Epithermal Gold Deposits Exploration
Many of the techniques are similar to those, have described for other deposit types. We need to start by focusing our efforts in areas where there is evidence of major felsic to intermediate volcanism, as it’s this volcanism that drives the epithermal systems. We also needed to find an area that has not been too […]
High Sulphidation Epithermal Gold Deposits
High Sulphidation Epithermal Gold Deposits form in geothermal systems where hot acidic hydrothermal fluid directly from the intrusion, remains undiluted by ground water. Low sulfidation deposits on the other hand from a geothermal system in which the magmatic fluid is cooled and diluted by groundwater and the pH is neutralized at depth. The formation of […]
Porphyry Beer
Porphyry deposits and Beer having something in common. Porphyry ore deposit form in large intrusions that acted as magma chambers feeding active volcanoes. You will remember that as the magma chamber cools from the outside inwards, barium, feldspar and quartz crystalize out so that the remaining melts becomes enriched in metals and volatiles. The volatiles […]
Epithermal Gold Deposits Characteristics
A fascinating group and characteristic of Epithermal gold deposits is that you can virtually see them forming today, simply by visiting hot springs. Like those with Yellowstone in Wyoming or Rotorua in New Zealand. This photo is Pamukkale, low sulfidation hot springs in Turkey, with a beautiful white centre terraces. If you like hot springs, […]
Is Gravity Gold Free Gold
Being able to recover gold using a gravity method or process does not mean that gold is free and fully/completely liberated. For example, using Automated Digital Imaging System (ADIS) for Gold Search (ADIS is an optical screening and imaging equipment package customized to locate gold occurrences in ground sample), a sub-sample of 8 samples representing 8 lithology for an […]
VMS Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Ore Deposits & Mineralization
If we start with VMS Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Ore Deposits and their Mineralization we see from this image shows some of the sulphide chimneys associated with the model black smoker VMS deposit. VMS will emit black plume of hot water venting from one of the chimneys. You’ll remember this cross section from reads on both porphyry deposits and epithermal, […]
Mineralization of Greenstone and Mesothermal Deposits
What does a Greenstone/Mesothermal shear zone hosted Mineralization deposit look like? Well they usually comprise one or more steeply dipping quartz or carbonate rich veins, as you can see in the pictures these sometimes forms veins or even stock works of narrow vein. Mineralization is regularly distributed in the vein often forming steeply plunging high grade. […]
Porphyry Copper Deposit Geology PPT
Here let’s understand the geology of porphyries and iron oxide copper gold deposits or IOCG as they are known. These are somewhat the giants of the ore deposits world. As a mining interested learner, the geology of porphyry copper deposits is vital to your education. Now in the first Exploration Geology Course I discussed how because […]
Difference Between SEDEX and VMS Deposits: Prospecting & Exploration
What are the Differences Between SEDEX and VMS Deposits and how the VMS and SEDEX deposits fit into the overall scheme of things. You remember that nature concentrates the metals by a process of partially melting crustal rocks at depth, letting the metal rise through the crust and cool, dumping the valueless material such as feldspar and […]
Starter Guide to Gold Prospecting and Mining
While venturing into a gold mine is fun and exciting, it can also be intimidating and dangerous as all mines are underneath the earth’s surface in some shape or form. Working in a gold mine is no easy job as it will take extensive amounts of time and effort to find any pieces of gold. […]