Geophysical characterisation of geologic features with mining implications from ERT, TDEM and seismic reflection (Mining District of Linares-La Carolina, Spain)

In this study, the effectiveness of different geophysical techniques is analysed in relation to the imaging of geological structures with mining interest. To achieve this goal, the old district of Linares-La Carolina (Southeast Spain) is chosen due to the presence of dense swarm of mineralised dykes...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Mendoza, Rosendo, Rey, Javier, Martínez, Julián, Hidalgo, M. Carmen, Sandoval, Senen
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Recursos:Universidad de Jaén
Repositorio:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
OAI Identifier:oai:ruja.ujaen.es:10953/2657
Acesso em linha:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2021.104581
https://hdl.handle.net/10953/2657
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Faults
Seismic reflection
Electrical resistivity tomography
Time-domain electromagneticn
Linares-La Carolina mining district
Descrição
Resumo:In this study, the effectiveness of different geophysical techniques is analysed in relation to the imaging of geological structures with mining interest. To achieve this goal, the old district of Linares-La Carolina (Southeast Spain) is chosen due to the presence of dense swarm of mineralised dykes, primarily consisting of galena (PbS). In particular, the western boundary of the mining district is studied. At this westernmost area the veins lose their continuity due to regional fractures which resulted in the abandoning of the extracting labours. Direct information from both the surface geology and several boreholes are used as ground-truth calibration and verification for the geophysical tools used in this study. The seismic response is characterised by high-amplitude reflectors, generally at the base of the sedimentary cover. The seismic profiles suggest lateral changes in the thickness and the existence of fractures affecting the sedimentary cover and/or the top of the acoustic basement. However, this technique has proved ineffective when studying the Palaeozoic substrate, precisely at those areas where the veins are hosted. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) studies suggest fractures and lateral changes in the facies, in both the sedimentary cover and the Palaeozoic basement. The basement shows phyllites in the granite intrusion, which are crucial for the elastic properties of the hosting rock and therefore indicate areas prone to further mineralisation. Time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) data, which is an excellent complement to the two previous techniques, have also been collected. Data have been taken with different configurations and varying measurement parameters at each sounding station. This approach has made it possible to compare the effectiveness benefits and drawbacks of the different methods.