Gold can be found across the globe but did you know that some experts believe that earthquakes can actually create new gold deposits? The latest in the KMG Gold Gold Gossip blog series is all about the role that earthquakes can play in gold production.

In the March 17, 2013 issue of the journal Nature Geoscience, it was reported that the water that is found in the faults created by earthquakes will vapourize during an earthquake and can create new gold deposits. The lead author of the study, Dion Weatherly, a geophysicist at the University of Queensland in Australia, believes that this theory offers an explanation for the link between gold and quartz found in many of the world's gold deposits.

When an earthquake hits, it moves along fault lines in the ground. Large faults can have many smaller fractures along their length which are connected by jogs that appear as rectangular voids. Water often lubricates the faults and fills in these fractures and jogs. And since these are often six miles underground, under very high temperatures and pressures, the water carries high concentrations of carbon dioxide, silica and precious metals like gold.

As the fault jog opens wider during an earthquake, the water inside of this void immediately vapourizes and forces silica (which forms quartz) and gold out of the fluids and onto nearby surfaces.

But don't get too excited because the amount of gold left behind after an earthquake is extremely small and the underground liquids only carry one part per million of the precious metal. However, these deposits can build up over time and can even occur with earthquakes with a magnitude smaller than 4.0. After all, the quartz-linked gold deposits are what sparked historic gold rushes like the ones in California and the Klondike, with prospectors tracing the gravels back to their sources, where hard-rock mining continues today.

The above picture is an example of what gold found in quartz looks like. This is an extreme example, but you never know what you might find!

Stay tuned for KMG Gold's next blog post, published every Wednesday. If there's a topic you'd like to read about, share your thoughts in the comments below or via Facebook or Twitter.

Tags Manitoba  Winnipeg  Earthquakes  KMG Gold  Gold  Silver  Platinum  Palladium  Faults  Quartz  Gold Rush 

Posted by Mike Gupton at 12:00 PM 0 Comments

...around the KMG Gold office in Winnipeg! Thankfully the weather hasn't quite turned Winnipeg into a winter wonderland just yet but that hasn't stopped us from getting into the Christmas spirit around here.

Our newest gold buyer Lindy loves to decorate the office for all the major holidays and Christmas isn't any different. You may have seen her flare for decorating if you stopped by the office in October and saw what she did for Halloween. She got out the KMG Christmas tree (prelit, thank goodness!) and trimmed it with shimmering ornaments, bows and candy canes. And if you stop by, we promise we'll let you choose a candy cane from the tree!

With winter coming we also wanted to share our newest promotions with you. If you've visited the store lately, you might have noticed the green sheet of paper attached to your receipt inviting you to like us on Facebook and write us a review about how your experience was. Everyone who shares their experience with us on the KMG Facebook page will be entered in a draw to win a $100 VISA giftcard!

The other promotion that we have going on is our monthly draw. For November we've partnered up with Just Breathe Aesthetics and we're inviting you to enter our in-store draw to win a $25 giftcard from the spa/salon. Take our word for it, it's a very relaxing place to get pampered and we strongly recommend their manicures and polish selection!

Stay tuned for more exciting holiday news as we get into December and don't forget to check our Facebook page for the latest updates and promotions around KMG Gold!

Tags Manitoba  Canada  Gold  Christmas  VISA  Winter  Contest  Draw  Spa  Salon  Gold Buyer  Silver 

Posted by Mike Gupton at 9:30 AM 0 Comments