Introduction

The six Oremine properties are aligned along NE-SW direction on the NW slopes of the Madra dağı which is at the south of the Biga Peninsula, NW Turkey. The property at the most northeastern is situated at 13 km south of Burhaniye and the most southwestern is at 12 km southeast of Ayvalık. Burhaniye and Ayvalık towns are at the coast of the Edremit Golf and 100-130 km away from the regional capital, Balıkesir.

Geology

The peaks of the Madra dağı is composed of the Miocene granitic rocks which intruded to the meta-sandstones, meta-mudstones, meta-volcanic rocks of the Karakaya Complex, including Permian limestone blocks. These basement rocks are widespread in the northern properties

Intermediate-acidic volcanic rocks were partly formed contemporaneously with the plutonic rocks and are dated from 30 to 15 my. The volcano sedimentary rocks sometimes include granitoid blocks and usually cut by granitic dykes. Andesite and dacite domes and granite dykes are seen in all the Oremine Properties, except the southwest. At the western and southwestern parts of the properties are covered by volcanic tuff and lacustrine limestone, marl and sandstone.

Ore mineralization

Oremine Ayvalık - Burhaniye properties are between two working gold deposits, Bergama - Ovacık gold deposit at 35 km southeast, and Havran -Küçükdere gold deposit at 20 km northeast. The Ovacık deposit contains 0.8 Moz Au and O.8 Moz Ag, and the Bahçedere deposit is smaller.

The Ayazmant Fe ore is only 3 km southeast of the properties of 3149360 and 3149361. It is at the contact of the granitoids and shows a skarn type of mineralisation. The Ayazmant deposit cannot be mined for iron in large scale because of the high Cu content.

The Kubaşlar gold deposit is just 0.5 km southeast of the property of 3149375. The gold is in a silisified zone which extends along the direction of NW-SE. This direction extends into the Oremine property.

In the northern four properties, inside and contacts of limestones are rich in iron-oxides which exhibit a similar feature to the Bahçedere gold deposit. These zones will be carefully explored. Another ore mineralisation expectation is the dacitic-rhyolitic rocks. Some small silica veinlets and iron oxides could be accompanied by gold and silver mineralisation.