Review of available literature and studies of quartz textures in epithermal deposits particularly Queensland, Australia demonstrates that low sulphidation epithermal veins exhibit a spectrum of hand specimen and microscopic textures distinct from veins emplaced under different mineralization environments The epithermal quartz vein textures can be grouped into three genetic classes: primary growth, replacement and recrystallisation textures. The origin of quartz textures can be interpreted in terms of fluid conditions and physico-chemical processes affecting silica and calcite solubilities prior to and coeval with cooling and/or vigorous boiling of hydrothermal fluids. Better gold grades are generally associated with well developed crustiform-colloform textures, moss and needle adularia, vein brecciation and pronounced sulphide bands.

Vein textures in low sulphidation veins in the gold mineral districts in the Philippines include rhythmic symmetrical or asymmetrical colloform-crustiform handing, crystalline comb quartz, and veins with open-space centres (i.e., drusy).

It is proposed that quartz textural studies be conducted on Philippine epithermal veins. The bigger objective is readily obvious in the exploration of such deposits-distinct vein textural assemblages might differentiate high gold grade zones vis-à-vis barren ones. A quartz textural model (in conjunction with mineralization-metal distribution and knowledge of physicochemical conditions of the ore-bearing fluids) emanating from such studies offers an exploration tool to predict the locus of mineralization and map the transition from sub-economic to economic parts of epithermal veins.