XVIII Peruvian Geological Congress, p.

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XVIII Peruvian Geological Congress

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Using Scandinavian Smart Technology in Brownfield Exploration of

Polymetallic Sulphide Deposits in the Andes

Marcello Imaña1 and Suvi Heinonen2

1 Geological consultant, Avalidlandet 20, Norsjo, Sweden ([email protected])

2 Geological Survey of Finland, Betonimiehenkuja 4 , Espoo, Finland ([email protected])
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when exploration is conducted from deep underground
1. Abstract mine locations where conventional geophysical methods
lose resolution.
This contribution provides an update on current
exploration methods applicable to the exploration of base Common challenges in the exploration for volcanic and
metal-rich sulphide deposits, driven by the need to sediment hosted base metal ore deposits in the Nordic
increase the success rate by making use of exploration countries arise when primary depositional geometries
technology more effectively. Geochemical footprint and and alteration footprints are obliterated by
protolith determination are crucial components when metamorphism and deformation. In the Andean context
assessing the fertility and preservation of the ore these challenges can be different, dealing mainly with the
stratigraphy in districts hosting stratabound deposits. In problem of identifying continuity of ores and correlation
near mine exploration, especially when tectonic of altered stratigraphy. The assumptions made in and
disturbance is significant it becomes important to extend extrapolation of surface geological mapping into deeper
the search radius of exploratory drillholes, by using for portions can be misleading if 3D structural and kinematic
example down-borehole electromagnetic and gravity interpretations have not been gained from oriented
techniques. A comprehensive selection of techniques drillcore data.
based on an understanding of the style of ore formation,
petrophysical properties of ores and related alteration 3. District scale prospectivity
coupled with borehole structural observations will make
integrated 3D modelling a precise targeting tool in routine The style and composition of volcanism and metallic
brownfield exploration of semi-massive and massive ores can be highly variable in juvenile arcs developing at
sulphide ores such the ones occurring in VMS, cordilleran continental margins. Good understanding of the
style replacement, skarns and MVT systems. compositional and size variations among the deposits
should always take into consideration assessment of arc
2. Introduction development, sedimentary rock interactions and
preservation potential e.g. paleobathymetry or
Exploration technologies in the Nordic area have been paleoerosion levels.
driven by the search for massive sulphide deposits (VMS
and Ni sulphide deposits) in depth ranges exceeding It is widely accepted (Franklin et al., 2005 and
1,5km in near mine environments. The similarity in references therein, Piercey et. al., 2008) that submarine
petrophysical properties of ores containing large hydrothermal cells develop efficiently in extensional
quantities of Fe-sulphides suggests that these settings with anomalous thermal gradients, this being a
developments could also be applied to a variety of base primary formational control for VMS deposits on a district
metal systems in the Andes. This is of major significance scale. The understanding of the thermal regime of the arc
2 XVIII Peruvian Geological Congress, p. xxx-xxx (2016)

can be indirectly recognized by looking at the chemistry of borehole gravity measurements in massive sulphides with
volcanic products. Even in areas where alteration has low electrical conductivity e.g. near vertical Zn-rich baritic
completely obliterated the primary texture, protolith ores. Recent technical development has enabled the
recognition and fertility signatures can be determined. reduction of gravity tool to fit into the slim exploration
boreholes providing a new tool for brownfield
In initial district scale exploration, choosing the right exploration, especially useful in areas where high
analytical protocols to investigate rock and soil conductivity graphitic shales are abundant and cause
compositions are fundamental to the effort to assessing unwanted EM-anomalies. Nind et al (2007) estimate that
arc fertility, as well as locating ore horizons within the 10 MT massive sulphide ore body in typical host rock
altered stratigraphy (Barrett et al., 2005; Barrett and environment (density 2.8 g/cm3) would be detected at
Imaña, 2008). This can include the selection of a varied least 300 m away from the borehole. In order to define the
range of methods including a multiacid digest with almost 3D spatial location of the anomaly source, gravity
total dissolution, to complete fusion of the sample with measurements should be made in several boreholes
whole extraction of elements; to non-destructive surrounding the volume of interest. Conducting gravity
techniques involving laser ablation techniques and XRF measurement in a single borehole provides information
determinations, the latter can be routinely implemented about density disturbances in the volume surrounding the
with a portable handheld instrument. borehole but the exact location of the anomaly cannot be
determined. Combining density disturbances derived
Metamorphism and syn- and post depositional from a gravity survey with lithogeochemical data can be
remobilization and deformation can cause detachment used to refine the stratigraphy, define new ore locations
and tectonic transposition of the systems, obscuring and the extension of the hydrothermal alteration in the
traditional vector indicators in geochemical and geological rock volume (Schetselaar and Shamsipour, 2015).
mapping. Although this phenomenon is more common in
Proterozoic and Archean arcs, metamorphic modification
of altered rocks related to contact metamorphism can also 5. Possible applications in Peruvian deposits
occur in younger settings.
Pyritic and pyrrhotitic polymetallic ores are known in
VMS and cordilleran style replacement deposits of Central
4. Downhole exploration techniques Peru (Vidal, 1987, Fontboté and Bendezú, 2004); these
styles of mineralization are typically conductive, with
One of the major opportunities of getting closer to a dimensions that span from few to several hundreds of
discovery is when drilling, and at this stage it becomes meters. Conductive “manto” and sulphide breccia style of
important to gain the maximum search radius in every mineralization could therefore be a good EM target even if
drillhole, especially when long exploration holes are located at depth under thick piles of barren quartzite or
planned. VMS deposits usually contain massive limestone. This is an important advantage over electric
mineralization bounded by iron sulphides which make methods that are less able to differentiate between
them susceptible to detection if an artificial massive and disseminated style of mineralization.
electromagnetic field is induced. Time domain
electromagnetic techniques (TEM) can be applied by Pyrrhotite bodies are more conductive than pyrite
airborne or surface surveys, but most effectively down- bodies and therefore more susceptible to tracing at
borehole (BHEM). EM can detect conductive material up deeper levels using conventional surface EM surveys,
to a few hundred metres away from the hole, meaning providing an advantage over surface magnetic surveys. In
that the search distance between drillholes is expanded. deep underground exploration these techniques will
Combining BHEM with down-borehole structural enable conductive mineralization to be detected with
measurements (taken in oriented drillcore) increases the more precision than conventional surface based surveys
chances of discovery especially in areas of structural that have to deal with the interference provoked by mine
complexity. infrastructure.

Measuring down borehole petrophysical properties VMS deposits in the Coastal region can be composed of
(conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, density, and orebodies with different composition; although commonly
seismic velocities.) is a relatively inexpensive procedure contain dense and conductive pyritic zones amenable to
that can be implemented at mine site. It gives the detection by a variety of EM techniques. In some cases,
advantage of gaining fundamental information for the pyrite poor, and Zn-rich barite ores occur which can only
effective modelling and planning of down-borehole EM be detected by gravity surveys. Conductive anomalies in
and seismic surveys (Heinonen et al., 2012) in new VMS systems can exist in different parts of the system
brownfield areas, and helps to assess the occurrence of such in the feeder zone, the main mound or sulphide
possible anomalies associated with conductive non- blanket or in non-economic exhalites and distal parts of
sulphide rock types such as graphitic shales or saline the system; the ranking of these anomalies will depend on
bearing fractures. the 3D geological understanding of the system.
Another intrinsic feature of massive sulphide
mineralization is the higher density than surrounding Using lithogeochemical techniques to characterize the
rock, making sulphide rich deposits attractive for down- ore horizons at a district scale will enable mining
 XVIII Peruvian Geological Congress, p. xxx-xxx (2016) 3

companies to use the results to explore along these Maki T., Imaña M., Kousa J., Luukas J. (2015) The Vihanti-
interfaces and consider EM investigation of ore horizons Pyhasalmi VMS belt, in Book: Mineral deposits of
even in areas under unaltered cover previously not Finland, First edition. Eds: Maier W., Lahtinen R., and
considered to be of exploration interest. O’brien H. Chapter 7, p. 507-530
Nind, C., H. O. Seigel, M. Chouteau, and B. Giroux (2007)
Development of a borehole gravimeter for mining
6. Conclusions applications. First Break 25, p. 72–77.
Piercey, S. J., Peter, J. M., Mortensen, J. K., Paradis, S.,
Selection of effective technologies in brownfield Murphy, D. C., and Tucker, T. L. (2008) Petrology and U-
exploration depends on knowledge gained from known Pb Geochronology of Footwall porphyritic Rhyolites
orebodies and the willingness to consider new ideas. In from the Wolverine Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide
the deep underground mine environment 3D modelling Deposit, Yukon, Canada: Implications for the Genesis of
for exploration involves the combination of geophysical Massive Sulfide Deposits in Continental Margin
parameters inherent to altered rocks and ore types (e.g. Environments. Economic Geology, v. 103, p. 5-33
conductors, resistors, equipotential trends, seismic Schetselaar, E., Shamsipour, P., (2015) Interpretation of
reflectors), chemostratigraphic units and quantifications borehole gravity data of the Lalor volcanogenic massive
of mass gain or loss of mobile hydrothermal components sulfide deposit, Snow Lake, Manitoba, Canada.
(Maki et al., 2015; Imaña et al., 2013). Thus 3D modelling Interpretation 3, T145-T154.
for near mine exploration represents a multidisciplinary Vidal, C. E., (1987) Kuroko-type deposits in the Middle
approach which is best workable if immersive 3D Cretaceous marginal basin of central Peru. Economic
visualization or 3D printings are generated. Combining Geology, v.82, p. 1409-1430.
novel borehole geophysical methods with surface
geophysics and mine geology, creates reliable 3D earth
models to aid brownfield exploration.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the reviewer for their

valuable comments.

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