Mineral chemistry as an exploration tool for gold and copper deposits

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Canada is a world leader in mineral exploration and mining technology, but the discovery of new mineral resources is declining, despite increasing exploration expenditures. The development of new mineralogical tools which guide exploration towards new targets is becoming increasingly important for the mining industry. This study will investigate the potential to use mineral chemistry to develop vectors around Au and Cu deposits in Ontario and BC. We will combine traditional core logging and mapping methods with state-of-the-art mineral chemistry techniques to assess the alteration halo around two styles of mineralization, porphyry copper and orogenic gold. The research will be completed by three master's students, who will be trained in advanced research methods, making them highly skilled assets for industry, academia, or government surveys. Overall, this project will help improve exploration confidence and success in the quest for new discoveries of metal resources in Canada. This study has the potential to lead to new discoveries by developing tools that can be used to vector towards mineralisation in covered terranes that can be applied elsewhere within Canada and by Canadian companies working overseas. At a broader scale, the tools generated by this project will help Canadian mining companies enhance exploration efficiency and reduce both the time and capital cost for the discovery of mineral resources.