Discovery to Recovery

Even before plate tectonic theory, economic geologists knew there was an association with ore deposits and geologic structures. Nowadays, most successful exploration companies understand the importance of understanding structural controls of an ore-forming system and incorporate structural geologists in their exploration programs. 

This episode of Discovery to Recovery focuses on the regional tectonic and deposit-scale structural controls on ore deposition, specifically on volcanic-hosted massive sulfide, epithermal, and Carlin-type gold deposits. If you have ever wanted to know the answer to the following questions, have a listen!

1.     What tectonic environments are most favourable not only for formation of an ore deposit, but for preservation?

2.     How important is it to understand post-ore modification?

3.     What are the local structural controls one can look for to vector towards and ore-forming system?

4.     Can you make discoveries without a fundamental understanding of structure? 

Our three speakers discuss structural controls from the regional, tectonic scale down to the prospect scale, answering these questions and more. Rodney Allen of Volcanic Resources discusses in detail how volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits are formed and the post-ore structural evolution that gets them to where we find them today. He also teaches us how to look for the most favourable stratigraphic horizon within a VHMS district.

Julie Rowland discusses the structural controls on epithermal deposits using examples from her home country of New Zealand, comparing and contrasting different styles of epithermal mineralization. She discusses both fossil systems and modern analogues for epithermal systems, and teaches us how to understand local structural controls when exploring for epithermal deposits.

Lastly, Moira Smith of Liberty Gold provides her expert insight into Carlin-type gold deposits, and why their structural interpretation is so important. She goes into detail on the shelf facies Carlin-type deposits outside of the main Carlin trend in Nevada, and compares and contrasts the two regions with respect to tectonic setting and local structure features.

All three speakers tell a fascinating story and all stress the importance of understanding structure and keeping an open mind.    

Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

Exploration and mining are human endeavors, relying on teams who work in the field and offices globally.  The human factor in our work is also critical to establishing strong and meaningful relationships with local communities.  So should those teams of professionals include social scientists, and what is the role of the exploration geologist?  The answers are complicated, but this episode is packed with information.   We talk to Monica Ospina from O-Trade and to Susan Joyce of On Common Ground to learn more about what impact exploration has on communities and where we can improve.  We also explore what influences our practices, is it regulatory frameworks, investors, or the companies themselves?

Next we check in on a community engagement process – an open house held by Geoscience BC in a small town in British Columbia, Canada.  The purpose of the meeting was to share the results and implications of a regional geophysical survey with people working and living on the north end of Vancouver Island.  We went to the open house to see the process in action and hear from Richard Truman about why community engagement is important for a publicly funded research oriented organization.

Lastly, community is important for sharing science as well, so when as economic geologists we lost our ability to gather at conferences and seminars due to the pandemic, two early career scientists, Alannah Brett and Tom Belgrano,  took action.  A tweet and an email later, the Ore Deposits Hub – an online platform for seminars - was founded.  Three months later they have established a diverse and inclusive community to share knowledge of ore deposits.

Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

There are many different aspects of ‘critical resourcing’ that mining and geology play a part in. 

For example, as we look to de-carbonize our economies, renewable energy will become even more important. Dr. Mark Coughlan, a Post Doctoral Researcher at the Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences, talks about his time at sea – working on research cruises to map the subsea floor for offshore wind farms in Ireland, and the mineral resources needed to build them.

But what about storing that offshore wind energy? That’s where batteries come in. Lucy Crane, Exploration Geologist at Cornish Lithium, takes us through the importance of lithium, new technologies available in that area, and what it means to give back to your local communities. 

Lastly, perhaps the most important part of resourcing is being able to staff our future geoscience industry. Nicole Tardif from Laurentian University talks us through challenges with current demands for geoscientists, and how we can provide our students with the best education going forwards.

Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

The seafloor remains one of the least explored areas on Earth. Join us for a deep dive, to understand the science needed to advance our understanding and help to find the mineral resources that may well be needed by society in the future.
We get the overview on both the history and the future from Mark Hannington (University of Ottawa, Canada). From the collaboration involved in studying black smokers and their relationship to what we know about volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, to the new frontiers of the continental shelf and beyond – there is a lot of greenfield exploration to happen in the ocean. How can we begin to understand the potential, without a geologic map? Perhaps what is needed is a Geological Survey of the Ocean.
Our second guest, Meg Stewart (Mount Royal University Calgary, Alberta, Canada) tackles the seafloor geologic mapping question. As a post-doctoral fellow with Mark Hannington she took on the mapping of the Lau Basin, home to numerous hydrothermal vents and, as they discovered, complicated tectonic processes with implications for our understanding of earth systems.
Lastly, we address the potential for polymetallic nodules to provide metals needed for the green transition. Samantha Smith (Blue Globe Solutions) has dedicated sixteen years to helping guide the science needed to exploit seabed resources responsibly and gives us her insights and wisdom.
Theme music is Confluence by Eastwinds
eastwindsmusic.com

Come join us in Brisbane, Australia for SEG 2025, September 26-29th. This will be a dynamic conference with cutting edge science, new discoveries, technology and more. Opportunities for networking and learning include several workshops and field trips before and after the event, relaxed social events and of course the conference itself. See you there!

Namibia is a country of diverse geology and mineral deposits that is also embracing the green energy transition. The diversity of critical minerals and metals and the expansion of green energy sources for mining are all exciting for the future of Namibia.
Namibia is 'elephant country' in more than one way!
The Society of Economic Geologists is thrilled to collaborate with our partners the Geoscience Council of Namibia and the Geological Society of Namibia to host the SEG 2024 conference in Windhoek, September 27-30.
This episode explores the geology and mineral deposits, from the Proterozoic to the present and the mineral potential that exists throughout the country. We hope you will listen in and then join us in Windhoek in a few months!

Anna Nguno, Deputy Director at the Geological Survey of Namibia (GSN), Ministry of Mines and Energy and co-chair of SEG 2024 introduces the episode with a conference teaser: what to expect at the conference, the main themes, technical sessions, field trips, and more.
Geological Mineral and Information System - Namibia (Geological Survey of Namibia)

Next Roy Miller, previous Director of the Geological Survey of Namibia, provides an overview of the regional geology and tectonic history of Namibia, including the mineral deposits and economic potential of the various belts.

• Paleoproterozoic basement rocks contain the 1.2 Haib porphyry deposit.
• Mesoproterozoic rocks in the country are divided into 3 complexes, none of which contain extensive mineralization.
• The Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Damara Supergroup is the most extensive succession in Namibia, contains a wealth of different types of ore deposits, and is found in three belts: 1) the Damara belt in central Namibia; 2) the Kaoko belt in the northwest; and 3) the Gariep in the southwest
• The Carboniferous to Jurassic Karoo Supergroup contains thin lenses of coal and sandstone aquifers.
• Cretaceous continental breakup resulted in Etendeka flood basalts.
• At the end of the Cretaceous the region became semi-arid and the Kalahari Desert began to form. In wetter periods, the Orange River flooded and deposited diamonds from inland to the coast, 90% of which are gem quality and mined today by De Beers.
• From 21 million years ago, sand began to accumulate in major dune fields.

Finally, Mary Barton, Principal Geoscientist at Odikwa Geoservices, talks about her introduction to the field of geology and what a day in the life of a Namibian greenfields exploration geologist looks like. She discusses above ground risks in the country (including lions and cheetahs!), the placer diamond mining industry, and what opportunities the green transition might bring to the country.

Theme music is Confluence by Eastwinds

eastwindsmusic.com

Come join us in Brisbane, Australia for SEG 2025, September 26-29th. This will be a dynamic conference with cutting edge science, new discoveries, technology and more. Opportunities for networking and learning include several workshops and field trips before and after the event, relaxed social events and of course the conference itself. See you there!