HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION OCCURANCES AT WASEGI REGION (SP3) AND SURROUNDINGS, PRAFI DISTRICT, MANOKWARI REGENCY, WEST PAPUA PROVINCE

KETERDAPATAN ALTERASI HIDROTERMAL PADA DAERAH WASEGI (SP3) DAN SEKITARNYA DISTRIK PRAFI KABUPATEN MANOKWARI PROPINSI PAPUA BARAT

Abstract

The geology of Papua promises the availability of various metal minerals. This is because the island of Papua was formed by the convergency of two plates namely the Australian and Pacific Plates which form subduction zones. The occurrence of tectonic activities has allowed mineral and coal commodities to appear upwards to the surface. The purpose of this research is to find out the alteration processes that develop in the study area. The aim is to determine the hydrothermal alteration zonation in the Wasegi and its surrounding areas. Based on field observations, petrographic analysis, and XRD analysis, the alteration that continues to occur in the study area is classified into two zones, namely propylitic alteration zones and silicic/silicified alteration zones. Alteration in this study area is also controlled by carrier lithology. Lithology that carries alteration originated from diorite, while rocks that act as wall rocks are schist. Both roles, burly structures, and lithology, greatly influence the process of hydrothermal alteration formation since they are solid as the space where fluid is filled, and lithology as a carrier of hydrothermal liquid acts as a main factor in the alteration process.