Document Type : Original Research Paper
Authors
1 -Associate Professor, Faculty of Mining Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Mining Engineering, Islamic Azad University –Ahar Branch, Ahar, Iran
3 Ph.D student, Faculty of Mining Engineering, Sahand university of Technology, Tabriz, Iran.
Abstract
Sahebdivan area is located at 20.km of Meshkinshahr in Ardebil province. The study area is comprises of volcanic rocks and intrusive masses consisting of quartz monzonite and granite along with several vast epithermal alterations. The main objective of this paper is to recognize the present alteration zones indicating metal promising areas using geophysical methods such as induced polarization (IP) surveying and resistivity (RS) in order to assess the presence of minerals and delineate the subsurface masses at depth. Therefore, IP/resistivity survey was carried out based on rectangular array in the area and their corresponding maps were prepared. Accordingly, their promising anomalous zones for mineralization were initially detected. Furthermore, a new IP survey was attempted based on a dipole-dipole electrode array for detailed potential mapping.
Considering IP/RS pseudo-sections, the position, depth, intensity and extent of mineralization was defined. Correlating the anomalous zones obtained from geophysical results with Lithology and alteration zones in the area indicate Cu mineralization along E-W trend in Sahebdivan which is associated with increase in chargeability and reduction in resistivity. Furthermore topographic corrections were attempted resulting in anomalous halos enhancement. Discriminating the important alteration zones in the area were carried out based on chargeability variations where higher chargeability indicate phyllic alteration with pyrite and in contrast the Potassic alteration with low chargeability that coincide with igneous intrusive.
It can be deduced from this study that the porphyry micro quartz monzonite - micro quartz diorite generator fluids was recognized as source of mineralization along with surrounding andesite–dacite andesite as source of the anomalous zones in Sahebdivan area. Summing all the evidences from field studies and their compliance with geophysical results, Lithology, alterations and ultimately considering the susceptible mineralization zones, the optimal drilling points was proposed with priority of SABH-1 according to the Potassic zone in terms of potential copper mineralization.
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