MOLAR ELEMENT RATIO ANALYSIS:

ITS USE IN LITHOGEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATION

PRESENTERS: CLIFF STANLEY, PHD

Cliff is a Professor of Applied Geochemistry and Economic Geology in the Dept. of Earth & Environmental Science, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. He has more than 30 years of research and teaching experience in applied geochemistry, and has been the most active contributor to the development of lithogeochemical data analysis techniques applied to mineral exploration over the last 20 years. Cliff is also active in consulting, providing several professional development courses (lithogeochemistry, geochemical data analysis, QAQC) and contract research services to the international mining community.

WHEN: SUNDAY OCT 13 (1-DAY)

Lithogeochemical exploration data have historically been evaluated by mining and mineral exploration geoscientists using relatively simple graphs and more complicated multivariate statistical procedures. New ways of investigating rock compositions utilizing molar element ratios (MER’s) now allow geoscientists to directly relate the lithogeochemistry to the petrology of the rocks (or surficial materials) under investigation. These MER methods have now made substantial contributions to the disciplines of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic petrology, hydrothermal alteration, weathering, and diagenesis, and have advanced procedures and knowledge in the mining-related fields of applied (exploration and environmental) geochemistry, mineral deposit genesis, metallurgy, and even hydrogeochemistry.

This short course will present the theory, principles, and procedures of MER analysis, as well as the practical considerations of sampling, sample preparation, and analysis appropriate for the technique. In addition, a number of case histories will be presented that illustrate how MER analysis can be used in a variety of applications to solve geochemical problems of interest to the mining industry. These will include examples involving mineral exploration for volcanic-, intrusion- and sediment-hosted mineral deposits formed by igneous, sedimentary and hydrothermal processes, how MER analysis can ‘see through’ metamorphism, and how it can be applied in ‘greenfields’ and ‘brownfields’ exploration programs.

This short course will include several EXCEL exercises to illustrate the calculations made to produce MER diagrams of various types, and to guide the participants in how to interpret the results. Consequently, students should come to this short course equipped with a lap-top computer and Excel^© spreadsheet program to construct some of the MER diagrams we will be examining in the practical exercises.

Note that although ‘MER Analysis’ short courses have been presented in prior IAGS meetings (1995 in Townsville, 2001 in Santiago, 2007 in Oviedo, 2013 in Rotorua, 2018 in Vancouver), all consistently with large numbers of attendees. Updates and developments over the years have expanded the scope, scale, and application of MER analysis methods, so participants who have taken this course before will likely find it significantly revised and updated.

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INTERNATIONAL APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY SYMPOSIUM