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A corundum-quartz assemblage in altered volcanic rocks, Bond Range, Tasmania

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

R. S. Bottrill
R. S. Bottrill*
Affiliation:
Mineral Resources Tasmania, P.O. Box 56, Rosny Park, Tasmania, Australia
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Abstract

Unusual corundum-bearing rocks occur in the Bond Range, northern Tasmania, in a hydrothermally altered Cambrian quartz porphyry. The assemblage exhibits quartz and corundum in mutual contact, a rare phenomenon, in association with andalusite, pyrophyllite, diaspore and other minerals. This metastable assemblage apparently resulted from advanced argillic alteration at moderate temperature and low pressure, followed by rapid depressurisation accompanying boiling of hydrothermal, granite-derived fluids. This corundum occurrence appears to be unrelated to the sapphires in placer deposits in Tasmania.

Keywords

CorundumquartzdiasporepyrophylliteandalusiteTasmaniaadvanced argillic alteration
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 62 , Issue 3 , June 1998 , pp. 325 - 332
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1998

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