Unlock the secrets of gold with our latest YouTube Short! 🎬 Explore the fascinating world of Boxworks, Slickensides, and Fault Gouge—nature's hidden gold traps. Watch as we dive into the rust-colored rock faces and discover how these unique formations signal rich gold deposits. From ghostly boxworks left by weathered sulfides to the movement of slickensides that create fresh mineral pathways, each texture tells a story.
Reading Boxworks, Slickensides, and Fault Gouge – Decode the Gold Traps
You don’t need an X-ray machine to find gold in the field—you just need to know what to look for. Nature leaves behind clues—visual signs in the rock that tell you: “Gold passed through here. Some of it stayed.”
In Module 4 of Strike Zones and Fault-Controlled Gold 101, we focus on three of the most overlooked gold indicators:
• Boxworks
• Slickensides
• Fault gouge
Each one tells you something critical about how the rock moved, what fluids passed through, and where gold may have settled or remained.
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Boxworks – The Ghosts of Sulfides
Boxworks are boxy, honeycomb-like structures found in oxidized rock, often where sulfides like pyrite or chalcopyrite once existed. As these sulfides weather out, they leave behind a shell.
But here’s the kicker—gold doesn’t oxidize like sulfides do. It stays behind.
That means:
• Boxworks often trap residual free gold
• They form in oxidized caps, just above the supergene enrichment zone
• They highlight the original fluid pathways
In the field, look for:
• Iron-stained, boxy textures on fracture surfaces
• Red-brown limonite halos
• Weak acid reaction (if carbonate present)
• Fine, visible gold in vugs or on fracture edges
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Slickensides – Faults That Moved More Than Once
Slickensides are polished, striated rock surfaces that form as fault blocks slide past each other.
They tell you two things:
1. The fault was active—meaning fluids likely flowed through
2. The structure was reopened—letting later, gold-rich pulses re-enter
Multiple slick surfaces in different directions mean multi-phase activity—ideal for late-stage gold fracture fill.
In the field:
• Look for shiny surfaces with grooves or striations
• Use light to reflect across the surface
• Slickensides are usually on hard walls near gouge zones
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Fault Gouge – Crushed Clay and the Hidden Pay Layer
Fault gouge is the ultra-fine, pulverized rock found at the center of a fault zone. It may look like worthless clay—but that’s exactly why it traps gold.
When gold-bearing fluids enter a fault:
• They lose energy in gouge
• They react with the clay or carbonates
• They deposit fine gold as the system cools
Fault gouge often contains:
• Free-milling gold
• Oxidized remnants of sulfides
• Manganese, iron, and carbonate staining
Best signs in the field:
• Soft, powdery zones at the core of a fracture
• Red, yellow, or black staining
• Quartz veinlets entering and stopping in the gouge
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Bonus Field Clue: Overprinted Textures
If you find a fault with:
• Boxworks in the wall rock
• Slickensides on the margins
• Gouge in the core
You’re likely in a multi-phase gold trap. That’s where shoots concentrate, especially in orogenic or mesothermal systems.
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Use AI Gold Maps to Target These Signs
Your Deep Dig AI Gold Map can help you:
• Identify oxidized fault corridors
• Locate historic mines near structural intersections
• Overlay slope shading to reveal gouge exposure in dry washes
You can even use the “alteration layer” (if included) to trace where silica + iron + clay come together—classic signs of gold-bearing gouge.
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🧭 Download your Deep Dig AI Gold Map at:
👉
💬 Comment “Now I’m a Gold Prospector Too!” if you’ve ever chased rust-colored rock to the pay
🔔 Subscribe to get Module 5: Long-Form Conclusion – Strike Zone Mastery
Join us as we reveal the ultimate gold prospecting tips! 💰 Don’t miss out—like and share this video to spread the gold rush excitement!
#GoldProspecting #Geology #MineralHunting #GoldTraps #NatureMagic #aigoldmap
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