Fuwan Property
click to enlarge |
click to enlarge |
Geology and Mineralization
Silver and gold were discovered in the area in early 1990 by systematic follow up of stream sediment and soil geochemical anomalies identified from surveys completed by the Guangdong Provincial government (Regional Geological Survey Team of Guangdong Bureau of Geological Exploration). The 757 Geological Exploration Team conducted trenching and drilling programs between 1993 and 1995 to evaluate the silver mineralization.
Silver mineralization at Fuwan is hosted primarily within a Lower Carboniferous limestone sequence that is unconformably overlain by Upper Triassic siliciclastic rocks. The Carboniferous and Triassic units are folded into an open syncline that has a northeast trending axis. A series of faults oriented sub-parallel to bedding are developed near the unconformity and are considered the main control for the Fuwan silver mineralization and Changkeng gold mineralization. Most of the Fuwan silver mineralization is hosted in the Lower Carboniferous limestone sequence. The total strike length of the mineralization is 2,790 metres and is open to the north, south and southwest. Silver mineralization is characterized by fractured and silificied limestone accompanied by calcite and pyrite with minor galena, sphalerite and barite. Minor amounts of chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, cinnabar, and fluorite have also been observed in the mineralized zones.
The mineralized zones at the Fuwan Silver Deposit are currently considered primary mineralization and have been divided into two types:
- Siliceous (silicified) material: This type of material is grey to dark grey in colour and mainly composed of secondary quartz, illite, argillaceous and carbonaceous material, and pyrite. Fractures and mariolitic cavities were highly developed;
- Calcareous-siliceous material (silicified limestone): This type of material is light grey to dark grey in colour and is composed of secondary quartz, residual limestone, calcite, and pyrite. The mineralization occurs in the second-order faults in the footwall limestone of the contact zone.
click to enlarge
Fuwan Silver Belt -- Generalized
Geology Map
View PDF Version
)
)
)