Carlin-Type Deposit

Sediment-hosted, very fine-grained gold deposits, characteristic of Nevada and responsible for a large share of US production.

Definition

A sediment-hosted disseminated gold deposit type named after the Carlin Trend in Nevada. These deposits contain microscopic gold in altered sedimentary rocks and are processed by heap leaching or roasting.

Why it matters

Carlin gold is invisible to the eye and often refractory, so metallurgy matters as much as grade. Nevada's endowment and permitting regime make the style disproportionately important to North American juniors.

See also

  • Metallurgical Recovery The percentage of valuable metal that can be extracted from ore during processing. For example, 90% gold recov
  • Cyanide Leaching A process that uses cyanide solution to dissolve gold from ore. The gold is then recovered from solution throu
  • Grade (g/t) The concentration of a valuable mineral within ore, typically expressed in grams per tonne (g/t) for precious

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