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AU2017336123B9 - Method for estimating presence of metal compound, method for prospecting metal deposit, method for developing resources, method for mining, method for producing secondary copper sulfide, method for producing resources, method for developing mine, and method for boring - Google Patents

Method for estimating presence of metal compound, method for prospecting metal deposit, method for developing resources, method for mining, method for producing secondary copper sulfide, method for producing resources, method for developing mine, and method for boring Download PDF

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Publication number
AU2017336123B9
AU2017336123B9 AU2017336123A AU2017336123A AU2017336123B9 AU 2017336123 B9 AU2017336123 B9 AU 2017336123B9 AU 2017336123 A AU2017336123 A AU 2017336123A AU 2017336123 A AU2017336123 A AU 2017336123A AU 2017336123 B9 AU2017336123 B9 AU 2017336123B9
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Prior art keywords
metal
prospecting
metal deposit
target region
metal compound
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AU2017336123B2 (en
AU2017336123A1 (en
Inventor
Ryo Maruyama
Tomoji SANGA
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JX Nippon Mining and Metals Corp
JX Nippon Exploration and Development Co Ltd
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JX Nippon Mining and Metals Corp
JX Nippon Exploration and Development Co Ltd
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Priority claimed from PCT/JP2017/030598 external-priority patent/WO2018061561A1/en
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  • Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)

Abstract

This method for estimating the presence of a metal compound is a method for estimating the location and/or the proportion at which a metal compound is present, wherein the method includes observing a reflectance spectrum at an observation site and obtaining an observation value of the reflectance spectrum within a wavelength range of 350-2500 nm, acquiring an observed reflectance spectrum in which the observation value is standardized, and comparing the observed reflectance spectrum with a compound reflectance spectrum of the metal compound.

Description

DESCRIPTION METHOD FOR ESTIMATING PRESENCE OF METAL COMPOUND, METHOD FOR PROSPECTING METAL DEPOSIT, METHOD FOR DEVELOPING RESOURCES, METHODFORMINING, METHODFORPRODUCINGSECONDARYCOPPERSULFIDE, METHOD FOR PRODUCING RESOURCES, METHOD FOR DEVELOPING MINE, AND METHOD FOR BORING
Technical Field
[0001]
The present invention relates to a method for estimating
a presence position and/or a presence ratio of a metal compound,
method for prospecting ametaldeposit, amethod for developing
resources, amethodformining, amethodforproducingasecondary
copper sulfide, a method for producing resources, a method for
developing a mine, and a method for boring using the same. More
particularly, the present invention proposes a technology that
contributes to prospecting for a metal deposit, exploration of
other resources and the like, by enabling highly accurate and
easy estimation of the presence of a metal compound mainly in
the ground surface.
Background Art
[0002]
In recent years in which consumption of nonferrous metal
resources such as copper and zinc tends to increase, due to the
necessity to stably supply resources, it has been desired to
findanewmetaldepositformedbyconcentrationofmetalelements throughout a long period of terms and mine the metal deposit from now, in South America and other regions where resource potential is high, but resources have not yet been sufficiently prospected.
[0 0 031
Suchresourceprospectinganddevelopmentrequires ahuge
amount of cost and time from prospecting to mining and the start
of resource production. Therefore, in the prospecting for the
metal deposit, which is an initial stage of the resource
prospecting and development, it is desirable to find metal
deposit in which metal elements are concentrated in a
concentrationappropriate forsuchinvestmentwithhighaccuracy
and in an easy manner.
However,ingeneral,mostofthemetaldepositsarepresent
underground, and particularly, metal deposits located at a
shallow position under the ground surface have already been
prospected. Therefore, a new metal deposit that will be found
and developed in the future is expected to be blind and deep,
and prospecting for a new metal deposit is thus becoming
increasingly difficult.
[00041
Here, conventionally, the prospecting for the metal
depositwasperformedbyperformingagroundsurvey thatobserves
the ground surface of a zone where a metal deposit is thought
to be able to be present underground with the naked eye or a chemical analysis of collected samples, carrying out boring at a place estimated based on an experience and the like in the above process, and analyzing components of substances constituting a range of a predetermined depth in the ground.
In this case, the estimation significantly depends on the rule
of thumb or skill, and when the estimation is wrong, boring,
a component analysis and the like are carried out many times,
such that there is problem that cost increases and much time
is required.
[00051
In such a situation, for example, as described in Non
Patent Literatures 1 and 2, with the advance of a remote sensing
technology of remotely measuring a target with a satellite, an
aircraft or the like or a spectrum analysis technology of
estimating a composition of a substance such as a mineral based
on an optical method, this technology has also been used in the
prospecting field described above.
[00061
In Non Patent Literature 1, as a technology used for
estimating surface substances of the Earth or a planet by remote
sensing, a relationship between a chemical composition and an
absorptionbandofasilicatemineralsuchaspyroxene or olivine
and a relationship between a particle size or a mixing rate and
a reflection spectrum of a mixture ofvarious minerals have been
studied.
In Non Patent Literature 2, an analysis method that
considers a particle size and shape in a reflection spectrum
of a mixture of minerals in a so-called Isograin model has been
studied.
Citation List
Non Patent Literature
[0007]
Non Patent Literature 1: Hiroi, "Quantitative Analysis of
Rock-forming Minerals by Visible/Near-infrared Remote Sensing
- Silicate Mineral as an example", Mineralogy Journal, Japan
Association of Mineralogical Sciences, August 1999, 28 Vol. 3,
p.109 - 116
Not Patent Literature 2: Hiroi, T. and Pieters, C.M. (1992),
"Effects ofgrain size and shape inmodeling reflectance spectra
ofmineralmixtures", Proceeding ofLunar and Planetary Science,
22, 313-325
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0008]
Meanwhile, it was found that predetermined metal
compounds containing metal elements concentrated in a metal
deposit distribute near a ground surface of the metal deposit.
Although information on the distribution of the metal compounds as described above is thought to be very useful for earlyfindingofthemetaldeposit,inacasewheremetalcompounds present near the ground surface of the metal deposit are distributedin a smallamount andon asmallscale, itis difficult to confirm the presence of the metalcompounds with conventional satellite data. The presence of the metal compounds can be confirmed by field works, but it is difficult to accurately understand a difference in a content of metal compounds.
Therefore, until now, estimation of the presence of such metal
compounds has not been performed.
[00091
The present invention aims to deal with such a problem,
and an object of the present invention is to provide a method
forestimatingthepresenceofametalcompoundwithhighaccuracy
and an easy manner, a method for prospecting a metal deposit,
a method for developing resources, a method for mining, a method
forproducing a secondary copper sulfide, amethod forproducing
resources, amethodfordevelopingamine, andamethodforboring.
Solution to Problem
[0010]
The present inventors have found that it is possible to
estimate the presence of a metal compound with high accuracy
and in an easy manner by performing a predetermined reflection
spectrum analysis using satellite data, a spectrometer or the like as a result of studying hard so as to estimate the predetermined metal compounds under new knowledge that the predetermined metal compounds are distributed near the ground surface of the metal deposit, as described above.
[0011]
According to such knowledge, a method for estimating the
presence of a metal compound according to the present invention
is a method for estimating a presence position and/or a presence
ratio of a metal compound, and includes observing a reflection
spectrum of an observation point in a wavelength range of 350
nm to 2500 nm to obtain an observed value of the reflection
spectrum; acquiring an observed reflection spectrum in which
the observed value is standardized; and comparing the observed
reflection spectrum with a compound reflection spectrum of the
metal compound.
[0012]
In the method for estimating the presence of a metal
compound according to the present invention, it is preferable
that the wavelength range is set to 350 nm to 600 nm, is set
to 1900 nm to 2500 nm, is set to 900 nm to 2500 nm, is set to
1600 nm to 2500 nm, is set to 350 nm to 600 nm and 1600 nm to
2500 nm, and is set to 500 nm to 600 nm and 900 nm to 1100 nm.
[0013]
In the method for estimating the presence of a metal
compound according to the present invention, it is preferable that the presence position and/or the presence ratio ofthemetal compound in the ground surface are estimated.
In addition, in the method for estimating the presence
of a metal compound according to the present invention, it is
preferable that a distribution of presence ratios of the metal
compound is estimated in a target region.
[0014]
It is preferable that the method for estimating the
presence of a metal compound according to the present invention
further includes calculating Laplacian indicating a change in
an observed reflection spectrum at observation points adjacent
to each other.
[0015]
The metal compound can include one or more selected from
thegroupconsistingofgoethite, hematite, jarosite, malachite,
chrysocolla, azurite, brochantite, atacamite, andchalcanthite
[0016]
In the method for estimating the presence of a metal
compound according to the present invention, it is preferable
that the observed reflection spectrumis compared with compound
reflection spectra of plural types of mixed metal compounds.
[0017]
A method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
the present invention includes: obtaining metal compound
information including information on the presence or absence of a metal compound containing metal elements contained in a metaldepositinatargetregionbyusingthemethodforestimating the presence of ametalcompound described above; and estimating the presence of the metal deposit in the target region based on at least the metal compound information.
[00181
Here, in the method for prospecting a metal deposit
according to the present invention, it is preferable that the
metal compound information includes information on a
distribution of presence ratios of the metal compound in the
target region.
[0019]
In addition, here, it is preferable that the method for
prospecting a metal deposit according to the present invention
further includes obtaining topographic information including
informationonaheightofthegroundsurfaceofthe targetregion.
It is preferable that a denudation amount of the ground
surface ofthe targetregionisestimatedat the time ofobtaining
the topographic information.
More specifically, the estimation of the denudation
amount can include calculating a topography thickness from a
difference between an actual altitude of the ground surface of
the target region and an altitude of a streamline surface or
adifferencebetween an altitude ofasummit surface andan actual
altitude ofthe groundsurface ofthe targetregion, partitioning the target region into a plurality of zones depending on a thicknessofthe topographythickness, andobtainingatopography thickness distribution in which coefficients of magnitude corresponding to the thickness of the topography thickness are given to the respective zones. This altitude means a height of the ground surface, the streamline surface, or the summit surface from a predetermined reference surface. Among them, the altitude of the ground surface can be an altitude based on a sea surface, and in this case, the altitude of the streamline surface or the summit surface is a height from the sea surface as a predetermined reference surface.
Here, it is appropriate that a length of one side of a
square grid dividing the target region at the time of finding
the streamline surface or the summit surface is set within a
range of 1000 m to 2000 m.
[0020]
A method for developing resources according to the
present invention includes the method for prospecting a metal
deposit described above.
A method for mining according to the present invention
is a method for performing mining in the target region in which
the presence of the metal deposit is estimated by the method
for prospecting a metal deposit described above.
Amethodforproducingsecondarycoppersulfide according
to the present invention is a method for producing secondary copper sulfide in the target region in which the presence of the metal deposit is estimated by the method for prospecting a metal deposit described above.
Amethodforproducingresources according to the present
inventionisamethodforproducingresourcesinthe targetregion
in which the presence of the metal deposit is estimated by the
method for prospecting a metal deposit described above.
A method for developing a mine according to the present
invention is a method for developing a mine in the target region
in which the presence of the metal deposit is estimated by the
method for prospecting a metal deposit described above.
A method for boring according to the present invention
is a method for performing boring in the target region in which
the presence of the metal deposit is estimated by the method
for prospecting a metal deposit described above. Here, it is
preferable thatareflectionspectrumofasubstanceconstituting
a hole wall of the boring during excavation by the boring is
measured, andanexcavationlengthofaboringpointisdetermined
based on a measurement result of the reflection spectrum.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[00211
According to the method for estimating a metal compound
of the present invention, by performing the reflection spectrum
analysis as described above, it is possible to estimate the presencepositionand/or thepresenceratioofthemetalcompound with high accuracy and in an easy manner.
Therefore, in a case where this method for estimating
a metal compound is used for prospecting for the metal deposit,
exploration of other resources and the like, this method for
estimating a metal compound can contribute to reduction of time
and cost required for such exploration and the like.
Brief Description of Drawings
[00221
Fig. 1 is a graph showing reflection spectrum
characteristics of a predetermined substance.
Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing
mineralization processes of a metal deposit and taken along a
depth direction of the underground.
Fig. 3 is a graph showing a method for setting four-stage
coefficients depending on a topography thickness.
Fig. 4 is satellite data showing a MantoVerde deposit
of Example.
Fig. 5 is a view showing a result of a reflection spectrum
analysis performed on the satellite data of Fig. 4.
Description of Embodiments
[0023]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
[00241
<Method for Estimating Presence of Metal Compound>
Amethod for estimating the presence of a metal compound
according to an embodiment of the present invention is
appropriate forestimatingapresenceposition and/orapresence
ratio of the metalcompound, and includes observing a reflection
spectrum of an observation point in a wavelength range of 350
nmto2500nmtoobtainanobservedvalueofthereflectionspectrum,
acquiring an observed reflection spectrumin which the observed
value is standardized, and comparing the observed reflection
spectrum with a compound reflection spectrum of the metal
compound.
[0025]
(Metal Compound)
The metal compound can be, for example, a compound in
whichametalelementcontainedinametaldeposit tobe described
below and another element are combined with each other, and
specific examples of the metal compound can include one or more
selected from the group consisting of goethite, hematite,
jarosite, malachite, chrysocolla, azurite, brochantite,
atacamite, and chalcanthite. Among them, the malachite or the
chrysocolla is more preferable, since the malachite or the
chrysocolla is more easily formed than other copper minerals
and is distributed in an amount more than those of other copper minerals in a ground surface and is thus identified or detected easily from a reflection spectrum.
[00261
It is preferable that the metal element contained in the
metal compound includes one or more selected from the group
consisting of copper, molybdenum, iron, tin, tungsten, gold,
silver, lead, and zinc.
Inparticular, inacasewhere themetalelementcontained
in the metal compound is copper, it is preferable that the metal
compound contains one or more selected from the group consisting
ofmalachite, chrysocolla, azurite, brochantite, atacamite, and
chalcanthite.
[0027]
In the embodiment of the present invention, at least one
of a presence position and apresence ratio of the metal compound
asdescribedabove, preferably, adistributionofpresenceratios
of the metal compound is estimated in a predetermined target
region. For this reason, a reflection spectrum analysis to be
described below is carried out.
[0028]
(Reflection Spectrum Analysis)
By using a reflection spectrum analysis to estimate the
presence of the metal compound, it is possible to suppress a
difference between results due to an individual difference as
comparedwithconfirmationwiththenakedeye, anditispossible to perform the reflection spectrum analysis over a wide range at a lowcost in a short time as comparedwitha component analysis using an X-ray diffraction method or the like.
[00291
In the reflection spectrum analysis, a reflection
spectrum of a ground surface such as the ground surface or a
rocksurfaceismainlyobservedinatargetregionby, forexample,
satellite data, a spectrometer or the like to acquire an observed
value of the reflection spectrum, and various mathematical
processes and the like are performed on the observed value to
calculate the presence position and/or the presence ratio of
the metal compound in the ground surface of the target region.
It should be noted that the ground surface is an exposed surface
and it is thought that light can optically permeate up to a depth
of about 1 cm from the ground surface.
The spectrometercanbeusedinastatewhereitismounted
onamannedorunmannedaircraft thatfliesover the targetregion
or a manned or unmanned vehicle or other vehicles that moves
onthegroundsurfaceofthe targetregionorisheldbyanobserver
moving or walking on the ground surface of the target region.
[00301
Specificexamplesofdatathatcanbeusedhere caninclude
data from ASTER, WorldView-2, WorldView-3, AITRES, an aircraft
HyMap sensor, AVIRIS, or the like, and specific examples of the
spectrometer can include ARCspectro Rocket manufactured by
ARCoptix S. A, Fieldspec manufactured by ASD Inc., or the like.
In addition, it is also possible to use data of hyper-spectrum
satellites (forexample, EnMap (Germany), PRISMA(France), HISUI
(Japan), and the like) scheduled to be launched in the future.
Among them, it is preferable that a spatial resolution
is about several meters and a wavelength resolution is about
nm, and it is preferable that quantization is preferably 1000
gradations or more (10 to 12 bits). As a result, the metal
compounds can be effectively observed even though they are
distributed on a small scale and in a small amount in the ground
surface. As thenumber ofgradationsincreases, aslight change
canberecognized, so thedetectionlimitvalueis thusdecreased.
[0031]
Anexample ofamethodofthe reflectionspectrumanalysis
is as follows. First, by using the satellite data or performing
measurementbythespectrometer, reflectionspectraoftheground
surfaces, rock surfaces, or the like of one or more observation
points of the target region are observed within a wavelength
range of 350 nm to 2500 nm to obtain observed values of the
reflection spectraat those points. Here, necessarycorrection
suchas atmosphericcorrectioncanbeperformedbyaknownmethod.
[0032]
Then, the observed values of the reflection spectra are
standardized (unit-vectorized) to acquire observed reflection
spectra. The standardization of the observed reflection spectra can be performed, more specifically, by dividing each observedvaluebyapredeterminedreference observedvalueunder the same condition or by the square root of the sum of squares of each of the observed values. The reason why this standardization is performed is as follows. The observedvalue is an amount (absolute value) of light incident on a sensor.
In other words, in the satellite data, a sunny place, a shady
place, a solar altitude, a transparency of the atmosphere, and
the like are changed, such that amounts of light incident on
and observed by the sensor are different from each other even
for the same substance. Similarly, amounts of light incident
on and observed by a measuring instrument are also different
fromeachotherdependingonageddeteriorationofalightsource,
a distance from an object and the like. Since it is difficult
to estimate the substance with such an amount ofincident light,
the standardization as described above is performed.
[00331
The observed reflection spectra obtained in this way are
compared with a compound reflection spectrum of a predetermined
metal compound. The reflection spectra of the compound to be
compared canbe known or canbe obtainedby separate measurement.
The presence position or the presence ratio ofthe metalcompound
can be estimated depending on a similarity by this comparison.
[00341
Inordertomeasure thesimilarity, forexample, aspectral angle mapper (SAM) method, a cross-correlation method or the like can be used. The SAM method is a method for expressing aspectrumas ann-dimensionalvectorcorrespondingto thenumber of bands and outputting a substance of a metal compound forming a minimum angle with respect to the n-dimensional vector as a solution.Thecross-correlationmethodisamethodforperforming evaluation from a correlation coefficient between reflection spectra. Also in this case, a solution of a metal compound substance that becomes the highest correlation coefficient is used as a solution. These methods are already known in the related art.
Alternatively, the observed reflection spectra can be
comparedwith acompound reflection spectrumofametalcompound
inwhichpluraltypesofmetalcompoundsaremixedwithoneanother
instead of a individual mineral, and example of a model for
accurately obtaining a composite substance ratio from the
compound reflection spectrum of such a mixture includes the
Isograin model and the like described above.
[00351
Here, the metal compounds have different reflection
spectrum characteristics depending on its type. As a specific
example, Fig. 1 shows reflection spectrum characteristics of
each of plant, chalcanthite, chrysocolla, brochantite, and
atacamite. For example, it can be seen from Fig. 1 that these
minerals show reflection spectrum characteristics different from those of the plant generally in a visible region and a short wavelength infrared region.
[00361
An appropriate wavelength range can be set depending on
the reflection spectrum characteristics of the respective
substances as described above.
As shown in Fig. 1, in a case ofestimating a distribution
of presence ratios of the chalcanthite or the chrysocolla, the
brochantite, the atacamite, and the like, it is preferable that
a wavelength range is set to 350 nm to 600 nm, 1600 nm to 2500
nm, and particularly 1900 nm to 2500 nm in order to accurately
estimate the distribution of the presence ratios. With respect
to kaolin, sericite, and alunite, a wavelength range from 2000
nm to 2500 nm is particularly effective. In addition, a
wavelength range can be set to 900 nm to 2500 nm.
Alternatively, in a case of estimating a distribution
of presence ratios of goethite, hematite or the like, it is
preferable that a wavelength range is set to 500 nm to 600 nm
and 900 nmto 1100 nm, whichhave features inreflection spectrum
characteristics of these minerals. In a case where the
spectrometerisused, itis appropriate that thewavelengthrange
is to 1300 nm to 1600 nm. With the satellite data, this range
cannot be observed due to atmospheric absorption (water vapor
or the like).
[0037]
By performing the method described above on all zones
partitionedin amesh formfrom the target region, itis possible
to create a map for the distribution of the presence ratios of
the metal compound in the target region.
[00381
Here, the distribution ofthepresence ratios ofthemetal
compound can be evaluated by Laplacian representing a change
of data of continuous three points.
As a form of the change of the data of the continuous
three points, there are (1) a case where an inclination between
adjacent two points is not changed (a case where an inclination
among three points are linearly changed even though it is any
one of a horizontal inclination, a right upward inclination,
andarightdownwardinclination), (2) acasewhere aninclination
between two adjacent points becomes large (a case where an
inclination between the last two points is larger than that of
first two points), and (3) a case where an inclination between
adjacent two points becomes small (a case where an inclination
between the last two points is smaller than that of first two
points). Here, when the data of the continuous three points
are defined as A, B, and C respectively, and Laplacian = (2 x
B) /(A + C) is defined, in the case of the above (1) , B of the
middle point is on a straight line connecting A and C to each
other, such that Laplacian = 1.0, in the case of the above (2),
B of the middle point is below a straight line connecting A and
C to each other, such that Laplacian < 1.0, and in the case of
the above (3), B of the middle point is above a straight line
connecting A and C to each other, such that Laplacian > 1.0.
When a substance with strong B reflection is added to the above
(1), the above (1) is expected to be changed into the above (3).
In order to detect the presence or absence of a substance having
a reflection peak in B, evaluation can be performed by Laplacian.
ThismethodusingLaplacianiseffectivein thatitcanbe carried
out more conveniently than the method using the Isograin model
described above.
[00391
Meanwhile, the observedvalues of the reflection spectra
describedabove canbemulti-spectrumdataobtainedbyobserving
only a specific wavelength, but it is preferable in terms of
improvement of accuracy that the observed values of the
reflection spectra are continuous spectrum data obtained by
continuouslymeasuringawavelengthrange fromthevisibleregion
to the short wavelength infrared region such as 400 nm to 2500
nm. The continuous spectrum data can be obtained by using hyper
data or measuring with aportable reflection spectrummeasuring
machine. Specifically, examples of the hyper data include data
by an aircraft HyMap sensor, AVIRIS, AITRES, EnMap, PRISMA, HISUI,
and the like, among the data used for the reflection spectrum
analysisdescribedabove, andexamplesoftheportablereflection
spectrum measuring machine include ARCspectro Rocket manufactured by ARCoptix S. A, Fieldspec manufactured by ASD
Inc., and the like.
[0040]
<Method for Prospecting Metal Deposit>
Themethodforestimating thepresence ofametalcompound
using the reflection spectrum analysis described above can be
used for prospecting for a metal deposit.
In other words, the prospecting for a metal deposit
according to an embodiment of the present invention includes
obtaining metal compound information including information on
the presence or absence of a metal compound containing metal
elements contained in a metal deposit in the target region by
using the method for estimating the presence of a metal compound
describedabove, andestimatingthepresence ofthemetaldeposit
in the target region based on at least the metal compound
information.
Here, "including" predetermined information or the like
refers to a case in which information includes only the
predetermined information as well as a case where information
includes the predetermined information and one or more pieces
of information other than the predetermined information.
[0041]
(Metal Deposit)
This method can be used for prospecting for various metal
deposits, but it is appropriate that this method is applied particularly to prospecting for hydrothermal deposits formed byprecipitation ofmetalcomponents and the like due to reaction betweenhightemperaturegroundwaterbymagmaandthesurrounding rocks, aporphyrycopperdepositamongthehydrothermaldeposits, as can be understood from a theory based on mineralization processes to be described below. In addition, this method can also be effectively applied to an iron oxide copper gold-type deposit (IOCG-type deposit), a Skarn deposit, aepithermal-type deposit, and the like, since the IOCG-type deposit, the Skarn deposit, the epithermal-type deposit, and the like, involve alteration and Cu mineralization.
[0042]
Ametal deposit such as a hydrothermal deposit including
a porphyry copper deposit is formed through two mineralization
processes of primary mineralization and secondary enrichment.
In the primary mineralization, as shown in Fig. 2(a),
in the underground of a stratovolcano 1 or the like, a primary
mineralization zone 3 including primary copper sulfide and the
like is formed in a relatively deep place of about several
kilometers below the ground due to aninfluence ofahydrothermal
solution 2 released from a underground deep part as magma rises.
At this time, due to areactionbetween the hydrothermalsolution
and a rock, an alteration zone 4 containing alteration minerals
suchasbiotite, sericite, andchloriteis formedin the vicinity
of the primary mineralization zone.
[00431
Then, as a long time such as several million to tens of
millions of years goes by, as shown in Fig. 2(b), an uplift or
denudation occurs, such that the primary mineralization zone
3approachesagroundsurface side, andtheprimarycoppersulfide
is leached by an acid formed by decomposition of pyrite due to
a rainfall RF or the like in a leached zone 5 near the ground
surface, such that secondarymineralizationinwhichasecondary
enrichment zone 6 is formed due to precipitation of secondary
copper sulfide or the like under a groundwater level GL occurs.
The secondary enrichment zone 6 moves downward as a whole due
to the denudation of the ground surface or the lowering of the
groundwater level, and grows as copper or the like leached in
the leached zone 5 moves downward from the leached zone 5. Even
after the secondary enrichment zone 6 is formed, the alteration
zone 4 containing the alteration minerals formed by the primary
mineralization in the surrounding or the vicinity of the
secondary enrichment zone is present. In addition, in the
leached zone 5, alteration minerals (kaolin, jarosite or the
like) formed together with the leaching are also present.
[0044]
Newknowledge thatsuchmetalcompoundsmaybedistributed
in a small amount and on a small scale near the ground surface
of a metal deposit formed by such mineralization processes was
obtained.
Therefore, it is thought that the metal deposit can be
earlydiscoveredbyusingthemetalcompoundinformationobtained
by the method for estimating the presence of a metal compound
described above for the prospecting for the metal deposit.
[0045]
(Topographic Information)
In the prospecting for the metal deposit, in addition
to using only the metal compound information described above,
topographic information including information on a height of
the groundsurface ofthe targetregioncanbeusedincombination
with the metal compound information.
In a range where an altitude is relatively high such as
a mountain part, a ridge part or the like, a thickness of the
leached zone 5 is sufficient, and the primary copper sulfide
and the like, are thus leached and descend due to the secondary
enrichment to grow a secondary enrichment zone 6 underground.
On the other hand, it is thought that in a relatively hollow
zone such as a valley part, denudation of the ground surface
was fast and a considerable amount of primary copper sulfide
and the like was removed together with the denudation, such that
an effective thickness of the leached zone 5 became thinner,
and thus, the secondary enrichment zone 6 didnot grow. In other
words, it is thought that in the mountain part and the ridge
part, the denudation was slow, such that an effective leaching
thickness was thick, and a time required for the leaching could be sufficiently secured, such that an environment in which it is easy for the secondary enrichment zone 6 to grow was created.
Therefore, it is thought that accumulation of the secondary
copper sulfide due to a secondary enrichment effect has been
strongly controlled by a current topography, which indicates
thattopographyisimportantinformationinprospectingthemetal
deposit.
[0046]
From such knowledge, it is preferable that information
on an altitude of the ground surface of the target region, more
specifically, information on a denudation amount of the ground
surfaceofthe targetregionisincludedestimationofaformation
process of the secondary enrichment zone.
The estimation of the denudation amount of the ground
surface of the target region can be performed by calculating
a topography thickness from a difference between an actual
altitudeofthegroundsurfaceofthe targetregionandanaltitude
of a streamline surface which is an approximate surface of a
groundwater surface or a difference between an altitude of a
summit surface which is an approximate surface of the past
geomorphic surface and an actual altitude of the ground surface
of the target region, partitioning the target region into a
plurality of zones depending on a thickness of the topography
thickness, and obtaining a topography thickness distribution
inwhichcoefficientsofmagnitudecorrespondingtothe thickness of the topography thickness are given to the respective zones.
More details are as follows.
[00471
The streamline surface and the summit surface are virtual
surfaces thatcanbeusedforestimationofthegroundwaterlevel,
a topography analysis or the like, the target region is
partitioned into square grids having a predetermined size, a
surface that is in contact with the lowest point in each grid
is the streamline surface, and a surface that is in contact with
the highest point in each grid is the summit surface. Here,
the summitpart or the ridge partis thought tobe apart avoiding
denudation, and the valley part is thought to be an eroded part.
Here, it is preferable that a length of one side of the
square grid is set within a range of 1000 m to 2000 m. The reason
is that an interval between large valleys engraved on a slope
takes this value. In other words, when the length of one side
of the square grid is set to be less than 1000 m, a mesh is cut
at an interval narrower than the interval between the valleys
to obtain the highest altitudebetween the valleyand the valley,
suchthat thereisarisk thataninfluenceofthecurrentengraved
topography will appear, and when the length of one side of the
square grid is set to be larger than 2000 m, one point will be
taken from two or more large valleys, such that there is a
possibility that it will not be a surface in contact with the
current topography. It is necessary to change a mesh size depending on the topography (rock) or a denudation stage, and preferably, it is effective to decide the mesh size in consideration of a geographical feature (mainly a wavelength of the valley) of the region.
[0048]
Then, a difference (absolute value) between an altitude
of any one of these streamline surfaces and summit surfaces and
an actual altitude of the ground surface is calculated, and is
taken as the topography thickness.
In a case where the difference between the altitude of
the streamline surface and the actual altitude of the ground
surface is taken as the topography thickness, a place at which
the topography thickness is thin is estimated to be a range in
which adenudation amount is large and a denudation rate is fast.
[0049]
Then, by dividing the target region into the plurality
of zones depending on the thickness of the topography thickness
described above and giving the coefficients of the magnitude
corresponding to the thickness of the topography thickness to
the respective zones, the topography thickness distribution is
obtained. For example, as shown in Fig. 3 as an example, a
coefficient of 1.00 is given to a zone having a topography
thickness greater than 300 m, a coefficient of 0.75 is given
to a zone having a topography thickness of 200 m to 300 m, a
coefficient of 0.50 is given to a zone having a topography thickness of 100 m to 200 m, and a coefficient of 0.25 is given to a zone having a topography thickness less than 100 m. It is thought that a denudation rate is small in a zone having a thick topography thickness, that is, a zone to which a high coefficient is given, and according to the knowledge of the secondary enrichment described above, it is likely that the secondary enrichment zone 6 will greatly grow underground in such a zone, such that an effective metal deposit exist in such a zone.
[00501
The coefficients given at the respective topography
thicknesses are not limited to the values described above, and
can be appropriately set.
In addition, here, the topography thickness is divided
into four stages, and the respective coefficients are given to
the four stages. However, since there is no meaning and there
is no accuracy when the topography thickness is excessively
subdivided, it is preferable to divide the topography thickness
into four stages to ten stages. In particular, four, five, or
ten stages in which there is no fraction, and more preferably,
four stages or five stages are appropriate.
[0051]
In addition, here, the topography thickness is divided
per 100 m and a range of topography thickness to which the same
coefficient is given is set to 100 m. However, the range of the topography thickness to which the same coefficient is given can be basically set to a value obtained by dividing a maximum value of the thickness by the division number, but in a case where the maximum value of the thickness is not divisible, the maximumvalue ofthe thickness canbe adjustedso that themaximum value has anintervalat which the maximumvalue is dividedwell.
[00521
(Estimation of Metal Deposit)
After the metal compound information is acquired and the
topographic information is also acquired in some cases in the
manner as described above, the presence of the metal deposit
in the target region is estimated based on at least the metal
compound information, preferably, the metal compound
information and the topographic information.
[0053]
The presence of the metal compound of the ground surface
is an indicator that indicates the presence or absence of the
mineralization. That is, the metal compound information
indicates the possibility that a predetermined metal deposit
will exist near the metal compound of the ground surface.
Therefore, themetalcompoundinformationcanbe one ofeffective
determination materials in estimating the deposit.
Further, in the prospecting in a state of combining the
topographicinformationindicating a size ofleaching thickness
with the metal compound information, a size of the secondary enrichment zone grown by the secondary mineralization is also taken into consideration, such that the possibility of finding an effective metal deposit is further increased, which is preferable.
[00541
In estimating the presence of the metal deposit as
described above, the distribution of the presence ratios of the
metalcompoundofthemetalcompoundinformation, the topography
thickness distribution of the topographicinformation, a result
of multiplying the distribution of the presence ratios of the
metal compound by the topography thickness distribution can be
mappedonamap, suchthat the distributionofthepresence ratios
of the metal compound, the topography thickness distribution,
and the result can be easily grasped visually.
[0055]
<Resource Development>
After the metal deposit is prospected in the manner as
described above, it is possible to develop resources based on
a prospecting result. More specifically, it is necessary to
perform boring and mining in a predetermined target region in
whichthepresence ofthemetaldepositisestimatedby themethod
for prospecting a metal deposit described above to produce
resources suchas secondarycopper sulfide and todevelopamine.
It should be noted that this boring is an operation that can
bore a cylindrical hole such as a cylinder in the ground and can take a sample in a depth direction of a core or the like, at that time, and may be called drilling. The boring is widely usedforageologicalsurvey, collectionofundergroundresources or the like, andin the presentinvention, variousboringmethods including known or well-known boring methods can be adopted.
In the present specification, the "prospecting" is a concept
including searching for the metal deposit. In addition, the
"resource" is a concept including metal elements or including
ores or minerals. The "resource development" is a concept
including mining the resources and/or producing the resources
and/or making the resources available. "Developing the mine"
is a concept including making the mine.
[00561
In a case ofperforming the boring, a reflection spectrum
of a substance constituting a hole wall of the surrounding of
the boring during excavation by the boring is measured, and it
is possible to determine an excavation length for how deep to
bore that point from a measurement result of the reflection
spectrum.
For example, at a predetermined depth position, an
alteration intensity (TKao/TClay) of kaolin represented as
a ratio of a concentration of kaolin to a total concentration
ofalterationmineralsiscalculatedfromthemeasuredreflection
spectrum, and when T_Kao/TClay is still high, it is thought
that it is necessary to perform excavation to a deeper position.
On the other hand, when TKao/TClay becomes sufficiently low,
it is thought that the boring has been performed up to a depth
position passing through the secondary enrichment zone, such
that it can be determined that a good part does not come out
even though the excavation is further performed.
In addition, at an early stage of the prospecting, there
is a possibility that a leached zone of hundreds of meters will
be present at the ridge part. Even in such a place, when
T_Kao/TClayis high, there is apossibility that good secondary
enrichment zones will be distributed to a deeper part.
[Example]
[0057]
Next, since the present invention was experimentally
implemented and an effect of the present was confirmed, it will
be described below. However, the description here is provided
only for the purpose of illustration, and is not intended to
be limited to thereto.
[0058]
A distribution of contents of a copper-containing metal
compound (so-calledcopperoxide) wasestimatedforaMantoVerde
deposit (IOCG-type deposit) in the Republic of Chile shown in
Fig. 4. Satellite dataused for this estimation was WorldView-2
which is high space/high wavelength resolution satellite data,
and 400 to 600 nm (blue to green wavelength) in which a reflection
peak of themetalcompoundis presentwere intensively analyzed.
An analysis result is shown in Fig. 5.
[00591
From the result shown in Fig. 5, the metal compound could
be detectedevenin azoneinwhichacontent ofthemetalcompound
was extremely small.
Therefore, it was seen that there is a possibility that
suchmetal compound information canbe effectively utilized for
the method for prospecting a metal deposit.
Reference Signs List
[00601
1 stratovolcano
2 hydrothermal solution
3 primary mineralization zone
4 alteration zone
leached zone
6 secondary enrichment zone
RF rainfall
GL groundwater level

Claims (17)

1. A method for prospecting a metal deposit, comprising:
obtaining metal compound information including
information on a presence or absence of a metal compound
containing metal elements contained in the metal deposit in a
targetregionbyusingamethodforestimatingapresenceposition
and/or a presence ratio of a metal compound of a copper mineral;
obtainingtopographicinformationincludinginformation
on a height of a ground surface of the target region; and
estimating a presence of the metal deposit in the target
region based on at least the metal compound information and the
topographic information,
wherein the method for estimating the presence position
and/or a presence ratio of the metal compound, comprising:
observing a reflection spectrum of an observation point in a
wavelength range of 350 nm to 600 nm to obtain an observed value
of the reflection spectrum; acquiring an observed reflection
spectrum by standardizing the observed value of the reflection
spectrum; and comparing the observed reflection spectrum with
a compound reflection spectrum of the metal compound.
2. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
claim1, wherein the presence position and/or the presence ratio
of the metal compound in the ground surface are estimated.
3. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a distribution of presence ratios of the metal compound is estimated in a target region.
4. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
anyoneofclaims1to3, furthercomprisingcalculatingLaplacian
indicating a change in an observed reflection spectrum at
observation points adjacent to each other.
5. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the metal compound includes
one or more selected from the group consisting of malachite,
chrysocolla, azurite, brochantite, atacamite, and
chalcanthite.
6. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
anyone ofclaims 1to5, wherein the observedreflectionspectrum
is compared with compound reflection spectra of plural types
of mixed metal compounds.
7. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the metal compound information
includes information on a distribution of presence ratios of
the metal compound in the target region.
8. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a denudation amount of the
ground surface of the target region is estimated at the time
of obtaining the topographic information.
9. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
claim8, wherein theestimationofthe denudationamountincludes calculating a topography thickness from a difference between an actual altitude of the ground surface of the target region and an altitude of a streamline surface or a difference between an altitude of a summit surface and an actual altitude of the ground surface of the target region, partitioning the target region into a plurality of zones depending on a thickness of the topography thickness, and obtaining a topography thickness distribution in which coefficients of magnitude corresponding to the thickness of the topography thickness are given to the respective zones.
10. The method for prospecting a metal deposit according to
claim 9, wherein a length of one side of a square grid dividing
the target region at the time of finding the streamline surface
or the summit surface is set within a range of 1000 m to 2000
m.
11. A method for developing resources including the method
for prospecting a metal deposit according to any one of claims
1 to 10.
12. A method for mining in the target region in which the
presence of the metal deposit is estimated by the method for
prospecting a metal deposit according to any one of claims 1
to 10.
13. A method for producing secondary copper sulfide in the
target region in which the presence of the metal deposit is
estimatedby themethodforprospectingametaldepositaccording to any one of claims 1 to 10.
14. A method for producing resources in the target region
in which the presence of the metal deposit is estimated by the
method for prospecting a metal deposit according to any one of
claims 1 to 10.
15. A method for developing a mine in the target region in
whichthepresence ofthemetaldepositisestimatedby themethod
for prospecting a metal deposit according to any one of claims
1 to 10.
16. A method for boring in the target region in which the
presence of the metal deposit is estimated by the method for
prospecting a metal deposit according to any one of claims 1
to 10.
17. The method for boring according to claim 16, wherein a
reflection spectrum of a substance constituting a hole wall of
the boring during excavation by the boring is measured, and an
excavation length of a boring point is determined based on a
measurement result of the reflection spectrum.
FIG. 1
Plant REFLECTIVITY (%)
CHALCANTHITE
CHRYSOCOLLA BROCHANTITE
ATACAMITE
VISIBLE RANGE SHORT WAVELENGTH INFRARED RANGE
FIG. 2
TOPOGRAPHY THICKNESS (ALTITUDE – STREAMLINE SURFACE)
FIG. 4 FIG. 3
LEACHED ZONE THICKNESS
FIG. 5
AU2017336123A 2016-09-29 2017-08-25 Method for estimating presence of metal compound, method for prospecting metal deposit, method for developing resources, method for mining, method for producing secondary copper sulfide, method for producing resources, method for developing mine, and method for boring Active AU2017336123B9 (en)

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JP2016-220062 2016-11-10
PCT/JP2017/030598 WO2018061561A1 (en) 2016-09-29 2017-08-25 Method for estimating presence of metal compound, method for prospecting metal deposit, method for developing resources, method for mining, method for producing secondary copper sulfide, method for producing resources, method for developing mine, and method for boring

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US20120306257A1 (en) * 2010-02-05 2012-12-06 Katherine Silversides Determination of rock types by spectral scanning

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20120306257A1 (en) * 2010-02-05 2012-12-06 Katherine Silversides Determination of rock types by spectral scanning

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Title
Bishop, J. L., et al. ( 2009), Mineralogy of Juventae Chasma: Sulfates in the light‐toned mounds, mafic minerals in the bedrock, and hydrated silica and hydroxylated ferric sulfate on the plateau, J. Geophys. Res., 114 *
Freek D. van der Meer et al. Multi- and hyperspectral geologic remote sensing: A review, Intl. Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, Vol 14, (1), 2012, Pages 112-128, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2011.08.002. *

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