Geophysics in Australian mineral exploration

Geophysics ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 50 (12) ◽  
pp. 2637-2665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Gold Deposit ◽  
Genetic Model ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Mine Planning ◽  
Sulfide Deposit ◽  
Geologic Mapping ◽  
Case Histories ◽  
Color Displays ◽  
Regional Area ◽  
Lead Zinc

I review a variety of recent case histories illustrating the application of geophysics in mineral exploration in Australia. Geophysics is now an integral part of most programs. Examples are given of contributions by geophysics to all stages of mineral exploration, from regional area selection through to mine planning and development. Specific case histories summarized are as follows: (a) Olympic Dam copper‐uranium‐gold deposit, discovered using a conceptual genetic model and regional geophysical data; (b) Ellendale diamondiferous kimberlites, illustrating the use of low level, detailed airborne magnetics; (c) Ranger uranium orebodies, discovered by detailed airborne radiometric surveys; (d) geologic mapping near Mary Kathleen with color displays of airborne radiometric data; (e) mapping of lignite in basement depressions of the Bremer Basin, near Esperance, with INPUT; (f) White Leads, a lead‐zinc sulfide deposit discovered with induced polarization (IP) and TEM, near Broken Hill; (g) Hellyer, a lead‐zinc‐silver‐gold deposit discovered with UTEM; (h) application of geophysical logging near Kanmantoo; (i) Cowla Peak, a subbituminous steaming coal deposit mapped with ground TEM; and (j) Cook Colliery, where high‐resolution seismic reflection methods have successfully increased the workable reserves.

The development of cross hole seismic techniques and case studies

1989 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Duncan ◽  
M. Downey ◽  
L. Leung ◽  
P. Harman
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Tomography ◽  
Iron Ore ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Coal Mines ◽  
Seismic Energy ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Mine Planning ◽  
Broken Hill ◽  
Underground Coal Mines ◽  
Lead Zinc

This paper outlines the development of a cross hole seismic tomography package by The Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd. (BHP), as a tool for mineral exploration and mine planning. The methodology of cross hole seismic tomography, field procedures, instrumentation, processing software, and field trials are described.Explosives are principally used as the source of seismic energy. A repetitive source, based on rapid hydrogen-oxygen combustion, has also been developed. Signals are detected by geophone-based detector strings, and recorded by a data acquisition system developed by BHP. Tomographic imaging is conducted by the Algebraic Reconstruction, Back Projection and Simultaneous Iterative Reconstruction techniques.Surveys have been conducted in a number of different geological environments, and include: lead-zinc, iron ore and manganese exploration leases and mines to locate mineralisation and overburden interfaces; underground coal mines to locate regions of mining induced stress; and open cut and underground coal mines to locate coal and overburden contacts. The results of these surveys are discussed.

scholarly journals Genesis of the Late Cretaceous Longquanzhan Gold Deposit in the Central Tan-Lu Fault Zone, Shandong Province, China: Constraints from Noble Gas and Sulfur Isotopes

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 250
Author(s):  
Chuanpeng Liu ◽  
Wenjie Shi ◽  
Junhao Wei ◽  
Huan Li ◽  
Aiping Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gold Deposit ◽  
Fault Zone ◽  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Genetic Model ◽  
Gold Mineralization ◽  
Sulfur Isotopes ◽  
Noble Gas ◽  
Gold Deposits ◽  
Shandong Province ◽  
Magma Sources

The Longquanzhan deposit is one of the largest gold deposits in the Yi-Shu fault zone (central section of the Tan-Lu fault zone) in Shandong Province, China. It is an altered-rock type gold deposit in which ore bodies mainly occur at the contact zone between the overlying Cretaceous rocks and the underlying Neoarchean gneissic monzogranite. Shi et al. reported that this deposit formed at 96 ± 2 Ma using pyrite Rb–Sr dating method and represents a new gold mineralization event in the Shandong Province in 2014. In this paper, we present new He–Ar–S isotopic compositions to further decipher the sources of fluids responsible for the Longquanzhan gold mineralization. The results show that the δ34S values of pyrites vary between 0.9‰ and 4.4‰ with an average of 2.3‰. Inclusion-trapped fluids in ore sulfides have 3He/4He and 40Ar/36Ar ratios of 0.14–0.78 Ra and 482–1811, respectively. These isotopic data indicate that the ore fluids are derived from a magmatic source, which is dominated by crustal components with minor mantle contribution. Air-saturated water may be also involved in the hydrothermal system during the magmatic fluids ascending or at the shallow deposit site. We suggest that the crust-mantle mixing signature of the Longquanzhan gold deposit is genetically related to the Late Cretaceous lithospheric thinning along the Tan-Lu fault zone, which triggers constantly uplifting of the asthenosphere surface and persistent ascending of the isotherm plane to form the gold mineralization-related crustal level magma sources. This genetic model can be applied, to some extent, to explain the ore genesis of other deposits near or within the Tan-Lu fault belt.

A Comprehensive Genetic Model for Carlin-type Gold Deposit in Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Border Area, China

2014 ◽  
Vol 88 (s2) ◽  
pp. 778-780
Author(s):  
Baocheng PANG ◽  
Yuanqiang LI ◽  
Feng YANG ◽  
Peirong LI ◽  
Jiawen LV ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gold Deposit ◽  
Genetic Model ◽  
Border Area

Mineral exploration with 3-D controlled-source electromagnetic method: a synthetic study of Sukhoi Log gold deposit

2019 ◽  
Vol 219 (3) ◽  
pp. 1698-1716 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Malovichko ◽  
A V Tarasov ◽  
N Yavich ◽  
M S Zhdanov
Keyword(s):  
Finite Difference ◽  
Gold Deposit ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Mineral Deposit ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Contraction Operator ◽  
Inversion Algorithm ◽  
Controlled Source ◽  
Regularized Inversion

SUMMARY This paper presents a feasibility study of using the controlled-source frequency-domain electromagnetic (CSEM) method in mineral exploration. The method has been widely applied for offshore hydrocarbon exploration; however, nowadays this method is rarely used on land. In order to conduct this study, we have developed a fully parallelized forward modelling finite-difference (FD) code based on the iterative solver with contraction-operator preconditioner. The regularized inversion algorithm uses the Gauss–Newton method to minimize the Tikhonov parametric functional with the Laplacian-type stabilizer. A 3-D parallel inversion code, based on the iterative finite-difference solver with the contraction-operator preconditioner, has been evaluated for the solution of the large-scale inverse problems. Using the computer simulation for a synthetic model of Sukhoi Log gold deposit, we have compared the CSEM method with the conventional direct current sounding and the CSEM survey with a single remote transmitter. Our results suggest that, a properly designed electromagnetic survey together with modern 3-D inversion could provide detailed information about the geoelectrical structure of the mineral deposit.

Geology, ore-forming fluid and genesis of the Qiucun gold deposit: Implication for mineral exploration at Dehua prospecting region, SE China

2018 ◽  
Vol 195 ◽  
pp. 3-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei Ni ◽  
Jun-Yi Pan ◽  
Bao Huang ◽  
Guo-Guang Wang ◽  
Hong-Liang Xiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gold Deposit ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Se China

Vorontsovka Carlin-style gold deposit in the North Urals: Mineralogy, fluid inclusion and isotope data for genetic model

2019 ◽  
Vol 508 ◽  
pp. 144-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.V. Vikentyev ◽  
E.E. Tyukova ◽  
O.V. Vikent'eva ◽  
A.V. Chugaev ◽  
E.O. Dubinina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Inclusion ◽  
Gold Deposit ◽  
Genetic Model ◽  
Isotope Data ◽  
The North
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