Madofti Area
The Madofti Area is located in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, 130 km southeast of Zahedan and approximately 7 km northwest of the Taftan Volcano, covering an area of approximately 64 square kilometers. The area is situated adjacent to an active tectonomagmatic center. The intense geological activities in this region, represented by Mount Taftan, have resulted in the disruption and complexity of the area’s geology.
From a lithological perspective, the area comprises a mélange unit consisting of shale, carbonate rocks and ultramafic rocks, dating from the Upper Cretaceous, as well as a sedimentary–metamorphic unit composed of metashale to slate, dating from the Upper Cretaceous to the Eocene. It also includes an extrusive igneous unit composed of andesite, a fallout pyroclastic unit consisting of lithic tuff and volcanic breccia, and a hypabyssal unit ranging in composition from granodiorite to quartz diorite, dating from the Oligocene to the Quaternary. The main alteration processes in the Kharistan–Bidaster Area are argillic, silicic, alunitic and silicic–argillic alteration, respectively.
The following maps, data and reports were prepared for this exploration area during the reconnaissance, prospecting, general exploration and detailed exploration phases:
- 64.8 square kilometers of geological mapping at a scale of 1:25,000.
- 64.8 square kilometers of geological mapping at a scale of 1:10,000.
- Collection of 1,388 lithogeochemical samples using a systematic 250 × 250 m grid.
- Collection of 8,000 surface lithogeochemical samples using a non-systematic method.
- Completion of 14,343 magnetometry stations and construction of 60 km of roads.
- 25 square kilometers of geological mapping at a scale of 1:5,000.
- Geological mapping of 1,750 hectares at a scale of 1:1,000.
- Preparation of a 64.8-square-kilometer topographic map and orthophoto at a scale of 1:1,000.
- Collection of data from 135 geophysical points using electromagnetic methods to distinguish silicic lithocaps containing gold mineralization.
- Collection of data from 202 geophysical points using audio-magnetotelluric and gravity methods on a 250 × 250 m grid to identify porphyry copper mineralization systems and deep intrusive bodies responsible for mineralization.
- Excavation of 3,500 m of exploration trenches.
- Completion of 21,000 m of core and reverse-circulation drilling.
- Completion of hydrological and hydrogeological studies.
- Preparation and examination of 297 thin and polished sections from surface and deep samples.
- Collection of 20 samples to determine specific gravity.
Processing of all data and three-dimensional modeling resulted in an estimated Madofti deposit resource of 24.5 million tonnes of proven reserves and 48.9 million tonnes of probable reserves, with an average grade of 1.06 ppm. The discovery certificate for the mine was issued in 2020.
The area currently holds an exploitation license, and preparations are underway for the extraction of mineral material to supply the feedstock required by the gold recovery plant, which has an annual production capacity of 443 kg of gold bullion.
It should be noted that representative samples from the deposit were collected during several stages. Laboratory-scale processing tests showed a highly favorable gold recovery rate of approximately 91%. This indicates that the ore is non-refractory and does not require complex processing methods for gold recovery.
Mineralization Type: High-sulfidation epithermal gold and porphyry copper deposit.