Lecture Overview

Definition
Definition of
of Exploration
Exploration Geochemistry
Geochemistry
Other
Other fields
fields of
ofApplied
Applied Geochemistry
Geochemistry
Types
Types of
of Surveys
Surveys
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance Surveys
Surveys
Detailed
Detailed Surveys
Surveys

Prospecting
Prospecting Situations
Situations

What is Exploration
Geochemistry?
Any
Anymethod
methodof
ofexploration
explorationbased
basedon
onthe
thesystematic
systematic
measurement
measurementof
ofone
oneor
ormore
morechemical
chemicalproperties
propertiesof
ofaa
naturally
naturallyoccurring
occurringmaterial
materialto
tofind
findabnormal
abnormalchemical
chemical
patterns
patterns(anomalies)
(anomalies)related
relatedto
tomineralization
mineralization

Chemical Properties
Trace
Trace concentration
concentration of
of the
the element
element of
of
interest
interest
Trace
Trace concentration
concentration of
of aa related
related element
element
(pathfinder)
(pathfinder)
Concentrations
Concentrations or
or ratios
ratios of
of groups
groups of
of
elements
elements
isotope
isotope ratios
ratios

Types of Materials

Rock
Rock Lithogeochemistry
Lithogeochemistry
Soil
Soil
Gossan
Gossan
Glacial
Glacial debris
debris
Vegetation
Vegetation Geobotany,
Geobotany,Biogeochemistry
Biogeochemistry
Stream
Stream sediments
sediments and/or
and/or waters
waters Drainage
Drainage
Vapor
Vapor and
and aerosols
aerosols

Applied Geochemistry

Agricultural
Agricultural geochemistry
geochemistry
Environmental
Environmental Geochemistry
Geochemistry
Public
Public health
health geochemistry
geochemistry
Marine
Marine geochemistry
geochemistry
Geo-hazards
Geo-hazards prediction
prediction

is cs
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Exploration

Scales of Surveys

Detailed

Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance Surveys
Detect
Detect favorable
favorable indicators
indicators of
of ore
ore
provinces,
provinces, districts,
districts, (ore
(ore bodies)
bodies)

Large
Large area
area -- X0
X0 to
to X0,000
X0,000 km
km22
Sample
Sample density
density -- 0.010.01- 1.0
1.0 /km
/km22
Cost
Cost $1
$1 to
to $10
$10 per
per square
square mile
mile
Rapid,
Rapid, minimal
minimal samples,
samples, low
low cost
cost

Reconnaissance Media

Rocks
Rocks
Stream
Stream water
water and
and sediment
sediment
aerosols
aerosols (airborne
(airborne dust)
dust)
vegetation
vegetation (especially
(especially photographic)
photographic)
geobotany
geobotany and
and biogeochemistry
biogeochemistry

Soils
Soils (rarely
(rarely used
used because
because of
of cost)
cost)

Detailed Surveys
Outline
Outline mineralized
mineralized ground
ground to
to pinpoint
pinpoint
source
source
Locate
Locate area
area for
for trenching,
trenching, drilling,
drilling, etc.
etc.

Small
Small area
area -- X
X -- X0
X0 km
km22
Area
Area selected
selected by
by other
other methods
methods

Sample
Sample density
density -- 0.01
0.01 -- 1/m
1/m
Cost
Cost $X00
$X00 to
to $X000
$X000 per
per square
square mile
mile

Detailed Media

Rocks
Rocks
Soils
Soils
vegetation
vegetation (biogeochemistry)
(biogeochemistry)
Vapor
Vapor surveys
surveys (soil
(soil gases)
gases)

Exposed Ore
Mass Transport
O
e

Ground Water
Halo

Leeched Ore

Leeched
Zone

O
e

Ground Water
Halo

Zoned Ore
Mn
Ag

Mass Transport

Zn
Pb
Cu

Ground Water
Halo

Blind Ore

Ground Water
Halo

Covered Ore Body

Gravel
Till
Volcanics

Unconformity
Ore