Cox's Lode (Cox's Find), Jervois Range, Jervois Station, Central Desert Region, Northern Territory, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Cox's Lode (Cox's Find)	Lode
Jervois Range	Mountain Range
Jervois Station	- not defined -
Central Desert Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

Discovered by W. Cox, during the rush shortly after Tom Hanlon discovered copper in the area. In November and December 1929 he pegged leases in the area with W.G. Anderson, and J.H. Young. Shortly before the Jervois Range South Silver Lead Mining Co. NL had been formed in Adelaide with 75 000 pounds capital to take an option over the deposit. Mining ceased shortly after due to the lack of water, remoteness of the area, great distances to market, and lower metal prices.

The deposit is 2.5 kilometres east north-east of the Bellbird Mine, and 2.5 kilometres south south-west of the Green Parrot Mine, on the J shaped, steeply north plunging syncline, about 2 kilometres east of the Jervois Range escarpment. Access is from the Green Parrot/Hanlon's Reward area.

The site contains porphyroblastic biotite-staurolite-garnet-muscovite-quartz schist in the west, transgressing to less porphyroblastic schist to the east, then abruptly into pegmatite schist to the west.

The pegmatite schist contains many quartz nodule strings, about 2 inches in diameter, in a schistose matrix, containing muscovite crystals. The top of this schist is in sharp contact with the overlying quartz-garnet granulite, 4-10 feet thick, varying from quartzite to garnetite.

The eastern portion of the granulite is quartz rich, with many quartz veinlets, the western section poorer in quartz but rich in iron. The upper band of granulite forms a cliff at the deposit, with overlying quartz-mica schist, overlain by porphyroblastic garnetiferous staurolite-biotite-muscovite-quartz schist.

Significant copper mineralisation is found in a wedged shaped block of granulite, with surface mineralisation showing as malachite, some azurite, atacamite and cuprite, locally dispersed on cross-faults. Large radiating schorl crystals are common in the eastern part of the deposit. Bright pink carbonate seen in drill cores, would potentially make pretty specimens, but are unlikely ever to be seen. Garnet in the district is generally grossularite/andradite, however one company exploration report when describing specimens states the garnet at the mine is almandine (needs confirmation).

The site is much disturbed by modern exploration, but contains two large pits, seven smaller pits, and one shaft down to 21 feet.

Petrocarb Exploration reported in the early 1970's, that the deposit is 2000 feet long, trending north-south, but with a gap in the middle caused by a fault. Modern exploration companies sometimes report drilling results as Cox's North, or Cox's South. They found only trace chalcopyrite and native copper in the southern section, but drilling in recent years by KGL Resources found a narrow but high grade copper, silver and minor gold resource here.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References