Recognition of significant multi-element geochemical signatures of porphyry Cu deposits in Noghdouz area, NW Iran

Diversity and complexity of geological processes in different areas result in different element associations for prospecting a certain mineral deposit-type sought. In this regard, because element associations are affected by the diversity of geological characteristics of different areas, it is important to analyze and recognize significant geochemical signatures that represent the deposit-type sought. This paper aims to recognize significant multi element geochemical signatures of porphyry-Cu deposits in the Noghdouz area, Iran, using stream sediment data. For this, we used factor analysis and two modeling methods of geochemical anomalies, sample catchment basin and contour map. Then, to recognize significant geochemical signatures of the deposit-type sought and evaluate the anomaly mapping methods, we adapted prediction-area (P-A) plot, normalized density, and success rate curve. By using these processes, we recognized the best geochemical signature of the deposit-type sought in the study area. The proposed methods in this paper can efficiently be used in other areas to recognize significant geochemical signatures of different types of mineral deposits. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.