Fault

In the vast surface workings of the historic Mt Lyell Copper Mine, it is possible to see many geological structures and varied rock types from an up close and personal perspective. One can stand at the interface between rocks of differing ages and types and try and comprehend the huge scale and passage of time they represent. In “Fault”, a worker gazes at one such structure where the North Lyell Fault forms an interface between the barren conglomerates of the Owen Group and the mineral rich orebodies found within the older Mt Read Volcanics. At this point millions of years ago the earth on one side of the fault was thrust up and on the other, copper and gold bearing fluids infiltrated the host rocks. Mining operations have uncovered this awesome interface.