scholarly journals Tracking Cobalt, REE and Gold from a Porphyry-Type Deposit by LA-ICP-MS: A Geological Approach towards Metal-Selective Mining in Tailings

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Germán Velásquez ◽  
Daniel Carrizo ◽  
Stefano Salvi ◽  
Iván Vela ◽  
Marcial Pablo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Porphyry Copper ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
Copper Deposit ◽  
Mineral Deposit ◽  
Critical Metals ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Gold Silver ◽  
Selective Mining ◽  
Mineral Characterization

High-resolution mineral characterization performed on mine material from a giant porphyry copper deposit shows that critical and precious metals, such as cobalt, lanthanum, gold, silver, and tellurium, are concentrated in pyrite in the form of visible micro-inclusions, invisible mineral nano-inclusions, and trace metals in the mineral lattice. Visible and invisible inclusions consist of Ag-Au-Te sulfosalt and monazite-(La) particles. Trace metal concentrations grade up to 24,000 g/t for cobalt, up to 4000 g/t for lanthanum, and up to 4 g/t for gold. Pyrite, considered a waste material, is removed from the valuable copper ore material and sent to the tailings. Thus, tailings with high contents of pyrite can represent a prime target to explore for critical metals in the porphyry copper mining operations, transforming it into a new source of supply for critical metals. We propose that high-resolution mineral characterization is the key to evolve from a quasi-single-metal (copper) operation to a multi-metals business by developing metal-selective mining. To address this challenge, we coined the Metal-Zone concept to identify zones enriched in a specific metal within a mineral deposit, instead of zones enriched in an ore mineral.

Precious metals assemblages at the Mikheevskoe porphyry copper deposit (South Urals, Russia) as proxies of epithermal overprinting

2018 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
pp. 239-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Y. Plotinskaya ◽  
Oksana B. Azovskova ◽  
Sergei S. Abramov ◽  
Elena O. Groznova ◽  
Konstantin A. Novoselov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Porphyry Copper ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
Copper Deposit ◽  
Porphyry Copper Deposit ◽  
South Urals

Sparse 3D seismic and magnetic imaging at Escondida porphyry copper mine, Chile

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-121
Author(s):  
Heather Schijns ◽  
Gabriel Madero ◽  
Jorge Bugueño ◽  
Andres Salazar ◽  
Todd Grant
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Porphyry Copper ◽  
Magnetization Vector ◽  
Copper Deposit ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Porphyry Deposits ◽  
Magnetic Imaging ◽  
Airborne Survey

Seismic is often inferred to be synonymous with high cost. In a mineral environment, it is typically assumed to be viable only for mining operations or brownfield exploration. For greenfield exploration, other geophysical and geochemical/lithogeochemical methods are usually preferred, due in part to their affordability. We show results of a low-cost seismic survey over the Escondida porphyry copper deposit. The results show that low-cost 3D acquisition can improve structural understanding of established porphyry deposits and that there is potential for 3D seismic to be applied in brownfield and perhaps even greenfield exploration. The sparse 3D seismic reflection survey acquired at Escondida illuminates the structural setting and images stock genetically related to the Escondida intrusive complex at depth. The seismic results are compared to a magnetization vector inversion calculated from a regional airborne survey. This illustrates the potential for jointly utilizing the two methods to identify and prioritize anomalies for targeted drilling-based follow-up in exploration settings.

scholarly journals Mineralogical Setting of Precious Metals at the Assarel Porphyry Copper-Gold Deposit, Bulgaria, as Supporting Information for the Development of New Drill Core 3D XCT-XRF Scanning Technology

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 946
Author(s):  
Mihaela-Elena Cioacă ◽  
Marian Munteanu ◽  
Edward P. Lynch ◽  
Nikolaos Arvanitidis ◽  
Mikael Bergqvist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Porphyry Copper ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
Copper Deposit ◽  
Drill Core ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Physicochemical Changes ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Xrf Scanning ◽  
Copper Gold ◽  
Metallogenic Zone

A petrographic investigation of ore samples from the Assarel porphyry copper deposit in the Srednogorie metallogenic zone (Bulgaria) constrains the setting and character of precious metals (Au, Ag, PGE) and related minerals within the deposit. This work supports renewed interest in understanding the deportment of precious metals and provides mineralogical knowledge during the testing and validation of novel drill core 3D X-ray computed tomography–X-ray fluorescence (XCT-XRF) scanning technology being developed as part of the X-MINE project. Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) results indicate precious metals occur in their native state (Au, Ag), as sulfides (Ag), sulfosalts (Au), tellurides (Ag, Pd), and selenides (Ag), and typically form micron-sized inclusions in pyrite and chalcopyrite or are disseminated in the groundmass of the rock. Preservation of early Fe oxide–chalcopyrite ± bornite assemblage as relics in the more dominant pyrite-chalcopyrite mineralization assemblage supports mineral disequilibrium relationships and multi-stage mineralization events. Several rare minerals (e.g., merenskyite, acanthite, sorosite, tetra-auricupride, auricupride, greenokite, bismuthinite, nagyagite, native Ni) are reported for the first time at Assarel and highlight the mineralogical diversity of the ore. The occurrence of precious metals and related minerals at Assarel attest to a complex hydrothermal system that underwent progressive physicochemical changes during the evolution of the mineralizing system (e.g., redox conditions, fluid chemistry).

Porphyry copper deposit model: Chapter B in Mineral deposit models for resource assessment

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Ayuso ◽  
Mark D. Barton ◽  
Richard J. Blakely ◽  
Robert J. Bodnar ◽  
John H. Dilles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Porphyry Copper ◽  
Copper Deposit ◽  
Resource Assessment ◽  
Mineral Deposit ◽  
Porphyry Copper Deposit ◽  
Deposit Model

X-ray computed microtomography for the structural analysis of jewelry from the Museum “Royal Tombs of Sipán”

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (S1) ◽  
pp. S38-S42
Author(s):  
Soraia Rodrigues de Azeredo ◽  
Roberto Cesareo ◽  
Angel Guillermo Bustamante Dominguez ◽  
Ricardo Tadeu Lopes
Keyword(s):  
Structural Analysis ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Copper Alloys ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Flat Panel ◽  
X Ray ◽  
The North ◽  
Gold Silver ◽  
Computed Microtomography ◽  
X Ray Computed

Precious ornaments from the Museum Royal Tombs of Sipán were analyzed by X-ray computed microtomography (microCT). The ornaments analyzed were golden earrings produced by the Moche culture that flourished along the north coast of present-day Peru between approximately 100 and 600 AD. Sipán, also known as Huava Rajada, is a mochica archaeological complex in the north of Peru. In particular, the spectacular jewelry, mainly composed of gold, silver, and copper alloys, gilded copper, and tumbaga, from the Museum “Royal Tombs of Sipán,” in Lambayeque, north of Peru, are some of the most sophisticated metalworking ever produced of pre-Columbian America. A portable microCT system consisting of a high-resolution flat panel detector and a mini X-ray tube were used for the structural analysis of these ornaments. The microCT images show parts of the internal structure, highlighting the manufacturing technique and gold sheets joining techniques of the Moche artisans. Furthermore, the advantage of using the portable microCT system for nondestructive testing is clear when the sample cannot be taken to the laboratory.

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