Field Geologists' Manual. Monograph #9

403 Pages·22.22 MB·English

by  Bercman D.A.

FIELD GEOLOGISTS’ MANUAL
MONOGRAPH SERIES ii
COOPERATING ORGANISATIONS vii
CONTENTS xi
FOREWORD TO THE FIRST EDITION v
FOREWORD TO THE FOURTH EDITION v
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION ix
PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION x
1. ETHICS AND REPORTING 1
2. MINERAL AND ROCK INFORMATION 21
3. GEOCHEMISTRY 61
4. MINING AND ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 77
5. GEOLOGICAL MAPPING 165
6. GEOMETRIC AND SURVEYING DATA 271
7. ENGINEERING GEOLOGY 289
8. HYDROGEOLOGY 317
9. GEOPHYSICS 337
10. DRILLING 357
11. MISCELLANEOUS 363
12. MATHEMATICAL TABLES AND CONVERSION FACTORS 373
INDEX 391
MONOGRAPH SERIES
1. • Detrital Heavy Minerals in Natural Accumulates George Baker 1962
2. • Research in Chemical and Extraction Metallurgy Ed: J T Woodcock 1967
A E Jenkins
and G M Willis
3. • Broken Hill Mines - 1968 Ed: M Kadmanovich 1968
and J T Woodcock
4. • Economic Geology of New Zealand Ed: G J Williams 1974
5. • Economic Geology of Australia and Papua New Guinea - 1. Metals Ed: C L Knight 1975
6. • Economic Geology of Australia and Papua New Guinea - 2. Coal Ed: D M Traves 1975
and D King
7. • Economic Geology of Australia and Papua New Guinea - 3. Petroleum Ed: R B Leslie 1976
H J Evans
and C L Knight
8. • Economic Geology of Australia and Papua New Guinea - 4. Ed: C L Knight 1976
Industrial Minerals and Rocks
9. Field Geologists’ Manual Ed: D A Berkman 1976
1stEdition and W Ryall
2ndEdition Ed: D A Berkman 1982
3rdEdition Ed: D A Berkman 1989
4thEdition Ed: D A Berkman 2001
10. • Mining and Metallurgical Practices in Australasia Ed: J T Woodcock 1980
(the Sir Maurice Mawby Memorial Volume)
11. • Victoria’s Brown Coal - A Huge Fortune in Chancery Ed: J T Woodcock 1984
(the Sir Willis Connolly Memorial Volume)
12. • Australasian Coal Mining Practice Ed: C H Martin 1986
1stEdition Ed: C H Martin 1993
2ndEdition and A J Hargraves
13. • Mineral Deposits of New Zealand Ed: Dr D Kear 1989
14. Geology of the Mineral Deposits of Australia and Papua New Guinea Ed: F E Hughes 1990
15. The Rocks Speak H King 1989
16. • Hidden Gold - The Central Norseman Story J D Campbell 1990
17. • Geological Aspects of the Discovery of Some Important K R Glasson 1990
Mineral Deposits in Australia and J H Rattigan
18. • Down Under - Mineral Heritage in Australasia Sir Arvi Parbo 1992
19. Australasian Mining and Metallurgy Ed: J T Woodcock 1993
(the Sir Maurice Mawby Memorial Volume, 2ndedition) and K Hamilton
20. Cost Estimation Handbook for the Australian Mining Industry Ed: M Noakes 1993
and T Lanz
21. History of Coal Mining in Australia Ed: A J Hargraves, 1993
(the Con Martin Memorial Volume) R J Kininmonth,
C H Martin
and S M C Saywell
22. Geology of Australian and Papua New Guinean Mineral Deposits Ed: D A Berkman 1998
and D H Mackenzie
Copies of all books currently in print can be obtained from
The Institute office - Tel [phone]
Key: • = Out of print
FIELD GEOLOGISTS’ MANUAL
Compiled by
D A BERKMAN
FOURTH EDITION — 2001
INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER 1955
Monograph No. 9
Published by
THE AUSTRALASIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGY
Level 3, 15-31 Pelham Street, Carlton, Victoria, Australia 3005
2001
(cid:1)
© Copyright
by
THE AUSTRALASIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGY
First Edition 1976
Reprinted 1978
Second Edition 1982
Reprinted 1987
Third Edition 1989
Revised and Reprinted 1995
Fourth Edition 2001
The Institute is not responsible, as a body, for the
facts and opinions advanced in any of its publications
National Library of Australia Card No.
ISBN 1 875776 850
Desktop published by Tatiana Feldman for The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
Printed in Australia by RossCo Print, Preston, Victoria, Australia 3072
Foreword to First Edition
ItisoftenstatedthatthestrengthofTheInstituteliesinitsbranchesandthisissobecausewithinthebranches
mostofthetechnicaldiscussionsanddevelopmentstakeplace.Duringthemineralsboomofthe1960stherewas
intense field geological activity with significant deposits of bauxite, coal, copper, petroleum, manganese, nickel,
titanium, uranium, etc, being discovered and/or confirmed. Members of the Sydney Branch, one of the largest of
The Institute branches, ranging through Australasia and beyond, were no less active in the exploration field than
other Institute members during this time, and participated in these experiences and developments in techniques.
Now, in the 1970s, as exploration proceeds at a slower pace, the vigorous Sydney Branch has recognised the
needtoconsolidatethesetechniquesintothiscomprehensiveFieldGeologists'Manual.Itisofsignificancethatthe
subjectofthefirstpagesofthemanual,theCodeofEthics,wasfirstdraftedbytheSydneyBranchforTheInstitute
in the early 1960s.
TheFieldGeologists'ManualiswrittenandcompiledparticularlyforAustralasianuseandprovidesaneeded
and valuable guide for the Australian field geologist. But in its wide coverage, in its broad references and in the
widespreadexperienceofMrDABerkmanandhiscolleagueswhoassembledthematerial,theManualshouldfind
wideuseinfieldgeologythroughouttheworld.Theworkisatributetotheirexpertiseandtotheirdesiretoshare
this with their fellow geologists.
C H MARTIN,President, June 1976
Foreword to the Fourth Edition
Encouraged by his peers to make the wealth of data he had assembled for field work available to his fellow
professionals, Don Berkman edited the Field Geologists’ Manual which was first published by The AusIMM in
1976. Achieving the status of a ‘reservoir of inexhaustible knowledge’, it was affectionately dubbed the ‘Junior
Woodchuck Guidebook’ by a generation familiar with that Walt Disney icon.
Asknowledgecontinuestoexpand,sothisfourtheditionhasbeenedited,upgradedandenlargedbyateamof
experts under the continuing leadership of Don Berkman. They continue The Institute’s proud tradition of
advancing the interests of its professions by facilitating the exchange of information.
MaytheFieldGeologists’Manualcontinuetobebothausefulmanualtoallourmembersandaninspirationto
new generations of professionals.
R D ELVISH,President,September 2001
v
Cooperating Organisations
Aberfoyle Limited James Cook University of North Queensland
Alcoa of Australia Limited Jododex Australia Pty. Ltd.
Allied Eneabba Limited Joint Coal Board
Amoco Minerals Australia Company Kathleen Investments (Australia) Limited
Anaconda Australia Inc. Kennecott Explorations (Australia) Ltd.
Aquitaine Australia Minerals Pty. Ltd. Macquarie University
The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Metals Exploration Limited
Head Office Mineral Deposits Limited
The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Minerals Mining and Metallurgy Limited
New Zealand Branch
Mines Administration Pty. Limited
The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,
Mines Branch, Department of Northern Australia
Sydney Branch
Mines Department, Victoria
Australian Anglo American Limited
Mines Exploration Proprietary Limited
Australian Oil & Gas Corporation Limited
Mobil Energy Minerals Australia Inc.
The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited
Mount Isa Mines Limited
Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres
Mount Newman Mining Co. Pty. Limited
Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics
Nabalco Pty. Limited
Carpentaria Exploration Company Pty. Ltd.
Newmont Holdings Pty. Ltd.
Central Pacific Minerals N L
New Zealand Geological Survey
Cliffs Western Australian Mining Co Pty. Ltd.
Noranda Australia Limited
Comalco Limited
North Broken Hill Limited
Consolidated Rutile Limited
Occidental Minerals Corporation of Australia
CRA Exploration Pty. Limited
Pacminex Pty. Ltd.
CSR Limited
Peko-Wallsend Ltd.
CSIRO Minerals Research Laboratories
Placer Exploration Limited
Department of Mines, South Australia
Poseidon Limited
Department of Mines, Tasmania
Project Mining Corporation Limited
Department of Natural Resources, Queensland
Renison Goldfields Consolidated Limited
The Electrolytic Refining and Smelting
Savage River Mines
Company of Australia Limited
Seltrust Holdings Limited
Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia Limited
Standards Australia International Limited
Esso Australia Ltd.
Swiss Aluminium Mining Australia Pty. Ltd.
Geological Survey of New South Wales
Tennant Trading (Australia) Pty. Limited
Geological Survey of Papua New Guinea
Umal Consolidated Limited
Geological Survey of Queensland
Union Corporation (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Geological Survey of Western Australia
Union Miniere Development and Mining
Geopeko Limited
Corporation Ltd.
Goldsworthy Mining Limited
United States Steel International, Inc.
Gold Producers Association Limited
The University of Adelaide
Greenbushes Tin Ltd.
The University of Melbourne
Hamersley Exploration Pty. Limited
The University of New England
ICI Australia Limited
The University of New South Wales
International Nickel Australia Limited
vii
The University of Queensland Waipipi Iron Sands Limited
The University of Sydney Watts, Griffis and McOuat (Aust.) Pty. Ltd.
The University of Tasmania Western Australian Institute of Technology
The University of Western Australia Western Mining Corporation Limited
Utah Development Company Woodsreef Mines Limited
Water Conservation and Irrigation
Commission of NSW
viii
Preface to the First Edition
Thismanualisintendedtoprovide,inonevolume,abroadselectionofbasicmaterialwhichmayberequiredby
ageologistduringthecourseofhiswork.Itisanattempt,withsomepersonalbias,toabstractthosecriticalpartsof
areferencelibrary(towhichallgeologistsrequirereasonableaccess)whichmaybeofuseduringshorttermfield
projects. Obviously a geologist on a major and long term field investigation should have access to a number of
textbookstosupplementtheminimaldatasuppliedhere,andbeprovidedwithspecificdetailedmaterialrelatingto
theparticularenquiry.Specialistsmayfindthattheirindividualareaofknowledgehasbeenonlybrieflycovered,
but as far as possible classifications which are widely accepted have been used—and these are often the simplest.
This is not intended to be another textbook or recipe book, as in many cases the preliminary steps are not
explained, and a standard of training or scholarship is assumed. The sources of individual sections (shown as
footnotes),andseveralbibliographies,havebeenaddedforfurtherreference.Insomeinstancesestablishedormost
suitable procedures are included where these are not readily available or not usually known. For topics in which
employers or individuals have a standardised routine (e.g. the description of outcrops), only categories of
information which should be recorded have been listed.
The first draft of the manual was compiled over a period of five years, with considerable help in areas of
specialisedknowledgefromthestaffoftheBureauofMineralResources(forgeologicalmapping,geophysics),the
GeologicalSurveyofNewSouthWales(forengineeringgeology,geohydrology)andTennantTrading(Aust.)Pty.
Ltd. (for commercial factors for common ores). With financial support from the Sydney Branch of The Institute,
65 copiesofthefirstdraftwereproduced,andcirculatedtothemajorAustraliangeologicalorganisationsinorder
toobtainanindicationofthelikelydemandforthemanual,andthetypeofinformationwhichshouldbeincluded.
The concept was generally favourably received, and a wide variety of alternative and additional information was
contributed. Aid from those organisations which offered further material is acknowledged opposite as a list of
cooperating organisations.
The final draft, incorporating most of these suggestions, was composed with the advice of K R Glasson,
M J Lawrence,andKGMosheroftheSydneyBranchCommitteeofTheInstitute.Thevolumewaspreparedfor
printing by W R Ryall, and edited by him with my assistance, based on advice readily provided by The Institute
HonoraryEditor,JTWoodcock.IamobligedtotheCouncilandSydneyBranchCommitteeofTheInstitute,and
totheCSIROMineralsResearchLaboratories,forthefinancialsupportwhichmadepossiblethepublicationofthe
manual.
Iamparticularlygratefultomyemployer,AustralianOilandGasCorporationLimited,forencouragementand
aid with this project from its inception.
D A BERKMAN
Compiler
1976
ix
Preface to the Fourth Edition
The first edition of the Field Geologists’ Manual was prepared between 1971 and
1976. It was based on a collection of reference material the compiler used while
supervising a group of multinational geologists for an emerging mineral exploration
company. The collection was originally intended to be the nucleus of an in-house
referencemanual,butthatproposaldisappeared,likesomanyotherprojects,withthe
collapse of the ‘Poseidon’ nickel boom in 1972.
The collection of reference material grew, with the active encouragement of Mr
DavidMcGarryandtheCommitteeoftheSydneyBranchofTheInstitute,intothe1st
(1976)editionofthisManual.Thiseditionwasreprinted,aswerethe2nd(1982)and
3rd(1990) editions.
This4theditionmarksthe25thbirthdayoftheManual.Itwaspreparedtomaintain
the Manual’s value as a comprehensive reference for field geoscience work.
For this review the utility of each section of the Manual was assessed by Hugh
Rutter and the staff of the Flagstaff GeoConsultants group. Many areas for revision
wereidentified.However,manyofthedata,formulaeandtablesoftheoriginal(1976)
Manual were retained after upgrading. This process of retaining basic information
whileaddingnewmaterialisthecauseofthegrowthoftheManual,from295pagesin
1976 to about 400 pages in 2001.
The revision was supported by Dr Neil Williams, the Director of the Australian
Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO), who encouraged input from AGSO
specialists, with their contributions channelled through Ms Louise Mitchell.
Practically every stage in Section 2 ‘Minerals and Rock Information’ and Section 5
‘Geological Mapping’ was reviewed by an AGSO officer, and revised where
necessary. As part of this process the Geological Time Scale (Section 5.5) was
updated under the direction of Dr G C Chaproniere, and the Abridged Guide to
Stratigraphic Nomenclature in Australia (Section 5.7) was revised by Albert Brakel.
AnewsectiononRegolithTerminologywasprovidedbyDrGrahamTaylorofthe
CRCLMEattheUniversityofCanberra.Part4.3‘CommercialFactorsforCommon
Ores’wascompletelyrevised,withassistancefromDrIanLambertandotherAGSO
geoscientists, and from consulting metallurgist Jim Woodcock. Flagstaff and other
specialists added new information in this and earlier sections, on kimberlite and
diamonds.
Section 7 ‘Engineering Geology’ was updated by Robert L Smith, geotechnical
engineeratthePerthofficeofGutteridgeHaskinsandDaveyPty.Ltd.,andSection8
‘Hydrogeology’ was modernised by Rob Ellis of the Queensland Department of
Natural Resources. Flagstaff GeoConsultants revised the material in Section 9
‘Geophysics’.
Many other people have helped with this edition – far too many to thank
individuallyonthispage.Theirassistanceismuchappreciated,andeachindividual’s
assistance is acknowledged in a footnote to their contribution.
TheInstitute’sPublicationsCommitteesuggested,earlyintherevisionprocess,that
information could be provided on computer applications and information technology
in geoscience. This was not achieved, but the Manual has been provided in CD format.
D A BERKMAN
Compiler
2001
x