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Geophysical Data Inversion in a Gold-Rich Porphyry System: A Case Study of the Dalli Deposit, Iran

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Abstract

Obtaining spatial correlation between estimated physical parameters and corresponding lithological features is always challenging in geophysical exploration. This research provides various estimated geophysical models at two porphyry centers in the Dalli Cu–Au deposit in central Iran to characterize hydrothermal alteration zones, host lithologies, and mineralization. The dataset used in this research consists of ground magnetic and direct current electrical resistivity and induced polarization data and core drilling geochemical analyses. Constraints such as appropriate depth weighting via calculation of the power spectrum and Euler deconvolution of the magnetic data were used to relieve the non-uniqueness nature of magnetic data inversion. The resulting estimated models from 3D inversion of magnetic data to 2D inversion of direct current electrical resistivity and induced polarization data inversion indicated that higher chargeability zones and strong copper and Au mineralization zones are spatially associated with a significant modulus of magnetic susceptibility gradient. The models also confirm the presence of a U-shape pyrite shell at the Dalli porphyry deposit. Overlaying the geochemical drilling data on this shell showed that the inner boundaries correspond well with the zones of significant Cu–Au mineralization. Comparing the geophysical models with the host lithologies indicated that the inner part of the primary quartz diorite porphyry as the host rock dominantly has potassic alteration, with lower Cu–Au grades, higher magnetic susceptibility, and lower resistivity. In contrast, the main Cu–Au mineralization concentration occurs between the quartz diorite intrusion and the pyrite shell that is located mainly in the wall rock andesite porphyries, where magnetic susceptibility is decreased.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Iranian Copper Industry Company (NICICO), Dorsa Pardaze company, and Petro Anahita company for accessing the geophysical, geological, and drill holes data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Keytash Moshtaghian

  2. Department of Mining Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

    Mohammad Hajheidari, Sayyed Mohammad Abtahi Forooshani & Ghazal Janghorban

  3. School of Mining Engineering, University College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Pouya Asadi Harouni

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  1. Keytash Moshtaghian
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Correspondence to Sayyed Mohammad Abtahi Forooshani.

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Moshtaghian, K., Hajheidari, M., Abtahi Forooshani, S.M. et al. Geophysical Data Inversion in a Gold-Rich Porphyry System: A Case Study of the Dalli Deposit, Iran. Nat Resour Res 32, 501–522 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-023-10165-9

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