The varying nature and thickness of glacial sediments affect the characteristics of mineralized dispersal trains in the Amaruq gold deposit area in Nunavut, northern Canada. To help evaluate the deposit signature, glacial sediments were collected from frost boils along transects parallel to the main ice-flow direction. A complementary detailed geochemical drift exploration dataset and a new Quaternary map were also used to define and interpret the geometry of the mineralized debris dispersal trains. Principal Component Analysis identifies a gold mineralization signature associating As, Ag, Au, Cu, Pb, Sb, W, S, Fe, and Zn and its mafic-BIF (Banded Iron Formation) host rock. This signature, similar to other lode gold geochemical signatures, follows a general NNW dispersal trend, in agreement with the predominant regional and local ice-flow indicators. In a zone characterized by streamlined landforms composed of thick distally -derived till, the dispersal train shows a higher distance for the first indicator to appear at surface down-ice of the known mineralization (~1 km lag) when compared to other mineralized dispersal trains (~300 m lag). Results from this area also show a lower intensity of deposit signature compared to mineralized dispersal trains located in thin locally-derived till characterized by small transverse moraine ridges. Elevated counts of scheelite and pristine-shaped gold grains are found down-ice of mineralization and their distribution is in general agreement with the dispersal train patterns defined by the till-matrix geochemistry. Our results strengthen the use of PCA and indicator minerals combined with an understanding of ice flow dynamics to map deposit signatures at surface and efficiently guide mineral exploration during glacial sediment surveys at local scales.

冰川沉积物的性质和厚度的变化会影响加拿大北部努纳武特的Amaruq金矿床中矿化弥散带的特征。为了帮助评估沉积物特征，沿着平行于主要冰流方向的样条从霜沸层收集了冰川沉积物。还使用了补充的详细地球化学漂移勘探数据集和新的第四纪图来定义和解释矿化碎屑散布列车的几何形状。主成分分析确定了金的矿化特征，包括As，Ag，Au，Cu，Pb，Sb，W，S，Fe和Zn及其镁铁BIF（带状铁层）基质岩。与其他金矿地球化学特征相似，该特征遵循NNW的总体扩散趋势，与主要的区域和地方冰流指标一致。在一个以流线形地貌为特征的区域中，该地貌由远侧厚厚的耕层组成，与其他成矿的弥散列相比，弥散列显示出第一个指示符出现在已知成矿作用的地面下冰处的距离更大（滞后约1 km）。 （滞后〜300 m）。与位于薄薄的局部生土直到以横向冰ora小脊为特征的矿化分散列车相比，该区域的结果还显示出较低的沉积特征强度。白钨矿和原始形状的金粒数量增加，发现其成矿过程呈冰屑状，其分布与耕作基质地球化学所定义的弥散分布模式基本吻合。