New data on the geological and structural features of the Ozhereliye, Ykanskoye, Ugahan and Golets Vysochaishy gold fields

The article presents the comparison of the geological-mineralogical and geochemical parameters of the existing gold ore fields that are being developed by GV Gold, with the purpose to identify the gold mineralization distribution patterns for each field. To achieve the above goal, the following has been accomplished within the frames of the work. The deep drilling data have been studied and analyzed to reveal the geological-structural features of the fields; the ore mineralogical composition has been determined; new promising sites have been revealed (‘blind’ ore deposits not identified at the prospecting stage). A consolidated database for the factual data on all the fields has been created. The data has been processed by means of computer modeling and 3D-analysis (GIS packages Micromine and Leapfrog). Based on the analysis results, non-outcropping ore bodies have been defined. These ore bodies mainly occur in weakly metamorphized carbonaceous terrigenous and terrigenous-carbonate rocks, and are flat-dipping zones sub-consistent with ore-bearing rocks of gold-quartz-sulfide mineralization. The study has revealed that the Ugakhan field has a cascade structure complicated with dislocation faulting systems. As a result, new ore sites and potential ore-bearing blocks have been discovered. All the above has given a significant increase of the field’s mineral resource base (25% in terms of resources in gold equivalent). For the Golets Vysochaishy field, the ore zone has been expanded to east-south-east and north-west of the site. The study has confirmed the assumption of the presence of a gold ore site (more than 5 tons) within the Ugakhan formation carbonate rocks that the previous researchers considered unpromising in terms of precious metal mineralization.

gold, Bodaibo region, black-shale strata, gold fields, Golets Vysochaishy, Ugakhan, Ykanskoye, Ozhereliye, metamorphism, ore blocks, GV Gold

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