Application of Audio-Magnetotelluric Method for Exploration the Concealed Ore-Bodies in Yuele Lead-Zinc Ore Feild, Daguan County, NE Yunnan Province, China

The results of recent mineral exploration in the Yuele lead-zinc mining area of Daguan County, northeastern Yunnan province, showed that there are much early Paleozoic strata under thick late Paleozoic strata in northeastern Yunnan province, where developed some hidden salt structures (SSs), often with lead-zinc polymetallic mineralization varying degrees along the tension torsional fault (belts) or fracture (joint). The ore-bodies belong to the epigenetic hydrothermal filling vein-type deposit, and the prospecting potential is great. In this area, the superficial mineralization information displayed clear, but the deep mineralization is unknown, so the exploration work is restricted. The audio-megnetotelluric (AMT) surveying is an advantageous method to characterize the size, resistivity and skin depth of the polarizable mineral deposit concealed beneath thick overburden. This paper presents the surveying results using AMT method to evaluate the concealed lead-zinc mineralization in Yuele lead-zinc ore field, Daguancounty, NE Yunnan province, China. After comparing the interpretation result of AMT surveying data with the geological data and the drilling data, it is found that there is some distinct difference in resistivity and polarizable between ore-bodies hosted strata, upper strata and gypsum strata. The results show that AMT method is helpful to identify lead-zinc mineralization under this geological condition.

Porphyry Cu deposits linked to episodic growth of an underlying parental magma chamber

Saindak is one of the typical porphyry Cu deposits(PCDs)in the Chagai magmatic arc in Pakistan.Ore-forming porphyries at Saindak PCD are mainly composed of tonalite.Here,we use geochemistry of apatite enclosed in plagioclase phenocrysts from the ore-forming tonalite to constrain the releasing and recharging processes of S and Cl in the underlying parental magma chamber during PCD mineralization.Although apatite inclusions have homogeneous intra-grain S and Cl compositions,there is significant inter-grain S and Cl variations in apatite inclusions located from core to rim in the hosting plagioclase.Such inter-grain S and Cl variation in apatites are coupled with the core-to-rim trends of An,FeO and Mg contents of the hosting plagioclase phenocryst.It indicates that the Saindak PCD likely formed by episodic injection of primitive magmas during the growth of an underlying magma chamber,rather than by one major injection or by addition of mafic melt derived from different source region.Each primitive melt injection introduced essential ore-forming materials such as S and Cl,which were rapidly and effectively released to the coexisting fluids,causing mineralization.Once primitive melt injection stops,signaling the end of growth of underlying magma chamber,mineralization will cease quickly although the hydrothermal system can still survive for a long time.However,the later released fluids are relatively depleted in ore-forming materials,and thus have lower capability to generate mineralization.Accordingly,predominant porphyry-type mineralizations occurred during the growth rather than waning stage of a magmatic system.