Structural Controls on VMS Deposits

When
30 May 2023
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Location
OBA, 20 Toronto Street, Toronto
Spaces left
35

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Dr. Antoine Caté P. Geo., Senior Consultant (Structural Geology) SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc.

Talk Abstract:

Volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits are an important source of base and precious metals. These deposits are typically associated with regional or local extensional tectonic settings, typically associated with steeply dipping normal faults, which can connect deeply seated metal reservoirs to a shallower depositional environment. Structural control thus plays a critical role in the formation and distribution of these deposits at different scales. In the case of VMS deposits, faulting and rifting create favorable environments for enhanced hydrothermal circulation and the formation of deposits on the seafloor or as subseafloor replacement.

All VMS deposits currently present at surface have undergone some level of post-emplacement deformation. Tectonic inversion during compressional events re-activate syn-volcanic faults and generate new faults and folds which can act as controls on the geometry of these deposits, and renders the interpretation of syn-depositional controls difficult. In addition, due to their relative ductile nature, massive sulphides can be remobilized over the scale of a few centimeters to more than 100 meters during deformation.

Understanding the structural controls on VMS deposits and their 3D geometry is therefore crucial for successful exploration and mining. This presentation provides an overview of the structural controls on VMS deposits, including the tectonic settings in which they form, the structural features that control their distribution, the effect of later deformation to their geometry and the methods used to identify these features.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Antoine Caté is a consultant specializing in Structural Geology with SRK’s Toronto office. He has completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc in geology at Institut Polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais in France. Antoine has completed his Ph.D. on the Lalor Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide deposit under the supervision of Dr. Patrick Mercier-Langevin of the Geological Survey of Canada. He has more than 12 years of both academia and industry experience with field work completed in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Australia working on gold and base metal deposits, from greenfield exploration to underground and open-pit mines. He is also an expert in the applications of data science and machine learning in geosciences, including for prospectivity analysis and automated core logging. Dr. Antoine Caté is a recipient of the Mountjoy Exchange Award of the Geological Association of Canada. He was awarded the second place at the international Integra Gold Rush challenge as part of the Data Miners team and was involved in the founding of two companies related to the applications of machine learning in the mining industry: Goldspot Discoveries and Geolearn Inc. Antoine’s current work at SRK includes structural field investigation, 3D modelling, and the development and application of innovative tools applied to structural geology, and mineral exploration.

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