Using electrogeochemical approach to explore buried gold deposits in an alpine meadow-covered area

• Published in: Acta geochimica 2018-06, Vol.37 (3), p.402-413
• Main Authors: Liu, Panfeng, Luo, Xianrong, Wen, Meilan, Zhang, Jiali, Gao, Wen, Ouyang, Fei, Duan, Xuchuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Altitude; Anomalies; Area; Bismuth; Coefficients; Concentrates (ores); Deposits; Distribution; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Exploration; Geochemistry; Geology; Gold; Gold ores; High altitude; Lines; Low temperature; Meadows; Mineral deposits; Mineral exploration; Minerals; Ores; Original Article; Overburden; Plateaus; Rain; Rainfall; Silver; Slope; Soil; Soils; Spatial distribution; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Topography; Topography (geology); Triassic; Two dimensional models; Unloading; Zonation
• ISSN: 2096-0956; 2365-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11631-017-0258-z

Exploration for buried gold ores and other deeply buried ores, especially in high altitude localities, is one of the tough challenges facing the geological world today. Fast and efficient ore prospecting methods are badly needed to deal with the situation. This paper documents a test that, for the first time, uses an electrogeochemical approach to prospect ores in the alpine meadow-covered Bangzhuoma area and its periphery in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The results were compared with conventional soil measurements from a 2D prospection, and an ideal model of electrogeochemical anomaly formation in the area was established based on the comparison in order to provide theoretical guidance to buried ore prospecting in areas with similar conditions. The research shows that: (1) For exploration of deeply-buried mineral deposits, an electrogeochemical approach is better than soil measurements in terms of correspondence between element content values and anomaly forms and spatial distribution of known deposits in sections. Anomalies of high to low temperature element associations (Bi–Mo; Au–Ag–As–Bi and Au–Ag) and clear zonation were also observed along vertical vein runs in the sections. Based on integration of the observation with geological characteristics of the sections, we propose to use Au, Ag and As as the electrogeochemical indicators and Bi and Mo as the electrogeochemical tracing elements to guide further analysis. (2) Judging from element statistics and the scale, intensity, and range of anomalies in plan maps, we found that an electrogeochemical approach is less affected by topography and secondary actions. The plan maps also show that elemental differentiation coefficients of the study area are in an ascending order of Ag (0.67)