Exploration Geophysics (1995) 26,
The geophysics of the Ernest Henry Cu-Au Deposit (N.W.) Qld
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51-59
Michael Webb Peter Rowston
Senior Geophysicist Senior Geophysicist
Western Mining Corporation Mount Isa Mines Exploration
ABSTRACT
The Ernest Henry copper-gold deposit is located approxi-
mately 30 km NNE of Cloncurry in northwest Queensland. It
contains an indicated resource of 122 Mt at 1.14% copper
and 0.55 g/t gold. The deposit is hosted in Proterozoic rocks
of the Mt Isa Inlier. The Proterozoic geology is overlain by 40
to 50m of flat lying Phanerozic sediments.
The discovery of the deposit was the result of a geophysically
and geologically driven exploration program that was guided
by a simple empirical model for the deposit type. Magnetic
methods were used to initially focus exploration. Transient
electromagnetic (TEM) techniques were used to filter the
magnetic target areas. The first drill hole into the deposit
intersected economic copper and gold grades.
After the discovery, downhole TEM surveys demonstrated
that the initial surface TEM target was due to a supergene
layer of mineralisation that in part included a section rich in
native copper. It also demonstrated that the bulk of the
primary mineralisation did not produce a TEM anomaly. The
primary mineralisation is intimately associated with the matrix
of a felsic to intermediate volcanic breccia. The matrix to the
breccia is rich in magnetite and disseminated sulphide miner-
alisation. Ground magnetic, gravity and Induced Polarisation
methods were used to help guide the delineation drilling of
the deposit.
Keywords: Ernest Henry, copper, gold, Mt Isa Inlier, magnetics, gravity,
transient electromagnetic, induced polarisation.
INTRODUCTION
The Ernest Henry Deposit contains an indicated resource of
122 Mt at 1.14% copper and 0.55 g/t gold that may be mined
by open pit methods. It lies approximately 30 km NNE of
Cloncurry in Northwest Queensland (Fig. 1).
The area was originally targeted by Western Mining
Corporation (WMC) in 1990 to search for analogues of the
Starra and Osborne Cu-Au deposits (Collins 1987, Gidley
1988). WMC applied for an exploration license covering
some large amplitude aeromagnetic anomalies in September
1989. However a prior application for much of the target area
by Hunter Resources Ltd. was granted and WMC interest
waned. Nine months later an opportunity to form a joint
venture (JV) to explore the ground with Hunter Resources
was taken. WMC was the manager and operator of the JV.
Exploration on WMC's initial targets commenced in August
1990 and the deposit was discovered in October 1991.
The deposit is completely concealed by flat lying Phanerozoic
sediments that are typically 40 m to 50 m thick. The topog-
raphy is very flat and the area had been subject to little prior
exploration. Geophysical methods were the main exploration
tools at all stages up to delineation drilling.
This paper summarises the exploration methodology leading
to the discovery and the use of geophysics to guide deline-
ation drilling.
EXPLORATION STRATEGY
As the bedrock geology is concealed beneath a flat blacksoil
plain for most of the JV area the success of exploration
hinged on geophysical methods and drilling. The most useful
available data were Australian Geological Survey Organi-
sation (AGSO) regional airborne magnetics, some detailed
but wide spaced gravity and ground magnetic traverses also
collected by AGSO (Mutton & Almond, 1979) and one report
on previous exploration that was available through the
Queensland Government's open file system. The open file
report included an aeromagnetic survey flown in the early
1980s with a 400 m line spacing.
Both the Starra and Osborne deposits are associated with
very strong magnetic anomalies (Collins 1987, Gidley 1988
and Anderson et al. 1992). This empirical observation formed
the basis of first pass exploration. From the open file mag-
netic data seven of the strongest magnetic anomalies were
initially targeted.
To further reduce the targets for drill testing it was thought
likely that any economic mineralisation should have enough
sulphide mineralisation associated with it for it to be a con-
ductor and hence responsive to the use of TEM methods. It
was recognised at an early stage that for the exploration
strategy to be successful the conductivity and thickness of
the cover sequence could not be large. The next requirement
was that there should not be too many other sources of TEM
anomalism.
 52 WEBB AND ROWSTON
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Fig. 1. Outcropping geology of the Mt Isa Block and location of the Ernest
Henry Deposit.
A small geophysical program was initiated in late 1990 to
ground locate four of the seven magnetic anomalies and to
complete a few selected TEM traverses. The program was
completed within three weeks. It was apparent from the TEM
results that the cover was not too thick or conductive. The fact
that only one very weak conductor had been found made it
likely the TEM method would be an effective screen of the
extensive magnetic anomalies.
During 1991, a more thorough TEM program was completed
using a Sirotem Mkll. A 100 m coincident loop configuration
was used with 100 m moves. Avery discrete and moderate
amplitude anomaly was located adjacent to the weak TEM
anomaly detected in 1990. More detailed coincident loop data
were collected and modelled. A drill position was recom-
mended and the first hole resulted in the discovery of the
deposit in October 1991.
REGIONAL GEOLOGY
The Ernest Henry deposit is located approximately 10km east
of the outcropping Proterozoic Mt Isa Inlier. It lies beneath 40-
50 m of Phanerozoic sediments, at 7739000N 469300E in
AMG Zone 54 (Figure 1). No mappable stratigraphic cor-
relation can be made between the rocks hosting the Ernest
Henry deposit and those elsewhere in the Mt Isa Block.
The orebody is hosted within brecciated felsic to intermediate
volcanics approximately 20 km to the northeast of the Naraku
Batholith. Similar brecciated felsic volcanics outcrop at Mt
Fort Constantine, approximately 10 km to the southwest of
Ernest Henry. These volcanics have been dated at two
separate sites at 1746±9Ma and 1742±6Ma (Page 1995).
From aeromagnetic and gravity data it can be inferred that
the area surrounding Ernest Henry contains abundant
granitoid plutons. Some of these plutons are relatively unde-
formed and may be related to the Naraku Batholith. The
Naraku Batholith has a complex history. The unaltered and
old part of this batholith has been dated at approximately
1740 Ma (Page 1995). The more extensive younger batholith
and the hydrothermal alteration of the old part of the batholith
have been dated at approximately 1500 Ma (Page 1995).
DEPOSIT GEOLOGY
Ernest Henry is a large southeast plunging copper-gold-iron
oxide orebody within feldspathically altered and locally defor-
med porphyritic volcanics of andesitic affinity. The orebody is
bounded by southeast dipping shear zones known as the
Hanging Wall and Footwall Shear Zones respectively. The
hanging wall sequence comprises massive, locally amyg-
daloidal, porphyritic andestic volcanics. The footwall sheared
sequence contains pervasive metasomatic carbonate and
minor sedimentary units. No unequivocal stratigraphic facing
criteria have been recognised within the deposit environment.
The primary ore zone is dominated by a magnetite-carbo-
nate-chalcopyrite assemblage, occurring largely as the matrix
to the brecciated volcanics. Gold is intimately associated with
copper in the primary lodes. Ore grade increases propor-
tionately with increasing matrix:clast ratio.
Asupergene zone is developed above the northern half of the
orebody. It comprises secondary copper minerals (chalcocite,
bornite, native copper and chalcopyrite) and dissociated gold
within complex overprinting gangue zones of clay, chlorite,
iron oxide and locally silica composition.
Figure 2a is a plan of the deposit at 60 m below the surface.
This is the approximate level of the unconformity between the
Phanerozoic and Proterozoic lithologies. A long section and
a cross section through the deposit is shown in Figures 2b
and 2c.
MAGNETICS
The initial ground magnetic data were collected using a line
spacing of 200 m and 10 m spaced readings. The main aim
of the survey was to accurately locate the aeromagnetic ano-
maly. A contour map of a later more detailed survey is shown
in Figure 3. This survey used a 40 m line spacing and 5 m
readings along the lines. Although, perhaps not needed for
anomalies of this magnitude, the data have been diurnally
corrected. The anomaly has an amplitude of 7000 nT to
10000 nT above background for most of its strike length.
The magnetic anomaly has a SE-NW strike direction. Barren
magnetite-bearing rocks extend the anomaly to the north-
 GEOPHYSICS OF THE ERNEST HENRY CU-AU DEPOSIT
east. The rocks in the Marshall Shear Zone at the south end
of the deposit are also magnetite bearing but not strongly
mineralised. This shear zone is responsible for the magnetic
anomaly at the south end of the deposit (Figure 3).
An interpreted northeasterly oriented structure is shown at
the north end of the anomaly in Figure 3. A qualitative inter-
pretation of this magnetic data is for a fault with a north side
up sense of movement. An increase in the depth of oxidation
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along this structure is another interpretation. The discrete
TEM anomaly is located at the southwest end of this
structure.
GRAVITY
Gravity data were not collected over the Ernest Henry
Deposit by WMC until after the initial phase of drilling. An
east-west gravity traverse using a 50 m station spacing was
conducted by AGSO in 1975 over the centre of the orebody
(Mutton & Almond, 1979). The WMC gravity survey was
conducted using a Worden gravity meter with closures to a
base station every hour. Meter drift and tidal effects were
corrected by assuming linear drift over the hour interval.
Elevations to an accuracy of 10 cm were obtained by EDM
measurements from one central position of the grid area. A
40 m by 80 m station spacing was used over most of the grid
area. Regional data on a 1 km square grid have also been
collected around the deposit using a Lacoste and Romberg
meter.
A Bouguer gravity contour map of the grid based data is
shown in Figure 4. A Bouguer density of 2.67 t/m was used.
No regional has been removed. The positions of the cross
section and long section shown in Figure 2 are also shown.
Given the high density contrast of approximately 0.6 t/m3
between the orebody and the average host rock density,
there is a good correlation between the orebody and the
gravity anomaly. The average magnetite content in the ore-
body is 27%. Magnetite has an SG of approximate 5t/m3 and
is the main contributor to the gravity anomaly.
SURFACE TEM
Part of the exploration strategy adopted involved the use of
transient electromagnetic methods (TEM) to screen the mag-
netic anomalies. It was hoped that economic sulphide
deposits would be sufficiently conductive to produce TEM
anomalies. Coincident magnetic and TEM anomalies would
form the highest priority drill targets.
The initial phase of TEM data collection in late 1990 used a
Sirotem Mkll receiver operating at standard times in coin-
cident loop mode with 100 m per side square loops.
Readings were taken at 100 m intervals. Only one suspected
bedrock conductor was found in this program. It was very
weak and overlies what is now the north end of the Ernest
Henry Deposit.
The larger 1991 TEM program used the same 100 m
coincident loop field procedure. The spacing between lines
was 200 m with the exception of the lines adjacent to the
53
weak anomaly found in 1990. The coverage around the
weak anomaly was blocked in but a strong TEM response
was observed on only one line.
A contour map of window 14 (11.7 ms delay time) for the grid
area is shown in Figure 5a. It can be seen that the strong
portion of the anomaly is very strike limited. The anomaly is
positioned at the southwestern end of the structure shown in
Figure 3. The likely cause of the response was thought to be
a steeply dipping cylindrical body. The most applicable
software for modeling this type of response was the
computer program SPASYM. SPASYM models the response
of a sphere in an electrically uniform host rock. The modelled
depth to the centre of the sphere was thought likely to
approximate the depth to the top of the interpreted cylinder.
A drill hole position to intersect the cylinder at 90 to 100m
was calculated.
The first drill hole FTCD2 intersected 7.1m of 4.95% Cu and
0.8 g/t Au centred at 88m vertical depth. This mineralisation
was supergene and included some native copper. The hole
then passed through 20m of barren weathered rock before
intersecting 114 m at 1.75% Cu and 0.9 g/t Au in the primary
breccia zone.
Further surface TEM was completed after the discovery.
Four traverses of 200m a side coincident loop were
completed. These data also show that the discrete surface
TEM anomaly is limited to the vicinity of the first drill hole.
Most of the now defined orebody does not have an asso-
ciated inductive TEM anomaly. The weak "tail" extending to
the southeast of the TEM anomaly approximates the trend of
the more disseminated supergene mineralisation. According-
ly, the "tail" is probably reflecting an increase in oxidation
depth or an increase in the bulk conductivity of the minerals
in the supergene zone.
A decay plot of the 100 m loop TEM results over the peak of
the anomaly is shown in Figure 5b. A late time exponential
decay shown as a straight line on the log linear plot has a
time constant of 7.4 ms.
DOWNHOLE TEM
Drill holes FTCD2 and FTCD5 were logged for downhole
TEM response in December 1991 to confirm the source of
the targeted conductor. Each hole was logged with five 50 m
energising loops powered by the internal transmitter of a Mkll
Sirotem (Figure 6b). t h e axial transient responses were
recorded with a Sirotem Mkll receiver. The logging defined
the source of the TEM conductor as being within the
supergene mineralisation. Modeling of the responses
produced a current loop with a 20° dip to the west and a <30°
plunge to the south.
Additional logging has further defined the supergene res-
ponse. An axial response recorded from hole EH109 is
interpreted to be the continuation of the originally targeted
conductor. EH109 exhibits a large conductor edge response,
(intersection with significant off-hole response ), associated
with an occurrence of native copper at between 185 and
192 m downhole. This response is characterised by an
 54 WEBB AND ROWSTON
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Fig. 2. (a) Deposit proterozoic geology plan at 60m beneath surface.

(b) Skewed cross section through the deposit at 7739000N (see Figure 2a for location)
(c) Long section through the deposit (see Figure 2a for location).
 GEOPHYSICS OF THE ERNEST HENRY CU-AU DEPOSIT
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Fig. 3. Ground magnetics contour plan. Contour interval is 1000 nT. The
interpreted structure controlling deeper oxidation can be seen near the
north end of the deposit.
observed exponential decay of approximately 7.2 ms, which
is consistent with the anomalous surface TEM decay.
Representative downhole TEM responses for holes FTCD2
and EH 109 are presented in Figure 6a.
The response has been modelled with the Lamontagne
Geophysics program "Multiloop".(Figures 6b & 6c). The
model is consistent with downhole responses recorded in
holes FTCD2 and EH109. The rectangular plate source,
consisting of a number of parallel connected ribbons has a
long dimension of 200 m and a width of 100 m. The overall
conductance of the plate is 600 S, The plate strikes roughly
N-S and has a dip and southerly plunge of 30° and 23°,
respectively.
Logging of a series of other holes has shown that a subset of
the higher grade primary ore is inductively conductive. These
holes exhibit exponential decay time constants of up to 3.6
ms. These zones are at depths which prohibit measurement
from the surface.
INDUCED POLARISATION
As the effectiveness of TEM to guide further drilling was
limited, the exploration effort turned to the induced
55
Fig. 4. Bouguer gravity contours. No regional trends have been removed.
The contour interval is 0.1 mGal.
polarisation (IP) method as the next most appropriate
electrical technique. Both 100 m and 200 m dipole-dipole
data were collected. Most of the data were gathered using a
25 Kw transmitter, operating in the frequency domain at 0.125
Hz. Transmitter currents were generally around 20 A. The
200m dipole data were gathered at 0.125 Hz, 0.25 Hz, and
0.5 Hz. These data were three frequency decoupled by fitting
a polynomial to the data and extrapolating to zero frequency
(Hohmann 1990).
Figure 7a shows the results from a 100m dipole-dipole survey
over the peak of the TEM anomaly. A broad IP anomaly
coincident with the mineralised zone has been found. It is a
little surprising that anomalous IP values are seen at such
shallow depths as n=1. Presumably the IP is responding to
disseminated secondary sulphides immediately below the
unconformity surface (40 m). On this section, (local grid) the
TEM anomaly is centred at 69300E. No indication of a good
conductor can be seen in the resistivity section at this location.
Figure 7b shows the results of a 200 m dipole-dipole IP
spread along line 7739000N. The IP data have been three
point decoupled. The broad IP anomaly is coincident with the
mineralisation. Once again the IP anomalism starts at shal-
lower depths than expected. In this instance it is probably
related to more shallow primary and secondary sulphides
immediately to the north of 7739000N.
 56
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Fig. 5. (a) Contour plot of Sirotem Mkll window 14, (11.8 ms) highlighting
the small area of TEM anomalism. Contour interval is 0.2 uV/A.
Fig. 5. (b) Log linear decay plot of a 100m a side Sirotem loop centred at 7739300N,
469140E. The time constant of the anomaly is approximately (7.4 ms).
WEBB AND ROWSTON
DOWNHOLE INDUCED POLARISATION
Downhole IP/resistivity logs were recorded in holes FTCD2,
7, 12, 22, 30 and 92. The NSW Department of Mineral
Resources logging system was used for the logging. Adipole
- dipole array with an n-spacing of 1 and an a-spacing of 1 m
was used throughout as was a transmitter frequency of 1 Hz.
The chargeability integration time interval was between 39.06
ms and 240.1ms.
Apparent phase / resistivity plots, lithology and Cu grades for
hole FTCD2 are shown in Figure 8. The increase in apparent
phase after approximately 42m corresponds with the
Phanerozoic -Proterozoic unconformity and the intersection
of supergene mineralisation (note the increase in Cu grade).
The native copper intersection sourcing the surface and
downhole EM response appears as a galvanic conductor
from approximately 96m downhole. There is increased
chatter in the IP response at this point, indicative of discrete
strongly chargeable source/s and/or "noise". The broader
conductive zone between 190 and 208m corresponds to a
change in the lithology between "mosaiced" felsic volcanics
and pervasive "dark rock" alteration, consisting of fine-
grained magnetite, biotite and chlorite. This galvanically
conductive zone does not express itself in the downhole EM
logging. Overall there is a reasonable correlation between
mineralisation and IP response. This confirms the observa-
tion that the surface IP response is largely sourced from
within the supergene zone.
Logs from the other holes display significant IP responses
from both primary ore and from sparsely mineralised
magnetite. The primary ore responses are however from
depths which are unlikely to contribute to the apparent phase
anomalies measured at surface.
DISCUSSION
The discovery of the Ernest Henry Deposit resulted from the
use of a simply applied empirical model and screening the
resulting targets with standard geophysical methods. The
discovery was the result of drilling a discrete TEM anomaly.
Magnetic gravity and induced polarisation methods were
used to help guide further drilling. The premise that economic
ore would be directly associated with a TEM anomaly has
been shown to be incorrect. If the supergene enrichment
process had not resulted in such an extensive blanket of
native copper, the deposit may still remain undiscovered.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank many of the staff from Ernest
Henry Mining, Western Mining Corporation and MIM
Exploration for helpful comments and contributions to this
paper. Ernest Henry Mining, Western Mining Corporation and
MIM Exploration kindly consented to the publication and also
contributed with drafting support.
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Fig. 6. (a) Downhole TEM responses. FTCD2 Loop W1, EH109 Loop M1.
GEOPHYSICS OF THE ERNEST HENRY CU-AU DEPOSIT
57
 58 WEBB AND ROWSTON
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Fig. 6. (b) DHTEM loop diagram. Holes FTCD2, EH109.

Fig. 6. (c) Modelled Plate and response EH109 Loop M1.

Fig. 7. a) Dipole-dipole IP traverse across the centre of the strong TEM anomaly. The dipole length is 100m. The TEM
anomaly on this section is centred at 69300E.
 GEOPHYSICS OF THE ERNEST HENRY CU-AU DEPOSIT 59
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Fig. 7. (b) Dipole-dipole IP traverse at 7739000N. The dipole length is 200m.

REFERENCES
Anderson, C.G. & Logan, K.J. 1992, The history and current status of geo-
physical exploration at the Osborne Cu & Au deposit, Mt. Isa: Exploration
Geophysics. 23, 1-7.
Blake, D.H., 1987 - Geology of the Mount Isa Inlier and environs, Queensland
and Northern Territory - 1:500,000, BMR Bulletin 225.
Collins, S. 1987. The geophysics of the Starra gold/copper deposits:
Exploration Geophysics. 18, 20-22
Gidley, P.R. 1988. The geophysics of the Trough Tank Gold-Copper Prospect:
Exploration Geophysics. 19, 76-78.
Hohmann, G.W. 1990. Three-dimensional IP models in Induced Polarisation,
Applications and Case Histories. SEG Investigations in Geophysics No4.
Mutton, A. J. & Almond, R.A., 1979. Geophysical mapping of buried
Precambrian rocks in the Cloncurry area, northwest Queensland. BMR,
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Page, R.W., 1995. Australian Geological Survey Organisation — Pers. Comm.

Fig. 8. Downhole IP/Resistivity logging FTCD2, Cu-grade and lithology.