Structural controls on the formation of lode gold deposits

Because veins occupy fractures, there is an inherent structural control on their formation.  How veins are emplaced and what controls their emplacement are important questions in any exploration program.  By comparing their orientation and distribution to those of major structures in a belt, an empirical relationship can often be established between the veins and major structures, such as faults and shear zones, competent lithological units, and regional folds. In this talk, we go one step further and explore the controls on the formation of favorable sites for the formation of lode gold deposits along faults/shear zones and folds, and examine the geometry and controls on the emplacement of veins in competent lithological units. Examples of gold deposits across northwest Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are used to illustrate the concepts discussed during the talk.