Late Quaternary geology of Ambitle Volcano, Feni Island Group, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Ambitle Volcano (new name) is the most recently active of four eruptive centres that make up the mainly Pliocene–Pleistocene Tabar–Lihir–Tanga–Feni (TLTF) alkalic volcanic province, located in the New Ireland Basin, Papua New Guinea. Ambitle Volcano is a submarine and subaerial stratovolcano occupying all of Ambitle Island. The volcano rises 2500 m above the surrounding sea floor to sea level and, with a maximum elevation of 479 m above sea level, indicates a structure nearly 3000 m high. Volcanic deposits rest unconformably on Oligocene basement rocks of the New Ireland Basin. The cone of Ambitle Volcano is constructed mainly of lavas and pyroclastic and epiclastic rocks; lavas are commonly vesiculated. These lavas are strongly undersaturated and intermediate in composition (phonolitic tephrite and tephritic phonolite) with alkali basalt, tephrite and basanite and trachybasalt and trachyandesite also present. Syenite porphyry and monzonite stocks intrude the cone-forming mafic–intermediate sequence at Kabang–Matangkaka and in the upper Nanum River. The central part of the Ambitle Volcano is now modified as a prominent semi-circular topographic rim around the Nanum Valley. The Nanum Valley Crater (new name) is the product of large-scale summit failure of the SW flanks of the summit of the Ambitle Volcano. This event is dated no younger than 0.68–0.49 Ma. The Ambitle Crater (new name), the product of Late Quaternary resurgence of volcanism following sector collapse of Ambitle Volcano, is located in the NE portion of the Nanum Valley Crater. The crater is elongated NNE and measures 900 m × 550 m at its widest development. The strong NNE–SSW linearity of the western rim of Ambitle Crater is structurally controlled by the Kabang Fault. Tephra was erupted from the Ambitle Crater at 2300 ± 100 a and is widely dispersed throughout the Nanum Valley Crater and beyond. This is the youngest volcanic event in the TLTF volcanic province. The Niffin graben is a major NW–SE-trending structural corridor that transects Ambitle Island. The structural corridor is parallel to the NW–SE strike of the TLTF volcanic province suggesting it has been an important control on magmatism and volcanism. Presently active geothermal systems are located along Niffin graben structures in the western valleys of the island and in the Nanum Valley Crater. The volcanic rocks of Ambitle Volcano host porphyry Cu–Au style mineralisation and epithermal Ladolam-type Au mineralisation. Extensive exploration including surface sampling and subsurface drilling completed since 1983 on many prospects has not defined an economic resource.