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

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

The Leviathan open pit is one of a complex of neighbouring mines near the southern shoreline of Lake Lefroy, and just east of the Lefroy Mill. It is surrounded by Britannia-Sirius, Orchin, and several smaller mines. All share a similar geology which is structurally complex.

The rocks are folded into an open south plunging anticline, which is segmented and offset by many faults. These strike north-west, north north-west, and north, with variable dips.

Individual deposits are located at the intersections of the faults, and in deflections of the faults. The major host rocks are the Kapai Slate and Defiance Dolerite. There are also abundant intermediate and felsic intrusives which also host gold but low grades.

Gold forms here in three ways:
1. As veinlet arrays in the Kapai Slate, and in albite intrusives.
2. In quartz-breccia lodes.
3. In alteration zones in faults adjacent to the quartz-breccia lodes.

Alteration zones extend up to 3 metres from the veins and breccias. These zones vary depending on which rock type they are hosted by. In Defiance Dolerite the inner zone is albite-dolomite-pyrite, and outer zone as biotite-chlorite. In Kapai Slate the inner zone is albite-chlorite-magnetite-pyrite, and outer zone magnetite-albite-biotite. In Paringa Basalt the inner zone is albite-dolomite-pyrite, and outer zone of biotite-chlorite. Gold is associated with the pyrite.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References