Deep exploration of wide field electromagnetic method in Zhuxi W-Cu deposit

The Zhuxi W-Cu polymetallic deposit in Jiangxi Province, China, is a super large-scale skarn deposit, sets the new world record of tungsten mineral resources in recent years. The burial depth of the main orebodies commonly exceeds 1000 m. Because of the lack of deep exploration, until 2017, the orebodies along the dip and strike direction were not closed completely, and the main rock-control and ore-control structures were not known. The deep exploration was urgently needed. The wide field electromagnetic method was applied for deep exploration. The logical relationships between the resistivity, density, magnetic and lithology of the target geologic body have been established, based on the characteristics of the property data and the sounding resistivity near by the drill. The authors then made a comprehensive study by multiparameter mutual constraint with fine processing and interpretation of gravity, magnetic and electric, compared with known geologic data, drew the 2D geological-geophysical section of the backbone profile. And the 3D geological ore-prospecting model has been set up by wide field electromagnetic inversion sections. The results show that those works clearly reveal the distributed shape of the main rock-control and ore-control structures and the main ore-bearing stratum. The magma hydrothermal alteration which relates to concealed Yanshanian intrusive rocks in deep is acquired. The experimental results are references for the 500-3000 m deep-seated second mineralization location's metallogenic regularity and the further geological prospecting direction of Zhuxi W-Cu polymetallic deposit, and show that the wide field electromagnetic method is an effective method for deep exploration. © 2022, China Science Publishing & Media Ltd. All right reserved.