MagmaChem
Discovery-Exploration-Research
MagmaChem was founded as a research and exploration consulting company by Stan Keith and
Monte Swan in 1983 and was built around the MagmaChem Classification of Igneous Rocks and
Mineral Deposits that integrates to a global geotectonic layered-earth model (see Figure 1). This
model was initially recognized by Stan Keith in 1976 during field mapping in Arizona and published
in a 1978 paper in Geology Magazine. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, the mineral industry funded the
development and testing of the Magma-Metal Series Classification of Igneous Rocks and Mineral
Deposits (see Figure 2). Research and development cost for the technology totaled $100 million
during that period. The technology has dramatically reduced risk for MagmaChem’s clients directly
contributing to the discovery of 21 economic gold-copper-silver deposits and a geothermal system
on 3 continents worth more than $65 billion (see Table 1). The ratio of money invested to the value
of metal discovered is 1:2000. This work also produced an 8-layered mantle model. More than 160
papers have been published and 11 theses and dissertations have been sponsored. The entire
spectrum of metals is included in the MagmaChem classification. For example, as economic interest
shifts to elements such as lithium or gallium, the classification provides turn-key acquisition and
exploration technology that lowers risk, cost, and startup time.
Beginning in 1985, the Magma-Metal Series classification was applied to oil and gas research and
exploration, initially focusing on strato-tectonic analysis and dynamic basin modeling. But it wasn't
until 2001, after presenting a paper at AAPG in Denver, that Stan and Monte began to look
seriously at the application of MagmaChem to petroleum exploration. This was when geologists
from several major companies said that when they modeled super-giant oil and gas accumulations–
when they do the accounting–the "books don’t balance." Their geodynamic calculations indicated
they were missing an important parameter and they suspected that something was going on beneath
the basins. Subsequently, MagmaChem recognized the importance of serpentinization which they
believe is the missing parameter that "balances the books.” This notion was incorporated into the
serpentosphere concept in 2008. Since then nearly $15 million has been invested in understanding
the relationship of serpentinization and hydrocarbons. This work has resulted in several new
exploration tools successfully applied to 15 oil and gas exploration case histories.
Stanley B. Keith
Founder, MagmaChem Research Institute
President, MagmaChem Exploration, Inc
3170 Highway 83 Unit 1
Sonoita, Arizona 80439
Office: 520-455-4698
Cell: 520-668-4890
Emil: magmachem@aol.com
Stan is a geologist with broad international mineral and petroleum exploration experience. He began
his career working for the Arizona Geological Survey as a state geologist and for Kennecott’s
Geological Research Group as a geological mapper. In 1981 he received funding from Exxon
Research to follow up his field observations and ideas concerning ore-forming processes and plate
tectonics with a time-space analysis of the Cretaceous-Cenozoic arc and metallogenic evolution of
the southwestern US. In 1983 he co-founded MagmaChem Exploration, Inc as its president for the
purpose of following-up the Exxon research and soon developed a chemical classification of
igneous rocks and mineral deposits that has helped lower exploration risk. He is also a founder of
the MagmaChem Research Institute. He has taught numerous seminars for the resource industries,
government surveys and universities. Stan's first love is geologic mapping, especially when he is able
to integrate geochemistry, structure, mineralogy, isotopic age dates, and stratigraphy in the context
of plate tectonics. He has extensive experience using structural fabric, fault kinematics and
geochemistry to map fluid migration and trapping mechanisms for the purpose of identifying drill
targets. He has applied this approach to metal plays in North and South America, and Africa with
great success. Stan earned his B.S. Degree in Philosophy and M.S. degree in Geology from the
University of Arizona. He has presented and published hundreds of geological papers. He is a
member and has served as an executive for numerous professional associations including the
Arizona Geological Society (AGS), the Geological Society of Nevada (GSN), the Society of
Economic Geologists (SEG), the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the American Mineralogical
Society, the Canadian Mineralogical Society (CMS), and the Prospectors and Developers Association
of Canada (PDAC), the Geological Society of America (GSA), the American Association of
Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), and the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG).
Monte M. Swan
Founder, MagmaChem Research Institute
President, MagmaChem Associates, LLC
7072 Singing Springs
Evergreen, Colorado 80439
Office: 303-670-0673
Cell: 303-915-3617
magmache@aol.com
Monte is geologist with international mineral and petroleum exploration experience. He began his
career as a research geologist for Kennecott’s Geological Research Group focusing on basement
lithology and structure and as an exploration geologist for Newmont Mining Company at the time
of their initial major gold discoveries in Nevada. In 1983 he co-founded MagmaChem Exploration,
LLC and helped built a client base to fund the MagmaChem concept. He is now president of
MagmaChem Associates, LLC and a founder of the MagmaChem Research Institute. His clients
have included virtually all the major mining and oil and gas companies, in addition to groups such as
the USGS and DOE. Over the years Monte has continued to spend time in the field mapping,
sampling, and targeting ore deposits as-well-as managing drill projects. He has special interest in
basement geology, kinematic analysis and fluid flow and has compiled large exploration databases
for Mexico, British Columbia, the Western US, and Eastern Canada. He has been an adjunct
professor and is a published author. Monte earned his B.S. degree in Geological Engineering from
Michigan Technological University and M.S. degree in Geology from the University of Arizona. He
has been a member and presented papers to numerous professional geologic associations such as:
Arizona Geological Society (AGS), the Geological Society of Nevada (GSN), the Society of
Economic Geologists (SEG), Denver Region Exploration Geologists Society (DREGS), Society for
Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), the Geological Society of America (GSA), the
American Institute of Mining Engineers (AIME), the American Association of Petroleum
Geologists (AAPG), and the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG).
Figure 1: Magma-Metal Series Petrotectonic Model for a layered earth
Figure 2: Historical timeline of development and exploration application of the
MagmaChem Classification
San Luis Potosi, Mexico 2009
Lookout Mountain, Nevada 2006
Jewett (Crown Zone), Oregon 2006
Big Springs, Nevada 2005
Rio Figueroa, Chile 2005
Chuquicamata, Chile 2004
Ren, Nevada 2003
Storm-DeeForty Niner, Nevada 2003
Lightning Dock, New Mexico
Ntotorosa, Ghana, West Africa 2000
SE Ajo, Arizona 1998
Espanola, Chile 1997
South Alcaparrosa, Chile 1996
Pascua, Chile 1995
Tyrone, New Mexico 1994
South Meikle, Nevada 1992
1.4 million ounces gold, 52 million ounces silver
gold
gold
gold
copper-gold
4 billion pounds copper
5 million ounces gold
1 million ounces gold
325 gpm @137°C geothermal
8 million ounces gold
5 billion pounds copper
8 billion pounds copper
6 billion pounds copper
2.5 million ounces gold
4 billion pounds copper
2.5 million ounces gold
$100 million invested in MagmaChem targeting, followed by client drilling and test declines
$60 billion worth of economic metal discovered
Table1: Gold, copper and geothermal discoveries MagmaChem directly contributed to from
1983 to 2011