The Sonora-Mohave Megashear Zone:a tectonic nursery evolving from epithermal and intrusion related mineralization to shear hosted mesothermal gold deposits.

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The Sonora-Mohave region is host to a number of mineral deposits ranging from gold and silver to base metal deposits. The region has a well established history of gold production starting as early as the seventeenth century. Geologically, the area comprises a variety of accreted and translated terranes, associated for the most part with subduction related tectonics along the southwestern margin of the North American Craton. These terranes have been stitched together and metamorphosed by subduction related igneous intrusions. This igneous activity was the source of heat and metals that resulted in the significant concentrations of high-grade ore-deposits in the region. This ENGAGE proposal forms what is envisioned to be an ongoing research collaboration with Riverside Resources. The proposal aims to investigate the geological relationship between three of the major ore-deposit types in the region: epithermal, intrusion-related, and shear-hosted gold deposits. It has been postulated that shear-hosted gold mineralization is the metamorphosed and tectonically altered and gold-enriched equivalent of epithermal and intrusion-related gold mineralization. Three shear-hosted gold properties associated the Sonora-Mohave Megashear, all within the Riverside Resources' portfolio, have been chosen as ideal candidates to look for geochemical and structural fingerprints of epithermal and intrusion-related mineralization. The three properties: Tajitos, Glor, and Clemente are separated by approximately 100 km, but occur along the same shear zone and associated splays. These deposits are ideal for this study as they are actively being explored by Riverside Resources. There is excellent road access and infrastructure to mount this study, and detailed understanding of the global-scale tectonics of the region. The major outcomes of this project will lead to better understand the nature of gold and silver enrichment in the Sonora-Mohave Megashear, resulting in better exploration models for Riverside Resources' currently held properties. It will also place them in an excellent position to acquire new properties and extend their holdings. The results will ultimately be publically available via the thesis of Dillon Hume and any resulting publications.