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Blue Mountain, Ward, Marlborough Region, New Zealandi
Regional Level Types
Blue MountainMountain
Ward- not defined -
Marlborough RegionRegion
New ZealandCountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
41° 51' 27'' South , 173° 56' 23'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
-41.85771,173.93992
GeoHash:
G#: rbe9yh51j
GRN:
S28E94
Type:
Mountain
Köppen climate type:
Cfb : Temperate oceanic climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Seddon511 (2011)24.3km
Blenheim26,550 (2014)38.0km
Mindat Locality ID:
297982
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:297982:6
GUID (UUID V4):
0


Cu-Ni-Co prospect.

The Blue Mountain Igneous Complex is an Cretaceous alkali ultrabasic gabbro ring complex, intruding the Torlesse Supergroup. The complex is 1.5 kms by 1 km, dipping steeply at the margins, and more gently towards the centre.

Within this are lenses of kaersutite and sodic syenite pegmatites, intruded by rings of titanaugite-ilmenite gabbro, and lamprophyre. The margin of the intrusion is defined by a ring dyke of alkali gabbro. The rocks are cut by a swarm of hornblende-biotite rich lamprophyre dykes.

The rocks consist of olivine, endiopside, titanaugite, plagioclase, and ilmenite titaniferous magnetite, with varying amounts of titaniferous hornblende, and titanbiotite.

Explored by Kennecott Exploration 1971, Gold Mines of New Zealand 1979, and Strategic Elements 2012. Ni-Cu mineralised veins outcrop on the east and south-east sides of the complex in a contact zone between olivine gabbro, and olivine pyroxenite.

There is disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite in layered pyroxenite at three locations, with iron, titanium, and vanadium minerals.

The exact locations of the prospects could not be ascertained, and the geographic Blue Mountain has been used as the Mindat map. Blue Mountain is approximately 20 kilometres west of Ward.

Nearest access is the Blue Mountain car park at the end of the Ure Road, 12 kilometres west of State Highway 1. Walkers come here for Sawcut Gorge on Isolation Creek, however this is in the opposite direction to Blue Mountain. Sawcut Gorge is accessed by rock hoping up the stream to the spectacular narrow chasm. When this was written at the end of 2017, the track was closed due to landslides, and dams caused by the 2016 earthquake in the area.


Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


10 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Albite
Formula: Na(AlSi3O8)
ⓘ 'Apatite'
Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
ⓘ Augite
Formula: (CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
ⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite
Formula: (Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
ⓘ 'Biotite'
Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ 'Endiopside'
ⓘ Epidote
Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
ⓘ 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'
ⓘ Hastingsite
Formula: NaCa2(Fe2+4Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
ⓘ 'Hornblende Root Name Group'
Formula: ◻Ca2(Z2+4Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
ⓘ Ilmenite
Formula: Fe2+TiO3
ⓘ Kaersutite
Formula: NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
ⓘ Magnetite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘ Magnetite var. Titanium-bearing Magnetite
Formula: Fe2+(Fe3+,Ti)2O4
ⓘ 'Plagioclase'
Formula: (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Pyrrhotite
Formula: Fe1-xS

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘPyrrhotite2.CC.10Fe1-xS
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘMagnetite4.BB.05Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘvar. Titanium-bearing Magnetite4.BB.05Fe2+(Fe3+,Ti)2O4
ⓘIlmenite4.CB.05Fe2+TiO3
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘEpidote9.BG.05a(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
ⓘAugite9.DA.15(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
ⓘvar. Titanium-bearing Augite9.DA.15(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
ⓘHastingsite9.DE.15NaCa2(Fe2+4Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
ⓘKaersutite9.DE.15NaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
ⓘAlbite9.FA.35Na(AlSi3O8)
Unclassified
ⓘ'Biotite'-K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'-
ⓘ'Hornblende Root Name Group'-◻Ca2(Z2+4Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
ⓘ'Plagioclase'-(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
ⓘ'Apatite'-Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
ⓘ'Endiopside'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Hⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Hⓘ HastingsiteNaCa2(Fe42+Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
Hⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Hⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
OOxygen
Oⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Oⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Oⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Oⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Oⓘ HastingsiteNaCa2(Fe42+Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
Oⓘ IlmeniteFe2+TiO3
Oⓘ KaersutiteNaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
Oⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Oⓘ Magnetite var. Titanium-bearing MagnetiteFe2+(Fe3+,Ti)2O4
Oⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Oⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Oⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
Oⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
Oⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
FFluorine
Fⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Fⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Fⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
NaSodium
Naⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Naⓘ HastingsiteNaCa2(Fe42+Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
Naⓘ KaersutiteNaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
Naⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
Naⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Mgⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Mgⓘ KaersutiteNaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
Mgⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Mgⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Alⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Alⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Alⓘ HastingsiteNaCa2(Fe42+Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
Alⓘ KaersutiteNaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
Alⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Alⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
Alⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
SiSilicon
Siⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Siⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Siⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Siⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Siⓘ HastingsiteNaCa2(Fe42+Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
Siⓘ KaersutiteNaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
Siⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Siⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Siⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
Siⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
PPhosphorus
Pⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
SSulfur
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
ClChlorine
Clⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Clⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
KPotassium
Kⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Caⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Caⓘ HastingsiteNaCa2(Fe42+Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
Caⓘ KaersutiteNaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
Caⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Caⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
Caⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
Caⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Tiⓘ IlmeniteFe2+TiO3
Tiⓘ KaersutiteNaCa2(Mg3AlTi4+)(Si6Al2)O22O2
Tiⓘ Magnetite var. Titanium-bearing MagnetiteFe2+(Fe3+,Ti)2O4
Tiⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
FeIron
Feⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Feⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Feⓘ HastingsiteNaCa2(Fe42+Fe3+)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2
Feⓘ IlmeniteFe2+TiO3
Feⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
Feⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
Feⓘ Magnetite var. Titanium-bearing MagnetiteFe2+(Fe3+,Ti)2O4
Feⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Feⓘ Augite var. Titanium-bearing Augite(Ca,Na)(Mg,Ti, Fe,Al,)(Si,Al)2O6
CuCopper
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Australian PlateTectonic Plate
New Zealand

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

www.doc.govt.nz (n.d.) http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/marlborough/places/isolated-hill-scenic-reserve/things-to-do/tracks/sawcut-gorge-isolated-hill-route/
Grapes, R.H. (1975) Petrology of the Blue Mountain Complex, Marlborough, New Zealand. Journal of Petrology, 16:2, 371-428.
Christie, Tony, Brathwaite, Bob (1995) Nickel. Mineral Commodity Report 10. Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd
Strategic Elements Limited (2012) Strategic Granted Blue Mountain Intrusion Project- ASX release, 28 November 2012.
Strategic Elements Limited (2012) Strategic Elements Limited Targets Blue Mountain Ultramafic Intrusion - ASX release, 21 August 2012.
www.stuff.co.nz (2019) https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/92321562/sawcut-gorge-survives-quake-but-walking-track-gone
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