The importance of brownfields gold exploration

• Published in: Mineralium deposita Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 189 - 196
• Main Authors: Vearncombe, Julian R., Phillips, G. Neil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.02.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Brownfields; Cratons; Depletion; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Economic benefits; Exploration; Geology; Gold; Mineral Resources; Mineralogy; Mining; Mining industry; Sunrise; Reserves; Gold; Economic Demonstrated Resources; Western Australia; Yilgarn Craton; Brownfields exploration; Greenfields exploration
• ISSN: 0026-4598; 1432-1866
• DOI: 10.1007/s00126-019-00897-1

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.