Experimental studies on the gold-in-calcrete anomaly at Edoldeh Tank Gold Prospect, Gawler Craton, South Australia

Calcrete sampling is the near-surface exploration method of choice for Au in many drier parts of the world, particularly southern Australia. Edoldeh Tank is a weakly mineralised Au prospect in calcrete terrain that lies at the eastern edge of the Great Victoria Desert dunefield (South Australia). At Edoldeh Tank a variety of calcretes occur but the dominant form is a laminated calcrete horizon (LCH). The mineralogy of the near-surface soil is relatively simple and consists of calcite, dolomite, quartz, kaolinite and minor smectite; quartz dominates the unconsolidated overlying sandy soil, and carbonate minerals dominate the LCH. We determine the distribution and nature of the Au at a small scale using a variety of techniques, including SEM, LA-ICP-MS and SXRF and dated sediments to understand calcrete genesis. In a series of thirty excavated soil pits, Ca and Au concentrations increased with depth, markedly so at the LCH. We provide multiple lines of evidence to show there is a general association of Au with calcrete but not a strong correlation as seen with soil profiles elsewhere that have younger, recently formed powdery calcrete. Experiments suggest Au and Ag are currently mobile in this environment despite the low rainfall and that Au occurs in two forms: Au (possibly ionic) occurs throughout the sample with some regions having higher concentrations than others; particulate Au occurs randomly but is more common where the general level of Au is higher. The laminated nature of the calcrete suggests it has formed episodically. An association of Ag with Au in calcrete suggests a means to distinguish anomalies that have developed in residual regolith from those that have dispersed into adjacent sediments. Laminated calcrete is just as effective an exploration sample medium as powdery calcrete. Mobilised Ca, Au and Ag in calcrete can extend the lateral extent and distance from the source of the geochemical anomaly thus providing an effective vector to target for sampling. A landscape dispersion model of Au in calcrete is presented, which requires further testing, to assist the mineral explorer in covered terrains.

► Laminated calcrete provides a sample medium for Au exploration in semi-arid areas and appears to be formed episodically.
► Laminated calcrete occurs in semi-arid climates around the world.
► Using LAICPMS and sXRF we find that Au in calcrete may occur in ionic and particulate forms.
► Silver and Au are hydromorphically mobile in semi-arid areas thus providing a larger footprint for exploration.
► Silver abundance may possibly be used to rank geochemical anomalies for exploration.