Hydrothermal Deposits - Metals and Society: An Introduction to Economic Geology - page 95

Table 4.3 Size and grades of selected SEDEX deposits
Deposit
name

Location Age Geological resources (maximum size)

Cu
(%)

Zn
(%)

Pb
(%)

Ag
(g/t)

Au
(g/t)

Mt of
Ore

Zn + Pb
Mt

Broken Hill Australia Paleoproterozoic 0.1 11 10 180 0.10 205 43

McArthur
River

Australia Paleoproterozoic 0.2 9.2 4.1 41 237 31

Mount Isa Australia Paleoproterozoic 6.8 5.9 148 124 15

Red Dog U.S. Mississippian 16.6 4.6 83 165 35

Mehdiabad Iran Cretaceous 7.2 2.3 51 218 21

Sullivan Canada Mesoproterozoic 5.9 6.1 67 162 19

Navan Ireland Mississippian 8.0 2.7 78 8.3

Meggen Germany Middle

Devonian

0.2 5.8 0.8 60 4.0

“Irish-type” deposits which are hosted predominantly by carbonate rocks. SEDEX
deposits comprise 50% of the world's zinc and lead reserves, and 25% of world zinc
and lead production.
The general characteristics of selected deposits are given in Table 4.3 . Most of
these, including the three large Australian deposits and the Sullivan deposit in

Box 4.4 Proterozoic SEDEX Deposits of Northern Australia

Geological map showing the geology and major SEDEX Pb-Zn deposits in northern
Australia. Above right: laminated high-grade Pb-Zn ore in an underground exposure in
the HYC mine. Below right: laminated, slightly metamorphosed and deformed ore from the
Mt Isa mine (Photos of R. Large)

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