Metal Anomaly Prospection at Cerrado. Example for the use of Si-Phytoliths as anomaly indicators at Riacho dos Machado Region, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The target area of this work is a heavy metal anomaly in the surroundings of a gold mine and a lead mining complex. This work investigated the distribution of selected heavy elements in soil samples and Si-Phytoliths from plants. The aim was to verify if metal contents are indicative for metal anomalies in the soil. Plants and soil samples were collected in profiles over granitic-gneissic rocks, which form the basement, in tectonized contact with the overlaying sedimentary units belonging to the Riacho dos Machados Group, part of the Espinhaco Super Group. The whole rock substrate is covered by lateritic to arenitic soils with different exposure depths. Metal-rich fluid invaded these units, forming metal anomalies culming in Zn-Pb-Au deposits, like that of Salobre-Porteirinha. After appropriate preparation, the samples were, analyzed by ICP-OES (Si-Phytoliths) and FRX (soil). Anomalies in the investigated profile are indicated by high metal contents in the Si-Phytoliths of the selected species. Using different species the metal concentration in different depths can be determined in a simple and easy way. The Si-Phytolith concentrations seem to reproduce better the rock metal anomalies than the soil samples.