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3D inversion of audio-magnetotelluric data for mineral exploration: A case study of Layikeleke buried porphyry copper deposit, Xinjiang, China

  • Electriical & Electromagnetic Methods
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Abstract

Layikeleke copper deposit is a large-scale porphyry copper polymetallic buried deposit, which has been discovered recently in the eastern Junggar area of Xinjiang. Mineralization occurred in the Late Silurian and Early Devonian with the copper body mainly confined to tonalite. To find new ore bodies, it is necessary to map the 3D spatial distribution of the tonalite. For this reason, we deployed audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) sounding in the research area, collected 26 profiles and 1198 measuring points, carried out 3D inversion calculations of off-diagonal elements in the impedance tensor data using the nonlinear conjugate gradient method, and obtained a 3D electrical structure model. The electrical structure reveals two groups of NW-SE trending middle and middle low resistivity anomaly zones, which intersect the high resistivity bedrock area in the northwest of the study area. Based on the electrical data, it can be inferred that the medium low resistance tonalite in the northern part of the study area is the host rock of the porphyry copper polymetallic deposit, which has been verified by borehole data. The results of 3D AMT inversion depict the spatial distribution and depth variation characteristics of the tonalite electrical structure model, providing a basis for further prospecting and exploration. Therefore, this method of identifying lithology by 3D inversion can provide an important basis for mineral exploration and mining of buried rock masses, and is an effective prospecting method.

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Acknowledgments

The authors sincerely thank the reviewers and editors for their suggestions and comments, which have significantly improved the quality of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geophysics and Measurement-control Technology, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, China

    Fu Guang-Ming, Chen Hui, Yu Hui, Luo Fan, Luo Lei & Tao Xin

  2. China Deep Exploration Center, China Geological Survey & Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China

    Fu Guang-Ming, Yan Jia-Yong, Meng Gui-Xiang, Luo Fan, Luo Lei & Tao Xin

Authors
  1. Fu Guang-Ming
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  2. Yan Jia-Yong
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  3. Chen Hui
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  4. Meng Gui-Xiang
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  5. Yu Hui
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  6. Luo Fan
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  7. Luo Lei
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  8. Tao Xin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yan Jia-Yong.

Additional information

The research is supported jointly by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2018YFC0604002), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.41574133), Xinjiang Geological Exploration Fund (No. A11-3-XJ4) and China Geological Survey Project (No. DD20190017).

Fu Guang-Ming, a doctoral candidate at East China University of Technology, obtained his master’s degree from East China University of Technology in 2017. Currently, his research direction is geophysical three-dimensional metallogenic prediction (e]gmf2016GP@163.com).

Yan Jia-Yong, Ph.D. supervisor, obtained his doctoral degree in Solid Geophysics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2010. His research direction is the deep exploration of the Earth and exploration for mineral resources.

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Guang-Ming, F., Jia-Yong, Y., Hui, C. et al. 3D inversion of audio-magnetotelluric data for mineral exploration: A case study of Layikeleke buried porphyry copper deposit, Xinjiang, China. Appl. Geophys. 17, 576–588 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11770-020-0836-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11770-020-0836-4

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