Small-scale fault systems in the Earth’s crust have a strong
correlation with the location of gold, a recent study of the St
Ives Goldfields in Western Australia has found. Our research,
published in science journal Ore Geology Reviews, found that all
major gold deposits are controlled by faults, but small fault
systems are more likely to lead to gold than larger ones.
Researcher Dr Carsten Laukamp says the relationship between
fault systems and gold traces is key to understanding the
genesis of gold and could be used to help locate any commodity.
“Determining the spatial relationship between geological
features such as fault lines, and gold traces, is not only
important to understand how deposits form, it can also guide
mineral exploration because we can use this information to
develop predictive mineral maps,” he says. Dr Laukamp and his
team developed a predictive mineral map of the St Ives
Goldfields that shows new prospective areas where there is a
high likelihood that gold could be located. “We used inf