Determination of geochemical anomalies and gold mineralized stages based on litho-geochemical data for Zarshuran Carlinlike gold deposit (NW Iran) utilizing multi-fractal modeling and stepwise factor analysis

The Zarshuran Carlin-like gold deposit is located at the Takab Metallogenic belt in the northern part of the SanandajSirjan zone, NW Iran. The highgrade ore bodies are mainly hosted by black shale and cream to gray massive limestone along the NNEtrending extensional fault/fracture zones. The aim of this investigation was to determine and separate the gold mineralized stages based on the surface lithogeochemical Au, Hg, and As data using the ConcentrationArea (CA) fractal model and stepwise factor analysis in the Zarshuran gold deposit. Three mineralized stages were determined by the CA fractal modeling and factor analysis, which were correlated with the mineralized stages from geological studies. The main stage of Au mineralization was higher than 1.995 ppm, which was correlated with the main sulfidation stage, whereas the As and Hg highly intense anomalies (higher than 6409 and 19 ppm, respectively) were associated with the quartzsulfide veins and veinlets. The results obtained by the CA fractal model and stepwise factor analysis showed that the main gold mineralized stage occurred in the southern part of the Zarshuran deposit, which was correlated with the geological particulars.