forming silicate minerals making up approximately
60 per cent of the earth's crust |
| "field
mapping" |
Geology
field mapping, a process of documenting the surface geology
and for interpretation of rocks at depth by the systematic
and ordered recording of rock information on a spatial grid |
| "felsic" |
Rocks
that contain an abundance of quartz and feldspar pertaining
to light coloured silicate materials that are poor in iron
and magnesium |
| "flexure" |
A
bend or curve (in rock strata) |
| "fold" |
A
substantial bend in rock strata |
| "fractal
technology" |
Analytical
tools developed to enable the study of fractals where "a
fractal is a shape which is made of parts similar to the whole
in some way" (Mandelbrot, 1987). A useful alternative
description of fractals is the mathematics of "non-differentiable"
phenomena |
| "fracture" |
Break
in rocks due to intense folding or faulting |
|
| G |
| "g" |
Grammes |
| "g/t" |
Grammes
of precious metal per tonne of dry ore |
| "gabbro" |
A
plutonic rock consisting mostly of plagioclase and clionopyroxene |
| "geochemical" |
A
method of searching for concealed bodies by means of chemical
sampling techniques |
| "geology" |
The
study of the earth as a whole, its origin, structure, composition
and history; commonly used to refer to rock science |
| "geometrical" |
Measurements
of length and angle |
| "geomorphology" |
The
description and interpretation of landforms |
| "geophysics" |
The
study of the variations in the values of physical parameters
of the earth |
| "geoscience" |
The
science of geology, commonly used in a broader context than
geology to include the chemistry and physics of the earth |
| "geostatistics" |
The
spatial statistics of the numeric results of exploration sampling |
| "grade" |
Relative
quantity or the percentage of ore mineral content in an ore
body. |
| "granite" |
A
medium to coarse-grained igneous rock composed principally
of quartz and feldspar |
| "granitic" |
Pertaining
to granite |
| "granitoid" |
Rocks
of a generally granite composition but including some that
may not be strictly called granite |
| "granophyre" |
A
microgranite which displays a graphic texture |
| "graphite" |
A
soft black form of native carbon |
| "greenschist
facies" |
A
grade of metamorphism, less deep than amphibolite facies |
| "green-fields" |
In
the context of mineral exploration, greenfields-fields are
those remote to a mine and from which there are only limited
exploration data available |
| "greenstone" |
The
volcanic and sedimentary rock component of the Archaean terrains |
|
| H |
| "halo" |
A
sub-circular zone surrounding an anomaly |
|
| I |
| "igneous" |
A
rock formed by the solidification of mineral-rich molten liquid,
which is intruded into bedrock or erupted from a volcano |
| "infill
drilling" |
Drill
testing for mineralization between existing drill lines |
| "intercalated" |
Mix
between |
| "intercept" |
A
zone of mineralization located by drilling with defined distance
and grade |
| "intrusions"
or "intrusives" |
A
body of igneous rock that has forced or invaded its way into
pre-existing rock |
|
| J |
| "jasperlitic" |
Pertaining
to japser, a red chert variety of chalcedony, usually iron-bearing. |
|
| K |
| "km" |
Kilometres |
| "km2" |
Square
kilometres |
|
| L |
| "laterite" |
Near-surface
residual deposit formed under tropical conditions comprising
hydrated iron oxides |
| "lenses" |
Eye-shaped
zones |
| "linear
trends" |
Near-straight
lines |
| "lode" |
An
ore deposit occurring in place within definite boundaries
separating it from adjoining rocks |
|
| M |
| "m" |
Metres |
| "Ma" |
Million
years |
| "magnetic
drop outs" |
On
magnetic images these are zones where the strata appear to
be much less magnetic than expected |
| "mapping" |
The
spatially precise documentation of information |
| "mafic" |
Pertaining
to dark coloured silicate minerals that are rich in iron and
magnesium and the igneous rocks in which these minerals are
abundant |
| "metamorphism" |
A
pronounced change in the constitution of rock effected by
pressure and heat that results in a more compact and more
highly crystalline condition |
| "metamorphosed
black shales" |
Metamorphism
of a carbon-bearing sedimentary unit, usually to a graphite
schist |
| "metasediments" |
Term
applied to sedimentary rocks, which have been partially altered
in composition, texture, or internal structure by processes
involving pressure, heat and/or the introduction of new chemical
substances |
| "mica-quartz" |
A
rock or alteration with the minerals mica and quartz |
| "mineralization" |
Process
of formation and concentration of elements and their compounds
within a mass or body of rock |
| "mineral
reserve" |
That
portion of a mineral resource on which technical and economic
studies have been carried out to demonstrate that it can justify
extraction at the time of the determination and under specified
economic conditions |
| "mineral
resource" |
a
tonnage or volume of rock or mineralization or other material
of intrinsic economic interest the grades , limits and other
appropriate characteristics of which are known with a specified
degree of knowledge. Mineral resources are sub-divided in
order of increasing confidence into Inferred, Indicated and
Measured categories. See "resource" below |
| "Mt" |
Million
tonnes |
| "Mtpa" |
Million
tonnes per annum |
|
| O |
| "open
pit" |
Mine
working or excavation open to the surface |
| "ore" |
A
mixture of rock minerals that may be mined and from which
at least one of the minerals can be processed at a profit |
| "orebody" |
A
mass of ore |
| "ore
shoot" |
A
large and usually rich aggregation of mineral in a vein |
| "ounce" |
or
"oz" Troy ounce; unit of weight equal to 31.102g |
| "outcrop" |
A
rock exposure on the surface |
| "overburden" |
Uneconomic
material which overlies a bed of useful material |
| "oxide" |
Mineral
produced by natural weathering processes at or near the Earth's
surface |
|
| P |
| "palaeochannel" |
An
ancient (geological) river course |
| "plutons" |
A
high-level cylindrical mass of granitic rock emplaced at low
temperature in a near solid state |
| "podiform
shoots" |
Elongate
lens-like unit |
| "polyphase
folding" |
The
deformation of rocks in multiple events into complex folds
and re-folds |
| "porphyry" |
An
igneous rock in which relatively large conspicuous crystals
(called phenocrysts) are set in a fine-grained ground mass |
| "post-tectonic" |
After
deformation, and usually metamorphism and igneous activity |
| "Precambrian" |
The
first geological era between the formation of the earth and
590 Ma ago |
| "pressure
shadow" |
A
zone of low mean stress in the lee of a rigid or competent
body |
| "project
areas" |
Regions
and sub-regions selected for exploration |
| "prospects" |
A
target (or historic target) upon which exploration programmes
are planned (or have been planned) |
|
| Q |
| "quartz" |
Homogeneous
rock composed of silicon dioxide (Si02 silica) |
|
| R |
| "reef" |
A
mineralised zone, commonly a quartz vein hosting the ore mineral |
| "refractory" |
Minerals
that are stubborn or difficult to process |
| "regolith" |
The
layer of loose, incoherent or coherent material that forms
the surface of the land above the bedrock |
| "remnant
resource" |
That
part of a resource defined before mining, that is left behind
after mining has ceased |
| "rheologically
competent rocks" |
Rheology
is the science of the strength of materials (including rock).
"Competent" is defined above. |
| "resource" |
Measured:
a mineral resource intersected and tested by drill holes,
underground openings or other sampling procedures at location
which are spaced closely enough to confirm continuity and
where geoscientific data are reliably known. A measured mineral
resource estimate will be based on a substantial amount of
reliable data, interpretation and evaluation which allows
a clear determination to be made of shapes, sizes, densities
and grades
Indicated: a mineral resource sampled by drill holes, underground
openings or other sampling procedures at locations too widely
spaced to confirm continuity but close enough to give a reasonable
indication of continuity and where geoscientific data are
known with a reasonable degree of reliability. An Indicated
resource estimate will be based on more data and therefore
will be more reliable than an Inferred resource estimate
Inferred: a mineral resource inferred from geoscientific evidence,
underground openings or other sampling procedures where the
lack of data is such that continuity cannot be predicted with
confidence and where geoscientific data may not be known with
a reasonable level of reliability |
| "resource
extensions" |
Additional
zones of mineralization located adjacent to the known resource |
| "resource
upgrades" |
Additional
resources located adjacent to known resources |
|
| S |
| "saprolite" |
The
zone of oxidised rock above bedrock and beneath the regolith |
| "schist" |
A
strongly foliated, coarsely crystalline metamorphic rock |
| "schistosity" |
A
cleavage within the rock defined by medium to high-grade metamorphicgrowth
minerals |
| "sedimentary" |
Composed
of sediments |
| "sediments" |
Rocks
formed from material derived from pre-existing rock rocks
by processes of denudation together with organic and chemical
diagenesis |
| "shear
(zone/system)" |
A
tabular area of rock that has been transformed and brecciated
by many parallel fractures resulting from shear strain; often
becomes a channel for underground solutions and the seat of
ore depositation |
| "shearing" |
The
change of shape of the rock strata during deformation |
| "sheared
contact" |
Deformation
with intense schistosity or fracturing along the zone of juxtaposition
of two rock units |
| "shoot
control" |
The
deformation and other geology controls on the shape and position
of a long zone of high-grade ore |
| "spatial
analysis" |
The
scientific analysis of data with geographic coordinates |
| "stockwork" |
A
network of veins or veinlets, usually containing quartz |
| "strata" |
Successive
layers of sedimentary rock |
| "stratigraphy" |
The
succession and age relation of layered rocks |
| "strike" |
Horizontal
dimension of an orebody or zone of mineralization |
| "strike
length" |
The
longest horizontal dimension of an orebody or zone of mineralisation |
| "structural
corridors" |
Zones
of characteristic deformation geology |
| "Structural
repetitions" |
Multiply
repeated deformation elements |
| "sub-cropping" |
Loose
float material arising from poor quality outcrop common in
Western Australia |
| "sub-vertical" |
Near
- upright |
| "sulphide" |
Mineral
containing sulphur in its non-oxidised form |
| "supergene" |
A
word suggesting an origin "from above", almost exclusively
for processes involving water percolating down from the surface |
| "syncline"
or "synclinal fold" |
A
fold in which the younger strata are on the outer arc |
| "synform" |
A
fold whose limbs close downward in strata for which the stratigraphic
sequence is unknown |
|
| T |
| "tenements
granted" |
Mineral
exploration titles that have been issued by the WA State Government
and on which exploration may be conducted |
| "tenements
(in application)" |
Mineral
exploration titles that have been applied for and which may
be granted by the WA State Government on completion of a number
of statutory and non-statutory requirements including negotiations
with the native title claimants |
| "t" |
Tonne
(one thousand kilogrammes) |
| "trends" |
Directions |
| "trending" |
Linear
feature with a particular common direction |
|
| U |
| "ultramafic" |
An
igneous rock that consists almost entirely of ferromagnesian
minerals and possesses no free quartz with less than 45 per
cent silica |
|
| V |
| "veins"
or "veinlets" or "veining" |
Tabular
or sheet like body of minerals which has formed in a joint
or a fissure, or a system of joints and fissures, in rocks |
| "volcanic" |
Extrusive
and associated intrusive igneous rocks |
| "volcanoclastic" |
Volcanic
rock re-worked by sedimentary processes |
| "volcano-sedimentary
sequences" |
A
stratigraphic pile of volcanoclastic rock |
|
| W |
| "workings" |
Old
mine pits, shafts and/or adits |
|
| X |
| "xenoliths" |
Inclusions
of pre-existing rock in an igneous rock |
|
| Z |
| "zones" |
An area of particular geology that is longer than it is wide |
