
⚡ Gold Probability Series – Module 6: Structural Intersections & Step-Overs
If you want to go from chasing quartz to targeting real ore zones, this is the module to watch. In this episode of the Gold Probability Series, we break down one of the most powerful concepts in structural geology: fault intersections and step-overs.
These aren’t just “interesting geology”—they’re where the gold concentrates.
We give this structural setting a near-perfect 9.5 out of 10 gold probability rating because it repeatedly shows up under major mines, high-grade pockets, and bonanza shoots.
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🧭 What Are Fault Intersections and Step-Overs?
• A fault intersection is where two or more faults meet—often at angles.
• A step-over is a lateral jog or offset in a single fault where displacement occurs but the structure continues nearby.
(Think: a sideways jump in the same break.)
In both cases, the geometry creates zones of dilation, void space, and pressure drop—exactly the physical conditions required for gold-bearing fluids to slow down and drop their load.
Gold follows fluid. Fluids follow faults. But gold deposits where pressure drops—and that’s here.
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🔍 Field Clues to Look For
You won’t always see faults directly, but these signs are common at intersection zones:
• Quartz veins bending or kinking abruptly
• A change in strike direction in outcrop
• Localized breccia or shattered host rock
• Abundant iron staining at junctions
• A sudden increase in vein width or grade
• Vein splitting or multiple generations of veining
Also look for “X” patterns in aerial or satellite imagery—especially where ridgelines, dry washes, or vegetation align with linear trends.
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🧠 Why Are These Zones So Productive?
Fluid under pressure behaves like water through a pipe—it speeds up in tight spaces and slows down when there’s room to expand. Fault intersections and step-overs create open space in the rock where fluids can accumulate, swirl, and deposit minerals.
If the fluids were carrying silica, sulfides, and gold, the intersection zone becomes:
• A trap for native gold
• A host for quartz-sulfide veining
• A core for alteration halos like jasperoid or silicification
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🔎 Where Are They Found?
Nearly every major gold district in the western U.S. has intersection-hosted zones:
• Oatman, Arizona – vein swarms converge at step-overs
• Carlin Trend, Nevada – ore zones correlate with cross-structures
• Mother Lode, California – gold shoots occur where east-west and northwest faults collide
These aren’t rare—they’re missed by those who don’t understand structure.
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📊 Gold Rating: 9.5 out of 10
This is one of the highest-rated gold probabilities in the series for a reason.
• It works in lode systems, epithermal zones, and even greenstone belts
• It concentrates fluids, sulfides, and gold
• It produces repeatable results in districts across the U.S.
If you’re using AI maps, old USGS data, or satellite imagery—fault intersections should be your first layer of interest.
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🗺️ Find Intersections with Deep Dig AI Gold Maps
Our Arizona Deep Dig AI Gold Map overlays:
• BLM claims
• Quartz vein trends
• Known fault lines
• Mineralized districts
• Elevation and topography
You’ll spot where two faults meet—and where quartz and alteration zones light up nearby. That’s where your next trench, sample, or dig should go.
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🎁 Get Your Free Arizona Fault Target Map
We’re giving away our Arizona Deep Dig AI Gold Map free for those completing the series quiz.
📌 To claim it:
1. Like and subscribe
2. Watch all 6 modules
3. Comment your quiz answers and say:
👉 “Now I’m a Gold Prospector Too!”
4. Redeem here: aurummeum.com/member-map-drop
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📚 Explore the Gold Probability Series:
• Module 1: Quartz Veins (7/10)
• Module 2: Fault Zones (9/10)
• Module 3: Jasperoid Zones (8/10)
• Module 4: Silicified Zones (7.5/10)
• Module 5: Banded Iron Formations (5/10)
• ✅ Module 6: Fault Intersections & Step-Overs (9.5/10)
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Dive into the Gold Probability Series and unlock the secrets of gold mining with us!
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