Myanmar Gold Geology Report Collection by Myo Aung Ex-Exploration Geologist

RESOURCE GEOLOGY, vol. 54, no. 2, 197–204, 2004

197

Gold Mineralization at the Kyaukpahto Mine Area,Northern Myanmar

YE MYINT SWE, Insung LEE*, THAN HTAY** and MIN AUNG*

Universities’ Research Centre, University of Yangon, Myanmar* School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 Korea

[e-mail (IL): [email protected]]** Department of Geology, University of Yangon, Myanmar

Received on May 12, 2003; accepted on February 13, 2004

Abstract: Gold mineralization at Kyaukpahto occurs as a stockworks/dissemination style with localized breccia zones insilicified sandstones of the Male Formation (Eocene). The mineralization appears to be closely associated with NNE-SSWtrending extensional faults probably related directly to the dextral movement of the Sagaing Fault system. Intense silicifica-tion associated with sericitization, argillic alteration and decalcification is recognized in the Kyaukpahto gold deposit. Theimportant ore minerals associated with the gold mineralization are pyrite, arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite with minor amountsof other sulfides. Gold occurs as free particles or locked with pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite and tetrahedrite. Silver, cop-per, arsenic and antimony particularly appear to be good pathfinders and the best geochemical indicators of gold mineraliza-tion at Kyaukpahto. Electron microprobe analysis indicates that the fineness for the native gold ranges from 844 to 866.Present geological, mineralogical and geochemical investigations demonstrate that the Kyaukpahto gold deposit has beenformed as a result of hydrothermal processes in a shallow level epithermal environment.

Keywords: Kyaukpahto gold mine, Sagaing fault zone, extensional fault, stockwork/disseminated style, breccia zone,epithermal environment

1. Introduction

The Kyaukpahto gold mine, the first open-pit goldmine in Myanmar, is located in the Kawlin Township,northern Myanmar. Calculations of ore reserves andexploration works at Kyaukpahto began in 1982. By the1990s, 318 holes had been drilled and at that time thereserves were estimated at approximately 6 million tonsat an average grade of 3.0 g/t Au with a cut-off grade of1.0 g/t (Saw Maung et al., 1991).

This study attempts to confine the geological, miner-alogical and geochemical conditions of hydrothermalsystem associated with the gold deposition. Some of theconclusions obtained from this study may be applicableto other similar epithermal type deposits throughout thecountry.

2. Regional Geologic Setting of the Kyaukpahto GoldDeposit

The geology and rock sequence of the Kyaukpahtoand surrounding areas are shown in Figures 1 and 2.The region is mainly composed of Mesozoic andTertiary sediments, ultrabasic igneous rocks and upperPaleozoic limestones. Metamorphic rocks are present inminor abundance to the east.

The clastic sedimentary rocks of the Male Formation

ranging in age from lower to middle Eocene, weredeposited generally under a lacustrine-paludal to fluvialenvironment (Myint Thein et al., 1987). These rocksequences host the gold mineralization at Kyaukpahto.Just east of the Kyaukpahto mine, the Tonkyauk Chaungconglomerate rests on the Ngapyawdaw ChaungFormation with an angular unconformity, and changesgradually into overlying Male Formation. The Ubye ser-pentinite occurs as the N-S trending linear lithologic unitalong the axial part of the Minwun range in the west ofthe Sagaing fault, and was probably thrusted westwardsupon the Ngapyawdaw Chaung Formation (UnitedNations, 1978a). It was faulted against the Male Forma-tion in the east. A narrow belt of the Pre-Mesozoic meta-morphic rocks of the Mogok Series occurs in the easternpart the area paralleling the Sagaing fault. In the mappedarea the Triassic Kywethe Chaung Limestone occurs as asausage-shaped faulted slices together with the Mogokmetamorphics along the western segment of the Sagaingfault, at the same latitudes of the Kyaukpahto mine.

The area about 30 km west of the Kyaukpahto mine isrepresented by a N-S trending central plutono-volcanicarc, locally known as Wuntho massif. The massif is up to40 km wide from east to west and is about 190 km long inthe north-northeast direction. There the mid-Cretaceousand younger granodioritic batholiths and some plutonsintrude the thick folded sequence of basaltic andesiteand basaltic pillow lavas (Mitchell, 1993). The larger

YE MYINT SWE, I. S. LEE, THAN HTAY and MIN AUNG198 RESOURCE GEOLOGY :

intrusions in the Banmauk area have yielded K-Ar agesof 93.7±3.4 and 97.8±3.6 Ma (United Nations, 1978b).

3. Structure

The Kyaukpahto region is situated within the Sagaingfault zone. The Sagaing fault (Win Swe, 1972) is an out-standing active, deep-seated, arc parallel, transcurrentfault extending in a N-S direction along the eastern mar-gin of the central lowland, which stretches over 1000 kmacross the country (Curray et al., 1979; Win Swe, 1981;Le Dain et al., 1984; Hla Maung, 1987; Myint Thein etal., 1991). The major lineament of the Sagaing fault liesabout 5 km east of the Kyaukpahto mine and continuesnorthwards along the Meza river valley. The fault is pre-sumably interpreted as a westward en echelon offsetting

wrench system associated with transtensional and trans-pressional zones (Khin Maung Latt, 1991).

Gold mineralization is mainly confined to NNE-SSWtrending extensional faults probably related directly to thedextral movement of the Sagaing Fault system (Wilson,1987). This fracture zone has developed antithetic to themajor lineament (master fault) and it seems to have beenresponsible for the gold mineralization.

4. Geology of the Kyaukpahto Mine

At Kyaukpahto area, the Male Formation consistsmainly of sandstones, siltstones, mudstones and shales.The sandstones are medium to coarse grained, massive tointerbedded with minor shales with a consistent andrepeated nature. Carbonized plant remains including leaf

N

40 km

Alluvium (Quaternary)

Irrawaddy Fm (Plio-Pleistocene)

Male Fm (Eocene)

Peridotite (Upper Cretaceous-Eocene?)

Granodiorite (Upper Cretaceous)

Namakauk Limestone (Lower Cretaceous)

Mawgyi Andesite (Lower Cretaceous)

Ngapyawdaw Chaung Fm (Middle Triassic)

Katha Metamorphics (Triassic?)

Mogok Metamorphics (Pre-Mesozoic)

Fault with sense of movement indicated

EXPLANATION

Fig. 1 Regional geological map of the Kyaukpahto area,Myanmar.

impressions are present in some parts of the altered MaleFormation. A few mollusca fossils (mainly gastropods) arealso observed within the mineralized zone at Kyaukpahto.

Original host rock textures and compositions arealmost completely obliterated by intense hydrothermalalteration (mainly silicification) along the eastern flank

of the hill, which hosts the mineralization (Fig. 3).Surface observations indicate that the post-mineraliza-tion fracturing (NW-SE trending cross-fault) took placewithin the mineralized zone. The southern part of theore body has slipped down with a displacement ofapproximately 60 meters on a cross fault.

vol. 54, no. 2, 2004 Kyaukpahto Gold Deposit, Northern Myanmar 199

Alluvium (Holocene)

Male Formation (Eocene)

Tonkyauk Chaung Conglomerate (Paleocene)

Ngapyawdaw Chaung Formation (Middle Triassic)

Kywethe Chaung Limestone (Lower Triassic)

Upper Paleozoic Limstone

Mogok Metamorphics (Pre-Mesozoic)

Serpentinite 0 1 km

Fig. 2 Local geological setting of the Kyaukpahto mine area (modified from Ye Myint Swe, 1991).

Oxidized zone

Silicified outcrops

Silicified zone

Advanced argillic zone

Mineralized stockwork zone

Male Formation

Alteration Boundary

Dip and Strike

FaultsUnderground Mine (plan view)

0 200 400 meters

0 300 900 1500 feet

900

300

900

300

Oxidized zoneA B

Fig. 3 Detailed geological map of the mine area (modified from Ye Myint Swe, 1991).

5. Alteration and Mineralization

The area of silicification is more extensive than any

other alteration halos and appears to be significantlyessential for the gold mineralization at Kyaukpahto.However gold values do not correlate directly with thedegree of silicification. Silica occurs as a cryptocrys-


ccccppppyyyy

A B

DC

E F

Au

Au py

Apy

Fig. 4 (A) BEI showing pyrite (py) replaced by gold (Au) and chalcopyrite (cpy). Apy: arsenopyrite; (B) X-ray scanning mapfor Au. (C) X-ray scanning map for Ag. (D) X-ray scanning map for Cu. (E) X-ray scanning map for As (All plates from Ato E are in the same view). (F) Minute inclusions of gold particles in pyrite grain (refractory gold). Bar scale = 100 µm.

talline cement in the sandstone, as well as open-space fillings in vugs and veinlets. Vuggy quartzveinlets showing crustiform texture are not uncom-mon in this mining area.

Generally, there are two phases of silicification.The younger phase is marked by gray quartz vein-lets, cutting across the older phase of white quartz.From the chemical analysis, it is found that whitequartz contains very low relative values of gold,whereas the gray quartz carries visible gold. There-fore the second phase silicification is directly relatedto the gold mineralization. Sericite alteration is alsoassociated with high-grade gold mineralization. It general-ly occurs as quartz-sericite veinlets in the silicified sand-stones. Later stage hypogene argillic alteration took placewithin the mineralized zone of Kyaukpahto mine withkaolinization also occurring as small accumulations incavities.

Nearly all of the original calcite cement has beenremoved and silica occurs as common cement withinthe sandstone. Late carbonate veinlets are also observedas veinlets and vug filling.

Gold mineralization is mainly confined to the silicifiedsandstone, although auriferous quartz veinlets are rarelypresent in the highly indurated siltstone and mudstonemembers of the Male Formation. Gold-bearing quartzveinlets form a stockwork nature, whereas disseminatedmineralization is found throughout the silicified sand-stone. Gold is more commonly found in localized brecciazones, as a sporadically high-grade ore (occasionally>1000 g/t), located generally in the silicified massivesandstone units. Gold also occurs as free grains togetherwith some siderite in the weathered, reddish brown, oxi-dized zone in the surface exposures of the ore body.

6. Mineralogy of the Ores

The important ore minerals in the Kyaukpahto golddeposit mainly consist of pyrite, arsenopyrite and chal-

copyrite with minor amounts of other sulfides and gold.Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral in the orebody. It occurs as fine-grained, massive aggregates, andanhedral to subhedral crystals along the outer margin ofthe quartz veinlets. A few grains of pyrite are replacedby chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite and gold along their grainboundaries and cracks (Fig. 4). In some silicified speci-mens pyrite was observed as framboids, occurring asclusters in the host rock and not found in the corre-sponding quartz veinlets.

Arsenopyrite commonly occurs as euhedral to subhe-dral grains. Chalcopyrite is by far the most abundantcopper sulfide, with minor tetrahedrite and chalcocite inassociation. It forms euhedral to irregular masses, andoften replaces pyrite and arsenopyrite. Other sulfideminerals are present in very minor amounts, such asmarcasite, sphalerite and cinnabar.

Mineralogically, gold occurs as free grains or lockedwithin pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite and tetrahedrite.The grain shape is mostly irregular and more or less serrat-ed. Some minute gold grains are encapsulated in pyrite andarsenopyrite, which renders the gold ore refractory. Theindividual gold grains range from <5 µm to 75 µm across.

Electron microprobe analyses of fourteen separatednative gold grains indicate that the gold content rangesfrom 72.9 to 87.8 wt% (Table 1) and fineness (1000×Au /[Au+Ag] wt%) values range from 844 to 866 (Fig. 5).


Element grain grain grain grain grain grain grain grain1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Se 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00Fe 1.62 0.03 0.06 0.10 0.81 0.00 0.29 0.14Cu 0.04 0.03 0.12 0.06 0.12 0.50 0.01 0.00Pt 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.01Hg 0.16 0.00 0.07 0.04 0.02 0.00 0.17 0.00Ag 14.93 15.20 14.83 15.20 15.43 14.17 14.99 14.05Sb 0.00 0.03 0.01 0.04 0.00 0.08 0.02 0.03Te 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.05 0.01 0.00Au 83.93 82.70 85.19 84.46 86.88 82.66 85.22 83.99Bi 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00Pd 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Total 100.68 97.98 100.28 99.95 103.26 97.49 100.72 98.21

grain grain grain grain grain grain grain9 10 11 12 13 14 15

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.000.31 0.22 0.86 0.06 0.61 0.08 0.450.00 0.01 0.08 0.00 0.85 0.02 0.060.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.000.28 0.08 4.23 0.15 0.00 0.06 0.07

15.26 14.52 14.55 14.12 12.20 14.03 15.040.10 0.03 0.00 0.05 0.06 0.00 0.020.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01

87.77 84.6 72.91 79.86 79.12 81.3 84.070.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

103.73 99.47 92.64 94.26 95.85 95.95 99.72

Table 1 Electron microprobe analysis of gold grains from the Kyaukpahto deposit (in wt%).

0

2

4

6

8

846

850

854

858

862

866

gold fineness

(A)

freq

uenc

y

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1 10 25 75 175

250

size (µm)

(B)

freq

uenc

y

Fig. 5 (A) Histogram showing gold fineness as determined fromelectron microprobe analysis. (B) Grain size distribution ofgold from the Kyaukpahto deposit.

These gold grains also contain 12.2 to 15.4 Ag wt%. Consistently observed textural relationships, during

both in field and microscopic investigations, such as over-growth, replacement and cross cutting features, have beenused to compile the generalized paragenetic sequence forgold mineralization in the Kyaukpahto area (Fig. 6).

7. Geochemistry

Rock samples from the mine site and the adjacent unal-tered Male sandstones were analyzed in order to deter-mine the geochemical characteristics of the gold mineral-ization and concentration level of anomalous elements atthe Kyaukpahto mine site. The relationship between min-eralized samples and fresh samples is illustrated in Figure7. The results indicate that the mineralized zone atKyaukpahto is characterized by anomalous concentrationsof gold, silver, copper, antimony and arsenic, relative tothe unaltered rocks.

The relationship of the content of gold to those of otherelements such as silver, arsenic, copper, antimony andmercury is shown in scattergrams (Fig. 8). The mercurycontent in the deposit ranges from less than 0.1 to 9.7ppm, and does not correlate positively with gold values. Itis probable that the original mercury content in the deposithas been lost due to the later chemical weathering. Therelationship of gold to arsenic, antimony and lead is notvery distinct in their concentration, although gold vs.arsenic plotting shows faint trend with positive slope (Fig.8). The concentration of gold and copper shows veryclose relationship in the ore. Gold and silver also showsome sympathetic relationship in their concentration.Zinc, nickel, chromium, and molybdenum are also ana-lyzed, but do not exceed the average normal contentscompared to their crustal abundance, or to their average

values in the unaltered Male sandstones.

8. Discussion

8.1. Genesis of ore deposit

Crustal weaknesses of the area may be directly relatedto the dextral movement of the Sagaing fault system. Inthe Kyaukpahto area, significant development of NNE-SSW trending fracture zone is a major controlling factoron the location of gold mineralization. The tensional frac-tures are highly permeable and would provide conduitsfor hydrothermal fluid transportation along the channelway of weak zones (Wilson, 1987; Sibson, 1989). Ore andgangue minerals were precipitated from these fluids.During the early stage of mineralization host rocks werepervasively silicified and pyritized. In the late stage thehydrothermal solution activity increased dramatically,causing the formation of quartz veinlet networks andlocal brecciation by hydraulic fracturing in which thegold and the last trace of sulfides were deposited.

The available energy in a shallow environment under asmall lithostatic load is more likely to create hydraulicfracturing through to the surface (Nelson and Giles,1985). It is probable that the fluid energy has been dissi-pated within the stockwork fracturing, but a portion ofhigh-pressured fluid may flash and drive towards the sur-


Alteration/Mineral Sequence

Silicification

Sericitization

Argillization

Quartz

Pyrite

Arsenopyrite

Chalcopyrite

Marcasite

Electrum

Fig. 6 Generalized paragenetic sequence of ore and gangueminerals at Kyaukpahto.

Au

1

100

10000

1000000

100000000

1 4 7 10

11 4 7 10

Specimen No. Specimen No.

Specimen No.

Specimen No.

Specimen No.

Specimen No.

ppb

ppm

Ag

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

1 7 10

ppb

Sb

0

0

5

10

10

15

20

20

25

30

30

ppm

ppm

Cu

0.1

1

10

100

1000

ppm

4

1 7 104

1 7 1041 7 104

10000

100

Pb

As

Fig. 7 Diagrams of the element concentrations, in orderto compare background (open square) and anomalous(solid square) contents in unaltered host rocks andmineralized zone, respectively. Six samples (Nos. 1–6)from the unaltered Male sandstone and ten samples(Nos. 1–10) from mineralized zone, were analyzed.

face along the cracks, resulting in local hydrothermalbrecciation by hydraulic fracturing. The permeability ofthe Male sandstones may also favor the dissemination ofgold in their highly silicified portion.

8.2. Origin of ore fluid

The origin of mineralizing fluid for the Kyaukpahtogold deposit is not very well understood. The source ofgold is also not known. There is no occurrence ofigneous rocks in the vicinity and in direct relationship tothe gold mineralization. Wilson (1987) proposed thatthe Kyaukpahto gold deposit has been formed by a seis-mic pumping mechanism, where individual earthquakesare capable of moving huge volumes of aqueous fluid,dissolving metals from source rocks and transportingthem towards the low-pressure areas along the dilatedzone in the active wrench fault system. Some previousworks (e.g., Ye Myint Swe, 1991) also suggest that thegold syngenetically formed within the Male sedimentsand Ngapyawdaw Chaung Formation, could have beenremobilized and concentrated in structurally favorableareas to form the ore deposit at Kyaukpahto. But if thissupposition is to be accepted, it is necessary to know thebackground level of gold contents in the Male sedimentsand Ngapyawdaw Chaung Formation when comparedwith other similar rock types. There are insufficient sys-tematic geochemical studies for these stratigraphic unitsavailable at present. If the remobilization origin is consid-

ered, a proto-ore basement (subvol-canic intrusions or a deeper pluton), ifpresent, is the most probable sourcethat may provide the gold concentra-tion rather than Male sediments andNgapyawdaw Chaung Formation.However, more geochemical and iso-topic data are needed prior to develop-ing any conclusive model in the studyarea.

9. Conclusions

The following conclusions can bedrawn from this investigation:

(1) The gold mineralization atKyaukpahto appears to be controlledby NNE–SSW trending tensionalzone, probably related directly to thedextral movement of Sagaing Faultsystem. Within this fracture zone,gold mineralization is largely con-fined to the silicified sandstones,forming stockwork/disseminatedstyle and localized breccia zoneswith drusy, vuggy and crustification

textures.(2) Silicification is more extensive than any other

alteration. However, the amount of gold does not seemto be directly correlated with the degree of silicification.The permeability of Male sandstones may also havefavored the circulation of ore fluid.

(3) Silver, copper, arsenic and antimony particularlyappear to be good pathfinders and the best geochemicalindicators of gold mineralization at Kyaukpahto. Thesuite of these elements is indicative of epithermal pre-cious metal mineralization.

(4) Native gold occurs as free grains and locked with-in pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite and tetrahedrite.Some pyrite and arsenopyrite grains contain minuteinclusions of gold particles, which renders the gold orerefractory (Refractory Gold). Low temperature mineralssuch as cinnabar and marcasite are also noted.Microprobe analyses indicate that the fineness of goldin the deposit ranges from 844 to 866.

(5) The breccia ore could have been developed byhydraulic fracturing indicative of a shallow environ-ment in the waning stages of a hydrothermal system.This zone along which gold-concentrated ore fluidmoved upward at Kyaukpahto is marked by a coinci-dence of gold enrichment (sporadically very high-gradegold values) at the upper part of the silicified zone.Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank Dr.U Thein, Professors Emeritus U C. Thacpaw and U Soe


05000

1000015000200002500030000

0 2000 4000 6000 8000Ag (ppb)

Au

(p

pb

)

100

1000

10000

100000

100 1000 10000As (ppm)

Au (

ppb)

100

1000

10000

100000

Sb (ppm)

Au

(p

pb

)

100

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Cu (ppm)

Au

(p

pb

)

100

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Pb (ppm)

Au (

ppb)

100

1000

10000

100000

100 1000 10000Hg (ppb)

Au (

ppb)

0 10 20 30

0 10 20 30

1 10 100 1000

Fig. 8 Scattergram of gold vs. silver, gold vs. arsenic, gold vs. copper, gold vs.antimony, gold vs. lead and gold vs. mercury showing their relationship in

Win, and Professor Dr. Tin Thein, of the Department ofGeology at Yangon University for their encouragementand valuable suggestions. The mineralogical, geochemicaland electron microprobe analyses were supervised by Dr.Win Htein of Yangon University, Dr. Khin Zaw ofUniversity of Tasmania and Dr. David H. French ofDivision of Exploration Geoscience (CSIRO), Australia.This study was partially supported through SEES by theBK21 Program, Ministry of Education, Korea. BrianCraik-Smith and Helen Kang are thanked for the adviceon English and valuable comments on the manuscript.

References

Curray, J. R., Moore, D. G., Lawer, L. A., Emmel, F. J., Raitt, E.W., Henry, M. and Kiekhefer, R. (1979) Tectonics of theAndaman sea and Burma in Watkins, J., Montadart, L. andDickinson, P. (eds.) Geological and Geophysical Investiga-tion of Continental Slopes and Rises. Amer. Assoc. Petrole-um Geol. Mem., 29, 189–198.

Hla Maung (1987) Transcurrent movement in the Burma-Andaman sea region. Geology, 15, 911–912.

Khin Maung Latt (1991) Megasausage tectonic model for theregion between the Sagaing fault and the Shan scarp fault.Georeports, Yangon University, 1, 61–73.

Le Dain, A. Y., Tapponnier, P. and Molnar, P. (1984) Activefaulting and tectonics of Burma and surrounding region.Jour. Geophys. Research, 89, 453–472.

Mitchell, A. H. G. (1993) Cretaceous-Cenozoic tectonic eventsin the western Myanmar-Assam region. Jour. Geol. Soc.London, 150, 1089–1102.

Myint Thein, Kan Saw, Aye Ko Aung and Kyaw Tint (1987)Geology of the Area between Tigyaing-Katha. ResearchTitles, Natural Science Research Group, Burma.

Myint Thein, Kan Saw, Aye Ko Aung and Kyaw Tint (1991) Onthe lateral displacement of Sagaing fault. Georeports,Yangon University, 1, 23–34.

Nelson, C. E. and Giles, D. L. (1985) Hydrothermal eruptionmechanism and hot spring gold deposits. Econ. Geol., 80,1633–1639.

Saw Maung, San Myint, Hla Kyaw, Ye Kyi and Soe MyintSwe (1991) Report on Ore Reserve Estimation of theKyaukpahto Gold Deposit. Unpubl. Rept., DGSE.

Sibson, R. H. (1989) Earthquake faulting, induced fluid flow,and fault hosted gold-quartz mineralization. Intern.Basement Tectonics Assoc. Publ., No. 8, 603–614.

United Nations (1978a) Preliminary Results of RegionalMapping and Reconnaissance Geochemical Exploration inMansi-Manhton, Indaw-Tigyaing, Kyindwe-Longyi,Patchaung-Yene, and Yezin Area, Burma. Tech. Rept., No.6, UNDP, New York.

United Nations (1978b) Geology and Exploration Geochemistryof the Pinlebu-Banmauk Area, Sagaing Division, NorthernBurma. Tech. Rept., No. 2, UNDP, New York.

Wilson, J. G. (1987) Structural control of gold mineralizationat a plate boundary: The Kyaukpahto photogeologicalcase history, northern central Burma. Pac Rim Congress,7, 487– 493.

Win Swe (1972) A Strike-slip faulting in central belt ofBurma [abstr.]. Regional Conference on the Geology ofSE Asia, Kuala Lumpur. Annex. Geol. Soc. MalaysiaNewsletter, 34, 59.

Win Swe (1981) A major strike-slip fault in Burma [abstr.].Regional Conference on the Geology of SE Asia, KualaLumpur.

Ye Myint Swe (1991) Petrology and Economic Geology of theKyaukpahto Area, Kawlin Township, Myanmar. Unpubl.Master Sci. Thesis, Yangon University, 117p.

(Editorial handling: Ken-ichiro HAYASHI)


REVIEW

The metallogenic provinces of Myanmar

N. J. Gardiner*, L. J. Robb and M. P. Searle

Myanmar contains important deposits of tin, tungsten, copper, gold, gemstones, zinc, lead, nickel

and silver. It has one of the most diverse and richly endowed collections of natural resources in

Southeast Asia, largely reflecting a geological history stretching from the Late Triassic to the

Miocene. At least three world class deposits include Bawdwin (lead–zinc–silver), Monywa

(copper) and Mawchi (tin–tungsten). Myanmar can be divided into three principal metallotects:

the Wuntho-Popa Arc, comprising subduction-related granites with associated porphyry-type

copper-gold and epithermal gold mineralisation; the Mogok-Mandalay-Mergui Belt hosting both

significant tin–tungsten mineralisation associated with crustal melt granites, and key orogenic

gold resources; and the Shan Plateau with massive sulphide-type lead–zinc deposits. Myanmar

as a jurisdiction remains poorly understood and underdeveloped with regards its natural

resources. We have built a Geographic Information System database of known Myanmar

deposits, outcrops and mineral occurrences as a tool for exploration targeting.

Keywords: Myanmar, Burma, Metallogeny, Granite, Tin–tungsten, Gold, Neo-Tethys, Review

IntroductionMyanmar (Burma) is one of the largest countries withinSoutheast Asia, and as a jurisdiction has long beenknown to be richly endowed in deposits of tin, tungsten,copper, gold, silver, zinc, lead, gemstones, jade andhydrocarbons (Chhibber, 1934; Brown, 1936; Griffith,1956; Soe Win and Marlar Myo Myint, 1998). Until thelate 1930s it was a major producer of lead, silver, tin andtungsten; however, much of this industry was destroyedduring, and in the two decades after, World War II.While there is some recent history of exploration andexploitation of mineral deposits within Myanmar(largely in the shape of UN-sponsored programmes inthe 1970s and 1980s, and, with one or two exceptions,subsequent work by smaller Western juniors), as ajurisdiction it remains poorly understood, unexploredand hugely underdeveloped with regards its naturalresources (e.g. Cox et al., 1981; Moores and Fairbridge,1997). This lack of development is fundamentally due tothe political, economic and geographical remoteness ofthe country. However, there remains considerablepotential for future exploration to identify a diverserange of commodities, and in the light of recent domesticpolitical progress, and the positive internationalresponse to this, the mineral investment community isrevisiting Myanmar as a potentially new and emergingjurisdiction.

As part of the ongoing research at Oxford into themetallogenic and tectonic evolution of Myanmar, wehave built a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based metallogenic database of Myanmar as a tool to

aid exploration targeting. A relational database ofknown outcrops, mineral occurrences, alluvial depositsand historical workings has been geo-referenced along-side with tonnages and grades, and overlain onto thegeological map of Myanmar.

Geological overviewThe recent geological history of Myanmar is dominatedby the Mesozoic–Cenozoic subduction and accretion ofa series of plates and island-arc terranes that rifted fromGondwana in the south, and sutured onto the SouthChina terrane during the staged closing of the TethysOcean. The history is similar to other terranes along theTethyan margin (e.g. Tibet), with progressively youngercontinental collisions and associated suture zones fromeast to west. While the tectonic history is reasonably wellconstrained both further north in Karakoram-Himalaya-Tibet (Searle et al., 2011), and south inpeninsula Malaysia (Searle et al., 2012), it is poorlyunderstood within Myanmar.

Two principal collisional events dominate theMesozoic-Recent geological history of Myanmar. Theearlier Indosinian Orogeny, the Late Triassic closure ofPalaeo-Tethys (Mitchell, 1977; Metcalfe, 2000, 2002;Wakita and Metcalfe, 2005; Sone and Metcalfe, 2008)describes the collision of the Sibumasu terrane with theIndochina terrane. The resulting suture, referred to asthe Chiang-Rai or Bentong-Raub Suture, is thought torun through western Thailand and central Malaysia(Hutchison, 1973; Sone and Metcalfe, 2008). Sibumasu(Siam-Burma-Malaysia-Sumatra; Metcalfe, 1984) isdefined as comprising the area west of this suture innorthern and southwest Thailand, eastern Myanmarand western Malaysia, and represents a contiguousterrane that rifted from Gondwana in the Early Permian(Metcalfe, 2006).

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road,Oxford OX1 3AN, UK

*Corresponding author, email [email protected]

! 2014 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and The AusIMMPublished by Maney on behalf of the Institute and The AusIMMReceived 9 June 2014; accepted 20 July 2014DOI 10.1179/1743275814Y.0000000049 Applied Earth Science (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. B) 2014 VOL 123 NO 1 25

The later closure of Neo-Tethys, and the initiation ofthe Himalayan Orogeny, has been dated along theIndus-Yarlung Tsangpo suture at ca 50 Ma (Garzantiet al., 1987; Searle et al., 1988, 2011; Green et al., 2008).The Neo-Tethys suture extends from the Himalayassouth through Myanmar to link up with the AndamanIslands and the Wolya suture zone in Sumatra (Barber,2000; Barber et al., 2005). The Himalayan suture isthought to outcrop in western Myanmar in the MountVictoria Belt (Mitchell, 1989). This suture has, however,

been cut by recent Neogene strike slip faults, mostnotably the 1200 km long dextral Sagaing Fault (WinSwe, 1972). This active north-south fault divides easternand western Myanmar, and continues to accommodatea majority of the northwards motion of the Indian plate.Estimates of total movement on the Sagaing Fault rangefrom 100 to 450 km (Mitchell, 1993; Bertrand andRangin, 2003; Curray, 2005).

The principal tectonic divisions relevant to Myanmarare shown in Fig. 1. The current Indian plate boundary,

1 Regional geological map of Myanmar showing the principal tectonic units. From Searle et al. (2007)

Gardiner et al. The metallogenic provinces of Myanmar

26 Applied Earth Science (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. B) 2014 VOL 123 NO 1

defined by the easterly-dipping Andaman subductionzone, continues onshore to the western margin of theIndo-Burman Range accretionary prism. The Indo-Burman Ranges are a series of Late Cretaceous–Palaeogene marine sediments unconformably overlainby Upper Triassic flysch sediments. The western part ofthe Indo-Burman Ranges largely comprises Eocene-Quaternary conglomerate and sandstone (Mitchell,1993), whereas a series of Mid-Cretaceous to Miocenesedimentary basins crop out to the east. This basinsequence is underlain by the Burma Seismic Zone, aneastern-dipping subduction zone with earthquakesrecorded down to at least 230 km (Stork et al., 2008;Searle and Morley, 2011), and which gave rise to severallarge calc-alkaline andesite-dacite stratovolcanoes ofPliocene age (Mounts Popa, Taungthaulon andLoimeye). The presence of intrusive I-type granodioriteand dacite of Late Cretaceous age (Khin Zaw, 1990;Mitchell et al., 2012) suggests that this subduction zonehas been long-lived. Taken together, these volcanics andintrusions make up the Wuntho-Popa Arc of westernMyanmar (Fig. 2).

The Sibumasu terrane is correlated with theQiangtang and Lhasa blocks of Central Tibet in thenorth, and the western part of the Malay Peninsula tothe south (Searle et al., 2007). Within Myanmar, theSibumasu terrane can be split into two distinctgeological and metallogenic provinces either side of theShan Scarp: the Shan Plateau directly east, and theMogok-Mandalay-Mergui (MMM) Belt to the west(Fig. 2). The Shan Plateau largely comprises a series ofOrdovician-Triassic dominantly carbonate rocks over-lying the Precambrian metasedimentary rocks of theChaung Magyi Group, the Cambrian Pangyun Forma-tion, and associated Bawdwin Volcanics (Mitchell et al.,1977). The MMM Belt can be subdivided into the SlateBelt (Mitchell et al., 2004), running broadly north-southfrom Mandalay towards Mergui and Phuket, and theMogok Metamorphic Belt. The Slate Belt represents apredominantly late Palaeozoic succession of pebblymudstone and wacke, collectively defined as the MerguiGroup (Mitchell, 1992). The presence of cool water fossilsin these pebbly wackes or diamectites is thought torepresent deposition on the margin of Gondwana(Mitchell et al., 2004). The Mogok Metamorphic Beltwas originally described by Searle and Haq (1964), butmore recently has been the subject of a number ofgeochemical and geochronological studies (e.g. Barleyet al., 2003; Searle et al., 2007; Mitchell et al., 2012). Itcomprises a high-temperature kyanite-sillimanite grademetamorphic terrane dominated by ruby-hosting, phlo-gopite- and diopside-bearing marbles, principally out-cropping around Mogok, but with occasional pelite andpsammite outcrops farther south.

The MMM hosts numerous I-type biotite and S-typetwo-mica granites of Cretaceous–Palaeogene age(Barley et al., 2003; Mitchell et al., 2012; Gardineret al., 2014b), and with a continuation into peninsularThailand these granites form a distinct unit of theSoutheast Asian Tin Belts (e.g. Hutchison and Taylor,1978; Fig. 3); what was once considered the ‘WesternProvince’ of Cobbing et al. (1986, 1992). Similarly,S-type granites towards the east of the Shan Plateaulikely represent a northwards extension of the CentralBelt (Khin Zaw, 1990).

Myanmar has been variously divided into a number ofmetallogenic provinces (e.g. Goossens, 1978; UnitedNations, 1996). Here, we consider the three principalmetallotects that collectively contain the majority ofbase and precious metal deposits of commercial interest,and separately exhibit distinct mineralisation styles,history, and associated commodities: the Wuntho-PopaArc, the MMM Belt and the Shan Plateau (Fig. 2).

The Mogok-Mandalay-Mergui Belt: tin,tungsten and goldThe MMM Belt comprises the Slate Belt and the MogokMetamorphic Belt. The Slate Belt, running broadlynorth-south from Mandalay towards Myeik (Mergui)and Phuket, is dominated by Carboniferous to earlyPermian interbedded slaty mudstone and pebbly wacke,with rare quartzite and calcareous beds (Mitchell et al.,2012) all of a few kilometres in thickness. Low-grademetamorphism is locally recognised in biotite schist atYesin Dam near Tatkon, and also north of Mandalay.

Both hornblende and biotite I-type and two-mica,occasional tourmaline-hosting S-type crustal melt gran-ite punctuate the MMM. The S-type granites, wherehosted by the Slate Belt, are associated with significanttin-tungsten mineralisation (Coggin Brown and Heron,1923; Khin Zaw, 1990; Gardiner et al., 2014b).Extensive, unrelated, orogenic-type gold deposits alsooccur within the Slate Belt (Mitchell et al., 1999),making this a highly prospective unit.

Tin and tungstenTin (Sn) and tungsten (W) are often co-genetic andrelated to the emplacement of peraluminous graniticrocks that are thought to be derived from the melting ofcrustal protoliths (the S-type granites of Chappell andWhite, 1974). A significant proportion of the world’s Snand W resources come from only two areas, of which theSoutheast Asian tin granite belts have collectively beenthe dominant producer, with some 54% of historical Snproduction (Schwartz et al., 1995; Robb and Arce,2014). In Malaysia and Thailand this production waslargely derived from industrial-scale river and coastaldredging. In Myanmar there has, however, historicallybeen considerable exploitation of primary resources inaddition to alluvial deposits.

Tungsten is now considered a critical metal (e.g.Gunn, 2014), and the supply of such critical metals (alsoincluding tantalum, niobium, lithium, and the rare earthelements, [REE]) is an important global concern. Theseelements are all granitophile in character, and are oftenspatially and genetically concentrated by processes thatalso give rise to the major Sn deposits. Historically, thesecritical metals have not been exploited alongside Sn for avariety of economic reasons, however this pattern maywell be changing as exemplified by the recent develop-ment of a major W resource (Hemerdon) in thetraditional tin-producing region of Cornwall, UK. InMyanmar, critical metal-bearing minerals such asmonazite have been recognised within the Sn–Wmineralisation (e.g. Garson et al., 1975).

Tin–tungsten mineralisation in the Slate Belt isassociated with the intrusion of Cretaceous-Eocene S-type granite (Khin Zaw, 1990; Gardiner et al., 2014b),and within Myanmar well over 100 primary mineraloccurrences have been recognised (United Nations,


Applied Earth Science (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. B) 2014 VOL 123 NO 1 27

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248352706_The_Modi_Taung-Nankwe_gold_district_slate_belt_central_Myanmar_Mesothermal_veins_in_a_Mesozoic_orogen_J_Asian_Earth_Sci?el=1_x_8&enrichId=rgreq-2eb4530e-8ce6-4257-a394-297565511c83&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzI2NzAyODkwMztBUzoxNjIxODE2MjI1NDIzMzZAMTQxNTY3ODUyMDg5MQ==

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248352706_The_Modi_Taung-Nankwe_gold_district_slate_belt_central_Myanmar_Mesothermal_veins_in_a_Mesozoic_orogen_J_Asian_Earth_Sci?el=1_x_8&enrichId=rgreq-2eb4530e-8ce6-4257-a394-297565511c83&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzI2NzAyODkwMztBUzoxNjIxODE2MjI1NDIzMzZAMTQxNTY3ODUyMDg5MQ==

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248552127_Late_Permian-Mesozoic_events_and_the_Mergui_group_Nappe_in_Myanmar_and_Thailand?el=1_x_8&enrichId=rgreq-2eb4530e-8ce6-4257-a394-297565511c83&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzI2NzAyODkwMztBUzoxNjIxODE2MjI1NDIzMzZAMTQxNTY3ODUyMDg5MQ==

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240491313_Tectonic_evolution_of_the_Mogok_Metamorphic_Belt_Burma_Myanmar_constrained_by_U-Th-Pb_dating_of_metamorphic_and_magmatic_rocks?el=1_x_8&enrichId=rgreq-2eb4530e-8ce6-4257-a394-297565511c83&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzI2NzAyODkwMztBUzoxNjIxODE2MjI1NDIzMzZAMTQxNTY3ODUyMDg5MQ==

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223354060_The_South_East_Asian_tin_belt?el=1_x_8&enrichId=rgreq-2eb4530e-8ce6-4257-a394-297565511c83&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzI2NzAyODkwMztBUzoxNjIxODE2MjI1NDIzMzZAMTQxNTY3ODUyMDg5MQ==

2 The main metallogenic provinces of Myanmar as referred to in the text. Geological map based on the recently pub-

lished Myanmar Geosciences Society Geological map of Myanmar (MGS, 2013)



3 Schematic of the Southeast Asian granite belts – after Cobbing et al. (1986) and Gardiner et al. (2014b)



1996). In a typical deposit, Sn and W are found asvarying proportions of cassiterite and wolframite-richpegmatite bodies and greisen-bordered quartz veins,both within the granite, and intruding the country rock.There is marked regional zoning, with W becomingprogressively more dominant over Sn towards the north(Chhibber, 1934).This belt might be referred to as a Wprovince with subsidiary Sn mineralisation (Khin Zaw,1990). Many occurrences of Sn–W are located in theDawei (Tavoy) District (Fig. 4a; Coggin Brown andHeron, 1923). At Hermyingyi W–Sn mine near Dawei,more than 300 NS-trending wolframite- and cassiterite-bearing quartz veins crop out for up to 1 km in thecupola of a granite (Fig. 4b; Khin Zaw, 1990). In thePhuket area to the south, Garson et al. (1975) describedstanniferous lepidotite pegmatite, and mica-tourmalinepegmatite which also contained significant amounts ofwolframite, monazite, and REE- and Yttrium-bearingminerals in association with the cassiterite. A GIS-basedpattern of primary outcrops of various commodities inMyanmar shows an obvious clustering of tin-tungstendeposits (in red) in the south of the country (Fig. 5).

The Mawchi mineThe Mawchi tin–tungsten mine is located within KarenState, some 250 km northeast of Yangon (Rangoon;Fig. 2). It was once one of the largest global producersof W, accounting for some 60% of total Myanmar W

production from 1939 to 1940, the country itself beingresponsible for some 17% of global W production at thattime (Khin Zaw and Khin Myo Thet, 1983).

In the Mawchi district, the Mawchi granite intrudesthe metasedimentary rocks of the Slate Belt MerguiGroup (Fig. 6). This granite is a relatively smallintrusion of porphyritic biotite granite, considered tobe a highly fractionated S-type (Khin Zaw, 1990). It wasemplaced into the meta-argillite of the Slate Belt, as wellas into a prominent limestone roof-pendant thatpartially overlies the granite cupola. This limestonependant had acted as a cap to mineralising fluidscirculating in fractures within the granite where theyformed well-defined veins up to 2?5 m wide. The veinsare present to a lesser extent as stockwork in thesurrounding Slate Belt metasedimentary rocks (Hobson,1940; Khin Zaw and Khin Myo Thet, 1983).

At the Mawchi mine economic Sn–W grades, whichdecrease with depth, are localised within a granitecupola immediately below a limestone cap, althoughno skarn or Cornish-style metal zonation are recognised(Hobson, 1940; Robb and Arce, 2014). Although themineralisation at Mawchi is not significantly zoned, Wcontents are highest in the lower sections of themineralised zone, with Sn contents generally increasingupwards at the expense of W. In many Myanmardeposits, W content exceeded that of Sn within themineralised veins hosted in the Slate Belt country rock

4 a primary tin–tungsten mineralisation at Bawapin Mine, Dawei District; b in-situ tin–tungsten at Hermyingyi Mine,

Dawei District; c example of primary gold in quartz vein, Kyaukpon-Huku Gold District, Mon State; d samples of

Kachin State Jade on display at the Mandalay Jade Market. All photos by NJG



5 Image based on the Oxford GIS database, showing primary lead–zinc, tin–tungsten and gold deposits and workings in

Myanmar, and locations referred to in the text



(Hobson, 1940), and this would appear to be the case inthe Bulawber tungsten workings at Mawchi where veinsare contained entirely in the country rock. Mineralisedveins comprise an early generation of wolframite andcassiterite, together with paragenetically later molybde-nite, bismuthinite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite and mag-netite. Fluorite is a common gangue mineral particularlyin the upper portions of the ore body, whereas topaz andlepidolite, in contrast, are uncommon. Substantial late-stage kaolinite occurs throughout. Some workers havesuggested that wolframite precipitated prior to cassiter-ite for a short interval, and that the two minerals co-precipitated thereafter (Dunn, 1938; Hobson, 1940).Veins typically do not exhibit greissenised margins, buttourmaline is pronounced along vein selvedges andwithin altered granite. Quartz-tourmaline aggregateswithin the main mass of granite and well away fromveins commonly contain significant cassiterite andwolframite concentrations.

Orogenic goldGold (Au) mineralisation has been recognised atnumerous localities throughout the Slate Belt (Mitchell

et al., 1999), occurring within quartz-pyrite stringers andveinlets (Fig. 4c), and in general is inferred to be oforogenic type (Mitchell et al., 2004). There is nopreferential association of Au mineralisation with theCretaceous-Eocene granite intrusions (Mitchell et al.,1999), textural evidence implying that the Au miner-alisation predates their emplacement (Mitchell et al.,2004), although the exact age of mineralisation remainsunclear.

Modi Taung-Nankwe gold districtThe Modi Taung-Nankwe gold district (Fig. 2) lieswithin the Slate Belt in central Myanmar (Fig. 7), andmeasures 25 km long by up to 5 km wide. Here withinthe Mergui Group, two formations are recognised: theKogwe Mudstone and the Poklokkale Pebby Wacke,Mineralised veins, hosted by the pebbly mudstone,siltstone and sandstone of the Kogwe MudstoneGroup, outcrop at approximately 1300 m elevation(Mitchell et al., 2004). Maximum vein width is some1?5 m, and almost all veins lie oblique to bedding. Themudstone-hosted veins form well-defined tabular orebodies, whereas in the sandstone and siltstone they

6 Mawchi district geology: a geological map of the Slate Belt in the Mawchi region; b cross-section A–A’ through the

Mawchi granite. From Robb and Arce (2014)



become more dispersed, forming stock-works or sheetedveinlets.

In the adits developed at Modi Taung-Nankwe duringthe exploration phase, grade varies from 20 to ,2 ppm

Au. The high-grade veins were invariably hosted bymudstone, with lower values where the vein enters asandstone host. In addition to Au, other metals includedAs, Ag, Bi, Cr and Cd. Sulphides were also present,

7 Simplified geological map of the Modi Taung-Nankwe Gold District. From Mitchell et al. (2004)



including pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, and rarer sphaler-ite and chalcopyrite; high Au values were associatedwith pyrite. The poorly constrained age of the ModiTaung-Nankwe mineralisation has been stratigraphi-cally bracketed between late Permian and mid Jurassic(Mitchell et al., 2004).

Gold mineralisation hosted within marble, andassociated with the intrusion of Cretaceous I-typegranite, is found at several localities within the MogokMetamorphic Belt. The Shante gold belt, some 50 kmsouth of Mogok, is a 500 km2 district comprising high-Tphlogopite-bearing marble which hosts occasionalquartz veins with gold and associated base metal (Znand Pb) sulphides.

The Shan Plateau: lead, zinc, silverThe Shan Plateau in eastern Myanmar (Fig. 2) largelycomprises Ordovician-Triassic carbonate rocks whichoverlie the Precambrian metasedimentary rocks of theChaung Magyi Group, the Cambrian PangyunFormation and the associated Cambro-OrdovicianBawdwin Volcanics (Mitchell et al., 1977). In addition,S-type granite plutons, which outcrop towards thecentre and east of the Shan Plateau, are interpreted asa northwards extension of the Central Province ofCobbing et al. (1992), running through Thailand andMalaysia. In places these granites host tin mineralisation(U Kyi Htun, pers. comm.., 2013). A number of knownlead–zinc mines within the Shan Plateau lie in a broadNE–SW orientated belt extending from the Shan Scarpup to the Chinese border (Fig. 5). The Bawdwin minerepresents the most significant of these deposits.

The Bawdwin MineThe Bawdwin Mine and Namtu smelter complex arelocated in the Northern Shan States, 80 km from theborder of mainland China, and 60 km northwest ofLashio (Fig. 2). Artisanal Chinese silver (Ag) mines datefrom the 1400s. In the early twentieth century the Britishnoticed that the slag dumps resulting from the silverworkings were extremely lead-rich, and the BurmaMines Corporation was formed to properly developthe resource as a Pb–Zn producer. Prior to World WarII the Bawdwin Mine was the world’s largest producerof Pb, and one of the largest producers of Ag. Inaddition, Zn and Ni were also mined. By the late 1960s itwas estimated that there was still some 6 million tons ofavailable ore at 11% Pb, 5?6% Zn and 7?8 oz/t Ag(United Nations, 1966).

Whereas many 1980s workers classified the Bawdwindeposit as Kuroko style (Brinckmann and Hinze, 1981;Hopwood, 1985), more recent genetic models include asiliciclastic-felsic volcanogenic massive sulphide-typeclassification (Gardiner et al., 2014a). Bawdwin consistsof three principal massive sulphide lodes dipping 70u Wto vertical with a vertical extent of at least 500 m, and ahorizontal strike length of 1500 m. Host rocks comprisethe Cambro-Ordovician metasedimentary rocks of thePangyun Formation, and tuffs and rhyolites of theBawdwin Volcanics (see Fig. 8). The tuffs and Pangyunsedimentary rocks are intercalated, implying they wereco-depositional. The massive sulphide mineralisation atBawdwin is principally hosted by the tuffs and rhyolites,and as textural evidence suggests this mineralisation isrelated both spatially and temporally to the BawdwinVolcanics, it is therefore dated at Cambro-Ordovician

8 Schematic cross-section of the Northern Shan States and the Bawdwin Deposit. From Gardiner et al. (2014a), after

Mitchell et al. (1977)



by the association of the Bawdwin Volcanics with thePangyun sedimentary rocks.

The mineralisation zone at Bawdwin is cut by twoprincipal cross-faults (the Yunnan and the Hsenwi).These are both now considered to be post-mineralisa-tion, and interpreted to have separated a single ore bodyinto the three lodes recognised today (Gardiner et al.,2014a). Later regional tilting is assumed to be respon-sible for the steep inclination of the ore bodies.Mineralisation at Bawdwin comprises dominantlygalena-sphalerite with elevated Ag, and low grade Cu-bearing footwall stockwork.

Other lead–zinc deposits in the Shan PlateauThe isolated nature of the Bawdwin volcanogenicmassive sulphide-style mineralisation is anomalous inMyanmar, although other Pb–Zn mines are recognisedin the Shan Plateau. The Yadana Theingi Mine, some50 km south of Bawdwin, hosts galena-barite oreswithin a NW-striking shear zone, interpreted asMississippi Valley type mineralisation. The Bawsaing(or Theingon) mine, sited near HeHo in the southernShan States, is a Pb–Zn–Ag deposit, and is considered tobe a stratabound, carbonate-hosted Mississippi Valleytype deposit (Khin Zaw et al., 1993). The Moho Chaungmine is sited 50 km northeast of Bawdwin, and is asandstone-hosted Pb–Zn–Ag deposit, i.e. likely to be aSEDEX deposit.

The Wuntho-Popa arc: copper and goldThe west-facing Wuntho-Popa magmatic arc (Fig. 2) inwestern Myanmar represents a discontinuous belt ofboth intrusive and volcanic rocks extending 500 kmnorthwards from Mount Popa in central Myanmar, andexposes a number of inliers surrounded by Miocene-Recent sedimentary cover. The two principal inliers arethe northerly 160 km-long Wuntho-Banmauk segment,and the Monywa-Salingyi segment in central-southMyanmar. Both inliers show similar geology: a marinesequence of limestones, mudstones and pillow basaltsintruded by Mesozoic–Cenozoic granodiorite plutons,smaller calc-alkaline intrusions and with later Pliocenevolcanic rocks. The metaluminous chemistry of thegranite, the presence of magnetite, and the existence ofporphyry-type Cu–Au and epithermal Au deposits, allimply dominantly I-type subduction-related granites(Khin Zaw, 1990; Mitchell et al., 2012). The Wuntho-Popa Arc is underlain by the Burma Seismic Zone, andthe observed calc-alkaline magmatism is suggestive of anAndean-type setting.

Chhibber (1934) documented metallogenic deposits inthe vicinity of the Wuntho-Popa Arc, describing anumber of base metal and gold occurrences. In the early1970s, the Wuntho-Popa Arc was recognised as avolcanic setting (United Nations, 1978), leading to are-evaluation of the possibility of epithermal andporphyry-type mineralisation. In the late 1990s it wasconsidered that two types of mineralisation prevailedwithin the Wuntho-Popa Arc: porphyry Cu–Mo, andepithermal-polymetallic Au–Cu–Ag (United Nations,1996); however since then several other settings havebeen recognised.

Mineralisation in the Wuntho-Popa Arc is confined totwo principal districts: Monywa towards the south, andthe Wuntho-Banmauk inlier farther north (Fig. 2).

Historically, most Au production in the region has beenfrom Late Cretaceous high-grade auriferous veins foundboth in granodiorite and surrounding host rocks, andfrom derived placers in the Wuntho region (Chhibber,1934). Au mineralisation is also recognised within theTagaung-Myitkyina Belt lying farther north in KachinState, and interpreted as a possible extension to theWuntho-Popa Arc (Mitchell et al., 1999). Porphyry Cu–Au prospects have been recognised at Shangalon nearWuntho (United Nations, 1996; Mitchell et al., 2011).Mesothermal sediment-hosted Au workings atKyaukpahto are likely to be genetically related tomovement on the Sagaing Fault.

Wuntho district gold mineralisationGold mineralisation in the Wuntho district is largelyconfined to the Banmauk-Wuntho inlier. Here, it isfound principally as Au-bearing quartz or quartz-carbonate veins, which are exploited in small scalemines at Au grades of 20–100 g/t Au (Mitchell et al.,1999), and lie within the Late Cretaceous granodioritelocally extending into the schist and volcanic countryrocks (United Nations, 1978; Khin Zaw, 1990; Mitchellet al., 2012).

Similar Au veins are also found farther north in theMabein District, within the Tagaung-Myitkyina Belt,and here Mitchell et al. (1999) make reference toepithermal Au-bearing veins found within stronglysilicified host rocks of Upper Oligocene-LowerMiocene mudstone and sandstone. Low sulphidationepithermal Au quartz veins are also reported from southof Shangalon (United Nations, 1996).

Kyaukpahto gold mineThe Kyaukpahto gold mine is possibly the largestproducing Au mine in Myanmar, and is sited inKawlin Township, northern Myanmar (Fig. 2). Themineralisation is not strictly related to magmatism in theWuntho-Popa Arc, but instead is strongly associatedwith a system of extensional faulting. NNE-trendingextensional faults formed by a component of dextralstrike-slip movement on the Sagaing Fault (Ye MyintSwe et al., 2004) host stockwork epithermal Aumineralisation developed within the Wuntho-PopaArc. Veins with pyrite, chalcopyrite and arsenopyriteare best developed in competent silicified sandstonelocally extending into the adjacent mudstone of theLower-Mid Eocene Male Formation (Mitchell et al.,1999). These host rocks have undergone intense hydro-thermal alteration including silicification which appearsto be critical for the genesis of the veining. Veins aregenerally confined to silicified sandstone, although theyare rarely present in the mudstone.

Monywa copper mineAt the Monywa copper mine, near Monywa within theWuntho-Popa Arc in central-western Myanmar (Fig. 2),high sulphidation epithermal mineralisation is inferredto be underlain by a mid-Miocene pluton (Mitchellet al., 2011). Two of the recognised four major depositswhich provided a resource of 2 billion tonnes of 0?26%Cu are in active production at the time of writing(Sabetaung and Sabetaung South), thereby providingMonywa world-class status, eclipsed as a Cu deposit inSoutheast Asia only by the Grasberg mine in Indonesia,



and by the Tampakan high sulphidation Cu–Ag depositin the Philippines (e.g. Middleton et al., 2004).

Prominent topographic highs define the essentiallybarren oxidised leached caps which are up to 200 m inthickness. These overlie transition and hypogene coppersulphide ore hosted by andesite dykes and sills, whichintrude the sandstone and pyroclastic rocks of theMagyigon Formation (Fig. 9). Synchronous uplift anderosion are interpreted to have promoted the develop-ment of a supergene enriched zone to a depth of 200 mwhich hosts 75% of the Cu resource. Cu grades decreasewith depth from just below the base of the oxidised zone,and within the leached caps Cu values of 150 ppm andbelow reflect a high pyrite to Cu ratio. Monywatherefore exhibits a highly efficient supergene leachingprocess, which has been explained by the unusually highpyrite content, uninterrupted uplift, and the consistentequilibrium with the water table (Mitchell et al., 2011).

Whereas the main hypogene ore minerals found atMonywa are digenite-chalcocite, covellite and minorenargite, typical of high-suphidation epithermal depos-its, Monywa differs from many other high sulphidationdeposits in the absence of associated economic Augrades, and in the scarcity of large bodies of replacementquartz. This lack of Au is thought to be the result ofexposure of a deep epithermal system in which hypogeneCu minerals were not necessarily overlain by Aumineralisation (Kyaw Win and Kirwin, 1998).

Other metallogenic provincesGemstones and JadeMyanmar is an important producer of quality rubies,sapphires and jade. Rubies are largely found within the

Mogok Stone Tract (Chhibber, 1934), close to Mogokitself (Fig. 2). Rubies are hosted within high temperature(ruby) corundum-phlogopite-bearing marbles of theMogok Metamorphic Belt, formed by collision-relatedmetamorphism (Searle et al., 2007), and are extractedfrom concentrations within byons, or thick lateritic soilhorizons (Waltham, 1999), which at Mogok are usually5–6 m below the valley surface, and between 1–2 mthick (Keller, 1983). In addition to the ruby marbles,alkaline intrusive rocks, principally nepheline syenites,are common throughout the Mogok region (Iyer, 1953),and they contain gem-quality sapphires. These sapphiresare thought to be the result of crustal contamination andpartial melting of lower crust during high-temperatureintra-continental alkaline magmatism.

In the north, three metamorphic belts splay off of theSagaing Fault; the western-most one is the Jade MinesBelt in Kachin state (Fig. 2). This is a high-pressuremetamorphic belt of ultramafic material, thought to be arelic ophiolite. Here, mantle-derived harzburgite andlherzolite have high-pressure jadeitite mineralogy asso-ciated with peridotite and with rare eclogite. This beltwas mapped in detail by both Chhibber (1934) and Iyer(1953), but since then has been largely off-limits towestern geologists and not studied further. Due toaccessibility issues, much of the mined Myanmar Jade issourced as boulders in young river gravels along thebanks of the Uru River near Hpakan (Fig. 4d).

Chromium and platinum group minerals are foundassociated with ophiolite complexes in Kachin State (SoeWin and Marlar Myo Myint, 1998). There are two principalnickel laterite deposits in Myanmar; Mwetaung in the ChinHills to the west, and Tagaung Taung near Mandalay(Chhibber, 1934; Soe Win and Marlar Myo Myint, 1998).

9 Schematic northwest-southeast section through the Monywa copper mine district. This shows speculative geology at

depth, and possible intrusions. Taken from Mitchell et al. (2011)



The current minerals industry inMyanmarThe current mining industry in Myanmar was worth$62m (USD) in 2010 (ICMM, 2012), against a 2012gross domestic product of $53Billion (CIA, 2013);mining therefore currently contributes some 0?1% toMyanmar’s domestic gross domestic product. Given thecountry’s extraordinary wealth in natural resources, thisrepresents an industry that is currently hugely under-developed. Recent production figures for major com-modities are given in Table 1. At the time of writing, anew mining law is under preparation.

SummaryMyanmar as a minerals jurisdiction comprises one of themost diverse and richly endowed collections of naturalresources in Southeast Asia, and as a country retainshuge potential for the growth of its mining industry –both through the rehabilitation of old workings, and bythe discovery of new ore deposits. The country is slowlyopening up both politically and economically, and,despite expected and ongoing challenges with regards tothe operating environment, it is now timely for industryand academics alike to start to revisit Myanmar as anexciting emerging minerals jurisdiction.

Acknowledgements

Raphael Martin of Dark Capital is acknowledged forfinancial support of the Myanmar project. The authorsthank Andrew Mitchell for numerous conversations. UHtun Lynn Shein of Myanma Precious ResourcesGroup is thanked for assistance and access. DaveSansom is acknowledged for drafting. Greg Corbettand an anonymous reviewer are thanked for their inputsduring the review process to help improve the manu-script. Finally, I am indebted to a number of consultingMyanmar geologists for their interest, assistance andadvice, including: U Myint Thein Htay, U Aung Tin, UKyi Htun, U Nyunt Htay and U Kyaing Sein.

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AnnllaL GeoLogicaL Conference '96 .~~~~_ June 8-9,1996, Kola KinabaLlI, Sabah

The settings and styles of gold mineralization in Southeast Asia

S.L. GARWIN

Newmont Southeast Asia Lim ited Wisma Standard Chartered Bank 14th Floor, JI. Sudirman Kav. 33A

Jakarta 10220, Indonesia

Abstract: Gold mineralization in Southeast Asia is associated with a wide range of deposit styles. This study incorporates 90 gold and copper-gold deposits, including porphyry, skarn, carbonate-base metalgold, volcanic-hosted high- and low-sulfidation epithermal, quartz lode, volcanogenic massive sulfide and disseminated sediment-hosted. The combined past production and current resources of these deposits exceeds 6,800 tonnes of gold and 50 million tonnes of copper. The majority of the gold is contained in porphyry (64%), low-sulfidation epithermal (17%), carbonate-base metal-gold (7%) and skarn (4%) deposits. Approximately 90% of these deposits (> 95% of the gold) are associated with middle to late Cenozoic magmatic arcs.

Fourteen major magmatic arcs and several secondary arcs of Cenozoic age form a complex border to the Sundaland craton and the northern margin of the Australian platform. This volcano-plutonic chain extends more than 12,000 km from Taiwan in the northeast, through the Philippines and Indonesia, to Myanmar in the northwest. The arcs are constructed on basement formed from oceanic and continental crust. In northern Taiwan, gold deposits are hosted by Pleistocene intrusions. The Philippines and Indonesia hold more than 90% of the known gold in the region. This mineralization is contained in deposits which cluster along short sectors of middle Tertiary to Pleistocene arcs. In East Malaysia, gold is related to Neogene intrusions and in northcentral Myanmar, mineralization is associated with a middle to late Tertiary arc sector. Porphyry and epithermal mineralization styles predominate, while skarn, carbonate-base metal-gold, sediment-hosted and volcanogenic massive sulfide/exhalative deposits are less abundant.

Mainland Southeast Asia is a composite of four major crustal plates or terranes, each defined by a series of tectonostratigraphic belts formed upon pre-Cenozoic continental basement. These include cratonic platforms, fold belts, magmatic arcs, volcano-sedimentary rift basins, and metamorphic terrains. Late Paleozoic to Mesozoic volcano-plutonic arcs parallel fold belts which have developed along continental margins adjacent to intra-plate collision zones. Mineralization within these fold belts is commonly localized within anticlines or in structurally complex regions. Other prospective geological settings are suture zones, major strike-slip faults , structural domes and the margins of rift basins. Gold mineralization occurs in quartz lode (common), skarn and porphyry (subordinate), and disseminated sediment-hosted, massive sulfide and volcanic-hosted epithermal (minor) systems.

Gold mineralization in Southeast Asia is spatially and temporally related to intrusions and volcanic centers. Porphyry, skarn and high-sulfidation epithermal deposits are closely related to intrusions emplaced at shallow depths. Low-sulfidation epithermal systems, including vein, stockwork and minor disseminated styles, typically are located within or adjacent to volcanic centers. Carbonate-base metalgold deposits occupy diatreme settings in the deeper portions of low-sulfidation epithermal systems. Disseminated sediment-hosted deposits occur in calcareous rock sequences in both proximal and distal settings to intrusions. Volcanogenic massive sulfide and exhalative deposits are developed in sea floor extensional settings. Quartz lodes are typically structurally-controlled and hosted by pre-Cenozoic metasedimentary and sedimentary rocks.

INTRODUCTION

Southeast Asia extends approximately 4,000 km from latitude 15°S to 25°N and 5,500 km from longitude 90 0 E to 145°E (Fig. 1). Mainland Southeast Asia forms approximately 45% of the landmass of the region with the remainder divided between numerous islands that comprise the extensive archipelagos of Indonesia and the

Geol. Soc. lJ!faLaYJia, BuLLetin 40, JuLy J 997; pp. 77-111

Philippines. The size of these islands ranges from that of Borneo, the third largest in the world, to small masses of less than one square kilometer. The physiography is varied and punctuated by mountains which reach 5,030 m (Puncak Jaya) in the highlands of Irian J aya, Indonesia. The countries which comprise Southeast Asia are Brunei, Indonesia, Kampuchea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and

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THE SETIINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 79

Vietnam. Southern China, technically part of Southeast Asia, is not included in this paper.

The primary aim of this paper is to briefly describe the geologic settings and differing styles of gold mineralization in Southeast Asia. Gold is most abundant in the Cenozoic magmatic arcs of the Philippine and Indonesian archipelagos. Significant gold deposits which occur in preCenozoic metallogenic belts in mainland Southeast Asia are placed in context of tectonostratigraphic terranes and magmatic arcs. Descriptions of deposit styles and grade-tonnage distributions comprise the focus of the paper.

I have attempted to accurately compile the work of other geoscientists into a uniform base in the hope that these data will be of use to exploration geologists working in Southeast Asia. Interpretation of others' data and estimates of deposit grade and size are included when necessary.

This paper is a condensed version of a more comprehensive work currently in preparation. Therefore, the text explains only the major aspects illustrated in the figures.

Historic Mining Activities

Mining of placer and lode gold deposits began in ancient times in the majority of the countries in Southeast Asia. Significant historic mining sites and regions are illustrated in Figure 2.

In northern Taiwan, the Chinkuashih coppergold district produced over 92 tonnes of gold from 1898 to 1987 (Tan, 1991). In the Philippines, significant production was achieved prior to the second world war from gold districts in Baguio, Paracale, Masbate and Surigao. The Baguio district has produced more than 800 tonnes of gold from lode gold and porphyry copper deposits (Mitchell and Balce, 1990). In Indonesia, nearly 80 tonnes of gold was recovered from the Lebong Tandai and Lebong Donok lodes in the Bengkulu district of Sumatra during 1896 to 1941 (van Bemmelen, 1949). The Paleleh and Totok (Ratatotok) districts of northern Sulawesi produced over 13 tonnes of combined gold from lode and eluvial deposits (van der Ploeg, 1945).

In Peninsular Malaysia, the Raub-Australian lode produced approximately 30 tonnes of gold from 1889 to 1961 (Lee et al., 1986). In the Bau district of Sarawak, 31 tonnes of gold were recovered from primary and eluvial deposits between 1899 and 1921, largely from the Tai Parit open pit (Wilford, 1955). The remaining countries of Southeast Asia have sustained limited gold production from alluvium in the Myitkyina district of Myanmar and lode deposits in southern Thailand (Toh Moh), Kampuchea (Bo Sup Trup) and Vietnam (Bong Mieu). No significant production is recorded for

July 1997

Laos. However, ancient to recent artisinal mining has exploited alluvium in several localities.

Recent Developments

There has been a marked increase in the exploration and development of mineral resources in Southeast Asia during the past decade. These activities were undertaken by national and foreign companies and on a small-scale by local miners. Significant technical work was accomplished by Southeast Asian geological survey groups and bureaus of mines, the United Nations, the Metal Mining Agency of Japan and overseas geological survey organizations.

Extensive exploration in Indonesia since the middle 1980's has led to significant discoveries. Several large gold mines have been developed, including Grasberg (copper-gold), Kelian, Mesel, Mt. Muro and Wetar. Recent discoveries include the Batu Hijau copper-gold deposit and the Busang gold deposit. Indonesia is currently the focus of a major gold boom. Foreign and local companies have lodged claims through out the archipelago. The recent history of minerals exploration and development in Indonesia is well documented by van Leeuwen (1994).

Significant discoveries in the Philippines during the past decade include the Dinkidi copper-gold deposit, the Co-O lode, and the Diwalwal and Compestela gold rush areas. The passing into law of a new minerals code in 1995 has stimulated investment and initiated a rush to stake claims through out the country.

Exploration in mainland Southeast Asia, including Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam is significant, but to a lesser extent than exploration in Indonesia and the Philippines. This likely reflects the lesser abundance of large gold discoveries in the past and/or challenges presented by mining legislation, or the lack thereof. The mineral codes and laws in each of these countries either have been modified during the past five years or are currently in the process of revision. Mineral agreements have been signed, exploration undertaken and small to moderate sized gold deposits discovered, the largest of which is Xepon in southcentral Laos, the discovery of which was announced in 1995.

Gold Endowment and Recent Production

Southeast Asia is moderately well endowed in gold resources. Figure 3a shows the number of deposits containing 10 tonnes of gold resource (including past production) or more in each country. The enhanced endowments of the Philippines and Indonesia are clear, and rank far above the other countries in the region. Figure 3b illustrates the

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THE SETTINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 81

~~---------------------------------------------.

43

Laos Myanmar Taiwan ThaIland Vietnam

~ c: c: g2000

C ...J o C!l

3567

Figure 3a. Number of Southeast Asian deposits which contain gold resources in excess of 10 tonnes (including past production), by country. Papua New Guinea is included for comparison.

Figure 3b. Gold endowment of Southeast Asian deposits which contain gold resources in excess oflO tonnes (including past production), by country. Papua New Indonesia Philippines Malaysia Taiwan Vietnam Laos Thailand Myanmar

U) Q) c: c: g C ...J o C!l

Indonesia

JuLy 1997

Papua New Guinea

Guinea

PhlDppines Malaysia VIetnam

0,4

ThaIland

Figure 3c. Gold production from Southeast Asian countries in 1995, after Goldfields (1996).

82 S.L. GARWIN

total gold content for each country, determined from the deposits indicated in Figure 3a. Again, the overwhelming significance of Indonesia and the Philippines is apparent. However, it is important to note that approximately 50% of Indonesia's gold lies in the Grasberg copper-gold deposit. Gold lodes in the Baguio district of the Philippines constitute more than 18% of the total gold endowment of the Philippines. Papua New Guinea, considered to be richly endowed in gold and copper resources, contains a slightly greater gold abundance than those of Indonesia and the Philippines. The deposit database from which the Southeast Asian country figures are derived is included in Appendices 1 through 4.

The official gold production in Southeast Asia for 1986 to 1995 is predominately from the Philippines (340 tonnes), Indonesia (313 tonnes), Malaysia (32 tonnes) and Vietnam (9 tonnes), with only minor production from the remaining countries (Goldfields, 1996). As a comparison, Australia's official gold production for the same period totals 2,026 tonnes and that of Papua New Guinea totals 483 tonnes. Southeast Asian gold production in 1995 totaled 107.8 tonnes. The majority of this amount (Fig. 3c) was produced from Indonesia (74.1 tonnes, 69%), followed by the Philippines (28.4 tonnes, 26%), Malaysia (3.2 tonnes, 3%) and Vietnam (1.7 tonnes, 2%). For the same year, Australian gold production was 254 tonnes and that of Papua New Guinea was 54.8 tonnes.

CENOZOIC MAGMATIC ARCS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

Fourteen major magmatic arcs and several secondary arcs of Cenozoic age form a complex border to the Sundaland craton and the northern margin of the Australian platform (Fig. 4). This volcano-plutonic chain extends more than 12,000 km from Taiwan in the northeast, through the Philippines and Indonesia, to Myanmar in the northwest. The arcs are constructed on geologic basement formed from oceanic and continental crust. The geometries of individual arc segments are complex, and are the product of subduction, locally involving polarity reversals, obduction, arcarc and arc-continent collisions, rifting and transcurrent faulting. Hamilton (1979) and Hutchison (1989) provide comprehensive reviews of the tectonic elements and processes which characterize the region. Hall (1995) presents plate tectonic reconstructions for the Tertiary. Previous descriptions of various magmatic arcs in the context of gold mineralization include those of Mitchell and Leach (1991) for the Philippines and Carlile and Mitchell (1994) for Indonesia.

The ages of the magmatic arcs span from the late Mesozoic through the Cenozoic time. However, gold and related copper mineralization occur almost exclusively in those arc sectors developed during the middle to late Cenozoic (Figs. 5 to 9). In northern Taiwan, gold deposits are hosted by Pleistocene intrusions. In the Philippines and Indonesia, gold deposits cluster along short sectors of middle Tertiary to Pleistocene arcs. In eastern Malaysia, gold mineralization is related to Neogene intrusions and in northcentral Myanmar, gold is associated with a middle to late Tertiary arc sector. The primary reason for the great abundance of gold deposits in the middle Tertiary to Pleistocene arcs is related to erosion. In middle to late Quaternary arcs, uplift and erosion have not exposed mineralization. In contrast, in the Cretaceous and early Paleogene arcs, erosion has largely removed potentially economic deposits.

The major mineralized magmatic arcs of Southeast Asia include the: (i) Ryukyu in northern Taiwan, (ii) Luzon Central Cordillera, Western Luzon, Cordon, Philippine, Masbate-Negros, SuluZamboanga and Cotobato in the Philippines, (iii) North Sulawesi-Sangihe, Halmahera, Medial Irian Jaya (Central Range-Papuan fold and thrust belt), Sunda-Banda and Central Kalimantan in Indonesia, and (iv) Burman in Myanmar. Secondary arcs in the Philippines, Indonesia and Eastern Malaysia also host gold mineralization, but to a lesser extent than the primary arcs.

The Neogene Kinabalu pluton and satellite intrusions in Sabah, Malaysia occur in a unique setting, in that these bodies do not lie along a defined magmatic arc and lack coeval volcanics.

Porphyry and epithermal mineralization styles predominate, while skarn, carbonate-base metalgold, sediment-hosted and volcanogenic massive sulfide/exhalative deposits are less abundant.

TECTONOSTRATIGRAPHIC TERRANES OF MAINLAND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Mainland Southeast Asia consists of several tectonostratigraphic belts, which represent four major crustal blocks or terranes (Fig. 10). From west to east, these are: (i) the Burma Plate, (ii) the Shan-Thai Craton and marginal fold belts ofNam Tha-Sukothai and the Western belt of Peninsular Malaysia, (iii) the Indochina Plate and marginal fold belts of Luang Prabang-Loei-Petchabun, Siem Reap and the Central and Eastern belts of Peninsular Malaysia, and (iv) the South China Plate. The boundaries between these terranes are delineated by major sutures, which are commonly characterized by ophiolitic belts and structural discontinuities.

Ceo!. Soc. MalaY.1ia, Bulletin 40

~ «-..... ~ ~

+ + + +

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Pre-Mesozoic Continental Basement

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Q Australian Platform and related fragments

D Rifted crust and continental fragments

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Mz Mesozoic basement of eastern Kalimantan

---------~----------------~-------

0"

(Xl Figure 4. Tectonic framework of Southeast Asia, modified after Hamilton (1979), Hutchison (1989), Mitchell and Leach (1991) and Carlile and Mitchell (1994). The (iJ

distribution of pre-Mesozoic continental basement, Cenozoic magmatic arcs and trench systems are indicated.

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~ Figurp. 5. Location ofthp. major gold and copper-gold depmlitR of Southeast ARia, r.enozoic magmatic areR are modified from Mitchell and Leach (1991) and Carlile and Mitchell (1994).

(X) ~

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THE SETIINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MiNERALIZATiON IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

t>.l::::J Cenozoic magmatic arc

.A' Trench· Teeth on , overiding plate

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Figure 6. Cenozoic magmatic arcs of the Philippines, modified after BMG (1982) and Mitchell and Leach (1992). Magmatic arcs in the Cebu-Bohol region are not well constrained.

JuLy 1997

86

DEPOSITS and PROSPECTS

Skarn .. Carbonate-base metal-Au 0

Epithermal hi~h-sulfidation 0

Epithermal low-sulfidation 0

Massive sulfide + Disseminated sediment hosted x Small prospects and workings

• Gold district or region

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ttl

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+

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125'E

Figure 7. Location of the major gold deposits, prospects and districts of the Philippines, compiled after several sources, including BMG (1986), Mitchell and Leach (1991) and UNDP (1992).

GeoL. Soc. Ma LaYJia, BuLLetin 40

THE SETIINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

12O'E

f) DEPOSITS PROSPECTS

Porphyry Copper-Gold •

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125"E

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125"E

Figure 8. Location of the major porphyry copper-gold deposits and prospects of the Philippines, modified after Sillitoe and Gappe (1984) and BMG (1986).

JuLy 1997

500Mls

PENINSULAR MALAYSIA 0

BAU-SUBAN xBau

District

SINGAPORE

~<;:)NW. KALiMArvTAN

INDIA N OCEAN

. nd Prospects Deposits a _

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- Solid lines inactive dashed where

Figure 9. ""' . h , n (1994) I Carlile and MItc

ex> ex>

en r-

25"

15"

5"

THE SETTINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

95"

ANDAMAN SEA

~ Burma Plate

[] Shan - Thai Craton

a --- --- Indochina Plate

0 South China Plate

m Quaternary alluvium

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Belt or terrane boundary

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95"

105"

OJ ::c

105"

SOUTH CHINA PLATE

SOUTH CHINA

SEA

450 Kms

25

15"

5"

Figure 10. Tectonic framework of mainland Southeast Asia, compiled from several sources, including Fontaine and Workman (1978), UNDP (1978), Hutchison (1989), GSV (1991) and GSM (1993).

July 1997

89

90 S.L. GARWIN

The final amalgamation of these terranes occurred during the collision of the Shan-Thai Craton (Gondwana affinity) with the Indochina Plate (Cathyasian affinity) during the middle to late Triassic (Bunopas, 1981; Hutchison, 1989). The resultant Indosinian Orogeny developed the marginal fold belts of the Shan-Thai and Indochina terranes. In contrast, the Troung Son fold belt of the Indochina Plate is related to the collision between the Indochina and South China Plates in the Carboniferous to early Permian (Fontaine and Workman, 1978; Hutchison, 1989). Late Triassic to Cretaceous continental sedimentary rocks of the Khorat Basin and other smaller epicontinental basins unconformably overlie older lithologic successions in northeastern Thailand, eastern Peninsular Malaysia and Indochina. The tectonic evolution of mainland Southeast Asia is well documented by Gatinsky and Hutchison (1986) and Hutchison (1989).

Gold mineralization within the tectonostratigraphic belts generally coincides with the: (i) Cenozoic Burman volcanic arc and back-arc basin (Eastern Trough), (li) Permian to Triassic magmatic arcs within the fold belts of the ShanThai Craton and Indochina Plate, (iii) the Jurassic to Cretaceous Da Lat magmatic arc, and to a lesser extent, (iv) the margins of the Triassic Song Hien volcano-sedimentary rift basin and attenuated crust of the South China Plate (Figs. 10 to 12). Gold deposits and prospects are localized along the eastern and western sides of the Sagaing Fault in Myanmar and associated with late Triassic and Cretaceous to Paleogene intrusions localized in structural domes distributed along a northnortheasterly trending belt in northern Vietnam. The northern margin of the Proterozoic Kontum massif is the focus of gold mineralization in central Vietnam.

Gold and copper-gold deposits are commonly localized within anticlines, structural and intrusive domes, and structurally complex regions. Mineralization styles comprise quartz lode (common), skarn and porphyry (subordinate), and massive sulfide, disseminated sediment-hosted and volcanic-hosted low-sulfidation epithermal (minor) systems.

GOLD DEPOSITS AND MINERALIZATION STYLES

Gold mineralization in Southeast Asia is associated with a wide range of deposit styles. A total of 90 gold and copper-gold deposits are compiled into a database which includes geologic setting, style, and grade-tonnage distributions for the deposits (Appendices 1 through 4). Significant

gold resources are contained in eight major deposit styles. These include: porphyry, skarn, carbonatebase metal-gold, volcanic-hosted high- and lowsulfidation epithermal, quartz lode, volcanogenic massive sulfide and disseminated sediment-hosted types. The distribution of these styles of mineralization with respect to gold districts, magmatic arcs and tectonostratigraphic belts is shown in Figures 5 through 12.

The contained gold contents reported herein include conservative resource figures for the deposits and combined reserves and past production for the mines. In the development of the database, deposits with less than 10 tonnes of cQntained gold were not included unless accurate data were available. Some deposits which contain as little as 6 tonnes of gold are included. Gold occurs as an economic by-product to copper in many Southeast Asian porphyry and skarn deposits. Only porphyry and skarn resources which contain 10 tonnes gold or more and grades above 0.1 glt gold are included.

The combined past production and current resources of these deposits exceeds 6,800 tonnes of gold and 50 million tonnes of copper. The majority of the gold is contained in porphyry (64%), lowsulfidation epitherm~ (17%), carbonate~base metalgold (7%) and skarn (4%) deposits. Approximately 90% of these deposits (97% of the gold) are associated with middle to late Cenozoic magmatic arcs, particularly of Neogene and Pleistocene age (Fig. 13).

Southeast Asia, particularly the mainland region, contains numerous small deposits and prospects and gold placers which are not included in the Appendices. The style and distribution of many of these occurrences are shown in the figures, but are not described in detail in the text.

Brief definitions for each deposit type are included in the sections that follow. In these sections, references to previous publications commonly relate to deposit descriptions. The sources for the resource/reserve and production figures are indicated in Appendices 1 through 3. References to wall rock alteration styles follow the descriptions of Meyer and Hemley (1967).

Porphyry Porphyry copper-gold deposits are characterized

by disseminated and veinlet-controlled copper-iron sulfide mineralization distributed through out a large volume of rock in association with potassium silicate, sericitic, propylitic and less commonly advanced argillic alteration in porphyritic plutons and in the immediate wall rocks (Lowell and Guilbert, 1970). Porphyry deposits are the product of large volume hydrothermal systems related to small volume intrusions emplaced at shallow crustal

Geol. Soc. MalaYJia, Bulletin 40

25°

15°

5°

THE SETTINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

INDIA

ANDAMAN SEA

95°

95°

~J'.\

,

~'-"I , , , ,

-, , ... 1

,' .. ,' ... ~

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VOLCANO - PLUTONIC BELTS:

fA"":Al ~Cenozolc

FH=l I!=!=..!I Jurassic· Cretaceous

I-~-~I Tri ~-v-. asslc

F.:Vl ~ Permian - Triassic

x" " Trend of late Triassic and x Cretaceous - Paleogene

granites

THAILAND

SOUTH CHINA SEA

PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

105°

450 Kms

25

15

5°

Figure 11. Late Paleozoic to Cenozoic volcano-plutonic belts associated with gold and copper mineralization in mainland Southeast Asia, compiled from DMR (1982), Gatinsky and Hutchison (1986), GSV (1991) and GSM (1993).

JuLy 1997

91

92 S.L. GARWIN

15·

ANDAMAN SEA

5·

105· Deposits and Prospects

Porphyry Skarn

• Quartz lode _

Epithermal-low sulfidation 0

Massive sulfide + Disseminated sediment-hosted

Alluvial gold workings

x

Gold district or region

Quaternary alluvium

Jurassic - Cretaceous sedimentary rocks

-M_r- - BONG MIEU Nui Kern

KRUNGPHA

/'·--_*1"0 Nang

"----1I, VIAIHANH

SOUTH CHINA SEA

Lubuk Mandi Alluvials

450 Kms

Figure 12. Location of major gold deposits, prospects and districts of mainland Southeast Asia, compiled from UNDP (1978b), Shawe (1984), GSM (1988), United Nations (1990a, band 1993) and Khin Zaw (1994).

Ceo!. Soc. 111aLaYJia, BIlLLetin -10


MS (43t, 0.6%) (a)

QL (26t, 0.4%) OS (135t, 2.0%)

HS (239t, 3.6%)

CB (474t, 7.1%)

SK (21St, 3.2%)

(b) OS (3Ot, 16%) PO (27t, 15%)

QL (S2t, 29%)

SK (66t, 37%)

a VMS/Exhalative (MS) ~ Porphyry (PO)

IZ22I Skam (SK)

I::-::-::~ High-sulfidation epithermal (HS)

I~ ~ / ~I Low-sulfidation epithermal (LS)

o Quartz Lode (QL) []]] Disseminated sediment-hosted (OS)

I, ~ ~ ~I Carbonate-base metal.gold (CB)

Figure 13. Distribution of gold resources (tonnes, including past production) by deposit type for Southeast Asia. (a) Cenozoic magmatic arcs - total of6,625 tAu contained in 81 deposits. (b) pre-Cenozoic tectonostratigraphic belts -total of 181 t Au contained in 9 deposits.

JuLy 1997

94 S.L. GARWIN

levels. These deposits contain relatively low copper and gold grades.

All the porphyry deposits compiled are hosted in Cenozoic magmatic arcs with the exception of Mamut in Sabah, which is associated with the Neogene Kinabalu adamellite pluton (Kosaka and Wakita, 1978), and Mengapur in Peninsular Malaysia, which is related to the Permian to Triassic Lepar granodiorite intrusion (Lee et al., 1986).

The Grasberg porphyry copper-gold system in Irian Jaya, Indonesia contains a resource of 4,000 Mt at 0.64 g/t Au (2,560 t) and 0.6% Cu (24 Mt) (van Leeuwen, 1994) and a reserve of 1,600 tonnes of gold. The reserves alone account for approximately 25% of the total gold in Southeast Asia. The deposit is hosted by Pliocene diorite to monzonite stocks (3.3 to 2.7 Ma) and an andesite-diorite diatreme complex (MacDonald and Arnold, 1994). The vertical ore distribution exceeds 1,500 m. It is noteworthy that Grasberg is the only documented gold-rich porphyry deposit of Cenozoic age that overlies pre-Mesozoic continental basement in Southeast Asia (Figs. 4 and 5).

Batu Hijau in Sumbawa contains the second largest gold resource in Indonesia and Southeast Asia (469 t Au). Mineralization is genetically related to two stages of Neogene tonalite intrusions emplaced in diorite and andesitic wall rocks (Meldrum et al., 1994; Irianto and Clark, 1995). A late-mineral diatreme is associated with peripheral gold mineralization 2 km northwest of Batu Hijau. The Tombulilato porphyry systems (140 t Au) in northern Sulawesi are hosted by Miocene volcanic rocks and overlying dacite to rhyolite, which are intruded by quartz diorite stocks (Lowder and Dow, 1978; Perello, 1994). Potassium silicate alteration associated with mineralization indicates a Pliocene age (2.9 to 2.3 Ma; Perello, 1994). Significant porphyry copper-gold systems also occur elsewhere in northern Sulawesi, Halmahera, and Sumbawa.

Porphyry copper-gold deposits are abundant in the calc-alkaline Luzon Central Cordillera and Western Luzon arcs of the Philippines and occur to a lesser extent, in Cebu and in the southeastern Mindanao sector of the Philippine arc. These deposits are typically centered about Neogene to Pleistocene quartz diorite to diorite intrusions hosted by late Cretaceous to Paleogene and early Miocene andesitic volcanic and volcaniclastic sequences (Sillitoe and Gappe, 1984). However, basaltic and dacitic host rocks are present and locally indicate Plio-Pleistocene ages. Intra-mineral intrusions and alteration minerals associated with mineralization in the large gold-rich porphyry systems in the Luzon Central Cordillera and Western Luzon arcs are Plio-Pleistocene in age (Sillitoe and Angeles, 1985; Malihan, 1987; Baluda

and Galapan, 1993; Arribas et al., 1995). Deposits which exceed 100 tonnes of contained

gold include Far South East (449 t, Garcia, 1991), Sto. Thomas II (222 t, Sillitoe and Gappe, 1984; Baluda ~d Galapan, 1993), Lutopan (165 t, 0.027% molybdenum, Cretaceous age, Sillitoe and Gappe, 1984; BMG, 1986), Kingking (164 t, Mitchell and Leach, 1991), Dizon (130 t, Malihan, 1987) and Guinaoang (121 t, Sillitoe and Angeles, 1985). Overprinting of intermediate argillic and sericitic alteration styles on potassium silicate alteration at depth is common and locally associated with enhanced ore grades (e.g. Far South East, Garcia, 1991). Late- to postmineral diatremes and dome complexes are associated with the Far South East, Guinaoang and Dizon deposits (Sillitoe and Gappe, 1984).

Dinkidi (108 t, Haggman, 1994), in the alkaline Cordon arc of northeastern Luzon, is hosted by a monzonite to alkali granite intrusive complex apparently associated with cauldron development.

Monywa, in central Myanmar is hosted by a Pliocene rhyolite porphyry dome emplaced in a sequence of intercalated rhyolitic pyroclastic and siliciclastic rocks (Goosens, 1978). The Monywa porphyry system is considered to be auriferous, but the gold tenor is not well documented.

Skarn Skarn is a coarse-grained rock formed from a

variety of calc-silicate and iron-oxide minerals through metamorphic recrystallization (regional or contact), bimetasomatic reaction, or infiltration metasomatism of calcareous sedimentary rocks (exoskarn) and the causative intrusion (endoskarn) (Einaudi et al., 1981). The majority oflarge skarn deposits are directly related to intrusions, both spatially and temporally (Meinert, 1993).

The Ertsberg skarn complex, 2 km southeast of the Grasberg porphyry deposit, includes the Ertsberg, Ertsberg East, Intermediate (IOZ) and Deep Ore Zones (DOZ), Dom, and Big Gossan copper-gold skarn deposits. The majority of the gold and copper resources are hosted in the Erstberg East (IOZIDOZ) ore body, which contains 103 Mt at 2.09% Cu (2.2 Mt) and 0.77 g/t Au (79 t) in one of the largest copper-bearing magnesian skarns in the world (Rubin, 1994 cited in Mertig et al., 1994). The skarns are hosted within or adjacent to the Pliocene Ertsberg intrusion (3.1 to 2.6 Ma, Mertig et al., 1994). The protolith lithologies consist of a basal dolomitic unit and an upper limestone sequence of early Tertiary age. The recent discovery of the Wabu gold-(copper) skarn in the Hitalipa district, 35 km north of Erstberg, indicates the potential for a minimum gold resource of 62 tonnes at an approximate grade of 3.2-3.5 g/t Au (Potter,

Geol. Soc. MaiaYJia, Bulletin 40

THE SEITINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 95 personal communication, 1996).

The Sin Quyen copper-gold-rare earth deposit hosted by a Proterozoic gneiss, schist and marble sequence within the Da River mobile belt of northwest Vietnam, has skarn characteristics (GDMG, 1990) and contains a resource of 46 tonnes of gold. The Mengapur porphyry system in Peninsular Malaysia includes a significant skarn component (27 t Au) with anomalous copper, bismuth and molybdenum (Lee et al., 1986; Teoh et al., 1987; Mining Journal, 16 Dec 1994a). The oxidized skarn at Loei (20 t Au), northeastern Thailand (Niugini Mining, 1994) is hosted within a Permian calcareous sequence above a PermoTriassic intrusion, which indicates porphyry-style mineralization. Sphalerite-rich polymetallic skarn at Thanksgiving, Baguio district, Philippines (Callow, 1967) contains a modest gold content (13 t Au). Small gold- and antimony-rich polymetallic skarn bodies occur proximal to granodiorite stocks in Bau, Sarawak, Malaysia (Wolfenden, 1965; Schuh, 1993).

Several small copper-gold skarn bodies occur in northeastern Thailand. The iron-copper skarns in the Xiang Khoang region of northern Laos may be associated with gold mineralization, as abundant gold placers occur in the region (UNDP, 1990b).

Carbonate-Base Metal-Gold

Carbonate-base metal-gold deposits are a recently recognized class of intrusion-related, lowsulfidation deposits that contain moderate to large gold resources. This style of deposit develops at intermediate depths and temperatures in an inferred transitional environment between porphyry systems at lower levels and low-sulfidation epithermal quartz-carbonate vein systems at higher levels Leach and Corbett, 1995). At Kelian, one of the best documented deposits of this type, homogenization temperatures for primary fluid inclusions in quartz, carbonate and sphalerite commonly range from 260 to 340°C (van Leeuwen et al., 1990).

The Kelian disseminated gold deposit in eastern Kalimantan, Indonesia (179 t Au; van Leeuwen et al., 1990) the recently discovered Busang deposit (> 250 tAu; Felderhof et al., 1996) and Bulawan in Negros, Philippines (41 tAu; Bobis and Comia, 1987; Philex, 1995) are classified as carbonate-base metal-gold deposits. Recent developments at Busang, have led to the announcement of a potential resource in excess of 900 tonnes of contained gold averaging - 3 g/t Au (Felderhof et al., 1996). Another occurrence is represented by the disseminated mineralization at Porgera in Papua New Guinea (Types A, B and E of Richards and Kerrich, 1993).

The geological characteristics of this class of

JuLy 1997

deposits include andesite to dacite intrusions, which are commonly associated with diatreme and dome complexes (Busang and Bulawan), fluidized breccias ("Muddy Breccia" in Kelian) and andesitic to rhyolitic volcanic and volcaniclastic sequences. Kelian and Busang are localized along the eastern margin of the Central Kalimantan magmatic arc adjacent to the middle to late Tertiary Kutei sedimentary basin. Ore is hosted by intrusive and volcanic rocks which have undergone extensive hydrothermal brecciation. Limited radiometric dating at Kelian indicates latest Oligocene to early Miocene ages for andesite intrusions (23 Ma) and sericite alteration (20 Ma) (van Leeuwen et al., 1990). Mineralization at Bulawan is hosted by dacite porphyries and hydrothermal breccias within Miocene andesitic volcanic rocks.

Styles of mineralization include network veining, and breccia and fracture filling by complex carbonate-quartz-pyri te-sphaleri te-galena-goldl electrum. Disseminated sulfide mineralization is also common. Deposit gold grades range from 2 to 3 g/t, however, higher grade mineralization occurs locally within zones of Mn and Mg carbonates and base metal sulfide mineralization at depth (van Leeuwen et al., 1990; Leach and Corbett, 1995). Hydrothermal alteration is commonly pervasive and includes "early stage" sericite, quartz ± adularia ± chlorite and "main to late stage" carbonate, sericite and illite ± quartz.

High-Sulfidation Epithermal

Epithermal systems form at relatively shallow depths (from the surface to 1 to 2 km depth) and low temperatures (commonly 150-300°C), and exhibit variable but characteristic hydrothermal alteration and mineralization styles (Berger and Eimon, 1983; White and Hedenquist, 1995). Highsulfidation, or acid-sulfate, systems are related to hypogene acid fluids generated from the interaction of magmatic and meteoric processes in active volcanic environments (White and Hedenquist, 1995). Characteristic ore minerals include pyrite and enargite-Iuzonite, while gangue mineralogy is dominated by quartz, kaolinite and alunite. The Lepanto (132 tAu, Mankayan district, Philippines) and Chinkuashih (> 92 t Au, northern Taiwan) enargite-gold deposits are representative of highsulfidation systems in Southeast Asia.

At Lepanto, leached, "vughy silica" alteration of dacitic wall rocks host enargite-gold branch veins and stratiform lodes localized around the intersection of the steeply dipping Lepanto fault and the shallowly dipping unconformable base of a Pliocene dacitic pyroclastic sequence (Garcia, 1991). The dacitic rocks form part of the Mankayan diatreme-dome complex (Baker, 1992). A clear

96 S.L. GARWIN

temporal and spatial relationship exists with the underlying Far Southeast porphyry system. Porphyry-style and enargite mineralization occurred over a 300,000 year interval (- 1.5 to - 1.2 Ma) in the same setting as pre- and postmineral dacite intrusions and pyroclastics which span the periods, 2.2 to 1.8 Ma and 1.2 to 0.9 Ma (Arribas et al., 1995). Low-sulfidation epithermal quartz veins crosscut enargite-gold ore bodies at Lepanto (Nyak veins, Garcia, 1991).

At Chinkuashih, enargite-gold veins, lenses, breccia pipes and stratiform replacement bodies are hosted in Pleistocene subvolcanic dacite intrusions and Miocene calcareous sandstones and carbonaceous shales (Tan, 1991). Up to 60 separate ore bodies have been exploited in the Chinkuashih district throughout its history. Bonanza grades have been reported from many of these deposits , but in more recent years mine grades averaged - 5 g/t Au. The majority of the past production was from the 2 km long Penshan-Hsumei vein system in the central portion of the district. Deposits in the district were mined over a vertical extent of900 m. The deepest portions of the mines are copperrich, with gold grades increasing towards surface (Tan, 1991). Two major mineralizing events are documented by Wu (1994) and include early copper sulfide and sulfosalt mineralization and a later quartz-gold event.

High-sulfidation systems occur elsewhere in Southeast Asia, however, they currently do not represent significant gold resources. Other occurrences include Nalesbitan in Camarines Norte, Philippines (Sillitoe et al., 1990), BawoneBinebase(?) in Sangihe, Indonesia (Swift and Alwan, 1990; van Leeuwen, 1994) and Miwah in northern Sumatra, Indonesia (Williamson and Fleming, 1995). Small high-sulfidation systems also occur at Minlawi in northern Luzon, Philippines and Nagos in Sabah, Malaysia (Yan, 1990).

Low-Sulfidation Epithermal

Low-sulfidation, or adularia-sericite, epithermal systems occur in similar depth and temperature environments as defined for high-sulfidation systems. However, the hydrothermal fluids which generate low-sulfidation gold deposits are nearneutral in pH (Henley and Ellis, 1983; White and Hedenquist, 1995). Classic, banded and brecciated textures and characteristic gangue mineralogy (quartz, illite/sericite, carbonate and adularia) typically characterize bonanza quartz vein systems, exemplified by Hishikari in Japan (Izawa et al., 1990).

Large low-sulfidation vein systems form the Antamok, Acupan and Itogon deposits in the Baguio district, Philippines . Total contained resources

(including past production) of these systems is -400 tonnes gold from Antamok and Acupan and 122 tonnes from Itogon. The combined value for Antamok and Acupan reflects combined production figures reported from 1958- 1992 (BMG, 1986; Benguet Corp., 1995).

In Acupan, several major quartz-gold vei systems occur adjacent to and within the Pleistocene Balatoc diatreme. These deposits include sheete veins, stockworks and the high grade "GW" breccia bodies (Cooke and Bloom, 1990). Quartz veins were mined to depths exceeding 700 m. Epithermal veins overprint porphyry-style mineralization in the lower sections of the mine, which establishes a genetic link between these two deposit styles (Cook and Bloom, 1990). The Itogon quartz-gold vein deposit occurs along the eastern periphery of th Balatoc diatreme and is the extension ofthe Acupan system. The total length of the combined deposits is - 4 km. In Antamok, major quartz vein systems and associated stockworks are hosted by andesitic agglomerate and intercalated lava flows (Fernandez et al., 1979). Emplacement of the Antamok veil1 systems was controlled by dilational fractures developed along regional strike-slip faults. The average global grades of these three deposits are inferred to range from 4 to 6 g/t Au. This range includes past production from high-grade (> 10 g/t Au) lodes.

Gunung Pongkor (103 t Au at 17.1 g/t Au) in western Java, Indonesia is a classic low sulfi e bonanza vein system hosted by Miocene andesitic tuffs and breccias, and a subvolcanic andesit e intrusion (Basuki et al., 1994). High gold grades are typical ofthe historic quartz vein lodes ofLebong Tandai (43 t Au at 15.5 g/t Au) and Lebong Donak (41 t Au at 14.3 g/t Au) in Bengkulu, Sumatra. Lebong Tandai is hosted by Miocene andesitic volcanics and Lebong Donok occurs in Miocene carbonaceous shale associated with the brecciated margins of a competent dacite intrusion (Kavalie s , 1988). The recently discovered Gosowong vein in the Halmaheras is high-grade (29 t at 29 g/t Au, Newcrest Mining, 1996). Gold grades in t e polyepisodic quartz vein systems at Mt. Muro (47 t Au at 3.4 g/t Au) in Kalimantan are lower in value, which in part reflects dilution by poorly mineralized vein phases (Simmons and Browne, 1990). Low·· sulfidation epithermal vein systems commonly lack an obvious link to coeval intrusions in Indonesia.

The Longos lode (38 t Au at 12 glt Au) in Camarines Norte and the Masara mine (34 tat 8.7 g/t Au) in southeastern Mindanao, Philippi es indicate moderate to high grades. Longos is hosted by serpentinized ultramafics along the margin of a trondjhemite body (UNDP, 1987a) . The vein systems of Masara occur within andesitic volcanics

Geo L. Soc. JI!falay," Iz, B"IIe/Ln 40

THE SETIINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST AsIA 97

and volcaniclastics intruded by Pliocene diorite and andesite porphyry intrusions (Mercado et al., 1987 a; Mitchell and Leach, 1991).

Vein, stockwork and disseminated styles of mineralization comprise relatively low-grade and moderate tonnage deposits at Placer (65 t Au at -1.6 g1t Au) in northeastern Mindanao, Philippines and Gunung Pani (41 t Au at - 1.4 g1t) in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Siliceous limonitic fractures and quartz veinlets transect intermediate argillic altered Miocene to Pliocene(?) andesitic pyroclastics, volcaniclastics and hypabyssal intrusions at Placer (Aquino, 1983; UNDP, 1987b). Mineralization at Gunung Pani consists of siliceous limonitic and quartz-adularia lined fractures and mosaic quartz breccias hosted by a pervasive albite-chlorite altered rhyodacitic dome complex of Neogene age (Carlile et al., 1990; Kavalieris et al., 1990).

The Masbate (Aroroy) deposit (62 t Au) consists of sheeted quartz veins, stockworks and breccias hosted in variably silicified Miocene andesite to dacite tuffs and agglomerates (Mitchell and Leach, 1991). Historic production was from underground quartz lodes. Open pit reserves established in 1980 averaged 2.3 g1t Au.

The remaining low-sulfidation epithermal deposits contain less than 30 tonnes of gold and include systems in northern Luzon and eastern Mindanao in the Philippines, and northern Sulawesi, central Kalimantan, southern Sumatra and western Java in Indonesia. Additional prospects are located in the Semporna Peninsula of Sabah, Malaysia, and in the Petchabun region of northeastern Thailand.

Quartz Lode

This style of mineralization is characterized by structurally-controlled auriferous, polymetallic sulfide-bearing quartz vein systems, which are commonly hosted in variably metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic wall rocks. Some of the vein deposits and prospects (e.g. those in Peninsular Malaysia) bear similarities to mesothermal lodes emplaced in low- to medium-grade metamorphic terrains (Hodgson, 1993). In contrast, others (e.g. those in Vietnam) indicate hydrothermal alteration styles and fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures characteristic of the deeper levels of a low-sulfidation epithermal environment. However, the classic textures commonly associated with epithermal veins are conspicuously absent. Therefore, a genetic classification of these quartz lode systems would be inaccurate and misleading. In this paper, deposit classification is based on descriptive elements, rather than inferred environment of mineralization.

The historic Raub-Australian mine (30 t Au) in

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Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia exploited two major lodes, consisting of quartz veins, stockworks and local breccias associated with quartz-calcite replacements and laminations in tightly folded, calcareous graphitic shale of Triassic age (Lee et al., 1986). The Eastern Lode extends over 4.3 km along strike and was mined down to a depth of 355 m. Free gold occurs in quartz where it is associated with arsenopyrite, pyrite, stibnite and scheelite. Gold fineness exceeds 960 (Richardson, 1939 cited in Lee et al., 1986). At Penjom (10 t Au) in the Kuala Lipis district, 40 km to the northeast, quartz veins and stockworks are controlled by dilational fractures along a strike-slip fault corridor (Mining Journal, 16 Dec 1994b). Triassic(?) calcareous shale host rocks are intruded by granitoids in the vicinity of the deposit.

Awak Mas (26 t Au) in central Sulawesi, Indonesia, is characterized by pyritic, quartz-albitecarbonate breccias, veins and stockworks hosted in Cretaceous metasedimentary rocks. The deposit AglAu ratio is less than one (van Leeuwen, 1994).

Historic mining activities have been undertaken in the quartz lodes in Toh Moh in southern Thailand, Bong Mieu (Nui Kem) in central Vietnam and Bo Sup Trup in Kampuchea. Several prospects and historic workings in the Mogok metamorphic belt of central Myanmar are centered on structurallycontrolled quartz lodes (Goosens, 1978; Khin Zaw, 1994). Small quartz lode systems are common in the Indosinian fold belts of Thailand, Malaysia and Kampuchea.

The polymetallic sulfide-bearing quartz-gold lode prospects of Vietnam commonly are associated with sericite/illite alteration of adjacent Proterozoic to Jurassic metasedimentary, sedimentary and volcanic wall rocks (GDMG, 1990). These vein systems are commonly localized in anticlines, structural domes and along the margin of the Song Hien volcano-sedimentary rift basin. Nguyen (1991) infers lode deposition occurred in both shallow « 1.5 km) and deeper (1.5 to 3.5 km) environments, on the basis of contrasting fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures, ages of host rock and proximity to granitoids. Homogenization temperatures of primary fluid inclusions in vein quartz indicate means which typically range from 200 to 310°C (Do, 1991). Gold fineness typically ranges from 750 to > 900 (Nguyen, 1991).

Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide

Volcanogenic, or volcanic-associated, massive sulfide deposits occur in submarine volcanic rocks and may have a close association with at least minor amounts of sedimentary rock. The deposits form during the discharge of hydrothermal fluids through the sea floor and consist of two parts: (i)

98 S.L. GARWIN

strata bound massive sulfide and exhalite bodies formed on or immediately beneath the sea floor and (ii) underlying, discordant vein, stringer and disseminated ore hosted in a hydrothermal alteration pipe (Ohmoto and Skinner, 1983; Franklin, 1993). Massive sulfide deposits may contain significant gold resources.

The Wetar deposits (23 t Au) in the eastern Banda Arc of Indonesia represent a submarine exhalative system in a sea floor caldera setting similar to the Kuroko deposits in Japan (Sewell and Wheatley, 1994). Gold-silver mineralization occurs in stratiform barite sand units (exhalite) which are underlain by copper-rich massive pyritemarcasite zones and quartz-pyrite stockworks hosted in argillic altered felsic volcanic breccias of Miocene age. The majority of the copper is contained in enargite, which is atypical of volcanogenic massive sulfide systems.

Kuroko-type mineralization occurs at the Sulat prospect in Samar, Philippines (BMG, 1986). The auriferous Sulat prospect (20 t Au) contains lowgrade copper (0.61%) and is characterized by stratiform lenses of massive, breccia-filling, stockwork and disseminated sulfides. These ore bodies are hosted in pyritic, argillic altered Miocene dacite lavas and pyroclastics, and minor intercalated sedimentary rocks.

Massive sulfide mineralization occurs at Manson's Lode in Ulu Sokor, Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia. Teoh et al. (1987) describe a manto-type polymetallic sulfide zone which is localized within limestone and along limestone-phyllite contacts in a Permian marine sequence. Yeap (1988) classifies Ulu Sokor as a proximal exhalative deposit, related to andesitic to rhyolitic volcanism.

Disseminated Sediment-Hosted Disseminated sediment-hosted gold deposits are

well documented in the western USA (Berger and Bagby, 1991; Percival et al., 1990) and more recently in the Mesel area of North Sulawesi, Indonesia (Turner et al., 1994; Garwin et al., 1995). The salient characteristics of this deposit style include: i) micron-size gold in arsenical pyrite, ii) Au-As-SbHg-Tl geochemical association and iii) alteration of silty carbonate rock characterised by decalcification, dolomitization, silicification, argillization and the introduction of fine sulfides.

The Mesel deposits in the Ratatotok district of northern Sulawesi, Indonesia include Mesel and the Leon's and Nibong Hill satellite deposits. These deposits contain a combined mineable resource of 62 tonnes of gold at an average grade of 6.5 g1t Au. In Mesel, the overwhelming majority of the ore is hosted in a decalcified, dolomitized and silicified Middle Miocene carbonate sequence adjacent to

and beneath a premineral porphyritic andesite laccolithic intrusion (Turner et al., 1994; Garwin et al., 1995). The andesite has undergone illite! smectite-pyrite alteration adjacent to mineralized carbonate and is ore grade locally. In the Lobongan area, to the north of Mesel, quartz-calcite lodes transect variably silicified limestone and karst breccias. Residual quartz-clay eluvial deposits occur throughout the Ratatotok district, marking the erosion of mineralized limestone.

Disseminated gold mineralization occurs at Tai Parit (- 18 t Au) in the Bau district of Sarawak, Malaysia (Wilford, 1955; Wolfenden, 1965; Cox, 1992; Schuh, 1993). Gold is associated with carbonate and siliciclastic members of the Jurassic Bau Limestone in fault contact with the overlying Cretaceous Pedawan Shale. Pervasive silicification and extensive collapse breccias have developed proximal to the shalellimestone contact along the Tai Parit Fault and adjacent to argillic altered dacite porphyry dikes. Tai Parit marks the general intersection between a north-northeasterly trend of Middle Miocene (13 to 10 Ma; MMAJ, 1985) dacite to granodiorite intrusions with the northeasterly trending Bau anticline. Disseminated gold mineralization is associated with arsenopyrite in silicified shale at Jugan, approximately 10 km along trend, to the northeast.

Portions of the Siana mine (26 t Au) in Surigao, northeastern Mindanao, Philippines consist of disseminated mineralization. Host rocks include limestone breccia, carbonaceous and calcareous mudstone and arkosic sandstone of the Oligocene to Miocene Bacuag Formation (Mercado et al., 1987b; UNDP, 1987b). A Miocene andesite porphyry intrusion adjacent to the deposit is intensely illitepyrite altered. Massive sulfide mineralization accompanies disseminated styles of mineralization at Siana. Disseminated sulfide mineralization is hosted by silica replacement of limestone and dissolution breccias adjacent to andesite porphyry in the Hijo deposit in southeastern Mindanao (Culala, 1987).

The Xepon deposit in the Tchepone region of Laos includes a "premineral resource" of 30 tonnes of gold hosted in silicified black shales of Paleozoic age (van Leuween, personal communication, 1996). Xepon is tentatively classified as a disseminated, sediment-hosted gold deposit, but porphyry and skarn copper-gold systems and quartz vein mineralization also occur in this region.

The Kyaukpahto deposit (15 t Au) in the Myanmar is hosted by a calcareous arkosic sandstone sequence of probable Eocene age (Ye Myint Swe, 1990). Hydrothermal alteration includes decalcification, silica replacement, sericitic and argillic styles. Gold mineralization is associated

GeoL. Soc. MaLaYJia, BuLletin 40

THE SETTINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 99 with fine-grained pyrite and arsenopyrite in quartz veinlets and as disseminated framboidal grains in silicified and brecciated sandstone.

In northern Thailand, the Permian to Triassic calcareous siliciclastic wall rocks to quartz-stibnitearsenopyrite and quartz-scheelite lodes are locally silicified and contain disseminated gold mineralization. Disseminated sulfide mineralization is hosted by fault zones within Cambrian limestone in the Cam Thuy district of northern Vietnam.

Deposit Grade-Tonnage Distribution The grade-tonnage distribution and total gold

(copper) content of 85 deposits and prospects are illustrated graphically in Figures 14 through 17. Deposits less than one million tonnes in size are not indicated.

The porphyry deposits cluster in the lowerright portions of these diagrams, characterized by very low gold grades (typically < 1 g/t Au) and moderate (10 to 100 Mt) to large (> 100 Mt) deposit sizes (Fig. 15a). The majority of the porphyry deposits form a group about 100 Mt at O.4g/t Au, with the exception of the gold-rich systems (> 0.9 g/ tAu, Grasberg, Far Southeast, Dinkidi and Dizon)

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and deposits exceeding 300 Mt in size (Grasberg, Batu Hijau, Far Southeast, Sto. Thomas II, Kingking, Guinaoang and the Atlas deposits). The molybdenum-rich porphyry systems (e.g. Atlas deposits and Mengapur) form a distinct cluster of low-grade gold and large-tonnage deposits. Eighteen deposits contain more than 30 tonnes gold and 10 exceed 100 tonnes gold from a total of 37 deposits. Skarn deposits contain higher gold grades (typically 0.5 to 3 g/t Au) in relatively smaller deposits. Two of the seven deposits compiled, Ertsberg East (IOZIDOZ) and Sin Quyen, contain in excess of 30 tonnes gold. These deposits are close to 100 million tonnes in size.

Copper grades of 0.3 to 0.6% characterize the porphyry deposits, with the exception of Grasberg (1.30% Cu in reserve), Sungai Mak (0.76% Cu), Kayubulan (0.76%) and Far Southeast (0.73 % Cu) (Fig. 15b). A positive correlation exists between copper grade and deposit size, particularly for those deposits exceeding 50 million tonnes. Ten porphyry deposits exceed one million tonnes copper, with Batu Hijau containing 5.5 million tonnes and Grasberg including 14.5 million tonnes in reserve. Copper grades of 1 to 4% characterize those skarn deposits which contain significant copper. Only

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JuLy 1997

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THE SETIINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

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July 1997

102 S.L. GARWIN

the Ertsberg East (I0ZIDOZ) skarn contains more than one million tonnes copper.

Carbonate-base metal-gold deposits are low to moderate in gold grade (2 to 3 glt Au) and moderate in size. All three of the deposits contain more than 30 tonnes gold, with two exceeding 100 tonnes gold (Fig. 16). These two deposits, Busang and Kelian, are nearly 100 million tonnes in size. The Busang figure represents measured and indicated resources only and continues to grow with additional exploration.

The four high-sulfidation epithermal systems compiled range from low to moderate in grade (- 1 to 5 glt Au) and small to moderate in size (Fig. 16). Two of these deposits, Lepanto and Chinkuashih, contain approximately 100 tonnes of gold each. Lowsulfidation epithermal deposits define three major groups, including: (i) high-grade (> 10 glt Au) and small tonnage « 10 Mt) quartz vein lodes (e.g. Gunung Pongkor and Gosowong), (ii) low- to moderate-grade (1.5 to 6 glt Au) and moderate sized vein and stockwork deposits (e.g. Antamok, Acupan, Mount Muro, Placer and Gunung Pani), and (iii) low- to moderate-grade (1.5 to 3 glt Au) and small vein stockwork systems (e.g. Rawas and Toka Tindung). Twelve of the 21low-sulfidation deposits contain more than 30 tonnes gold and four exceed 100 tonnes gold, Antamok, Acupan, Itogon and Gunung Pongkor.

Quartz lode deposits are typically moderate in grade (3.4 glt Au, Penjom to - 7 glt Au, RaubAustralian) and small in size, with the exception of Awak Mas in central Sulawesi, which exhibits a lower grade and larger tonnage than the other deposits (Fig. 17). The largest of the four deposits plotted, Raub-Australian, contains 30 tonnes gold. The three volcanogenic massive sulfide and exhalative deposits compiled indicate low to moderate grades (0.6 glt Au, Sulat to 4.2 glt Au, Wetar) and small to moderate sizes. All of these deposits contain less than 30 tonnes gold. Disseminated sediment-hosted deposits indicate moderate grades (3 to 8 glt Au) and small resource sizes. Two of the six deposits, Mesel and Xepon, include 30 tonnes of gold or more.

CONCLUSIONS

Gold mineralization in Southeast Asia is spatially and temporally related to intrusions and volcanic centers. The overwhelming majority of gold arid gold-copper deposits are developed in short sectors of middle Tertiary to Pleistocene magmatic arcs in Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Myanmar. Mineralization within the Indosinian fold belts of mainland Southeast Asia is commonly localized within anticlines and structurally complex

regions, which are distributed along Permo-Triassic volcano-plutonic arcs. Other prospective geologic settings are suture zones, major strike-slip faults, structural and intrusive domes and the margins of volcano-sedimentary rift basins.

Porphyry copper-gold deposits are typically related to Neogene calc-alkaline diorite, quartz diorite and minor tonalite intrusions emplaced at shallow depths into andesitic volcanic and volcaniclastic sequences which typically overlie basement of oceanic crust. Intra- and postmineral intrusions are common in the Philippine and Indonesian porphyry systems. Late-mineral dacitic diatreme and dome complexes characterize a number of the Philippine deposits.

Skarns typically occur in calcareous rocks proximal to porphyry systems. Skarns at Ertsberg in Indonesia, Mengapur in Peninsular Malaysia and smaller bodies in northeastern Thailand and Bau, Sarawak, Malaysia were developed in host rocks deposited in continental settings. The lack of thick calcareous rock sequences overlying oceanic crust in the Philippines and the eastern portion of Indonesia reduces the possibility for the development of large economic skarn deposits in these regions.

Carbonate-base metal-gold deposits occur in the lower levels of low-sulfidation epithermal systems and may provide a genetic link to porphyry-style mineralization at depth. However, this relationship requires further study.

High-sulfidation epithermal systems are associated with coeval, hypabyssal dacite intrusions and local diatreme complexes. Low-sulfidation epithermal vein, stockwork and minor disseminated deposits are typically hosted in andesitic volcanics and volcaniclastic sequences within or adjacent to volcanic centers, which developed above oceanic and continental basement. Low-sulfidation epithermal systems commonly lack an obvious link to coeval intrusions. However, at Acupan in the Baguio district, Philippines, a connection to underlying porphyry-style mineralization has been recognized (Cooke and Bloom, 1990).

Quartz lodes are typically structurallycontrolled and hosted by late Paleozoic to Triassic metasedimentary and sedimentary rocks in the Indosinian fold belts of Malaysia, Thailand and Kampuchea, and in a variety of geologic settings in Vietnam. No genetic implications constrain this deposit style, as the quartz lodes indicate characteristics of both mesothermal and epithermal environments.

Volcanogenic massive sulfide and exhalative deposits form in sea floor extensional environments. The presence of abundant enargite at Wetar (Sewell and Wheatley, 1994) is atypical and may indicate a

Geol. Soc. Malaytlia, Bulletin 40

THE SEITINGS AND STYLES OF GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 103

link to high-sulfidation epithermal-style mineralization (Carlile and Mitchell, 1994).

Disseminated sediment-hosted deposits occur in calcareous rock sequences deposited in both continental and island arc settings. The Mesel deposits in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia lack an obvious link to a causative intrusion. In contrast, Tai Parit (Bau) replacement-style mineralization in western Sarawak, Malaysia occurs in close proximity to intrusions and skarn and porphyrystyle mineralization.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study benefits from a comprehensive regional database compiled by Newmont Southeast Asia geoscientists during the past three years. Steve Turner initiated this compilation in late 1993 and was assisted by Andrew Mitchell, Michael Thomsen, Sam Adams, Romy Aquino and many other Newmont geologists. Gil Alapan was a great help in adding to the Philippine deposit database. Peter Mitchell assisted in the structuring of the text. Mohammed Irsam and N oviandi Chaniago drafted the figures. Nita Kurnitasari prepared the tables and graphs. I thank N ewmont Mining Corporation for permission to present this paper.

REFERENCES AQUINO, RS., 1983. Geology and gold mineralization of

Manila Mining Corpora tion' s Placer Project area, Surigao del Norte. Philippine Geol. 37(2), 6-19.

ARRIBAS, A., JR., HEDENQUIST, J.W., ITAYA, T., OKADA, T., CONCEPCION, R.A. AND GARCIA, J.S., JR., 1995. Contemporaneous formation of adjacent porphyry and epithermal Cu-Au deposits over 300 ka in northern Luzon, Philippines. Geology, 23(4), 337-340

AURORA MINING, 27 May 1996. Quarterly Report to the Australian Stock Exchange.

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Manuscript received 30 May 1996 GeoL. Soc. MaLaYJia, BuLLetin 40

Appendix I, Significant gold and gold-copper deposits of Indonesia.

Deposit (1) AbbrevlaUon Style (2) MagmaDcArc ReglonIDlstrlct Contained Metal (3) Reference for Contained Metal (4) Cu (OOO's mT) Au(mT)

Grasberg. (Reserve) • GBR POCGD Medial Irian Jaya Carstenz 14638 1599 Freeport - MeMoren Mining, 1994 Batu Hljau BH POCGD Banda West Sumbawa 5612 469 Newmont Mining, 1994 Cabang Kirl East CE POCGD North Sulawesi Gorontalo 585 79 van Leeuwen, 1994 SungalMak SM POCGD North Sulawesi Gorontalo 638 33 van Leeuwen, 1994 Kayubulan RIdge KR POCGD North Sulawesi Gorontalo 570 25 van Leeuwen,1994 Kaputusan KP POCGD Halmahere Bacan 210 15 van Leeuwen, 1994 Bulagldun BG POCGD North Sulawesi Marissa 88 10 van Leeuwen, 1994 Ertsberg East (lOZIDOZ)· EBE SK Medial Irian Jaya Carstenz 2151 79 Mertlg et ai, 1994 Wabu WB SK Medial Irian Jaya Carstenz 62 Mining Joumal, 6 Oct. 1995; Potter, pers. comm., 1996 (min. estimate) (6) Big Gossan BGO SK Medial Irian Jaya Carstenz 480 23 van Leeuwen, 1994 Ertsbarg· EB SK Medial Irian Jaya Carstenz 750 26 Mertig et ai, 1994 Dom· DOM SK Medial Irian Jaya Carstenz 464 12 Mertlg et ai, 1994 AwakMas AM QL Arc unrelated Awak Mas, Central Sulawesi 26 van Leeuwen, 1994 Kellan· KE CB Central Kalimantan Central Kalimantan 179 van Leeuwen, 1994 Busang-Southeast Zone BUS CB Central KaUmantan Centra' Kalimantan 172 Georga Cross Newsletter, 18 Apr. 1996 (measuredlindicated only) Busan9~entralZone BUC CB Central Kalimantan Central Kalimantan 82 George Cross Newsletter, 18 Apr. 1996 (minor Inferred Included) Bawone (Binebase) SA EPHS Sangihe Sengme 6 van Leeuwen, 1994 Gn. Pongkor· PG EPLS Sunda West Java 103 van Leeuwen, 1994 MountMuro· MM EPLS Central Kalimantan Central Kalimantan 47 Mining Joumal, 22 Dec. 1995 Lebong Tandal· LT EPLS Sunda Bengkulu 43 van Leeuwen,1994 Lebong Donok • LD EPLS Sunda Bengkulu 41 van Leeuwen,1994 Gn.Panl PN EPLS North Sulawesi Martssa 41 van Leeuwen, 1994; Carlile and Mitchell, 1994 Gosowong GO EPLS Halmahera Gosowong 29 Newcrest Mining, 28 Mar. 1996 Lanut· LN EPLS North Sulawesi Kotamobagu 27 van Leeuwen, 1994 Doup DP EPLS North Sulawesi Kotamobagu 19 van Leeuwen, 1994 Rawas RW EPLS Sunda Bengkulu 15 Metals Economics Group, 1994 Bolangltang BO EPLS North Sulawesi Gorontalo 11 Carlile and MHchell, 1994 (6)

Toka nndung TO EPLS North Sulawesi Kolamobagu 9 Aurora Mining, 27 May 1998 Mirah MI EPLS Central Kalimantan Central Kalimantan 8 van Leeuwen, 1994 Sungal Keruh SR EPLS Meratus-Sumatra Meratus 8 van Leeuwen, 1994 Clkondang CI EPLS Sunda West Java 8 van Leeuwen, 1994 (5) Manganl· MG EPLS Sunda Manganl 6 van Leeuwen, 1994 (5) Mesal Deposita • ME DS North Sulawesi Kotamobagu 62 Newmont Mining, 1994 Wetar Deposita • wr MSJEPHS Banda Wetar 23 van Leeuwen, 1994

(1) - (6) Explanations are included in Appendix 2

Deposit (1) Abbreviation Style (2)

Far South East FSE POCGD

Sio Thomas II " TH POCGD

Klngklng KK POCGD

Gulnaoang GU POCGD

Dinkidi OK POCGD

Dizon" DZ POCGD

Lobo" LB POCGD

Arnacan" AC POCGD

Tayson TY POCGD

Santo Nino" SN POCGD

Mapula MP POCGD

Batong Buhay " BB PO"CGD Tawi-Tawl IT POCGD

Tapian" TA POCGD San Anlonlo SA POCGD

Black Mounlaln " BM POCGD Gambang GA POCGD Suluakan (Worldwide) SL POCGD

Bolllao BT POCGD

Ullman" UL POCGD Dilong/Hale HA POCGD

Pisumpan PI POCGD

San Fabian SF POCGD

MarJan MA POCGD

Lulopan" LT POCGM

Blga" BI POCGM

Carmen" CA POCGM

Larap (Malanlang) LA POCGM

Thanksgiving " TG SK

Bulawan" BL CB

Appendix 2. Significant gold and gold-copper deposits of Philippines.

MagmaUcArc ReglonIDlstrict Contained Metal (3) Reference for Contained Metal

Cu (ODD's mT) Au(mT}

Luzon Central Cordllerra Mankayan 2599 441 Mitchell and Leach, 1991

Luzon Central Cordillera Bagulo 1125 222 Baluda and Galapan, 1993

Philippines Camarlnes Norte 1386 164 MinIng Joumal, 25 Jun. 1993

Luzon Central Cordillera Mankayan 1206 121 Mining Joumal, 14 oct. 1994

Cordon lsabela-Dldlplo 432 106 Mining Joumal, 15 Dec. 1995

Westem Luzon ZambaJes 602 130 Mafihan, 1987

Luzon Central Cordillera Bagulo 588 53 Sillitoe and Gappe, 1984

Philippines Masara 429 46 SiIIltoe and Gappe, 1984

Westem Luzon BatSngas 500 42 Simtoe and GapPa, 1984

Luzon Cenlral Cordillera Bagulo 425 33 SiIIltoe and Gappe, 1984

Philippines Masara 312 28 Sillitoe and Gappe, 1984

Luzon Central Cordillera Northwest Luzon 642 27 TVI Pacillc Inc., 1995

Luzon Central Cordillera Bobok 620 25 MMAJ,1977

Sferra Madre Marlnduque 920 21 Sillitoe and Gappe, 1984

Westem Luzon Marlnduque 1112 20 Slliltoe and Gappa, 1984

Luzon Central Cordillera Bagulo 236 20 Slliltoe and Gappa, 1984

Luzon Central Cordnlera Mankayan 195 18 Yumul,1980

Luzon Cenlral Cordillera Bagulo 431 16 SlIlItoe and Gappa, 1984

Luzon Central Cordillera Northwest Luzon 426 16 SUlltoe and Gappe, 1984

Luzon Cenlral CordIllera Bagulo 129 13 SlIlitoe and Gappe, 1984

Luzon Central Cordillera Northwest Luzon 175 12 SiIIltoe and Gappa, 1984

Westem Luzon Zambales 82 12 SIJlltoe and Gappa, 1984

Luzon Central Cordillera San Fabian 135 10 SUlitoe and Gappe, 1984

Cordon Isabela-Didipio 200 10 SUlltoe and Gappe, 1984

Cebu Cebu 2665 165 SnJltoe and Gappe, 1984

Cebu Cebu 1699 99 SiIIltoe and Gappa, 1984

Cebu Cebu 1677 94 Sillitoe and Gappe, 1984

PhilippInes Camarlnes Norte 227 26 SlJIitoe and Gappa, 1984

Luzon Central Cordillera Bagulo 13 Mitcheli and leach, 1991

Masbate-Negros Negros 41 Melals Economics Group, 1994

...... o 00

Appendix 2. Significant gold and gold-copper deposits of Philippines (cont'd).

Deposit (1) Abbreviation Style (2)

Lepanto' LP EPHS

Nalesbltan • NA EPHS

Acupan' AC EPLS

Antamok' AI< EPLS

Itogon' IT EPLS

Placer' PL EPLS

Masbate' MB EPLS

Longos PT' LG EPLS

Masara' MS EPLS

Runruno RR EPLS

Batong Buhay • BBE EPLS Co-o • CO EPLS

Siana' SI DSJEP LS

Sulat SU MS

Notes for Appendices 1-3:

(1) Present or /llstoric mines are Indicated by •

(2) explanation indicated below

(3) Includes combined resources and past production

Magmatic Arc Region/District

Luzon Central Cordillera Mankayan

philippines Camarines Norte

Luzon Central Cordillera Bagulo



Philippines Surlgao

Masbate-Negros Masbate

Philippines Camarines Norte

Philippines Masara

Cordon Isabela-Didipio

Luzon Central Cordillera Northwest Luzon

Philippines Central East Mindanao

Philippines Surigao

Philippines Central Samar

explanation for mineralization styles, Appendices 1 - 3:

PO CGD = porphyry copper-gold

PO CGM = porphyry copper-molybdenum-gold

SK=skam

CB = carbonate-base metal-gold

EP liS = Iligh-sulfldatlon epithermal

EP LS '" low-sulfldatlon epithermal

Contained Metal (3) Reference for Contained Metal (4)

Cu (ODD's mT) Au (mT)

856 132 LCMC, 1994; LCMC,1995

9 UNDP, 1992

97 } BMG, 1986; Benquet Corp., 1995 (estimate)

315 } Andam pers. comm., 1996; Benquet Corp., 1994 (estimate)

122 ISM I, 1993; ISMI, 1979 and 1994 (estimate)

65 MMC, 1993; MMC, 1994; Mitchell and Leach, 1991 (estimate)

62 Mitchell and Leach, 1991 (estimate)

38 UNDP,1992

34 Mitchell and Leach, 1991; White et ai, 1995

19 Mining Joumal, 11 Nov. 1994

13 TVI Pacific Inc., 1995

7 UNDP,1992 (5)

26 BMG, 1986; Mitchell and Leach, 1991 (estimate)

198 20 Philippines BMG, 1986

(4) Deposits In which an estimate is made concemlng gold grade and/or deposit size are Indicated

(5) Deposit size <1.0 million tonnes, not Indicated in Figs. 14-17

(6) Deposits where accurate grade-tonnage figures are not available, not Indicated on Figs. 14-17

QL = quartz lode

MS = massive sulfide or exhalative

OS = disseminated sedlment-hosted

--i :::c m en m =1 z G) en » z CI en =<! r m en o ." G) o r CI s:: Z m ~ r

~ ~ Z en o c -I :::c m » ~ » en '>

~

o CO

Appendix 3. Significant gold and gold-copper deposits of other Southeast Asian countries.

Deposit (1) Abbreviation Style (2) Belt/Arc Region/District Contained Metal (3) Reference for Contained Metal (4)

Cu (OOO's mT) Au(mT)

MALAYSIA

Mamul" MT POCGD Kinabalu Plulon Mamul- Nungkok 859 90 Kosaka and Wakita, 1978

Mengapur MR POCGMlSK Malayan Eastern Belt Sungal Luit 812 27 Mining Journal, 16 Dec. 1994a

Raub" RB QL Malayan Central Bell Raub - Kuala Upls 30 Lee etal., 1986 (estimate)

Penjom PJ QL Malayan Central Belt Raub - Kuala Llpls 10 Mining Journal, 16 Dec. 1994b

Tai Parll" TP OS Central Kalimantan Arc Bau 18 Cox, 1992

Jugan JU OS Central Kalimanlan Arc Bau 13 Cox. 1992 (esllmate)

UluSokor US MS Malayan Central Bell Ulu Sokor 6 Mining Review, June 1992

TAIWAN

Chlnkuashlh " CK EP liS RyukyuArc Chlnkuashlh 92 Tan, 1991

THAILAND Loal LO SK Luang Prabang Fold Belt Loal 20 Metals Economics Group, 1994

LAO

Xapon XP OS Troung Son Fold Belt Tchepone 30 van Leeuwen, pars. comm., 1996

MYANMAR

Kyaukpahlo " KY OS Easlem Trough to Burman Kyaukpahlo - Indawgyl 15 Minproc, 1985

Arc

VtETNAM

Sin Quyen SQ SK Da River Mobil Belt Sin Quyen 956 46 Mining Joumal, 20 Aug. 1993

Nul Kem' NK QL Konlum Massif Bong Mleu 6 Baxter at al., 1 991 (estimate)

KAMPUCHEA

~ Bo Sup Trup' BT QL Slam Reap Fold Belt SamRa Ong 6 Fontelne and Workman, 1978 (5)

f (1) - (6) Explanations are included in Appendix 2

~.

..... ..... o


Appendix 4. Historic production and reserve figures for selected gold mines ofthe Philippines.

Deposit Historic Production Reserve (2) Total Present Au (mT) Au (mT) Au (mT) Owner

Lepanto 119 (to 1995) 13 132 Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co.

Acupan 84 (to 1958) 13 97 Benguet Corporation

Antamok (1) 301 (to 1995) 14 315 Benguet Corporation

Itogon 44 (to 1993) 78 122 Itogon-Suyoc Mining Inc.

Placer 11 (to 1994) 54 65 Manila Mining Corporation

Masbate 40 (to 1940) 22 62 Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development

Masara 5 (to 1982) 28 34 London Fiduciary Trust

Siana 5 (to 1967) 21 26 Surigao Consolidated Mining

Note: References are as indicated in Appendix 2. (1) Includes production from Acupan from 1958-1992. (2) Figures indicate those reserves additional to past production.

JuLy 1997

Geology & Mineral Resources

of

Myanmar

KYAW KYAW OHN

Assistant Director (Geologist)

DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND MINERAL EXPLORATION

MINISTRY OF MINES1

2

Myanmar is endowed with

resources of arable land, natural

gas, mineral deposits, fisheries,

forestry and manpower.

Introduction Organization Morpho-Tectonic

Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Area : 678528 sq.km

Coast Line : 2100 km

Border : 4000 km

NS Extend : 2200 km

EW Extend : 950 km

Population : >51millions(est:)

Region : 7

State: : 7

Location : 10º N to

28º 30'

92º 30' E to

101º30'

3


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Union Minister

No.(2)

Mining

Enterprise

Myanmar

Gems

Enterprise

Myanmar

Pearl

Enterprise

Department of Geological

Survey &Mineral

Exploration

Department

of

Mines

Lead

Zinc

Silver

Copper

Iron

Nickel

Chromite

Antimony

Gold

Tin

Tungsten

Rare Earth

Titanium

Platinum

Coal

Lime stone

Industrial

Minerals

Manganese

Decorative

stone

Gems,

Jade

&

Jewelry

Pearl

Breeding

Cultivating

Geological

Survey

Mineral

Exploration

Laboratory

Mineral

Policy

formulation,

Regulation

measures

Royalty

Collection

Environmental

No.(1)

Mining

Enterprise

4

The Ministry of Mines is the government authority responsible for

implementation of the policy, legislation and enforcement of law, Rules and

Regulations in the Mining Sector.

Deputy Minister


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

5

The policy of the Ministry of Mines is not to make new

investment on its own, but to encourage foreign and local

investors to invest in the mining Sector.

At present, the Ministry of Mines has licensed to the existing

mines and large deposits to the local & foreign investors for

production.

Foreign Companies or Investors should have to start from the

grass-root exploration at the interest potential areas if they

desire.


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion


DIRECTOR GENERAL

DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL

GEO PLANNING

DIVISION

ADMINISTRATIVE

DIVISION

ACCOUNTING

DIVISIONCHEMICAL

LABORATORY

GEOPHYSICS SECTION

GEOCHEMISTRY SECTION

SURVEY SECTION

DRILLING SECTION

PHOTOGEOLOGY SECTION

PETROLOGY SECTION

GEOLOGY SECTION

PALETONLOGY SECTION

LIBRARY & MUSEUM

TELECOMMUNICATION SECTION

ELECTRONIC SECTION

CIVIL ENGINEERING SECTION

ELECTRICITY ENGINEERING SECTION

MOTOR VEHICAL SECTION

PROCUREMENT

SET UP- 430


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

6

• GEOLOGICAL MAPPING

• MINERAL PROSPECTING

• MINERAL EXPLORATION

- TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY

- DETAIL GEOLOGICAL MAPPING

- GEOCHEMICAL SURVEY

- GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY

- DRILLING

- DATA ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

• LABORATORICAL ANALYSIS

• JOINT VENTURES with FOREIGN AND LOCAL COMPANIES

DGSE is responsible for country wide geological mapping , mineral

prospecting and exploration and joint venture with foreign companies in mineral

exploration and feasibility study.


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

7

1836 - Geological Survey of India (Myanmar

Branch)

1948 - Burma Geological Department and State

Owned

Departments, Universities

1974- Department of Geological Survey and

Mineral Exploration

1970-78 - Colombo, UNDP, German Technical

Aid

1994 to Present - Joint ventures exploration

BACKGROUND HISTORY

From East to West.

I. The Eastern Highlands

II. Upper Irrawady Province

(Tagaung- Myitgyina Belt)

III. The Central lowlands

IV. The Western Ranges

V. The Arakan Coastal Belt

I

II

IIIIV

V

8


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

After Dr Ye Myint Swe(DGSE)

9


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

10

Geological Map of Myanmar

(1977)

Geological Map Of Myanmar

(2008)

GENERALIZED GEOLOGICAL CROSS-SECTION ACROSS MYANMAR


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

11

12

28

26

24

22

20

18

16

14

12

10

92

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

92

94 96 98 100 102

94 96 98 100 102

N

Yangon

CHINA

INDIA

BA

NG

LA

DE

SH

LAOS

THAILAND

Naga

Mancalay

Monywa

CH

IND

WIN

R

Taungthonlon

SHAN

Moulmein

0 200 Miles

300 Km200100

HUKAWNG

BASIN

Mt. Loimwe

JADE

MINES

BELTHILLS

KU

MO

N

RA

NG

EM

YIT

KY

INA

BE

LT

TR

OU

GH

AR

C

FA

UL

T

TA

GA

UN

G

-

MO

GO

KT

RIA

NG

LE

ME

TA

MO

RPH

IC

KA

TH

AG

AN

GA

W

PLATEAU

CHIN

HILLS

WE

ST

ER

N

VO

LC

AN

IC

Mt. Popa

SA

GA

ING

MANDALAY -

THANDAUNG

METAMORPHIC

BELT

EA

ST

ER

N

PEGU

YOMA

HN

INZ

EEA

RA

KA

NY

OM

A

ME

RG

UI S

HE

LF

TE

NN

AS

SE

RIM

RA

NG

ES

MAJOR STRUCTURAL UNITS OF MYANMAR

WE

ST

ER

N

EA

ST

ER

N

RAKHINE

COASTAL

PLAIN

B

R

AR

C

Dawai

Myeik

Kawthaung

MOMEIK - KUNLONG FAULT

SHW

ELI

FAU

LT

PHA

YA

THO

NESU

FAU

LT

MO

EI-UTH

AI-TH

AN

I FAU

LT

SIMPLIFIED STRUCTURAL MAP

Putao

MyitkyinaTaungthonlon

Pin-le-bu Bhamo

1

Wuntho

WESTERN GRANITOID

BELTMogok

Monywa

Salingyi

Mt.Popa

Sagaing

Kyaukse

Pyetkaywe

Mandalay

Gu Taung

CE

NT

RA

L Yinmabin

Pyaw bwe

Yamethin

Tatkon

Pyinmana

Taungoo

Loikkaw

Mawchi Mine

YANGON

Kyeithiyo

Thaton

Andaman

Sea

250 km

DaweiHermyingyiMine]

Myeik

Kawthaung

BANGKOK

THAILAND

Tachileik

Kengtung

EASTERN GRANITOID

BELT

CHINA

INDIA

25°

BA

NG

LA

DE

SH

Bay of

Bengal

LEGEND

Porphyry Cu-related

Bawdwin

Lashio

LAO P.D.R

SCALE

Western belt granitoid

W-Sn related central

belt granitoid

W-Sn related, Eastern belt granitoid

Possible boundary between

granitoid belts

Major towns

Peak of mountains

Major W-Sn mines

Major granitoid bodies in Central belt

92°

20°

15°

10°

97° 102°

25°

20°

15°

10°92° 97° 102°

1250

GR

AN

ITO

ID

BE

LT

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

11

MAJOR GRANATOIDS BELT OF MYANMARDISTRIBUTION OF GRANITOIDS


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

13

Three modes of earthquake generation in the Andaman Sea

(Schematic tectonic cross-section along Lat 11˚N)

ANDAMAN SEA

Volcanism

TFTF

Earthquakes

Earthquakes

Active spreading and transform faulting (TF)

THAILAND

EW

INDIAN OCEAN

Subduction

Sunda Trench

Basalt

Subducting Slab

ASTHENOSPHERE

Over-riding slab (Basalt)

Melting

(to form magma)

ASTHENOSPHERE

Granite


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

China

China

14

General

Category Minerals

Very rich Jade, Ruby, Sapphire,

Limestone

Rich Copper, Lead, Zinc, Tin,

Tungsten, Gold, Coal,

Barite

Fairly rich Antimony, Silver, Nickel,

Gypsum, Iron, Manganese

Poor

Chromite, PGM Minerals,

Radioactive Minerals,

Diamond, Fertilizer

Minerals, Fluorite, Bauxite,

Mercury, Kaolin, Feldspar,

Quartz, Bentonite, Mica

REE

15

MINERAL DITRIBUTION OF MYANMAR

Mineral commodity = 60

Occurrences = > 2000


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

- Myanmar at present can be categorized as four major richness on the status of

mineral resources.

MINERAL BELTS OF MYANMAR

Tin- Tungsten Belts

Antimony Belts

Lead – Zinc – Silver- Copper Belts

Gold- Copper- Iron Belts

Nickel- Chromite- Copper- Gold- Platinum Belts

Iron – Manganese Belt

The Precious Stone Belts

Oil- Gas and Coal Belts

INDEX

NIN

ET

Y E

AS

T R

IDG

E(p

roje

ctiv

e)

Yangon

TH

RU

ST

ADAMAN SEA

SH

AN

P

LA

TE

AU

MT.

VICTORIADOME

NA

GA

HIL

LS

Manipur

CHINA

THAILAND

INDIA

HIMALAYAN

FRONTAL

THRUST

INJUTH

RUST

Mt.Popa

LOHITTH

RUST

THRUST

THRUST

DIS

AN

G

NA

GA

SHILLONG MIK

IR

UPLIFT

200 km

92°

10°

12°

14°

16°

18°

20°

22°

24°

26°

28°

92°

94° 96° 98° 100° 102°

94° 96° 98° 100° 102°

N

10°

12°

14°

16°

18°

20°

22°

24°

26°

28°

MO

GO

KMandalay

Mawlamying

After U Soe Thi Ha (2006)


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

16

In Myanmar, Mineral occurrences include

1. Metallic ore mineralsIron & metals for steel alloys- Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Mo

Base & non-ferrous metals – Pb, Zn, Cu, Sn, W, Sb & Ti

Precious & rare metals- PGM, Au, Ag, Nb, Ta

2.Industrial minerals & non-metallic raw minerals

Chemical & fertilizer minerals- Barite, fluorite, Gypsum, rock salt

Ceramic & refractory minerals- clay, limestone, dolomite, feldspar, quartz, glass sand

Construction & building materials- Decorative stones, road materials, limestone for

cement

3. Preceous & semi-precious GemstonesRuby, Sapphire, Jade, Diamond, etc

4. Fuel mineralsOil, natural gas, oil shale, coal,


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

17

18

(1) Mesothermal gold-quartz lode,

porphyry style Cu-Au & its related

Epithermal Au along the central

magmatic arc.

(2) Sediment-hosted epithermal Aumineralization along the Sagaingfault zone.

(3) Mesothermal and epithermal gold

mineralization in Tagaung - Myitkyina

belt.

(4) Au(Cu) skarn & Mesothermal veins in

marble, gneiss and granite within the

Mogok metamorphic belt & Jurassic

marble of Turbidites.

(5) Slate belt style Mesothermal

gold-quartz veins in Chaung

Magyi & Mergui Groups.

PR

IMA

RY

GO

LD

DE

PO

SIT

S/O

CC

UR

RE

NC

ES

IN

MY

AN

MA

R


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

- Mesothermal gold-quartz lode, porphyry style Cu-Au & its related Epithermal Au

along the central volcanic arc of Kawlin, Wuntho, Banmauk area.

- Sediment-hosted epithermal Au mineralization along the Sagaing fault zone.

- Mesothermal and epithermal gold mineralization in Tagaung Myitkyina belt at

Mabein, Shwegu and Bamoh area.

- Au(Cu) Skarn & Mesothermal veins in marble, gneiss and granite within the Mogok

metamorphic belt Pyinmana, Singu and Thabeikkyin area and Au skarn &

mesothermal veins in marble within Jurassic turbidites Kalaw area.

- Slate belt style Mesothermal gold-quartz veins in Chaung Magyi & Mergui Groups at

Yamethin and Patheingyi area.

- Over 300 gold occurrences are recorded as Primary and Placer.

Gold Deposits

19


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

020 20 40 60 80 100 Miles

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CH

INA

LAOS

THAI

IND

IA

Bay o

f Ben

gal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

N

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Gold (Primary)

Magwe

GOLD & PLATINUM OCCURRENCES OF MYANAMR

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

MongmitThabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan Shwekyin

Kyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Gold (Placer)

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

Platinum

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

DISTRIBUTION OF GOLD- PLATINUM DEPOSITS

Shadusuik (Kachin)Pt + Pd - 0.01 gm/t1 million (Possible)

Ngagyan (Kachin)Pt + Pd - 0.53%

21 million (Possible)

Namma- Kangon (Kachin)Au - 0.13 gm/t

1.05 million Cu. Yd(Possible)

Wakan- Tanaing (Kachin)Au - 0.04 gm/t

0.023 million Cu. Yd (Possible)

Shangalon (Sagaing)Au - 1.4- 12 ppm

0.02 million (Possible)

Kyaukpahto (Sagaing)Au - 3 ppm

6 million (Probable)

Kwinthonse (Mandalay)Au - 2-4 ppm

1.4 million (Probable)

Phayaungtaung (Mandalay)Au - 4 ppm


Moehti Taung (Mandalay)Au - 15- 27 ppm


Shwegyin (Bago)Au - 0.1-0.35 gm/t

1.2 million Cu.yd. (Probable)

Pyinmana (Mandalay)Au - 2 ppm


Taunggu (Bago)Au - 0.2-0.5 gm/t


Gold occurrences = 342

Potential = 67 million tons

Shweminbon (Shan)Au - 2 – 3 ppm


Meyongyi Meyonle (Mon)Au - 1.5 – 30.6 gm/t0.07 million (Possible)

Myese Taung (Bago)Au - 0.43 ppm


20


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

21

- More than 100 occurrences copper mineralization are recorded in Myanmar

but most of them are of minor important.

- The copper mineralization within the central volcanic arc started from Mt.

Popa and passes through lower Chindwin area where the volcanics are

hosted to the porphyry copper deposits at the Sabe Taung, Kyesin Taung, &

Lepadaung Taung, Monywa and continued to the Kawlin area of the

Northern part of Myanmar.

- Copper is also found at Mandalay region Sabe Taung and Shan State as the

Hydrothermal sources.

Copper Deposits


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Putao

Myitkyina

Bamo

Mawlaik

YANGON

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Kawthaung

Pyay

Monywa

Mandalay

Kengtung

Haka

Sittwe

Pathein

98 1009694

28

26

24

22

20

18

16

14

12

92

94 96 98 100 102

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

10292

Tachileik

CH

INA

LAOS

THAILAND

IND

IA

Bay

of B

engal

Mabein

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

N

Gulf of Matabin

Magwe

INDEX

Shwegu

Sumprabum

Kawlin

Taguang

KyaukmePangyan

MaingyaungYatsauk

Kyaukse

Laymyetna

Sinbo

Sawlawt

Muse

Salingyi

Hpa An

Copper

Thabeikkyin

Hkamti

Homalin

10

Sagaing

Myeik

COPPER OCCURENCES OF MYANMAR

LinkayPyawbwe

Kutkhaing

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILE

DITRIBUTION OF COPPER DEPOSITS

Sinbo- NankesanCu - 3 to 4 %


KyesinTaungCu - 0.77 %


ShangalonCu -0.23 %


SabeTaung & SB southCu - 0.7 to1.01 %27.86 million (Possible)

LetpadaungCu - 0.4 %


LaymyetnaCu - 0.8 to 2 %


Sabe TaungCu - 1.51 %


KweeightCu - 4 %


BawdwinCu - 0.87 %


Panmakut MannaCu - 4 %


Panpwe KyaukTaungCu - 0.4 %


Copper Occurrences = 131

Potential = 1991 million ton

YekanthaCu -2.8 %


22


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

- More than 300 occurrences of Pb-Zn-Silver mineralization are recorded in Myanmar.

Mineralization occurs as five different styles:

- Volcanogenic massive sulphides type (VMS) at Bawdwin. The mineralization is bound to an

approximately 4 km long and about 100 m wide NW-SE oriented Bawdwin Fault Zone.

Mohochaung lead ore deposit approximately 30 km north of Namtu is a stockwork mineralization

of galena in calcite gangue.

- Massissippi valley type (MVT) deposit at Bawsaing mine Occur in the Ordovician Limestone, the

sulphidic ores are found in numerous small occurrences in a narrow NNW-SSE striking zone

approximately 6 km long.

- Cavity filling vein-type in Yadanatheingi mine. Shear zone about 10 m thick which cuts across the

sediments of the Chaung Magyi Series in NW-SE direction.

- Ore is found in vein fissures and stockworks in veins and skarn type near the contact between

granitic rock and marble at Phaungdaw mine.

- Zinc carbonate deposit (secondary deposit) at Lonchein mine of SSS and Naungmain of NSS.

Lead-Zinc-Silver Deposits

23


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

Monywa Mandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CH

INA

LAOS

THAILAND

IND

IA

Bay o

f Ben

gal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

LEAD, ZINC AND SILVER OCCURRENCES OF MYANMAR

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

Mongmit

Thabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan Shwekyin

Kyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Lead

Zinc

Silver

N

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILES

DISTRIBUTION OF LEAD-ZINC-SILVER DEPOSIT Panwa (Kachin)Pb,Zn -1.06%


Bawdwin (Shan North)Pb,Zn -5%


Yadanatheingi (Shan North)Pb, Zn - 4%


Bawsaing (Shan North)Pb, Zn - 6%


Kyadwinye (Mandalay)Pb, - 4.%

10 million (Potential)

Mawhki (Kayin)Zn - 0.3%


LonChein(Shan South)Zn - 36%

0.234million (Possible)

Phaleng (Shan North)Zn - 15.84%


Lead Zinc Occurrences = 334

Potential = 44.38 million ton

Paungdaw (Mandalay)Pb, - 4.7%


Darthway (Mandalay)Pb, - 7.7%


Dokdoye Yechanpyin (Shan south)

Pb, - 27%0.25 million (Possible)

Nyaunggyat (Shan south)Pb, - 7%

0.78 million (Potential)

24


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

25

- More than 400 Tin – Tungsten occurrences are recorded in Myanmar both in

Primary and placer deposits.

- One of the most important mineral resources in Myanmar

- Occurs along the granitic belt in SE Asia peninsula (distributed over more

than 1200 Km in Myanmar with more prominent in Tungsten toward the

north, passing through the Tanintharyi Region, Kayin, Mon, Kayah & Shan

states and East of Pyinmana and widespread also at Mong Hsat and Mongton

of East Shan State.

- Tin-tungsten ores occur in close association with granitoids and related

pneumatolytic rocks emplaced during Mesozoic. The country rocks of these

intrusive masses consist of the clastic meta sedimentary rocks of Mergui

Series, Taungnyo Group, Mawchi Series and Lebyin Group of Carboniferous

age.

- Most of the cassiterite is mined from placers while tungsten is mined from

hard rock veins.

Tin-tungsten Deposits


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Myitkyina

Yangon

Mawlamyine

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthoung

Loikaw

Taunggyi

Mandalay

Kengtong

020 20 40 60 80 100 MIles

98 1009694

28

26

27

25

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

14

13

12

11

92 94 96 98 100 102

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

10292

15

Lashio

Tachileik

Muse

Index

Tin & Tungsten

19

10

TIN AND TUNGSTEN OCCURRENCES OF MYANMAR

C H

I N A

I N

D I

A

L A O S

THAILAND

Bay

of B

engal

Gulf of Mottama

N

KanbaukHarmyingyi

Palaw

Tanintharyi

Thabawleikgyi

BokpyinLenya

Karathuri

Maliwun

Lampi Island

Yay

Paung

Pyinmana

Mawchi

Namhkam

Mongyawng

Kazat

Hpa-An

Monghsat

DISTRIBUTION OF TIN - TUNGSTEN DEPOSITS

Heinze (Placer)Sn – 0.2- 0.3 lb/cu.yd.


Kanbauk( Primary/ Placer)Sn – 0.59%, 0.56 lb/cu.yd.0.00865 million (Possible)

Hermyingyi (Primary)Sn – 0.37%


Heinda (Placer)Sn – 0.68 lb/cu.yd.


KyaukmeTaung, Pagaye(Placer)Sn – 0.5 lb/cu.yd.


Theindaw(Placer)Sn – 0.36 lb/cu.yd.


Manawlon(Placer)Sn – 0.6 lb/cu.yd.


Atwin Bokpyin (Placer)Sn – 0.56 lb/cu.yd.


Mawchi (Primary)Sn – 0.32%

31 million (Probable)Padatchaung (Primary)Sn – 0.11%, WO3 -0.81%


Tin- Tungsten deposits= 480


26


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

- Ni-Cr mineralization occurs in close association with ultramafic igneous rocks

( Ophiolite belt) emplaced during Late Cretaceous-Early Eocene.

- At Mwetaung & Tagaung Taung, the deposits have formed as a result of

tropical weathering of ultramafic rocks (Ni laterite deposits)

- Cromite deposits are of widespread in Myanmar being related to N-S trending

Ophiolite lines closed to Nickel deposits. They are found as podiform

Chromite and residual deposits dispersering near the primary sources.

- Over 10 Nickel and 40 Chromite occurrences are recorded and widespread

most part of the Tagaung Myitkyina belt and the Western Ranges.

Nickel and Chromite Deposits

27


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Katha

Yangon

Mawlamyine

Dawei

Kawthaung

Taungoo

Pyay

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Monywa

Mandalay

Kengtung

Haka

Sittwe

Pathain

020 20 40 60 100 miles80

98º 100º96º94º

28º

26º

24º

22º

20º

18º

16º

14º

12º

10º

102º92º

Lashio

Magwe

Tachileik

NICKEL DEPOPSITS IN MYANMAR

Muse

INDEX

N

THAI

LAO

INDIA CHINA

Tiddin

Kale

Shwegu

Tagaung

Gangaw

Saw

Sidoktaya

Ngape

Mindon

ausmufyef;awmif;

Nickel

Hopin

Hpa-An

Bago

Sagaing

Myeik

Bokpyin

Maungdaw-Namadaw

0.40%

0.46 M Ton P-3

Min-din-kyin

0.45%

0.02 M Ton P-3

U-kin taung,Hka-kyintaung

0.35 M Ton P-3

Tagaung Taung

2.01%

40 M Ton P-4

Taung-ga-tone

0.67%

0.027 M Ton P-3

MweTaung

1.19%

110 M Ton P-2 + P-3

Sit winn

0.37%

0.35 M Ton P-3

Indawgyi

0.2% to 0.25%

74.7 M Ton

98º 100º96º94º 102º92º

28º

26º

24º

22º

20º

18º

16º

14º

12º

10º

MWETAUNGNi- 1.19%

110 mt (Probable)

MAUNGDAW-NANMADAWNi- 0.41%

0.49 mt (Possible)

MINDINKYINNi- 0.45%

0.02 mt (Possible)

UKINTAUNG,HKAKYINTAUNGNi- 0.4%

0.046 mt (Possible)

INDAWGYINi- 0.41%

5.0 mt (Possible)

TAUNGGADONNi- 0.67%

0.028 mt Possible)

TAGAUNGTAUNGNi- 2.06%

40 mt (Possible)

Nickel Occurrences =14


DISTRIBUTION OF NICKEL DEPOSITS

28


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CH

INA

LAOS

THAILAND

IND

IA

Bay o

f Ben

gal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

NICKEL AND CHROMITE OCCURRENCES OF MYANMAR

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

Mongmit

Thabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan Shwekyin

Kyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Nickel

N

Chromite

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILES

DISTRIBUTION OF CHROMITE DEPOSITS

Chromite Occurrences = 43

Potential = 0.1 million tons

Mwe TaungCr- 47%

0.028 million t (Possible)

BopiBumCr- 40%


Tagaung TaungCr- 50%


MaungDaw Nama DawCr- 40%


29


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Sitwe

020 20 40 60 80 100 Mile

SCALE

98 1009694

28

26

27

25

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

14

13

12

11

92 93 94 9596 97 98 99 100 101 102

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1021019897959392

15

Magway

Pyay

Taungoo

Loikaw

Taunggyi

Tachileik

Kengtung

Mandalay

Monywa

YangonPathein

Hpa-An

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

Lashio

Muse

Bhamo

Falam

Mawlaik

Myitkyina

Putao

10

19

ANTIMONY DEPOSITS OF MYANMAR

MeLne Taung-Linn Lay Inn

Sb- 23.29% , 0.0071 mt (P-3)

Pein Chit

Sb-17.99 %,0.109 mt (P-2+4)

Dau Ta Nau

Sb - 32.33, 0.005 mt (P-3)

Hkwe Ta Loke - Han Phyu

Sb - 21.66%, 0.0086 mt (P-3)

Hkau Bar

Sb - 53.68%, 0.0012 mt (P-3)

Ka Deik

Sb - 5 %, 0.044mt (P-3)

Nat San

Sb - 4 %, 0.0063 mt (P-2+3)

Tay Lay Gyaun

Sb- 5 %, 0.0024 mt (P-2+3)

Ka Ru Kwe

Sb- 15 %, 0.0063 mt (P-2)

Le Byin

Sb - 34.5%, 0.054 mt (P-3)

Phaung Sein

Sb - 5 %, 0.067 mt (P-3)

Tha byu

Sb - 37.26 % , 0.013 mt (P-3)

Mae Da Ya Hki

Sb - 16.37 %, 0.0042 mt (P-3)

Phaline-Aungnan-Namyum

Sb - 13.36 %, 0.022 mt (P-3)

Nar Phew

0.017 mt (P-3)

Nar Sauk

Sb - 15 %, 0.0088 mt (P-3)

Pankaw, Loi Pan

Sb - 26.39 %, 0.099 mt (P-3)

Nay King

Sb - 35 %, 0.001 mt (P-4)

Ma Hi Kaw

Sb - 20.35 %, 0.007 mt (P-4)

Mine Inn

Sb - 14.63 %, 0.005 mt (P-4)

Kaungton- Khoche

Sb - 15.75 %, 0.0098 mt (P-3)

Chinkon-Paunglin- Yethepye

Sb - 24.04 %,0.0056 mt (P-3)

Ta Ngau-Lagar- Lawkaw

Sb - 8 %, 0.157 mt (P-2+3)

Kwin Ka Lay

Sb - 25.96 %, 0.0023 mt (P-3)

Taunggalay-Htimiwa

Sb - 16.45 %, 0.0104 mt (P-3)

Makkatha

Sb - 36.25%, 0.027 mt (P-3)

Dotphu

Sb - 19.73 %, 0.014 mt (P-3)

Nar Hop

Sb - 15 %, 0.0007 mt (P-3)

Man wut

Sb - 8.85 %, 0.0022 mt (P-3)

Antimony

Homalin

Kawlin

Pyinmana

Mawlamyine

ANTIMONY

Kone Sut

Sb - 16.17 %, 0.178 mt (P-3+4)

Lyhamyar- Hwethet

Sb - 28.8 %, 0.069 mt (P-3)

Twun Kyaing - Wan Hein

Sb - 23.75 %, 0.001 mt (P-3)

Naungtasaing

Sb - 17.7 %, 0.01 mt (P-3)

30

* More than 100 occurrences of Antimony

mineralization are recorded in Myanmar.

- *The majority of antimony mineralization

occurs in clastic sediments of the Mergui

Group of Carboniferous age and in

the Paleozoic Carbonates of Ordovician ,

Silurian and Permian age.

- *Several Sb occurrences are in the late

Paleozoic rocks.

- *Antimony ores are generally found in

veins or lenses, pockets or both as

epithermal origin.

- *The best known antimony deposit s is at

Thabyu, Kayin State, near Thai Border.

The ore is in high grade.

Antimony Deposits


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

- Over 300 Iron ore occurrences have been recorded in Myanmar and most of

them are of minor importance.

- The iron ore deposits of Northern Shan State are residual type. At

Kyatwinye, 22 meters thick limonite/hematite roll ores covering Devonian

dolomite and sandstone. The reserves is about 3.0 mt with the grade of 54%

Fe.

- At Pang Pet, near Taunggyi , the iron ore deposit is represented by primary

hematite mineralization bounded in two regional fault system in the Plateau

limestone seem skarn type?

- Iron ore deposit at Kathaing Taung, Lamaung of Phakhant and Taungnyo

and Taungkadon of Shwegu area in Kachin state are related to the ultrabasic

rocks.

Iron ore deposits

31


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

Monywa

MandalayKengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CH

INA

LAOS

THAILANDIN

DIA

Bay o

f Ben

gal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

IRON OCCURRENCES OF MYANMAR

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

MongmitThabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan Shwekyin

Kyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Iron

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILES

DISTRIBUTION OF IRON DEPOSITS

Kathaing Taung (Kachin)Fe -50.56 %(Goe, Lim,He)223 million (Probable)``

Lamaung (Kachin)Fe -51.54%


Kantawyan(Kachin)Fe -49-69% (He, Mag)2.354 million (Possible)

Sanleik (Kachin)Limonite


Taungkaton Taung (Kachin)Fe -37- 45 %( He,Lim)2.3million (Potential)

TaungNyo Taung (Kachin)Fe -40.67 %( He,Lim)


Haemaung (Kachin)Fe -45.93 %( He,Lim)1.1 million (Potential)

Kho Island (Tanintharyi)Fe -46.05 %

( He,Lim,Mag)7.6 million (Probable)

Iron

Maputae Island (Tanintharyi)

Fe -42 %( He,Lim,Mag)1 million (Probable)

Kanmaw Island(Tanintharyi)

Fe -36 % (Lim, Mag)21.2 million (Probable)

Minlan Thanseik, ShweGyin (Bago)

Fe -28-56.7 %(Lim,)75.53 million (Possible)

Kyatwinye, Inya (Mandalay)Fe- 54 % ( He ,Mag)

3.7+ 4.5 million (Probable)

Pinpeg (Shan South)Fe -56.4 %( He,Lim)80 million (Probable)

Mongkannwe (Shan East)Fe -39- 66 %( He,Lim)21.5 million (Potential)

Iron Occurrences = 399


32


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

- Over 50 Manganese occurrences have been recorded in Myanmar at the Tachileik

and Mong Pyat area of Eastern Shan State, near Kyaukpadaung of Central

Myanmar, Hopone area, Southern Shan State and the Southern Tanintharyi

archipelago of Powel Island.

- The Manganese ore deposits of Eastern Shan State, Central Myanmar and Powel

Island are associated with volcanogenic sediments and volcanic rocks while non

volcanogenic at Southern Shan State associated with Limestone.

- The Manganese deposits at the Eastern Shan State were recently found and seem a

huge potential.

Manganese deposits

33


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

Pyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CH

INA

LAOS

THAILAND

IND

IA

Bay o

f Ben

gal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

MANGANESE OCCURRENCES OF MYANMAR

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

Thabeikkyin

Mabein

Yamethin

Letpadan

Kawlin

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Manganese

N

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILES

Tachileik

Monghpayak

DISTRIBUTION OF MANGANESE DEPOSITS

Powel Island(Tanintharyi)Mn - 27%


Wansalot (Shan East) Mn - 14%


Kyaukpadaung (Mandalay)Mn - 51.%


Monpyin (Shan South)Mn - 38.76%


Tar Pin (Shan East) Mn - 6.6%


Wansaw Wanpaing (Shan East) Mn - 12.53%


Manganese Occurrences= 61

Potential = 11.27 million tons

Areye (Shan East) Mn - 25%


Konnyu (Shan)MnO2 - 58.%


34


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Putao

Myitkyina

Mawleik

YANGON

Moulmein

Dawe

Kawthaung

Mandalay

Khaington

Sittwe

020 20 40 60 80 100 mile

98 10096 94

28

26

24

14

12

92

94 96 98 100 102

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

10292

Lashio

Taunggyi

N

ADAMAN SEA

Magwe

ausmufrD;aoG;

ausmufrD;aoG;jzpfxGef;&ma'orsm;

Saw

Pauk

Kalewa

Kawlin

Hsipaw

Kyethi

TigyitMaington

Myeik

Mankat

COAL DEPOSITS OF MYANMAR WHERE ORE RESERVE MORE THAN 1 MILLION TON

Tanintharyi

COAL

Over 510 Coal occurrences

were being found

281 Coal deposits

were being reserve estimated

Coal Resources

Potential Coal Reserves

494 millions tons

35

COAL OCCURRENCES OF MYANMAR

Over 500 Coal

occurrences are recorded

in Myanmar mainly in

Tertiary basin of the

Central Cenozoic Belt and

late Tertiary intermontane

basins developed within

the Shan-Thai block.

Tertiary Sediments

Environs - Lignite to Sub

bituminous

Jurassic Sediments

Environs- Sub bituminous


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

MAP/Mineral occurance map/Mineral Occurence/Mineral occurance map/Co,Cr,Ni,Mn,Pt.dwg





../MAP/Mineral occurance map/Mineral Occurence/Mineral occurance map/Co,Cr,Ni,Mn,Pt.dwg

020 20 40 60 80 100 rdkif

Myitkyina

Putao

Mogok

Bamah

Nyaungcho

Lashio

Katha

Monywa

MandalaySagaing

Taunggyi

Kyaingtong

Loikaw

Magwe

Pathein

Bago

Yangon Paan

Mawlamyaing

Dawe

Myeik

Kawthaung

Haka

Kawlin

Manpan

Pyay

Sittwe

Tachileik

Clay

Baryte

Bauxite

Phosphate

Kyunhla

KalawPindaya

Linkhay

Yemathin

CLAY,

BARYTE,

BAUXITE AND

PHOSPHATE

020 20 60 100 Miles

LIMESTONE OCCURRENCES OF MYANMAR

N

I N

D I

A

C H

I N A

L A O S

THAILAND

Bay o

f Ben

gal

Gulf of Mottama

Index

Gypsum

98° 100°96°94° 102°92°

98° 100°96°94° 102°92°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

Mawlamyine

YangonBago

Myeik

Kawthoung

Dawei

Tanintharyi

Kengtong

Tachileik

Mongphyat

Kwanlon

Lashio

Bhamo

Mindon

Ngape

Loikaw

Magwe

Mandalay

Sagaing

Kyaukse

Pindaya

Pyinmana

Pha-an

Hlaingbwe

Shwekyin

TaunggyiKalaw

Myitkyina

Putao

Sumprabum

Mawlaik

Sinbo

Shwegu

Sittwe

Yinmabin

GangawHaka

ThabeikkyinKhin-U

Tetain

Kyaukphyu

Gwa

Kyankhin

Pyay

Pathein

Ngaputaw

GYPSUM

36

020 20 60 100 Miles

LIMESTONE OCCURRENCES OF MYANMAR

N

I N

D I

A

C H

I N A

L A O S

THAILAND

Bay o

f Ben

gal

Gulf of Mottama

Index

98° 100°96°94° 102°92°

98° 100°96°94° 102°92°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

Mawlamyine

YangonBago

Myeik

Kawthoung

Dawei

Tanintharyi

Kengtong

Tachileik

Mongphyat

Kwanlon

Lashio

Bhamo

Mindon

Ngape

Loikaw

Magwe

Mandalay

Sagaing

Kyaukse

Pindaya

Pyinmana

Pha-an

Hlaingbwe

Shwekyin

TaunggyiKalaw

Myitkyina

Putao

Sumprabum

Mawlaik

Sinbo

Shwegu

Sittwe

Yinmabin

GangawHaka

ThabeikkyinKhin-U

Tetain

Kyaukphyu

Gwa

Kyankhin

Pyay

Pathein

Ngaputaw

Limestone

DISTRIBUTION OF LIMESTONE DEPOSITS

Lime stone deposits = 468



Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

../MGS_files/MGS_files/MAP/Mineral occurance map/Mineral Occurence/Mineral occurance map/Co,Cr,Ni,Mn,Pt.dwg

../MGS_files/MAP/Mineral occurance map/Mineral Occurence/Mineral occurance map/Co,Cr,Ni,Mn,Pt.dwg

- Myanmar is well known for famous Jadeite –

Jade and Gemstones.

- The world largest Jadeite deposit is found in

Phakhant and Lonkhin area of Kachin State,

North of Myanmar both in Primary Jadeite

Dykes associated with Ultrabasic and Uru

boulder conglomerate of Pleistone age as

placer deposits.

- One of the most important mineral resources

in Myanmar

- The world finess and famous Ruby, Sapphire

and other assorted Gemstones are produced

from Mogok, Kyatpyin of Mandalay Region,

Monghsu of Shan State.

Jade and Gems Deposits

37


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Jade mine site, Phakant

Ruby mine site, Mongshu

38

Putao

Myitkyina

Bahmo

Lashio

YANGON

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

KAwtahaung

Paan

Pye

Loikaw

Taunggyi

Magwe

Naypyitaw

Monywa

MANDALAY

Kengton

Haka

Sittwe

Pathein

020 20 40 60 80 100 Mile

SCALE

MAJOR MINING SITES OF MYANMAR98 1009694

98

28

26

24

22

20

18

16

14

12

10

9294 96

98100 102

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

10292

Muse

Tachileik

Monywa (Copper )

Kawlin

Phayaungtg(Gold )

Kalaewa (Coal )

Tagaung (Nickel )

Paluzawa (Coal )

Banmauk (Gold)

Panwa/ Lagwi (Lead )

Powerhku (Molybdenum)

Lonkhin (Jade)

Kyaukpazat (Gold)

Kyaukpahto (Gold)

Shangalon (Copper)

Thabeikkyin (Gold)

Singu (Gold)

Bawdwin (Lead )

Phalin (Lead )

Yadanatheingi (Lead )

Manpan Monma (Coal )

Namma (Coal)

Maung main (Zinc)

Hsipaw (Gypsum )

Monghsu (Gems )

Kyatwinye ( Iron)

Sabetaung (Copper)

Bawsaing (Lead)

Pingpet (Iron)

Mogok (Gems)

Aryee ( Manganese)

Paungdaw (Lead)

Lebyin (Antimony)

Shweminbon(Gold)

ModiTaung (Gold)Liharmyar (Antimony)

Lonchein (Zinc)

Mawchi (Tin- Tungsten)

Shwegyin (Gold)

Mewaing (Gold)

MawKhee (Zinc)

Thabyu (Antimony

Kanbauk (Tin)

Hermyingyi (Tin)

Heinda (Tin)

Pakarye (Tin)

Nanthilar (Tin)

Theindaw (Tin)

Yadanabon (Tin)


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

39

Courtesy Call with the Officials from Ministry of

Mines

Detail discussion onConcerned minerals between Investors

and respective departments

Site Visit Submit Proposal

1 2 3 4

Procedures of Foreign Investmentin Mining Sector of Myanmar (Foreign Investors)

Before investing in Myanmar, foreign investors need tounderstand a number of regulatory and legal topic as well asbusiness climate.

Some of these are corporate registration, legislation, workpermits, industrial licensing, taxation, investment promotionand the availability of infrastructure and facilities.


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

The Proposal must include …..

Company Registrationin Myanmar

Company Profiles and Other

Relevant fact of company

Recommendation and endorsement of the respective

embassy

Bank Statement

List of Board of Directors

Initial Work Program

Map of Proposed Area with

Respective Coordinate

Proposal

EIA, SIA , HIA Plan


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

40

Prospecting Permit

(1 yr + extension = 12 months)

Exploration Permit

(3 yrs + extension = 1 yr (2) times )

Feasibility Study

(1 yr + extension = 12 month)

Small Scale Mining Permit

(5 yr + extension (1) yr (4) times)

Large Scale Mining Permit

(15 yrs + extension (5)yrs (4) times)

Subsistence Mining Permit

(only 1 yr)

Types of Permit


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

41

42

Large Scale Mining Permit•Minerals - Precious Metallic, Industrial and Decoration Stones• Max :15 yrs + Extension (5) yr for (4)times• Needing to get an approval from MIC and Union Government.

Small Scale Mining Permit• Ministry can issue the permit.• Gold (20) Acres, Minerals (50) Acres, Industrial Minerals

(247.1) Acres, Gems Stones (1) Acres• Max: 5 yrs + Extension (1) yr for (4)times• Restricted to use of heavy machineries.

Subsistence Mining Permit • Minerals• Industrials Minerals• Stone• Only (1) yr

Re

stri

ctio

ns

of

Pe

rmit


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

China geological Survey invited DGSE in 2006 to participate in the 1:5M

International Geological map of Asia (IGMA 5000) based on the combination

of geology ,GIS and cartography. ( ONE GEOLOGY ONE COUNTRY)

Two participants attended the 2nd and 3rd workshop held in China and

presented the "STRATIGRAPHY AND TECTONO- MAGMATISUM OF

MYANMAR’’ AND “THE CORRELATION OF MYANMAR

STRATIGRAPHY AND CHINA STRATIGRAPHY AT THE BORDER

AREA”

DGSE contributed 1:5M scale of Geological map in GIS format to

IGMA 5000 project in 2010.

COOPERATION WITH CHINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

43

COOPERATION WITH KOREA

MINISTRY OF MINES HAS BEEN COOPERATING WITH KOREA FOR 20 YEARS.

D.G.S.E HAS BEEN COOPERATING WITH KOREA SINCE 2003,AND KOICA EXPERT

DR MOON KUN JOO TRAINED TO GEOLOGISTS FROM 30-10-2003 TO 31-1-2004 AT

YANGON, MYANMAR.

FORMER YEARS AND LAST YEAR MANY GEOLOGISTS FROM MINISTRY OF

MINES LEARNT AT KIGAM FOR TRANINING COURSE.

IN THE YEAR 2011,DIRECTOR GENERAL DR .YE MYINT SWE VISITED AND

DISCUSSED AT KIGAM TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP OF KOREA AND

MINISTRY OF MINES.


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

44

45

•The MoU between , the Ministry of Mines, D.G.S.E and DOM on one side

and Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) on the other was officially signed

during in the year 2014 for the Sustainable Development of Mineral

Resources in Myanmar (SUSMIN).

•According to the MoU , the GTK experts have been teaching to geologists of

Ministry of Mines for the GIS aided geological mapping and mineral

resources since March, 2014.

COOPERATION WITH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF FINLAND


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

2013/Oct：JOGMEC x DGSE concluded New Minutes of Meeting

・Modification compared with previous Version.

① Survey Area: Reduced Kachin and Chin state area.

② Term of Survey: Extended to 2016 Mar (more two year survey term.)

③ Confidentiality::

Target Area

Dr Ye Myint Soe and Mr. Ueda

We choose three granitoid belt.1. Western: for Base Metals2. Central: for Rare Metals3. Eastern: for Base Metals

COOPERATION WITH JAPAN


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

46

COOPERATION WITH CCOP


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

47

48

COOPERATION WITH CCOP


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

49

Myanmar is endowed with variety of minerals and completed long

geological history of Precambrian to Tertiary age.

Extensive mineral occurrences and well established centuries old mining

industry.

Mineral resources potential remains under-estimating and still collecting

necessary geological information.

Traditional method is still used for geological mapping ,mineral exploration

and mining in Myanmar , eastern parts of Myanmar are planned to do

mineral exploration and rechecking for seamless geological map along the

borders.

We do hope, this FORUM will be provided the sustainable development in

mining sector between China and Myanmar.!!!!!


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

50

Myanmar is striving to amend the Mines Law and Regulations ;

To meet with the International Standard of the World Leading Mining

Countries .

To invite the Foreign Investor to the mining sector of Myanmar.

To overcome the challenges on the mining sector.

To develop of Myanmar’s Mining Sector, we need new advanced

technique of Mineral Exploration and Mining application method.

Also reforming the financial sector especially the banking system which

urgently need to reform for the foreign Investors.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!


Belts of

Myanmar

Geology

Setting of

Myanmar

Mineral Occurrence

& Mining Activities

in Myanmar

Investment

Opportunities

Cooperation

with

International

Conclusion

Sign In Sign-Up

Geological Settings of Gold Districts in MyanmarPACRIM BERLI SEMINAR, NOVEMBER 1999

AUTHORS

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

SUMMARY OF MYANMAR GEOLOGY

GOLD MINERALISATION STYLES AND DISTRICTS

QUARTZ-GOLD VEINS IN THE MAGMATIC ARC (WUNTHO AND MABEIN DISTRICTS)

EPITHERMAL SEDIMENT-HOSTED GOLD IN THE MAGMATIC ARC (DAUNGYU-MONYWA) AND PEGU YOMA

TABLE 1

KYAUKPAHTO-GEGALAW DISTRICT

SANDSTONE-HOSTED GOLD-COPPER MINERALISATION IN THE SLATE BELT (PHAYAUNG TAUNG- KYAIKTO DISTRICT)

SEDIMENT-HOSTED Sb-Au IN THE FOLD-THRUST BELT (LEBYIN-THABYU DISTRICT)

GOLD-BASE METAL SULPHIDES IN THE SHANTE BELT AND PYINMANA AREA, MOGOK BELT

OTHER GOLD MINERALISATION IN MYANMAR

LATE CENOZOIC PLACER GOLD

GOLD POTENTIAL

CONCLUSIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

REFERENCES

Fig. 1 : Structural Units in Myanmar

Fig. 2 : Gold Districs and Structural Units in Myanmar

A H G Mitchell1, Nyunt Htay2, C Ausa1, L Deiparine1, Aung Khine2 and Sein Po2

1. Ivanhoe Myanmar Holdings Limited, 313/315 U Wisara Road, Sanchaung Township, Yangon. Myanmar.

2. Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration, 90 Kanbe Road, Yankin, Yangon, Myanmar.

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ABSTRACT

The main tectonic elements in Myanmar are a late Mesozoic and Cenozoic magmatic arc system in the west, repeated in northern Myanmar by more than

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300 km of dextral movement on the Sagaing Fault, and the back-arc continental region affected by early and late Mesozoic orogenies, in the east.Historically most lode gold production has been from latest Cretaceous high-grade mesothermal veins and derived placers in the Wuntho and Tagaung-Myitkyina segments of the magmatic arc. Placer deposits in the Ayerwaddy River north of Myitkyina are currently worked by more than 100-bucketdredges. South of Wuntho, the magmatic arc and Pegu Yoma fold belt host epithermal gold with associated As, Sb and Zn in mid-Tertiary marinesediments. Myanmar’s most productive lode gold deposit, the Kyaukpahto mine, lies within a north-trending district east of the magmatic arc and north ofMandalay. Here mineralisation and associated jasperoidal silica occur in Eocene sandstones and Permian and Triassic carbonates. Possibly this districtcontinues southeastwards, across the Sagaing Fault, as sediment-hosted Sb Au and locally skarn Au mineralisation within a 1100 km long fold-thrust belt.Also present in the back-arc region are sandstone-hosted Au Cu in a Palaeozoic slate belt, and gold and stratabound gold-base metal mineralisation in themedial metamorphic belt. While untested targets remain in the magmatic arc, particularly for high suiphidation Au, the best potential is clearly within theback-arc slate and fold-thrust belts in the western part of the Shan Plateau and in northeastern-most Myanmar.

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INTRODUCTION

Although alluvial gold had been mined in Myanmar long before the British occupation, systematic recording of gold occurrences and prospects began withthe establishment of the colonial geological survey, part of the Geological Survey of India (GSI), in the late 19th century. Early GSI reports onreconnaissance surveys in northern Myanmar led to commercial production from the Kyaukpazat lode mine and dredges on the upper Ayerwaddy(Irrawaddy) River before World War I (Coggin Brown, 1935). Much of the geological mapping by the GSI, largely between the World Wars, wasconcentrated in the western part of the Shan Plateau of eastern Myanmar, resulting in accounts of gold mineralisation northeast of Mandalay (Pascae,1950).

Following World War II, and establishment of the national Geological Survey organisation, mineral exploration by the private and to a limited extent thepublic sector continued until the mid-1960s. For the next 25 years mineral exploration was the responsibility of the Geological Survey Department(DGSE), which operated both alone and in technical co-operation projects with numerous overseas agencies. One of the largest of these, theDGSEIUnited Nations Project, covered some 47 000 km2 between 1974 and 1978, and included accounts of gold occurrences (eg. United Nations,1978a) although at that time gold was a low-priority commodity.

Since the mid-l990s, and the return of the private sector, work by companies has resulted in discovery and description of numerous additional goldoccurrences and prospects. Our recent exploration over some 12,500 km2, and our collective Myanmar-wide field data, now permit definition of severalgold belts or districts, which we describe in this paper.

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SUMMARY OF MYANMAR GEOLOGY

Myanmar consists of the northern continuation of the late Mesozoic and Cenozoic Banda-Sunda arc system in the west and late Mesozoic and olderorogenic belts of the Shan-Thai Block in the east. This provides a convenient basis for subdivision of the country into a geological Western Province andan Eastern Province separated by a medial metamorphic belt (Figure.1).

In the Western Province the major physiographic features are the Mesozoic-Cenozoic magmatic arc and its metamorphic basement, and the Naga-Chin-Arakan Ranges which lie parallel to and west of the magmatic arc.

The magmatic arc occurs as two segments. The western or Monywa-Banmauk segment is a geanticlinal uplift forming a chain of inliers within late Cenozoicsediments. It consists of amphibolite, chlorite and pelitic schists and rare gneisses, overlain by Jurassic basaltic pillow lavas and volcaniclastics intruded byandesitic sills, with unconformable Albian limestones in synclines. The pre-Albian rocks are intruded by 106 to 85 my granodioritic to dioritic plutons andbatholiths of a west-facing arc system (United Nations, l978a). Younger rocks include rhyolitic sills in Palaeogene marine mudstones, Eocene non-marineclastics, Miocene to early Pliocene quartz andesite porphyries, and three late Quaternary extinct stratovolcanoes. South of Mt Popa, the Pegu Yomageanticlinal fold-belt of Upper Oligocene and Miocene sediments lies along the projected axis of the magmatic arc.

The Western Trough, a fore-arc basin with more than 10 km of Albian to Quaternary sediments lies west of the arc and a much thinner Tertiarysedimentary sequence lies to the east.

The Naga-Arakan Ranges or outer arc comprise in the east the uplifted Mt Victoria-Kawlum belt of mica and graphite schists overthrust by tectonisedUpper Triassic turbidites and mudstones, and by ophiolite and amphibolite. The schists form the core of the prominent antiform at Mt Victoria (3053 rn)To the west the Ranges consist of Campanian pelagic limestones and mudstones and Tertiary clastic sedimentary rocks in thrust contact with the MtVictoria belt (United Nations, 1978 b). Around lat 26°N the schists and ultramafics, with local glaucophane and jadeite and outliers of Albian limestone(Clegg, 1941), extend southeastwards towards the Sagaing Fault.

North of lat 23°N, the magmatic arc and Mt Victoria-Kawlum belt are repeated by dextral movement on the Sagaing Fault of Win Swe (1972), with adisplacement of at least 300 km and possibly over 450 km. Their respective offset continuations as the Tagaung-Myitkyina arc segment and GangawRange form an arcuate eastward-convex belt through northeastern Myanmar.

The medial metamorphic belt is roughly equivalent to the Mogok belt of Searle and Haq (1964), who regarded it as a single stratigraphic unit continuous





from northern Myanmar to southeast of Yangon. Our observations suggest that it consists of two metamorphic units, the gem-bearing Mogok belt in thenorth consisting largely of sillmanite gneiss, diopside-phlogopite marble and schist, and the Kyaukse-Mopalin belt in the south consisting of layeredmigmatites, schist and minor marble. Both are intruded by discordant plutons of biotite granite and K-felspar megacrystic granite batholiths. Thesedimentary protolith of both units is probably Proterozoic and in both radiometric ages indicate Miocene uplift-cooling, but in the Kyaukse-Mopalin beltthe main metamorphism is pre-Jurassic.

The Eastern Province comprises the extensive Shan Plateau and northeastern Myanmar east of the medial metamorphic belt, and southern Myanmar eastof the Andaman Sea.

From south of Mandalay the metamorphic rocks are bordered on the east by a slate belt comprising mica and graphite schist, slates and marble, phyllite,and Upper Carboniferous pebbly rnudstones. The slate belt widens southwards and occupies all of Myanmar east of the Andaman Sea. East of the slatebelt, a fold-thrust belt includes schists of the Chaung Magyi Group; Cambrian to mid-Devonian non-marine elastics, shelf carbonates and graptolitic shales,and topographically prominent Lower Permian to Upper Triassic carbonates. The middle Jurassic to end-Cretaceous includes at least four successions,partly marine and partly red beds separated by angular unconformities. Further east, Permian limestones and mudstones are absent and the Plateau isunderlain by Proterozoic and lower and middle Palaeozoic rocks, with Mogok gneiss and marble exposed in a regional antiform. In much of the westernpart of the Plateau, early Jurassic and Cretaceous thrusting has resulted in complex nappe stacks details of which are not yet understood.

Limited data suggest that northeastern Myanmar, between the upper course of the Ayerawaddy (Irrawaddy) River and Yunnan, is occupied by rocksequivalent to the slate belt of the Plateau margin and southern Myanmar. Locally calc-alkaline intrusions of Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous ageintrude the slate belt.

In plate tectonic terms, we regard the Mogok metarnorphics and Chaung Magyi Group as the Shan-Thai continental foreland, onto which other units werethrust from the west in the Mesozoic. Mid Jurassic-early Cretaceous eastward and westward subduction were followed by emplacement of the Mawgyivolcanics onto the Myanmar margin (Mitchell, 1993) in the late Lower Cretaceous. The Mt Victoria-Kawlum and equivalent Gangaw Rangemetasedimentary rocks may be a separate block which collided with Myanmar before the Albian. In the late Cretaceous, following deposition of Albianlimestone, eastward subduction generated the calc-alkaline batholiths of the then-continuous Monywa-Banmauk-Tagaung-Myitkyina arc.

Since the early Miocene and initiation of movement on the Sagaing Fault (Curray et a!, 1979), Myanmar west of the Fault has been situated on the Burmaplate (Figure.1). The India plate is subducting beneath the Burma plate on a seismic zone which dips east beneath the Naga-Chin-Arakan Hills and to thesouth approaches the surface in the Sunda Trench. In the Naga Hills the plate boundary swings east then south as a northward canvex, originally north-directed thrust zone which we believe passes into the northern end of the dextral Sagaing Fault.

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GOLD MINERALISATION STYLES AND DISTRICTS

Most of the gold occurrences and deposits in Myanmar can be grouped into one of several distinct mineralisation styles. In the authors’ opinion each ofthese either coincides with a specific geological belt or forms a mineral district defined by the deposits themselves. The geological setting and mineralisationof these Au districts (Figure. 2) are described in the following sections, and summarised in Table 1.

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QUARTZ-GOLD VEINS IN THE MAGMATIC ARC (WUNTHO AND MABEIN DISTRICTS)

Auriferous quartz or quartz-carbonate veins are widespread in the Wuntho segment or inlier of the magmatic arc (Figure. 2). The veins extend from lat23°N at least to lat 26°N. South of lat 25°N they are hosted by Upper Cretaceous granodioritic to dioritic plutons and by the chlorite schists,amphibolites, and basalts, basaltic andesites and volcanclastic rocks which they intrude,

North of lat 25° the magmatic rocks are absent and veins are hosted only by pelitic and mafic schists and possibly ultramafic rocks as at Namma.Cretaceous arc rocks exposed at Monywa, Salingyi and Shinmataung, all south of Lat 23°N, lack mesothermal Au veins.

Veins arc mostly of white crystalline quartz without conspicuous banding but sometimes with a later central ‘epithermal’ zone of crustiform-bandedchalcedonic quartz. Some veins are subvertical but low-angle veins are common in schist and in plutons. Host rock basaltic andesites are regionallypropylitised, while in plutonic host rocks a 1 to 3 m wide sericite envelope surrounds veins.

The veins support many hundreds of small-scale lode workings, and a pre-World War I underground mine at Kyaukpazat produced 230 kg gold. Thisand numerous other vein clusters at Kyaukpazat occur within an 800 m wide north-trending gabbroic sill. Throughout the Wuntho district worked veinscommonly assay up to 20 to 100 ppm Au, although within the veins most visible Au is in zones less than 1 cm wide with pyrite and sometimes more thanone per cent combined Zn, Cu and Pb. Ratios of Ag:Au rarely exceed one, and in high-grade samples As:Au ratios are often below one. Tellurides havebeen reported at Kyaukpazat (Coggin Brown, 1935). Veins pinch and swell, rarely exceeding a metre in width. Few veins are longer than 300 m, but atthe Shangalon porphyry Cu prospect southwest of Wuntho two parallel veins are worked over a 4 km strike length.

Veins similar to those in the Wuntho uplift are widespread in the Mabein district which covers much of the Tagaung-Myitkyina arc segment. They arehosted by mafic schists, basaltic andesites and calc-alkaline plutons, worked by artisanal miners, and up to 700 m in length.







In the Wuntho and Mabein districts the mineralisation and host rocks, including the Upper Cretaceous batholith, are overlain unconformably by Eocenenon-marine sediments. Field data are consistent with mineralisation by metamorphic hydrothermal fluids later than and unrelated to genesis of the schist andamphibolite host rocks.

In both the Wuntho and Mabein districts minor Au is present in Fe Cu skams and porphyry copper prospects, although drilled porphyry prospects appearto be deeply eroded with Au largely confined to veins.

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EPITHERMAL SEDIMENT-HOSTED GOLD IN THE MAGMATIC ARC (DAUNGYU-MONYWA) AND PEGU YOMA

Auriferous veins hosted very largely by Upper Oligocene to Lower Miocene mudstones and calcareous mudstones and sandstones are present in theDaungyu Hills south of Shangalon, at Monywa (Radislao, 1997), and in the axial part of the Pegu Hills fold-belt around Myeze Taung (Figure 2). Rhyoliticsills and debris flows, and associated tuff breccias or hydroclastic breccias are present in the mudstone sequence in the Daungyu Hills and at Monywawhere they host some of the veins, but in the Pegu Hills igneous rocks other than rare late Cenozoic dolerites are absent.

Host rock sediments are strongly silicified, and mudstones at Monywa have up to five per cent pyrite. Veins are of quartz with minor carbonate but noconfirmed adularia. Veins locally show spectacular colloform banding with drusy vugs, and cockade textures in breccias and hydro-fracwred silicifiedmudstones. Vein breccias include illite-smectite and kaolinite. Most veins have very limited strike length and the most persistent mineralised structure issome 500 m long, in the Pegu Yoma where an associated 30 km alluvial train has attracted several gold rushes.

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TABLE 1

Lode gold districts in Myanmar

DistrictSetting Type Age

Type No. on Figure2

Wuntho and Mabein 1 a. b Magmatic arc Mesothermal veins Latest Cretaceous

Daungyu - Monywa and PeguYoma 2 Magmatic arc and fold-

bekSediment-hosted epithermal Au (As Sb

Zn) Miocene

Kyaukpahto - Gegalaw 3 Sagaing Fault Sediment-hosted Au (Sb As) Late Eocene to Miocene

Phayaung Taung - Kyaikto 4 Proterozoic-slate belt Sandstone-hosted Au (Cu) Jurassic to Palaeocene

- Thabyu 5 Fold-thrust belt Sediment-hosted Sb (Au As) Post-Jurassic

Shante and Pyinmana 6 a, b Medial metamorphic belt Mesothermal Au Zn Pb and Au ?Post-Cretaceous

Patun - Taungkamauk 1 a Wuntho arc segment High suiphidation Au (Cu) ?Miocene

Mt Victoria - Kawlum 7 E Chin Hills antiform Listwaenite ?Au Upper Cretaceous-Palaeocene

Note: District 7 not shown on Figure 2 because Au in listwaenite alteration of Mt Victoria-Kawlum belt is not confirmed.

Ag:Au ratios are mostly less than five at Daungyu and less than three in the Pegu Hills, but in the 400 km2 Monywa district the ratios vary among differentprospects from 40:1 (for 5 to 10 ppm Au values) at Kyaukmyet hill to 5:1 to 10:1 at Shwebontha 5 km to the south. Arsenic values at Monywa andDaungyu correlate with Au but rarely exceed 1400 ppm. In the Pegu Hills, high-grade Au samples are either high in As (up to nine per cent), with stibniteand silica replacement of host rock sandstones. or have less than 80 ppm As and Sb with little silicification of host rock mudstones. In all three areasmineralised rocks have elevated Zn (eg persistent 0.2 per cent Zn in drill core) or Zn Pb values, but no detailed correlation of Zn with Au. Overall Sb andAs values and Zn:Cu ratios are much higher than in the Wuntho mesothermal vein district.

At Monywa (Radislao, 1997), the mineralisation is probably late Lower Miocene in age. It pre-dates advanced argillic alteration associated with a nearbylarge (over 500 mt) high suiphidation copper deposit recently described by Kyaw Win and Kirwin (1998).

Silicified pseudo-coralline Structures suggestive of sinter are present in the Daungyu and Monywa areas, and fluid inclusions at Monywa indicatedepositional temperatures of 2300 to 2500. We regard the mineralisation as low suiphidation epithermal transitional to sediment-hosted, with high Zn Pbvalues suggesting a (7 late stage) input of saline formation water.





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SEDIMENT-HOSTED Au IN THE KYAUKPAHTO-GEGALAW DISTRICT

Gold mineralisation associated with jasperoidal silica is present at several localities in a 100 km long north-trending district immediately west of the SagaingFault north of Mandalay (Figure 2). Kyaukpahto in the north of the district has reserves of 2.8 mt at 2.6 g/t Au, and has produced around 700 kg goldsince 1992. The Gegalaw and nearby Taung Zaw prospects are worked by artisanal miners. Mineralisation is mostly in veinlets and breccias associatedwith quartz replacement.

At Kyaukpahto (Ye Myint Swe, in prep) the ore zone is a steeply-dipping quartz matrix breccia, with quartz veinlets in silicified Eocene calcareoussandstones in the hanging wall. Gold in the I to 10 ppm range is accompanied by 50 to 1000 ppm As and 10 to 50 ppm Sb, with reported elevated Cuvalues. The Ag:Au ratio rarely exceeds one. In the Gegalaw area gold is within sjljcifjed Eocene sandstones and mudstones, in Permian or Tnassiccarbonates and in younger (?Jurassic) limestone with widespread jasperoidal quartz replacing the carbonates. At Taungzaw breccias and veinlets inEocene sandstones and mudstones are along faults on an anticline axis.

Mineralisation is spatially and possibly genetically (Wilson, 1987) related to the Sagaing strike-slip fault and therefore probably post-early Miocene. TheEocene host rocks are part of a widespread formation which lacks intrusions, and any magmatic heat source for the mineralisation evidently does not reachthe surface.

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SANDSTONE-HOSTED GOLD-COPPER MINERALISATION IN THE SLATE BELT (PHAYAUNG TAUNG- KYAIKTO DISTRICT)

Gold mineralisation is known from numerous localities throughout the slate belt of the Eastern Province (Figure. 2) and in a narrow fault slice of the slatebelt immediately north of Mandalay. Most of these occurrences support small-scale alluvial or less commonly bedrock workings, although Phayaungtaunghas been mined in an open pit.

Gold occurs in quartz-pyrite stringers, veinlets and rarely veins, stratabound within quartz-feldspar sandstones, grits and occasional conglomerates. Theseform debris flow or turbidite beds up to several metres thick within much thicker sequences of pyritic slate, graphitic and sencite schist, phyllitic mudstone,and Upper Carboniferous pebbly mudstones. Thicker pyrite-free quartz veins in some prospects are not mineralised.

Some mineralised sandstones are silicified but in others oxidation and supergene kaolinisation of feispar has resulted in a soft friable rock intensivelyworked by small-scale miners. Gold values in gently-dipping units sometimes persist into the roof or hanging wall phyllitic mudstone.

Main areas of mineralisation are Phayaung Taung where gold is being mined from several recumbently folded quartzite bodies each up to a few metresthick. cut by quartz veinlets, and within weakly mineralised sericite schist; the Makawbwet subdistrict 200 km to the south which includes more than 250lode gold occurrences within a 200 km2 area; and the Kyaikto area southeast of Yangon with Au workings in subvertical sandstones up to 7 m thick.Extensive alluvial workings at Shwegyin northeast of Yangon are probably derived from similar mineralisation, and the district may include auriferous veinswithin slates on Russell Island (Figure.1) in southernmost Myanmar. Around lat 23°N, northeast of Mandalay. gold mineralisation in the northeast-trendingslate belt of the Chaung Magyl Group (Pascoe, 1950) may be part of the same mineral district.

Arsenic and commonly Cu are associated with the Au throughout the belt. Gold values of I to 10 ppm are accompanied by Cu in the 200 to 0.4 per centrange, As up to 0.5 per cent, and rare Sb values above 0.1 per cent. Maximum Au values over I to 2 m intervals are in the 100 to 200 ppm range withAg:Au ratios usually less than five. Narrower zones show abundant visible Au, mostly in vugs, with float sample assays up to 1700 ppm Au.

The slate belt is intruded by I and S type biotite and two-mica granites, granite porphyry dykes of pre-Upper Cretaceous age, and a few small bodies ofdiorite and dacite porphyry, with none of which is the gold mineralisation preferentially associated. We infer ascent of metamorphic water on shear zones inthe schist and phyllite, with mineralisation in fracture-permeable quarizite.

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SEDIMENT-HOSTED Sb-Au IN THE FOLD-THRUST BELT (LEBYIN-THABYU DISTRICT)

Immediately east of the slate belt are several stibnite workings some of which have significant gold values. The main deposits, occurring over a north-southdistance of 600 km, are Lebyin, Painchit and Paingkyan, and Thabyu which is currently the most productive (Figure. 2). Host rocks are mostly UpperPalaeozoic and older slates, sandstones and mudstones but include at Lebyin a Cretaceous basal conglomerate and limestones. Permian carbonates overliethe Upper Palaeozoic host rocks and are commonly thrust over Jurassic-Cretaceous rocks. All the workings are within pervasive quartz replacementwhich in carbonates results in massive cherty to jasperoidal silica, and by brecciation. Similar stibnite mineralisation in silicified sandstones at Natsansoutheast of Yangon is situated in the slate belt, and stibnite workings with associated Au also occur to the east in the central part of the Shan Plateau.

More detailed information is available only for Lebyin, where the largest silicified zones are 1 km long and locally unconformity-controlled. Stibnite is hereaccompanied by As and Au, and illite alteration with leaching of grits or carbonates preceded silicification and hydrothermal brecciation.

At Shweminbon, 3 km east of the Sb Au at Lebyin, Au with associated Cu, As and Te occurs in breccias and skarns in calcite marble and interbeddedmid-Jurassic bioclastic limestone and mans intruded by diorite stocks and dykes. During a recent gold rush at Shweminbon production from pre-Worid








War I tunnels averaged around 80 tpd.

Pervasive silica replacement with the Sb Au mineralisation in the fold-thrust belt suggests similarity with the Au mineralisation in the Kyaukpahto-Gegalawdistrict to the north-northwest, described above.

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GOLD-BASE METAL SULPHIDES IN THE SHANTE BELT AND PYINMANA AREA, MOGOK BELT

Base metal-gold mineralisation in quartz veins and veinlets occurs within the 500 km2 Shante gold belt within the Mogok metamorphics north and northeastof Mandalay. Here high but erratic gold grades have resulted in many short-lived gold rushes on new discoveries in the last 15 years.

Gold is usually associated with Zn, Pb and sometimes Cu and almost invariably hosted by marble. The largest vein, at Kwinthonzee south of Shante, issome 7 m thick with Au, pyrite and several per cent Zn plus Pb in quartz-carbonate-fuchsite gangue. Many other Au workings are on narrow mineralisedzones, within and conformable with flat to undulating marble horizons within gneiss.

Some 300 km to the south, within the metamorphic belt east of Pyinmana, quartz veins up to a few metres wide within granite have been known since theearly-l980s. However despite local coarse visible gold, overall grades are only around 2 ppm Au and veins are insufficiently close to support bulk mining.

Mineralisation in the Shante belt may be co-eval with the mesothermal Au veins of the Mabein district in the magmatic arc immediately to the north, withhigh Zn and Pb reflecting an input of saline water through the permeable marble host rocks. The granite-hosted veins at Pyinmana are mesothermal, andpossibly a deeper-level equivalent a the slate belt Au to the east.

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OTHER GOLD MINERALISATION IN MYANMAR

Hypogene acid sulphate or advanced argillic alteration with cherty quartz replacing volcanic rocks, alunite-pyrophyllite or kaolinite assemblages andhydrothermal breccia with elevated As Sb Ba occur at several localities (eg. Patun, Taungkamauk) in the Wuntho arc segment and near Mt. Popa. Theymay be of similar age to the mid-Miocene high sulphidation Cu system at Monywa, but those investigated contain highly localised Au mineralisation andlittle Cu.

To the west, within the Mt Victoria-Kawlum belt, are numerous zones of ophicalcite (United Nations, l978b) or I istwaenite (carbonate-quartz-manipositealteration) situated at the contact of serpentinite sheets with Albian limestone. Although this alteration lacks known mineralisation, alluvial gold and platinumgroup metals in northwest Myanmar suggest possible derivation from I listwaenite-related mi neralisation. Placer Au of uncertain provenance is knownfrom the same structural belt to the south around lat 2l°N.

At Tanaing, in northern-most Myanmar, Au is associated with a sequence of Eocene sediments and andesites (Kyi Htun, oral commun, 1999). Therelationship of these rocks to the magmatic arc is unclear.

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LATE CENOZOIC PLACER GOLD

In the Western Province much reworking and transport of gold has taken place since the early Pliocene. Poorly lithified boulder beds form low hills andterraces worked by hydraulicking in the Wuntho district and probably continue northwards through the jade-bearing Uru Boulder Conglomerate ofChibber (1934), possibly to the Au workings downstream from Tanaing.

South of the boulder beds the extensive gently-folded fluvial lrrawaddy Fm at least partly of Pliocene age, contains conglomerates with detrital gold(Coggin Brown, 1935) and platinum group metals. Derived alluvials in active stream channels are panned and sluiced.

Larger-scale recent transport of gold is indicated by the dredging of nearly two tonnes of gold in the upper Ayerwaddy near Myitkyina from 1901 to 1918(Coggin Brown, 1935), and by the current (1999)- operation of 100 to 200 bucket dredges along some 100 km of the river north of Myitkyina. This goldis probably derived from mesothermal veins in the northeastern segment of the magmatic arc and veins in the slate belt to the east. Small-scale sluicing ofauniferous sands and terrace gravels often with recovery of platinum group metals has continued for more than 100 years in the Chindwin River northwestof the Wuntho Au district (Figure. 2).

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GOLD POTENTIAL

Historically most gold in Myanmar has been produced from mesothermal veins and related placer deposits in the western and northeastern segments of themagmatic arc. In both some intrusion-hosted mineralisation and high-grade veins and particularly some high sulphidation systems with an inferred potentialfor associated porphyry Cu Au, have yet to be systematically explored. However, several types of gold mineralisation including sediment-hosted Au and





Sb Au and Au skarn, are now known from the western part of the Shan Plateau. This is a back-arc region relative to the west-facing late Cretaceous toTertiary magmatic arc to the west, and hence analogous in this respect to much of western North America and the eastern Andes. This geological settingtogether with structural complexity, the presence throughout the pre-late Cretaceous stratigraphic column of carbonates and late Mesozoic and earlyTertiary intrusions, and many Au occurrences in the carbonate terrains, all suggest that this region and the Plateau interior to the east, have an excellent Aupotential. A significant potential can also be predicted for northeastern-most Myanmar, an area which we believe is the source of most of the gold beingintensively dredged in the northwestern tributary of the Ayerwaddy river. However, here as in the east of the Shan Plateau, access only recently haspermitted the systematic geological mapping essential to attract non-speculative funds for mineral exploration.

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CONCLUSIONS

Most gold mineralisation in Myanmar occurs in two regional tectonic belts: in the geanticlinal magmatic arc as latest Cretaceous mesothermal veins, and aslow sulphidation epithermal systems in mid-Tertiary sediments and rhyolitic sills; and in the back-arc western part of the Shan Plateau as sediment-hostedsilica replacement Au and Au Sb, as sandstone-hosted Au (Cu) in the slate belt, as skarn Au (Cu), and as mesothermal veins in marble and granite withinthe medial metamorphic belt. Greatest. lode Au production has been from the northwestern part of the magmatic arc, but greatest potential is in the back-arc area of the Shan Plateau and northeastern M yanmar.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the many geologists in or associated with Ivanhoe Myanmar Holdings Limited and the staff of the Department of Geological Survey and MineralExploration, whose unpublished data and ideas have contributed to this paper, and in particular U Tin Hlaing for his contributions on Myanmar tectonicsand gold mineralisation in the magmatic arc and Mogok belt. We also thank Ivanhoe Myanmar Holdings Limited and the Myanmar Government forpermission to publish.

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REFERENCES

Chibber, H L, 1934. The Mineral Resource.c of Burnw (Macmillan:London).Clegg, E L G, 1941. The Crctaceous and associated rocks of Burma. Menwir.c of the Geological Survey of India. 74:101.Coggin Brown, i, 1935. Gold in Burma and the Shan States, Mi Mug, 20. 82-92, 110: 9-92.Curray. J R, Moore, D G, Lawyer. L A, Emmel, F J. Raitt, E W, Henry, M and Kiekhefer, R, 1979. Tectonics of the Andaman Sea and Burma, inGeological and Geophysical Investigations of Continental Slopes and Rises (Eds: J Watkins, L Montadert and P Dickinson), Memoirs of theAmerican Association of Petroleum Geologists, 29:189-198.Kyaw Win and Kirwin, D i, 1998. Exploration, geology and mineralization of the Monywa copper deposits, Myanmar, in Porphyry andHydrothermal Copper and Gold Deposits a Global Perspective, Conference Proceedings 1998, pp 6 1-74 (Australian Mineral Foundation: Perth).Mitchell, A H G, 1993. Cretaceous-Cenozoic Tectonic events in the western Myanmar (Burma)-Assam region. Journal of the Geological Societyof London, 150: 1089-1 102.Pascoe, B H, 1950. A Manual of the Geology of India and Burma, 3rd ed, V 1 (Government of India Press: Calcutta).Radislao, D, 1997. Drilling results at Kyaukmyet, Shwebontha, Monywa district. Ivanhoe Myanmar Holdings Limited. Internal Rept (unpublished).Searle, D L and Ba Than Haq, 1964. The Mogok belt of Burma and its relationship to the Himalayan orogeny, in Proceeding.c of the 22ndInternational Geological Conference, Delhi, 11: 132-161.United Nations, 1978a. Geology and Exploration geochemistry of the Pinlebu-Banmauk Area, Sagaing Division, northern Burma, United NationsDevelopment Programme, New York, Technical Rept UN/B URi72/002, No 2.United Nations, l978b. Geology and exploration geochemistry of part of the Northern and Southern Chin hills and Arakan Yoma, Western Burma,United Nations Development Programme, New York, Technical Rept, UN/B UR.r72/002, No 4.Win Swe, 1972. Strike-slip faulting in Central Belt of Burma. In: Regional Conference on the Geology of Southeast Asia, Kuala Lunipur 1972,abstracts (Ed: by N S Haile), Geological Society of Malaysia, Annex to Newsletter 34, p 59.Wilson, J G, 1987. Structural control of gold mineralization at a plate boundary. The Kyaukpahto photogeologica] case history, northern centralBurma, in Proceedings PACRIM ‘87 Congress, pp 487-493 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).Ye Myint Swe, in prep. Sediment-hosted gold mineralization along the Sagaing Fault zone, northern Myanmar.

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Myanmar’s Mining Industry

www.csaglobal.com 1

Dr. Neal Reynolds Director Exploration & Evaluation CSA Global

18/11/2014

Realities and Visions for the Future

Introduction

Assessment of realities and future challenges for the Myanmar mining industry based on: • More than 14 years experience in Myanmar; • More than 20 years experience in mainland SE Asia; • Breadth of experience from project generation through

exploration to mining

CSA Global • International mining industry consultancy with offices in Perth,

Brisbane, Jakarta, London, Johannesburg, Vancouver, and Moscow;

• Provides geological and engineering services across the industry spectrum from regional exploration to feasibility and mining;

• Specialist expertise in SE Asia with extensive project experience in all the ASEAN countries.

Flashback! PDAC Toronto March 2003

• First green shoots of the 2000’s mining boom at the largest global mining industry convention

• SE Asia forum – CSA presentation on Myanmar

• Followed apparent liberalisation moves in 2002

• False dawn and the investment door slammed shut again in 2004

Flashback! PDAC Toronto March 2003

WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME? DO RECENT CHANGES BRING A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A

MODERN MINING INDUSTRY IN MYANMAR, OR ANOTHER FALSE DAWN?

Myanmar Mining Industry - Historical

• The Golden Land – production of gold, silver, copper, lead, etc. from ancient times

• Rubies and jade – Mogok and Hpakant • Important trade routes between India and

China

British Colonial Period c. 1824—1948

Lead, Zinc and Silver • Bawdwin Mine and Nam Tu smelter –

1918-38; major producer of Pb, Zn, and Ag

• Bawsaing district Pb-Ag and barite Tin and Tungsten (SE Asia Tin Belt) • Tenasserim – Heinda, Hermingyi, etc.;

extensive (palaeo) alluvial production, limited hard-rock mining

• Mawchi W-Sn narrow-vein mine Gold • Small scale, alluvial and hard rock • Kyaukpazat district Oil – Burmah Oil Company

Mawchi Tungsten Mine, 2012

Bawdwin Mine

Independence & Nationalisation 1948-1988

• Post-war and post-independence ongoing decline in mine production from colonial levels

• 1963 nationalisation and socialist period; Mining Enterprises established

• 1970’s Colombo plan/UN-aided mapping and exploration

• Monywa – Yugoslavia-Myanmar RTB Bor-ME1 joint venture began operations in 1985

• Kyaukpahto Au deposit discovered c. 1980 and developed with Yugoslav assistance from 1982 to 1993

• Both operations were failures

From Myanmar government website, 2003

Exploration “Mini-boom” 1994-1997

• New Investment law (1988) and Mining Law (1994).

• Mid-90’s tender-block rounds. • Industry enthusiasm amidst the global

boom – exploration and mining interest and investment by majors (Newmont), mid-tiers (Ivanhoe) but mostly by juniors.

• Monywa – Ivanhoe re-opened the mine in 1998 under a 50:50 JV with ME1 as modern heap-leach SX-EW operation producing 25,000 tpa cathode copper upgraded to 40,000 tpa in 2004

• Kyaukpahto – short-lived investment by Newmont.

• First modern exploration in Myanmar, but limited in scope and extent.

• Terminated by 1997-1998 global exploration industry collapse and prolonged subsequent downturn.

• Cyanide ban introduced

Kysintaung open-pit and leach pads, Monywa

SX-EW copper cathode production, Monywa

Resources “Super-cycle” 2004—2011

• Momentum for political liberalisation in Myanmar reversed in 2004 just as the “super-cycle” gathered pace

• Sanctions and changes in regulations militated against foreign investment – e.g. Commercial Tax and Production Sharing Contracts

• Investment effectively ceased; Ivanhoe pulled out of Monywa in 2007 and lost the Modi Taung Gold project

• Mining Enterprise mines and projects privatised – local companies (e.g. Asia World, Eternal Mining) with or without Asian or Russian JV partners

• Chinese investment focused on known deposits, e.g. Tagaung Taung Ni laterite, Monywa, Bawdwin, Nam Tu slags; also Russian, Thai etc. investors

Kyaukpahto Mine, 2004

COMEX Cu 1993-2012

Current Realities

• Myanmar missed the mining boom(s) and remains almost entirely unexplored

• Requirement for Production Sharing Contracts, high rental rates, short licence terms etc. make risk investment in exploration commercially untenable

• Underdeveloped mining industry relative to potential Production remains at a very low level in terms of

quantity and quality Monywa (now Chinese-controlled) is still the only

significant modern mining operation in the country; planned Letpadaung development and expansion to 200,000 tpa Cu has not yet occurred

Tagaung Taung Ni project also Chinese owned • Political change and broadly favourable 2012 Foreign

Investment Law – renewed mining investment interest but no MIC licences issued for exploration/mining

• 1994 Mining Law still in place and can provide a framework for acceptable “Contract of Work” based exploration title but more changes are needed to attract serious

explorers

Gegalaw artisanal gold mining and cyanide leaching, 2009

Future – Realising the Potential?

• Irreversible political change has occurred • New discoveries and development requires

risk investment • Minimal past exploration means there is no

pipeline of development projects; need to incentivise high-risk investment in high-risk brownfields and greenfields exploration

• Attracting foreign risk investment requires changes to the Mining Law and regulations PSC’s, signature bonus, high rental rates

etc. v. terms that encourage exploration dollars in the ground and new discovery

Promote high-risk investment and attract quality technically-focused explorers

Improve Mines Department capacity to transparently administer licensing system

Gegalaw artisanal gold mine, 2009

• Minimal past exploration enhances opportunities for shallow discovery For what commodities? Where? What is the real mineral potential of Myanmar and, with investment, can it

underpin a modern mining industry?

Mineral Potential and Tectonic Setting

• SE Asia comprises a collage of tectonic plates separated from Gondwana and accreted to Asia from the Cambrian to the Cenozoic.

• Understanding mineral potential is directly related to: Understanding this tectonic evolution and

related metallogeny Understanding deposit preservation

potential related to uplift and erosion, especially for epithermal Au and porphyry Cu systems

• Provides the basis for target belt prioritisation

• Knowledge from the surrounding region can be used, especially where limited information in Myanmar

• Significant metallic deposits of Cu, Au, Zn-Pb-Ag, and Sn-W exist within the country or in metallogenic belts that run into the country

Jiama Cu-Mo-Au

Chatree Au

Yulong Cu-Mo-Au

Monywa Cu

Davoy Sn-W

Bawdwin Pb-Zn-Ag

Sopokomil Zn-Pb

Kinta Valley Sn-W

Sepon Cu, Au

Phukham Cu-Au

Laocang Zn-Pb-Cu-Ag

Gold Potential

• Permo-Triassic volcanic arc belt, Eastern Shan State Epithermal potential; Mae Chan etc.

in Thailand Gold-rich VHMS; Dapingzhang (2g/t

Au), Nam Rin (Ba-Au, Thailand), Tasek Chini (Malaysia)

• Triassic Indosinian orogeny in the “Slate Belt” Orogenic gold, e.g. Modi Taung,

Shwegyin alluvials, Russell Island etc.; high grade, low tonnage

• Cretaceous collision and deformation in the Central Myanmar Arc Orogenic gold, Kyaukpazat, Legyin

etc. – extensive narrow-vein gold systems; high grade, low tonnage

Modi Taung

Chatree

Kyaukpazat

Mae Chan

Dapingzhang

Nam Rin

Russell Island

Gold Potential

• Palaeogene volcanic centres along the Central Myanmar Arc Epithermal gold Kachin segment; Setgadone etc.

• Neogene extensional magmatism along the Sagaing Fault zone Epithermal and sediment-hosted

gold e.g. Kyaukpahto (>6Mt at 3g/t), Gegalaw

• Neogene transcurrent faulting and magmatism in the Mogok metamorphic belt (Shan scarps) Mesothermal gold, IRG/skarn? –

Kwinthonze, Tayetkhone, Kyaikto Epithermal potential – Tengchong-

type young volcanic centres?

Kyaukpahto

Tengchong

Setgadone

Monywa

Kyaikto

Kwinthonze

Thayetkhone

Copper Potential

• Cambro-Ordovician volcanic centres Bawdwin polymetallic VHMS

• Permo-Triassic arc and back-arc volcanism in the Sukothai and Changning-Menglian belts – VHMS; in China Dapingzhang (c. 63 Mt at 0.8%

Cu) Yagra (c. 1 Mt cont. Cu)

• Triassic fore-arc – Lemyethna Cu-Au

Bawdwin

Dapingzhang

Phu Kham

Phu Thep

Laocang

Dongchuan

Dahongshan

Yagra Xuejiping

Lemyethna

Nam Rin

Copper Potential

• Palaeogene sub-aerial volcanic centres along the Central Myanmar Arc Monywa high-sulphidation

epithermal copper deposit (early Miocene); c. 1.88 Bt at 0.37% Cu, Letpadaung, Sabetaung, and Kysintaung deposits

Shangalon Cu-Au porphyry (Oligocene)

• Kachin Arc segment; correlated with Gangdese arc in Tibet Jiama (Tibet; 1.17 Bt at 0.41%

Cu, 0.04% Mo, 0.1g/t Au) • Mogok Belt Neogene transcurrent

faulting and magmatism Minor skarn copper-polymetallic

mineralisation

Shangalon

Kachin Arc

Monywa

Jiama

Zn-Pb-Ag Potential

• Cambro-Ordovician rhyolitic volcanic centres on the western margins of the Shan-Thai block - VHMS Bawdwin (“silver pit”)

polymetallic VHMS(?); 1938 reserve 10.8 Mt at 22.8% Pb, 13.9% Zn, 1.05% Cu and 670 g/t Ag – biggest global producer of Pb and Ag before WW2

Large lower-grade ‘halo’ resource reported by Mandalay Mining in 1997

• Potential outside the Bawdwin volcanic centre; unrecognised volcanic centres?

• Vein-hosted deposits in Precambrian and Cambrian clastics Yadanatheingyi etc.

Bawdwin

Yadanatheingyi

Zn-Pb-Ag Potential

• Early Ordovician carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn-Ag-Ba deposits over 1000 km of strike from Kanchanaburi to western Yunnan (Baoshan)

• Broadly “Irish-type” in a back-arc setting?

• Bawsaing district – extensive old barite, lead and zinc mines

• Shan State; Lufang etc.? • Thailand - Kanchanaburi; Song Toh,

Bo Yai global resources >8 Mt at c. 7% Pb, 3% Zn and 100g/t Ag

• Thailand - Li; Phu Mai Tong barite mine, Mae Chong Zn-Pb-Ag-Ba deposit

• Yunnan; Shizishan, Menxing, Dongshan etc.

Bawdwin

Long Keng

Bawsaing

Kanchanaburi

Li

Mengxing

Lufang

Yadanatheingyi

Zn-Pb-Ag Potential

• Permo-Triassic back-arc volcanism in eastern Shan State; polymetallic VHMS in Sukothai and Changning-Menglian belts Laocang, Yunnan, c. 20 Mt at

4.3% Zn, 6.6% Pb, 151 g/t Ag and 0.11% Cu)

• Indosinian Triassic MVT? Long Keng oxide Zn deposit c.

0.2 Mt at 35% Zn • Cretaceous MVT in Thailand Padaeng (Mae Sod) oxide Zn

deposit c. 1.7 Mt contained Zn

Dapingzhang

Long Keng

Padaeng

Laocang

Daliangzi

Huize

Yagra Jinding

Mawki

Lufang

Nam Rin

Sn-W Potential

• SE Asian Tin Belt (c. 2800 km) total estimated production c. 9.6 Mt of tin, or 54% of the world's tin production

• Most Sn-W in Myanmar is from Late Cretaceous Western Province granite-related mineralisation in Tanintharyi

• Most Sn production from Mio-Pliocene alluvial and eluvial palaeo-placers, e.g. Heinda and offshore dredging

• Lesser production from modern placers

• Relatively minor primary production from Sn-W greisen and vein deposits, e.g. Hermingyi, Kanbauk

• Tungsten-rich deposits on the eastern side of the belt; e.g. Mawchi, Mae Lama (Thailand)

• Unrealised primary potential – greisen and skarn?

Pyinmana

Tengchong

Mawchi

Hermingyi

Ban Phontiou

Mae Lama

Doi Mok

Geijiu

Khao Soon

Dulong

Phuket

Heinda

Myeik

Nui Phao

Ni, Cr, PGM Potential

• Extensive ophiolite belts related to Indian collision event; mostly steeply dipping and dismembered ultramafics Tagaung Taung lateritic nickel

deposit; c. 40 Mt at 2% Ni Mwetaung lateritic nickel deposit;

c. 36 Mt at 1.5% Ni Relatively small and moderate

grade deposits, mainly saprolite; high capital and power costs

• Widespread small chromite deposits and occurrences

• Alluvial PGM’s recorded at Indawgyi, Hukawng valley

• Jadeite at Hpakant has provided one of Myanmar’s most valuable mineral exports

Mwetaung

Kachin Ophiolite Belt

Indo-Burman Ophiolite Belt

Song Da Rift

Ban Phuc

Tagaung Taung

Hpakant

Panxi Rift

Bulk Commodities

Iron-ore • No significant deposits known • Potential for skarn magnetite exists in arc

belts and associated with tin skarns • Enigmatic Pang Phet deposit with

reported associated Cu and U; basement or Triassic hosted?

Manganese • Eastern Shan state; volcanic or skarn-

related? Bauxite • No significant reported occurrences Coal • Extensive low-grade sub-bituminous coal

in western basin, Kalewa etc. • Small brown-coal deposits in fault basins

on Shan plateau, e.g. Tigyit, Namma

Tigyit coal deposit

Coal in western basin

Pang Pet Fe

Mn & Fe production In E Shan

Secondary Fe and Mn; Primary skarn?

Operating Framework

• Common Law System • All minerals vested in the state; royalties are not fixed (precious metals 4-5%,

base metals and ferrous metals 3-4%, negotiable) • 1994 Mining Law set the framework for individual contracts which included:

• DGSE technical support at the exploration stage • Principal terms and conditions of production JV with one of the Mining

Enterprises – equity participation with cost recovery • Prospecting, exploration and production periods (total up to 10 years)

with expenditure commitments and progressive relinquishment • Investment Law sets framework for foreign investment; approval through

Myanmar Investment Commission • Production Sharing Contracts, high level of ‘signature bonus’ and ‘dead rent’

and short licence terms a major disincentive to risk investment in exploration • Local support or participation essential in states and ethnic areas • Currently possible to acquire licences through local JV companies; no MIC

licences have been issued • New Mining Law – when and what?? • How will foreign JV’s with non-state companies be accommodated?

Data & Services

• Improved UTM topographic map coverage at 1:50,000 from modern aerial photography

• Geological mapping limited in extent and quality

• Almost no useful exploration data such as geochemical datasets or airborne geophysics

• Limited technical professional experience especially in younger generation

• Low level in-country exploration services, drilling and geophysics; increased foreign involvement in service companies

• Services and equipment can be imported • Local service scope and availability will

quickly improve if foreign investment in exploration picks up

Geosan LLC Mongolian geophysicists with CMC team, Sagaing Project, 2005

Suntac diamond drill-rig, Legyin, 2009

Logistics

• Poor infrastructure, but reversal of long-term decline has begun, and challenges can be overcome

• Unreliable power supply, but substantial energy resources and improving supply

• Difficult communications, but improving rapidly especially mobile coverage and internet access

• Security restrictions are much reduced, but still an issue in some areas

Opportunities and Challenges

• High geological potential for a number of commodities/deposit types, notably Epithermal and porphyry Cu-Au in arc belts Volcanic- and sediment-hosted Zn-Pb-Ag massive sulphide Sn-W greisen and skarn

• Potential, especially for gold and copper, can be misunderstood, e.g. should not be compared directly with Indonesia

• Improved geological and metallogenic understanding can be applied to support effective targeting models in ground selection and exploration

• Paucity of detailed geology, maps or research, and limited understanding of several significant deposits and districts

• Lack of past exploration implies opportunity for rapid discovery of outcropping orebodies using well-targeted basic techniques such as stream-sediment geochemistry and airborne geophysics

• No data from past exploration to follow up or guide effective approaches • No regional-scale government geochemical or geophysical data • Artisanal gold operations provide a key targeting criterion in unexplored areas


• Improving political and investment environment • Limited understanding of the mining industry and incentivisation of exploration risk

in bureaucracy and government • Bureaucracy supportive of mineral exploration investment • Mines Department is understaffed, under-resourced, and lacks experience in

managing and regulating an active exploration and mining industry • 1994 Mining Law has provided the framework for exploration and development

contracts providing a pathway to development with reasonable terms • Subsequent regulations are very unfavourable for exploration risk investment, e.g.

PSC’s, high dead-rent, signature bonus, etc. • No ‘one-stop-shop’ – multiple departmental approvals required, central and regional

and local government • New Investment Law favourable for foreign investment • TERMS OF THE NEW MINING LAW REMAIN UNCERTAIN BUT WILL BE CRITICAL IN

DETERMINING THE FUTURE FOR MYANMAR’S MINING INDUSTRY • Role of states is a crucial uncertainty linked to substantive political issues • Environmental and community framework also remains poorly defined • EITI application is a positive indication of government intentions • Improved security situation and access in most peripheral regions • Problems and tensions remain in some areas


• Profusion of local businesses investing in mineral exploration as potential partners for foreign investors

• Limited understanding of the exploration and mining business and a business environment and practices distorted by years of a military-controlled economy

• Multiple stake-holders wanting a slice of the pie, especially in the ethnic regions • Unrealistic perceptions of value • Improving infrastructure and communications • Access in large parts of the country is slow and difficult • Unreliable power supply, but substantial energy resources and improving supply • Improved UTM topographic map coverage at 1:50,000 from modern aerial

photography and availability of high resolution satellite imagery • Availability of geologists and workforce with a strong work ethic enthusiastic to learn

and grasp opportunities; widespread use of English • Limited pool of commercially-focused technical experience, especially in mining • Service companies in country can provide support in geology and exploration,

including limited geophysics and drilling • Service industry still at a low level, but ability to grow quickly

Flasback! PDAC Toronto March 2003

WHAT HAS CHANGED TEN YEARS LATER?

Flasback! PDAC Toronto March 2003

WHAT HAS CHANGED TEN YEARS LATER?

Opportunity for Myanmar – Closing Remarks

• Myanmar has the geological potential to develop a significant mining industry • HIGH-RISK INVESTMENT IN EXPLORATION IS NEEDED IF MINING IS TO SERIOUSLY

CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF MYANMAR; THIS REQUIRES AN INVESTMENT REGIME THAT REWARDS RISK

• An investment regime that encourages risk investment in exploration combined with effective social/environmental regulations will attract serious exploration and mining companies

• Serious players may include large, mid-tier and well-managed technically-competent junior companies

• Reputable companies will follow industry-standard best practice and understand the need to have a ‘social licence to operate’; this will deliver the best outcome in terms of economic return, social and environmental impact

• JVs with local companies and use of local Myanmar service companies will help build a local responsible mining industry

• Undiscovered and undeveloped mineral deposits are unrealised assets until they are developed and contribute to the economic and social development of the country

• MINES WILL NOT BE DEVELOPED IF ECONOMICALLY UNREALISTIC PROCESSING AND REFINING REQUIREMENTS ARE DEMANDED

2/18/2013

1

1

Dr Ye Myint Swe

Director General


MINISTRY OF MINES

Regional Tectonic setting of Myanmar as a result of collision between Indian and -Asian plates

2/18/2013

2

3

Record in Myanmar and the Andaman Sea

for the Cenozoic oblique convergence of India along Sundaland

GIAC (Geodynamics of India Asian Collision) Project work in this region during recent decade.

2/18/2013

3

5

Central Magmatic

Belt

Rakhine Coastal Strip

Jade Mine belt

Hukaung Basin Tagaung-Myitkyinabelt

Mogok Metamorphic

Belt

Shan –Thai Block includes Precambrian to Cretaceous rocks with Slate belt and Mogok Metamorphic belt to the west. This province is southeast continuation of Tibet Plateau.

Central Tertiary sedimentary basins with oil-gas and coal occurrences. The N-S trending Central Magatic Belt at the centre.

Western Ranges- fold-thrust belt with Chin flysch. Western Ranges and Central Lowlands includes northern continuation of Sunda arc.

GENERALIZED GEOLOGICAL CROSS-SECTION ACROSS MYANMAR

2/18/2013

4

7

Three modes of earthquake generation in the Andaman Sea(Schematic tectonic cross-section along Lat 11˚N)

ANDAMAN SEA

Volcanism

TFTF

Earthquakes

Earthquakes

Active spreading and transform faulting (TF)

THAILAND

EW

INDIAN OCEAN

Subduction

Sunda Trench

Basalt

Subducting Slab

ASTHENOSPHERE

Over-riding slab (Basalt)

Melting

(to form magma)ASTHENOSPHERE

Granite

9283

84

85

86

94

95

96

93 102

EA I

B F

K O C G K

H L

E I

B F

C G

D H

A E

F JB

K O

L P

I M

D H L

E I

F

G

H L

E I

F J N

M

P

O

K

FBN

I M A E I M

PL D

GCOKG

P D

M

N

O

P

C G

D H

C

B F

A E

H L

J

I M

J N

K

L

N

M

J

K

J

Sittwe

020 20 40 60 80 100 Mile

SCALE

N

98 100969498

28

26

27

25

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

14

13

12

10

92 93 95

11

10

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1021019997959392

15

Magway

Pyay Taungoo

Loikaw

YangonPathein

Mawlamyine

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

Muse

BhamoBanmauk

Falam

Mawlaik

Myitkyina

Putao

Kawlin

Pyinmana

Paan

11

19

INDEX

Mapping before 1996

Mapping after 1996 to 2011

UNDP GSEP 1974- 78/ JV 1996

Columbo 1973 - 75

ECAM 1980-84

GSI Data

Taunggyi

Tachileik

Kengtung

MandalayMonywa

Lashio

Image Interpretation

1977 Data

STATUS OF GEOLOGICAL MAPPING

Area extent of Myanmar – 261227 sq miles

Geological mapping area(on ground) ~70%

Geological mapping(by the aid ofAerial Photos & RS-GIS techniques) ~30%

2/18/2013

5

Geological Map of Myanmar (1977)

Geological Map Of Myanmar (2008),

NIN

ETY

EA

ST

RID

GE

(pro

ject

ive)

Yangon

THRU

ST

ADAMAN SEA

SHA

N

PLAT

EAU

MT.VICTORIA

DOME

NAGA

HILLS

Manipur

CHINA

THAILAND

INDIA

HIMALAYAN

FRONTAL

THRUST

INJUTHRUST

Mt.Popa

LOHITTHRUST

THRUST

THRUST

DIS

ANGNAGA

SHILLONG MIKIR

UPLIFT

200 km

92°

10°

12°

14°

16°

18°

20°

22°

24°

26°

28°

92°

94° 96° 98° 100° 102°

94° 96° 98° 100° 102°

N

10°

12°

14°

16°

18°

20°

22°

24°

26°

28°

MO

GO

K

Mandalay

Mawlamying

Tin- Tungsten Belts

Antimony Belts



Ni-Cr-Cu-Au-Pt Belts




MINERAL PROVINCES OF MYANMAR

10

In Myanmar, Mineral occurrences include1. Metallic ore minerals

Iron & metals for steel alloys- Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, MoBase & non-ferrous metals – Pb, Zn, Cu, Sn, W, Sb & TiPrecious & rare metals- PGM, Au, Ag, Nb, Ta

2.Industrial minerals & non-metallic raw mineralsChemical & fertilizer minerals- Barite, fluorite, Gypsum, rock saltCeramic & refractory minerals- clay, limestone, dolomite, feldspar, quartz, glass sandConstruction & building materials- Decorative stones, road materials, limestone for cement

3. Preceous & semi-precious GemstonesRuby, Sapphire, Jade, Diamond, etc

4. Fuel minerals(oil, natural gas, oil shale, coal,

2/18/2013

6

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

Monywa Mandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CHINA

LAOS

THAILANDIN

DIA

Bay of Beng al

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

MongmitThabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan Shwekyin

Kyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Lead

Zinc

Silver

N

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILES

DISTRIBUTION OF LEAD-ZINC-SILVER DEPOSIT

Panwa (Kachin)Pb,Zn -1.06%


Bawdwin (Shan North)Pb,Zn -5%


Yadanatheingi (Shan North)

Bawsaing (Shan North)Paungdaw (Mandalay)

Mawhki (Kayin)Zn - 0.3%


LonChein(Shan South)Zn - 36%


Phaleng(Shan North)

12

Lead-Zinc-Silver Deposits-more than 100 occurrences of Pb-Zn-Silver mineralization in Myanmar

-mineralization occurs as five different styles

1. Volcanogenic massive sulphides type(VMS) at

Bawdwin mine

2. Massissippi valley type deposit at Bawsaing mine

3. Cavity filling vein-type in Yadanatheingi mine

4. in veins and skarn type near the contact between

granitic rock and marble at Phaungdaw mine

5. Zinc carbonate deposit (secondary deposit) at Long

Hken mine

2/18/2013

7

13

Phaungdaw

Bawdwin

Panwa

Bawsaing

Panwa

Bawdwin

Phaungdaw

Bawsaing

Yadanatheingi

Longhken

Yadanatheingi

Lead deposits zinc deposits

Bawdwin MineThe LargLargest Lead-Zinc-Silver Mine in Myanmar

2/18/2013

8

15

Marmion Shaft00 (Above sea level 1000m)

Tiger Tunnel

Bawsaing Pb‐Zn Mine, Southern Shan State

2/18/2013

9

• Tin-tungsten (primary, eluvial, alluvial types) associated with Mesozoic (mainly Jurassic) and Tertiary granite belt

Mawchi

Yangon

Myitkyina

Yangon

Mawlamyine

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthoung

Loikaw

Taunggyi

Mandalay

Kengtong

020 20 40 60 80 100 MIl es

98 1009694

28

26

27

25

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

14

13

12

11

92 94 96 98 100 102

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

10292

15

Lashio

Tachileik

Muse

Index

Tin & Tungsten

19

10

C H I N A

I N D

I A

L A O S

THAILAND

Bay of Bengal

Gulf of Mottama

N

KanbaukHarmyingyi

Palaw

TanintharyiThabawleikgyi

BokpyinLenya

Karathuri

Maliwun

Lampi Island

Yay

Paung

Pyinmana

Mawchi

Namhkam

Mongyawng

Kazat

Hpa-An

Monghsat

Western Granitoid Belt‐Cretaceous to Lower Eocene‐characterized by high‐level intrusions associated with Porphyry Cu (Au) related, younger volcanics‐emplaced as a magmatic‐volcanic arc

GRANITOID BELTS & Sn-W OCCURENCES OF MYANMAR

(after Khin Zaw ,1990)

Central Granitoid Belt‐Upper Cretaceous to Lower Eocene

‐characterized by mesozonalplutons associated with

vein type Sn‐W deposits

‐associated with abundant pegmatites and aplites and rare co‐magmatic volcanics

Eastern Granitoid Belt‐? Triassic

‐characterized by medium to coarsely porphyritic

‐mesozonal and Sn‐W bearing granites

18

Tin-tungsten Deposits-one of the most important mineral resources in Myanmar

-occurs along the granitic belt in SE Asia peninsula (distributed over more than 1200 Km in Myanmar with more prominent in Tungsten toward the north,

-passing through the Tanintharyi Division, Kayin, Mon, Kayah & Shan states and east of Pyinmana.

-Tin-tungsten ores occur in close association with granitoids and related pneumatolytic rocks emplaced during Jurassic, Cretaceous and possibly Triassic. The country rocks of these intrusive masses consist of the clastic Mergui Series, Taungnyo Group, Mawchi Series and Lebyin Group.

-Most of the cassiterite is mined from placers while tungsten is mined from hard rock veins.

2/18/2013

10

Myitkyina

Yangon

Mawlamyine

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthoung

Loikaw

Taunggyi

Mandalay

Kengtong

020 20 40 60 80 100 MIl es

98 1009694

28

26

27

25

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

14

13

12

11

92 94 96 98 100 102

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

10292

15

Lashio

Tachileik

Muse

Index

Tin & Tungsten

19

10

C H I N A

I N D

I A

L A O S

THAILAND

Bay o f Bengal

Gulf of Mottama

N

KanbaukHarmyingyi

Palaw

TanintharyiThabawleikgyi

BokpyinLenya

Karathuri

Maliwun

Lampi Island

Yay

Paung

Pyinmana

Mawchi

Namhkam

Mongyawng

Kazat

Hpa-An

Monghsat

DISTRIBUTION OF TIN - TUNGSTEN DEPOSITS

Heinze (Placer)

Kanbauk ( Primary/ Placer)

Hermyingyi (Primary)

Heinda (Placer tin deposit)

KyaukmeTaung, Pagaye(Placer)

Theindaw(Placer)

Manawlon(Placer)

Atwin Bokpyin (Placer)

Mawchi (Primary)

Padatchaung (Primary)

Tin- Tungsten occurrences= 480

Sn-W deposits, mainly associated with granitic

intrusions along the tanintharyi and western margin of shan plateau

Hermyingyi Sn-W mine, Dawei

2/18/2013

11

Heinda mine, Dawei

Bucket Dredger in Tin-tungsten mining

Mawchi Sn-W mine, Kayah State

2/18/2013

12

Mineralized vein, Mawchi mine (Loc: Level‐4, vein no.15)

Tourmalinesegregation

granite

granite

Putao

Myitkyina

Bamo

Mawlaik

YANGON

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Kawthaung

Pyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Haka

Sittwe

Pathein

98 1009694

28

26

24

22

20

18

16

14

12

9294 96 98 100 102

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

10292

Tachileik

CHINA

LAOS

THAILAND

INDIA

Bay of Bengal

MabeinLashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

N

Gulf of Matabin

Magwe

INDEX

Shwegu

Sumprabum

Kawlin

Taguang

KyaukmePangyan

MaingyaungYatsaukKyaukse

Laymyetna

Sinbo

Sawlawt

Muse

Salingyi

Hpa An

Copper

Thabeikkyin

Hkamti

Homalin

10

Sagaing

Myeik

LinkayPyawbwe

Kutkhaing

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILE

DITRIBUTION OF COPPER DEPOSITS

Sinbo- NankesanKyesinTaungCu - 0.77 %


ShangalonCu -0.23 %


SabeTaung & southCu - 0.7 to1.01 %27.86 million (Possible)

LetpadaungCu - 0.4 %


LaymyetnaCu - 0.8 to 2 %


Sabe TaungCu - 1.51 %


Kweeight Taung

Panmakut Manna

Panpwe KyaukTaung

Potential area

-more than 50 occurrences copper mineralization in Myanmar

-The copper mineralization within the central volcanic arc started from Mt. Popa and passes through lower Chindwin area where the volcanics are hosted to the porphyry copper deposits at the Sabe Taung, Kyesin Taung, & Lepadaung Taung, Monywa.

2/18/2013

13

Copper district geology 252/18/2013

26

Monywa Copper Mine (open-pit mine)

2/18/2013

14

27Cathode Copper from Monywa

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94

28°

92°

Muse

CHINA

LAOS

THAI

INDIA

Bay of Bengal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

N

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Gold (Primary)

Magwe

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

MongmitThabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan Shwekyin

Kyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Gold (Placer)

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

Platinum

96 98 100 102

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

DISTRIBUTION OF GOLD-PLATINUM DEPOSITS

Shadusuik (Kachin)Pt + Pd

Ngagyan (Kachin)Pt + Pd

Namma- Kangon (Kachin)Au - 0.13 gm/cu-yd

1.05 million Cu. Yd(Possible)

Wakan- Tanaing (Kachin)Au - 0.04 gm/cu-yd

0.023 million Cu. Yd (Possible)

Shangalon (Sagaing)Au - 1.4-12 ppm


KyaukpahtoAu - 3 ppm

6 million tons (Probable)

Kwinthonse (Mandalay)Au - 2-4 ppm


Phayaungtaung (Mandalay)Au - 4 ppm


Moedi Taung (Mandalay)Au - 15- 27 ppm

Shwegyin (Bago)Au - 0.1-0.35 gm/yd3

1.2 million Cu.yd. (Probable)Pyinmana (Mandalay)

Meyongyi (Mon State)

2/18/2013

15

29

(1) Mesothermal gold-quartz lode, porphyry style Cu-Au & its related Epithermal Au along the central magmatic arc.

(2) Sediment-hosted epithermal Au mineralization along the Sagaing fault zone.

(3) Mesothermal and epithermal gold mineralization in Tagaung Myitkyina belt

(4) Au(Cu) skarn & Mesothermal veins in marble, gneiss and granite within the Mogok metamorphic belt

(5) Slate belt style Mesothermal gold-quartz veins in Chaung Magyi & Mergui Groups.

PRIMARY GOLD DEPOSITS/OCCURRENCES IN MYANMAR

30PRESENT SITUATION OF THE KYAUKPAHTO GOLD MINE, LOOKING SOUTH

2/18/2013

16

stockwork quartz veining in massive sandstone, Kyaukpahto mine

banded quartz vein in gritty sandstone, Kyaukpahto mine

silicified breccia ore, KPD-3, 11.6-m depth quartz vein in clay-altered sandstone

Geologic cross-section, 10375 mN Line, Kyaukpahto mine

Gold distribution, 10375 mN Line

2/18/2013

17

Moditaung gold mine

Segment of Au-bearing quartz vein on 950m level at Htongyitaung, 40cm@11 g/t, looking SE.

2/18/2013 33

• Coarse visible gold commonlypresent in veins assaying over30g/t Au

• Gold not encapsulated inpyrite.

• Gold is frequently observed inhand specimens in both theoxide and sulphide zones.

laminated book & ribbon vein. 77cm@122 to 575g/t below oxide zone. Htongyi Taung 950m level

Putao

Myitkyina

BhamoMawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

Monywa

MandalayKengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

28°

Muse

CHINA

LAOS

THAILAND

INDIA

Bay of Bengal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

MongmitThabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan ShwekyinKyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

Iron

IRON Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

Pyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

28°

Muse

CHINA

LAOS

THAILAND

INDIA

Bay of Bengal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

Thabeikkyin

Mabein

Yamethin

Letpadan

Kawlin

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Manganese

N

Tachileik

Monghpayak

Manganese

2/18/2013

18

Putao

Myitkyina

BhamoMawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

Monywa

MandalayKengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CHINA

LAOS

THAILANDIN

DIA

Bay of Bengal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

MongmitThabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan ShwekyinKyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Iron

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILES

DISTRIBUTION OF IRON DEPOSITS

Kathaing Taung (Kachin)Fe -50.56 %

223 million (Probable)``

Lamaung (Kachin)Fe -51.54%


Kantawyan(Kachin)Fe -49-69%


Sanleik (Kachin)Lim.


Taungkaton Taung (Kachin)

Fe -37- 45 %2.3million (Potential)

TaungNyo Taung (Kachin)Fe -40.67 %


Haemaung (Kachin)Fe -45.93 %


Kho Island (Tanintharyi)Fe -46.05 %


Iron

Maputae Island (Tanintharyi)

Fe -42 %1 million (Probable)

Kanmaw Island(Tanintharyi)

Fe -36 %21.2 million (Probable)

Minlan Thanseik, ShweGyin (Bago)

Fe -28-56.7 %(Lim,)75.53 million (Possible)

Kyatwinye, Inya (Mandalay)Fe- 54 %

3.7+ 4.5 million (Probable)

Pinpet (Shan South)Fe -56.4 %( He,Lim)80 million (Probable)

Mongkannwe (Shan East)Fe -39- 66 %


Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

Pyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CHINA

LAOS

THAILAND

INDIA

Bay of Bengal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

Thabeikkyin

Mabein

Yamethin

Letpadan

Kawlin

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Manganese

N

020 20 4 0 60 80 1 00 MILES

Tachileik

Monghpayak

DISTRIBUTION OF MANGANESE DEPOSITS

Powel Island(Tanintharyi)Mn - 27%


Wansalot (Shan East) Mn - 14%


Kyaukpadaung (Mandalay)

Monpyin (Shan South)

Tar Pin (Shan East) Mn - 6.6%


Wansaw -Wanpaing (Shan East)

Mn - 12.53%4.95 million (Possible)

Manganese Occurrences= 52

Areye (Shan East) Mn - 25%


2/18/2013

19

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CH

INA

LAOS

THAILANDIN

DIA

Bay of Bengal

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

MongmitThabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan Shwekyin

Kyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Nickel

N

Chromite

020 20 40 60 80 100 MILES

DISTRIBUTION OF CHROMITE OCCURRENCES

Chromite Occurrences = 43

DISTRIBUTION OF NICKEL DEPOSITS

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Katha

Yangon

Mawlamyine

Dawei

Kawth aung

Taungoo

Pyay

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Monywa

Mandalay

Kengtung

Haka

Sittwe

Pathain

020 20 40 60 100 miles80

98º 100º96º94º

28º

26º

24º

22º

20º

18º

16º

14º

12º

10º

102º92º

Lashio

Magwe

Tachileik

Muse

INDEX

N

THAI

LAO

INDIA CHINA

Tiddin

Kale

Shwegu

Tagaung

Gangaw

Saw

Sidoktaya

Ngape

Mindon

ausmu fyef;awmi f;

Nickel

Hopin

Hpa-An

Bago

Sagaing

Myeik

Bokpyin

98º 100º96º94º 102º92º

28º

26º

24º

22º

20º

18º

16º

14º

12º

10º

MWETAUNGNi- 1.19%

110 mt (Probable)

MAUNGDAW-NANMADAWNi- 0.41%

0.49 mt (Possible)

MINDINKYINNi- 0.45%

0.02 mt (Possible)

UKINTAUNG,HKAKYINTAUNGNi- 0.4%

0.046 mt (Possible)

INDAWGYINi- 0.41%

5.0 mt (Possible)

TAUNGGADONNi- 0.67%

0.028 mt Possible)


40 mt (Possible)

Nickel Occurrences =14

Ni-Cr mineralization occurs in close association with ultramafic igneous rocks emplaced during LateCretaceous-Early Eocene.

At Mwetaung & Tagaung Taung, the deposits have formed as a result of tropical weathering of ultramafic rocks (Ni laterite deposits)

Cromite deposits are of widespread occurrences in Myanmar being related to N-S trending ophiolite lines.

2/18/2013

20

Tagaung Nickel Project

Nickel laterite mine site

Processing Plant

Resource estimation-40 mt with ~ 2.0 % Ni


40 mt (Possible)

Putao

Myitkyina

Bhamo

Mawlaik

Yangon

Mawlamyaing

Dawei

Myeik

Kawthaung

TaungooPyay

MonywaMandalay

Kengtung

Sittwe

Pathein

94°

28°

92°

Muse

CHINA

LAOS

THAILAND

INDIA

Bay o f B

enga l

Lashio

Taunggyi

Loikaw

Gulf of Matabin

INDEX

Magwe

Sumprabum

Shwegu

Tanaing

MongmitThabeikkyin

Mabein

Pyinmana

Yamethin

Letpadan Shwekyin

Kyaikto

KawlinPinlebu

Homalin

Hpa An

Sagaing

Haka

96° 98° 100° 102°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

94°92° 96° 98° 100° 102°

Antimony

020 20 40 60 80 100 MIles

DISTRIBUTION OF ANTIMONY DEPOSITS

Konsut,Kayah

Peinchit,Kayah

Laga,Kayin

Thabyu,Mon

Lebyin,Mandalay

Nahok,Shan

Mong Inn,Shan

Kadaik, Mon

Liharmyar, Hopone

Antimony depositsAntimony deposits-More than 140 occurrences of stibnite and other sb-bearing minerals are known in Myanmar.

-The majority of antimony mineralization occurs in the late Paleozoic carbonates (Triassic to Permian in age) & also in the late Pleozoic clastic sediments of the Mergui series.-generally found in veins or lenses, or both.-So far, the best known antimony deposit s are at Thabyu, Kayin State, near Thai Border. The ore is reported to be of high grade.

2/18/2013

21

Antimony mine, Hopone area, Shan State

Myintkyina

Mawleik

YANGON

DaweI

Mandalay

KengTong

Sattwe

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

92°94° 96 ° 98° 100° 102°

10°

12°

14°

16°

18°

20°

22°

24°

26 °

28°

CHINA

THAILAND

INDIA

Lashio

Taunggyi

N

ANDAMAN SEA

Taninthari

Saw

Kawlin

Hsipaw

Tanyang

Kyesi

Tigyit MongTon

Tasu Lrtpanhla

Myeik

Kalewa

Kawthaung

LAOS

Bhamo

Ingapu

Putao Basin

Hukaung Basin

Lwejel BasinChindwin Basin

Lashio Basin

Kyaington Basin

Ingapu Basin

Tigyit Basin

Banchaung Basin

Tanintharyi Basin

Karathuri Basin

Coal Basin

Kyesi- Mansan Basin

Tamakam Basin

MongHsat Basin

Hticheya Basin

Loikaw Basin

LEGEND

Naungcho Basin

Shwegu-Mabein Basin

Mongton Basin

Tachileik Basin

MongHkat Basin

KalawNamsan Basin

Shwebo Basin

Shwebo

Minbu-Salin Basin

KalawPinlaungBasin

Putao

Myitkyina

Mawleik

YANGON

Moulmein

Dawe

Kawthaung

Mandalay

Khaington

Sittwe

60

28

26

24

14

12

9294 96 98 100 102

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

Lashio

Taunggyi

N

ADAMAN SEA

Magwe

ausmufrD;aoG;

SawPauk

Kalewa

Kawlin

Hsipaw

Kyethi

TigyitMaington

Myeik

Mankat

Tanintharyi

COAL BASINS OF

MYANMAR

COAL OCCURRENCES

IN MYANMAR

COAL

Over 300 Coal occurrences

were being found 184 Coal deposits

were being estimated to be 480 mt

2/18/2013

22

Coal fields, Kalewa-Mawleik area

Coal exposures, Kalewa-Mawleik area

Kalaywa Coal Mine Namma Coal Mine

2/18/2013

23

Myitkyina

Putao

Mogok

Bamah

Nyaungcho

Lashio

Katha

Monywa

MandalaySagaing

Taunggyi

Kyaingtong

Loikaw

Magwe

Pathein

Bago

Yangon Paan

Mawlamyaing

Dawe

Myeik

Kawthaung

Haka

Kawlin

Manpan

Pyay

Sittwe

Tachileik

Clay

BaryteBauxite

Phosphate

Kyunhla

KalawPindaya

LinkhayYemathin

CLAY, BARYTE,

BAUXITE AND PHOSPHATE

N

I N D

I A

C H I N A

L A O S

THAILAND

Bay of Bengal

Gulf of Mottama

Index

Gypsum

98 1009694 10292

98° 100°96°94° 102°92°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

28°

26°

24°

22°

20°

18°

16°

14°

12°

10°

Mawlamyine

YangonBago

Myeik

Kawthoung

Dawei

Tanintharyi

Kengtong

Tachileik

Mongphyat

Kwanlon

Lashio

Bhamo

Mindon

NgapeLoikaw

Magwe

Mandalay

Sagaing

Kyaukse

Pindaya

Pyinmana

Pha-anHlaingbwe

Shwekyin

TaunggyiKalaw

Myitkyina

Putao

Sumprabum

Mawlaik

Sinbo

Shwegu

Sittwe

YinmabinGangawHaka

ThabeikkyinKhin-U

Tetain

Kyaukphyu

Gwa

Kyankhin

Pyay

Pathein

Ngaputaw

GYPSUM

M yeik

92H

102

94H 96H 100H 102H

10H

12H

14H

16H

18H

20H

22H

24H

26H

28H

10H

12H

14H

16H

18H

20H

22H

24H

26H

28H

L ashio

T aunggyi

K yaukse

M on ywa

B am orMuse

K ya ington

M ag we

L oikawPyinm ana

M yitk yina

P utaO

T itein

H aka

S ittwe

P yawb we

P yiP and aung

P athein Y an gon

B ago

M awlamy aing

D a we

K aw thaung

A DA M A N SEA

BAY O

F BANGAL

IND EX

L imesto ne

LA OST achileik

C HINA

INDIA

K unlong

K atha

T heikbeikk yin

K yaukpyu

T H A ILAND

P aan

M andalay

LIMESTONE

Lime stone deposits = 452

2/18/2013

24

47

Mogok Ruby , Sapphire

Shan-ThaiBlock

Rakhine Coastal Strip

Jade Mine area

Amber

Mongshu Ruby

Gemstones of MyanmarMogok gemstone tract : Ruby, sapphireand spinel occur as primary mineralsin marble, calc-silicates and as well asobtained from placers in eluvial andalluvial sediments.

Jade mine area: Jadeite-albite dykesand veins intruded into serpentinitebodies at the Tawmaw- Lonkin area,

Burmese amber (Burmite): The majoroccurrences are located in the Hukwngvalley -

-other ruby occurrences are Nayaseik

and Pyinlon.504.5cts ruby

2/18/2013 48

Jade sale in mid. Year Emporium, 2009

2/18/2013

25

2/18/2013 49

Jade mine site, Phakant

2/18/2013 50

Jade mine (Aerial View)

2/18/2013

26

RUBY from Mogok Gemstone Tract

Mongshu Ruby Mine site

2/18/2013

27

2013/2/18 uefUowf 53

RUBY, Mid. Year Emporium,2011

Sapphire from Mogok Gemstone Tract

Assorted Gemstones from Mogok Area

54

2/18/2013

28

2/18/2013 55

MINERAL POLICYMINERAL POLICYTo boost up present productionTo invite participation in terms of technical know-how and investment from sources within the country and abroadto fulfill the domestic requirements and to increase export by producing more mineral products;

Conclusion Myanmar - within the complex tectonic zone of active obloique convergent between Asian and Indian plates exhibits the great diversity of geology, Physiography, structural deformation and as well as episodic mineralization events and various mineral commodities.

The mineral resources include Sn-W, base metals to precious to rare metals, industrial raw minerals, jade & gemstones, and as well as coal , oil &gas. But most of them are needed to be explored and proved systematically.

We hope there’ll be more cooperation between Myanmar and Your Country in

the near future.

56

The Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Ministry of Mines

Investment Opportunities in Mining Sector

Presented by – U Win Htein

Director General

Department of Mines

Ministry of Mines6/15/2012 1

1. Introduction

( i ) Organization Chart of the Ministry

( ii ) Legal Framework

2. Mineral Occurrence in Myanmar

3. Investment Information

( i ) Procedure for the Foreign Investment

( ii ) Tax Regime in Mineral Sector

( iii ) Royalty

( iv ) Categories of Mining Permits

( v ) Production Sharing Contract ( P.S.C ) System

( vi ) FDI List

4. Conclusion

Introduction

�Ministry of Mines is the governmentauthority responsible for implementation ofthe policy, legislation and enforcement ofLaw, Rules and Regulations in the miningsector.

6/15/2012 3

Union Minister

No.(1)

Mining

Enterprise

No.(2)

Mining

Enterprise

No.(3)

Mining

Enterprise

Myanmar

Gems

Enterprise

Myanmar

Salt

and

Marine

Chemical

Enterprise

Myanmar

Pearl

Enterprise

Department

of

Geological

Survey

&

Mineral

Exploration

Department

of

Mines

Organisation Chart of the Ministry

6/15/2012 4

�Myanmar is endowed with mineral resources such as copper,

gold, lead, zinc, silver, tin and nickel and so on.

�Myanmar has a lot of potential for mining sector if we can

combine with our rich mineral deposits and new

technologies.

�So, I would like to invite the investors in Mining Sectors as

not only FDI( Foreign Direct Investment ) but also

partnership with local companies in Myanmar.

6/15/2012 5

� Now a days , MIC ( Myanmar Investment Commission) is trying to

promulgate the new Myanmar Investment Law.

� The Union of Myanmar Mines Law was promulgated in September

1994.

� Rules relating to the law followed in December 1996.

� At Present, Ministry of Mines is trying to amend the Myanmar Mines

Law with the advice of experts and publics.

( i ) To facilitate the environmental conservation and Green Mining .

(ii) To encourage for investments more easily and trustyfully.

� According to the Myanmar Mines law, all natural mineral deposits

found either on or under the soil of any land in the continental shelf are

deemed to be owned by the State.

Legal Framework

6/15/2012 6

6/15/2012 7

• Compilation and Digital Geological map of

Myanmar based on the 1:1M scale (1977) was

completed in 2008 and printed in 1: 1 million

scale.

• It was registered and copy right at the Myanmar

registration office in 2008.

GEOLOGICAL MAP OF MYANMAR

( 2008 )

6/15/2012 8

MINERAL BELTS OF MYANMAR

Tin- Tungsten Belts

Antimony Belts



Nickel- Chromite- Copper- Gold- Platinum Belts




INDEX

NIN

ET

Y

EA

ST

R

IDG

E( p

roje

ctiv

e)

Yangon

TH

RU

ST

ADAMAN SEA

SH

AN

P

LA

TE

AU

MT .VI CTORIA

DOME

NA

GA

HIL

LS

M anipur

CHINA

TH AIL AND

INDIA

HI MALAYAN

FRONTA L

THRU ST

INJU

T HR U

ST

M t.Popa

LOHIT

THRUST

THRUST

THRUST

DISA

NGNA

GA

SHIL LONG MIKIR

UPLIFT

2 00 km

92°

10°

12°

14°

16°

18°

20°

22°

24°

26°

28°

92°

94° 96° 98° 100° 102°

94° 96° 98° 100° 102°

N

10°

12°

14°

16°

18°

20°

22°

24°

26°

28°

MO

GO

K

Mandalay

M awlamying

6/15/2012 9

6/15/2012 10

6/15/2012

Ferrous Metals in Myanmar

11

6/15/2012

Non Ferrous Metals in

Myanmar

12

6/15/2012

Coal & Industrial Metals in

Myanmar

13

6/15/2012 14

Major Minerals Produced by the Country

�Major minerals produced and exported are -

� Cathode Copper,

� Refined Lead,

� Refined Silver,

� Zinc Concentrate,

� Refined Tin,

� Tin Concentrates,

� Tin-wolfram Mixed Concentrates and

� Coal

6/15/2012 15

�Major minerals produced for domestic consumptions are-

� Gold

� Iron and Steel

� Limestone

� Industrial Minerals and

� Barites Powder

6/15/2012 16

� Gemstones such as Rubies, Sapphire, colored gemstone and

Jade are also exported.

� Myanmar have held emporiums for Jade, Gems and Pearls

since 1964 with the pricing based on Foreign Currencies at

least twice a year. ( sell through tender or competitive

bidding )

6/15/2012 17

1. In accord with the policy of the Ministry of Mines, our

ministry is not making own investment, but to encourage

foreign and local investors to invest in the mining sector.

2. The investor can invest as a foreign direct investment

(FDI) or joint investment with local company.

3. For investors who would like to do exploration to confirm

the reserve of a deposit or to start with the grassroots

exploration operations in a virgin land , they may apply

accordingly clearly stating their intentions.6/15/2012 18

4. Funds required to conduct the prospecting, exploration and feasibility

study are borne by the investor 100% at his own risk.

5. Ministry of Mines not allowed to export the raw ore.

6. Investor should be made value added (or) mineral processing.

7. Ministry encourage to establish the processing plants with the latest

technologies.

6/15/2012 19

1. Foreign companies have to send letter of courtesy call to

the Union Minister through the respective Embassy in

Myanmar to Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Ministry of

Mines officially.

2. The Union Minister or responsible officials will discuss the

investment opportunities in mining sector mainly focus on

mineral commodity and targeted area.

Procedures for the Foreign

Investment in Mining Sector

6/15/2012 20

3. Site visit will be arranged if requested by the investors or company after

technical discussion with responsible departments. Recommendation

letter from the respective Embassy, letter of undertaking, tentative site

visit schedule and passport copy are required to submit to the Ministry

of Mines two week ahead.

4. After the site visit, if the investor decided to invest in Myanmar, a

proposal should submit to the Ministry of Mines and copy to relevant

departments.

5. Minerals prospecting, exploration and feasibility study are concerned to

DGSE and other Mining Enterprises are responsible for mining

operation and production stages.

6/15/2012 21

6. The following documents should be included with the

proposal:

(a) Company Registration

(b) Company Profile and other relevant facts about the

company

(c) Recommendation and endorsement of the respective

Embassy in Myanmar

(d) Financial Bank Statement

(e) List of the Board of Directors

(f) Initial work programme

(g) Map of the proposed area with coordinates.

6/15/2012 22

7. After getting the approval of the Ministry of Mines and

the completion of all the require recommendation documents,

the proposal and the Agreement Draft will send to the

Myanmar Investment Commission ( MIC ) for Investment

permit.

6/15/2012 23

Tax Regime

in

Mineral Sector

6/15/2012 24

Dead Rent for one Square Km in Kyats

Sr.Type

of Minerals

Prospectingperiod

Exploration Period

1st Yr 2nd Yr 1st Yr 2nd Yr 3rd Yr 4th Yr 5th Yr

1Industrial

Mineral (or)Stone

50,000 100,000 100,000 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000

2Metallic Mineral

100,000 200,000 200,000 400,000 800,000 1,200,000 1,600,000

3Precious Metallic Mineral

200,000 400,000 400,000 800,000 1,60,000 2,400,000 3,200,000

Remark ;1. Extension Period subject to the approval of the Ministry or the Department2. Exchange rate subject to daily exchange rate.

6/15/2012 25

Dead Rent for one Square Km in Kyats

Sr.Type

of Minerals

Feasibility Study period

Developing PeriodProduction

Period

1st Yr 2nd Yr 1st Yr 2nd Yr 3rd Yr 1-20 Yrs

1Industrial

Mineral (or)Stone

800,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000 2,000,000 2,000,000

2Metallic Mineral

1,600,000 1,600,000 1,800,000 2,100,000 2,400,000 3,000,000

3Precious Metallic Mineral

3,200,000 3,200,000 3,600,000 4,200,000 4,800,000 6,000,000

Remark ;1. Extension Period subject to the approval of the Ministry or the Department2. Exchange rate subject to daily exchange rate.

6/15/2012 26

Royalty

According to Myanmar Mines Law

� For Metallic Minerals - 3 to 4 %

� For Precious Metallic Minerals - 4 to 5 %

� For Industrial Minerals - 1 to 3%

� For Ruby, Sapphire, Jade and Diamond - 20%

� For other Gems - 10 %

� Royalty is levied on value of mineral sold.

� It is a sale based royalty and not a production based royalty.

6/15/2012 27

Categories of Mining Permits

1. Prospecting Permits - 1 yr

2. Exploration Permits - 1 yr

3. Feasibility Study - 1 yr

4. Subsistence Mining Permits - 1 yr

5. Small Scale Mining Permits - 5 yrs

6. Large Scale Mining Permits - 25 yrs

6/15/2012 28

Foreign Direct Investments(FDI)

Sr.Enterprise

orDept:

CompanyType of Mineral

Current status Location

1. D.G.S.E Nobel Gold Limited(Russia )

Gold and associatedminerals

Exploration Bhamauk, Sagaing Region

2. ME(1) (i) ConerstoneResources

(Myanmar)Ltd(Australia)

Zinc Ore Production Shan State,

Minepon

Township

(ii) North Mining

Investment

Co.,Ltd

(China)

Ferronickle

Alloy

Feasibility Study Chin State,

Teetain Township,

Hmewtaung Track

(iii) Asia Pacific

Mining Ltd

(China)

Lead, Zinc ,

Copper,

Gold

Feasibility Study Kantbalu - Wuntho

(Eastern Area)

Sagaing Region6/15/2012 29

Foreign Direct Investments(FDI)

Sr. Enterpriseor

Dept:

Company Type of Mineral

Current status

Location

5. ME(2) Myanmar

Ponepipet Co.,Ltd

(Thai Land)

72% Tin

Concentrate

Production Taninthayi

Region,

Dawe Township,

Heinda Mine

6. ME(3) (i) Myanmar

CNMC Nickel

Co.,Ltd

( China)

Ferro Nickel Developing Thabeikkyin

Township,

Mandalay

Region

Hteechaik

Township,

Sagaing Region

(ii) Simco Song

Da Joint Stock

Company

( Viet Nam)

Marble Developing Nayputaung,

Taungkoke

Township,

Rakhine State

6/15/2012 30

1. At present, Myanmar practice the production sharing contract ( P.S.C )

system.

2. Our own Mines are already transferred to Private Companies.

3. It is the policy of the Ministry of Mines not to make investment on its

own, but to encourage foreign and local investors to invest with the

advanced technologies.

4. Well known deposits are already occupied by local Companies . So,

Foreign Investor should be started from Grassroots Exploration.

5. You are warmly welcome to invest in Mining Sector.

6/15/2012 31

Thank you very much for your kind attention.Thank you very much for your kind attention.Thank you very much for your kind attention.Thank you very much for your kind attention.

Ministry of Mines, Myanmar

6/15/2012 32

Myanmar’s Mineral Potentials and Opportunities.

By Zaw Win

Director ( Retired)

Department of Mines

Member of M E S

1

• Myanmar’s Geology in brief

• Mineral Provinces of Myanmar

• Status of Mineral Exploration Activities

• Mineral Occurrences

• Location of Mineral Deposits, Gold, Copper, Lead/Zinc, Nickel, Antimony, Tin/Tungsten, Limestone, Coal

2

Outlines (Contd.)

• Type of Mining Activities

• Essentials in the Proposals

• Business License

• Logistics/ Communication/ HR

• Environmental Issues

• Conclusion

3

Brief Outline Geology of Myanmar

Myanmar can be divided into four geographic belts, each

of which, by its own right is geotectonic belt, possessing a

separate stratigraphic succession and a deformational

history. They are from east to west: -

•The Eastern Highlands.

•The Central Lowlands.

•The Western Ranges.

•The Rakhine Coastal Belt.

4

The Eastern Highlands

• Mountainous tract of Kachin State on the North, Shan Plateau in the middle and Tanintharyi Ranges in South- composed principally of Pre-Cambrian, Paleozoic-

-Mesozoic rocks, Granite intrusions of Mesozoic- early Tertiary

5

The Central Lowland

• Composed of Ayeyarwady, the Chindwin, the Myittha- Kabaw, the Sittaung Valley and intervening ridges. The Belt is underlain dominantly by Cenozoic strata and some volcanic rocks. The central volcanic arc of Myanmar passes through along the middle

6

The Western Ranges

• Consisting of Naga Hills in the North, the Chin Hills in the Middle and the Rakhine Yoma in the south and underlain by flisch type deposits (mid Triassic- Eocene rocks) Ultra basic rocks occurs along eastern margin.

7

The Coastal Belt

• The Belt consists the Rakhine Coastal lowland between the Western Ranges and Bay of Bengal and underlain by flysch type deposits( Up.Cretaceous) and Tertiary rocks

8

9

Geotechtonic Belts and

Mineral Provinces

10

Present Status of Mineral Prospecting, Exploration and Production.

a) Gold- Extensively going on with good results. b) Platinum Group Minerals- Very rarely found as by-product from washed gold in Kachin State and Sagaing Region. c) Uranium and Radioactive Minerals- Scout prospecting of tantalite, columbite, monazite, zircon, xenotime and fossil wood was made through out Myanmar. No follow up yet. d) Rare Earth Elements- No considerable activities to date.

11

Future Programme

a) JOGMEC and DGSE (Ministry of Mines, Myanmar) has agreed to commence joint exploration activities for

Sn, W, Sb, Mineral Sands, REE and PGM in regions influenced by igneous

activities.

12

Mineral occurrence map of Myanmar

13

14

Gold

Gems & Jade

Copper

Coal

Nickel

Antimony

Lead, Silver, Zinc

Tin, Wolfram

Pearl

Iron & Steel

Limestone

Occurrence of Mineral deposits are observed all

over Myanmar except along eastern most and

Ayeyarwady delta areas.

Detailed field exploration activities are

envisaged.

Infrastructure development in mineral deposit

locations will encourage economic exploitation.

15

16

17

18

19

20

Tin-Tungsten Deposits

21

22

Coal policy

• Follow up ASEAN Forum on Coal resolutions

• Myanmar Coal Mining Group

• Local Consumption- promotion of Clean coal technology

-cement plant

-coal fired power plants

-ferronickel plant

• Export from border areas

23

24

25

Type of Business Activities in mining industry

Exploration

Green Field Exploration

Reconnaissance for Development

Production

Production Sharing Agreement

Other Businesses as permitted under FIL2013

26

Mining Activities allowed for Foreign Investment

Exploration, Exploitation, Production and Marketing of

non-metallic industrial minerals, such as coal, limestone,

gypsum, etc.

Marble quarrying and production and marketing of marble

blocks and slabs

Carrying out other quarrying industries and marketing of

products thereof

Metallic minerals in cooperation with respective

government enterprise on PSC basis

27

Essentials for Exploration Proposal

Area Location,

Type of Minerals

General description of Area

Exploration Techniques

Proposed Exploration Expenses

Transfer of Technical knowhow

Signature Bonus

Minimum Expenditure Commitment

Employment

Technical Knowhow Transfer

I E E , E S I A , E M P and C S R

28

Essentials for Mineral Production Proposal

Area Clearance Type of Mineral(s) Investment Capital Signature Bonus Scale of Production Mine Life Production Sharing Split Ratio Employment Technology Transfer I E E , E S I A and E M P and C S R Rehabilitation of Abandoned Mine Land

29

Business License

• Myanmar Foreign Investment Law

• Myanmar Mines Law

• Myanmar Registered Company

• Exploration Agreement

• Production Sharing Agreement

30

• Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration

• Mining Enterprises

• Regional and State Administrative Authorities

• Ministries concerning with use of Land

31

32

Requirements for Operation

Transport and Logistics

Communication

Human Resource

33

Port facility in Myanmar at present

Number of Ports in the Myanmar coastline - 9 Yangon [Yangon Region];

Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, Thandwe [Rakhine State]

Pathein [Ayeyerwady Region]

Mawlamyine [Mon State]

Dawei, Myeik, Kawthoung [Tanintharyi Region]

Vessel Size in Yangon port-167 LOA/9M draft/15,000DWT

Vessel Size in Thilawa port-200 LOA/9M draft/20,000DWT

Cargo handle for export and import in 2006=12 million tons

34

Projects under different stages of development

• DAWEI Deep Water sea port

• KYAUKPHYU Deep water sea port

35

Road Distances in Myanmar (at present)

Yangon - Mandalay 688 km

Yangon - Sittwe 895 km

Yangon - Pathein 181 km

Mandalay - Muse (China border) 461 km

Mandalay - Tamu (India border) 535 km

Mandalay – Tachileik (Thai border) 939 km

Yangon - Myawady (Thai border) 446 km

Yangon - Kawthoung (Thai border) 1192 km

36

37

Communication ( at present)

38

Availability of skilled labor

• Organizational arrangement

• Technological level of mine extraction

operation

• On the job training facilities

• Stability of labor force

39

40

Environmental Protection

Myanmar Environmental Protection Law

Organizational arrangements

Action plans E M P

Monitoring mechanism enforcement,

Management of Abandoned Mine Lands

41

Corporate Social Responsibility

Social Impact Assessment

Impact of the Project on rural community, customs and traditions

Community Interrelation

Labor recruiting, know-how sharing

Implied Responsibility Complementariness to the rural community, Education,

Health

42

Management of Abandoned Mine Lands

Nature of Mine Operation Mining method, ore winning process, use of chemicals, final product

Impact Assessment Waste rock disposal. Tailings discharge, waste water drainage,

Effects on the environment, Location of natural drainage such as rivers , Preservation of Catchment Areas

Mitigation Measures Management of waste rock dumps, Land fillings, neutralization of

polluted tailings discharge , reforestation

Allocation of Funds Funds to be allocated in the operating cost and disbursement procedures to ensure the rehabilitation measures

43

44

Conclusion

• Myanmar’s Mineral Potential is promising

• Green field exploration is encouraging

• Brown field exploration opportunities

• Logistics and infrastructure

• Environmental costs

45

46

Zaw Win (Mr.)

Director (Retd), [Department of Mines]

Member of M E S

Tel: 95 1 565363 Mob: 95 036447

Email: [email protected]

47

48

MAP & ILLUSTRATION TELLING THE STORY OF MYANMAR MINERALS RESOURCES

MINERALS BELT IN MYANMAR

GEOLOGY MAP & MINERALS BELT

NICKEL DEPOSIT

MYANMAR JADE MINE AREA

MYANMAR GOLD MINE AREA

TIN & TUNGSTEN BELTS,MYANMAR

MYANMAR OIL & GAS

MYANMAR OIL & GAS

MAP & ILLUSTRATION TELLING THE STORY OF MINERAL RESOURCES IN

MYANMAR

Collection by AUNG MYANMAR (RETIRED EXPLORATION GEOLOGIST0-

(MYANMAR-THAILAND)

THANKS YOU