Silver isotope analysis of gold-silver alloys with applications to mineral deposit genesis

This study developed a new method for the analysis of silver isotopes in natural gold samples, which is more efficient and reliable than previous approaches. This method was then applied to investigate the formation of gold deposits using samples collected from the Fosterville Gold Mine in Victoria. The vertical extent of gold distribution in the crust was found to be much greater than widely believed. Applying the method to the Sudbury impact structure in Canada, it was found that the extreme conditions of the impact process allowed an unusual array of fractionation processes that variably affected the silver isotope signature.