New geochemical techniques for detecting undercover ore deposits

勘探地球化学的挑战在于找到那些能反映地表下矿床泄漏的特殊元素或化合物。女王大学地质科学系和化学系与英美资源集团（Anglo American plc）合作开展了一项为期4年的合作研究，重点是开发新的分析技术，以识别可能反映隐藏矿床的元素和化合物。这项合作研究工作将(1)探索利用树木年轮进行秘密勘探，利用这种媒介提供的额外时间维度来区分金属和同位素的自然来源和污染源；(2)利用热解从土壤、粘土矿物和植被中提取金属和气体，作为一种快速、可靠、廉价的技术来提取表明深处有矿床的元素；(3)利用ICP-MS检测扩大卤素元素在勘探中的应用；(4)将低水平铂族元素分析应用于土壤、粘土矿物和水系沉积物的勘探；(5)评价同位素示踪对暗藏岩浆相关矿床的附加价值。这一项目代表了在加拿大和智利两个端元气候的已知矿化近端和远端地表样品中元素分布和同位素组成的基础和应用研究。它将使用新的ICP-MS和同位素技术来揭示目前技术尚未发现的东西。将利用合作伙伴的综合专门知识和数据，为勘探、开采和补救矿床制订新的分析规程。女王大学将继续获得分析实验室的支持，支持4名研究助理、2名博士后和6名学生，并发表基础和应用研究成果。Anglo将受益于新的分析技术和埋藏矿化载体，这最终将使所有加拿大矿业公司受益。

The challenge in exploration geochemistry is finding those particular elements or compounds that reflect leakage from ore deposits buried beneath the surface.  The focus of a 4 year collaborative research effort between the Departments of Geological Sciences and Chemistry at Queen's University and Anglo American plc will be to develop novel analytical techniques that will identify those elements and compounds that may reflect hidden ore deposits.  This collaborative research effort will (1) explore the use of tree-rings for undercover exploration, using the added dimension of time afforded by this medium to differentiate pollution sources from natural sources of the metals and isotopes, (2) use pyrolysis extraction of metals and gases from soils, clay minerals and vegetation as a quick, reliable, inexpensive technique to extract elements that indicate a deposit at depth, (3) expand the utility of halogen elements in exploration with ICP-MS detection, (4) apply low-level platinum group element analysis of soils, clay minerals and stream sediments for exploration, and (5) evaluate the added value of isotope tracing to vector to undercover magmatic-related deposits.  This venture represents basic and applied research on elemental distributions and isotopic compositions in surface samples proximal to and distal from known mineralization in Canada and Chile, two end member climates.  It will use novel ICP-MS and isotope techniques to reveal what hasn't been seen with the present technology.  New analytical protocols for the exploration, exploitation and remediation of ore deposits will be developed using the combined expertise and data of the partners.  Queen's University will benefit from continued support for their analytical laboratories, support for 4 Research Associates, 2 Post-Doctoral Fellows and 6 students, and publication of basic and applied research results.  Anglo will benefit from new analytical techniques and vectors to buried mineralization that will eventually benefit all Canadian mining companies.