Drilling results at the Farah Garan ancient mine, southwestern Saudi Arabia
The Farah Garan ancient mine is located at fat 17?41'00'' N., long 43?38'15'' E. in the southwestern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Three diamond drill holes intersected base-metal sulfides, which are present both as conformable layers in Precambrian tuffaceous volcanic rocks and as fracture fillings, irregularly shaped masses, disseminations, and clots in intensely hydrothermally altered and brecciated fault zones. The sulfides probably formed through volcanic processes in a shallow-marine environment and subsequently were greatly modified by tectonism and hydrothermal activity. Drill hole F.G.-1 intersected sparse base and precious metal minerals along a length of 30 m; several narrow, isolated zones contain as much as 22 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver, 1.25 percent copper, and 3.10 percent zinc. Drill hole F.G.-2 intersected low-grade base and precious metal minerals along a length of 50 m. Within this zone, a 10-m interval contains an average of 0.15 g/t gold, 10.7 g/t silver, and 0.86 percent zinc. Drill hole F.G.-3 cut commercial-grade base and precious metal minerals in a 3.55-m interval that contains an average of 20.06 g/t gold, 32.75 g/t silver, and 6.28 percent zinc. Additional exploration, including drilling and laboratory studies, is recommended to further define potential tonnages of base and precious metals intersected in drill hole F.G.-3 and to learn more about their genesis and mineral form. Arsenic and antimony are locally abundant in both drillcore and surface samples. Because of its weathering characteristics, mobility, and association with precious metals, arsenic commonly is a pathfinder for gold. Approximately 1,100 splits of surface samples collected in the Farah Garan area are stored at the Directorate General of Mineral Resources-U. S. Geological Survey chemical laboratory in Jiddah, and any further exploration should include assaying these samples for arsenic and antimony by wet-chemical analysis ?