Cadjebut Mine, Fitzroy Crossing, Derby-West Kimberley Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Cadjebut Mine	Mine (Inactive)
Fitzroy Crossing	- not defined -
Derby-West Kimberley Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Located 71 km south east of Fitzroy Crossing.

Impressive combination specimens of pyrite, calcite, quartz, marcasite and sphalerite, up to large cabinet size have come from this mine. For a Western Australian site there is a fair amount of material in collections. It appears most was obtained by dealers in the mid 1990's, when the mine was purchased by Western Metals. It is one of the few times a large mine in Western Australia has provided specimens to the collectors market.

Nearby, and operated in conjunction with Cadjebut, is the Goongewa Mine (sometimes specimens are labelled 12 Mile Bore). An Australian dealer was able to gain access to a large calcite pocket lined with marcasite in 1996. Large sized specimens of galena/calcite have also been seen. Pilara and Kapok mines also operated for a short period, but no specimens have been seen so far from these locations. Kutarta, Fossil Downs, and Palijippa are also nearby prospects yet to be mined. All contain lead/zinc.


In 1974, BHP commenced exploration. The Pilara deposit was discovered in 1978, Cadjebut 1984, Goongewa 1985, Kapok 1990, Kutarta 1997, Fossil Downs 2002. The Cadjebut Mine opened in 1988. BHP decided to sell the mines and prospects in 1994, as the operation was too small for its portfolio. The mines were purchased by Western Metals, which went into administration in 2003. Canadian miner Teck purchased the mines for $26 million (Aust), then formed a joint venture with Falconbridge or Xstrata in 2004. The Pilara mine operated briefly across 2007-2008. In 2009, Meridian Minerals acquired the deposits for only $500 000, and has done little since but explore the area. The mines remain closed and rehabilitated.

The deposits are hosted by an ancient limestone reef which completely surrounds the Kimberley region, and is the largest of its kind in the world.
Specifically the deposits are hosted by the upper Devonian limestone on the Leonard Shelf, of shallow marine carbonate, siltstone, silty dolomite, limestone and shale, along a 350 kilometre length, trending west north-west to east south-east.

The Cadjebut ore body is two ribbon-like lenses, dipping gently east by 8 degrees, 3 kilometres long by 200m wide and 4-5m thick, separated 6m by barren rock. The mine suffers from a hanging wall aquifer which constantly attempts to thwart mining by flooding the workings. Galena and sphalerite is found in cavity fillings, veins, and replacement bodies, similar to Mississippi Valley deposits in the United States. Calcite casts after halite have been found.

There are four types of ore:
1. galena and sphalerite fillings within breccia above point 2.
2. banded replacement ore of thin bands of multi-coloured ribbon sphalerite ore, with the banding not parallel to the bedding, and found at the base of the ore lenses.
3. late stage galena veins and veinlets.
4. massive marcasite found at the lateral margins of the ore.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References