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The importance of brownfields gold exploration

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Abstract

Significant growth in the size of gold Resources on many mines of the Yilgarn Craton has occurred well after the deposit was discovered and after mining had commenced. Examples include the Kalgoorlie and Norseman goldfields found more than a century ago and the Jundee and Sunrise goldfields discovered in the 1990s. The initial discovery event is referred to as greenfields exploration, and the later additions as brownfields exploration. For the Yilgarn Craton, annual Resource additions have significantly exceeded mine depletion since 1980. Brownfields exploration enjoys economic benefits not available to greenfields exploration such as reduced infrastructure and regulatory costs. In Australia, criticism of the exploration and mining industry for failing to find deposits is misplaced.

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Acknowledgments

This paper was prepared at the invitation of David Groves as part of the Orogenic Gold workshop in Perth 2019; it draws upon discussions following the Yilgarn Retrospectives Symposium, Perth in 2016. For help with data, we especially thank Don Flint, and the assistance of Trevor Beardsmore and Angela Riganti, all at the Geological Survey of Western Australia (Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety). We thank David Groves, Bernd Lehmann, and anonymous referees for their critical comments.

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  1. SJS Resource Management Pty Ltd, PO Box 1093, Canning Bridge, Mount Pleasant, Western Australia, 6153, Australia

    Julian R. Vearncombe

  2. Phillipsgold Pty Ltd, University of Melbourne and Stellenbosch University, PO Box 3, Central Park, Melbourne, Victoria, 3145, Australia

    G. Neil Phillips

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  1. Julian R. Vearncombe
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Correspondence to Julian R. Vearncombe.

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Vearncombe, J.R., Phillips, G.N. The importance of brownfields gold exploration. Miner Deposita 55, 189–196 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-019-00897-1

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