What are Intrusive Related Gold Systems?
During the 1990s, following a succession of discoveries of granite hosted and granite proximal gold deposits in Canada and Alaska, across an area now known as the Tintina Gold Province (TGP), a new class of gold dominant intrusion related deposit was identified, and classified, IRGS.
IRGS systems are generated by the collision of major tectonic plates and, as such, focused mainly on the Ring of Fire region around the Pacific Rim. Prominent gold regions include the Maricunga Belt, Magadan Province, Tintina-Cordileran Province and North China Craton. Unlike intrusion related porphyry copper, skarn and epithermal styles of mineralisation, IRGS has a close spatial association with tungsten-tin provinces. In addition to the association with granitoids, this class of deposit has a distinctive, signature, accessory element suite of Bismuth (Bi), Tellurium (Te), Molybdenum (Mo) and Tungsten (W).
Other characteristics of IRGS are the host tectonic environment, depth of emplacement and vein morphologies and textures. Of particular importance are parallel-sheeted veins and stock worked vein formations.
It is these distinctive features of IRGS deposits that enable us to identify and explore for IRGS related gold.
The North Kazakhstan Auriferous Province, Kazakhstan (NKAP), and North China Craton (NCC), have also both produced world-class IRGS deposits. They are important references as they demonstrate both the large scale and high-grade potential of IRGS deposits. China has been the world’s largest gold producer since 2007 and it is estimated that at least 25% of their reserves are hosted in IRGS deposits in the NCC.
The New England Orogen (NEO), in Queensland, Australia where the Tectonic Gold Tenements are located, has a similar tectonic terrane to the TGP, NKAP and NCC. As such it is an indicated possible host of significant, as yet undiscovered, IRGS gold deposits.
Tectonic Gold has been an early mover in researching and analysing the NEO, and has acquired a portfolio of Tenements that have been independently validated as prospective for IRGS mineralisation.
Global IRGS Regions – note the proliferation around the Pacific “Ring of Fire” which extends into Queensland. This was a tectonically active region 200 million years ago.