Synchrotron Data - Hough 1392 (July 2009) - Revealing the distribution and speciation of invisible gold

The new element mapping and speciation probe capability at the Australian Synchrotron has the potential to provide the first ever maps of invisible gold distribution the gold bearing quartz veins of Australian gold systems. Quartz veins are key hosts for the gold but visible gold is rare and yet the veins carry measurable gold content at the bulk scales. We plan to map the gold distribution in situ and then probe the chemistry with XANES to reveal where the gold resides, the accompanying trace elements and whether the gold is present in its ionic or metallic form.