Ore Deposits Research Articles

The fault systems that control the occurrences of iron ore deposits in northeastern Aswan, Egypt

The present study combines remote sensing data (Landsat-8 and ASTER) with structural analysis to identify the fault systems affecting the distribution of the ironstone beds in northeastern Aswan, Egypt. Sedimentary rocks, such as the Abu Aggag, Timsah, and Umm Brammily formations, characterize northeastern Aswan. The Abu Aggag Formation consists of kaolinitic conglomerate, conglomeratic sandstone, and mudstone. The upper Timsah Formation consists of ferruginous sandstones, oolitic ironstone, and mudstone. Fluvial sandstone forms the Umm Brammily Formation. The oolitic sandy ironstone (2–2.5 m thick) is rich in dark red oolitic hematite and goethite. The ironstone deposit ranges in composition from oolitic sandy ironstone to oolitic ironstone. The distribution of iron minerals is extremely consistent with the iron concentration grade indicated by the Landsat-8 and ASTER Brand Ratios. Five main fault sets to control the extension of the ironstone beds: NNE-SSW left-lateral strike-slip faults (set 1); ENE-WSW normal faults (set 2); NNW-SSE normal faults (set 3); NW–SE normal faults (set 4); and NE-SW normal faults (set 5). The subsequent displacement of Set 3 faults increased the depth of the ironstone bed, which raised the sedimentary overburden load and increased the cost of ironstone exploitation, as well as the absence of iron ore exploitation zones bordering the Nile River.

Petrogenesis and Geochronology of the Dagang Muscovite‐Granite in the Central Qinzhou‐Hangzhou Metallogenic Belt, South China: Implications for Lithium‐Enrichment Mechanism of Granite‐Type Lithium Ore Deposit

Petrogenesis and Geochronology of the Dagang Muscovite‐Granite in the Central Qinzhou‐Hangzhou Metallogenic Belt, South China: Implications for Lithium‐Enrichment Mechanism of Granite‐Type Lithium Ore Deposit

Contribution of the oldest Paleoproterozoic marine sulfate evaporites to Bushveld Complex Lower Zone mineralization

In the past two decades, multiple-sulfur isotope systematics has become increasingly used as a tool to differentiate sulfur sources with implications for exploration targeting. The involvement of crustal sulfur in triggering the Bushveld Complex (South Africa) Cu-Ni-PGE (PGE—platinum group element) mineralization of the Platreef intrusion is widely recognized; however, the extent and source of contamination are still debated. High-Mg magma of the Uitloop Lower Zone intrusion contained insufficient amounts of mantle-derived sulfur to reach the sulfide saturation required for mineralization. Sulfide saturation was reached when magma assimilated sulfur as it ascended through sedimentary strata deposited before and during the Great Oxidation Episode (GOE). Magmatic sulfides on Uitloop are 34S-enriched and either lack, or show small, mass-independent sulfur isotope fractionation, whereas sulfides from the Archean sedimentary footwall rocks exhibit the Archean-style multiple sulfur isotope covariations. We suggest that assimilation of the early Paleoproterozoic upper Duitschland Formation sulfate evaporites, corresponding to an ingrowth of a mass-dependently fractionated seawater sulfate reservoir at the early stage of the GOE, led to sulfide saturation and formation of Cu-Ni-PGE Platreef-style sulfide deposits. The GOE thus not only changed the oxidation state of the atmosphere and oceans, and the style of sediment-hosted mineral deposits, but also generated the sedimentary sulfate reservoir that since then served as a prolific sulfur source for magmatic ore deposits.

Investigating the Structure of Detachment Faulting and Its Role in Ore Formation: The Kallintiri Detachment System and the Associated Polymetallic Ore Deposit (Rhodope, NE Greece)

The Kallintiri area (SW Byala Reka–Kechros Dome, Rhodope) hosts a polymetallic (critical, base, and precious metals) ore deposit, tectonically controlled by the late Eocene–Oligocene, top-to-SW Kallintiri Detachment System. The earliest structure associated with the Kallintiri Detachment is a ductile shear zone at the interface between the high-grade footwall gneisses of the Lower and Intermediate Rhodope Terranes. The detachment zone encompasses the uppermost part of the gneisses and the ultramylonitic Makri Unit marble. The marble is bound by a brittle–ductile shear zone at the base and a knife-sharp, low-angle normal fault at the roof, exhibiting considerable brecciation and ultracataclasite development. The hanging wall includes the Makri Unit phyllites and the overlying mid–late-Eocene–Oligocene supra-detachment sediments, which show syn-depositional slump structures and brittle deformation with low- and high-angle faulting and non-cohesive cataclasites. Extensive hydrothermal fluid circulation along the detachment zone and through NW tension gashes and high-angle faults led to pronounced silicification and ore deposition. Field observations and mineralogical and geochemical analyses revealed two primary types of ore mineralization spatially and temporally associated with different structures. Base and precious metals-rich ores are associated with the detachment, while Sb ore deposition is localized mostly within the NW-trending tension gashes and high-angle faults.

Unraveling the link between worldwide adakite-like rocks and porphyry Cu deposits

Adakite-like rocks, as an important recorder of magmatic evolution in mantle and crust, are closely associated with major porphyry Cu deposits. However, the underlying mechanism connecting these associations remains insufficiently elucidated. This study compiles ca. 7000 whole-rock geochemical data from Phanerozoic adakite-like rock samples and from ore-forming porphyries in porphyry Cu deposits. Machine learning investigations are performed to characterize the geochemical variations of adakite-like rocks from various orogenic or cratonic systems and investigate any geochemical similarities with rocks associated with porphyry ore systems. Principal component analysis (PCA), along with t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE), highlights elemental distinctions between adakite-like rocks formed in mature and juvenile crust and the similarities of rocks from porphyry CuMo deposits with the former and rocks from porphyry CuAu deposits with the latter. Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) analyses are applied to the original dataset and the PCA data derived from the dataset to discriminate adakite-like rocks from various geodynamic settings from each other and from rocks associated with porphyry ore deposits. Our models show that XGBoost and SVM can identify the tectonic regions of adakite-like rocks and rocks from porphyry copper systems with high efficiency and confidence e.g., accuracy = 0.88–0.94 and area under curve (AUC) = 0.69–0.86. The application of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values is employed to elucidate the parameters that discriminate the different environments, providing insight into the underlying petrogenetic processes, including diverse levels of formation depth and extent of mantle interaction. Additionally, when examining ore-forming porphyries and adakite-like rocks, the incorporation of heatmaps into taxonomic classification (HTC) provides significant distinguishing factors with substantial geological implications. These findings suggest potential geological processes (e.g., remelting of Cu-sulfide-bearing cumulates or flotation of Cu-sulfide phases attached to vapor bubbles) that may enrich the source magma of ore-forming porphyries beyond the conventional geological processes responsible for adakite-like rock formation, which could serve as an exploration indicator.

Exploration of iron ore deposits in parts of Kogi State, northcentral Nigeria: Analyses from airborne magnetic and ASTER datasets

Exploration of iron ore deposits in parts of Kogi State, northcentral Nigeria: Analyses from airborne magnetic and ASTER datasets

STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF RARE ELEMENTS IN THE ORES OF THE GOSHA DEPOSIT

The presented article is dedicated to the study of the distribution of rare elements in the ore masses of the Gosha gold deposit located in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Among ore deposits, the Gosha gold deposit, which was opened in 1966, is of great importance due to its economic significance. The article gives brief information about the deposit, lists its main and secondary minerals. In addition, the article briefly comments on the results of analyses carried out by a number of authors. The amount of rare elements found in the test samples is given. The analysis of the existing literature shows that the samples tested contain a large amount of gold and silver. Therefore, the development of gold and silver deposits is promising. In addition, their quantity is unevenly distributed in the field. Studies by a number of scientists show that the test samples contain rare elements such as vanadium, selenium, cadmium, tellurium, and bismuth. However, tellurium and bismuth are the most common of the rare elements in the samples studied. These elements have a wide range of applications. They are used in chemistry, metallurgy, etc. For this reason, the exploitation of these elements is very important. The article emphasises the need for further studies to determine the amount of other rare elements in addition to those mentioned. Keywords: gold, silver, rare elements, mineral deposits, Gosha gold deposit.

Investigation of rock and gas outbursting mechanism at ore deposits

Investigation of rock and gas outbursting mechanism at ore deposits

Efficient Capture of ReO4 - from Water by Imidazolium-Based Cationic Polymeric Nanotraps.

Rhenium represents an irreplaceable metal resource, which finds extensive applications in diverse fields, particularly in the aerospace and petrochemical industry. However, its remarkably low natural abundance and the lack of independent ore deposits pose significant challenges to its extraction and recovery processes. In this study, we present the highly efficient adsorption of perrhenate by a cationic polymeric nanotrap material, namely CPN-3VIm. The maximum adsorption capacity of CPN-3VIm-Cl for ReO4 - attains an impressive value of 1220 mg ⋅ g-1. Notably, even in the low-concentration ReO4 - solution of 8.5 ppm, the removal rate could still exceed 99 %. The recycling performance of CPN-3VIm-Cl also shows exceptional results, with both ReO4 - removal and recovery rates surpassing 90 % throughout five adsorption-desorption cycles. Furthermore, CPN-3VIm-Cl exhibits nearly 100 % extraction efficiency for ReO4 - within a broad pH range of 4-10 and demonstrates remarkable structural stability under extreme conditions, such as 3 M sulfuric acid or 3 M nitric acid. Additionally, a comprehensive investigation into the interaction mechanism between CPN-3VIm-Cl and perrhenate was carried out using SEM-EDS mapping, Raman, FT-IR, and XPS analysis.

Advancing Iron Ore Grade Estimation: A Comparative Study of Machine Learning and Ordinary Kriging

Mineral grade estimation is a vital phase in mine planning and design, as well as in the mining project’s economic assessment. In mining, commonly accepted methods of ore grade estimation include geometrical approaches and geostatistical techniques such as kriging, which effectively capture the spatial grade variation within a deposit. The application of machine-learning (ML) techniques has been explored in the estimation of mineral resources, where complex correlations need to be captured. In this paper, the authors developed four machine-learning regression models, i.e., support vector regression (SVR), random forest regression (RFR), k-nearest neighbour (KNN) regression, and extreme gradient boost (XGBoost) regression, using a geological database to predict the grade in an Indian iron ore deposit. When compared with ordinary kriging (R2 = 0.74; RMSE = 2.09), the RFR (R2 = 0.74; RMSE = 2.06), XGBoost (R2 = 0.73; RMSE = 2.12), and KNN (R2 = 0.73; RMSE = 2.11) regression models produced similar results. The block model predictions generated using the RFR, XGBoost, and KNN models show comparable accuracy and spatial trends to those of ordinary kriging, whereas SVR was identified as less effective. When integrated with geological methods, these models demonstrate significant potential for enhancing and optimizing mine planning and design processes in similar iron ore deposits.

Interpreting the Complexity of Sulfur, Carbon, and Oxygen Isotopes From Sulfides and Carbonates in a Precious Metal Epithermal Field: Insights From the Permian Drake Epithermal Au-Ag Field of Northern New South Wales, Australia

The Drake Goldfield, also known as Mount Carrington, is located in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. It contains a number of low–intermediate-sulfidation epithermal precious metal deposits with a current total resource of 724.51 metric tons of Ag and 10.95 metric tons of Au. These deposits occur exclusively within the Drake Volcanics, a 60 × 20 km NW-SE trending sequence of Late Permian volcanics and related epiclastics. Drilling of the Copper Deeps geochemical anomaly suggests that the volcanics are over 600 m thick. The Drake Volcanics are centered upon a geophysical anomaly called “the Drake Quiet Zone” (DQZ), interpreted to be a collapsed volcanic caldera structure. A total of 105 fresh carbonate samples were micro-drilled from diamond drillcores from across the field and at various depths. A pXRD analysis of these carbonates identified five types as follows: ankerite, calcite, dolomite, magnesite, and siderite. Except for three outlier values (i.e., −21.32, −19.48, and 1.42 ‰), the δ13CVPDB generally ranges from−15.06 to −5.00 ‰, which is less variable compared to the δ18OVSMOW, which varies from −0.92 to 17.94 ‰. μ-XRF was used to analyze the elemental distribution, which indicated both syngenetic/epigenetic relationships between calcite and magnesite. In addition, a total of 53 sulfide samples (primarily sphalerite and pyrite) from diamond drillcores from across the Drake Goldfield were micro-drilled for S isotope analysis. Overall, these have a wide range in δ34SCDT values from −16.54 to 2.10 ‰. The carbon and oxygen isotope results indicate that the fluids responsible for the precipitation of carbonates from across the Drake Goldfield had complex origins, involving extensive mixing of hydrothermal fluids from several sources including those of magmatic origin, meteoric fluids and fluids associated with low-temperature alteration processes. Sulfur isotope ratios of sulfide minerals indicate that although the sulfur was most likely derived from at least two different sources; magmatic sulfur was the dominant source while sedimentary-derived sulfur was more significant for the deposits distal from the DQZ, with the relative importance of each varying from one deposit to another. Our findings contribute to a greater understanding of Au-Ag formation in epithermal environments, particularly in collapsed calderas, enhancing exploration strategies and models for ore deposition.

3D Compact Geometry Inversion for Gravity Data

Abstract Gravity inversion quantitatively provides a 3D model of density contrasts, significantly enhancing the information extracted from acquired data. However, the inherent non-uniqueness of inversion poses challenges in precisely determining the boundaries of anomalous bodies. We have developed an iterative algorithm of gravity inversion that reconstructs the geometric features of the anomalous bodies by discretizing the 3D interpretation model with vertical and juxtaposed prism cells. These prisms incorporate sheet-like initial models which are typically derived from prior information or imaging results. This study proposed a new parameter, the Thickness Factor (TF), which is determined by the thickness of the prism cells under the assumption of homogeneous anomalous bodies. The TF establishes an approximate linear relationship between the source geometry and gravity anomalies, enabling the reconstruction of the source geometry to be formulated as a linear optimization problem. The approach demonstrates the potential for target inversion in the presence of multiple causative sources in synthetic cases and shows insensitivity to noise signals and reliability in reconstructing the geometry of complex sources. The proposed method is then applied to real data from the Galinge iron ore deposit in Northwest China and the drilling data is used as prior information. The inversion results are consistent with previous drilling interpretations and allow a rough estimation of the volume of the ore bodies.

Amphibole fractionation controls the redox state of magmas in porphyry Cu ore systems: Constraints from amphibole-rich rocks in eastern China

Porphyry Cu ore deposits host most of the Cu, Au, and Mo reserves worldwide and generally form under highly oxidizing conditions. However, it is unclear what causes the high redox state (i.e., the source or subsequent magmatic differentiation). Amphibole fractionation is a key step in the formation of porphyry Cu ore deposits. In this study, amphibole-rich lithologies and derivative intermediate-silicic porphyries from two porphyry Cu systems (Laiyuan and Tongling) in eastern China were investigated to constrain the magma redox state during amphibole fractionation. At Laiyuan, the amphibole-rich rocks are hornblende-bearing gabbroic fragments or lenses hosted in granodiorite, consisting of two crystal populations: group I—brown, anhedral hornblende cores, with clinopyroxene ± olivine relics; and group II—green hornblende rims and matrix hornblende. At Tongling, the amphibole-rich lithologies are clinopyroxene-hornblende cumulates or hornblende-bearing gabbro xenoliths hosted by intermediate-silicic porphyries. Based on the clinopyroxene-liquid thermobarometer and amphibole-liquid thermobarometer, the brown amphibole and clinopyroxene from two systems crystallized under 4.6−5.9 kbar and 990−1000 °C, but their green amphiboles crystallized under lower pressure-temperature conditions (∼630−850 °C and 0.5−1.4 kbar). The results of amphibole and zircon-based oxybarometers show that their parent melts have similar moderate oxygen fugacities of ΔFMQ +1.0 ± 0.5, comparable to those of primitive arc magmas, but after amphibole fractionation their residual intermediate-silicic melts had obviously increased oxygen fugacities of ΔFMQ +2.5 ± 1.0. Modeling results show that the increase in oxygen fugacity is probably caused by the preferred partitioning of ferrous Fe into amphibole and clinopyroxene during amphibole fractionation. Amphibole differentiation is a common process in porphyry Cu systems; such processes may facilitate the oxidation of causative magmas and, therefore, the occurrence of porphyry Cu deposits.

Relationship Between Thermodynamic Modeling and Experimental Process for Optimization Ferro-Nickel Smelting

Saprolite ores in nickel laterite deposits are pyrometallurgically processed to produce Fe-Ni alloy and Ni matte. The key to achieving the highest recovery degrees from nickel ore in electric arc furnaces and producing top-quality ferro-nickel alloys lies in maintaining optimal carbon consumption and carefully controlling the composition of the slag. This research work focused on finding the optimal smelting procedure for extracting ferro-nickel from calcined nickel ore. Comparing experimental data to the results of thermodynamic modeling using Factsage 8.2 software was a key part of the study. The nickel smelting process, which involved a carbon consumption of 4 wt.%, resulted in ferro-nickel with an Fe/Ni ratio of 4.89 and slag with a nickel content of just 0.017%. The structure and properties of nickel slag in the MgO-SiO2-FeO system were investigated by observing the changes in the MgO/SiO2 ratio. This study found a significant nickel recovery degree of 95.6% within the optimal M/S ratio range of 0.65 to 0.7. When the M/S ratio exceeds 0.7, iron-rich magnesium silicates (MgxFeySiO2+n) are generated within the slag. These compounds are released downwards due to their higher specific weight, restricting the movement of small metal particles and contributing to increased metal loss through the slag. Optimized slags could revolutionize smelting, increasing metal recovery while minimizing environmental impact.

Early Cretaceous W–Nb–Ta Mineralisation in the Southeastern Xingmeng Orogenic Belt, NE China: Geochronological Evidence From the Jiabusi Nb–Ta and Narewula W Deposits

ABSTRACTThe Xianghuangqi region in the southeastern section of the Xingmeng Orogenic Belt (XMOB) has gained attention for its potential rare mineral yield, particularly from multiple W and Nb–Ta deposits. However, limited geochronological data limits our understanding of their origin and progress in W–Nb–Ta exploration. We thus performed 40Ar/39Ar muscovite and U–Pb wolframite, cassiterite and columbite dating on the Jiabusi Nb–Ta and Narenwula W deposits within the Xianghuangqi region. Our findings revealed that the 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of muscovite from the Jiabusi deposit (135.17 ± 1.34 Ma) aligns with that of the Narenwula W deposit (135.83 ± 1.43 Ma). This consistency is further supported by U–Pb dating of wolframite, cassiterite and columbite in Jiabusi, at 136.4 ± 2.0, 132.1 ± 3.1 and 136.0 ± 3.5 Ma, respectively. These data suggest that mineralisation of W–Nb–Ta in the Xianghuangqi area occurred during the Early Cretaceous, probably in association with the late‐stage evolution of intrusions within the granite complex. Zircon U–Pb dating of Jiabusi albite granites yielded an age of 137.5 ± 1.2 Ma, indicating later formation than the Kusigui biotite granites, which date at approximately 149 Ma in the same region. The geochronological data highlight a regional Early Cretaceous event of W–Nb–Ta mineralisation around 135 Ma, influenced by tectonic interactions between the Mongolia–Okhotsk Ocean and the Paleo‐Pacific Plate. We conclude that, most probably, W–Nb–Ta ore deposits of the southeastern segment of the XMOB in the Xianghuangqi area were emplaced during the Early Cretaceous.

Dacostaite, K(Mg2Al)[Mg(H2O)6]2(AsO4)2F6 ⋅ 2H2O, a new fluoride–arsenate mineral from the Cetine di Cotorniano Mine (Tuscany, Italy)

Abstract. The new mineral dacostaite, K(Mg2Al)[Mg(H2O)6]2(AsO4)2F6 ⋅ 2H2O, has been discovered in the Cetine di Cotorniano Mine, Chiusdino, Siena, Tuscany, Italy. It occurs as thin, colourless-to-white pseudo-hexagonal micaceous crystals up to 0.5 mm in size. The streak is white, and the lustre is silky. The cleavage is perfect on {001}. The empirical formula of dacostaite, based on (As + P) = 2 atoms per formula unit, is (K0.56Ca0.04Na0.03□0.37)Σ1.00 (Al1.54Mg1.38Cu0.03Zn0.03)Σ2.98 [Mg(H2O)6]2 [(As0.99P0.01)O4]2 [F4.46(OH)1.46O0.08]Σ6.00 ⋅ 2H2O (Z=2). Dacostaite is monoclinic, with a space group of C2/m and a=12.474(5), b=7.198(3), c=13.724(6) Å, β=99.518(13)°, and V=1215.3(8) Å3. The crystal structure was solved using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined to R1=0.0927 for 1022 unique reflections with Fo > 4σ (Fo). The crystal structure of dacostaite can be described as formed by heteropolyhedral {001} layers and isolated Mg(H2O)6 groups connected by H bonds. In the type material, dacostaite is associated with quartz, sulfur, gypsum, and a pharmacosiderite-like mineral in a small cavity of silicified limestone. Its genesis is related to the activity of oxidized (Al,F)-rich fluids during the late-stage evolution of the Sb ore deposit formerly exploited at the Cetine di Cotorniano Mine.

Global Sn Isotope Compositions of Cassiterite Identify the Magmatic–Hydrothermal Evolution of Tin Ore Systems

Published Sn isotope data along with 150 new analyses of cassiterite and four granite analyses constrain two major tin isotope fractionation steps associated with (1) separation of tin from the magma/orthomagmatic transitional environment and (2) hydrothermal activity. A distinct Sn isotope difference across deposit type, geological host rocks, and time of ore deposit formation demonstrates that the difference in the mean δ124Sn value represents the operation of a unified process. The lower Sn isotope values present in both residual igneous rocks and pegmatite suggest that heavier Sn isotopes were extracted from the system during orthomagmatic fluid separation, likely by F ligands with Sn. Rayleigh distillation models this first F ligand-induced fractionation. The subsequent development of the hydrothermal system is characterized by heavier Sn isotope composition proximal to the intrusion, which persists in spite of Sn isotope fractionating towards isotopically lighter Sn during hydrothermal evolution.

PGM in chromitites of Kraka massifs (the Southern Urals): diversity and origin

The paper provides results of study of platinum group minerals (PGMs) from 18 ore occurrences and deposits of the Kraka massifs, most of these located in ultramafic rocks of the upper mantle section (15), and several occurrences in a crust-mantle transition complex (3). It is shown that chromitites in the upper mantle section have refractory geochemical specialization (Os-Ir-Ru), while chromitites of the transition complex typically contain Pt and Pd minerals. The highest concentrations of the platinum group elements (PGE) are observed in chromitites of the transition complex (up to 2500 ppb of the total PGE). However, minor amounts of chromitites at these sites do not allow us to consider this mineralization type as promising in practical terms. chromitites in the upper mantle section are about an order lower in PGE (50–200 ppb of the total PGE). Analysis of the obtained data suggests the following explanation for various PGM types identified. PGMs occurred in chromitites of the upper mantle section at two stages: 1) disulfides of the laurite-erlichmanite series and, to a lesser extent, Os-Ir-Ru alloys were formed within chromite grains in result of subsolidus processes in the upper mantle restite during solid-phase segregation of PGEs initially incorporated in the crystal lattice of chromite; 2) sulfoarsenides and other PGE compounds with basic metals and antimony were formed by hydrothermal processing of chromitites in crustal conditions. Pt and Pd minerals were produced by differentiation of magmatic melts separated from restite; they were completely or partly transformed under the impact of hydrothermal processes.

Equation of State of a Fluid H2O-CO2 at Temperatures 50–350 °C and Pressures 0.2–3.5 kbar

An equation of state (EOS) was obtained that accurately describes the thermodynamics of the system H2O–CO2 at temperatures of 50-350°C and pressures of 0.2-3.5 kbar. The equation is based on experimental data on the compositions of the coexisting liquid and gas phases and the Van Laar model, within which the values of the Van Laar parameters A12 and A21 were found for each experimental P-T point. For the resulting sets A12(P,T), A21(P,T), approximation formulas describing the dependences of these quantities on temperature and pressure were found and the parameters contained in the formulas were fitted. This two-stage approach made it possible to obtain an adequate thermodynamic description of the system, which allows, in addition to determining the phase state of the system (homogeneous or heterogeneous), to calculate the excess free energy of mixing of H2O and CO2, the activities of H2O and CO2, and other thermodynamic characteristics of the system. The possibility of such calculations creates the basis for using the obtained EOS in thermodynamic models of more complicated fluid systems in P-T conditions of the middle and upper crust. These fluids play an important role in many geological processes including the transport of ore matter and forming hydrothermal ore deposits, in particular, the most of the world's gold deposits. The knowledge of thermodynamics of these fluids is important in the technology of drilling oil and gas wells. In particular, this concerns the prevention of precipitation of solid salts in the well.

Self-Potential Inversion for Regularly Polarized Ore Deposits Anomalies in Different Models Based on Quantum Genetic Algorithm

The self-potential (SP) method is widely used in mineral exploration for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Traditional inversion approaches often face challenges with local optima and computational inefficiency in complex models. A quantum genetic algorithm (QGA) for SP data inversion is introduced, combining quantum computation principles with genetic algorithms. Modal analysis and parameters analysis of inversion in different physical models are conducted to determine parameter sensitivity and the optimal parameter range. The proposed optimizer is applied on synthetic data generated from diverse geological models. Gaussian noise is added to test robustness. Indoor experiments, using a controlled environment with a 2D electrode grid, validate QGA's effectiveness in layered models. The impact of data density on the algorithm's performance is evaluated by reducing the number of measurement points. Different field cases from Turkey, Germany and USA further confirmed QGA's practical applicability, with inversion results closely matching drilling data or research published before. Uncertainty appraisal analyses show the validity of the model parameter estimations. In summary, QGA significantly improves SP data inversion, offering better accuracy, efficiency, and robustness, making it a promising tool for complex geological conditions.