3D U-Spatial Statistics applet: Case study in two distinct gold systems in the Eastern Pontides in NE Türkiye

Date

2023-9-11

Author

Ertunç, Güneş

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Geochemical anomalies that develop around metallic mineralizations are directly linked to ore formation processes and play an important role in mineral exploration. In exploration geochemistry, a non-anomalous element concentration is referred to as the background value. Considering the practical implications in exploration, statistical methods have been utilized not only for assessing background concentrations, but also for the separation of geochemical anomalies from background. The aim of this study is to determine the geochemical anomaly zones in two different Au mineralizations located in the Eastern Pontide Magmatic Belt in NE Anatolia which are of great importance in terms of regional metallogeny. For this purpose, 3D geochemical anomaly mapping was carried out with the U-Statistics methodology using drillhole databases. In the Salınbaş Au prospect, located about 20 km SE of Artvin and representing a carbonate-replacement type mineralization, anomaly zones were determined as isolated clusters with low lateral continuity. It is thought that this distribution is particularly controlled by the shallowly dipping lithological contact in the study area. Additionally, the sporadic distribution of the anomaly zones is probably due to the karst development along which ore precipitation occurred. At the Taç project, which is an intermediate-sulfidation epithermal type mineralization located approximately 4 km SW of Yusufeli (Artvin), horizontal and vertical continuity of the anomaly zone is evident. The domain of vertical continuity in the prospect area is controlled by vertical structures that feed the main ore zone. However, ore continuity decreases outside of this zone. The 3D U-Statistics models established in Salınbaş and Taç revealed the differences in the formation processes of different types of Au mineralizations in these areas. With this study, a 3D geochemical anomaly mapping was carried out for the first time in Türkiye by creating a GUI software.

Subject Keywords

U-Stats, Matlab GUI, Geochemical anomaly, Carbonate-replacement, Epithermal gold

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/105621

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Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis