Summary
The study investigated the geochemical response, in soils and Quaternary materials, of a Au-Ag epithermal deposit (3T's deposit) in central BC. The study comprised an integrated field and laboratory investigation focusing on comparative analytical digestions and selective extraction studies from various soil profiles across the deposit.The objective of this project was to determine and recommend the most effective field and laboratory geochemical methods for property-scale evaluation of buried mineral targets in drift-covered terrain, by 1) evaluating the most suitable soil media and horizons for field sampling, and 2) evaluating and comparing commercially available analytical methods. No similar publicly available comparative geochemical methodology studies have been conducted in the western Cordillera.
This project was complementary to the project: "Halogen Geochemistry: Development of New Geochemical Methodology,Using Soils and Vegetation, for Detecting Mineral Deposits Concealed by Volcanic Rocks and Overburden in Central British Columbia." (Dunn, Cook and Hall). Samples from a range of soil horizons were submitted for comparative analysis by several selective extraction analytical methods. This project was envisioned as a smaller Cordilleran analogue of the successful central Canadian CAMIRO Deep Penetrating Geochemistry project and its successors. No such publicly available comparative geochemical methodology studies have been conducted in the Cordillera.
Comparative extractions and analyses included:- Aqua regia digestion/ICP-MS
- Na-pyrophosphate extractions
- Enzyme Leach
- MMI Mobile Metal Ion
- Soil Gas Hydrocarbons
- Soil Desorption Pyrolysis
- Soil pH