In a recent review article, Groves et al. (1998) suggested that lode-gold deposits worldwide, which have been variously termed mesothermal, turbidite-hosted, slate-belt hosted, greenstone-hosted, Mother lode-type or gold-only deposits, are a coherent group of gold deposits with a common origin.

An orogenic gold deposit is a structurally controlled gold occurrence formed during one of the major stages of an orogeny by orogenic fluids. Any rock type within a greenstone or schist belt, a metamorphosed supracrustal rock, dyke, or intrusion within or intrusion bounding such belt may host an orogenic gold deposit.