Structural paradigms for gold: Do they help us find and mine?

Abstract

Structure is the principal control on gold mineralisation, and the paradigms reflect the punctuated evolution of our understanding of that control. Since the 1950s, structure paradigms for gold control have been a mechanism for gaining research funding, building a public front, enabling publication, communication between government and academia, and building interaction between research groups and industry. Critically, the authors ask if the paradigms have helped us find and mine gold? The 10 paradigms discussed here are: (1) syngenetic (1950s–1980s), (2) late compression (1980s–1990s), (3) brittle strike-slip (1980s), (4) complexity (mid-1980s to present), (5) stress mapping (1990s), (6) earthquake paradigm (1990s–2000s), (7) detail and micro-detail in texturally chronological sequence (2000s), and (8) conglomerate-related (1990s–2000s). The most recent, innovative initiatives are more fluid- than structure-centric, such as the rapid energy transfer of the (9) lightning paradigm, and (10) the non-linear/disequilibrium paradigm. In this paper, the authors overview these paradigms, the critical geology that supports the paradigm and practical exploration implications. Authors confront each paradigm's premise and results with empirical facts in gold exploration. Our study indicates that the structural paradigms are more descriptive than predictive, and consequently few if any have genuinely found gold. However, many paradigms encourage structural geology and mostly produce quality science an essential component of all mineral exploration. Finally, the authors recommended a simple, critical, and knowledge-based modus operandi. In order to be successful in finding more gold, the authors emphasise the need for more, not less, structural geology and this should be early in the exploration program. An interpreted 3D image of the structural geology and mineralisation (not necessarily computer-generated, but based on high-quality information) is a critical tool from the earliest stages of exploration and mining for gold.