Deep-penetrating geochemistry of the Tuwu copper deposit, northwestern China

Desert terrains in northern China are covered by widespread regolith sediments which mask geochemical signals from ore bodies and are major obstacles to mineral exploration. There is a critical need to study the vertical distribution of elements in this regolith and to establish optimum sampling and analytical methods. The aim of this study is to understand the dispersion and variation of elements throughout the cover in a vertical profile. The results demonstrate that the main elements show a distribution pattern of enrichment in clay layers in the vertical profile, i.e., most elements tend to be enriched in the most upper part of the profile above the orebodies except for some elements like Cu, Ca and Ag. Meanwhile, both fine (-160 mesh) and coarse (+20 mesh) fraction samples from clay-rich horizons are favorable samples and selective leaching of the elements absorbed on clays or oxide coatings is effective for localizing buried deposits. The distribution of active Cu and Mo is quite different because chalcopyrite is weathered into Cu sulfate and CuCO3, and is precipitated in alkaline environments in a layer below close to the surface. Mo is soluble in the alkaline environment so it can penetrate the caliche layer and be enriched on the surface of soil enriched with weakly cemented clay.     

Critical Loads of Heavy Metals in a Highly Polluted Catchment Area in Egypt

Heavy metals in different environmental compartments can be hazardous to ecosystems. Budgets of Cd, Pb and Zn in small ecosystems of the Shubra E1-Kheima area in Egypt are presented. The budgets are not in steady state because they change with time. So the concentrations of the metals are a function of time. The critical loads of heavy metals to soils can be calculated from an inventory of inputs and outputs of the trace components in the catchment area.Critical time is an important parameter for critical load evaluation because it can indicate which of the heavy metals may be the most acute threat to the soils. Egyptian soil in the Shubra ElKheima area seems to be in danger of heavy metal pollution by Zn, Cd and Pb. The calculated critical loads and their exceedances are approximate indicators of the hazards in the soil system.The critical time is a warning signal to initiate an environmental evaluation of possible pollution hazards.     

Relationships Between the North China Plate and the Tarim Plate

The relationships and boundary between the North China and Tarim plates have been unclear for a long time ; however, the two plates occupy a prominent position in the formation and evolution of the continental lithosphere of China. It is proposed that the Engger Us ophiolitic melange zone discovered recently north of Alaxa is a typical suture between the two plates. The ophiolitic melange zone is composed mainly of a mixture of fragments of ancient oceanic crust and sedimentary rocks of active and passive continental margins. The melange may be divided into tectonic inclusions and matrix. The suture extends northeastwards into the Republic of Mongolia and probably westwards to meet the Altun fault. With the Engger Us ophiolitic melange zone as the boundary the Alaxa area may be divided into two parts: the northern part (AN ) belongs to the Tarim plate, while the southern part (AS) the North China plate. Geological evidence shows that the two plates were amalgamated in the Late Permian or a bit later.     

Geochemical Characteristics and Zonation of Primary Halos of Pulang Porphyry Copper Deposit,Northwestern Yunnan Province,Southwestern China

The Pulang (普朗) porphyry copper deposit, located in the southern segment of the Yidun-Zhongdian (义敦-为中甸) island arc ore-forming belt of the Tethys-Himalaya ore-forming domain, is a recently discovered large copper deposit. Compared with the composition of granodiorite in China, the porphyry rocks in this area are enriched in W, Mo, Cu, Au, As, Sb, F, V, and Na2O (K1≥1.2). Compared with the composition of fresh porphyry rocks in this district, the mineralized rocks are enriched in Cn, Au, Ag, Mo, Pb, Zn, W, As, Sb, and K2O (K≥1.2). Some elements show clear anomalies, such as Zn, Ag, Cu, Au, W, and Mo, and can be regarded as pathfinders for prospecting new ore bodies in depth. It has been inferred from factor analysis that the Pulang porphyry copper deposit may have undergone the multiple stages of alteration and mineralization: (a) Cu-Au mineralization; (b) W-Mo mineralization; and (c) silicification and potassic metasomatism in the whole ore-forming process. A detailed zonation sequence of indicator elements is obtained using the variability index of indicator elements as follows: Zn→Ag→Cu→Au→W→Mo. According to this zonation, an index such as (Ag×Zn) D/(Mo×W) D can be constructed and regarded as a significant criterion for predicting the Cu potential at a particular depth.     

Characteristics of Pegmatite-Related Fluids and Significance to Ore-Forming Processes in the Zhaxikang Pb-Zn-Sb Polymetallic Deposit, Tibet, China

The Zhaxikang Pb-Zn-Sb polymetallic deposit is one of the most important deposits in the newly recognized southern Tibet antimony-gold metallogenic belt.Compared to the porphyry deposits in the Gangdese belt,much less researches have addressed these deposits,and the genesis of the Zhaxikang deposit is still controversial.Based on field investigation,petrographic,microthermometric,Laser Raman Microprobe（LRM） and SEM/EDS analyses of fluid,melt-fluid,melt and solid inclusions in quartz and beryl from pegmatite,this paper documents the characteristics and the evolution of primary magmatic fluid which was genetically related to greisenization,pegmatitization,and silification in the area.The results show that the primary magmatic fluids were derived from unmixing between melt and fluid and underwent a phase separation process soon after the exsolution.The primary magmatic fluids are of low salinity,high temperature,and can be approximated by the H₂O-NaCl-CO₂ system.The presence of Mn-Fe carbonate in melt-fluid inclusions and a Zn-bearing mineral（gahnite） trapped in beryl and in inclusions from pegmatite indicates high Mn,Fe,and Zn concentrations in the parent magma and magmatic fluids,and implies a genetic link between pegmatite and Pb-Zn-Sb mineralization.High B and F concentrations in the parent magma largely lower the solidus of the magma and lead to late fluid exsolution,thus the primary magmatic fluids related to pegmatite have much lower temperature than those in most porphyry systems.Boiling of the primary magmatic fluids leads to high-salinity and high-temperature fluids which have high capacity to transport Pb,Zn and Sb.The decrease in temperature and mixing with fluids from other sources may have caused the precipitation of Pb-Zn-Sn（Au） minerals in the distal fault systems surrounding the causative intrusion.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987113000091

The current lithospheric geodynamics and tectonophysics in the Baikal rift are discussed in terms of a nonlinear oscillator with dissipation.The nonlinear oscillator model is applicable to the area because stress change shows up as quasi-periodic inharmonic oscillations at rifting attractor structures （RAS）.The model is consistent with the space-time patterns of regional seismicity in which coupled large earthquakes,proximal in time but distant in space,may be a response to bifurcations in nonlinear resonance hysteresis in a system of three oscillators corresponding to the rifting attractors.The space-time distribution of coupled MLH ＞ 5.5 events has been stable for the period of instrumental seismicity,with the largest events occurring in pairs,one shortly after another,on two ends of the rift system and with couples of smaller events in the central part of the rift.The event couples appear as peaks of earthquake ‘migration＇ rate with an approximately decadal periodicity.Thus the energy accumulated at RAS is released in coupled large events by the mechanism of nonlinear oscillators with dissipation.The new knowledge,with special focus on space-time rifting attractors and bifurcations in a system of nonlinear resonance hysteresis,may be of theoretical and practical value for earthquake prediction issues.Extrapolation of the results into the nearest future indicates the probability of such a bifurcation in the region,i.e.,there is growing risk of a pending M ≈ 7 coupled event to happen within a few years.     

Geochemical features of heavy metals in core sediments of northwestern Taihu Lake, China

Sequential core sediments from northwestern Taihu Lake in China were analyzed for grain size, organic carbon and heavy metal content. The sediments are composed of organic-poor clayey-fine silts. The chemical speciations of Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were also analyzed using the BCR sequential extraction procedure. Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn are mainly associated with the residue fraction; Mn is concentrated mainly in exchangeable/carbonate fraction and residue fraction; and Pb mainly in Fe/Mn oxide fraction and organic/sulfide fraction. The exchangeable/carbonate fractions of Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn and Pb are lower. The fractions of Ni, Pb and Zn bound to the Fe/Mn oxide have significant correlations with reducible Mn; the organic/sulfide fractions of Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn have significant correlations with TOC. The extractable fractions of Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn are high at the top 4 cm of the core sediments as compared to those in the deeper layers, showing the anthropogenic input of heavy metals is due to rapid industrial development. The heavy metal pollution history of the sediments has been recorded since the late 1970s, determined by the result of ^137Cs dating.     

Some Problems Concerning Geologic Structure with Double Layers in Urban Underground Lifeline Engineering

Underground lifeline engineering(ULE for short)in modern city demands the ap-preciation of an active fault in buried bedrock.Generally speaking,a large numberof urban geological textures of a basement may all be simplified into a dual geologicaltexture model,i.e.,the upper part of the basement consists of loose covering layerand the lower part consists of bedrock.The study of an active fault should includethree parts of contents,i.e.,to determine the lower time limit of activity of thefault,and the time limit must be recognized by both of designing engineers and geolo-gists;on the basis of the studies of repetition periods of earthquake occurrence to deter-mine whether the fault moves or not during the allowed time of efficacy of buildingsand constructions;for the sake of engineering practice,the active rate of the faultmust be given.The fault with different active mechanism has different effects on theULE.The authors studied the effect of lateral non-uniform overburden site on theULE by means of the su     

δ13c-δ18O Covariance:An Effective Indicator of Hydrological Closure for Lakes?

The correlation between the Δ13c and 18O in primary carbonates is affected by several factors such as hydrological balance, total CO2 concentrations, climatic condition and lake productivity.The influence of these factors on the Δ13c-δ18 correlation may be different on different time scales. In this paper, two different-type lakes in southwestern China, Lake Erhal and Lake Chenghai, are selected to investigate the influence of climatic pattern on the Δ13c-Δ18o correlation and to evaluate the reliability of the Δ13c-Δ18o covariance as an indicator of hydrological closure. The results show that there exists good correlation between the Δ13c and Δ18o in Lake Erhai (overflowing open lake) and inLake Chenghal (closed lake). This suggests that the Δ13c-Δ18o covariance may be not an effective indicator of hydrological closure for lakes, especially on short time scales. On the one hand, a hydrologically open lake may display covariant Δ13c and δ18 as a result of climatic influence. The particular alternate warm-dry and cold-wet climatic pattern in southwestern China may be the principal cause of the Δ13c-δ18 covariance in Lake Erhai and Lake Chenghal. On the other hand, a hydrologically closed lake unnecessarily displays covariant trends between Δ13c and δ18 because of the buffering effect of high CO2 concentration on the Δ13c shift in hyper-alkaline lakes. We should be the buffering feeect of high CO2 concentration on the 13Cshift in hyper-alkaline lakes.We should be prudent when we use the covariance between 13C and 18O to judge the hydrological closure of lake.     

Trends in atmospheric Cd deposition recorded in a 64-meter long ice-core and a 5-m snow pit record from Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada

Along with the rapid development of science and technology, natural matter and energy are further exploited and used. The pollution imposed on nature has also sharply increased. Only do we know the pollution history, can we make a correct appraisal of local environment, get the hold of the main cause of environmental pollution, and then take the effective measures to control the environment？ The evolution of heavy metal concentrations with time in the soil environment in the southern suburbs of Beijing were studied by using annual growth rings of trees. The absorption of 12 elements by different tree species in the same soil type was studied according to their absorption coefficients. The study indicated the differences in adsorption of elements by different species of trees. The adsorption coefficients of the elements Zn, Cd and P are higher. The correlations of nine elements （Na, K, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cd, Ba and Pb） in growth rings of poplar trees and those in soils near their roots show that the element contents in growth rings have a positive correlation with the contents in soils near the roots. Based on the logarithmic linear correlation model, the evolution of the contents of the elements Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Ba and Pb in soils from 1982 to 2004 was deduced. The trees have the characters of confirming year precisely, long life and widespread distribution. They are the ideal objects of study on environmental pollution changes. At present, research in China in this aspect is less, and the field of research is expected to further expand. This method can be used to provide richer and more scientific information on the history of environmental pollution and changes during modem urbanization in the past few decades and predicting the evolutionary trend of pollution change.     

Dynamics Analysis of the Baiyun Sag in the Pearl River Mouth Basin,North of the South China Sea

The Baiyun sag is a deep one developing on the slope of the Pearl River Mouth Basin. It occurs as a composite graben horizontally, and is composed of two sub-sags versus one low uplift. Vertically, the sedimentary architecture could be divided into three layers, i.e. the faulted layer on the bottom, the faulted-ductile stretching layer in the middle and the draping layer on the top. The main rifting stage of the sag is supposed to be characterized by ductile extension and thinning of the crust. The special deformation pattern is probably attributed to the fact that the Baiyun sag is located in the transfer zone of the pre-existing weak zone, which made the sag a strongly deformed area, characterized by the greatly thinned lithosphere and active magmatism. The highly rising mantle under the Baiyun sag should be an important mechanism responsible for the ductile deformation, which caused partial melting of the upper mantle. Upweiling to the upper crust and the sedimentary layers, the partial melting materials accommodated extensional strain and caused non-faulted vertical subsidence. Magma was collected under the transfer zone after the first stage of rifting, and transferred laterally in a direction perpendicular to the extension to the ENE and WSW parts of the sag and upwelled along the NW-trending basal faults, where WNW-trending shear faults developed in swarms. The faulting activity and sedimentation history of the Baiyun sag may have been affected by the ocean ridge jump around 24 Ma and the cessation of sea floor spreading around 16 Ma.     

Heavy metal retention by soil mineral phases during a potential soil contamination by sewage sludge

The immobilization conditions of heavy metals （Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb） potentially released from sewage sludge to soils were examined. Competitive adsorption experiments, sequential extraction and analytical electron microscopic studies were performed on soils with different compositional characteristics to gain information about the interaction and association of metals with soil minerals. The results showed that Cu and Pb can be characterized by a preferred adsorption in contrast to Zn and Ni independent of initial metal concentrations, ratios, and soil composition. Precipitation is the dominating retardation process in the sample containing carbonates, but it is also characteristic of metals with inhibited adsorption in samples free of carbonate. Both Cu and Pb show high affinity towards organic matter. Differences in metal affinities towards different clay minerals show the immobilization of Cu rather by specific adsorption and that of Pb rather by ion exchange. According to the sequential extraction studies the role of ion exchange is the most important process for the retardation of Zn, and in the sample containing montmorillonite. The specific adsorption is significant mostly for Cu and Pb, and primarily in samples rich in organic matter and containing vermiculite. The co-precipitation of metals with Fe-Mn oxides is significant primarily for Cu, but in some cases Pb and Zn can be also found in this fraction. In general, the strength of immobilization for the studied metals is as follows： Cu〉Pb〉Zn〉Ni. Significantly higher metal adsorption was found by the phases in the sample containing carbonates, as well as in samples characterized by the close association of clay minerals and iron oxides. Smectite and vermiculite are the most important adsorbents in soils for all of the metals. Additionally, iron-oxides immboilize significant amounts of Cu and Zn, too.     

The Characteristics and Causes of Land Subsidence in Tanggu Based on the GPS Survey System and Numerical Simulation

Land subsidence is a severe hazard threatening Tanggu, a flat lowland area, and evidences of land subsidence can be seen throughout the city. A new reasonable GPS network was set up in this area from 2008 to 2010. The monitoring data show that land subsidence was serious and two main subsidence cones were obviously formed in the region. One emerged at Hujiayuan, with the maximum rate reaching 60 mm/a, and the influence region enlarged prominently from 2005 to 2010. The other one occurred at Kaifaqu, which became obvious only after 2005, and it showed a decreasing tendency with time. To analyze the causes of ground settlement, a correlation between groundwater withdrawal and land subsidence was firstly made. The results confirmed that over-exploitation of groundwater was the major cause for the severe settlement in Hujiayuan. Meanwhile, the subsidence of Kaifaqu was also related to groundwater withdrawal before 2005. However, the relationship became unconspicuous after 2005. To find the cause of this abnormity, a three-dimensional finite element numerical model, coupled with groundwater flow and subsidence, was built. The simulation results indicate that the subsidence induced by high-rise buildings is serious, but the affected range is limited and it also shows a decreasing trend with time, corresponding to the subsidence characteristics at Kaifaqu. Therefore, more attention should be paid to this hazard induced by engineering construction besides groundwater withdrawal, as more high-rise buildings are under construction in Tanggu.     

Filling Pattern of Volcanostratigraphy of Cenozoic Volcanic Rocks in the Changbaishan Area and Possible Future Eruptions

The Cenozoic volcanostratigraphy in the Changbaishan area had complex building processes. Twenty-two eruption periods have been determined from the Wangtian’e, Touxi, and Changbaishan volcanoes. The complex volcanostratigraphy of the Changbaishan area can be divided into four types of filling patterns from bottom to top. They are lava flows filling in valleys (LFFV), lava flows filling in platform (LFFP), lava flows formed the cone (LFFC), and pyroclastic Flow filling in crater or valleys (PFFC/V). LFFV has been divided into four layers and terminates as a lateral overlap. The topography of LFFV, which is controlled by the landform, is lens shaped with a wide flat top and narrow bottom. LFFP has been divided into three layers and terminates as a lateral downlap. The topography of LFFP is sheet and tabular shaped with a narrow top and wide bottom. It has large width to thickness ratio. It was built by multiple eruptive centers distributed along the fissure. The topography of LFFC, which is located above the LFFP, has a hummocky shape with a narrow sloping top and a wide flat bottom. It terminates as a later downlap or backstepping. It has large width to thickness ratio. It was built by a single eruptive center. The topography of PFFC/V, which located above the LFFC, LFFP, or valley, has the shape of fan and terminates as a lateral downlap or overlap. It has a small width to thickness ratio and was built by a single eruptive center. The filling pattern is controlled by temperature, SiO2 content, volatile content, magma volume, and the paleolandform. In the short term, the eruptive production of the Changbaishan area is comenditic ash or pumice of a Plinian type eruption. The eruptive volume in future should be smaller than that of the Baguamiao?period, and the filling pattern should be PFFC/V, which may cause huge damage to adjacent areas.     

THE RESULT OF A GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THF HONGSHAN INTRUSION, NORTH HONAN

The results so far obtained may be summarized as follows.The Hongshan intrusion is a dome-shaped and isolated body and deep-seated n origin.The iatrusion took place in the post-Carboniferous time The iron deposit was probably formed through metasomatie replacement of the Ordovieian limestone and therefore only extends downward for an insignifieunt depth.As a rogoureo for modern industry,it is absohtely valuess.The variation in the composition of the diorite is probably don not so much to magmatic differentiation but rather to the assimilation fo the overlying rocks.     

Impacts of acid mine drainage on a stream in subtropical China during a major flood event

Field and laboratory work was carded out to investigate the chemistry and ecotoxicity of stream water affected by acid mine drainage in a tributary catchment of the Pearl River in subtropical China during a major flood event that corresponded to a return period of 100 years occurred in the study area. The results indicate that stream water was affected by acid mine drainage from the Dabaoshan Mine at least to a distance of 25 km downstream of the mine water discharge point. It appears that sulfide-H^＋ from the waste rock dumps was readily available for discharging and the amount of H^＋ being transported outwards depended on the volume of out-flowing waters. However, there was a lag time for the discharge of the metals. This may be attributed to the slower release of metals, relative to H^＋, because it might take more time for the dissolution of heavy metal-bearing compounds. Fe, Zn and Al were the major metals of potential toxicity contained in the AMD-affected stream water, followed by Mn, Cu, Pb, As, Cd and Ni. Acute toxicity tests show that the AMD-affected stream water at 3.5 km downstream of the discharge point was highly toxic to the test organisms.     

Raman Spectroscopy of Nb,Ta-rich Cassiterite in Beauvoir and Montebras Granites,France

Cassiterites from both the Beauvoir and Montebras geanited of France are typically rich in trace elements such as Nb and Ta, and contain quite a number of inclusions of columbite (dominantly manganocolumbite).Two thin sections of cassiterite crystals have been prepared for Raman microprobe analysis).The spectra obtained from different parts of the cassiterites show that the vibra-tion frequency of the A1g peak decreases with increasing Nb ,Ta,Fe and Mn atomic contents.It is worthy to note that a new peak (named the “An peak”) has been reported for the first time in the part with oriented columbite inclusions.The vibration frequency varies from 827 to 830 cm^-1.The presence of th enew peak may be attributed to structural changes of cassiterite due to the excess of Nb and Ta in the lattice and the exsolution of columbite inclusions in cassiterite.     

Geochemistry of core sediments from the southeastern Bay of Bengal:Inferences on weathering and early diagenetic changes

A sediment core(ABP24/05),collected at a water depth of 3520 m from the southeastern Bay of Bengal was studied to determine the change in chemical weathering during the last glacial to deglacial periods and the factors of sedimentary environment which controlled earliest diagenetic changes in the sediment after its deposition.High ratios of K/Rb,Ti/Al and Zr/Rb during~45 to~18 cal kyr B.P.in the core sediments may be attributed to the stronger physical erosion and turbidity currents activity during this period.This might have brought a higher quantity of unaltered minerals to the study area.Low ratios of K/Rb,Zr/Rb,and Ti/Al and increase of SiO₂/TiO₂,Rb/Al and Cs/Al from~18 cal kyr B.P.to present may be indicating an increase in the rate of chemical weathering during this period.The time of increased chemical weathering in the study area is consistent with deglaciation warming in the tropical Indian Ocean and strengthening of river runoff into the Andaman Sea.Climate change during the interglacial period by increased solar insolation thereby strengthened the summer monsoon which might have led to intensified chemical weathering in the source region since~18 cal kyr B.P.The low organic carbon(OC),high Mn/Al,Fe/Al and the Mn-oxides minerals precipitation indicate prevailing of oxic conditions during~11 cal kyr B.P.in the core sediments,which is contradictory to suboxic conditions developed in the deep ocean sediments in the western Bay of Bengal and the equatorial Indian Ocean.The low terrigenous influx and export of less OC to the bottom sediments might have created a favorable condition for the formation of Mn-oxides in the study area during Holocene.     

Trace Element Geochemistry of Magnetite from the Fe(-Cu) Deposits in the Hami Region, Eastern Tianshan Orogenic Belt, NW China

Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry(LA–ICP–MS) was used to determine the trace element concentrations of magnetite from the Heifengshan, Shuangfengshan, and Shaquanzi Fe(–Cu) deposits in the Eastern Tianshan Orogenic Belt. The magnetite from these deposits typically contains detectable Mg, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn and Ga. The trace element contents in magnetite generally vary less than one order of magnitude. The subtle variations of trace element concentrations within a magnetite grain and between the magnetite grains in the same sample probably indicate local inhomogeneity of ore–forming fluids. The variations of Co in magnetite between samples are probably due to the mineral proportion of magnetite and pyrite. Factor analysis has discriminated three types of magnetite: Ni–Mn–V–Ti(Factor 1), Mg–Al–Zn(Factor 2), and Ga– Co(Factor 3) magnetite. Magnetite from the Heifengshan and Shuangfengshan Fe deposits has similar normalized trace element spider patterns and cannot be discriminated according to these factors. However, magnetite from the Shaquanzi Fe–Cu deposit has affinity to Factor 2 with lower Mg and Al but higher Zn concentrations, indicating that the ore–forming fluids responsible for the Fe–Cu deposit are different from those for Fe deposits. Chemical composition of magnetite indicates that magnetite from these Fe(–Cu) deposits was formed by hydrothermal processes rather than magmatic differentiation. The formation of these Fe(–Cu) deposits may be related to felsic magmatism.     

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.