Samarkand prospect, Bonya, Jervois Station, Central Desert Region, Northern Territory, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Samarkand prospect	Prospect
Bonya	- not defined -
Jervois Station	- not defined -
Central Desert Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

The Samarkand deposit is about 2 kilometres east south-east of the Bonya Mine.

It lends its name to the Samarkand Pegmatites, which is the label given to intruding aplite pegmatites in the Bonya area. These contain coarse grained plagioclase, and minor quartz, K-feldspar, muscovite, apatite, sphene, and tourmaline, and are little explored.

Ivanac (1972) states most of the scheelite is found in quartz-garnet skarn. There are three main horizons from east to west (1) amphibolite (2) interbedded skarn, calc-silicate rock and amphibolite (3) andalusite mica schist. Scheelite is found along a length of 550 metres, pinching and swelling between 75 metres to 5 metres wide.

The deposit contains erratic scheelite mineralisation, confined to linear skarns. Ivanac states 20 metres west of the Samarkand deposit is two substantial lenses containing scheelite. (1) Epidote calc-silicate 150 x 10 x 15 metres containing disseminated scheelite across a 50 metre length, and 5-10 metres wide. (2) Altered amphibolite of weak scheelite mineralisation along a length of 200 metres, and 10 metres wide, with better grades at its north-west end.

Ivanac also notes a Samarkand Extended prospect, of siliceous calc-silicate rocks, marble, minor skarn, and epidote calc-silicate rocks, enclosed by schist, with some low grade scheelite patches. This site is offset 200 metres east from the main deposit.

Ransom (1978) states the mineralised calc-silicate rock extends for over 3000 metres in length, 10-20 metres in width, at the contact with spotted amphibolite. The mineralised horizon extends west into the Bonya and Kings Legend mines. Despite its impressive size, the scheelite mineralisation is patchy. The calc-silicate ranges from marble to garnet-blue amphibolite-quartz rocks. Also found is epidote, calcite, sphene, and tremolite as altered or retrogression products.

Ransom states the deposit at Samarkand is almost identical to that found at the White Violet Mine in the district, except the garnet is lighter in colour. At Samarkand the scheelite is only found in the calc-silicate rocks, with garnet bearing rocks up to 20 metres wide at the location, being barren. Patchy grades and distributed scheelite is found as coarse grains and aggregates associated with quartz fillings and veins.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References