Zonation of primary haloes of Atud auriferous quartz vein deposit, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt: A potential exploration model targeting for hidden mesothermal gold deposits

Abstract

The Atud gold mine located in the Neoproterozoic diorite and metagabbro of the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt has been initially excavated during Pharaonic times. Between 1953 and 1969, the Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority performed underground prospection in the auriferous quartz vein and metasomatic alteration zones in the main Atud area, estimating a principal gold lode of 19,000tones (16.28g/ton), and 1600tons of damp (1.24g/ton). Yet the potentiality of the deposit has not been exhausted. However, for exploration of hidden ore, quantitative characterization using trace elements zoning of mineralization haloes with 280 samples from surface and three underground mining levels is applied. This was through multivariate statistical analysis (Factor analysis) of 11 selected trace elements. Axial (vertical) extents of primary haloes above and beneath gently dipping orebody are also visualized to interpret the level of erosion, determine the direction of mineralizing...