Revenge Gold Mine, St. Ives gold camp, Kambalda, Coolgardie Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Revenge Gold Mine	Mine
St. Ives gold camp	- not defined -
Kambalda	Town
Coolgardie Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The Revenge Gold Mine is located on Delta Island, half way across the Lake Lefroy salt-pan from Kambalda to the Lefroy Mill. Mining commenced in 1989.

There are several neighbouring mines in a relatively small and intensely mined area. These include West Revenge, North Revenge Kapai, Agemenon, Mars and several others. The immediate area is usually called the 'Greater Revenge Area'. Deposits in this area are structurally complex, which has kept many geologists busy for a number of years. Mindat can only provide a summary. The geology would be similar at the neighbouring deposits.

The Revenge deposit is within a structurally complex corridor between the north-west striking Playa/Belleisle and Delta Shear systems. Gold is found in the north-west striking shear zones (Belleisle, Delta, West Revenge), the north north-west striking shear zones (Mars, Minotaur), and the variably north north-east to north north-west shear zones (No1, Agemenon).

Rock units include the Tripod Hill Komatiite, Victory Dolerite, Devon Consols Basalt, Kapai Slate, Defiance Dolerite, and Paringa Basalt. The distribution of these rocks is controlled by the Delta Island Anticline, Playa/Belleisle shear system, and abundant intruding intermediate/felsic dykes and sills. Gold is found in all rock types, and its distribution is determined by the interaction of the shear zones.

Most deposits show significant supergene zones from 10 to 100 metres from the primary gold source. Gold is also found in palaeochannels at the base of the overlying Tertiary sediment.

The main fault at the Revenge Pit is called the Transfer Fault, with the Mount Blanc Fault just to the north. A major Archaean porphyry dyke has intruded within the fault. This dyke is in turn cross cut by north-west and north trending faults. These faults have a complex relationship with other structures in the area.

Where the Transfer Fault intersects major north-west trending shears such as the Delta Fault and Playa Fault, it is usually a site for high grade gold deposition. The Delta Fault changes strike where it intersects with the Transfer Fault. The N22 is one of many major shears in the area, and can be seen cross cutting the Transfer Fault in the south wall of the Revenge pit. Gold is localised along the Transfer Fault, usually where it has acted as a strike slip fault. It also increases where north north-west or north trending faults cross cut the Transfer Fault. In many areas a late stage south to south south-east thrusts also cut the Transfer Fault. Arrays of veins are found within the fault with strong chlorite and biotite foliation, with only the latter carrying gold. North trending lodes have intense quartz-carbonate-pyrite-albite alteration, associated with gold.

Mineralised veins within the fault have an intense wall rock alteration which is also mineralised with gold. Alteration zones are dominated by quartz, carbonate, pyrite and sericite, and is some area overprints hematite alteration.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References