Evolving the genetic model for the Cononish Au deposit: from prospect to mine

该项目是一个独特而及时的机会，与我们的CASE合作伙伴，黄金开采和勘探公司Scotgold Resources Limited进行前沿研究，以确定形成和定位Cononish金矿存款中金矿化的基本控制（图1）。科诺尼什即将成为苏格兰有史以来第一个重要的金矿，也是英国仅有的两个活跃的金属矿之一。2016年6月15日，苏格兰的第一个重要黄金开采开始于Cononish的现有库存，以优化加工技术并探索苏格兰黄金的市场条件。已获得全面开采的规划许可，但需融资，目前的市场条件有利于开采约200 koz Au（地下价值> 2亿英镑）和约850 koz Ag（约1300万英镑）的储量。为该项目规划的研究方案集中在现有的完全暴露的1公里平硐和广泛的岩心。学生将参与开发一个新的三维数字地质图和框架的矿井，并通过微观结构，结构，同位素，（S、O、H、C和O，以及U-Pb和Ar/Ar测年）和岩石地球化学分析，将显著提高我们对存款的成因认识，并直接为矿山开发和加工方法提供信息，最大限度地提高黄金产量通过深入了解主岩、矿石和可能的废物流的矿物学和地球化学解剖学，回收（和副产品：如银、碲）并最大限度地减少废物和环境影响。

This project is a unique and timely opportunity to undertake leading-edge research with our CASE Partner, the gold mining and exploration company, Scotgold Resources Limited, to define the fundamental controls that form and locate gold mineralization in the Cononish gold deposit (Figure 1). Cononish is about to become Scotland's first ever significant gold mine, and one of only two active British metal mines. On June 15th, 2016, the first significant gold extraction in Scotland began on the existing stockpile at Cononish to optimize processing technology and explore market conditions for Scottish gold. Planning permission is in place for fullscale mining, subject to financing, with market conditions currently positive for extraction of reserves of ~200koz Au (value in ground >£200M) and ~850koz Ag (~£13M). The research programme planned for the project centres on the existing, fully exposed 1km adit, and extensive drillcore. The student will be involved in developing a new 3-D digital geological map and framework for the mine, and, through microtextural, structural, isotopic (S, O, H, C and O, and U-Pb and Ar/Ar dating) and lithogeochemical analyses, will significantly evolve our genetic understanding of the deposit and directly inform mine development and processing methodology, maximizing gold (and co-products: e.g. Ag, Te) recovery and minimizing waste and environmental impact through in-depth understanding of the mineralogical and geochemical anatomy of the host rock, ore and likely waste streams.