Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi

Yazarlar: Emmanuel Daanoba SUNKARI, Michael APPIAH-TWUM, Abdurrahman LERMI

Konular:Mühendislik

DOI:10.28948/ngumuh.502334

Anahtar Kelimeler:: trace element geochemistry,Laterites,Laterite geochemistry,Regolith,Orogenic gold deposits

Özet: In this study, the spatial distribution of laterites in Kunche within the Wa-Lawra belt of NW Ghana, their trace element distributions, and geochemical associations were investigated. XRF and ICP-MS techniques were employed to generate the geochemical data and interpreted using multivariate geostatistical analysis.  The laterites are classified as lateritic duricrust (residual laterites) and ferruginous duricrust (transported laterites). Three element associations (Fe, S, Pb-Group 1; Mn, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Ti, As, Au, Ag-Group 2; Ca, Rb, Sr, Zr, Y, Zn-Group 3) are observed from the multivariate geostatistical analysis implying that the element association in the area is directly related to secondary dispersion of the gold-bearing underlying meta-volcanic host rocks and laterization. Threshold values from medium absolute deviation method indicate anomalous concentrations in the laterites for S (>0.41%), Pb (>48 ppm), Cu (46 ppm), As (134.2 ppm), and Ag (>0.42 ppm), implying that these elements are the important pathfinder elements of gold identified in the laterites. However, multi-element mapping indicates that Pb + Cu + As + Ag is the best element association in the exploration of gold deposits. This association shows ellipsoidal anomalies in a contour map restricted to the environment of the residual laterites and similar to the gold distribution map.

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