Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Origin of the Matauri Bay halloysite deposit, Northland, New Zealand

  • Article
  • Published:
Mineralium Deposita Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

At the Matauri Bay halloysite deposit, economically valuable halloysite-rich clays are hosted by a sanidine rhyolite dome (Ar–Ar dated at 10.1 ± 0.03 Ma). The rhyolite dome intrudes an older basalt and is overlain by alluvial sediments and a younger basalt (4.0 ± 0.7 Ma). A blanket-like, halloysite-rich zone is restricted to depths of 10–30 m from the present day erosion surface. Primary sanidine and plagioclase phenocrysts in rhyolite are completely leached out in the halloysite-rich zone but are only partially leached out at greater depth. Halloysite was formed by hydrolysis and cation leaching of sanidine and plagioclase phenocrysts and groundmass glass in the rhyolite, resulting in loss of K, Ca, Na and Si and enrichment in OH (LOI 6–10%) and Al2O3 (20–30%) relative to least-altered rhyolite with 1.8% LOI and 14.5% Al2O3. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope data indicate the halloysite is supergene rather than hydrothermal in origin, which is consistent with the absence of pyrite, alunite and other acid-sulphate type hydrothermal minerals, and with the blanket-like alteration profile. The dominance of halloysite over kaolinite was favoured by water-saturated weathering conditions during the late Miocene-Pliocene subtropical weathering regime in Northland.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ashcroft J (1986) The Kerikeri Volcanics: a basalt-pantellerite association in Northland. In: Smith IEM (ed) Late Cenozoic Volcanism in New Zealand. Roy Soc New Zealand Bul 23:48–63

  • Bowen FE (1974) The Parahaki Volcanics and their associated clays. DSIR Bul 215. DSIR, Wellington

  • Brindley GW, Comer JJ (1956) Structure and morphology of kaolin clay from Eyzies. Clay Min 4:61–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Brindley GW, De Souza SP, De Souza SH (1963) Mineralogical studies of kaolinite–halloysite clays: part 1. Identification problems. Amer Mineral 48:897–910

    Google Scholar 

  • Browne PRL, Coulter GW, Grant MA, Grindley GW, Lawless JV, Lyon GL, Macdonald WJP, Robinson R, Sheppard DS, Skinner DNB (1981) The Ngawha geothermal area. DSIR Geothermal Report 7, DSIR Wellington

  • Carr RG, Rodgers KA, Black PM (1980) The chemical and mineralogical changes accompanying the lateritization of basalt at Kerikeri, North Auckland. J Roy Soc New Zealand 10:247–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christidis GE (1998) Comparative study of the mobility of major and trace elements during alteration of an andesite and a rhyolite to bentonite, in the islands of Milos and Kimolos, Aegean, Greece. Clays Clay Min 46:379–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christidis GE, Scott PW, Marcopoulos T (1995) Origin of the bentonite deposits of eastern Milos, Aegean, Greece: geological, mineralogical and geochemical evidence. Clays Clay Min 43:63–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christie AB, Barker RG (2007) Mineral resource assessment of the Northland Region, New Zealand. GNS Science Report 2007/6. Lower Hutt

  • Churchman GJ, Gilkes RJ (1989) Recognition of intermediates in the possible transformation of halloysite to kaolinite in weathering profiles. Clay Min 24:579–590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dill HG, Bosse HR, Henning A, Fricke A (1997) Mineralogical and chemical variations in hypogene and supergene kaolin deposits in a mobile fold belt the Central Andes of northwestern Peru. Min Deposita 32:149–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • dos Muchangos AC (2006) The mobility of rare-earth and other elements in the process of alteration of rhyolitic rocks to bentonite (Lebombo Volcanic Mountainous Chain, Mozambique. J Geochem Explor 88:300–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ece ÖI, Schroeder PA, Smilley MJ, Wampler JM (2008) Acid-sulphate hydothermal alteration of andesitic tuffs and genesis of halloysite and alunite deposits in the Biga Peninsula, Turkey. Clay Min 43:281–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edbrooke SW, Brook FJ (compilers) (2009) Geology of the Whangarei area. Inst Geological & Nuclear Sciences 1:250,000 Geological Map 2. Lower Hutt

  • Eggleton RA (2009) Regolith mineralogy. In: Scott KM, Pain CF (eds) Regolith Science. CSIRO Publishing, Australia, pp 45–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Graetsch H (1994) Structural characteristics of opaline and microcrystalline silica minerals. In: Heany PJ, Prewitt CT, Gibbs GV (eds) Silica: physical behaviour, geochemistry, and materials applications. Reviews in Mineralogy 29:209–232

  • Harvey CC (1980) A study of alteration products of acid volcanic rocks from Northland, New Zealand. PhD thesis, Indiana University, Indiana USA, p 322

  • Harvey CC, Murray HH (1993) The Geology, mineralogy and exploitation of halloysite clays of Northland. In: Murray HH, Bundy WM, Harvey CC (eds) Kaolin genesis and utilization. Clay Minerals Society, Boulder, pp 233–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey CC, Townsend MG, Evans RB (1990) The halloysite clays of Northland, New Zealand. In: Proc Australasian Inst Min Metall 1990 Annual Conf, pp 229–238

  • Henmi T, Parfitt RL (1980) Laminar opaline silica from some volcanic ash soils in New Zealand. Clays Clay Min 28:57–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joussein E, Petit S, Churchman J, Theng B, Righi D, Delvaux B (2005) Halloysite clay minerals—a review. Clay Min 40:383–426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kear D, Hay RF (1961) Sheet 1―North Cape, Geological map of New Zealand, 1:250,000. DSIR, Wellington

  • Kear D, Waterhouse BC, Swindale LD (1961) Bauxite deposits in Northland. DSIR information series no. 32. DSIR,Wellington

  • Lanphere MA, Dalrymple GB (2000) First-principles calibration of 38Ar tracers: Implications for the ages of 40Ar/39Ar fluence monitors. U.S. Geol Surv Prof Paper 1621, 10 p

  • Lee DE, Lee WG, Mortimer N (2001) Where and why have all the flowers gone? Depletion and turnover in the New Zealand Cenozoic angiosperm flora in relation to paleogeography and climate. Aust J Bot 49:341–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madeisky HE (1996) A lithogeochemical and radiometric study of hydrothermal alteration and metal zoning at the Cinola epithermal gold deposit, Queen Charlotte Islands, Bitish Columbia. In: Conyer AR, Fahey PL (eds) Geology and ore deposits of the American Cordillera, Symposium Proceedings III. Geol Soc, Nevada, Reno, pp 1153–1185

  • Pearce JA (1996) A user’s guide to basalt discrimination diagrams. In: Wyman DA (ed) Trace element geochemistry of volcanic rocks: applications for massive sulfide exploration. Geol Soc Canada Short Course Notes 12:79–113

  • Reyes AG (1990) Petrology of Philippine geothermal systems and the application of alteration mineralogy to their assessment. J Volcanol Geoth Res 43:279–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp ZD (1990) Laser-based microanalytical method for the in situ determination of oxygen isotope ratios of silicates and oxides. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 54:1353–1357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard SMF, Gilg HA (1996) Stable isotope geochemistry of clay minerals. Clay Min 31:1–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simeone R, Dilles JH, Paladino G, Palomba M (2005) Mineralogical and stable isotope studies of kaolin deposits: shallow epithermal systems of western Sardinia, Italy. Econ Geol 100:115–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith DK (1998) Opal, cristobalite, and tridymite: noncrystallinity versus crystallinity, nomenclature of the silica minerals and bibliography. Powder Diffr 13:2–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith IEM, Chappell BW, Ward GK, Freeman RS (1977) Peralkaline rhyolites associated with andesitic arcs of the southwest Pacific. Earth Planet Sci Lett 37:230–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith IEM, Okada T, Itaya T, Black PM (1993) Age relationships and tectonic implications of late Cenozoic basaltic volcanism in Northland, New Zealand. New Zealand J Geol Geophys 36:385–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley CR, Madeisky HE (1994) Lithogeochemical exploration for hydrothermal ore deposits using Pearce element ratio analysis. In: Lentz D (ed) Alteration and Alteration processes associated with ore-forming systems. Geol Assoc Canada, Short Course Notes 11:193–211

  • Stewart MK, Cox MA, James MR, Lyon GL (1983) Deuterium in New Zealand rivers and streams. Inst Nuclear Sci Rep INS-R-320. Lower Hutt

  • Swindale LD, Jackson ML (1960) A mineralogical study of soil formation in four rhyolite-derived soils from New Zealand. New Zealand J Geol Geophys 3:141–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Townsend MG (1989) Halloysite clay deposits in Northland. In: Kear D (ed) Mineral deposits of New Zealand, Australasian Inst Mining Metallurgy Monograph 13:39–43

  • Townsend MG, Luke KA, Evans RB (2006) Recent developments in the exploration and uses of halloysite clay deposits in Northland. In: Christie AB, Brathwaite RL (eds) Geology and exploration of New Zealand mineral deposits. Australasian Inst Mining Metallurgy Monograph 25:59–64

  • Wilson IR (2004a) Kaolin and halloysite deposits of China. Clay Min 39:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson MJ (2004b) Weathering of the primary rock-forming minerals: processes, products and rates. Clay Min 39:233–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winchester JA, Floyd PA (1977) Geochemical discrimination of different magma series and their differentiation products using immobile elements. Chem Geol 20:325–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Ray Soong and Mark Simpson provided XRD analyses, Neville Orr prepared the thin sections and Carolyn Hume drafted Fig. 1 using digital data provided by David Heron. Kay Card, Scott Morgan and John Futter provided SEM images, and Spectrachem Analytical provided the XRF chemical analyses. Dallas Mildenhall determined the pollen ages and their paleoenvironment. Paul van den Bogaard of the IFM-GEOMAR Geochronology Laboratory provided and commented on the Ar–Ar analyses and Christian Timm helped in drafting Fig. 4. Colin Harvey and Agnes Reyes reviewed the manuscript and provided helpful suggestions. The paper benefited from comments by Noel White and Nick Jansen. The New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology and Imery’s Tableware NZ Ltd provided support for this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. L. Brathwaite.

Additional information

Editorial handling: N. White

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brathwaite, R.L., Christie, A.B., Faure, K. et al. Origin of the Matauri Bay halloysite deposit, Northland, New Zealand. Miner Deposita 47, 897–910 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-012-0404-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-012-0404-9

Keywords

Navigation