How a Systems Thinking Approach to Mineralising Geosystems is opening New Search Spaces for Ore Discovery

Abstract

Systems thinking is used to study interactions. It is different from simple event orientated thinking that implies chains of cause and effect along a time line. In systems, the systemic behaviour emerges from its structure, the flows and feedback loops, rather than any individual element. Mineralising geosystems and ore systems are often complex and self-organising. As mineral explorers it is unlikely that we will be able to truly understand complex mineralising geosystems if we do not understand the theory of systems thinking. Mineralising geosystems operate at different scales at different times and sometimes at several scales at the same time. By using systems theory tools we can begin to close the gap in predictive targeting effectiveness between the regional and camp scale, and in the process unlock new search spaces. One way we can do this is by measuring and mapping the evidence for feedback loops in the geological record. A mineralising geosystems map for tin deposits was produced in 2017 as an example of the systems approach to modelling mineralisation processes. Tin is well-studied simple mineral system that has both a sedimentary phase and a magmatic phase. This mineralising geosystem map has challenged paradigms that also apply to other mineralising geosystems, especially the role of sedimentary processes in driving the ultimate quality of deposits.