The application of stepwise discriminant analysis to geochemical data from the host rocks of the Sullivan Pb-Zn-Ag deposit, Kimberley, B.C., Canada

The Sullivan Pb-Zn-Ag massive sulphide deposit in southeastern British Columbia occurs within middle Proterozoic argillite, siltstone and quartz wacke of the Purcell Group. Rock samples were collected from the hangingwall and footwall of the eastern section of the mine and from outcrop up to 50 km from the Sullivan deposit. The samples were analyzed for Cu, Pb, Zn, S, Mn, Ba, Fe, K, Ca, Na and specific conductance. A stepwise discriminant analysis applied to the analytical data determined the group of variables that differentiate between hangingwall, footwall and outcrop or “Background” samples. Hangingwall and footwall rock samples were most effectively discriminated from “background” rock samples on the basis of specific conductance with Cu, Pb, S, Na, and Ba selected as less efficient discriminators. The variables that discriminate hangingwall from footwall rock samples are Cu, Zn and S. The selection of the discriminating variables in each case can be explained in terms of the chemical changes that occur as a result of host rock alteration and sulphide deposition during the mineralizing event at the Sullivan deposit.Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to reduce a number of potential pathfinder variables to an optimum group of pathfinder variables. These optimum pathfinders represent the variables that most effectively differentiate the host rocks of the Sullivan deposit from rocks outside of the mineralized zone that apparently do not contain massive sulphide mineralization.