Orogenic Gold

Gold deposited in structures formed during mountain building — the style behind most of Canada's and Australia's historic gold camps.

Definition

Gold deposits formed during mountain-building (orogenic) events, typically hosted in quartz veins within metamorphic rocks. Orogenic gold deposits are found in greenstone belts worldwide and include many historic gold mining districts.

Why it matters

Orogenic systems are the classic underground gold mine: narrow, high grade, and persistent to great depth. Many have produced for decades, which makes brownfield ground around old camps consistently attractive.

See also

  • Vein A sheet-like deposit of minerals that fills a fracture or fault in rock. Many gold deposits occur in quartz ve
  • Brownfield Exploration Exploration conducted near existing mines or known mineral deposits to find additional resources or extensions
  • Strike Length The horizontal distance along which a mineralized zone extends. Greater strike lengths indicate larger potenti
  • Grade (g/t) The concentration of a valuable mineral within ore, typically expressed in grams per tonne (g/t) for precious

More geology terms