Discovery of Wolitu Pb-Zn deposit through geochemical prospecting under loess cover in Inner Mongolia, China

作者：Yang, Fan; Kong, Mu; Liu, Huazhong; Yu, Jinsong; Yang, Shaoping; Hao, Zhihong^*; Zhang, Dehui; Cen, Kuang

来源：Geoscience Frontiers, 2017, 8(5): 951-960.

DOI：10.1016/j.gsf.2016.08.007

• Geochemical exploration
• Loess-covered area
• Pb-Zn deposit
• Resource reserve
• Inner Mongolia

We report the finding of the Wolitu Pb-Zn deposit in Inner Mongolia, China, through a series of geochemical surveys. The Wolitu area, located in the loess-cover area in the Hure Banner, Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia, and neighboring the Horqin Sandy Land to the north, had no previous history of Pb-Zn mining or record of Pb-Zn mineralization. Our study identified a large Pb-Zn anomaly with potential zones of mineralization by stream sediment survey. Random rock sampling reveals limonitization at sporadic outcrops in the gullies. The high concentrations of Pb in the residual debris provided guidelines to fix the position for exploratory trench. Oxidized concealed orebodies were identified by trenching. Blind orebodies in veins hosted within the structural zone between slates and marbles of the upper Carboniferous Shizuizi Formation and the Permian granite were discovered by drilling. It is computed that the ore reserve may reach up to 540,000 tones with Pb grade of 1.27% and Zn of 1.9%. This case study is an excellent example for identifying potential polymetallic deposits in loess covered terrains using geochemical exploration.

• 出版日期2017-9
• 单位中国地质科学院地球物理地球化学勘查研究所; 中国地质大学（北京）; UNESCO