Scoresum — A technique for displaying and evaluating multi-element geochemical information, with examples of its use in regional mineral assessment programs

A technique called SCORESUM was developed to display a maximum of multi-element geochemical information on a minimum number of maps for mineral assessment purposes. The technique can be done manually for a small analytical data set or can be done with a computer for a large data set. SCORESUM can be used with highly censored data and can also weight samples so as to minimize the chemical differences of diverse lithologies in different parts of a given study area.The full range of reported analyses for each element of interest in a data set is divided into four categories. Anomaly scores — values of O (background), 1 (weakly anomalous), 2 (moderately anomalous), and 3 (strongly anomalous) — are substituted for all of the analyses falling into each of the four categories. A group of elements based on known or suspected association in altered or mineralized areas is selected for study and the anomaly scores for these elements are summed for each sample site and then plotted on a map. Some of the results of geochemical studies conducted for mineral assessments in two areas are briefly described. The first area, the Mokelumne Wilderness and vicinity, is a relatively small and geologically simple one. The second, the Walker Lake 1° × 2° quadrangle, is a large area that has extremely complex geology and that contains a number of different mineral deposit environments. These two studies provide examples of how the SCORESUM technique has been used (1) to enhance relatively small but anomalous areas and (2) to delineate and rank areas containing geochemical signatures for specific suites of elements related to certain types of alteration or mineralization.     

Towards a quantitative model of downstream dilution of point source geochemical anomalies

The quantitative relation between point source soil geochemical anomalies and their response in stream sediments is linked through the concept of productivity (area × concentration). The equation proposed by Hawkes in 1976 is shown to be a subset of a wider range of equations proposed by Russian workers. These workers introduced two coefficients to account for the contrasting behaviour of different elements and the position of the soil anomaly within the drainage catchment. The calculation of these coefficients requires a series of samples downstream from the ending of anomalous soil input. The concept of productivity has particular application where multiple samples and anomalies are present in catchments. Plotting of productivity allows the discrimination of anomalous areas not detectable from raw element concentrations. The usefulness of these techniques is demonstrated from a small detailed stream sediment survey in NW Scotland. Dispersion from a gossan shows deviation from the Hawkes equation with the result that detailed sampling is required to detect soil anomalies. Plotting productivity allows the detection at the base of major slopes of anomalies that are diluted by upslope sediment.     

R-mode factor analysis applied to uranium exploration in the Montrose quadrangle, Colorado

R-mode factor analysis is used to describe the relationships among 18 remotely sensed and geochemical data sets (variables) for the Montrose 1° × 2° quadrangle, Colorado, a region that covers 19 000 km². The data sets contain reconnaissance-scale information and include Landsat imagery, airborne geophysical information (eU, eTh, K40, aeromagnetics), elevation, and hydrogeochemical and stream sediment analyses. The elements U, K, Dy, Hf, V, Th, Ca and Ba in sediments and U in waters were selected.The results of the factor analysis for the entire quadrangle are compared to the results for a 50 km × 50 km test area containing several known uranium occurrences. Four factors account for 70.0% of the total variance in the data. These are interpreted as a felsic factor, Landsat factor, economic or mineralization factor (in terms of uranium mineralization and potential mineralized areas), and a volcanic factor.Graphical representations (maps) of the raw data, factor approximations, residuals for each data set, and the four-factor model greatly aid interpretation of the analytic results. We find that data integration techniques and R-mode factor analysis can be used with some success in uranium resource appraisal.     

A biaxial press for model deformation and rheological tests

A biaxial press has been designed and constructed specially for: (1) deforming geological scale models (initial dimensions, 30 × 7.5 × 5 cm; final ones, 7.5 × 30 × 5 cm); and (2) measuring rheological properties of modelling materials (clays, waxes, gelatine, plasticine, putty). At all stages of an experiment, a model can be photographed or observed in ordinary light or in transmitted polarized light. There are facilities for automatic recording and control of temperature, displacements, average longitudinal strain-rate and applied normal load or stress. The boundaries of the model remain planar and orthogonal. By using tested lubricants, one can obtain good approximations to conditions of: (a) frictionless boundaries; or (b) uniformly extended boundaries.     

Fluxes to sediments underlying the Rainbow hydrothermal plume at 36°14′N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

A geochemical investigation has been conducted of a suite of four sediment cores collected from directly beneath the hydrothermal plume at distances of 2 to 25 km from the Rainbow hydrothermal field. As well as a large biogenic component (>80% CaCO₃) these sediments record clear enrichments of the elements Fe, Cu, Mn, V, P, and As from hydrothermal plume fallout but only minor detrital background material. Systematic variations in the abundances of “hydrothermal” elements are observed at increasing distance from the vent site, consistent with chemical evolution of the dispersing plume. Further, pronounced Ni and Cr enrichments at specific levels within each of the two cores collected from closest to the vent site are indicative of discrete episodes of additional input of ultrabasic material at these two near-field locations. Radiocarbon dating reveals mean Holocene accumulation rates for all four cores of 2.7 to 3.7 cm.kyr⁻¹, with surface mixed layers 7 to 10+ cm thick, from which a history of deposition from the Rainbow hydrothermal plume can be deduced. Deposition from the plume supplies elements to the underlying sediments that are either directly hydrothermally sourced (e.g., Fe, Mn, Cu) or scavenged from seawater via the hydrothermal plume (e.g., V, P, As). Holocene fluxes into to the cores’ surface mixed layers are presented which, typically, are an order of magnitude greater than “background” authigenic fluxes from the open North Atlantic. One core, collected closest to the vent site, indicates that both the concentration and flux of hydrothermally derived material increased significantly at some point between 8 and 12 ¹⁴C kyr ago; the preferred explanation is that this variation reflects the initiation/intensification of hydrothermal venting at the Rainbow hydrothermal field at this time—perhaps linked to some specific tectonic event in this fault-controlled hydrothermal setting.     

Geochemical studies on urban soil from two sampling depths in Tampere Central Region,Finland

Preliminary geochemical mapping was carried out within urban areas in Tampere Central Region, Finland, to gain a better understanding of element concentrations in urban soil and to provide information on baselines in soil within urban centres for soil contamination assessment purposes. The soil samples were taken from central city parks, day-care centres and school yards, and residential areas. Various sampling depths have generally been used in urban geochemical surveys. The aim of this study was to compare the results from two commonly used sample types taken from the same sites in urban soil: single samples of minerogenic topsoil from the 0–25 cm layer and composite samples of minerogenic topsoil from a depth of 0–2 cm. The concentrations of most of the studied trace elements showed a significant correlation between samples from 0 to 2 and 0 to 25 cm, but element concentrations differed between the two studied sample depths. For most of the studied elements, the median concentrations were higher in the 0–25 cm samples, but anomalous concentrations were more often found in the 0–2 cm samples. Some elements had elevated concentrations when compared with the Finnish guideline values for soil contamination assessment. This study did not conclusively establish whether a sampling depth of 0–2 or 0–25 cm should be recommended for similar studies in the future. Selection of the sampling depth in geochemical studies greatly depends on the aim of the project. In order to determine the upper limits of geochemical baseline variation, the deeper sampling depth appears to be more feasible. However, for the preliminary health risk assessment of areas with sensitive land uses, e.g. children’s playgrounds, samples from 0–2 cm depth are considered informative. Such samples may also be used to indicate local sources of dusting creating site-specific hotspots of potentially harmful elements in urban topsoil.     

Exploration rock geochemistry for Pinnacles-type mineralization at Broken Hill, N.S.W., Australia

Geochemical responses in weathered and oxidized surface metasedimentary rocks associated with stratiform lead-zinc mineralization at Stirling Hill (6 km west of Broken Hill) are compared with the geochemical responses in fresh drill core from an equivalent lithostratigraphic section with stratiform lead-zinc mineralization at the Pinnacles Mine (8 km south of Stirling Hill). Mineralization is interpreted as being volcanic exhalative and it lies within highly metamorphosed (sillimanite grade) rocks of the Willyama Supergroup.Surface rocks were classified into groups by discriminant analysis using drill core data from the Pinnacles Mine as the initial training set. The behaviour of elements in surface rocks varies with the rock group but Zn, Pb, Mn, Fe, and Co are leached from all surface rocks relative to fresh drill core.Nothwithstanding the leaching effects of weathering, common geochemical responses to mineralization have been identified in drill core and surface rocks. Coincident positive anomalies for Zn/Ba and Fe/(Na × Ba) ratios and negative anomalies for Na/(Mn × Ca) ratios uniquely define mineralization in both weathered surface rocks and in fresh drill core.The results demonstrate that the pattern of geochemical responses to Pinnacles-type stratiform volcanic-exhalative mineralization in surface rocks has survived the intensive weathering regime in the Broken Hill region.     

平原区中大比例尺土壤地球化学调查采样方法--浙江省平湖市试验研究

文章以浙江省平湖市为典型三角洲平原区,开展了多种尺度、不同采样方法的对比试验。结果表明,田块内土壤元素分布较为均匀,小范围内元素的空间分异性较小,而田块之间土壤元素含量差异性明显增加;Hg,Cd等典型污染元素空间分异性较强,而人为污染扰动较弱的元素的空间分布较为均一;不同采样方法取得的区域性资料,其统计值接近,空间分布模式也相似,但有些元素仍有较明显差异。因此,中大比例尺地球化学调查时,应根据调查研究的目标任务,充分考虑地块分布、土壤类型和土地利用方式,选择合理的采样点。土壤样品可采取多坑点采集、多子样组合的方式,以保证样品的代表性,同时减少分析测试工作量。     

Comparative geochemistry of jasperoids from Carlin-type gold deposits of the western United States

Exploration for Carlin-type gold orebodies in the western United States typically involves sampling and analysis of jasperoid, a distinctive alteration type formed by intense silicification of marine sediments. In this study, rock suites were collected from six orebodies and four similar but barren systems. Jasperoids at all ten systems contain episodically silicified breccias, quartz vein stockworks, elevated As, Sb, Hg, Ba and Tl, and, locally, anomalous Au and Ag. Jasperoids from the four barren systems are as anomalous as jasperoids from the six orebodies in all members of an epithermal geochemical suite, including gold and silver.A database suite containing 272 samples from six of the ten systems was analyzed for 45 elements. Q-mode factor analysis shows that geochemical variance in the epithermal geochemical suite is related to geochemical variance in Li, P, Mn, Ba, Mo, Cr, Co, V, Cd, Ni, U, Zn and Pb. Metalliferous marine black shales are enriched in these elements and are spatially related to Carlin-type deposits.A test suite containing 109 samples from the four remaining systems was analyzed to determine whether a discriminant function derived from the database suite could be applied to exploration. An 8-element function correctly assigned 40 of 42 jasperoid samples collected from the surface at the Carlin and Horse Canyon gold deposits. These results indicate that elements characteristic of metalliferous marine black shales can be used to identify Carlin-type systems with associated gold ore. Gold in Carlin-type orebodies may have been leached from a source-rock sequence which contains metalliferous marine black shales.     

Tin exploration at Mount Isa — A case history

Minor tin, tungsten, tantalum and beryllium mineralization occurs near Mount Isa in pegmatites along the eastern rim of the Queen Elizabeth pluton, a multi-phase pluton in the Proterozoic Sybella Granite batholith of northwest Queensland. The Queen Elizabeth pluton and adjacent metamorphic rocks were explored by Mount Isa Mines Limited during 1980–1983 to assess the tin potential of the area.An orientation study was carried out over an existing tin deposit, using stream-sediment, soil and rock-chip sampling, magnetometer and scintillometer surveys and percussion drilling. This defined the geophysical and geochemical features of the deposit, and indicated that monazite and cassiterite had related distributions and could be used as heavy-mineral tracers. Broader exploration used stream-sediment and rock-chip sampling, and airborne magnetic and gamma-ray spectrometry surveys.The eastern rim of the Queen Elizabeth pluton was found to be enriched in thorium and tin, and an area of approximately 2000 × 400 m with anomalously high tin values in bedrock was delineated in a part of the pluton not previously known to be mineralized. An economic assessment led to relinquishment of the area at that stage. Although no new areas of economic mineralization were found, the study indicated that in this region the thorium gamma-ray response can be used in regional airborne surveys to define areas of prime interest for tin exploration, and that monazite in stream sediments can be used as a heavy-mineral tracer for pegmatitic tin mineralization.     

The effect of scale on the interpretation of geochemical anomalies

The purpose of geochemical surveys changes with scale. Regional surveys identify areas where mineral deposits are most likely to occur, whereas intermediate surveys identify and prioritize specific targets. At detailed scales specific deposit models may be applied and deposits delineated.The interpretation of regional geochemical surveys must take into account scale-dependent difference in the nature and objectives of this type of survey. Overinterpretation of regional data should be resisted, as should recommendations to restrict intermediate or detailed follow-up surveys to the search for specific deposit types or to a too limited suite of elements. Regional surveys identify metallogenic provinces within which a variety of deposit types and metals are most likely to be found. At intermediate scale, these regional provinces often dissipate into discrete clusters of anomalous areas. At detailed scale, individual anomalous areas reflect local conditions of mineralization and may seem unrelated to each other. Four examples from arid environments illustrate the dramatic change in patterns of anomalies between regional and more detailed surveys.On the Arabian Shield, a broad regional anomaly reflects the distribution of highly differentiated anorogenic granites. A particularly prominent part of the regional anomaly includes, in addition to the usual elements related to the granites, the assemblage of Mo, W and Sn. Initial interpretation suggested potential for granite-related, stockwork Mo deposits. Detailed work identified three separate sources for the anomaly: a metal-rich granite, a silicified and stockwork-veined area with scheelite and molybdenite, and scheelite/powellite concentrations in skarn deposits adjacent to a ring-dike complex.Regional geochemical, geophysical and remote-sensing data in the Sonoran Desert, Mexico, define a series of linear features interpreted to reflect fundamental, northeast-trending fractures in the crust that served as the prime conduits for mineralizing fluids. At a larger scale, the linear, northeast-trending anomalies can be shown to result from a series of discrete mineralized systems with different ages and mineral assemblages. The linear pattern of anomalies disintegrates.A regional geochemical survey in the Sonoran Desert in southwestern Arizona displays a cluster of samples anomalous in Pb, Mo, Bi and W. In detail, the original regional anomaly separates into four discrete anomalous areas, each with its own distinctive suite of elements, geographic distribution and age of mineralization.A prominent regional gold anomaly in the Gobi Desert, Xinjiang, Peoples Republic of China, extends southeastward for 30 km from known lode gold deposits. Because the anomaly cuts both lithologic units and the structural grain, and because it parallels the prevailing direction of high-velocity winds, it was originally attributed to eolian dispersion. In detail, the regional anomaly consists of several east-west-trending anomalies, parallel to local lithology and structure that most likely reflect independent sources of lode gold. The regional anomaly results from smoothing of an en-echelon set of local anomalies.These examples emphasize that interpretation of regional anomalies must be tempered to consider regional-sized geologic features. Attempts to overinterpret anomalies by assigning deposit-scale attributes to regional anomalies can lead to confusion and incorrect interpretations. Potential targets that can be readily resolved only at intermediate or detailed scales of study may be overlooked.     

红原泥炭6000a以来元素异常及其可能反映甘青地区人类活动信息的初步研究

通过对红原泥炭沉积剖面Pb,Zn,Fe,Mn,Cu,Co,Ni,Ti,V,Al等10种元素和灰分的测试,发现多数元素在该剖面的变化与灰分变化较为一致,但Cu,Pb和Zn元素的变化在剖面300cm以上出现较大异常:这3种元素的变化与其他元素变化呈相反的规律,而且Pb和Zn两种元素的含量较之剖面下部出现数量级的增大。通过对比,发现元素含量的异常与位于剖面上风区的甘青地区新石器时代晚期-青铜时代文化在发生时间上较为吻合,认为这可能是人类活动环境效应的记录。用600~300cm段的元素变化作为背景值,用与Pb,Zn元素相关较好的4种元素分别计算出二者变化的自然背景值,从而分离出了人类活动强度信息与自然环境背景值,分离结果与著名的青海柳湾墓地出土人口规模对比较好。     

Metallogenic provinces,geochemical provinces and regional geology — what causes large-scale patterns in low density geochemical maps of the C-horizon of podzols in Arctic Europe?

The <2 mm fraction of 605 samples of the C-horizon of podzols collected from an area of 188,000 km² in the European Arctic was analysed for more than 40 chemical elements. The results were used to construct geochemical maps which showed clear regional distribution patterns, notwithstanding the very low sample density of 1 site per 300 km². Some of these patterns fit established lithological boundaries. Others fit lineament structures in the area and underline the relative importance of certain tectonic directions some of which have not yet been delineated on existing geological maps. Some mark large-scale hydrothermal events and related alteration. Finally, some are connected with prominent, known ore deposits occurring in the area. However, several large deposits and even famous metallogenic provinces (Fe, Ni/Cu) are hardly, or not at all, reflected in the regional geochemical maps. In their present definitions geochemical provinces and metallogenic provinces are thus not necessarily related. Special geochemical features can occur at very different scales. The term geochemical province is so imprecise in terms of processes leading to regional-scale geochemical features that it should be avoided. Low-density geochemistry can be used to aid the interpretation of the geological evolution of large regions. It can also be used to find prospective areas within such regions.     

国际地球化学填图样品分析方法和数据对比

以中国和世界发达国家或地区(欧洲、北美、澳大利亚与日本)过去10年内完成的或目前正在开展的全球性或国家性地球化学填图项目为例,总结了国际地球化学样品分析技术的新进展,并以中国实验室与欧洲实验室的分析数据的对比结果,剖析国际地球化学填图样品分析技术面临的挑战。研究表明:分析组成地壳所有元素的构想已被越来越多国家性、全球性地球化学填图项目所采纳;中国是世界上唯一具有填图样品76元素分析能力的国家;高水平的分析实验室(欧洲与中国)取得的数据大部分可以实现对比,但仍有10余个元素的分析数据存在明显偏差。实现所有分析元素数据的全球可对比,应是今后国际地球化学填图样品分析技术的主要发展方向。     

基于PMGRA气体地球化学测量在辽东浅覆盖区找矿的可行性

气体能携带深部矿化信息沿着岩石裂隙和断裂带迁移至地表,因此气体地球化学方法可以用于寻找覆盖层以下的隐伏断裂和矿体.基于便携式多组分气体快速分析仪（PMGRA）,应用气体地球化学方法对辽东地区五龙金矿区和青城子地区开展了探索性的试验研究,并辅以相应的土壤地球化学测量进行对比.结果显示,异常区气体的浓度衬值非常大;在部分气体异常区,沿着构造倾向方向,具有CO₂异常峰值出现在H₂S、SO₂和CH₄之前的特点.在辽东浅覆盖区,气体和土壤地球化学测量均能反映隐伏构造和矿体;而在覆盖较厚地区,气体地球化学测量对断裂和矿体反映更明显,受覆盖层的类型和厚度影响较小.本次试验结果初步显示了基于PMGRA气体地球化学测量方法在浅覆盖区具有一定的可行性.      

National-Scale Geochemical Mapping Projects in China

Regional, national and global scale geochemical mapping projects have been carried out in China since the late 1970s, due to the development of cost‐effective, low detection limit analytical methods. These projects have provided a huge mass of high‐quality, informative and comparable data for mineral resource exploration and are now making contributions to environmental assessment. In this paper, four national‐scale geochemical mapping projects are described. (1) The Regional Geochemistry‐National Reconnaissance Project (RGNR project), which is China's largest national geochemical mapping project, has covered 6 million km² of upland regions since 1978. Generally, stream sediment samples were collected at a density of 1/km² and four samples were composited into one sample and analysed for thirty‐nine elements. (2) The deep‐penetrating geochemical mapping project (DEEPMAP Project) has been conducted since 1994 in covered terrains, including sedimentary basins, at a density of 1 sample per 100 km² with thirty to seventy elements determined per sample. In the past 10 years, an area of approximately 800 000 km² has been covered and this project has played an important role in finding sandstone‐type uranium deposits in basins. (3) The seventy‐six geochemical element mapping project (76 GEM project) has been carried out since 1999 and involved the collection of stream sediment samples from the RGNR project targets which were analysed for seventy‐six elements. Samples from each 1:50 000 map sheet were composited into one analytical sample (approximately one composite sample per 400 km²). Approximately 1 million km² have been surveyed to date. (4) The multi‐purpose eco‐geochemical mapping project has been conducted since 1999 in Quaternary plain areas for environmental and agricultural applications. Surface soils (depths from 0–20 cm) were collected at a density of one sample per km², and four samples were composited into one for analysis. Deep soils (from a depth of 150 to 200 cm) were collected at a density of one sample per 4 km² and four samples were composited into one analytical sample. All the composite samples were analysed for fifty‐four elements.     

正态分布在区域地球化学调查样品分析质量评价中的应用探讨

区域地球化学样品长期以来一直是采用间接方法对实际样品元素分析质量进行评价,有效地提高了区域地球化学样品的整体分析质量,但是当实际样品和外部质量控制样品含量范围差别较大时,间接评价的效果会减弱。本文从区域地球化学样品大部分元素符合标准(对数)正态分布的规律出发,运用SPSS、Excel等软件对区域地球化学调查样品元素含量正态分布情况进行研究,通过计算元素含量实际正态分布图和标准正态分布图的重合度直接评价元素的分析质量。运用整套方法对实验室分析的江西某地多目标区域地球化学样品的分析数据进行了质量评价,正态分布检验表明微量元素需要通过对数转换才能进行正态分布分析,该地区钛、钨、铬等元素不适合用本方法进行质量评价;钴、汞、镓等18个元素的重合度都在0.9以上;氧化钙和氧化钠重合度小于0.9,样品实际结果分析表明需降低分析方法检出限,提高低含量氧化钙和氧化钠的分析质量。本方法对区域地球化学调查样品的分析数据质量的直接评价作了有益的尝试,可以作为现有区域地球化学调查样品质量评价办法的参考和补充。     

应用衬度异常量法在宁夏六盘山立洼峡寻找铅锌矿

在化探异常评价时,推断是否矿致异常及确定主成矿元素,是地球化学工作者面临的一个主要问题,特别是有时会出现多达十几种元素的综合异常,使这一问题更加复杂化。笔者介绍了衬度异常量这一参数的应用,可较为简单地帮助确定主成矿元素,进而对异常作出评价,指导找矿。用该方法在宁夏六盘山铅锌矿勘查中进行了实际应用,无论区域化探异常还是矿区化探异常的主成矿元素判断,都与实际验证见矿相吻合,有助于矿产勘查中地球化学异常主成矿元素的确定,值得推广应用。     

New Series of Soil Geochemical Reference Materials (GSS 10-16) from the Main Overburden Region in China

Seven soil geochemical certified reference materials (CRMs) GSS 10-16 recently prepared by the Institute of Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration (IGGE), are mainly used for sample analysis in geochemical surveys of the overburden region in China. Fifteen Chinese institutes and central laboratories, which operated at a high level of analytical performance analysed these samples. More than ten reliable analytical methods based on different principles of measurement were adopted, of which ICP-MS, ICP-AES and NAA were taken as the primary analytical methods. In total, 23715 determinations were carried out, 5660 average data sets were obtained, seventy two elements and components were determined and certified values of sixty nine elements and components were assigned. Rhenium concentrations were measured by isotope dilution ICP-MS in GSS-10, GSS-13, GSS-15 and GSS-16. Certified values of elements in GSS 10-16 have good precision and for 90% of these values relative uncertainties are less than 10%.