Bruno

Bruno Lafrance:
Lafrance:
Bruno
BrunoLafrance:
Lafrance:

Structural controls on
lode gold deposits

Bruno Lafrance
Mineral Exploration Research Centre
Laurentian University
Manitoba Open House Gold Workshop 2008
 Outline
1. Definition of lode gold deposits
2. Formation of fractures and veins
3. Evolution of fault zones
4. Structural controls on mineralization
5. Summary and Conclusions
 Outline
1. Definition of lode gold deposits
2. Formation of fractures and veins
3. Evolution of fault zones
4. Structural controls on mineralization
5. Summary and Conclusions
 Outline
1. Definition of lode gold deposits

2. Formation of fractures and 
veins
3. Evolution of fault zones
4. Structural controls on mineralization
5. Summary and Conclusions
 Outline
1. Definition of lode gold deposits
2. Formation of fractures and veins

3. Evolution of fault zones
4. Structural controls on mineralization
5. Summary and Conclusions
 Multiple fault reactivation events
Magnitude Average Rupture Rupture Relative

slip length area frequency

M8 ∼4 m ∼100 km ∼104 km2 N yr-1

M7 ∼1 m ∼30 km ∼103 km2 ∼10 N yr-1

M6 ∼40 cm ∼10 km ∼102 km2 ∼102 N yr-1

M5 ∼10 cm ∼3 km ∼10 km2 ∼103 N yr-1

M4 ∼4 cm ∼1 km ∼1 km2 ∼104 N yr-1

M3 ∼1 cm ∼300 m ∼105 m2 ∼105 N yr-1

M2 ∼4 mm ∼100 m ∼104 m2 ∼106 N yr-1

M1 ∼1 mm ∼30 m ∼103 m2 ∼107 N yr-1

from van der Pluijm and Marshak (1997)

Flin Flon, Manitoba
 Amisk basalt

Missi
Conglomerate
 Chloritic laminae
tz vein
d quar
e
Z -fold
arrow
N

in
t z ve
uar
ck q
Thi
Clockwise dextral rotation of stretching
lineation in Missi conglomerate
Chloritic lamina in thick quartz vein

Slickenline
 σ3

σ1 l ve in
iona
ns
Exte

ein
ar v
She
 Outline
1. Definition of lode gold deposits
2. Formation of fractures and veins
3. Evolution of fault zones

4. Structural controls on 
mineralization
5. Summary and Conclusions
4. Common structural controls on
mineralization
I. Dilational and contractional jogs along faults/shear
zones
II. Intersection of two syn-mineralization structures
III. Intersection of faults/shear zones with highly
competent and/or chemically reactive rocks
IV. In faults/shear zones along lithological contacts
between competent and less competent rocks
V. Zones that plunge parallel to a stretching lineation
VI. Fold hinge zones and limbs
I. Dilational and contractional jogs along faults/shear zones

Modified after Cox (2005)

I. Dilational and contractional jogs along faults/shear zones
 II. Intersection of two syn-mineralization structures

Robert and Poulsen (2001)

Ore shoots are parallel to the intersection between the extensional veins and
shear veins.
II. Intersection of two syn-mineralization structures
II. Intersection of two syn-mineralization structures
III. Intersection of faults/shear zones with highly
competent and/or chemically reactive rocks
 Diabase Iron Formation
Sulphide-quartz vein Metasedimentary
0 100
Diorite Rocks
Feet

Plan of the North Zone, 250-foot level, Hard Rock Mine

III. Intersection of faults/shear zones with highly
competent and/or chemically reactive rocks
Komis Mine, La Ronge Domain, Saskatchewan
IV. In faults/shear zones along lithological contacts
between competent and less competent rocks
F4 Folded carbonate-rich gold-bearing domain parallel to S2

Field of view is 4mm.

V. Zones that plunge parallel to a stretching lineation

Timiskaming conglomerate
Upper Canada mine – Cross-section

Stretchi
ng
lineation
VI. Fold hinge zones and limbs

Nova Scotia Geology

Gold District
Avalon Terrane

Cobequid Chedabucto Fault

100 km

Meguma Terrane
Halifax
Triassic to Jurassic Cambrian to Early Carboniferous
Cambrian to Ordovician
Late Carboniferous
Halifax Formation
Goldenville Formation
Early Carboniferous
Precambrian

Precambrian to Carboniferous:
undifferentiated intrusive rocks
Courtesy of D. Kontak and R. Horne
 Meguma Vein Array
Flexural folding: bedding-parallel
Bedding Concordant veins
slip hinge dilation
Saddle Reefs
Laminated veins
En echelon arrays
Massive veins
Cross veins
Angular veins

Courtesy of D. Kontak and R. Horne

Saddle Reefs … represent hinge dilation …product
of flexural folding … late in fold development

Ovens Dufferin

Courtesy of D. Kontak and R. Horne

En echelon bedding-
concordant veins

Courtesy of D. Kontak and R. Horne

 en
ec
he
lo nv
La m ein
ina s
te dv
e in
Mo
v em
en
t ho
rizo
n
Courtesy of D. Kontak and R. Horne
 Conclusions
1. The siting of lode gold deposits is controlled by the
geometry, orientation, and nature of the host
structures and host rocks.
2. Lode gold deposits typically form along host
structures, such as faults, which acted as channels
for the flow of large volumes of hydrothermal fluids.
3. The deposits occurs in zones of high permeability
such as:
(I) Fractured damage zones: including contractional
jogs, intersection between syn-mineralization
structures, competent host rocks intersected or
hosted by syn-mineralization structures, lithological
contacts, fold limbs
(II) dilational zones: including dilational jogs and
saddle reef
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