Summary of technology for a comprehensive geophysical exploration of gold mine in North China Craton

Abstract

The North China Craton is the oldest continental block, and has suffered from large-scale lithospheric thinning and destruction, which in turn led to gold deposits in northern China. The decratonic gold deposits in the North China Craton became the most important gold deposits in China, and geophysical methods are key means to detect and discover gold deposits there. In this paper, based on the geological and petrophysical characteristics of the North China Craton, the geological model of the decratonic gold deposits is transformed into a geophysical model. At present, two methods of geophysical exploration of decratonic gold deposits are in use: rapid and efficient exploration on the scale of the ore concentration area, and large depth exploration on the scale of the deposit area. In detail, the airborne electromagnetic, magnetic and gravity methods are used to detect the shallow (1,500 m) anomaly area on the scale of the ore concentration area. Through the ground-controlled source electromagnetic and ground magnetotelluric methods, explorations for targets at significant depth (5,000 m) are carried out in the mining area. Then, taking the Liaodong ore concentration area as an example, geophysical methods are used to discover two prospecting areas around the Jianshanzi Fault in the Qingchengzi ore concentration area, Baiyun-Xiaotongjiapuzi deep prospecting area, and Qingchengzi deep prospecting area. Next, three prospecting areas are delineated around the Jixingou Fault in the Wulong mining area, Wulong deep prospecting area, Weishagou deep prospecting area, and Chang’an deep prospecting area. The anomalies in the ore concentration area and mining area are revealed by means of three-dimensional exploration methods, thereby providing technical support for the exploration of metal minerals such as decratonic gold deposits.