Translation of the function of hydrothermal mineralization-related focused fluid flux into a mappable exploration criterion for mineral exploration targeting. (February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yousefi, Mahyar; Hronsky, Jon M.A.
• Is Part Of: Applied geochemistry. Volume 149(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-02
• Subjects: Modeling -- Focused fluid flux -- Physicochemical ore-forming processes -- Mappable exploration criterion -- Mineral exploration targeting -- Geochemical and geological data; Environmental geochemistry -- Periodicals; Water chemistry -- Periodicals; Geochemistry -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Geochemistry -- Periodicals; 551.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2023.105561
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0883-2927

Abstract

Abstract: Formation of hydrothermal mineralization is related to the late stages of, or immediate following, orogenic compressional regimes that have been superimposed on arc magmatism. For instance, mineralization-related fluid flux mechanisms of porphyry Cu formation deal with how magmatic fluids are transferred from the corresponding source chambers to the environment of stock emplacement related to porphyry systems. In this paper, firstly, we review the imperative physicochemical processes of mineralizing fluid flux mechanisms, e.g., the function of intrusive, metalliferous compounds, and permeable structures, and then assemble them to translate the mechanism of forming focused fluid flux into 2D mappable criteria for mineral exploration targeting. According to the review and the ensuing knowledge and idea, we propose a simplifying approach by focusing on a geological point feature - inferred sites of strongly concentrated ore fluid flux - that represents a critical, if not the most critical, geological element in mineral exploration targeting. We demonstrate that this point feature can be derived as a mappable criterion and that there are stronger spatial and thermal relationships between the location of hydrothermal mineral deposits and this proposed point feature relative to the existing point and line features (e.g., intrusive contacts, fault density, fault intersections, and proximity to faults), which have been widely used in the procedure of prospectivity analysis for mineral exploration targeting. We illustrate the procedures of generating mineral exploration targets, proposed in this paper, using geochemical and geological data sets of porphyry Cu deposits of Iran. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Function of hydrothermal mineralization-related focused fluid flux is discussed. The function is translated into a newly-explored mappable exploration criterion. The mappable criterion mitigates the problem of localizing hydrothermal mineralization. Geochemical and geological data sets are applied in the modeling procedure. Physicochemical ore-forming processes are discussed.