scholarly journals Application and Significance of Geological, Geochemical, and Geophysical Methods in the Nanpo Gold Field in Laos

Minerals ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Jie Gan ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Zhengwei He ◽  
Yu Gan ◽  
Junqing Mu ◽  
...  

As the main part of the Indosinian metallogenic province in the eastern part of the Tethys metallogenic domain, Southeast Asia has experienced multiple stages of tectonic magnetic activities accompanied by the formation of rich mineral resources. However, due to the undeveloped economy, low degree of geological work, dense vegetation cover, and lack of obvious prospecting marks, traditional geological prospecting work in the area is not optimal. Consequently, the combination of high-precision geophysics and geochemistry has become an important method of looking for ore bodies deep underground in this area. The Nanpo gold deposit is a hydrothermal gold deposit that occurs in the Indosinian felsic volcanic rock body, and its mineralization is closely related to felsic magmatism. This study carried out comprehensive geophysical and geochemical exploration methods of soil geochemical survey, induced polarization (IP) survey, and audio-frequency magnetotelluric (AMT) survey. Based on the characteristics of geophysical and geochemical anomalies, geological inference, and interpretation, the integrated geophysical and geochemical prospecting criteria of the ore area have been determined: The large-scale and overlapping Au-Ag-Cu anomaly area in the host felsic magmatic rocks (mainly diorite, monzodiorite and granodiorite) is a favorable metallogenic area. Two anomalies, P1–H1 and P3–H6, with the best metallogenetic conditions and the deepest extensions of the known ore bodies, were further selected as engineering verification targets. After the study of the drill core, gold (mineralized) bodies consistent with the anomalies were found, indicating that the combined method is suitable for the exploration of mineral resources in this area, and the prospecting effect is good. At the same time, the metallogenic prediction shows that the deep part of the mining area still has great metallogenic prospects and prospecting potential. The characteristics of geophysical and geochemical anomalies and prospecting experience in the study area can provide references for the prospecting of hydrothermal gold deposits in the Luang Prabang–Loei structural belt.

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1393
Author(s):  
Mingchun Song ◽  
Guoqiang Xue ◽  
Hongbo Liu ◽  
Yixin Li ◽  
Chunyan He ◽  
...  

The North China Craton is one of China’s major gold-producing areas. Breakthroughs have been continually made in deep prospecting at depths of 500–2000 m in the Jiaodong Peninsula, and geophysical methods have played an important role. Given that the geophysical signals of deep-seated gold deposits are difficult to detect, due to their thick overburden layers, conventional geophysical methods are not suitable for deep prospecting. Therefore, this study upgrades the geological-geophysical prospecting model, which is based on the deep metallogenic model and geophysical method of large exploration depths. Based on the analysis of the metallogenic geological factors of the altered-rock-type gold deposits in the fracture zones of the Jiaodong Peninsula, this study proposes that the gold deposits are controlled by large-scale faults, generally occur near the contact interfaces between the Early Precambrian metamorphic rock series and Mesozoic granitoids, and exhibit a stepped metallogenic model. This model then becomes the prerequisite and basic condition for deep prospecting by geophysical methods. For this reason, the traditional geophysical model, which focuses on the exploration of shallow mineralization anomalies, is transformed into a comprehensive multi-parameter geological-geophysical qualitative prospecting model highlighting the exploration of ore-controlling structural planes. The model adopts various frequency domain methods (e.g., CSAMT, AMT, WFEM), reflection seismology, and other methods to detect the deep geological structure. The characteristics of parameters such as gravity and magnetism, resistivity, polarizability, and the seismic reflection spectrum are applied to identify the ore-controlling fault location and dip angle change, and to estimate the ore-bearing location according to the stepped metallogenic model. The prospecting demonstration of deep-seated gold deposits in the Shuiwangzhuang mining area indicates the effectiveness of the comprehensive model. The comprehensive deep prospecting model effectively solves the problem of deep prospecting of gold deposits controlled by faults, promotes the great breakthrough of deep prospecting in the Jiaodong Peninsula, and provides an important technology demonstration for deep prospecting throughout China.


Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Si-Rui Wang ◽  
Li-Qiang Yang ◽  
Jian-Gang Wang ◽  
En-Jing Wang ◽  
Yong-Lin Xu

The Jiaodong Peninsula in eastern China is the third largest gold-mining area and one of the most important orogenic gold provinces in the world. Ore shoots plunging in specific orientations are a ubiquitous feature of the Jiaodong lode deposits. The Sizhuang gold deposit, located in northwestern Jiaodong, is characterized by orebodies of different occurrences. The orientation of ore shoots has remained unresolved for a long time. In this paper, geostatistical tools were used to determine the plunge and structural control of ore shoots in the Sizhuang deposit. The ellipses determined by variogram modeling reveal the anisotropy of mineralization, plus the shape, size, and orientation of individual ore shoots. The long axes of the anisotropy ellipses trend NE or SEE and plunge 48° NE down the dip. However, individual ore shoots plunge almost perpendicular to the plunge of the ore deposit as a whole. This geometry is interpreted to have resulted from two periods of fluid flow parallel to two sets of striations that we identified on ore-controlling faults. Thrust-related lineations with a sinistral strike-slip component were associated with early-stage mineralization. This was overprinted by dextral and normal movement of the ore-controlling fault that controlled the late-stage mineralization. This kinematic switch caused a change in the upflow direction of ore-forming fluid, which in turn controlled the orientation of the large-scale orebodies and the subvertical plunge of individual ore shoots. Thus, a regional transition from NW-to-SE-trending compression to NW-to-SE-trending extension is interpreted as the geodynamic background of the ore-forming process. This research exemplifies an effective exploration strategy for studying the structural control of the geometry, orientation, and grade distribution of orebodies via the integration of geostatistical tools and structural analysis.


2014 ◽  
Vol 522-524 ◽  
pp. 1299-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Xiao ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Yu Hua Fan

Luziyuan lead zinc iron metal mining area is located in the south of Baoshan-Zhenkang lead, zinc, mercury, rare metal mineralization belt of the southwest Sanjiang metallogenic belt.According to the mine tunnel drilling and logging data, that the ore bodies are controlled by strata and faults, symbiosis and Dali rock, limestone, near ore wall rock skarnization strongly, the research shows that the deposit belongs to sedimentary transformation - skarn Pb Zn Fe polymetallic deposit. [ Mining area within the range of 1:50000, 1:50000 gravity measurements of soil geochemical survey, combined with the large scale mapping of data discovery lead zinc iron copper resources are expected to find in the eastern Luziyuan area Mangxi - Head Mountain Luojiazhai resource replacement area.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 3562
Author(s):  
Peter G. Martin ◽  
Dean T. Connor ◽  
Natalia Estrada ◽  
Adel El-Turke ◽  
David Megson-Smith ◽  
...  

An ever-increasing global population and unabating technological growth have resulted in a relentless appetite for mineral resources, namely rare earth elements, fuel minerals and those utilised in electronics applications, with the price of such species continuing to climb. In contrast to more established large-scale and high-cost exploration methodologies, this work details the application of novel multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with miniaturised radiation detectors for the objective of undertaking resource exploration at lower costs, with greater autonomy and at considerably enhanced higher spatial resolutions; utilizing the ore material’s inherent low levels of characteristic radioactivity. As we demonstrate at the former Wooley Mine site in Arizona, USA, a legacy Cu/Fe prospect where the 600 by 275 m ore body (with a maximum deposit depth of 150 m), it is shown that such a fusion of commercially available low-altitude multi-rotor aerial technology combined with cutting-edge micro-electronics and detector materials is capable of accurately assessing the spatial distribution and associated radiogenic signatures of commercially valuable surface/near-surface ore bodies. This integrated system, deployed at an autonomously controlled consistent survey altitude and using constant grid transects/separations, is shown to be able to delineate the mineral-containing ore deposits on the site, the location(s) of former mine workings and other surface manifestations. Owing to its advantageous costs alongside its ease of operation and subsequent data-processing, through the adoption of this system, it is envisaged that less economically developed countries would now possess the means through which to evaluate and appropriately quantify their mineral wealth without the significant initial expenditure needed to equip themselves with otherwise prohibitively expensive technologies.


Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 338
Author(s):  
Jiasheng Wang ◽  
Jinyang Chang ◽  
Chao Li ◽  
Zhenchun Han ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
...  

The Zhesang gold deposit of southeastern Yunnan is an important component of the Dian-Qian-Gui (Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi) “Golden Triangle”, which hosts a multitude of Carlin-like gold deposits (CLGDs). Calcite is one of the most common gangue minerals in Zhesang. The calcites that have been found in the mining area are classified as ore-stage and post-ore calcites. The ore-stage calcite exhibits a clear paragenetic relationship with gold-bearing arsenopyrite and with an alteration halo that has been cut by the post-ore calcite. To elucidate the origin of the ore-forming fluids of the Zhesang gold deposit and to investigate the possibility of utilizing calcite geochemistry as prospecting indicators, the rare earth elements (REEs), Y, Fe, Mn and Mg contents, and C-O isotopic compositions of calcites from Zhesang have been analyzed. The ore-stage calcite is enriched in middle rare earth elements (MREEs) relative to light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) (MREE/LREE = 1.11–1.61, MREE/HREE = 6.12–8.22), whereas post-ore calcite exhibits an enrichment in LREE (LREE/HREE = 4.39–14.93, MREE/LREE = 0.35–0.71). The ore-stage and post-ore calcites were both formed by hydrothermal fluids; however, these hydrothermal fluids may have different sources. The Fe contents of the ore-stage calcite are significantly higher than those of post-ore calcite (4690–6300 μg/g versus 2030–2730 μg/g). Ore-stage calcite also has significantly lower δ18OV-SMOW values than post-ore calcite (11.03–12.49‰ versus 16.48–17.14‰). These calcites with an MREE/LREE ratio greater than 0.92, MREE/HREE ratio greater than 5.69, Fe content greater than 3827 μg/g, and δ18OV-SMOW value less than 14.40‰ represent ore-stage calcites and are important prospecting guidelines. According to the REE, C-O isotopic characteristics of the calcites and the previous findings, it is inferred that the ore-forming fluids of the Zhesang gold deposit were a mixture of crustal fluid by meteoric water leaching wall rocks and a small amount of basic magmatic fluid. The formation of post-ore calcite might be derived from meteoric water and marine carbonates interaction. The ore-forming fluids of the Zhesang gold deposit may be associated with the intrusion of diabase that outcrops in the mining area, and that the basic magmatic activities of the Indosinian period also provided some of the ore-forming materials and heat for gold mineralization.


Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng ◽  
Yang ◽  
Gao ◽  
Chen ◽  
Liu ◽  
...  

The Nibao gold deposit, which includes both fault-controlled and strata-bound gold orebodies, constitutes an important part of the Yunnan–Guizhou–Guangxi “Golden Triangle” region. Defining the mineralization age of these gold orebodies may provide additional evidence for constraining the formation ages of low-temperature orebodies and their metallogenic distribution in South China. Petrographic studies of gold-bearing pyrites and ore-related quartz veins indicate that these pyrites coexist with quartz or filled in vein-like quartz, which suggests a possible genetic relationship between the two from Nibao gold deposit. Minerals chemistry shows that Rb and Sr are usually hosted in fluid inclusions in quartz ranging from 0.0786 to 2.0760 ppm and 0.1703 to 2.1820 ppm, respectively. The Rb–Sr isotopic composition of gold-bearing quartz-hosted fluid inclusions from the Nibao gold deposit were found to have Rb–Sr isochron ages of 142 ± 3 and 141 ± 2 Ma for both fault-controlled and strata-bound orebodies, respectively, adding more evidence to previous studies and thus revealing a regional gold mineralization age of 148–134 Ma. These results also confirm the Middle-Late Yanshanian mineralizing events of Carlin-type gold deposits in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi Provinces of Southwest China. In addition, previous studies indicated that antimony deposits in the region which were formed at ca. 148–126 Ma have a close affinity with gold deposits. This illustrates that the regional low-temperature hydrothermal gold mineralization is related in space and time to the Yanshanian (ca. 146–115 Ma) magmatic activity. Specifically, the large-scale gold and antimony mineralization are considered to be inherently related to mantle-derived mafic and ultramafic magmatic rocks associated with an extensional tectonic environment. Based on the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.70844 ± 0.00022 (2σ) and 0.70862 ± 0.00020 (2σ) for gold-bearing quartz veins from fault-controlled and strata-bound gold orebodies, respectively, at the Nibao gold deposit, as well as the C, H, O, and S isotopic characteristics of gold deposits located in the Golden Triangle region, we suggest that the mantle-derived material can be involved in the formation of the Nibao gold deposit and that the ore-forming fluid can be derived from a mixed crust–mantle source.


2014 ◽  
Vol 484-485 ◽  
pp. 620-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Xu ◽  
Miao Wang ◽  
Chang Chun Liu ◽  
Shou Yi Li

89 Au geochemical anomalies are delineated by using 1/200000 regional geochemical exploration data. By researching regional geochemical characteristics and the relationship with the geological background, the author points out that: the main factors causing high background of Au geochemical anomalies are Gaixian and Dashiqiao formation of Liaohe group, intrusions of Mesozoic intermediate-acid intrusive rocks. The elements combination types of typical anomalies are determined by using factorial analysis,cluster analysis and other mathematical methods with the combination of elements association in typical anomalies:the composite anomaly of Baiyun gold deposits is Au-As-Sb, Maoling gold deposit is Au-As-Bi-Mo, Wulong gold deposits is Au-As-Bi-W, Xiaotongjiapuzi gold deposit is Au-As-Bi-Mo-Sb. By using multivariate statistical analysis method,62 ore-caused anomaly are preferred in 89 Au geochemical anomalies delineated. On this basis, the 62 anomalies are divided into 4 kinds of anomaly types reference to elements combination types of typical anomalies,the classification results of ore-caused anomalies are: 4 geochemical anomalies of Baiyun type,36 geochemical anomalies of Maoling type,11 geochemical anomalies of Wulong type, 11 geochemical anomalies of Xiaotongjapuzi type. According to the results, the prospecting direction is provided for the future of gold exploration.


Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hinyuen Tsang ◽  
Jingya Cao ◽  
Xiaoyong Yang

The Chaoyangzhai gold deposit is one of the newly discovered medium to large scale turbidite-hosted gold deposits in Southeast Guizhou, South China. In this study, laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) zircon U–Pb dating on the tuffaceous- and sandy-slates of Qingshuijiang Formation, Xiajiang Group, and gold-bearing quartz vein yielded similar age distributions, indicating that zircon grains in gold-bearing quartz vein originated from the surrounding tuffaceous- and sandy-slates. In addition, the youngest weighted mean ages of the zircon grains from the tuffaceous- and sandy-slates were 775 ± 13 Ma and 777 ± 16 Ma, respectively, displaying that the tuffaceous- and sandy-slates of the Qingshuijiang Formation were likely deposited in Neoproterozoic. Based on their major and trace element compositions, the tuffaceous- and sandy-slates were sourced from a felsic igneous provenance. The sandy slates have higher contents of Au (mostly ranging from 0.019 to 0.252 ppm), than those of the tuffaceous slates (mostly lower than 0.005 ppm). The δ34SV-CDT values of pyrite and arsenopyrite of the gold-bearing samples range from +8.12‰ to +9.99‰ and from +9.78 to +10.78‰, respectively, indicating that the sulfur source was from the metamorphic rocks. Together with the evidence of similar geochemical patterns between the tuffaceous- and sandy-slates and gold-bearing quartz, it is proposed that the gold might be mainly sourced from sandy slates. The metamorphic devolatilization, which was caused by the Caledonian orogeny (Xuefeng Orogenic Event), resulted in the formation of the ore-forming fluid. Gold was likely deposited in the fractures due to changes of the physico-chemical conditions, leading to the formation of the Chaoyangzhai gold deposit, and the large-scale gold mineralization in Southeast Guizhou.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1276
Author(s):  
Yang Li ◽  
Denghong Wang ◽  
Chenghui Wang ◽  
Yan Sun ◽  
MIMA Pu-chi

The formation of the Ailaoshan metallogenic belt was the result of: the Neoproterozoic super mantle plume, the Indosinian and South China blocks in the Late Triassic after the Paleo-Tethys Ocean closure, and Oligocene-Eocene continental-scale shearing related to the India-Eurasia collision. It is one of the most important Cenozoic gold ore province in the world. In this paper, the geological characteristics, isotopic geochemistry, and geochemical data of ore-forming fluids of four large-scale gold deposits in the Ailaoshan metallogenic belt (Mojiang Jinchang, Zhenyuan Laowangzhai, Yuanyang Daping, and Jinping Chang’an) are comprehensively compared. The features of host-rock alteration, metallogenetic periods and stages, geochronology, fluid inclusion, and C-H-O-S-Pb isotopes of gold deposits are summarized and analyzed. The gold mineralization in the Ailaoshan metallogenic belt occurred mostly in 50–30 Ma, belonging to the Himalayan period. The gold mineralization is closely related to silicification, argillation, carbonation, and pyritization due to the strong mineralization of hydrothermal fluid, the development of alteration products, and the inconspicuous spatial zonation of alteration types. The ore-forming fluid is mainly composed of mantle fluid (magmatic water) and metamorphic fluid (metamorphic water). The ore-forming materials of the Jinchang, Chang’an, and Laowangzhai gold deposits mainly originate the host-rock strata of the mining area, and the carbon is more likely to from marine carbonate. The carbon in the Daping gold deposit from the original magma formed by the partial melting of the mantle. Pb isotopes have characteristics of crustal origin, accompanied by mixing of mantle-derived materials and multisource sulfur mixing, and are strongly homogenized.


Nukleonika ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Wysocka

Abstract The new basic safety standards (BSS) Directive 2013/59/Euratom [1] puts EU member states under an obligation to establish, amongst others, national radon action plans. In order to address the issue of long-term risks from radon exposures, it is important to identify areas where elevated levels of radon can be expected. One of the types of areas affected by an increased migration of radon and by the penetration of radon into buildings are areas in which industrial activity, for example, the exploitation of mineral resources, causes changes in the geological environment. The Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) in Poland is one of the examples. The results of studies conducted in the past have shown that the levels of indoor concentration of radon, to a large extent, depend on the geological structure of the subsurface layers. One of the main factors influencing the migratory abilities of radon are the mining-induced changes of a rock body. We estimate that in specific radon-prone zones, the levels of radon may exceed 300 Bq/m3 in approximately 2% of the dwellings. Another problem that may appear in post-mining areas is linked to the reclamation of radioactively contaminated areas. The complex geology of the strata in USCB, the mining activity that can be observed in the region and, additionally, the discharge of radium-bearing waters into the environment are the most significant factors affecting radon potential and hazard in dwellings in this region. In this paper, problems linked to the detection of radon in the mining area of USCB are presented.


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