Geological structure revelation based on geochemical anomalies: A case study in Huiyuan Temple area of Sichuan Province

In order to probe the characters of tectonic structures in the study area, the authors conducted the 1:50 000 regional geochemical profile scan and took Huiyuan Temple area in Daofu County of Sichuan Province as a case study. The anomaly distribution and background value characters of the typical elements were compared with the known inferred faults, hidden rocks and geological boundaries. The results show that element (or anomaly) distribution characters correspond to the characters of fault activities, rocks and strata, which have been largely affected by the known geological structure (Xianshuihe Fault Zone). The formation and change of geochemical anomaly is closely related to those tectonic structures during the metallogenic period. Therefore, these data could be used to invert and infer the tectonic activity charaters. Based on the known faults and combined with the geochemical data and geological observation, the authors preliminarily inferred the spatial distribution of geological bodies and the locations of tectonic boundaries, and identified six inferred faults. This research aims to infer about those unknown regions and concealed geological structures, which provides some reference for future geological prospecting.