Stratigraphic Controls on Structures And Mineralisation in Central Victoria 1: Bendigo

This is the first in a series of papers discussing the stratigraphic controls on structures and mineralisation in Victoria. Veins, joints and faults exploit natural planes of weakness along bedding and cleavage within turbidites. Major faults are continuous across folds. When the faults dip in the same direction as the limb of the fold, slip will preferentially occur along bedding. This is usually within a thick shale and often the fault is seen as a laminated quartz vein. Limb thrusts occur when bedded faults cross the hinge and penetrate through the opposing limb. Symmetrical folding at Bendigo allows west-dipping and east-dipping linked faults systems to cross, interact and provide sites for vein development and gold deposition.