Three-Dimensional Audio-Magnetotelluric Imaging including Surface Topography of the Cimabanshuo Porphyry Copper Deposit, Tibet

Cimabanshuo deposit is a newly discovered porphyry copper (Cu) deposit with giant metallogenic potential, found in the western segment of the Gangdese metallogenic belt, Tibet. The average elevation of the deposit is greater than 5500 m and the terrain on which it is found is steep and complex. Therefore, it is untraversed, and the existing exploration works on it are weak. We used 59 AMT sites belonging to an array covering the main, proven mineralization zone and ore bodies of this deposit for an analysis of its underground electrical structure. Dimensionality and strike analysis revealed the apparent three-dimensional (3D) features near the Cu ore bodies. 3D inversion with topography was conducted for the AMT array data. A large range of high-resistivity anomaly (~500–2000 Ωm) appears beneath the proven Cu mineralization zone and ore bodies, which is interpreted as intrusive rocks with potassic alteration. Although containing chalcopyrite, it is characterized by middle–high resistivity due to a low sulfide content and poor connectivity. Moreover, a series of scattered conductors (~10–300 Ωm) around the Cu ore bodies are distributed in the shallow layer from near the surface to ~200 m, possibly indicating phyllic alteration containing pyritization and connected metal sulfides. The proven ore bodies of Cimabanshuo are mainly located at the junction regions between high-resistivity intrusive rocks and high-conductivity sericitization alteration zones. According to this research, the 3D inversion with topography of AMT data can visually display the 3D distribution of intrusive rocks and alteration zones beneath porphyry Cu deposits in high-elevation regions, and provides a reference for further exploration works.