Exploratory Data Analysis Applied in Mapping Multi‐element Soil Geochemical Anomalies for Drill Target Definition: A Case Study from the Unpha Layered Non‐magmatic Hydrothermal Pb‐Zn Deposit, DPR Korea

Abstract

AbstractA factor analysis was applied to soil geochemical data to define anomalies related to buried Pb‐Zn mineralization. A favorable main factor with a strong association of the elements Zn, Cu and Pb, related to mineralization, was selected for interpretation. The median + 2MAD (median absolute deviation) method of exploratory data analysis (EDA) and C‐A (concentration‐area) fractal modeling were then applied to the Mahalanobis distance, as defined by Zn, Cu and Pb from the factor analysis to set the thresholds for defining multi‐element anomalies. As a result, the median + 2MAD method more successfully identified the Pb‐Zn mineralization than the C‐A fractal model. The soil anomaly identified by the median + 2MAD method on the Mahalanobis distances defined by three principal elements (Zn, Cu and Pb) rather than thirteen elements (Co, Zn, Cu, V, Mo, Ni, Cr, Mn, Pb, Ba, Sr, Zr and Ti) was the more favorable reflection of the ore body. The identified soil geochemical anomalies were compared with the in situ economic Pb‐Zn ore bodies for validation. The results showed that the median + 2MAD approach is capable of mapping both strong and weak geochemical anomalies related to buried Pb‐Zn mineralization, which is therefore useful at the reconnaissance drilling stage.