New geochemical techniques for detecting undercover ore deposits

勘查地球化学的挑战是找到那些反映埋藏在地表下的矿藏渗漏的特定元素或化合物。女王大学地质科学和化学系与英美资源集团之间为期4年的合作研究工作的重点将是开发新的分析技术，以识别那些可能反映隐藏矿藏的元素和化合物。这种合作研究工作将(1)探索使用树轮进行地下勘探，利用这种介质提供的额外的时间来区分污染源和金属和同位素的自然来源，(2)使用从土壤中热解提取金属和气体，粘土矿物和植被作为一种快速、可靠、廉价的技术来提取指示深部矿床的元素，(3)通过电感耦合等离子体质谱检测扩大卤素元素在勘探中的用途，(4)应用土壤、粘土矿物和水系沉积物的低水平铂族元素分析进行勘探，以及(5)评估向量同位素示踪的附加值，以发现与岩浆有关的矿床。该项目代表着对加拿大和智利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，两个最终成员的气候。它将使用新的电感耦合等离子体质谱仪和同位素技术来揭示目前技术尚未看到的东西。将利用合作伙伴的综合专业知识和数据开发新的矿藏勘探、开采和修复分析方案。女王大学将受益于对其分析实验室的持续支持，对4名研究助理、2名博士后研究员和6名学生的支持，以及基础和应用研究成果的出版。英美资源集团将受益于新的分析技术和埋藏矿化的载体，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.