GEOLOGY OF ORE DEPOSITS

Classification of Deposit: Vein

CLASSIFICATION OF DEPOSIT: VEIN

Definition

A vein-type deposit is a fairly well defined zone of mineralization, usually
inclined and discordant, which is typically narrow compared to its length and depth.
Most vein deposits occur in fault or fissure openings or in shear zones within country
rock.

Mode of Formation

As hot (hydrothermal) fluids rise towards the surface from cooling intrusive
rocks (magma charged with water, various acids, and metals in small amounts)
through fractures, faults, brecciated rocks, porous layers and other channels (i.e. like
a plumbing system), they cool or react chemically with the country rock. Some form
ore deposits if the fluids are directed through a structure where the temperature,
pressure and other chemical conditions are favourable for the precipitation and
deposition of ore minerals. The fluids also react with the rocks they are passing
through to produce an alteration zone with distinctive, new minerals.

Characteristics

Vein deposits include most gold mines, many large silver mines and a few
copper and lead-zinc mines.

Veins commonly consist of quartz (sometimes of several varieties such as
amethystine or chalcedony) usually occurring as interlocking crystals in a variety of
sizes or as finely laminated bands parallel to the walls of the vein. Minor amounts of
sulphide minerals and other gangue minerals such as calcite and various clay
minerals often occur; gold is rarely visible.

Veins range in thickness from a few centimetres to 4 metres, the average
mining width being around 1.2 metres (e.g. at Bridge River). They can be several
hundreds of metres long and extend to depths in excess of 1,500 metres.
Mineralization commonly occurs in shoots within the vein structures. These may be
up to 150 metres in strike length, 30 metres in width and greater than 250 metres
vertical.

Source: http://www.earthsci.org/mineral/mindep/depfile/vei_dep.htm#def





GEOLOGY OF ORE DEPOSITS
Classification of Deposit: Vein
EPITHERMAL SYSTEMS AND HOST ROCK STRATIGRAPHY

Regional Distribution

The epithermal deposits are largely confined to and distributed throughout the
belts of Pliocene to Quaternary andesitic arc volcanics, hundreds of kilometers long
and mostly 20 to 30 km wide. There is no apparent relationship of epithermal
deposits in the Philippine fault. Constructional volcanic landforms, such as
stratovolcanoes, domes, cones, and the calderas south of Manila, mostly late
Quaternary in age, lack epithermal mineralization at the present erosion level.

Host Rocks

Andesitic Layer. The youngest stratigraphic unit hosting epithermal deposits
or prospects in all the Philippine gold districts is andesitic or rarely dacitic,
predominantly clastic and non-marine, with basal unconformity.

Basement. Basement rocks are those which underlay the andesitic layer
during mineralization. In most gold districts, the basement rocks can be divided into
an upper and lower unit. The upper unit lies immediately beneath the andesite cover
and consist largely of marine clastic volcanic rocks with minor lava, conglomerates,
wackes and mudstones, and sometimes limestone. The lower unit is overlain
unconformably by the the upper volcaniclastic unit and less commonly directed by
the andesitic layer.

Vein Systems and the Basement-cover Unconformity

Stratigraphic bracketing implies a Pliocene age for the epithermal systems in
Eastern Mindanao, and the Baguio, Paracale, and Masbate deposits are also
probably Pliocene. In the absence of contrary evidence, deposits in the same
stratigraphic units along the arcs are considered to be of similar age. Epithermal
systems of probable pre-Pliocene age are confined to a prospect in Cebu and
possibly the small deposits in Bohol, and the breccia pipe deposit in the
southwestern Negros. Epithermal veins in the Sulu arc are of uncertain age.


Source: Geology of the Philippine Epithermal Gold System by A. H. Mitchell
and G. R. Balce




Patrick Anthony R. Nota
BSEM - 3