A Novel Approach in Hydrogeochemical Exploration for Uranium Mineralization: an Example from West Central Sinai, Egypt

Groundwater in contact with ore deposits may acquire a chemical composition that could be used as a guide for exploration. Eight well-water samples are collected from a known uranium-mineralized area near Abu Zenima, west central Sinai to examine the applicability of using the hydrogeochemical technique in the search for uranium mineralization in similar arid areas. The analytical chemical data of the ground water is compared with ground radiometric measurements. The obtained results indicate that groundwater affected by uranium mineralization has a specific relativity of major anions expressed essentially as SO4>Cl>HCO3 and to a lesser extent as Cl>SO4>HCO3, associated as a rule with low magnesium content. This association constitutes a signature of uranium mineralization on the composition of groundwater in west central Sinai and could be used as an important exploration guide in the search for uranium deposits in similar areas. Anomalies in Ni, Fe, Zn and Cr and other pathfinder elements in groundwater can furnish geochemical guides to uranium ores. The immobile trace element anomalies, including Zn, Ni and Fe are strongly distributed near the orebody; whereas the relatively mobile trace elements, including Co, U, V and Cr, constitute the dispersion haloes away from the orebody. A new hydrogeochemical discrimination diagram is constructed to be used as a quick and cost effective exploration tool in the search for uranium occurrences in environmentally similar arid areas. Based on the obtained results, a new site for uranium occurrence, west of W. Baba, is delineated and recommended for future detailed geological and geochemical surveying.     

The biogeochemical expression of deeply buried uranium mineralization in Saskatchewan, Canada

Ten kilometres from the eastern edge of the Athabasca Sandstone, near McClean Lake, uranium mineralization (locally up to 27% U₃O₈) lies 150 m beneath the surface at the unconformity between the Athabasca and crystalline basement.A biogeochemical survey of the area sampled A_H and B_F soil horizons, peat moss, and plant organs from the dominant species, viz. black spruce (Picea mariana), jack pine (Pinus banksiana), labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum), and leather leaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata). Uranium concentrations in the ash of various media are surprisingly high: spruce twigs up to 154 ppm U; labrador tea and leather leaf stems around 100 ppm U. Conversely, labrador tea roots yield < 5 ppm U and spruce trunk wood usually < 1 ppm U. Soils give values of 1–3 ppm U. Contoured U values reveal that highest concentrations occur in plants growing above, but laterally displaced from the mineralization. Track-Etch data show a similar pattern. Upward migration of ions along steeply inclined fractures is invoked to explain the phenomenon. Other elements are present in varying concentrations, depending upon the plant species and the plant organ. High concentrations of several elements are recorded, most notably Cd and Ag in the conifers.     

南岭地区区域化探数据中钨矿信息提取的方法探讨

在成矿作用地球化学与勘查地球化学分析的基础上,选取W、Sn、Mo、B i、Cu、Pb、Zn、Au、Ag、As、Sb、Hg共十二种元素作为南岭地区钨矿勘查的重要指示元素。对这十二种指标元素采用等权平均归一化,相关系数加权累加归一化和异常能归一化三种方法进行处理,都可较好地反映该区钨元素的矿化信息,且均比钨元素单指标异常信息效果显著。相关系数加权累加归一化指标主要反映钨元素信息,而等权平均归一化指标和异常能归一化指标主要反映成矿元素的共同矿化信息,这二者在南岭地区对钨矿成矿信息都具有较好的指示作用。     

Comparison of three analytical methods in the determination of gold in six Finnish gold ores, including a study on sample preparation and sampling

We used samples from six Finnish ore deposits to evaluate the efficiency of sample pretreatment procedures — crushing, splitting and grinding — and to compare three analytical methods based on the atomic absorption determination of gold following: (1) classical lead fire assay (FA); (2) the aqua regia leach (AR) followed by Hg coprecipitation of Au; and (3) the sodium cyanide (NaCN) leach. Sample size used for the method comparison is 20 g. The Au deposits and ore types were: Suurikuusikko and Osikonmäki, refractory ores in which Au is associated with arsenopyrite and pyrite; Pampalo and Kutemajärvi ores with metallic Au and Au tellurides; and Jokisivu and Pahtavaara ores containing coarse-grained metallic Au. After crushing, the samples were split into three parts, one of which was put aside into storage. Two splits were further divided into two subsamples which were ground to two grades of fineness (<0.03 and <0.06 mm). The four subsamples thus obtained were analysed for Au using the three analytical methods. Each determination was performed five times on each of the four subsamples. According to t-tests on the FA results of the two splits, crushing and splitting produced samples of equal Au content in all six cases. Grinding to a finer grain size gave a significant difference in Au results only for the Pahtavaara ore sample. If the FA results are assumed to represent 100% recovery of Au, we obtained greater than 95% recoveries for all but the Suurikuusikko sample (87% recovery) by the AR leach method. We also obtained recoveries of over 95% by the NaCN leach method for the Pampalo, Kutemajärvi and Pahtavaara samples, whereas recoveries for the other three samples varied between 73 to 92%. The AR leach was also performed on 1-g samples and the NaCN leach on 250-g samples. For three of the ore samples, decreasing sample size from 20 g to 1 g did not cause a significant difference in the variance of the Au results. Increasing the sample size from 20 g to 250 g significantly improves the representativity of only the Pahtavaara sample. For the Kutemajärvi, Pahtavaara and Jokisivu ores, a sample larger than 250 g is needed in order to obtain a precision equivalent to that for reference samples.     

推荐系统算法在钦杭成矿带南段文地幅矿床预测中的应用

推荐系统算法是大数据挖掘的重要技术之一。根据钦杭成矿带南段文地幅1∶5万地质矿产调查所获得的数据,研究选取中型银金矿床、小型银金矿床(点)、确证无银金矿床、未评价区域(针对银金矿床)、中型铅锌矿床、小型铅锌矿床(点)、确证无铅锌矿床、未评价区域(针对铅锌矿床)作为待预测的能动项,选取加里东期混合岩、燕山早期侵入岩、燕山晚期侵入岩、北东向断裂、北西向断裂以及Au、Ag、Pb、Zn元素作为因素项,运用基于内容的推荐系统算法,构建能动项-因素项的效用矩阵,计算已知矿床(点)与其他未评价区域之间的相似度,进而预测银金矿床和铅锌矿床潜在的找矿区域。实验结果表明,推荐系统算法能够较好地挖掘与成矿有关的信息,快速抓取出与某类矿床(点)相似的潜在成矿区域。对于银金矿床,相似度较高的区域主要分布在已知矿点周围以及北东向断裂的两侧,少量分布于叠加断裂附近。对于铅锌矿床,中型铅锌矿床的结果显示出较高的区分度,高值区基本涵盖了所有已知的铅锌矿点,小型铅锌矿床的结果更加集中。除已知矿点外,还有几处高值区可作为重点的找矿靶区。     

地质异常的奇异性度量与隐伏源致矿异常识别

以个旧锡多金属矿床为例,研究了致矿地质异常的非线性特征.从异常地质事件和成矿作用的奇异性出发,定量分析了地质异常的奇异性、不连续性、非平稳性、混沌性、自相似性、临界性等非线性特征.在此基础上,详细介绍了局部奇异性分析原理和方法,论述了奇异性指数对隐伏源异常的识别能力.结果表明,奇异性分析方法在个旧地区水系沉积物地球化学数据处理和隐伏源地球化学异常识别和圈定应用中是有效的.分析结果一定程度上消除了隐伏源深度的影响,所圈定的局部地球化学异常不仅在个旧东区较好地对应了已发现的大型锡矿床的分布,而且在其他低缓地球化学异常区也圈定了多处局部异常,为进一步开展锡矿勘查提供了重要靶区.奇异性理论和方法有望为深部矿产预测、隐伏矿预测、覆盖区矿产预测等特殊环境开展矿产预测提供了新的实用性理论和方法技术.      

Exploration of gold mineralization in a tropical region using Earth Observing-1 (EO1) and JERS-1 SAR data: a case study from Bau gold field,Sarawak, Malaysia

Bau gold mining district, located near Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, is a Carlin style gold deposits. Geological analyses coupled with remote sensing data were used to detect hydrothermal alteration rocks and structure elements associated with this type of gold mineralization. Image processing techniques, including principal components analysis, linear spectral unmixing, and Laplacian algorithms, were employed to carry out spectrolithological–structural mapping of mineralized zones, using Advanced Land Imager, Hyperion, and JERS-1 synthetic aperture radar scenes covering the study area and surrounding terrain. Hydrothermally alteration mineral zones were detected along the SSW to NNE structural trend of the Tai Parit fault that corresponds to the areas of occurrence of the gold mineralization in the Bau limestone. The results show that potentially interesting areas are observable by the methods used, despite limited bedrock exposure in this region and the constraints imposed by the tropical environment.     

Quantitative analysis of anomalous sources and geochemical signatures in the Walker Lake quadrangle of Nevada and California

A new quantitative transportation model for geochemical elements in stream sediment samples is proposed and used to estimate mineral sources of anomalous concentrations and to adjust both location and concentration for the transportation effect. Subsequent to transportation analysis, data on 14 geochemical elements in the Walker Lake quadrangle are analyzed for geochemical signatures for three types of mineralization environments: epithermal gold-silver deposits, porphyry-skarn copper deposits, and a mixed occurrence. Geochemical signatures are analyzed using a multidimensional scaling method referred to as the p_ijk model, which is a factor-like model generalized to include nonlinear associations, as well as linear, among triple variables (elements). A result of this analysis is that Pb is the best indicator for epithermal gold-silver mineralization, Mo and Zn for mixed mineralization, and Cu for porphyry-skarn mineralization.     

Aquatic bryophytes as bioindicators of arsenic mineralization in Polish and Czech Sudety Mountains

Concentrations of arsenic and its geochemically associated elements, Ag, Co, Cu and Ni, were measured together with Al, Ba, Cd, Fe, Mn, Pb, Sr and Zn in aquatic bryophytes. These bryophytes originated from some of the arsenic mineralization zones of the Klodzko-Zloty Stok granodiorite massif and its metamorphic envelope (Sudetes Mts., Poland) and from identical zones of the east Sudetic Rychlebske Mts. and Jesenik Mts. (Czech Republic). Concentrations of As in all examined populations were higher than background values (1 μg/g dry weight) culminating in an average maximum of 6270 μg/g in Chiloscyphus pallescens from a stream draining an area with former arsenic and gold mining near Zloty Stok.This survey has shown that aquatic bryophytes accumulate the examined elements to a high degree especially if growing in areas with mineral deposits. This was demonstrated by strong positive correlations between Ba, Sr, Zn concentrations in water and Platyhypnidium rusciforme.     

黄铁矿型铜多金属矿床地球化学元素组合及找矿评价标志

黄铁矿型铜多金属矿床是与海底火山喷发—沉积建造有关的火山岩矿床,矿化赋存于一套微量元素总体含量水平较高的海相中酸性细碧角斑岩系中。赋矿地层、岩性具有以Cu,Pb,Zn为主,伴生Sb,Ba,Ag,As,Bi,Hg,Cd等多元素的特征组合,这些元素在成矿区域上形成大范围的地球化学异常,其主体异常对应于矿田。矿区大比例尺的岩石地球化学测量显示,这些指示元素的清晰的原生异常相互交替叠置于矿床内矿化富集部位,水平分带不甚明显,而垂直分带清晰。具有不同指示意义的元素组合于矿化的不同部位聚集而出现的分带,是用于评价矿化剥蚀程度及其成矿远景的重要地球化学参量     

甘肃阳山金矿整装勘查区成矿与找矿关键科学问题

以阳山金矿为核心的甘肃阳山整装勘查区是中国107片整装勘查区之一。勘查区位于中央复合造山带中段西秦岭南缘,该区构造-岩浆演化复杂,成矿地质条件优越。区内以阳山、新关、关牛湾、塘坝等为主的金矿床,经过近20年的地质勘查和科研工作,取得了重要进展,目前勘查区正处于找矿勘查实现更大突破的关键时期。文章在系统梳理前期勘查和研究成果基础上,并经野外详细调查和分析,提出制约整装勘查区找矿突破的关键科学问题:基过于勘查区所处的大地构造环境和复杂造山过程,需从全新角度认识勘查区成矿地质环境和成矿作用的演化;基于野外勘查新发现的地质事实,进一步查明区内多期构造-岩浆活动与成矿的时空、成因联系和耦合关系,厘定多期成矿作用叠加改造及其对成矿产物的影响;从整装勘查区乃至区域成矿带巨量金聚集的角度,深化巨量成矿物质来源研究;全面分析阳山整装勘查区内典型金矿床特点,并通过与国内外典型矿床的对比研究,确立区内金矿床的成因类型和勘查类型;以区内复杂构造演化为脉络及其对成矿的控制研究,提炼主要控矿因素和找矿勘查标志;面向找矿突破的总体目标,全面总结勘查区、矿田和矿床等不同层次的成矿规律,系统全面评价勘查区资源潜力和找矿勘查方向。     

Pinus brutia as a biogeochemical medium to detect iron and zinc in soil analysis, chromite deposits of the area Mersin, Turkey

Soil and pine (Pinus brutia) samples were collected from 64 sites over chromite and ultramafic rocks near Musal?, and over clastic sediments of the Silifke-Anamur areas of Mersin, Turkey. Both sample media were analyzed for their Zn and Fe contents. The results showed similar concentration of both elements in the ash of needles and twigs, with each exhibiting lower concentration than the soils. Zinc was more concentrated in pines from the Silifke-Anamur area than at Musal?, but Fe concentrations were similar in both area. A positive correlation was observed between Zn and Fe in pine and soils (r=0.90 and 0.79, respectively). It is concluded that P. brutia can be used as a biogeochemical sample medium to detect concealed deposits of Zn and Fe.     

A comparative study of stream water and stream sediment as geochemical exploration media in the Rio Tanama porphyry copper district,Puerto Rico

To test the relative effectiveness of stream water and sediment as geochemical exploration media in the Rio Tanama porphyry copper district of Puerto Rico, we collected and subsequently analyzed samples of water and sediment from 29 sites in the rivers and tributaries of the district. Copper, Mo, Pb, Zn, SO₄^2?, and pH were determined in the waters; Cu, Mo, Pb, and Zn were determined in the sediments. In addition, copper in five partial extractions from the sediments was determined. Geochemical contrast (anomaly-to-background quotient) was the principal criterion by which the effectiveness of the two media and the five extractions were judged.Among the distribution patterns of metals in stream water, that of copper most clearly delineates the known porphyry copper deposits and yields the longest discernable dispersion train. The distribution patterns of Mo, Pb, and Zn in water show little relationship to the known mineralization. The distribution of SO₄^2? in water delineates the copper deposits and also the more extensive pyrite alteration in the district; its recognizable downstream dispersion train is substantially longer than those of the metals, either in water or sediment. Low pH values in small tributaries delineate areas of known sulfide mineralization.The distribution patterns of copper in sediments clearly delineate the known deposits, and the dispersion trains are longer than those of copper in water.The partial determinations of copper related to secondary iron and manganese oxides yield the strongest geochemical contrasts and longest recognizable dispersion trains. Significantly high concentrations of molybdenum in sediments were found at only three sites, all within one-half km downstream of the known copper deposits. The distribution patterns of lead and zinc in sediments are clearly related to the known primary lead-zinc haloes around the copper deposits. The recognizable downstream dispersion trains of lead and zinc are shorter than those of copper.     

西藏雄村矿区地面磁测异常特征及其对找矿方向的指示

雄村矿区是西藏冈底斯斑岩铜矿带内已查明资源/储量达大型规模的Cu-Au矿区,已经发现了I、Ⅱ、Ⅲ号Cu-Au矿体。矿区地面磁测结果表明,矿区存在明显的高磁异常区和低磁异常区,两类异常区均有矿化显示,I号矿体位于低磁异常区,Ⅱ号矿体位于高磁异常区,磁异常特征的差异主要是因为磁铁矿含量显著不同造成的。通过对矿区地面磁测异常特征的研究,圈定出了2个低磁异常区和3个高磁异常区,综合地、物、化资料,对5个磁异常区今后的找矿思路进行了分析,为矿区及外围开展综合方法找矿提供了参考,同时,对于冈底斯斑岩铜矿带其它地段寻找该类型矿床具有十分重要的意义。     

西藏谢通门县雄村铜金矿区及其外围的找矿前景地球化学评价

雄村铜金矿床的发现是近年来西藏冈底斯成矿带找矿的重大突破之一。在评价找矿前景、圈定成矿有利地段和钻探工程部署的过程中,勘查地球化学起了重要的作用。通过对雄村铜金矿区及其外围的地球化学测量结果的研究,综合实际地质情况,我们得出以下两点认识：（1）雄村矿区及其外围是一个具有以斑岩型铜金矿化为主、兼有热液型金（或铜）矿化和矽...     

西藏革吉县尕尔穷铜金矿区岩石地球化学勘查异常特征及找矿方向

尕尔穷矿区具有三种类型矿化:产于斑岩型中的铜钼(金)矿化、产于矽卡岩中的铜金矿化和产于构造破碎带中的铜金矿化,三种矿化类型同属斑岩成矿系统。岩石地球化学测量结果表明,矿区存在R-1、R-2和R-3等三个主要异常,三个异常区的元素分布特征大体相似,R-1由异常浓集中心向外具有Cu-Mo-Se-Te-(Bi)-Pb-Zn-As-Sb-Tl的元素分带现象,这种元素组合及分带具有高温→中低温成矿演化的特点,特征与斑岩成矿系统很相似,具有寻找斑岩型矿床的潜力;R-2异常区Te、Se、Sb、Pb、Zn等外围元素在此范围内较弱的异常和Cu、Mo的强异常表明此异常区遭受剥蚀程度较大;R-3异常区是与石英闪长岩和花岗闪长岩有关的斑岩型矿化、矽卡岩矿化和构造破碎带中的矿化,其中以矽卡岩型和构造破碎带中的矿化的找矿前景最好,深部斑岩型矿化也具有一定的找矿潜力。     

长江中下游地区不同尺度铜地球化学异常的意义与大型矿床预测

以长江中下游1∶20万铜区域地球化学数据为基础,研究了铜元素地球化学异常特征,认为不同尺度的地球化学异常图具有不同的研究意义:(1)1∶20万地球化学异常可以圈定矿床异常,用于大型矿床预测。研究区内13个大型矿床中有12个落在具有三层套合结构的地球化学异常中,已知矿床储量与异常面金属量、异常面积之间的相关系数分别为0.94、0.95,显示区域地球化学异常规模与储量之间的较好相关性。(2)1∶50万地球化学异常可以圈定矿区异常,用于在成矿带中预测有利成矿区。(3)1∶100万地球化学异常可以圈定大型矿集区或成矿带,用于矿集区预测。如果把研究区内面积大于1 000km2且含有3个以上已知矿床的异常作为矿集区的话,则长江中下游存在3个大型矿集区:马鞍山—南京矿集区、九江—瑞昌—大冶矿集区和德兴—黄山—安庆—铜陵矿集区(实际上包含德兴和铜陵2个矿集区)。大型矿床多产于多层套合的地球化学异常中,大型矿集区所形成的异常具有至少3层套合结构,浓集中心与大型矿床存在对应关系,这些规律的发现为在不同成矿域预测新的大型矿集区提供了重要地球化学标志。     

Gold and other metals in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) as an exploration tool, Gold Run District, Humboldt County, Nevada

Big sagebrush — a cold-desert species that dominates the terrain over large parts of western United States — was sampled along several traverses that crossed thermally metamorphosed limestone, phyllitic shale, and schist of the Middle and Upper Cambrian Preble Formation that host skarn-, disseminated gold and silver-, and hot springs gold-type mineral occurrences. Patterns of detectable levels of gold (8 to 28 ppb or ng g⁻¹) in ash of new growth were consistent with areas affected by known or suspected gold mineralization. Soils collected along one of the traverses where a selenium-indicator plant was common contained no gold above background levels of 2ppb, but were consistently high in As, Sb, and Zn, and several samples were unusually high in Se (maximum 11 ppm or μg g⁻¹). Sagebrush along this traverse contained Li at levels above norms for this species. We also found a puzzling geochemical anomaly at a site basinward from active hot springs along a range-front fault scarp. Sagebrush at this site contained a trace of gold and an unusually high concentration of Cd (13 ppm) and the soil had anomalous concentrations of Cd and Bi (3.2 and 6 ppm, respectively). The source of this anomaly could be either metal-rich waters from an irrigation ditch or leakage along a buried fault. Despite the limited nature of the study, we conclude that gold in sagebrush could be a cost-effective guide to drilling locations in areas where the geology seems favorable for disseminated and vein precious metals.     

Regional reconnaissance exploration rock geochemistry for massive sulphides, New Brunswick, Canada

In the Bathurst District of New Brunswick there are more than 50 known occurrences of base metal sulphide mineralization within an area of Palaeozoic volcanic-sedimentary rocks approximately bounded by the Rocky Turn deposit in the north, the Key Anacon deposit in the east, the Heath Steele deposit in the south, and the Devil's Elbow deposit in the west. Only four of these occurrences are, or have been, producing mines; 19 are classed as “major occurrences”. The area is highly prospective for massive sulphide deposits of the Brunswick Mining and Smelting and Heath Steele type; it would obviously be of considerable importance to define the zones within the sequence where major occurrences should be sought.To determine whether exploration rock geochemistry could be used on a regional reconnaissance scale, 419 samples of rhyolite from an area of 2000 km² (at an average density of one sample per 5 km²) were analyzed for total content of Cu, Pb, Zn, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, and Mn. The data were processed by calculating the geometric mean of all samples in cells of approximately 10 km². Contrary to the relations documented on a mine scale (within one kilometre of major deposits), where the clearest halos are given by major elements, it is the ore elements that give the best regional patterns.The producing mines and the most important of the known occurrences all lie in zones where rhyolite contains less than 10 ppm Cu. Element ratios considerably enhance anomalous relations. The Zn:Pb ratio of the sulphides in the main deposits is 2.4–2.8, regardless of grade. It is demonstrated that all present and past producing mines and the most important known major occurrences lie within well-defined zones of Zn:Pb ratios of 2.4–2.8. Similarly, zones where the Pb:Cu ratio is > 3.0 and the Zn:Cu ratio is > 7.0 also define the most important deposits. These ore-element relations derived from a low sample-density survey define priority zones for detailed exploration for significant major massive sulphide deposits.