Recognition of Gold Mineralization Potentials Based on Rock Samples Utilizing Staged Factor and Fractal Models, Bardaskan District (NE Iran)

The purpose for this research is to define the gold mineralization potentials by the concentration-number fractal and staged factor analysis modeling based on rock samples at the Bardaskan area (NE Iran). Two main gold mineralization types are epithermal and disseminated systems in this district. First, the staged factor analysis is carried out at four stages. The stepwise factor analysis was applied in three stages to remove noise elements. Moreover, staged factor analysis was applied in the fourth step based on metallic elements including Au, Ag, Cu, As, Fe, Mo, Bi, La, S, Zn, and Cd were grouped. These elements are grouped at four factors, and related factors for gold mineralization are F1-4 (first factor in the fourth stage) which is consisting of As, Mo, S and Fe and F3-4 (third factor in the fourth stage) includes Au and Ag. The concentration-number log–log plots for factor scores of F1-4 and F3-4 were generated, and their threshold values were calculated to create the factor score’s geochemical maps. Based on these results, the gold mineralization potentials are positioned in the NE, northern and SE sections of the district, which indicate a correlation among alteration zones, including chloritization, sericitization, and silicification alteration zones and faults and fault’s intersections. Main Au mineralization occurred in silicified-sulfidic veins/veinlets in NE and northern portions of the region. However, high grade F3-4 anomalies are located in intersection of faults and neighboring fault zones especially at the northern part of this district. Moreover, Samples with Au≥ 100 ppb were situated in major anomalous parts of F3-4 (Au-Ag) and marginal parts of the F1-4, which include pathfinder of gold mineralization.