Value of tectonic regions in the United States

Occurrence of mineral resources is directly or indirectly controlled by major tectonic processes. Additionally, similar mineral deposit types tend to be concentrated within geologically and tectonically similar areas. As a result, information on the production history of minerals in a well-explored and developed tectonic region—such as within the United States—can be used to estimate resources of geologically similar, underdeveloped tectonic areas elsewhere. For such application, two regions should be compared for geologic similarity using all available geologic information. Estimates of resources based on geologic analogy can be useful in large-scale mineral exploration programs where relatively little geologic information is available, such as in many developing countries. In this study, seven major tectonic regions within the United States are evaluated in terms of estimated mineral value as measured by historical mineral production and economic reserves. The seven regions assessed are: (1) Cordilleran Mountain Belt, (2) Colorado Plateau, (3) Central Stable Region, (4) Canadian Shield, (5) Ozark-Ouachtia Province, (6) Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain, and (7) Appalachian Mountain Belt. Regions are ranked in terms of estimated value of (1) 33 major mineral commodities, (2) nonfuel minerals, (3) hydrocarbons, and (4) individual mineral commodities. In terms of total value of historical mineral production and estimated economic reserve amounts of 33 major mineral commodities, the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain is most valuable, with an estimated value of 1980 US$1,970,000/km². Information on historical mineral production of U.S. tectonic regions may be useful in estimating resources in tectonically similar, underdeveloped regions elsewhere.     

Application of Dempster-Shafer theory in mineral resource potential mapping

The Dempster-Shafer theory has been successfully applied to mineral resource potential mapping in GIS environmental. In this applied form, basic probability assignment and combined basic probability assignment are applied to measuring map pattem and map pattem combination, respectively; and the environment composed of the only two singleton sets （deposit set and non-deposit set）, is used for expressing the entire map area. For a subarea in which the certain map pattern combination exists, the combined basic probability assignment corresponding to the map pattern combination existing in this subarea, expresses the belief of inferring the subarea belonging to the deposit set from the evidence that the corresponding map pattern combination existing in the subarea. Thus, it may be served as a statistical index measuring the relative mineral resource potentials of the subarea. And it may be determined like 1） dividing the map area into a series of small equal-sized grid cells and then select the training sample set composed of the well-known grid cells or the entire grid cells; 2） estimating the basic probability assignments corresponding to each map pattern fromthe training sample set; 3） determining the map pattern combination existing in each cell, and then appling the Dempster＇s Rule of Combination to integrating the all basic probability assignments corresponding to the map patterns existing in the cell into the combined basic probability assignment. Mineral resource potential mapping with the Dempster-Shafer theory is demonstrated on a case study to select mineral resource targets. The experimental results manifest that the model can be compared with the weights of evidence model in the effectiveness of mineral resource target selection.     

广西凤山金牙金矿床——我国独特的卡林型金矿床

广西凤山金牙金矿床是我国近年来在滇黔桂地区具有大型规模、并有潜在远景的卡林型金矿床。它与国内外同类型金矿床相对比,除某些共同特征外,在成矿地质条件、矿床矿物、主要载金矿物、矿床地球化学特征、矿床成因又成矿模式等方面均有其独特之处。上述内容的研究,对金牙矿区外围及滇黔桂毗邻区找寻卡林型金矿床,具有一定的理论和实践意义。     

Statistical mineral prediction without defining a training area

Statistical mineral prediction without defining a training area is one of the most important problems in mathematical geology. A mineralized favorability index (MFI) model is proposed. It is assumed that a certain geological environment related to the ore deposits or bodies considered can be described by a snythesis variable Y=_ix_i, where x_i (i=1 ... k) are k geological variables and _i are the weights, respectively. Y and _i are to be estimated. The study area is divided into equal-sized cells and assessed by comparing the Y values in the cells with each other.This paper is based on the main result of the author's master thesis, Wuhan College of Geology, Wuhan, China     

Magnetic properties of urban soil profile and their significance for traffic pollution-Case study of the capital airport expressway in Beijing

An expressway-side soil profile 22 cm long was sampled from the grassland of the expressway linking Beijing and the Capital International Airport. Magnetic measurements, geochemical and multivariate statistic analyses were performed on the soil samples. The results reveal that the soil profile can be divided into two parts with significant difference in magnetic proxies and heavy metal concentration. The uppermost soil horizon (0–8 cm) represents the pollution-rich layer with higher concentration of ferrimagnetic phases and metallic elements. The values of xare very high with an average of 141.60 × 10⁻⁸ m³·kg⁻¹ in the layer. We explain that the anthropogenic dust input from traffic is the predominant cause for strong signals of magnetic phases and heavy metals. Below the profile depth of 8 cm, there is minor pollution in the soil with lower concentration of magnetic minerals and heavy metals compared to the natural background values. χ remains quite stable and relatively low with an average of 49.44 × 10⁻⁸ m³·kg⁻¹. S-ratio also generally decreases with depth, and it changes from 0.93 in the 0–8 cm layer to 0.87 below the depth of 8 cm. It indicates that the soil samples are overwhelmingly predominated by ferrimagnetic minerals in the upper part soil, while the contribution of imperfect antiferromagnetic components is stronger in the lower part. Rock magnetic experiments show MD magnetite as the main magnetic carrier both in the upper and lower parts. Themagnetic grain size in the upper part is, however, a bit coarser than that in the lower part. Cluster analysis shows a positive correlation between magnetic properties (χ, ARM, SIRM) and heavy metal pollutants of Pb, Zn, Cu. Fuzzy C-means cluster analysis can clearly help divide the soil profile into two different layers and distinguish their characteristics. It can be concluded that these magnetic concentration-related parameters can be used as proxies for pollution investigation in a fast, sensitive, low-cost and highly efficient approach to screening heavy metal pollution. __________ Translated from Quaternary Sciences, 2007, 27(6): 1113-1120 [译自:第四纪研究]     

Interaction in the water-rock system as a new basis for the development of hydrogeology

This paper addresses the main mechanisms controlling the continuous and geologically long evolution of the water-rock system, which produced diverse hydrogenous mineral complexes. The concept of such complexes was introduced by the author. It was shown that the water-rock system is a steady-state and equilibrium-disequilibrium one. Its development occurs in a far from equilibrium region and results in the formation of fundamentally new mineral associations and geochemical types of water. Taking into account that water is the main factor controlling the evolutionary trend of this system, it is argued that this system must be among the most important targets of hydrogeology.     

鄂尔多斯盆地陇东地区延长组的物源分析

笔者从区域沉积背景入手,对鄂尔多斯盆地陇东地区长3油层组泥岩稀土元素、碳酸盐岩岩屑、轻重矿物、砂岩粒度等进行综合分析研究,认为研究区内存在混合物源,物源方向主要有北东向和西南向,并初步判断,北东物源的边界大致在南梁-华池地区,西南物源的边界大约在悦乐地区。     

基于数字地质调查系统的矿产远景调查数据库建设——内蒙古达来庙矿产远景调查项目数据库的建设和体会

2007年5月由中国地质调查局主管部门建议．选定内蒙古达来庙地区的矿产远景调查项目作为矿产远景调查数据库系统应用的试点项目,全面开展了矿调数据库的建设。根据矿调工作的特点．项目利用数字地质调查系统完成了①地质填图野外数据PRB库;②实际材料图数据库;③地质矿产图空间数据库;④地球化学数据库;⑤地球物理数据库;⑥遥感数据库;⑦综合成果数据库和⑧大比例尺综合图数据库的建设,从而实现了将矿调工作原始资料、成果资料集于数字地质调查系统同一平台下的全部数字化。     

南图尔盖盆地储层成岩作用及孔隙演化

储层储集性能普遍良好是南图尔盖盆地油气资源丰富的主要原因.通过对该盆地储层的岩石学特征、成岩作用及孔隙类型演化分析研究发现,砂岩的成岩作用及孔隙演化对储层的储集性能有着重要影响.在对大量薄片和岩心进行分析的基础上,运用扫描电镜和X衍射粘土分析等手段,对南图尔盖盆地砂岩储层研究结果表明,该区机械压实和压溶作用、杂基充填作用、胶结作用和交代作用使砂岩孔隙度降低,不稳定矿物的溶蚀作用导致储层次生孔隙发育.根据有机质的演化及粘土矿物的变化序列,成岩作用和孔隙演化随埋深具有明显的阶段性:早成岩阶段,孔隙类型以原生孔隙粒间孔为主;中成岩阶段,孔隙类型以原生、次生混合型为主;晚成岩阶段,孔隙类型以次生型为主.综合评价南图尔盖盆地储层发现,阿雷斯库姆组、阿克萨布拉克组和库姆科尔组为Ⅰ类储层,可作为今后油气勘探的主要目的层.