Page 102 - Geochemical Remote Sensing of The Sub-Surface

Geoelectrochemistry and stream dispersion 79
more than 50%. Some new ore deposits were revealed by the CPC method in Rudny
Altay, the Kola Peninsula, the Pacific coast region and in Tajikistan. The CLPC method
was tested on the polymetallic deposits of Rudny Altay. The CHIM, MDE, MPF and
TMGM methods were used for regional and detailed surveys in regions of exotic cover,
where traditional geochemical methods are not effective. By using these methods new
discoveries were made of copper deposits (in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and the Ural
region of Russia), polymetallic deposits (in the Baikal region of Russia and Uzbekistan),
gold deposits (in the Russian Far East region, Siberia), tin deposits (in the Pacific coast
region of Russia, Khabarovsk Kray) and rare metal deposits (in Byelorussia and the Kola
Peninsula). The PL method has been used for monitoring underground leaching of
uranium deposits in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, and for groundwater
monitoring in the Leningrad district. After the 1980s, geoelectrochemistry began to be
used in other countries, initially in Canada and Australia, with participation of Russian
specialists and then, in China, USA, India and elsewhere independently.
From the successful case histories presented in this chapter, it is evident that
geoelectrochemical methods are very effective and economical tools for prospecting and
exploration of ore deposits, especially deep-seated ore bodies. With increasing demand
for mineral products and the decreasing opportunities to discover new mineral resources
at surface, it is timely to make use of the theory and application of geoelectrochemistry.
Due to the presence of trace elements in oil and natural gas accumulations and gas
condensates, it is possible to use some geoelectrochemical methods (CHIM, MDE, MPF,
TMGM) for prognosis and prospecting of oil and gas. Extending the application of
geoelectrochemical methods beyond the former USSR into other countries will
undoubtedly have similar benefits, such as reducing costs of exploration and increasing
exploration productivity.
Development of interpretation theory and improvement of methodology in the
application of geoelectrochemical methods are two factors that help to solve practical
exploration problems. In the near future it is hoped that raised sensitivity and accuracy of
MPF, TMGM, CHIM and MDE data will lead to the development of criteria to
determine the depth, size and reserve of anomaly sources. The immediate objective for
the CPC method is to make investigations on non-equipotential, disseminated ore bodies
in host rocks with low porosity and high resistivity. Through the study of
geoelectrochemical processes in rocks, variations of or new directions in
geoelectrochemical methods may be developed. For example, based on the phenomenon
of interaction of elastic waves and electromagnetic fields in rocks, it may be possible to
develop seismogeoelectrochemistry. Further research, within the framework of
international collaboration, is clearly desirable.