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.     

Origin of the Kupferschiefer polymetallic mineralization in Poland

The Kupferschiefer ore series, between the Lower Permian (Rotliegendes) terrestrial redbeds/volcanics and the Upper Permian (Zechstein) marine sequence, is developed as dark-grey organic matter-rich and metal sulphide-containing deposits (reduced zone) and as red-stained organic matter-depleted and iron oxide-bearing sediments (oxidized zone?=?Rote Fäule). The transition zone from oxidized to reduced rocks occurs both vertically and horizontally. This zone is characterized by sparsely disseminated remnant copper sulphides within hematite-bearing sediments, replacements of copper sulphides by iron oxides and covellite, and oxide pseudomorphs after framboidal pyrite. These textural features and copper sulphide replacements after pyrite in reduced sediments imply that the main oxide/sulphide mineralization postdated formation of an early-diagenetic pyrite. Hematite-dominated sediments locally contain enrichments of gold and PGE. The Kupferschiefer mineralization resulted from upward and laterally flowing fluids which oxidized originally pyritiferous organic matter-rich sediments to form hematitic Rote Fäule areas, and which emplaced base and noble metals into reduced sediments. It is argued that long-lived and large-scale lateral fluid flow caused the cross-cutting relationships, expansion of the hematitic alteration front, redistribution of noble metals at the outer parts of oxidized areas, and the location of copper orebodies directly above and around oxidized and gold-bearing areas. The Rote Fäule may be a guide to favourable areas for both the Cu-Ag and new Au-Pt-Pd Kupferschiefer-type deposits.     

Application of Principal Component Analysis and Spectral Angle Mapper in the Mapping of Hydrothermal Alteration in the Jebal–Barez Area,Southeastern Iran

The southeastern part of the central Iranian Cenozoic magmatic belt contains many areas with copper mineralization. In an analysis of this region, we used the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM⁺) images to map the distribution of hydrothermally altered rocks, based on their mineral assemblages. The spectral measurements, based on the field samples and satellite‐image‐derived spectra, show dominantly Al–OH (sericite and clays) and Fe–O absorption features in the visible–near infrared to shortwave infrared regions of the spectrum. Silica–bearing rocks, as well as silicic alteration, show an intense Si–O vibrational feature in the thermal infrared wavelength region. We analyzed ASTER/ETM⁺ images, performed a directed principal component analysis, and used spectral angle mapper to map areas of hydrothermal alteration and iron oxide/hydroxide minerals. The individual principal component images compiled by directed principal component analysis reveal the distribution of individual alteration minerals such as sericite, kaolinite, chlorite, epidote, and quartz. The best results, in terms of mapping the distribution of alteration, were obtained using the spectral angle mapper method. The altered areas were then sampled and the samples subjected to X–ray diffraction analysis, spectral analysis, and thin sections were observed under a microscope. Field observations reveal that more than 98% of the known copper mineralization occurs within the interpreted alteration areas. The present results indicate the great potential of ASTER and ETM⁺ data for mapping the distribution of alteration and exploring for copper mineralization in areas with a similar climate and geological setting to those of the present study.     

中非铜钴成矿带地质特征与找矿前景分析

[研究目的]横跨刚果(金)和赞比亚边境地区的中非铜钴成矿带是世界上著名的沉积岩层控型铜钴成矿带,是全球第三大铜产地和第一大钴产地,然而其成矿规律和成矿潜力仍不明朗.[研究方法]本文通过对中非铜钴成矿带地质背景、构造演化与成矿、矿床时空分布规律、矿床模型等方面的研究,选择地层、构造、地球化学、遥感蚀变等与成矿密切相关的地...     

德兴铜厂斑岩铜矿脉体类型、分布规律及其对成矿的指示意义

德兴铜矿是中国东部重要的大型斑岩铜矿,由朱砂红、铜厂和富家坞等3个矿床组成。在详细的野外脉体填图基础上,文章把德兴铜厂斑岩铜矿的成矿脉体划分为A脉、B脉、D脉和H脉等4种类型。研究发现,A脉的形成与钾化蚀变有关,脉体不规则且不连续,以粒状石英±钾长石±黑云母±磁铁矿±少量黄铁矿±少量黄铜矿的矿物组合为特征;B脉的形成与钾质硅酸盐水解有关,脉体较规则且连续,以石英±辉钼矿±黄铜矿±黄铁矿的矿物组合为特征,石英颗粒呈典型的梳状或长柱状对称于脉壁生长;D脉的形成与石英-绢云母化蚀变有关,以黄铁矿±石英±黄铜矿的矿物组合为特征,脉壁发育绢云母晕;H脉的形成与碳酸盐化有关,以方解石±赤铁矿±黄铁矿±黄铜矿的矿物组合为特征。这4种脉体分别记录了成矿流体演化至不同阶段,热液蚀变作用的特点及其与Cu-Mo硫化物沉淀的关系。脉体的宽度-间距定量统计分析表明,脉体宽度(T)服从于幂次分布定律;脉体间距(S)服从于负指数分布或介于对数正态分布与负指数分布之间。脉体宽度分维值D值(0.91~1.35)普遍>1,反映脉体系统的连通性较差,矿化程度较弱。脉体间距变差系数Cν值(0.49~0.92)均<1,说明脉体簇生聚集程度较低,矿化程度较弱;处于脉体聚集中心的脉体,代表着热液流体运移的通道,制约着其他脉体的展布。     

Association of pyrobitumen with copper mineralization from the Uchumi and Talcuna districts,central Chile

Pyrobitumen has been shown to be an essential component in formation of some Chilean manto-type (strata-bound) copper deposits and its presence has been observed in a number of other deposits but has received limited investigation. In this paper we present paragenetic and geochemical data from two central Chilean manto-type deposits from the Uchumi and Talcuna districts where solid pyrobitumen (residual petroleum) is intimately associated with copper sulfides.Pyrobitumen in the Uchumi deposit occurs in pore space within the host conglomerates and is adjacent to a granitoid stock; pyrobitumen predates bornite–chalcocite mineralization and may have reduced subsequent mineralizing fluids. Pyrobitumen from the Manto Delirio deposit, Talcuna District, fills the cores of early sphalerite veins and was partially replaced by later Cu–As mineralization; pyrobitumen is petrographically intergrown with Cu–Fe sulfides and light δ¹³C values of gangue calcite indicates the interaction of pyrobitumen with the mineralizing fluid.The presence of pyrobitumen within the ores of other manto-type copper deposits in the Lower Cretaceous basin of Chile suggests that degraded petroleum reservoirs, in particular if biodegradation generated authigenic pyrite, can be important controls for metallic mineralization derived from hydrothermal solutions of different sources.     

Hybrid outranking of geospatial data: Multi attributive ideal-real comparative analysis and combined compromise solution

Identifying mineralization areas with an acceptable level of reliability is a complex matter demanding the implementation of supervised methods for mapping mineralization exploration aims. In this study, further collecting all available exploratory information and data of the region of study, their good processing and analysis, and then integrating them with an appropriate method, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches were utilized to outranking porphyry Cu mineralization areas. This paper describes an acceptable procedure for obtaining evidential layers for recognizing porphyry Cu mineralization, assigning weight to the layers, and combining them. For this aim, first, a data-driven multi-class index overlay (DMIO) approach is applied as it is a proven method with proper results in mineral prospectivity mapping (MPM) to integrate evidential layers (criteria and sub-criteria emanated from geoscience data including geological, geochemical, remote sensing, and geophysical datasets). After that, two recent MCDM models, combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) and multi attributive ideal-real comparative analysis (MAIRCA), were used to prioritize the porphyry Cu potential areas producing MPM. Concentration-area (C–A) fractal method and prediction-area (P–A) plots by considering the areas of occurrence of the known mineralization and normalized density (N_d) as traditional methods were applied for weighting and integration evidential layers and evaluation of the final maps in a data-driven manner. Consequently, verifying the verisimilitude of the MAIRCA prospectivity map (N_d = 3.17) is similar to the DMIO map in delimiting the priority areas. The results of the CoCoSo model (N_d = 2.7) show this methodology was also successfully applied in mapping the porphyry Cu mineralization areas in the study.     

The application of biogeochemistry for gold exploration in the Masjed–Daghi, Julfa, NW Iran

The aims of present study are investigation of endemic plants at Masjed–Daghi area introducing hyperaccumulator and indicator plants for Au, Ag, As, Cu, Mo, Hg, Re, Sb, and Te mineralization and also describe the biogeochemical response pattern over a known Au–Cu mineralized site. The Masjed–Daghi prospecting area is covered by Eocene flysch, andesite, trachyandesite, dacite, rhyodacite, Oligocene agglomerate, and Quaternary deposits. Previous researches reported copper porphyry mineralization and related epithermal gold veins in this area. This study presents that plants with high metal intake enabled us to obtain invaluable information about natural concentrations of chemical elements in the substrate and to recognize new potential areas for mineral prospecting. Stachys inflata has biological absorption coefficient mean exceeding or near hyperaccumulating criterion >1 for most of the elements investigated then could be as a hyperaccumulator. The indicator values belong to S. inflata, Artemisia sp., Salvia sp., Astragalus sp., Peganum harmala, Moltkia coerulea, and Cousinia sp.     

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.     

Prospectivity mapping for “Zhuxi-type” copper-tungsten polymetallic deposits in the Jingdezhen region of Jiangxi Province,South China

The Zhuxi deposit is the largest copper-tungsten polymetallic deposit in the world and is in Jiangxi Province in South China. The ore body is characterized by hydrothermal-vein deposits of copper, lead, and zinc minerals at shallow levels, skarn deposits of tungsten and copper minerals at middle levels, and altered-granite-hosted copper and tungsten minerals at depth. Such metallogenic systems are typically intrusion-related. The intrusive granites related to the Zhuxi polymetallic deposit have been dated at 152.9 Ma to 146.9 Ma. The intrusions provided the thermal energy and the source material for the ore mineralization. Skarns mineralization, the main type of ore mineralization, developed in the contact zone of Carboniferous-Permian formations with the granites. Nappe structures changed the dip of the ore bodies from steep in the top part to gentle in the bottom. NE-trending faults provided the fluid pathways and controlled the geological framework and distribution of ore deposits on a regional scale. In this study, recognition exploration criteria were analyzed based on a mineral deposit model and the geological setting. Extraction of favorable geological information and GIS-based data-integration methods were used for mineral-prospectivity mapping of Zhuxi-type polymetallic deposits. Buffering analysis was employed to extract structural information (e.g. faults) and lithologic or stratigraphic information (e.g. granites or geologic units). The singularity method and spatially weighted principal component analysis were used to enhance and delineate geochemical anomalies. The derivative norm was utilized to extract magnetic-gradient anomalies associated with intrusive granites. Student t-test of weights-of-evidence (WofE) proved to be an effective way to optimize threshold values for binarization of variables as evidence layers by evaluating the spatial correlation between known deposits and geological variables. The posterior probabilities of WofE gave a relative estimation of mineralization potential. Areas delineated by high posterior probability had much higher potentiality for the discovery of new deposits where had none had been found yet.     

基于红外光谱技术研究内蒙古乌奴格吐山斑岩铜钼矿蚀变和矿化特征

近年来,红外光谱技术在矿物学研究、地质勘探与找矿等方面发挥了重要作用。本文通过测量与分析内蒙古乌奴格吐山斑岩铜钼矿Z661钻孔岩心短波红外和热红外波段的光谱,快速厘定了该矿床的蚀变矿物类型及组合特征。结果表明:乌奴格吐山斑岩铜钼矿床蚀变矿物主要有石英、钾长石、绢云母、伊利石、高岭石和蒙脱石等。蚀变矿物组合在空间上呈现出明显的分带性,其中石英+伊利石+绢云母+钾长石与矿化关系最为密切,可作为找矿的标型矿物组合;结合钻孔Cu、Mo矿化分布特征,发现绢(白云母)2200nm处吸收峰位置的波长偏移与成矿中心距离有关,波长变小,更趋向于成矿中心;且伊利石结晶度(IC)越大,结晶度较高,矿化程度强。因而,该技术方法通过蚀变矿物波谱,能够快速圈定斑岩铜钼矿蚀变矿物组合,进而提高勘查效率。     

西南天山中新生代盆地成矿流体运移规律

乌拉根铅锌矿床和萨热克铜矿床是西南天山中新生代盆地最有代表性的两个层控砂砾岩型矿床,乌拉根铅锌矿床产于下白垩统克孜勒苏群第五岩性段(K1 kz5)的粗砂质细砾岩中,后期经历了弱的构造改造作用;萨热克铜矿床产于上侏罗统库孜贡苏组上段(J3 k2)杂砾岩中,其北矿段后期经历了强烈的构造改造作用,南矿段可见岩浆热液蚀变作用后...     

The geology and geochemistry of the Lumwana Cu (± Co ± U) deposits, NW Zambia

The Lumwana Cu (± Co ± U) deposits of NW Zambia are large, tabular, disseminated ore bodies, hosted within the Mwombezhi Dome of the Lufilian Arc. The host rocks to the Lumwana deposits are two mineralogically similar but texturally distinct gneisses, a granitic to pegmatitic gneiss and a banded to augen gneiss which both comprise quartz–feldspar ± biotite ± muscovite ± haematite ± amphibole and intervening quartz–feldspar ± biotite schist. The sulphide ore horizons are typically developed within a biotite–muscovite–quartz–kyanite schist, although mineralization locally occurs within internal gneiss units. Contacts between the ore and host rocks are transitional and characterized by a loss of feldspar. Kinematic indicators, such as S-C fabrics and pressure shadows on porphyroblasts, suggest a top to the north shear sense. The sulphides are deformed by a strong shear fabric, enclosed within kyanite or concentrated into low strain zones and pressure shadows around kyanite porphyroblasts. This suggests that the copper mineralization was introduced either syn- or pre-peak metamorphism. In addition to Cu and Co, the ores are also characterized by enrichments in U, V, Ni, Ba and S and small, discrete zones of uranium mineralization, occur adjacent to the hanging wall and footwall of the copper ore bodies or in the immediate footwall to the copper mineralization. Unlike typical Copperbelt mineralization, unmineralized units show very low background copper values. Whole rock geochemical analyses of the interlayered schist and ore schist, compared to the gneiss, show depletions in Ca, Na and Sr and enrichments in Mg and K, consistent with replacement of feldspar by biotite. The mineral chemistry of muscovite, biotite and chlorite reflect changes in the bulk rock chemistry and show consistent increases in X _Mg as the schists develop. δ³⁴S for copper sulphides range from +2.3?‰ to +18.5?‰, with pyrite typically restricted to values between +3.9?‰ and +6.2?‰. These values are atypical of sulphides precipitated by bacteriogenic sulphate reduction. δ³⁴S data for Chimiwungo (Cu + Co) show a broader range and increased δ³⁴S values compared to the Malundwe (Cu) mineralization. The Lumwana deposits show many characteristics which distinguish them from classical Copperbelt mineralization and which suggests that they are formed by metasomatic alteration, mineralization and shearing of pre-Katangan basement. Although this style of mineralization is reported elsewhere in the Copperbelt, sometimes associated with the more widely reported stratiform ores of the Lower Roan, none of the previously reported occurrences have so far developed the tonnages of ore reported at Lumwana.     

Evolution of magmatic-hydrothermal system of the Kalaxiange’er porphyry copper belt and implications for ore formation (Xinjiang,China)

The Kalaxiange’er porphyry copper ore belt is situated in the eastern part of the southern Altai of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and forms part of a broad zone of Cu porphyry mineralization in southern Mongolia, which includes the Oyu Tolgoi ore district and other copper–gold deposits. The copper ore bodies are spatially associated with porphyry intrusions of granodiorite, quartz diorite, quartz syenite, and quartz monzonite and have a polygenetic (polychromous) origin (magmatic porphyry, hydrothermal, and supergene). The mineralized porphyries are characterized by almost identical REE and trace element patterns. The Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta ratios are similar to those of normal granite produced through the evolution of mantle magma. The low initial Sr isotope ratio I_Sr, varying within a narrow range of values (0.703790–0.704218), corresponds to that of primitive mantle, whereas the εNd(T) value of porphyry varies from 5.8 to 8.4 and is similar to that of MORB. These data testify to the upper-mantle genesis of the parental magmas of ore-bearing porphyry, which were then contaminated with crustal material in an island-arc environment. The isotopic composition of sulfur (unimodal distribution of δ34S with peak values of − 2 to − 4‰) evidences its deep magmatic origin; the few lower negative δ³⁴S values suggest that part of S was extracted from volcanic deposits later. The isotopic characteristics of Pb testify to its mixed crust–upper-mantle origin. According to SHRIMP U–Pb geochronological data for zircon from granite porphyry and granodiorite porphyry, mineralization at the Xiletekehalasu porphyry Cu deposit formed in two stages: (1) Hercynian “porphyry” stage (375.2 ± 8.7 Ma), expressed as the formation of porphyry with disseminated and vein–disseminated mineralization, and (2) Indosinian stage (217.9 ± 4.2 Ma), expressed as superposed hydrothermal mineralization. The Re–Os isotope data on molybdenite (376.9 ± 2.2 Ma) are the most consistent with the age of primary mineralization at the Xiletekehalasu porphyry Cu deposit, whereas the Ar–Ar isotopic age (230 ± 5 Ma) of K-feldspar–quartz vein corresponds to the stage of hydrothermal mineralization. The results show that mineralization at the Xiletekehalasu porphyry Cu deposit was a multistage process which resulted in the superposition of the Indosinian hydrothermal mineralization on the Hercynian porphyry Cu mineralization.     

The use of sagebrush (Artemisia) as a biogeochemical indicator of base-metal deposits in Precambrian rocks of west-central Colorado

The efficacy of sagebrush (Artemisia) as a biogeochemical indicator of base-metal mineralization in stratabound Precambrian ore deposits in west-central Colorado was investigated by collecting new (mostly flowering) growth from several sagebrush shrubs over and near five such deposits in three different areas. These are the Sedalia mine and two mines in the Turret district near Salida, and two mines in the Cochetopa district southeast of Gunnison. Two species were used, A. tridentata and A. frigida, depending on the area. Sagebrush clippings were separated into two subsamples consisting of (1) stems, and (2) leaves and blossoms stripped from the stems. These subsamples were ashed separately and the ash analyzed with an emission spectrograph for 30 elements. There appear to be no appreciable differences in the analyses of the two subsamples, indicating that composite samples would provide adequate information for further investigations. Eight of these elements, Ag, Bi, Cu, Pb, Sn, Y, Zn, and Zr, are present in notably higher concentrations in the ash of samples growing over mineralized ground than in that of control samples growing over barren ground. Although the distribution pattern, and the number of these anomalous elements, differs at each of the five localities, three of them, silver, copper, and lead, show good contrast and close association with subjacent mineralization in all five study areas.     

基于红外光谱技术研究云南普朗斑岩铜矿的蚀变和矿化特征

近年来红外光谱技术作为一种绿色、快速、无损、精确探测矿物的技术手段而倍受关注,针对斑岩型矿床蚀变矿物高度叠加、蚀变分带界线不明显、细粒蚀变矿物多、黏土蚀变矿物多等特征,该技术在蚀变矿物识别和勘探信息解读等方面优势突出。本文应用红外光谱技术对云南普朗斑岩铜矿区钻孔ZK1801岩心进行矿物识别和蚀变分带划分的研究,识别出钾硅酸盐化带、绿帘石-绿泥石化带、绿泥石-伊利石化带、石英-伊利石化带和泥化带。研究表明:普朗铜矿整个钻孔的蚀变矿物主要有石英、钾长石、绢云母、绿泥石、绿帘石、高岭石、蒙脱石、伊利石等;根据矿化特征,发现铜矿体广泛赋存在钾硅酸盐化带和绿帘石-绿泥石化带中,与矿化关系密切的蚀变矿物"石英+钾长石+绢云母"和"绿帘石+绿泥石",可以作为普朗矿床勘查的标型蚀变矿物组合;研究区广泛发育的绢云母Al—OH波长随钻孔深度增加而逐渐从2210～2205nm减小到2202～2198nm, Al—OH波长2210～2205nm(长波绢云母)与矿化关系密切,可以作为普朗矿床勘查的指示信息。     

Biogeochemical exploration for gold at a site in the Cordillera Cantabrica,Spain

Dried leaves of Festuca ovina L. (Gramineae) and Chamaespartium tridentatum (L.) P. Gibbs. sub. sp. cantabricum (Spach.) Riv.-Mart., Izco & Costa (Leguminosae) were systematically collected over areas of gold mineralization in the southern part of the Cordillera Cantabrica and analyzed for gold, arsenic and antimony by neutron activation analysis during biogeochemical exploration for gold. Although both plants indicated similar areas of gold mineralization, anomalies with F. ovina were more pronounced than those with C. tridentatum. Plant gold concentrations were shown to correlate with soil gold concentrations for the one transect examined. Cumulative frequency data were used to estimate the geochemically anomalous areas. It was concluded that biogeochemical exploration for gold was feasible within this geochemical province.     

秘鲁胡斯塔铜矿原生晕地球化学特征及找矿效果

在秘鲁胡斯塔矿区进行1:2 000地质填图和1:1万原生晕地球化学测量,把本区划分成东西2个矿化区,8个矿脉带,并圈出26个铜异常。所有已知矿体均有铜异常显示,通过铜异常又新发现了21条铜矿脉。预测由7、8和13号铜异常组成的环状异常下部可能是热液活动或矿化中心,其后的普查勘探证实了这一推断,并发现了一个资源量大于260万 t铜金属的大矿床。     

Geochemical alteration associated with the Selbaie copper-zinc-silver deposit

The object of this study is to establish the nature of geochemical alteration in the wall rocks of the Selbaie Cu-Zn-Ag deposit, and to ascertain whether bedrock geochemistry could be applied in exploration for deposits of this type. The Selbaie Cu-Zn-Ag deposit, in northwestern Quebec, is atypical of base-metal deposits in the Canadian Shield, as mineralization occurs in epigenetic veins and as disseminations in volcanic wall rocks, rather than as syngenetic massive sulfide bodies which have been the focus of extensive comparable studies in the past. The deposit comprises three mineralized zones in felsic tuffs and quartz porphyry. Two of these, the A1 and A2 zones, which are the focus of the present study consist of quartz-carbonate veins containing chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and pyrite, and accessory sulfide minerals. The B zone is not considered in this study. Samples of drill core were collected from sections crossing the A1 and A2 zones and analyzed for total Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Ti, Mn, P, and S by X-ray fluorescence, and for aqua-regia-extractable Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Fe, and Mn by atomic absorption. Although the distribution of individual element concentrations is clearly related to bedrock type, rocks proximal to mineralization have higher SiO₂, Fe₂O₃, Cu, Zn, Fe, and S contents, and lower Al₂O₃ and K₂O contents, than rocks more distal from mineralization. MgO content shows an irregular distribution and may also increase toward mineralization. CaO and Na₂O contents are very low in all pyroclastic rocks.In order to take into account the effect of bedrock type, linear regression analysis was performed on the data to estimate the normal concentration of individual elements using SiO₂ contents as the predicted variable. Spatial distributions of residual values of element concentrations indicate that rocks close to mineralization have higher residual Fe₂O₃, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Fe contents, and lower residual Al₂O₃ and K₂O contents, compared to rocks more remote from mineralization. These distribution patterns are clearer than in the case of the single-element data but variations between element responses still exist in some instances. In an attempt to overcome the variation in patterns revealed by some element distributions, discriminant analysis was undertaken to see whether mineralized areas could be distinguished on the basis of an element association. Discriminant functions were calculated for data from areas adjacent to mineralization, and from areas remote from mineralization. Areal distribution of discriminant scores outlined an anomalous area extending up to 200 m beyond the mineralization. Petrographic studies of selected samples correlated high SiO₂ and low Al₂O₃ content with silicification in the most altered rocks adjacent to mineralization. High Fe₂O₃, MgO, and extractable Fe concentrations were found to occur in chlorite- and carbonate-rich zones. Samples rich in S, Cu, Zn, and b, and to a lesser extent Fe, were characterized by the presence of sulfides. High concentrations of Al₂O₃ and K₂O relative to that of SiO₂ are typical of sericitization. On this basis, the results demonstrate that anomalously high or low concentrations of element associations, revealed by discriminant analysis, occur in large coherent zones exceeding the size of the deposit. The procedure is potentially useful as an exploration guide for epigenetic disseminated and vein-type base-metal styles of mineralization as well as the syngenetic massive sulfide type of deposits that have been extensively studied in the past.     

滇西南翁孔坝铜多金属矿床火山岩系地质特征及其与铜的成矿关系

翁孔坝铜多金属矿床是近年来在澜沧江构造带南段的云县-景洪火山弧上新发现的铜多金属矿床，与中三叠世陆相火山岩系密切相关，且具有较大的找矿潜力。文章在野外详细调查的基础上，结合赋矿火山岩岩石学特征，对矿区内火山岩系进行了系统研究，将其细分为5个喷发旋回，9个岩性段(T₂s^3-1～T₂s^3-9)，认为该矿床具有火山沉积-成岩成矿期和改造成矿期两期成矿作用，为陆相火山沉积-改造型铜多金属矿床。其中，火山岩成矿作用为成矿提供了物质来源，具有明显的岩性/岩相组合控矿特征，笔者综合认为该套火山岩系是矿床主要的控矿因素之一，进而初步建立了其与铜成矿的“时-空-成因”关系图。