A fractal relationship between vein thickness and gold grade in drill core from La Codosera, Spain

Analysis of quartz vein thicknesses and gold grades in drill core from western Spain indicates that both approximate a power law distribution, suggesting an underlying fractal relationship. Log-log plots of cumulative frequency (N) against vein thickness (t) show systematic changes in relation to gold grade. The exponent D, in a power law of the form N = C t (super -D) , is lower for higher gold grades, indicating that a greater proportion of the dilation is taking place on the thicker veins, which are interpreted as providing interconnected conduits for gold-bearing fluids. Thus, monitoring the vein thickness distribution may provide a means of discriminating mineralized and barren structures in vein-hosted mineral deposits.