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Data from: Zircon U-Pb emplacement ages of intrusions in the Mary Kathleen Domain, Mount Isa Inlier, Australia

Abstract [extract from related publication]: The Mary Kathleen Domain (MKD), within the Mount Isa Inlier, Queensland, hosts numerous occurrences of Cu ± Au mineralisation, which are spatially associated with igneous intrusions. However, the temporal relationships between the emplacement (crystallisation) ages of these intrusions and important mineralisation events remains ambiguous in many cases. This is further complicated by secondary overprinting of primary magmatic rocks (and mineralisation) during later metamorphic or hydrothermal events, which can potentially reset datable mineral archives. Here we present 29 new U-Pb zircon ages for magmatic intrusions from across the MKD, which are all interpreted as emplacement ages. Our results, combined with previous data, show that most intrusions in the MKD were emplaced during at least four discrete periods of magmatic activity between c. 1880 Ma and c. 1500 Ma; these are the Kalkadoon Igneous Province (c. 1860 Ma), Argylla Igneous Province (c. 1780 Ma), Wonga-Burstall Igneous Province (c. 1760-1710 Ma), and the Williams Igneous Province (c. 1550-1500 Ma). Limited geochronology data on ore mineralisation associated with intrusions within the MKD suggests that most mineralisation formed coeval with the emplacement of the Williams Igneous Province, however intrusions of this province are not exposed throughout much of the MKD. This dataset suggests that any mineralisation interpreted to be originally sourced from MKD intrusions that are older than c. 1550 Ma has likely been remobilised or modified by younger events, in cases where the ore mineralisation ages reported are much younger than the magmatic emplacement ages. The results also highlight the need for detailed mapping and investigations of field relationships between different magmatic phases and with the surrounding country rock to resolve geologic history and stratigraphic succession ambiguities some area within the MKD.

Zircon grains were analysed in the Advanced Analytical Centre, James Cook University, for cathodoluminescence (CL) and laser-ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The zircons were imaged using a Jeol JSM5410LV with attached CL detector to identify zoning within zircon grains. Suitable zircons were analysed for U-Th and Pb isotopes (along with Si, Ti, Fe and Zr) with a GeoLas 200 Excimer Laser Ablation System in a He ablation atmosphere, coupled to a Thermo Scientific iCAP RQ ICP-MS. Data was processed using Iolite 4 (U-Pb geochronology DRS; Paton et al., 2011).

This data record contains:

One Excel file containing U-Pb zircon data. Dataset includes values for the following headings: 207Pb/235U; 2SE propagated error; 206Pb/238U; 2SE propagated error; 207Pb/206Pb; 2SE propagated error; rho (207/235 206/238); rho (206/238 207/206); mean U/Th; 207Pb/206Pb age; 2SE propagated error; x is >5% discordance; x is >10% discordance
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    Data Record Details
    Data record related to this publication Zircon U-Pb geochronology data of intrusions from the Mary Kathleen Domain
    Data Publication title Data from: Zircon U-Pb emplacement ages of intrusions in the Mary Kathleen Domain, Mount Isa Inlier, Australia
  • Description

    Abstract [extract from related publication]: The Mary Kathleen Domain (MKD), within the Mount Isa Inlier, Queensland, hosts numerous occurrences of Cu ± Au mineralisation, which are spatially associated with igneous intrusions. However, the temporal relationships between the emplacement (crystallisation) ages of these intrusions and important mineralisation events remains ambiguous in many cases. This is further complicated by secondary overprinting of primary magmatic rocks (and mineralisation) during later metamorphic or hydrothermal events, which can potentially reset datable mineral archives. Here we present 29 new U-Pb zircon ages for magmatic intrusions from across the MKD, which are all interpreted as emplacement ages. Our results, combined with previous data, show that most intrusions in the MKD were emplaced during at least four discrete periods of magmatic activity between c. 1880 Ma and c. 1500 Ma; these are the Kalkadoon Igneous Province (c. 1860 Ma), Argylla Igneous Province (c. 1780 Ma), Wonga-Burstall Igneous Province (c. 1760-1710 Ma), and the Williams Igneous Province (c. 1550-1500 Ma). Limited geochronology data on ore mineralisation associated with intrusions within the MKD suggests that most mineralisation formed coeval with the emplacement of the Williams Igneous Province, however intrusions of this province are not exposed throughout much of the MKD. This dataset suggests that any mineralisation interpreted to be originally sourced from MKD intrusions that are older than c. 1550 Ma has likely been remobilised or modified by younger events, in cases where the ore mineralisation ages reported are much younger than the magmatic emplacement ages. The results also highlight the need for detailed mapping and investigations of field relationships between different magmatic phases and with the surrounding country rock to resolve geologic history and stratigraphic succession ambiguities some area within the MKD.

    Zircon grains were analysed in the Advanced Analytical Centre, James Cook University, for cathodoluminescence (CL) and laser-ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The zircons were imaged using a Jeol JSM5410LV with attached CL detector to identify zoning within zircon grains. Suitable zircons were analysed for U-Th and Pb isotopes (along with Si, Ti, Fe and Zr) with a GeoLas 200 Excimer Laser Ablation System in a He ablation atmosphere, coupled to a Thermo Scientific iCAP RQ ICP-MS. Data was processed using Iolite 4 (U-Pb geochronology DRS; Paton et al., 2011).

    This data record contains:

    One Excel file containing U-Pb zircon data. Dataset includes values for the following headings: 207Pb/235U; 2SE propagated error; 206Pb/238U; 2SE propagated error; 207Pb/206Pb; 2SE propagated error; rho (207/235 206/238); rho (206/238 207/206); mean U/Th; 207Pb/206Pb age; 2SE propagated error; x is >5% discordance; x is >10% discordance

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  • Other Descriptors
    • Descriptor
      • Descriptor type
    • Data type dataset
  • Keywords
    • geochronology
    • Mary Kathleen Domain
    • Mount Isa
    • igneous
    • intrusion
  • Funding source
    • 0164
  • Research grant(s)/Scheme name(s)
    • - Geological Survey of Queensland’s Strategic Resources Exploration Program between 2017 and 2021
    • Research themes
    Industries and Economies in the Tropics
    FoR Codes (*)
    • 370302 - Inorganic geochemistry
    • 370503 - Igneous and metamorphic petrology
    • 370502 - Geochronology
    SEO Codes
    • 280107 - Expanding knowledge in the earth sciences
    • 250302 - Copper ore exploration
    • 250305 - Precious (noble) metal ore exploration
- Specify coverage
    Specify spatial or temporal setting of the data
    Temporal (time) coverage
  • Start Date 2018/01/01
  • End Date 2022/12/31
    • Time Period
    Spatial (location) coverage
  • Locations
    • Mary Kathleen Domain , Mount Isa inlier, Queensland
- Data
    Data Locations

    Type Location Notes
    Attachment Zircon U-Pb geochronology data.xlsx
    The Data Manager is: Helen McCoy-West
    College or Centre College of Science & Engineering
    Access conditions Open: free access under license
  • Alternative access conditions
    • Data record size 1 file, 446 KB
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      Name Zircon U-Pb emplacement ages of intrusions in the Mary Kathleen Domain, Mount Isa Inlier, Australia
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- Citation
    Citation McCoy-West, Helen; Sanislav, Ioan; Dirks, Paul (2025): Data from: Zircon U-Pb emplacement ages of intrusions in the Mary Kathleen Domain, Mount Isa Inlier, Australia. James Cook University. https://doi.org/10.25903/gdpt-9f04