Potential Field,Geoelectrical and Reflection Seismic Investigations for Massive Sulphide Exploration in the Skellefte Mining District,Northern Sweden

Multi-scale geophysical studies were conducted in the central Skellefte district (CSD) in order to delineate the geometry of the upper crust (down to maximum ～ 4.5 km depth) for prospecting volcanic massive sulphide (VMS) mineralization. These geophysical investigations include potential field, resistivity/induced polarization (IP), reflection seismic and magnetotelluric (MT) data which were collected between 2009 and 2010. The interpretations were divided in two scales: (i) shallow (～ 1.5 km) and (ii) deep (～4.5 km). Physical properties of the rocks, including density, magnetic susceptibility, resistivity and chargeability, were also used to improve interpretations. The study result delineates the geometry of the upper crust in the CSD and new models were suggested based on new and joint geophysical interpretation which can benefit VMS prospecting in the area. The result also indicates that a strongly conductive zone detected by resistivity/IP data may have been missed using other geophysical data.     

Imaging the Kristineberg mining area with two perpendicular magnetotelluric profiles in the Skellefte Ore District,northern Sweden

New magnetotelluric (MT) data from two perpendicular profiles in the Kristineberg area, northern Sweden, were analysed and modelled. In the Skellefte Ore District, the Kristineberg volcanic hosted massive sulphide (VHMS) deposit mine is one of the largest and deepest (1250 m). Seventeen broadband magnetotelluric stations were installed along two existing seismic reflection lines. The profiles were 6 and 12 km long with 500 m and 1 km site spacing, respectively. The obtained MT transfer functions in the period range of 0.0015–200 s are of fairly good quality. Detailed strike and dimensionality analysis reveal consistent but period dependent, strike directions, indicating a change in the geoelectrical strike with depth. From the two‐dimensional inversion of the determinant of the impedance tensor, two stable conductivity models with good data fit were obtained. The addition of seismic reflection information from the co‐located survey, improved the data fit of one of them. Extensive sensitivity analyses helped to delineate the well resolved regions of the models and to determine the position of pronounced boundaries. The results are in good agreement with previous studies, especially regarding the presence of a deep conductor interpreted as a structural basement to the district. They also reveal with more detail the configuration of the main geological units of the Skellefte Ore District, especially of the ore bearing volcanic rocks and the embedded alteration zones.     

Effect of coupling noise on the interpretation of results of electromagnetic horizontal sounding and modeling

The time variation of a source of alternating current produces an electromagnetic coupling between the transmitting and receiving systems in induced electrical polarization and resistivity surveys that employ horizontal electrical sounding. The coupling alters, sometimes significantly, the resistivity and chargeability values and, consequently, compromises the interpretation of the data. This work develops the analysis of this coupling on the time domain for both a homogeneous Earth and an Earth constituted of several homogeneous horizontal layers. Based on the results, it evaluates the theoretical variation of the voltage and compares it to observed data of an induced electrical polarization and resistivity survey with horizontal electrical sounding. The comparative study of the voltage decay curves assesses the contribution of the electromagnetic coupling to the values of the chargeability and apparent resistivity as a function of the bipole length and the period of the source current. Besides that, the respective pseudosections have delineated the horizontal and vertical variations of those two electrical properties, providing the interpretation of the geoelectrical section. This research is important for the oil industry because it may furnish information that help to: (i) define the structure of the sedimentary strata; (ii) estimate the clay content of the sandstones; and (iii) detect the possible presence of metallic sulphide halos at fractured zones of the sediments above the oil reservoir. It may be adapted to analysis of EM coupling in both resistive and induced electric well logs.     

Inversion of 2D spectral induced polarization imaging data

Laboratory measurements of various materials suggest that more information can be obtained by measuring the in‐phase and out‐of‐phase potentials at a number of frequencies. One common model used to describe the variation of the electrical properties with frequency is the Cole‐Cole model. Apart from the DC resistivity (ρ) and chargeability (m) parameters used in conventional induced‐polarization (IP) surveys, the Cole‐Cole model has two additional parameters, i.e. the time (τ) and relaxation (c) constants. Much research has been conducted on the use of the additional Cole‐Cole parameters to distinguish between different IP sources. Here, we propose a modified inversion method to recover the Cole‐Cole parameters from a 2D spectral IP (SIP) survey. In this method, an approximate inversion method is initially used to construct a non‐homogeneous starting model for the resistivity and chargeability values. The 2D model consists of a number of rectangular cells with constant resistivity (ρ), chargeability (m), time (τ) and relaxation (c) constant values in each cell. A regularized least‐squares optimization method is then used to recover the time and relaxation constant parameters as well as to refine the chargeability values in the 2D model. We present results from tests carried out with the proposed method for a synthetic data set as well as from a laboratory tank experiment.     

Geological and geophysical data integration for delimitation of mineralized areas in a supergene manganese deposits

Geophysical methods are widely used in mineral exploration. This paper discusses the results of geological and geophysical studies in supergene manganese deposits of southern Brazil. Mineralized zones as described in geological surveys were characterized as of low resistivity (20Ω.m) and high chargeability (30ms), pattern found also in oxides and sulfite mineral deposits. Pseudo-3D modeling of geophysical data allowed mapping at several depths. A relationship between high chargeability and low resistivity may define a pattern for high grade gonditic manganese ore. Large areas of high chargeability and high resistivity may result in accumulation of manganese and iron hydroxides, due to weathering of the gonditic ore, dissolution, percolation and precipitation.     

滇西三江地区深部电性结构特征及其意义

沿盈江一姚安布置了一条长约350 km的长周期大地电磁剖面,共观测宽频大地电磁测深点53个,长周期大地电磁测深点26个;利用多种数据处理方法对观测资料进行了预处理、定性分析和二维反演,得到沿剖面的地壳和上地幔电性结构模型.对主要地块和断裂带的电性结构进行了分析,电性结构模型揭示滇西三江地区广泛存在壳内低阻层,但沿剖面方向即东西向埋深和厚度不一,在保山地块和滇中地块地下存在较大规模的壳幔低阻带;腾冲地块地下埋深13~20 km,厚约10~17 km的壳内低阻层可能是岩浆囊的反映;初步将保山壳幔韧性剪切带作为印支地块挤出的深部东边界.     

Deep resistivity structure of the Dikili-Bergama region, west Anatolia, revealed by two- dimensional inversion of vertical electrical sounding data

Within the framework of the National Marine Geological and Geophysical Program, we re‐examined deep vertical electrical sounding (VES) data. The data, measured in 1968 by the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) of Turkey with the aim of exploring the deep resistivity structure of the Dikili–Bergama region, focus on the geothermal potential. The geoelectrical resistivity survey was conducted using a Schlumberger array with a maximum electrode half‐spacing of 4.5 km. The two‐dimensional (2D) inversion was utilized to interpret the VES data that were collected along 15‐ to 30‐km profiles. The 2D resistivity–depth cross‐sections obtained show very low resistivity values near the Dikili and Kaynarca hot springs. The 2D inversion results also indicate the presence of fault zones striking nearly N–S and E–W, and fault‐bounded graben‐horst structures that show promising potential for geothermal field resources. The 2D gravity model, which is in good agreement with the density variation of the region, supports the resistivity structure revealed by 2D inversion. The lithology information obtained from the borehole near Kaynarca also confirms the results of the resistivity interpretation and the density model.     

从瞬变电磁响应中提取IP信息的研究(英文)

在对浙江省某铜矿进行瞬变电磁勘查时,由于感应激发极化效应的影响,造成瞬变电磁晚期测道的数据发生倒转。采用常规的瞬变电磁数据处理方法难以处理,造成晚期测道数据不可用,影响TEM的探测深度及精度。针对这个情况,采用Cole.Cole模型分析了均匀半空问模型中直流电阻率、充电率、时间常数以及频率相关系数对磁性源瞬变电磁响应的影响规律。利用奇异值分解法(The Singular Value Decomposition,简称SVD)对实测TEM数据进行分析及反演,并且从瞬变电磁响应数据中分离出勘探区瞬变电磁测量数据Cole—Cole模型的各参数,将分离出来的参数用于探测结果的辅助解释。经过分析得出充电率和频率相关系数对瞬变电磁响应的影响较大,而直流电阻率和时间常数对其影响较小的结论。通过常规方法和奇异值分解法对实测数据分别进行处理,发现后者视电阻率断面图的异常更加突出,从而较准确的圈定了铜矿体地范围,此结论得到_『钻孔的验证,与实际地质情况吻合较好。     

三维激发极化法反演研究及其在金属矿勘探中的应用

激发极化法在金属矿、硫化矿等资源勘探方面应用较广.随着勘探设备与计算机硬件的发展,所采集到的数据具有观测数据量大、布极方式多样等特点.针对实测数据的特点,我们研究完成了基于并行技术的激发极化法对数反演算法,该算法具有如下特点：（1）通过压缩存储技术和并行技术的集成实现了可以处理大数据特征的反演算法;（2）利用对数反演来约束每次计算得到新模型的电导率恒为正,充电率在0到1之间变化,从而保证反演的稳定性和可靠性.本文首先设计了两组对比模型进行试验,通过对不同区块数据采用不同加权的方式来减弱噪声对反演结果影响的效果;其次,采用并行技术提高了反演的计算速度,并利用理论模型分析了不同电极装置对反演分辨率的影响.最后,在甘肃某金属矿开发前景区利用激发极化法开展了中梯装置的采集工作,利用加权后的观测数据反演推断出了测区金属矿开发靶区的大致位置及分布特征.     

Mapping of contaminant plumes with geoelectrical methods. A case study in urban context

During the past two decades, the diagnosis and monitoring of polluted sites have become more important. Urban sites are particularly difficult to study, because they are contaminated with various pollutants, and there is a large physical and chemical heterogeneity. The heterogeneity comes from the landfilling of various solid wastes and remolded soil (endogenous or exogenous) from which they were constituted over time. Traditional techniques such as wells monitoring, are often insufficient to evaluate the extension of soil contamination.This is why we proposed a geoelectrical methodology from the fastest to the most information rich technique, showing all carry out and acquisition times: electromagnetic low frequency conductivity mapping, electrical resistivity profiles, chargeability profiles and spectral induced polarization (SIP) soundings. This strategy has been successfully applied to an urban site located in the Paris Basin (France). A conductivity map in relation with geochemical and lithological informations should provide us information to implement electrical resistivity and chargeability profiles. The latter allowed us to differentiate 3 main anomaly zones that have been determined. As interpretation of chargeability profiles is difficult, because it integrates polarization mechanisms with different relaxation times, we add spectral induced polarization soundings that provide us information concerning the contaminant nature. We determined the extension of an organic phase, and of 2 highly mineralized zones that could be linked to biodegraded and/or with pyrite areas. That theory is consistent with groundwater analysis and SIP data.The conclusion is that the suggested methodology is well suited to the study of urban contaminated sites including several different pollutants.     

Delineation of saltwater intrusion zones using the time domain electromagnetic method: the Nabeul–Hammamet coastal aquifer case study (NE Tunisia)

The time domain electromagnetic method (TDEM) is applied to monitor, to delineate and to map the saltwater intrusion zones in the Mediterranean Plio‐Quaternary aquifer. Forty‐two TDEM soundings were carried out in the coastal plain of Nabeul–Hammamet region (NE Tunisia). TDEM resistivity data were correlated with the existing borehole logging data to assign them to a particular lithology and to provide information about the position of the freshwater–seawater transition zone. The geoelectric sections showing the vertical configuration of seawater intrusion, with the brackish‐salty‐saturated zones, have a resistivity ranging from ~0.1 to 5 Ω?m and are detected at a depth lower than 1.5 m. The salinized zones are located at Nabeul (Sidi Moussa, Sidi El Mahrsi, Al Gasba and Mrazgua) and at Hammamet (Touristic zone of Hammamet north and south, Baraket Essahel) and reached a distance of 4 km from the coastline, indicating a severe state for the aquifer in these zones. These TDEM results are confirmed by the increase of chloride concentration content in the analysed water samples of monitoring wells. Moreover, in the northeastern part, the presence of a saltwater front located far from the coast and along the NW–SE major surface fault can be explained by two hypothesis: (i) this fault seems to provide a conduit for seawater to move readily towards the water wells and (ii) the clay and gypsum infiltration of marine Messinian deposits through the fault plane leads to low resistivities. Finally, it comes out from this study that TDEM survey has successfully depicted salinized zones of this coastal aquifer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

激发极化法探测油气田——效果及异常模式探讨

本文是在20多个油气藏上作激发极化法找油气的试验结果。在华北的第三系油田,四川的中生界油气田,新疆的中生、古生界大逆掩断层带油田,以及华东的第三系油田上试验,普遍得到好的效果。各地区的充电率、电阻率及金属因数等参数的反应特点有差异,异常明显程度受盖层影响很大。该方法可以探测到埋深不小于3000m的油气藏,并在许多油气藏发现了具有共同特征的典型异常模式:它在浅部中心部位表现为高阻,高极化;两侧为低阻,低极化;深部表现为低阻,高极化;深浅两带之间为过渡带,异常无固定的特征。此模式可用以分辨油气藏异常,选择合适工作极距,以及研究引起异常的机制等。     

北京-柏各庄剖面连续介质大地电磁反演解释

在华北地区大地电磁测深工作的基础上,本文对北京——柏各庄剖面上的大地电磁观测资料,使用连续介质反演方法进行反演解释,获得了电性结构的最新结果。对构制的可接受地电模型的评价表明,本剖面内地壳中部普遍存在高导电带,上地幔内高导电带的深度变化较大,电阻率为1m的等值线深度,在沧县隆起为70多km,其西侧和东侧分别在60km和50km左右。上地幔高导电带的电阻率值由西而东有减小的趋势。这些结果与表层构造的对应关系说明,上地幔软流圈及地热场的横向不均一性,对地壳内部发生的构造运动有重要意义。      

中国大陆地壳上地幔电性特征

根据大地电磁测深调查结果，编制了中国大陆３０，９０，１５０ｋｍ三个深度的电阻率图以及壳内低阻层和上地幔低阻层的顶面深度图。在９０ｋｍ深度的电阻率图上发现了一个自松辽盆地直到扬子地台西南缘的北东－南西向巨大低阻异常带．１５０ｋｍ深度的电阻率图上显示出在低阻的背景上镶嵌着一些高阻块体．中国大陆的壳内低阻层深度国基本上反映了地温场的特征，壳内低阻层上隆区基本上对应于高地温区．中国大陆的上地幔低阻层深度变化大．最浅处仅５０－６０ｋｍ，大多位于构造活动地区；最深处达２００ｋｍ以上，大部分对应于稳定地区．中国大陆的上地幔低阻层平均深度为１００－１２０ｋｍ，东部浅，西部深。     

Geophysical signatures of uranium mineralization and its subsurface validation at Beldih,Purulia District,West Bengal,India: a case study

The Beldih open cast mine of the South Purulia Shear Zone in Eastern India is well known for apatite deposits associated with Nb–rare‐earth‐element–uranium mineralization within steeply dipping, altered ferruginous kaolinite and quartz–magnetite–apatite rocks with E–W strikes at the contact of altered mafic–ultramafic and granite/quartzite rocks. A detailed geophysical study using gravity, magnetic, and gradient resistivity profiling surveys has been carried out over ～1 km² area surrounding the Beldih mine to investigate further the dip, depth, lateral extension, and associated geophysical signatures of the uranium mineralization in the environs of South Purulia Shear Zone. The high‐to‐low transition zone on the northern part and high‐to‐low anomaly patches on the southeastern and southwestern parts of the Bouguer, reduced‐to‐pole magnetic, and trend‐surface‐separated residual gravity–magnetic anomaly maps indicate the possibility of highly altered zone(s) on the northern, southeastern, and southwestern parts of the Beldih mine. The gradient resistivity survey on either side of the mine has also revealed the correlation of low‐resistivity anomalies with low‐gravity and moderately high magnetic anomalies. In particular, the anomalies and modeled subsurface features along profile P6 perfectly match with subsurface geology and uranium mineralization at depth. Two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional residual gravity models along P6 depict the presence of highly altered vertical sheet of low‐density material up to a depth of ～200 m. The drilling results along the same profile confirm the continuation of uranium mineralization zone for the low‐density material. This not only validates the findings of the gravity model but also establishes the geophysical signatures for uranium mineralization as low‐gravity, moderate‐to‐high magnetic, and low‐resistivity values in this region. This study enhances the scope of further integrated geophysical investigations along the South Purulia Shear Zone to delineate suitable target areas for uranium exploration.     

Electrical Struture of the Crust in Manas Earthquake Area,Xinjiang,China

Magnetotelluric sounding data obtalned recently in Manas earthquake area were processed. Inthe result, curves of apparent resistivity, impedance Phase, skewness and optimum rotationangle versus period and the real magnetic induction vectors were obtained. Then the data ofall measuring points were interpreted by 2D automatic inversion. The result indicates thatalong the sounding profile the shallow crust can be divided into 5 segments and the deep crustcan be divided into 3 segments, with faults or deep-seated fault zones as the contactboundaries between them. The sedimentary cover along the profile extents down to depthabout 12 km in maximum and a low-resistivity body exists in the crust in southern section ofthe profile. The interpretation results are well consistent with geological and othergeophysical data. The Manas M7. 7 earthquake occurred near a contact zone where theelectrical structure of the crust sharply changes.     

Joint inversion of long‐offset and central‐loop transient electromagnetic data: Application to a mud volcano exploration in Perekishkul,Azerbaijan

Mud volcanism is commonly observed in Azerbaijan and the surrounding South Caspian Basin. This natural phenomenon is very similar to magmatic volcanoes but differs in one considerable aspect: Magmatic volcanoes are generally the result of ascending molten rock within the Earth's crust, whereas mud volcanoes are characterised by expelling mixtures of water, mud, and gas. The majority of mud volcanoes have been observed on ocean floors or in deep sedimentary basins, such as those found in Azerbaijan. Furthermore, their occurrences in Azerbaijan are generally closely associated with hydrocarbon reservoirs and are therefore of immense economic and geological interest. The broadside long‐offset transient electromagnetic method and the central‐loop transient electromagnetic method were applied to study the inner structure of such mud volcanoes and to determine the depth of a resistive geological formation that is predicted to contain the majority of the hydrocarbon reservoirs in the survey area. One‐dimensional joint inversion of central‐loop and long‐offset transient electromagnetic data was performed using the inversion schemes of Occam and Marquardt. By using the joint inversion models, a subsurface resistivity structure ranging from the surface to a depth of approximately 7 km was determined. Along a profile running perpendicular to the assumed strike direction, lateral resistivity variations could only be determined in the shallow depth range using the transient electromagnetic data. An attempt to resolve further two‐dimensional/three‐dimensional resistivity structures, representing possible mud migration paths at large depths using the long‐offset transient electromagnetic data, failed. Moreover, the joint inversion models led to ambiguous results regarding the depth and resistivity of the hydrocarbon target formation due to poor resolution at great depths (>5 km). Thus, 1D/2D modelling studies were subsequently performed to investigate the influence of the resistive terminating half‐space on the measured long‐offset transient electromagnetic data. The 1D joint inversion models were utilised as starting models for both the 1D and 2D modelling studies. The results tend to show that a resistive terminating half‐space, implying the presence of the target formation, is the favourable geological setting. Furthermore, the 2D modelling study aimed to fit all measured long‐offset transient electromagnetic Ex transients along the profile simultaneously. Consequently, 3125 2D forward calculations were necessary to determine the best‐fit resistivity model. The results are consistent with the 1D inversion, indicating that the data are best described by a resistive terminating half‐space, although the resistivity and depth cannot be determined clearly.     

Electromagnetic 3D tomography of the Elbrus volcanic center according to magnetotelluric and satellite data

A geoelectric 3D model of the potentially active Elbrus volcano and its vicinities has been constructed using magnetotelluric data, which takes the volume model of the tectonic fragmentation field developed based on deciphering satellite photographs into account. An original method of searching for the correlation and determination of the character of the interrelation between the ground-based and satellite data has been used in this construction. The geoelectric 3D model constructed includes two conducting objects located at different depths. One of the objects, with a resistivity of 25–40 Ω m, located at depths of 0–10 km, is most intense at a depth of 5 km, where the object is quasi-isometric in shape and has a radius of 10 km along the 40–60 Ω m contour lines. Another object with a resistivity of 10–40 Ω m is located at a depth of ～45 km, where its dimensions along the contour line for 40 Ω m are 35 and 15 km in latitude and longitude, respectively. The thickness of the conducting core is approximately 20 km. The upper and lower objects can be interpreted as a volcano magma chamber and a volcano parent chamber, respectively.     

攀西地区地壳和上地幔中的电性结构

攀西地区大地电磁测深结果表明,这一地区可划分为三个条带:丽江至华坪、华坪至会理和会理至巧家。三个条带内电性结构有明显差异,反映出本地区地质构造十分复杂。测区内沉积层厚度为3-5km,其电阻率小于30Ωm。在地壳中约33km深处有一低阻层,厚度为5-12km。在红格和华坪两测点之下,深度为82-90km处出现第二个低阻层,它们指示出软流层顶部埋深。     

A comparative study of results obtained in magnetotelluric deep soundings in Villarrica active volcano zone (Chile) with gravity investigations, distribution of earthquake foci, heat flow empirical relationships, isotopic geochemistry Sr/Sr and SB systematics

The first magnetotelluric deep soundings in Chile were carried out during 1986 in the Villarrica active volcano zone (39°25′S, 71°57′W). In the TM mode of polarization, the curves show a distorted segment with dispersion. A static distortion at long periods is observed in curves in the TE mode of polarization; the segment was shifted vertically to fit the geomagnetic global model values at daily periods. This modified curve was used for 1D modelling to determine the electrical structure in the study area. The upper level of the intermediate conducting layer of resistivity 20–60 ω m is found to be at 35–50 km depth. A higher resistivity layer (600 ω m), starting at 100 km depth, may be resolved in the intermediate conducting layer. A sharp decrease in the resistivity is shown by the model at 500 km.

Large heterogeneities at the level of the conducting layer encountered in the 1D modelling, and increased resistivity of the ultimate layer, may account for distortion observed at long periods. Two-dimensional test models show that the conducting layer in the area of Villarrica volcano may be an anomalous heated layer surrounded by rocks of higher resistivity of about 2 × 10³ ω m. These features correspond to the interaction with a subsiding oceanic lithosphere resulting in a complex thermal structure and perturbed resistivity distribution in transition zones of the Pacific type such as Chile, and to the existence of a megafault and a system of fractures in the sounding area. These facts make it difficult to determine the conductance of the electrical asthenosphere.

The parameters of the model structure correlate well with geophysical and geochemical results obtained in the area by other workers. Gravity studies indicate a maximum crustal thickness of about 37 km, which implies a non-full compensation according to the Airy hypothesis. The morphology of the Wadati-Benioff zone clearly shows a sharp decrease of earthquake foci at 50 km depth, and a reinitiation of seismic activity from a depth of 100 km down to 160 km. Kaufman and Keller and Levi and Lysak empirical relationships between heat flow and thickness of the lithosphere are somewhat consistent when the parameters of the model structure are assumed. The strontium isotope ratios are indicative of minimal crustal contamination of mantle-derived magmas, thus allowing a relatively thin crust under the area. Furthermore, the SB index of partial melting of mantle peridotite may suggest the contribution of uprising material from the deep asthenosphere through fractures extending to depth.