PROCEEDINGS OF SUNDALAND RESOURCES 2014 MGEI ANNUAL CONVENTION
17-18 November 2014, Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
Metallogeny of Mainland SE Asia
Khin Zaw
CODES ARC Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits, University of Tasmania
Private Bag 126, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
email: Khin.Zaw@utas.edu.au
Mainland Southeast Asia region which is a 2014) (Fig. 1). These skarn deposits in mainland
major part of Sundaland is endowed with a SE Asia can be further divided into two groups:
diversity of mineral resources and consists of a 1. Oxidised copper (gold) skarn: e.g., the Phu
collage of continental blocks or fragments such Kham (Laos) in the Truong Son Fold Belt, PUT 1
as South China, Indochina, Sibumasu, and West (Thailand) deposits and the Phu Lon (Thailand)
Myanmar-Sumatra terranes which were rifted deposit in the Loei Fold Belt. 2. Reduced gold
away from the northwestern margin of (copper) skarn: e.g., the Phu Thap Fah deposit
Gondwana at different periods in the (Thailand) in the Loei Fold Belt and the Ho Ray-
Phanerozoic, and led to the opening of the Thac Trang deposit (Bong Mieu East; central
Palaeo-, Meso- and Neotethyan (or Cenotethys) Vietnam) in the Phouc Son-Tam Ky Suture.
Oceans [Khin Zaw et al., 2014a, b and Epithermal type deposits in mainland SE Asia
references therein]. Throughout the long are mainly represented by: 1. Epithermal low-
history of Gondwana supercontinent break-up sulphidation gold-silver deposits in the Loei Fold
and subsequent accretion of these crustal Belt (e.g., Chatree deposit in Thailand) (Salam et
terranes onto the southern Eurasia margin and al., 2014) and epithermal low-sulphidation
amalgamation of mainland SE Asia, various deposits in Sumatra (e.g., Ojolali deposits in
rifting, subduction, opening and closure of Sumatra, McCarroll et al., 2014). 2. Epithermal
backarc basins, ophiolitic obduction and arc- high-sulphidation copper, copper-gold and gold
continent/continent-continent collisions have deposits (e.g., Monywa deposit in Myanmar,
occurred. The associated complex and multiple Miwah and Matarbe in Sumatra) (Fig. 2).
tectono-magmatic-metamorphic-hydrothermal Sediment-hosted/orogenic gold deposits are
interactions among the SE Asia continental widely distributed in mainland SE Asia. These
fragments have generated many mineralised deposits are largely confined to fold belts (e.g.,
fold belts at most of the terrane margins, with the Sepon deposit in the Truong Son Fold Belt)
major ones such as the Truong Son and Loei at or near suture zones (e.g., the Selinsing,
Fold Belts and newly emerging Kawlin-Wuntho- Tersang, and Penjom deposits near Bentong-
Mt Popa volcanic arc in Myanmar. Major types Raub Suture in central Malaysia, e.g., Makoundi
of mineral resources in the region include et al., 2014) (Fig. 3). The SE Asian region has
porphyry-related skarn deposits, epithermal potential for other deposit types such as
deposits, sediment-hosted/orogenic gold intrusion-related Au deposits, volcanic-hosted
deposits, basin-related ore deposits, Sn-W and massive sulphide (VHMS) (e.g., the enigmatic
REE deposits and potentials also for porphyry Bawdwin deposit in Myanmar, Duc Bo deposit
Cu-Au-Mo and iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) in Vietnam and Tasik Chini deposit in central
deposits. Malaysia), Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) (e.g.,
Song Tho deposit, Thailand and Theingon
Major porphyry-related skarn type copper-gold deposit, Myanmar), and sedimentary exhalative
deposits are found in the Truong Son and Loei (SEDEX) (e.g., Diari/Sopokomil Zn-Pb deposit in
foldbelts in Laos and Thailand and along the Sumatra hosted in Lower Carboniferous
Tam Ky-Phouc Son Suture Zone in central carbonaceous dolomitic shale) (Fig. 4).
Vietnam (e.g., Kamvong et al., 2014; Tran et al., Intrusion-related Au systems do occur in SE
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