Mineral Chemistry: Tool for Vectoring towards Mineral Deposits
A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Exploration Methods and Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 432
Special Issue Editors
Interests: mineral chemistry; LA-ICP-MS; geochronology
Interests: ore deposits; mineral chemistry; lithocap; porphyry Cu
2. Geoscience Australia, Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave. and Hindmarsh Drive, Symonston, ACT 2609, Australia
Interests: ore deposits; mineral chemistry; VHMS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Mineral chemistry is transforming the way in which mining companies explore for mineral deposits via the utilization of vectoring and fertility studies. In the past, these methods have mostly been employed during exploration for porphyry Cu deposits due to the distinctive composition of the magmas involved and extensive alteration zones relative to other deposit types. For example, detrital zircon studies can assist with the identification of regions with oxidized intrusives of a particular age, while epidote and chlorite mineral chemistry from the propylitic alteration zone, often referred to as “green rocks”, can be used to evaluate the fertility of the system and calculate distances to the heat source.
Recent studies have also shown that mineral chemistry can be employed as an effective tool when exploring for other deposit types, such as IOCG, skarn and VHMS. In addition, it has been demonstrated that indirect proxies such as hyperspectral signatures could also be utilized to infer mineral chemistry. The integration of machine learning techniques has aided the classification and domaining of various datasets, including LA-ICP-MS imaging results.
However, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that can affect the mineral chemistry remains a necessity. Previous studies have demonstrated that mineral chemistry is influenced by other mineral phases co-crystallising from the same magma or hydrothermal fluid. For example, zircon chemistry can be significantly affected by co-precipitating apatite and titanite, while epidote and chlorite chemistries are influenced by the presence of inclusions (rutile, titanite, etc.) and co-existing sulphides.
This Special Issue welcomes contributions focused on mineral chemistry from magmatic and hydrothermal minerals and its application in aiding the exploration for various deposit types. Studies on improvements of previously published proxies and novel approaches are also welcome.
Dr. Ivan Belousov
Dr. Lejun Zhang
Dr. Jonathan Cloutier
Dr. Jeffrey Steadman
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- mineral chemistry
- vectoring
- fertility
- porphyry Cu
- IOCG
- orogenic Au
- VHMS
- LA ICP MS
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