Primary halo characteristics and prospecting direction of Hongnipo copper deposit, Sichuan Province

This paper is the result of mineral exploration engineering.

Objective The Hongnipo copper deposit in Sichuan Province is a large new-discovered copper deposit in recent years in the middle section of the Kangdian axis on the western edge of the Yangtze platform. Due to the deep burial of the ore body, the surface is covered by the Quaternary, and it is difficult to break through in deep and peripheral ore exploration.

Methods This article collected primary halo samples from 5 boreholes on the P-3 exploration line in the mining area, and analyzed and tested 18 elements out of 349 samples, as well as studied the characteristics of primary halos.

Results The main ore-forming element Cu is mainly distributed in the lower section of Tianshengba Formation and the upper section of Luodang Formation. Multivariate statistical analysis shows that Cu has a good correlation with Ag, Co, Mo, As, Sb and other elements. The axial zoning sequence of the primary halo of the ore body is obtained by using the Grigoryan zoning index method: F, Nb, La → Au, Ag, Bi, Mo → Cu, Zn, Pb, As → Sn → Co, Sb.

Conclusions Through the construction of geochemical exploration indexes, the prospecting prediction model of Hongnipo copper deposit is established, and it is preliminarily believed that the No. 1 ore body of Hongnipo copper mine still extends to the west.