Investigating dynamic mechanisms of geological phenomena using methodology of computational geosciences: An example of equal-distant mineralization in a fault

This paper presents a research methodology associated with approximately a decade old computational geosciences. To demonstrate how it can be used to investigate the dynamic mechanisms of geological phenomenon, we use as an example the equal-distant distribution of gold deposits in a three-dimensional permeable fault within the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. The related numerical results demonstrate that: (1) convective pore-fluid flow in fluid-saturated porous media is the controlling dynamic mechanism leading to the equal-distant distribution of gold deposits along the fault; (2) the main characteristic of the new methodology is to change the traditionally used empirical, descriptive and qualitative methodology into the fundamentally scientific principles based predictive and quantitative methodology. Thus, this new methodology provides a modern scientific research tool for investigating the dynamic mechanisms associated with observed geological phenomena in nature.