Your really need to do your own research and due diligence. But let me start you off.
The Bendigo Zone is located within the Lachlan Fold Belt, one of the major components of the Tasman Fold Belt System. Geologically, the Bendigo Zone is located between the Avoca and Mount William Faults which separates the Stawell Zone to the West and the Melbourne Zone to the East and is largely composed of turbiditic sediments (typically sandstones and shales) of the Castlemaine Group which is host the majority of gold deposits. The Stawell and Bendigo Zones were deformed during the Benambran Orogeny, a lengthy interval spanning the Late Ordovician (c.460-444Ma) and Silurian (c.444-419Ma). The Melbourne Zone by contrast escaped this Ordovician-Silurian deformation and continued to receive sediment until it was eventually deformed during the Middle-Devonian (c.380-370Ma) during the Tabberabberan Orogeny. The structural style across the Bendigo Zone is relatively uniform, controlled by relatively simple east-west oriented compression and characterised by simple, upright, tight chevron folding. Widespread post-tectonic plutonism occurred during the Early Devonian (c.410-400Ma) which played only a very minor role in deformation across the region and is not associated with any significant gold events. Orogenic gold deposits within the Bendigo Zone are diverse and often complex but share similar origins and geological characteristics. Mineralisation was episodic during the Ordovician-Silurian periods (460-420Ma) driven by crustal heating during the Benambran Orogeny, from the beginning of fold development to late-stage tectonic faulting. The surface footprints of major gold deposits in the district are commonly narrow but strike extensive and can occur over multiple kilometres. Typically, major deposits are located within the hanging walls of, but distal to, major crustal scale structures which are themselves not mineralised. These regional structures have been interpreted from 2D seismic surveying completed by Geoscience Australia and provide an important structural framework for exploration activities. At the deposit scale, high-angle secondary reverse faults and dilational cross structures served as conduits for the mineralising fluids. In addition to the fault-controlled mineralisation, where accommodation occurs at the apexes of tight fold hinges, mineralisation can occur as stacked ‘saddle’ or ‘trough’ reefs as commonly seen within the Bendigo area.
Exploration boom continues for north central Victoria
North Central Victoria is set to be benefit from more than $100 million to be spent on minerals exploration in the region over the coming years. On Friday 29 October 2021, the successful North Central Victorian Goldfields Ground Release tenderers were announced, with Fosterville Gold Mine Pty Ltd the successful tenderer for blocks 1, 2 and 3, and Southern Star Exploration Pty Ltd the successful tenderer for block 4. Across the three blocks for which it was the successful tenderer, Fosterville Gold Mine will spend more than $90 million, while Southern Star will spend more than $10 million across one block over a five-year period. The successful tenderers will now progress through to the licensing stage, which includes a 21-day period for the public to make submissions regarding the licence applications. The tender opportunity was offered to experienced minerals explorers who could demonstrate a history of responsible exploration and a commitment to working closely with Traditional Owners, local stakeholders, and communities. It attracted a strong response with tenders received from a competitive field.The evaluation was conducted by an Independent Assessment Panel, supported by two advisory panels assessing tenderer’s proposals relating to responsible minerals exploration and, for the first time in Victoria, Traditional Owner matters. The Geological Survey of Victoria predicts there may be as much as 75 million ounces of undiscovered gold across northern Victoria. If exploration is successful, mining could bring a boom to the region. Minerals exploration has been growing across Victoria in recent years, with ABS data showing state-wide annual minerals exploration expenditure increasing to $183.8 million for 2020-21, up by more than 35 per cent. Since 2016, the average quarterly growth rate has been more than double the national average.
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