CSA Global Director, Dr Neal Reynolds will present his co-authored paper developed with Principal Consultant, Peter Muhling on “Integrated Mineral Systems and Empirical Targeting for Base Metals in Sedimentary Basins” at the Resources for Future Generations Premier Conference on Energy, Minerals, Water, The Earth, on June 16-21, 2018, Vancouver Convention Center, British Columbia, CANADA.
The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences (CFES), the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), the Geological Association of Canada (GAC) and the Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC) are partnering to bring industry, academia and governments and civil society together to tackle these issues.
The Resources for Future Generations conference (RFG2018) takes its theme from a new IUGS initiative of the same name designed to mobilize geoscientists, policy-makers and other stakeholders to explore resource and related sustainability issues
The presentation by CSA Global will be delivered on June 19, 2018 at 1.30pm.
Abstract:
The similarities between mineral and petroleum generating processes in sedimentary basins have been long recognised. Although mineral systems are more complex than petroleum, application of a system and play approach to targeting metalliferous systems provides a valuable but under-utilised targeting framework at a basin to deposit scale. This approach considers all the ingredients and processes that combine to form a mineral deposit and their signature in the rock record. A basin mineral system can be summarised in terms of Source (fluid, metal and ligand sources, maturity, and extraction); Trigger for fluid flow events (energy inputs, tectonic, thermal); Pathway and focus (structural, stratigraphic, alteration); Trap (chemical and physical); Outflow; and deposit preservation.
Considering the complexity of mineral systems, a heuristic and empirical approach that incorporates mineral system understanding is favoured over approaches driven by purely theoretical models. Empirical criteria based on observation in multiple basins are supported by interpretation in a mineral system context, even if the details of the complex processes are not fully understood. Basin-, trend-, and deposit-scale criteria can be developed for a range of deposit types. Many of the same criteria can be applied at a trend to deposit scale, combined with criteria for direct play or deposit signatures. The emphasis is initially on defining ‘plays’ at a scale that can be realistically acquired and evaluated.
Sediment-hosted massive sulphide exploration is largely undertaken in known fertile basins; discovery is the holy grail for zinc companies. A heuristic strategy based on empirical criteria can provide justification for exploring new basins and optimise focus in known basins. This strategy can also be applied to targeting in data-poor settings and in dismembered basins.
Dr Neal Reynolds
Director – Vancouver, Toronto
PhD. , BSc, FAusIMM, MAIG, FSEG
Dr Reynolds is a geologist with almost 30 years’ experience in the mineral exploration industry from project generation to advanced project stage, encompassing targeting studies, project management, project due diligence, audit and optimisation, and expert reporting. Neal has worked on projects globally, with extensive experience in Asia, Africa, and Australia, and is particularly sought after for his specialist expertise in the metallogeny and mining industry in Southeast Asia. He has broad commodity experience and expertise in sediment-hosted and intrusive-related base metals and gold systems. He specialises in integrated mineral systems targeting at district to deposit scale, including the effective application of sedimentary geology, lithostratigraphy, structural geology, and alteration studies.
Peter Muhling
Principal Consultant Geologist
BSc (Hons) Geology, SEG, AIG, MGSA
Peter is a highly experienced geologist with more than 37 years’ experience in exploration. He possesses a practical exploration and mapping background in a wide range of geological environments across Australia, India and China. He has delivered specialist expertise in targeting and exploration of basin-hosted mineral systems including zinc-lead, copper, gold, manganese and uranium. Peter has also carried out project generation and assessments in volcanic and high-grade metamorphic terranes. With a strong background in regional mapping, supplemented with study of world-class mineralisation in various countries, Peter has been able to apply specialist expertise in target generation studies: including global terrane to play-scale, and basin analysis. He has conducted several training courses for geologists seeking to broaden their knowledge in the area of exploration and mapping in China and India.