| Abstract: | A microcomputer system can be a powerful interpretive tool in the hands of the explorationist, particularly for his geochemical surveys. Data entry and plotting of site parameters and/or trace-element values on 18 cm × 26 cm maps, on site, can be carried out at reasonable cost with available technology. Plotting characteristics of some microcomputer systems are the equal to those of mainframes.All geochemical data, even for surveys of 38 elements with up to four sample media, can be displayed by a large plotter as ten single-element plots (18 cm × 26 cm) on each of four mapsheets. Plotting 2000 points for ten elements requires five hours and can be scheduled for overnight operation. Elements showing meaningful variations can be replotted subsequently at large scales using character and/or symbol formats. Examples of geochemical plots are given for soil- and stream-sediment surveys and for drill-core lithogeochemical studies.The microcomputer can calculate statistics; however, large numbers of such calculations are slow. Transfer of data to a mainframe computer allows access to fast, sophisticated statistical software. The mainframe can also provide high-quality laser-printed paper copy and can be used for fail-safe archiving. |
