Recent progress in gold exploration in the Lushi area, western Yunnan

In the field geological mapping, gold mineralization in the limestones and native gold in the placer minerals from the pyritized limestones are discovered in the Upper Triassic Sanhedong Formation in the Lushi area, Fengqing, western Yunnan. The gold grains vary in grain size from 0.04 to 0.2 mm, and are irregularly granular and dentritic in shape, with the fineness of about 98%. In addition, there occurs as well in calcite veins subrounded inclusion-shaped gold, in which elliptical pyrite inclusions of gold are also recognized. The findings of the native gold have represented the notable advances in gold exploration and firmly support the strategic plan for gold exploration in China.