Reconnaissance investigations of ancient gold mines in the northwestern part of the Al Aqiq Quadrangle, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Four groups of ancient gold mines were investigated in the northwestern part of the Al Aqiq quadrangle, sheet 20/41 D, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Those in the Aqiq Ghamid area are the largest and the most numerous. The other three groups each consist of a few small workings.

All of the ancient mines are along quartz veins, many of which are associated with crosscutting felsic dikes. Most of the ancient mines of the Aqiq Ghamid area are in a zone of quartz veins, altered rocks, and felsic dikes in a quartz diorite phase of an elongate north-trending diorite intrusion of Precambrian age. In all areas, sulfides are rare and the silver contents are low.

Further exploration is suggested in three areas: the zone containing the Wadi Kara ancient mines, the northern part of the Aqiq Ghamid area, and the Aqiq Ghamid mine, which has an untested potential of 400,000 metric tons of 17 to 24 g/t gold ore.