DR TONY WEBSTER

PRINCIPAL STRUCTURAL GEOLOGIST
[email protected]
Specialisation

Tony has over 30 years’ experience in exploring the near-mine environments of structurally complex base-metal, gold and iron ore deposits.  He has high-level structural geology skills that he also uses to solve mining problems in both large- and small-scale open pit and underground mines.

Recent Projects

  • Assessment of the near-mine exploration potential of the Cannington Ag Pb Zn orebody, located in the eastern succession of the Mt Isa Inlier. The project involves a comprehensive re-interpretation of the litho-structural architecture using multiple geophysical and geological data sets, including 2D seismic lines. Robust exploration target concepts were generated, and the first-phase of modelling provided guidance for the 3D seismic survey to be completed later in the year.
  • Structural (fault system) modelling of the Cannington Ag-Pb-Zn mine (South32 Ltd) without the aid of an existing structural database. The mine structural model is now being used by geology, geotechnical and mine planning teams and a structural database comprised of over 8000 data points was created.
  • Geological modelling of the architecture of other key examples of small Broken Hill Type mineralised systems using open source data.
  • Structural controls on quartz reef-hosted Au mineralisation, Wiluna.
  • Desktop review of Li deposit, SE Mongolia.
  • Leading the ‘Geology and Mass Mining Project’ at UQ, an investigation into the poorly understood geoscientific requirements for large-scale deep-earth mining.
    • Developed Guidelines for Cave Mining Geological Investigations, a data collection and modelling framework for geologists exploring and developing future underground caving mines.
Some Of The Deposits Worked On

Broken Hill Type Deposits

  • Broken Hill Pb Zn Ag (structural geology, near-mine and in-mine exploration)
  • Cannington Ag Pb Zn (structural modelling for underground mining / geotechnical management)
  • Potosi Zn Pb Ag (resource definition / honours supervision)
  • Pinnacles Pb Ag Zn (geological modelling from open source data)
  • Pegmont Pb Ag (geological modelling from open source data)

Narrow Vein Gold

  • Hampton-Boulder Au (system architecture)
  • Kalgoorlie (Fimiston mining, Hannan’s North area geology and architecture)
  • Wiluna Au (structural controls of underground high-grade Au)
  • Croydon Goldfield (deposit architecture modelling)

Porphyry Cu Au

  • Ridgeway (block caving)

IOCG

  • Ernest Henry (sublevel caving)
  • Hampden (Kuridala) mines (geological modelling from open source data)
  • Tennant Creek deposits (geological modelling from open source data)

Hamersley Type Iron

  • Mt Whaleback, Orebody 29, Eastern Ridge (multiple) (mining / structural geology for giant open pit wall management and design).

VHMS

  • Hercules Pb Zn Ag Au Cu (VHMS) (deposit structural geology/architecture/exploration potential)
  • Mt Lyell – Iron Blow and North Mt Lyell (orebody modelling from open source data)
  • Mt Morgan (deposit architecture modelling from open source data)
  • Prairie Downs Zn (East Pilbara) (mapping/exploration potential)

Vein-hosted Pb-Ag

  • Zeehan silver lead (tin) field (structural geology/genesis and exploration potential)
  • Mt Farrell Mining Field (Tullah) (litho-structural architecture modelling of mining field)

Other

  • Elura Zn Pb deposit (mining / Monograph 22)
  • Savage River magnetite (structural geology/genesis / Australian Ore Deposits Monograph)
Expertise

  • Brownfields exploration.
  • Integrating, interpreting and modelling the large and diverse historic data sets typically encountered in mature exploration and mining environments – from pre-digital 19th Century mine records to remote imagery and geophysics.
  • The deformation of base metal deposits, particularly at high metamorphic grade.
    • Expert in the geology of Broken Hill Type (BHT) Ag Pb Zn mineralised systems.
  • Creation of structural models to inform the design and geotechnical management of large-scale mines.
    • Geoscientific inputs to deep earth mass mining.
    • Litho-structural modelling of large open pit walls for geotechnical management.
  • Applications of photogrammetry and laser scanning 3D imagery and analysis to geoscientific data collection and modelling.
  • Design and presentation of advanced geoscience field training short courses for industry including brownfields exploration; ore deposit models; exploration skills field mapping and structural geology for mining (site-based).
  • Scientific/technical English language training for ESL technical professionals.
  • Historical archaeological assessments of sites that may be impacted during exploration and mining.
Qualifications

  • PhD (ore deposit structural geology) – University of Tasmania (CODES) (2004)

  • MSc (Mineral Exploration & Mining Geology) – James Cook University (1996)

  • Grad Dip Mining Engineering – UNSW (2012)

  • BSc (Hons) – Geology, Latrobe University (1984)

  • BA (Archaeology) – University of New England (1993)

  • BAVE (Adult and Vocational Education) (2008)

  • BEd (ProfHons) (TESOL) (2017)

Memberships

  • Fellow, Geological Society (London)
  • Fellow, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (CP)
  • Fellow, Society of Economic Geologists
  • Member, Australian Geomechanics Society
  • Member, Geological Society of Australia
  • Member, Australian Institute of Geoscientists
  • Member, Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-webster-17582221/