Continental-scale geochemical surveys and mineral prospectivity: Comparison of a trivariate and a multivariate approach
Date
2018
Authors
de Caritat, Patrice
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
The National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) provides an internally consistent, state-of-the-art, continental-scale geochemical dataset that can be used to assess areas of Australia more elevated in commodity metals and/or pathfinder elements than others. But do regions elevated in such elements correspond to known mineralized provinces, and what is the best method for detecting and thus potentially predicting those? Here, using base metal associations as an example, I compare a trivariate rank-based index and a multivariate-based Principal Component Analysis method. The analysis suggests that the simpler rank-based index better discriminates catchments endowed with known base metal mineralization from barren ones and could be used as a first-pass prospectivity tool.
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Source
Journal of Geochemical Exploration
Type
Journal article
Book Title
Entity type
Access Statement
Open Access
License Rights
CC BY license
DOI
10.1016/j.gexplo.2018.01.014