The upper portions of epithermal systems yield a wide variety of silicified surface manifestations and shallow subsurface features (<50 m depth) (sillitoe 2015) within a sometimes extensive (even regional) halo of hydrothermal alteration (fig. 1) (henley and ellis, 1983; christie et al 2007). these silicified features are formed by diverse paleothermal fluids as well as varied fluid-rock interactions, which may generate spatially, but not temporally overlapping mineralisation, with some mineralisation phases potentially unrelated to primary events (e.g. some regional silicification) (henley and ellis 1983). distinguishing among different silicified surface features in the geologic record can assist in delineating potential zones of epithermal mineralisation from more distal hydrothermal alteration.this study demonstrates how textural, paragenetic, and trace elemental analyses of silicified features can be used to distinguish different fluid interactions in epithermal environments. particularly we show how textures and trace elements of miocene silicified features within the coromandel volcanic zone (cvz) can be compared to sub-recent analogues, from active geothermal systems of the taupo volcanic zone (tvz) to delineate upflow zones and possibly outflow zones in hydrothermal settings. citation: hamilton, a, campbell, k a, guido, d m and rowland, j v, 2019. identifying surface manifestations of epithermal systems: processes and products, in proceedings pacrim 2019, pp 141144 (the australasian institute of mining and metallurgy: melbourne).>