The Zarshuran gold deposit as sediment-hosted Carlin-type has a total reserve of 120 million metric tonnes and an average grade of 3.5 g/t Au. The dominant hydrothermal alterations associated with gold mineralization are argillic and silicic as well as decalcification of the carbonate host rocks. The exploration geochemistry was applied to characterize the mineralization in the subsurface and peripheries of the open-pit mine at Zarshuran in order to enhance the proved reserves of the gold ores. A sampling network of a 10 × 10 m grid (n = 1720) was applied to almost unweathered surface outcrops to determine the primary geochemical haloes in the study area. Initially, the cut-off grades utilized in the exploratory data analysis were applied to identify the threshold values of the trace elements with lognormal distribution. Then, the central log ratio transformation was used to determine the robustness against outliers to characterize the closure problems with compositional data during Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The supra-ore and near-ore geochemical haloes are recognized by the indicator elements like As-Sb-Hg-Te-Au-Ag-Fe-Mn-Ba-F which are associated with mineral assemblages such as arsenical pyrite, orpiment, realgar, cinnabar, barite, and fluorite. The sub-ore geochemical haloes are characterized by index element association like Cu-Mo-Bi-W-Sn-Co-Ni-V-Cr. The ores at Zarshuran are enriched in Au, As, Sb, Ag, Te, Tl, Zn, Pb, and F but depleted in Cu, W, and Sn, as were observed in many other Carlin-type gold deposits. The enrichment factor of indicator elements (except S, Ag, and Sb) gradually decreases in value from the highly altered and mineralized zones (in proximity of the mine) toward the zones with least alteration and mineralization (in the distal parts of the mine). According to PCA analysis, two main types of ore mineralization occurred at Zarshuran, (1) Au mineralization associated with As, Sb, and Hg, and (2) Cu-Zn-Pb base-metal mineralization related to Ag. The ore-forming index was used to determine the primary axial haloes in both shallow (<−80 m) and deep (>−120 m) levels. The results of this study show that the main ore body may extend eastwardly and downwardly to greater depths, as was verified by the data obtained from diamond drill cores in the eastern part of the mine.

Zarshuran 金矿床为沉积岩 Carlin 型，总储量为 1.2 亿公吨，平均品位为 3.5 克/吨金。与金矿化相关的主要热液蚀变是泥质和硅质以及碳酸盐主岩的脱钙。为提高金矿的探明储量，应用勘探地球化学表征Zarshuran露天矿地下和周边的成矿特征。一个 10 × 10 m 网格的采样网络 ( n = 1720) 应用于几乎未风化的地表露头，以确定研究区的主要地球化学晕。最初，在探索性数据分析中使用的截止等级被用于确定具有对数正态分布的微​​量元素的阈值。然后，使用中心对数比率变换来确定对异常值的稳健性，以在主成分分析 (PCA) 期间用成分数据表征闭合问题。上矿和近矿地球化学晕由As-Sb-Hg-Te-Au-Ag-Fe-Mn-Ba-F等指示元素识别，这些元素与砷黄铁矿、雌黄、雄黄等矿物组合有关、朱砂、重晶石和萤石。亚矿地球化学晕以Cu-Mo-Bi-W-Sn-Co-Ni-V-Cr等指标元素组合为特征。Zarshuran 的矿石富含 Au、As、Sb、Ag、Te、Tl、Zn、Pb 和 F，但缺乏 Cu、W 和 Sn，正如在许多其他卡林型金矿床中观察到的那样。指示元素（S、Ag、Sb除外）的富集因子从高蚀变矿化带（矿区附近）向蚀变矿化最少的区（矿区远端）递减. 根据PCA分析，Zarshuran发生了两种主要的矿石成矿类型，（1）与As、Sb和Hg相关的Au矿化，以及（2）与Ag相关的Cu-Zn-Pb贱金属矿化。成矿指数用于确定浅（<-80 m）和深（>-120 m）水平的初级轴向晕。