goldbearing

Goldbearing is a geological designation applied to rocks, sediments, or ore materials that contain gold in detectable quantities. The term does not imply profitability; goldbearing materials may be rich enough to mine in some cases or simply carry trace amounts that are economically insignificant. Gold can occur as native metal, as inclusions in sulfide or silicate minerals, or as microscopic particles in placer deposits.

Common goldbearing hosts include auriferous quartz veins formed by hydrothermal activity, where gold is concentrated with quartz; disseminated gold in metamorphic or sedimentary rocks; and sulfide-associated deposits such as pyrite- or arsenopyrite-rich zones. Gold is also found in telluride minerals like calaverite and sylvanite. In alluvial and placer settings, weathering concentrates gold into gravels and sands.

Assessment and sampling rely on assays to determine grade, usually expressed as grams of gold per tonne (g/t) or ounces per ton. Visible gold, mineralogical indicators, and pathfinder elements (e.g., arsenic, antimony, tellurium) guide exploration. Chemical assays, fire assays, and metallurgical tests help estimate recoverable quantities.

Economic considerations depend on grade, deposit geometry, and processing costs. Goldbearing ore is typically mined by open-pit or underground methods, followed by processing such as gravity separation, flotation, and cyanidation to recover gold. Environmental and regulatory factors are central to development and operation.

See also: gold ore, placer mining, gold prospecting.