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Gold mineralizations in the Arabian shield: statistical control on mining potential

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Abstract

Saudi Arabia possesses numerous low-grade gold deposits and many occurrences are located in the Arabian Shield. Currently, there are five operating gold mines and major plans are underway to develop three gold mining regions in various parts of the shield. Because of the presence of numerous deposits and a significant amount of investments earmarked for the development of these deposits by the Saudi Government during the last few years, Saudi Arabia is expected to become one of the leading gold producers in the world. This paper starts with an introduction of gold mineralization and mining activities in the Arabian Shield in a historical perspective. This is followed by a brief review of geology and the geological importance of the Arabian Shield as a host for various types of gold deposits. The latter part of the paper discusses the statistical distribution of gold grades and its impact on cutoff grade variations on the gold reserves and their mining potentials. Finally, considering the lognormal distribution of gold grades and reduction in cutoff grades, it is demonstrated how some of the previously classified uneconomic resources can be gradually converted into mineable reserves with increasing proportions.

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted in the Center for Integrative Petroleum Research (College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences) at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia). The author gratefully acknowledges the support provided at this institution. The author also acknowledges two unanimous reviewers for their critical comments and suggestions. Finally, the editorial supports provided by the Associate Editor and Prof. Abdullah Al-Amri are fully appreciated. The AJGS acknowledges the help of Dr. Lamidi Babalola in producing this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Integrative Petroleum Research, College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

    Ali Şahin

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  1. Ali Şahin
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Correspondence to Ali Şahin.

Additional information

Ali Sahin is deceased. On behalf of Ali Sahin, Lamidi Babalola (lbabalola@kfupm.edu.sa) will be the corresponding author.

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Şahin, A. Gold mineralizations in the Arabian shield: statistical control on mining potential. Arab J Geosci 9, 727 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2643-z

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